Critique my Rasputina pool

[mythicFOX]

As I mentioned in another thread I'm playing a 45ss, fixed master event with a 70ss model & upgrade pool this coming weekend. We have no knowledge to objectives, summoned models don't come from your pool.

I've posted the pool I'm planning to use is the below, and I'd really appreciate a critique on it from my fellow Arcanists.  The last five upgrades are all fairly speculative and I could especially use some thoughts on how to use the last five stones of the pool.  I've posted my reasons for the choices I've made on my blog, if people are interested in reading those.

Any help much appreciated.

Rasputina
 + Cold Nights (1)
 + Armor of December (1)
 + Arcane Reservoir (2)

Snow Storm (11)
 + Imbued Energies (1)

Myranda (8)
 + Imbued Energies (1)

Silent One (6)
Arcane Effigy (4)
Ice Gamin (4)
Wendigo (3)

Mechanical Rider (12)
Soul Stone Miner (6)
Performer (5)

+ Imbued Protection (2)
+ Warding Runes (1)
+ Child of December (1)
+ Sub Zero (1)
 

Quick team photo of the model pool;

[Bengt]

No December Acolyte? *Shock* *gasp*

[Sordid Strumpet]

I still think despite its cost, shattered heart is better. Whenever I didn't have it I found myself unable to threaten an area of the board I'd really like dish out some tender love and frost to. Might be a lack of experience playing her more than anything else though. I just find the 1-action 3" push a really lackluster way of using my AP, especially if I could have also used them to put 5 or more damage on the enemy crew instead.

I feel like melee isn't much of an issue if you have a performer and snow storm to lure/place rasputina out of combat.

I also don't know that you definitely need Myranda, I think Angelica or Cassandra with practised production are a more reliably way of achieving back-field strategies and schemes with no AP cost.

[Spike0738]

I cannot support a SS pool that doesn't include a December Acolyte with Rasputina. Especially when you don't know what schemes/strats you're pulling. 

All your models and basing are fantastic though. 

[bertmac]

I'm not sure your core crew is particularly killy but if you've done ok with that in the past fair enough.

With your extra ss available have you thought of maybe an essence of power? Just in case you want to boost raspy's hitting power right up.

[mythicFOX]

Thanks for the thoughts. 

Hadn't considered the Essence of Power but nut sure when I'd want to drop a minion which can act independently and score objectives (Wendigo) for it. I'll consider it in place of some of the token upgrades at the end. 

In terms of Acolyte; I think you'd have to play it over the Soulstone Miner (and a 1ss upgrade) in the pool.  In the crew though you'd not be able to play both it and the Silent One, so you'd need to chose between the two.  What're the pros / cons of that form your points of view?

I feel like losing the healing into your own crew would make your crew much more fragile, for no real increase in damage output. It feels like if you're playing Acolyte to run an objective the Miner is cleaner for the role. 

 

[Math Mathonwy]

I'm guessing that a Wind Gamin is out of the question? It would add a good, cheap Scheme Runner which is something I feel that you're currently lacking. SS Miner is something close to it but is more expensive.

But of course there's the problem of the model not being out yet.

[mythicFOX]

Wind Gamin is out - simply as I don't have time to convert one before Saturday. That is a good point through Math.  How about; dropping Soulstone Miner, Child of December, and Sub Zero from the pool to add in two Molemen. 

In the body of the list these could replace Silent One and Arcane Res where I need the runners. 

I'd be weaker in Stake a Claim, but stronger in Recon / Interference and Stash.