Jack Daw: Outlaws vs Drowned

[Mr JJ Grim]

Hello all,

Currently my only experience with 3E has been small henchman led games, looking to scale up to full 50ss games using Jack Daw. I understand that a key point to the crew’s synergy is handing out curse upgrades and staggered so I have included Montresor, guilty and hanged into my crew, I have enough soul stones for 2 more modes and I’m struggling to choose between undead outlaws or the drowned, and hoped for some advice. Here are my views at the moment:

Outlaws:

-have some experience from the smaller games.

-have better threat range with revolvers+run and gun

-in my current experience the are good for outflanking and increases the crews damage output with early game shots.
-I know their abilities can help with scheme markers but I so far have rarely used them. But they can also help the crews low mobility by giving out fast and pushing models

 

The drowned:

-currently no experience using them

-can see from rules they are a good source of ‘staggered’ from both terrain and startle

-have similar range & movement to the rest of the crew, but can ignore some terrain, and can use the terrain they generate to block enemies path (and can generate more with Montresor’s ‘cursed to watch’)

-and make up for their shorter range by being more potent melee fighters with vengeance acting as a deterrent to enemies trying to attack them.

So I am unsure on wether to have the longer reach of the outlaws or the more damage focused drown. (Will also add that I’m not sure on the crooked men, before someone brings them up)

I realise there is nothing stopping me experimenting as I only play friendly games, but they seem to be few and far between, so I thought I’d see what more experienced players had to say on the matter.

[Graf]

I mean... it depends? Malifaux doesn't have fixed list for a reason, Dead Outlaws/ Drowned are a good example for that.

You take Outlaws when you need more mobile models than the rest of the crew provides, e.g. for Corrupted Ley Lines. Also if you need some counter-scheming.

You take Drowned when you want stronger zone control. Also combine well with Crooked Man, though I personally would look more for Jaakuna for such a combo.

So... both are legit in different, specific situations, depending on your opponent, the pool, etc. Personally I tend to expect Outlaws being played more often, but both are tech pieces.

 

ps: Don't know about your exact set-up, but I recommend leaving a good amount of SS unspend, at least 6 in my experience.

[Saduhem]

If you have to pick just one, dead outlaws will have many more applications.

Drowned are currently a very niche pick. 

I'd actually prefer if the Guilty could no longer force discards and the crooked men /drowned were tweaked upwards a bit. 

Until then, Dead Outlaws. Can elaborate more after work if needed!

[Paddywhack]

It really depends on what you are facing. I really like the Drowned if I know I'm facing a melee-centric crew. So much so I'll even bring one OOK if I feel the need. Their ability to not allow a model to cheat during Melee can really throw an opponent off. Can help shut down a big beater and create a roadblock that other models can't. Add in the Stagger and the 'potential' for good return hits (needs triggers to really get good) and they've always served me well. They are very, very slow though. If you can't help them up the field or its something like Corner deployment, it may not be worth taking them.

I've never takes Dead Outlaws, but they seem much more mobile. More like flank attackers that can hit and run and try and dance away while scheming. Totally different strengths.