Dashel the Butcher

[Maladroit]

Not sure if posting the photos of new Dashel from the book is OK, but I guess they'll find there way in here eventually. 

First impression is that he'll have LLC. Second impression is that he's pretty brutal. Third is that he doesn't need the dispatcher in this version. Fourth is that he looks tasty as a second master, I'm looking forward to trying that.

 

Edit to add: Paired with Hamelin in case you have not seen. Disease containment unit (Enforcer) is the new shared model.

DCU can summon beast minions with Mindless - so basically dogs and has a tasty flamethrower.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Maladroit
Added DCU

[Maniacal_cackle]

His bonus action removes a marker to do stuff, and executioners too.

I think dispatcher is critical for those first few turns.

[Maladroit]

8 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

His bonus action removes a marker to do stuff, and executioners too.

I think dispatcher is critical for those first few turns.

I might be wrong, but I think I'd be deploying Dashel as far forward as possible and it's only a 2" range on the bonus, I'd only expect it to be useful for T1 - I guess what I meant is that I wont be tucking the dispatcher safely away anymore, he'll just be deployed to get the T1 bonus then I don't think I care if he get's sniped out. It's not as if I wont be taking him, I just don't think he needs protecting anymore.

 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Just now, Maladroit said:

I might be wrong, but I think I'd be deploying Dashel as far forward as possible and it's only a 2" range on the bonus, I'd only expect it to be useful for T1 - I guess what I meant is that I wont be tucking the dispatcher safely away anymore, he'll just be deployed to get the T1 bonus then I don't think I care if he get's sniped out. It's not as if I wont be taking him, I just don't think he needs protecting anymore.

 

I agree he seems more expendable, but I think you'll always just keep him in protected range still so that you have the option to keep him alive.

With a guild mage, that translates to healing as well.

[Maladroit]

2 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

I agree he seems more expendable, but I think you'll always just keep him in protected range still so that you have the option to keep him alive.

With a guild mage, that translates to healing as well.

True, it's not as if I want him to die. But protecting the Dispatcher was one of the elements I didn't like about old Dashel so it feels a bit freeing . . . . at this point my brain is mainly thinking of the possibilities of Dashel v2 as a second master so that's also colouring my viewpoint currently.

[Maniacal_cackle]

1 minute ago, Maladroit said:

True, it's not as if I want him to die. But protecting the Dispatcher was one of the elements I didn't like about old Dashel so it feels a bit freeing . . . . at this point my brain is mainly thinking of the possibilities of Dashel v2 as a second master so that's also colouring my viewpoint currently.

Yeah, with him as a second master, a cheap model can just interact to give you your scheme marker turn 1 xD

[HomelessOne]

Credit to A Wyrd Place

[Avatar of Butter]

I, for one, am very much looking forward to fielding Dashel2. I think that he's a wonderful example of the new design philosophy of Malifaux Burns, in that he has radically different strengths and weaknesses than Dashel1. The face that you can play a crew that isn't centered around protecting the dispatcher actually makes playing Dashel1 a more interesting decision. Even before the game gets set up, you need to look at the pool, the board, and the enemy's declared leader to decide what approach you want to take to the crew. I am a fan. Plus, Second Slice is a weirdly awesome ability. The more I think about it, the more I think that having an execute-on-a-stick is just great. Who would have thought that giving Dashel a second axe would make him so much cooler?

I also absolutely love the Plague Containment Unit. As someone who used to tax in a Freikorps specialist with Sonnia back in the day, I am pleased to see a flamethrower available again. It will soothe my grumpiness over no new Witch Hunters in the expansion...

[Angelshard]

Dashel is kinda sad that the new enforcer for frontier isn't guild. 

[Trample]

Second Slice is such a phenomenal ability. Using Nekima games as a guide in which she used black blood offensively to take off that last would, this  can perform a similar role with a wider range and more impact. I anticipate this coming in handy at least once a game based on how often it seems I'm frustrated with a HtW model. As a tactical, it is unresisted and bypasses incorporeal and defensive triggers. Since it pings twice it really shines against a HtW model on 2 wounds like Ashigaru or Gracie. You still have to get them to two wounds, but Dashel looks capable of that as well. 

[le_wahou]

On 9/17/2021 at 12:11 AM, Maniacal_cackle said:

I agree he seems more expendable, but I think you'll always just keep him in protected range still so that you have the option to keep him alive.

With a guild mage, that translates to healing as well.

His ability is only for guards. Mages can not target him as a scheme 

[Filox]

This is DASHER!

[Maniacal_cackle]

7 hours ago, le_wahou said:

His ability is only for guards. Mages can not target him as a scheme 

I mean protected onto a Guard, and then the discard gives a heal.

[Rufess]

I am looking at Butcher Dashel recently. So how is the core list when you guys playing him? I think he needs the LLC and Steward as a start, and maybe a Lawyer for utility.

How about the Guard minions. How they preform when Dashel cannot summon them?

[Trample]

I tried him for the first time this week with mixed success. My opponent had a McCabe crew with a number of movement tricks to keep someone engaged with Dashel to prevent him from easily charging wherever he wants to go. When he's engaged he really relies on the extra attack to scale up the damage, so he needs stones or masks to pull that off. That means he is prone to being tanked, which is exactly what happened in this game to me. 

Although I brought the steward, and he successfully put out 3 focus on turn 1, I probably wouldn't bring him in Dashel 2 again unless I'm facing a condition crew. He doesn't do the same kind of work in this version. Part of the problem was that I was in corner and he didn't really keep up, but there are better choices. I did have LLC on him but I might try giving the 2 llcs to 2 executioners next time. I only brought one this time. Dashel has both a self heal and the ability to summon a take the hit model, so maybe he doesn't need it. 

Minions are good. The soulstone use is very cool, especially with loot their corpse. Mounted guards are great, executioners good, wardens pretty good. 

The first game was a draw for me, but I may look to try him again next week now that I have a better feel for him. 

[Miniexot]

What are you guys thinking as a leader for Dashel2 as a second master? Lucius for card draw?

[Rufess]

17 hours ago, Trample said:

Dashel has both a self heal and the ability to summon a take the hit model, so maybe he doesn't need it. 

I am not quite sure on relying triggers that are not built-in and under a bonus action which requires to remove a marker. I think I would just bring the Steward to look after Dashel.

17 hours ago, Trample said:

Minions are good. The soulstone use is very cool, especially with loot their corpse. Mounted guards are great, executioners good, wardens pretty good. 

I have no doubt the Executioner and Mounted Gard are performing good. I am more wondering Rifleman and Sergeant. Especially the Sergeant who can make Dashel charges 8", a bit too costly though.

Also any OOK or versatile model that I should look at?

[Adran]

2 hours ago, Rufess said:

I am not quite sure on relying triggers that are not built-in and under a bonus action which requires to remove a marker. I think I would just bring the Steward to look after Dashel.

They might not be built in, but its quite a low TN, and the crew should generate quiet a bit of soul stone (although it may also use quite a lot if you want to). Removing a marker is not a huge problem, especially when his crew will want the corpse marker he puts down (either directly if he goes for a heal, or soon to be if he summons a guard patrol...😄) (and as long as the dispatcher is still alive and in range, you love that it removes a marker, and it helps generate corpse markers for your crew to turn into more stones. )

But it probably depends a bit on play style and opponent, Safety nets like the Steward are certainly worth using to start with, until you can see if you get enough from him without it. 

[Cranky Old Man]

I think another slice is a bit OP. Unresisted duel on a 6 that effectively kills any models with 2 wounds remaining. Its the fact that it cant be opposed and gets around all defence. Played against it and lost 4 models to it. I think any abilitity or attack that effects the enemy and is unresisted is just too much. Like Shen's condition transfer.

Apart from that one gripe he looks fun to play and really buffs his crew while also being a great beater. 

[Antipodean]

Unresisted damage is actually fairly common in Malifaux. Some don't even require duels. Catalyst, Lethe's Caress, Hold 'em, Misery, Stampede, even Hazardous Terrain all fit into this category in my mind.

It's not like there is an absence of counter plays either - Shielded quickly coming to mind. Or blocking LoS as it is a pulse. Or Stagger to make the Dashel placement harder.

Unless you are bunched up, a master AP killing something on two wounds isn't overly crazy. If you are bunched up and wounded heavily then any blast/pulse/aura/shockwave is going to hurt.

 

[Yore Huckleberry]

On 11/10/2021 at 4:27 PM, Cranky Old Man said:

I think another slice is a bit OP. Unresisted duel on a 6 that effectively kills any models with 2 wounds remaining. Its the fact that it cant be opposed and gets around all defence. Played against it and lost 4 models to it. I think any abilitity or attack that effects the enemy and is unresisted is just too much. Like Shen's condition transfer.

Apart from that one gripe he looks fun to play and really buffs his crew while also being a great beater. 

It doesn't get around shielded, soulstones, or a number of tech abilities (We are Legion, Marlena's Soul Tether, etc). It's strong, but not unbeatable.

It's also a Master AP with a TN that does 1 damage unless you've set up a 2 hp model exactly. It's powerfully reliable in unreliably present situations that require you to have done a good amount of work already and be within 2" of your target.