Making two beginner crews for a intro game.

[esqulax]

If you had 95% of the Neverborn range (Except Gigants) at your disposal, how would you go about making two beginner crews for two brand new players? 

I was thinking something along the line of 4 models vs 4 models, but I am having a lot of trouble finding two crews that I think will be thematic, evenly matched and not too rules fiddly for a new player. 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. 

[TeaCrusader]

I'm not so certain about Neverborns options in such, but I've found henchman hardcore to be an excellent introductory game.

4 models, no leaders or totems, 30 SS, plant explosives and Reckoning, no schemes.

The only real issue with it for this is that without some masters some crews lose a fair chunk of their fluffy flavour. I've not played him but I'll assume a dreamer crew doesn't feel much like a dreamer crew without Dreamer in it. 

However for displaying some cool models, the objective based nature of the game, and some light synergies (that can still be quite fluffy) I think it's a great way to not overwhelm new players to the game.

[esqulax]

True, that was also roughly what I was planning, the trouble is just what models to use. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

I wrote up an introduction series that you may find useful. For that, essentially just have people start with core boxes and work their way up. It wont' be perfectly balanced, but it is balanced enough:

However, if you're wanting to go with a henchmen + 3 minions....

So your henchman options are:

• Aeslin
• Angel Eyes
• Bad Juju
• Candy
• Hayreddin
• Hinamatsu
• Lord Chompy Bits
• The Carver
• Thoon
• Widow Weaver
• Wrath

I'd eliminate the versatiles (unless you're wanting to do a Halfblood crew). I'd also knock out Bad Juju (the demise is terrible for an intro game) and Widow Weaver (Lord Chompy is better for introductions).

That leaves you with possibilities of...

• Aeslin + 3 Autumn knights
• Candy + 3 sorrows
• Hayreddin + 3 young neph
• Lord Chompy bits + 3 alps
• The Carver + 3 sorrows
• Thoon + 3 gigants

Going off soulstones... Aeslin vs. Hayreddin, or Lord chompy vs. candy. Candy might be tricky as she is quite a weird model for a new player to start with. Aeslin vs. Hayreddin at least gives a fairly straight forward brawl and might work okay.

[Ogid]

I'd go with more complex crews than the above; after going through the basics I think players could handle 4 different models; but I'd explain to both players how both crews work so they may plan in advance. 

Some Henchman Hardcore crews around an idea/theme:

Combat focused crews:

• Carver, Iggy, Serena, Sorrow, 1SS. (Fire Misery and good sustain)
• Carver, Candy, Kade, Sorrow. 0SS. (2 Executes + Discard card)
• LCB, Serena, Insidius, Insidius, 1SS (Terrifying, Wp attacks and Feed on Fear, tanky Nightmare)
• LCB, Teddy, Coppelius, Daydream, 0SS (Enforcers killy Nightmare)
• Aeslin, Rougarou, Knight, Knight, 0SS (Standard Fae).
• Aeslin, Killjoy, Waldgeist, Waldgeist. 0SS. (Killjoy again and again).
• Candy, Angel Eyes, Doppleganger, Sorrow. 0SS (Gunlinish crew, decent in close combat)
• Candy, Kade, Teddy, Sorrow. 0SS (Teddy+Kade synergy, Slow Misery, Candy+Execute and fast Teddy)
• Hayreddin, Lelu, Lilitu, BBS. 1SS (Black Blood Splash)
• Hinamatsu, Vasilisa, Stitched, Stitched. 1SS (Puppets NVB) Note: If you have them, one or both stitcheds may be swaped by Coryphees.
• Bad Juju, The First Mate, Serena, Effigy. 1SS (Hard as nails)
• Thoon, Geryon (IR), Cyclops, Lyssa. 0SS (Standard Savage)

Combat, but shenanigan heavy/out of the faction:

• Thoon, Doppleganger, Cyclops, Lyssa. 2SS (Double Frozen Trophy crew with SS for triggers)
• Thoon, Wrath, Cyclops, Lyssa. 3SS (Bring it+sin crew, SS triggers and damage reduction)
• Hayreddin, Vasilisa, BBS, BBS. 1SS (Mature fast grow; pulling the strings for mature in turn 1)
• Hayreddin, Angel Eyes, BBS, Wicked Doll. 3SS (Easy Focused and Corpses using with adversary in friendly models, SS for triggers)
• Hinamatsu, Candy, Kabuki, Geisha. 0SS (Distraction aura, Wp attacks, Qui and Gong in NVB).
• Hinamatsu, Serena, Kunoichi, Coryphee. 1SS (Kunoichi Focused+1 Coryphee/Serena; Kunoichi min 3 or 4 if distracted+1/+2)
• Wrath, Envy, Pride, Doppleganger. 1SS (Crossroads double Gatling/pride song)
• Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Rougarou. 0SS (Crossroads fast wolf)

Mobility based crews:

• WW, Bander, Coryphee, Coryphee. 3SS (Change Coryphees for Insidious if you don't have coryphees, then 1SS).
• WW, Bander, Coryphee Duet, Wicked Doll. 0SS (5 model crew version)
• Hayreddin, BBS, Young, Young. 1SS (BBS may be changed for another Young for a more agressive crew, then 0SS)
• Bad Juju, The First Mate, Silurid, Silurid. 0SS.
• Aeslin, Rougarou, Rougarou, Bultungin. 1SS.

Now the hard part, figure out which ones could be fair matches!