Thinking of starting a Victoria Crew

[Seventeen]

Read more than a few threads saying that getting the Vic Blisters, a Ronin blister and a Mikasa blister is more playable off that bat than the Vik's boxed set.

Does this still hold relatively true with the release of Rising Powers?

Edited September 30, 2010 by Seventeen
Clarify Vik blisters vs Vik boxed set

[Whatsicle]

The biggest change for the Viktorias in Rising Power is the release of 2SS Desperate Mercenaries.

I believe it still holds true that the Viktoria box with a blister (and maybe Misaki) is her best bet, at least right off the bat. The Desperate Mercenaries can do some pretty cool things, but...

Von Schill, the Mercenary Special Forces guy, is pretty cool too.. but he's pretty much his own self contained set, not reliant on the Viks.

[alemon]

I would take jack daw....just because you can.

[nilus]

Actually the box set plus a Ronin blister is pretty much a good start. Misaki is good but not mandatory. Desperate Mercenaries, when they come out, will be a must have for Viki and honestly just about any crew.

[Werecat]

Desperate Mercenaries, when they come out, will be a must have for Viki and honestly just about any crew.

That good, eh? I must be missing something.

[nilus]

That good, eh? I must be missing something.

Yep, They cost 2 Soul Stones regardless of who hires them. They can fire 4 times a turn if they stand still, if they are wounded they get bonus and if you choose to sacrifice them at the end of the round they get even more bonuses.

Its mostly theoryfaux at this point but I have tested them in a Nicodem army and they do really well there. In a Viki army they are a great cheap way to bring in Killjoy(something the Vikis needed).

I'm not saying you are gonna use them every game but they are definitely going to be one of the tools a lot of people like to have handy when they need them.

[Buck Dog]

I run a Viks crews, and I started with the two Viks, Ronin and a Convict Gunslinger..... I then went back after a few games and bought Johan, Bishop and Taelor anyway. For starting out Viks + Ronin are easier to get to grips with than the boxed set, but if you want a well rounded Viks crew, you will probably want the contents of the of boxed set anyway.

Some people don't rate Johan and Bishop, but don't listen to them !!

[Whatsicle]

I don't like Bishop, but I think Johan has his uses.

The Convict Gunslinger is absolutely fantastic though. Suppressive Fire can win a game all on its own, if your enemy bunches up. He shoots stuff too, I guess, but that's secondary. Goes well with Desperate Mercenaries...

The Box Set + Ronin is pretty solid. The whole set works well together, Taelor is a beast, and Ronin are annoying as crap (for them - I swear by them!)

[Guy in Suit]

I went the blister-only route, but that was because I was building a female-only themed crew.

Buy whichever, as once you catch the Wyrd bug you are going to want to collect them all anyway!

Every model has their uses. People usually recommend ronin as they are a little easier to use than Bishop/Misaki, who both need some planning and card management to get the most out of, not to mention cost a lot more when you screw up and get them killed!

[Gremlin Swarm]

Bishop is the consummate speed bump. He's got a lot of wounds, and can basically choose which of his triggers he'll get off each turn.

Taelor is, as already stated, a beast. She hits like a freight train. So does Johann.

Misaki is great. She hits decently, and with Wind can do it 6" away! It's almost like having a gun she can shoot into melee with impunity. (Almost.)

[Blank]

Yep, They cost 2 Soul Stones regardless of who hires them. They can fire 4 times a turn if they stand still, if they are wounded they get bonus and if you choose to sacrifice them at the end of the round they get even more bonuses.

Its mostly theoryfaux at this point but I have tested them in a Nicodem army and they do really well there. In a Viki army they are a great cheap way to bring in Killjoy(something the Vikis needed).

I'm not saying you are gonna use them every game but they are definitely going to be one of the tools a lot of people like to have handy when they need them.

This might be just me, but I foresee Making Ends Meet as a pretty hefty downfall to the DM's. I mean, I understand they get bonuses and are an easy way to bring in Killjoy but it's pretty tough to convince me on them in a low SS crew. Levi and the Viks have quite a few options but the minions can be expensive. In my Levi crews, it's tough to get more than 3-4ss. (Not that Levi needs them, though)

[Buck Dog]

I don't think Making Ends Meet is too much of a issue. Personally, I treat them as a 3ss model, and if they die early then its a bonus ! At 3ss it puts them in the same bracket as a Sorrow or Piglet, so I really don't have a problem with the cost.

Its the healing flip which really excites me, as it should help my Viks no end.

[Gol_Stoan]

In my case I am going all female. Viks, Taelor, Misaki, and Ronin. Working out pretty well so far.

Can the Viks take the Freikorps Librarian? Did not see anything that would specifically exclude it, just that if you take one as a merc, any other mercs hired have to be freikorps. But I would be taking it as an Outcast faction model, not as a "mercenary", so I do not believe that restriction applies. Might need some clarification.

I will probably also end up taking one of Colette's Performers, kind of expensive in soulstones to take them as mercenaries though.

[MrNybbles]

Can the Viks take the Freikorps Librarian?

Yes, they can hire the Librarian.

Because the Librarian is part of a Special Forces(Freikorps) you can take no more than a total of two Special Forces(Freikorps) without Von Schill who would remove that limit. Also, you can only hire models from one Special Forces group. Pg 34 in Rising Powers lists the new Special Forces characteristic.

But I would be taking it as an Outcast faction model, not as a "mercenary", so I do not believe that restriction applies.

Correct, you are hiring within your own faction so the model isn't being taken as a Mercenary.

I will probably also end up taking one of Colette's Performers, kind of expensive in soulstones to take them as mercenaries though.

The Performers were probably made Mercenaries so you can take them with Pandora who has Emotional Trauma and the Performers are almost nothing but willpower duels.

Even without Colette or Pandora the Performers still have a ranged attack, Mesmerizing, Irresistible, a poison Melee attack and come with a free Mannequin. It's up to you if the pair are worth the 8ss.

Just watch out for anything with Immune to Influence which makes the model immune to Wp Duels when it is the defender. However, they would still need to take a Wp duel because of Irresistible when attacking a Performer.

[Daniele]

I think the Freikorps is what the mercenaries really hugered for!

Nameless shocktroops! As without rising powers there are kinda uniques only (plus ronin) fitting their crew (I'm no fan of Kiljoy).

[Critta]

Correct, you are hiring within your own faction so the model isn't being taken as a Mercenary.

I was reading through that this morning and thought that it wouldn't be possible to take the Freikorps due to their Freikorps Mercenary rule.

Bearing in mind that the Viks can *only* hire mercs, it seems strange to justify taking them by saying you're not taking them as a merc...

I may well be wrong, but that was my first impression.

[Amarel]

I was reading through that this morning and thought that it wouldn't be possible to take the Freikorps due to their Freikorps Mercenary rule.

Well they're Mercenaries (so Vik can take them) and then, on top of that, they're also Friekorps.

[Critta]

I think I see where MrNybbles is coming from now - Vik can only hire models with the merc characteristic, where as the Freikorps Merc special rule states it only applies when you hire models *as* mercenaries.

It's pretty vague, and there's some assumption involved that this in fact relates to out of Faction models hired by the crew, but I see where he's coming from now.

[Distaff]

I tried a Frekorps Librarian with my Viktoria crew during my last game.

Now I've only used this model in a single game, but based on that I think it's almost a must take for the Viks!

The Librarian allows you to be much more agressive with your Viktorias, since you're only one furious casting of healing energy away from full health on both of them. It allows you to get them into combat as soon as possible,rather than having to wait for the opportune moment to throw in your pair of glass cannons.

It also allows you to keep tough models such as Taelor in the fight even longer. Backed up by the Librarian I'm not sure any single model in the game is going to get though Taelor in a reasonable amount of time!

I will have to try more games with a Librarian and see if it makes as large an impact as it did in its first game.

[Amarel]

I agree on the Librarian's ability to keep Taelor on her feet, but it's a rare day that a Vik who leaves herself even slightly in the open is able to be healed - 7 wounds and no defensive abilities on a model that can deal out awesome damage is a focus-fire death sentence .

[Uncle]

So my wife seems to be somewhat interested in a Victoria crew, despite being "creeped out" (her words, not mine) by Malifaux.

I play Colette and prefer 35 SS Scraps, so here's what I'm thinking of putting together for her:

Vickies

Student of Conflict--marginal, but that's 1 or 2 turns of fast for Swordy Vickie.

Convict Gunslinger

3x Ronin

3x Desperate Mercenary

That leaves the Vickies with 6 SS, or 3 if they decide to keep the Mercs past turn 3. Honestly, there's a part of me that suggests having them blow the heck up with For My Family and Rapid Fire (or whatever it's called). I think it allows a good mix of close combat and ranged attacks, but I'm willing to hear suggestions.

[Amarel]

The Viks are paper tigers and this list accentuates that (which may or may not be fun depending on what your wife prefers). As a personal opinion I would keep the SS stash to at least 5 and then drop Desperate Mercs / Student to try and fit in something a little tougher (e.g. Taelor) or something tricksy (e.g. Hamelin). Note that both Taelor and Hamelin have a trick to increase movement of their crew so that helps mitigate the loss of the Student.

[gunpowder saint]

I completely support trying this list out. I've honestly been looking for a crew for the viks that more then just four or three models and this might work.

if you don't mind me stealing the list lol

[Uncle]

I completely support trying this list out. I've honestly been looking for a crew for the viks that more then just four or three models and this might work.

if you don't mind me stealing the list lol

And if I did mind you stealing the list, would it stop you?

Amarel, I may well be looking at dropping the Student, and replacing him with a fourth Merc to get another Soulstone. That said, my wife really dislikes Taelor's model (something about the underboob) and neither of us are particularly big fans of proxies.

[Dark_Trainer]

I have the Viks, 3 Ronin, Convict gunslinger, and the student of conflict. I seem to get wasted every time. Once you close in to do some combat, they just wipe a vik out (in 30ss game I have cache of 7). So easy to kill!

Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel or see the power of the viks. I've been told Taelor is a good beat stick because of the 3" range and such, told to drop student too, but I haven't looked at any other models to make them better? Like anything super worth it in book 2, etc?