Observations on Colette

[druchii]

So I got a game in with my girlfriend's Colette crew tonight. Played against a Viktoria crew (both Viks, Taelor, Johan, a Ronin, and Bishop) with Colette, two showgirls, two coryphees, and Cassandra.

Game was going decently well till he started whooping my ass. I tried to Disappearing act Taelor and Johan (getting 20ish to cast, with the focus/Soul Stone, but only two tomes both times!) and I didn't realize how nasty that was, essentially removing them from the turn (especially nice if you do it before they activate...).

I also noticed how prone to shenanigans the Coryphees are. Am I right in assuming that I can activate both of them, and as the last action of the second one, Dance Together, and allow the new Duet to activate that turn as well?

Now it should be noted that I don't have any mechanical doves yet (that's my own fault), but at the end of the game he just got me into a corner and kicked the crap out of me.

Any ideas on how I can stop this from happening? The Viks are pretty durable and TERRIFYING (not the ability!) in combat, and I'm worried crews like Lady J and Lillith will just pummel me into the ground.

I did find the performers to be pretty useless, so I'm thinking of removing one of them entirely.

Have you found Colette particularly vulnerable to getting her pretty little face stomped in?

What are some tricks you use to prevent this?

What about strategies that require you to stay put (like Claim Jump) and limit your amazing mobility?

What should my 35 ss Colette crew look like?

Any other help?

Thanks!

d

[Raintar]

The Coilette list is prone to beatstick masters as you mentioned. The Coryphee will get oneshotted by them and there's nothing you can really do about it. The problem is that they have a master wrecking the table and your master really isn't matching their damage output, and because of that you are getting outpaced in the damage department. But also with Coilette your units really can't take many hits to begin with.

You can try using Cassandra to take hits with her Southern Charm and the ability to use soulstones to try to prevent them from hitting her. Also you should try to focus on the bigger units first, like Taelor. Against a list like that you will have an uphill fight using Coilette but use your abilities to leave your hurt units unexposed and able to fight so you can use them later.

Hope this helps.

[MrNybbles]

Your experience is a bit different than mine. Tailor and Johan were the ones I had to worry about while I killed the two Victorias fairly easily. This may have been because I kept my forces together while my opponent split his to protect objectives.

I did just post a Showgirls Tactica so please read it and let me know if you find anything helpful.

In general your damage dealers should be Colette, Cassandra, and Magical Doves.

Fly the doves over to some unsuspecting model with low Ca and use Magical Extension to cast Magician's Duel. The first time you do this they won't see it coming.

Colette and Cassandra (via Understudy) can both make ranged armor-ignoring attacks, though this costs a Soulstone to use. Up close have Colette use Magician's Duel. Cassandra can Understudy Magician's Duel or make a regular melee strike.

Other than Colette, Cassandra, and Mechanical Doves you may want to use Johan who gains Cb when near Colette and the new Arcanist Gunsmith for ranged attacks if you find the Performers that worthless.

Personally I find the Performers to be Jack of all Trades, master of none models. Their Poison Ring attack may use Wp instead of Cb and Colette can buff their Wp up to 7. They also have a ranged weapon which is good, though not great. They can also debuff opponents with Seduction.

The bottom line I guess is that Performers are not there to finish off enemies but there to soften them up.

Edited October 5, 2010 by MrNybbles

[Wodschow]

I also noticed how prone to shenanigans the Coryphees are. Am I right in assuming that I can activate both of them, and as the last action of the second one, Dance Together, and allow the new Duet to activate that turn as well?

From the page 3 of the Errata:

Replace

... Any effects on the

model(s) being replaced are applied to all Replacing models,

including any Wounds suffered, which must be divided as

evenly as possible between them.

The Replacing model(s) continue the activation using any

general AP the replaced model(s) had remaining. If one

model is Replacing multiple models, it uses the highest

remaining general AP of those models. The Replacing

model(s) can use their specific AP during this activation if any

of the replaced models had not already used the same talent

or spell. ...

So yes, you can activate the Duet after you bring it into play, If you do as you suggested you will however only get to use its (0) actions and one general AP (from Fast).

[Celenial]

Don't know if it was a fluke, but my last game I used the convict gunslinger, to paralyze models, making it easier to use the poison 4 ability of the performers.

Not very many models will last more then two activations with that many poison counters on them. and as long as you are willing to sac a dove or two you can almost guarantee getting off two paralyze/poisons a turn.

Can't really give any suggestions against Taelor, Colette got rid of her and Bishop permanently at the beginning of turn 2.

[Wodschow]

Not very many models will last more then two activations with that many poison counters on them. and as long as you are willing to sac a dove or two you can almost guarantee getting off two paralyze/poisons a turn.

What difference does Sac'ing a Dove do? The convict isn't a showgirl and Poison Gift doesn't require any flips.

[Dolomyte]

Colette's crew is amazing at hit and run strikes, if you leave stuff out there its going to get destroyed. at 35 ss I use

Colette

Cassandra

2x Coryphee

2x Performer

2x Mannequin

I always activate the showgirls first, attempting to lure / positioning to lure the following turn.

Next I do the mannaquins, linking to the duet / cassandra and trying to cast mirrors

Now I try to eye up who is within 18 inches of cassandra and the now duet that has already activated (i combine on turn 1) if something worth going for is there I soul dancer, sword dance, and move up with the duet 18 inches taking at least 1 melee attack (trying to trigger the - to resist flips), and then either blinding (if I got the trigger) or a second melee if I dont)

With def 7, soulstone usage, and + on the def flip, the duet should not get hit. if it does get hit, hopefully you have a mirrors casting mannequin on there to make a minimum damage flip = 0

I do cassandra next, swap positions with the duet, give her sword dance, cast breath fire if they are at a negative flip (hope for a blast on an enemy), use her last move action to make another melee attack if the model is not dead, if it is dead, try to take a defensive position behind mannaquin.

Survive counter attack on cassandra with again, soulstone usage / mannaquin if need be.

Colette goes, kill a dove to bring cassandra back, discard two crappy cards if i have any left to gain a soulstone, and all my stuff should be a good distance away from their force again.

Can it be beaten / countered? of course, but its really annoying to deal with.

[Cenotaph]

Firstly Colette absolutely needs Doves in my experience. Shame they won't be out for a while but I made some nice proxy figures using some cheap plastic wedding cake decorations.

Second try to keep a tome card handy, even a low one (you can always cheat down). This gives you the ability to fire your A Blinding Flash trigger to get her out of any Df duel sharpish. Try and swap out with a Mannequin as their Armor +3 and Object 2 blocks a lot of damage, plus they can link back to their Performer once their performer has activated.

One Master to Watch is Kirai. A lot of her crew can choose to target Df or Wp in Duels so can avoid giving Colette the chance to jump out by hitting her Wp instead.

Only had a couple of battles with Colette so far but these observations seem to hold true.

[druchii]

The Coilette list is prone to beatstick masters as you mentioned. The Coryphee will get oneshotted by them and there's nothing you can really do about it. The problem is that they have a master wrecking the table and your master really isn't matching their damage output, and because of that you are getting outpaced in the damage department. But also with Coilette your units really can't take many hits to begin with.

You can try using Cassandra to take hits with her Southern Charm and the ability to use soulstones to try to prevent them from hitting her. Also you should try to focus on the bigger units first, like Taelor. Against a list like that you will have an uphill fight using Coilette but use your abilities to leave your hurt units unexposed and able to fight so you can use them later.

Hope this helps.

It does help. I'm glad someone else is having trouble with beat-em-up crews as well. Guess I found her foil on my first game huh?

Colette's crew is amazing at hit and run strikes, if you leave stuff out there its going to get destroyed. at 35 ss I use

Colette

Cassandra

2x Coryphee

2x Performer

2x Mannequin

I always activate the showgirls first, attempting to lure / positioning to lure the following turn.

Next I do the mannaquins, linking to the duet / cassandra and trying to cast mirrors

Now I try to eye up who is within 18 inches of cassandra and the now duet that has already activated (i combine on turn 1) if something worth going for is there I soul dancer, sword dance, and move up with the duet 18 inches taking at least 1 melee attack (trying to trigger the - to resist flips), and then either blinding (if I got the trigger) or a second melee if I dont)

With def 7, soulstone usage, and + on the def flip, the duet should not get hit. if it does get hit, hopefully you have a mirrors casting mannequin on there to make a minimum damage flip = 0

I do cassandra next, swap positions with the duet, give her sword dance, cast breath fire if they are at a negative flip (hope for a blast on an enemy), use her last move action to make another melee attack if the model is not dead, if it is dead, try to take a defensive position behind mannaquin.

Survive counter attack on cassandra with again, soulstone usage / mannaquin if need be.

Colette goes, kill a dove to bring cassandra back, discard two crappy cards if i have any left to gain a soulstone, and all my stuff should be a good distance away from their force again.

Can it be beaten / countered? of course, but its really annoying to deal with.

That's clever. I actually was TRYING to do something similar, but having those doves around (as I can see now) is mighty important. Unfortunately since I didn't have the models made, I refused to create them (Sorry! That's the hobbyist in me!).

I love love love sword dance. All day long. Making attacks while keeping mobile is amazing, and never once has it bitten me in the ass. Especially with those Coryphees.

I'm also embarrassed to say that I actually discarded two cards multiple times, the "normal" way, and didn't get a SS from it.

Firstly Colette absolutely needs Doves in my experience. Shame they won't be out for a while but I made some nice proxy figures using some cheap plastic wedding cake decorations.

Second try to keep a tome card handy, even a low one (you can always cheat down). This gives you the ability to fire your A Blinding Flash trigger to get her out of any Df duel sharpish. Try and swap out with a Mannequin as their Armor +3 and Object 2 blocks a lot of damage, plus they can link back to their Performer once their performer has activated.

One Master to Watch is Kirai. A lot of her crew can choose to target Df or Wp in Duels so can avoid giving Colette the chance to jump out by hitting her Wp instead.

Only had a couple of battles with Colette so far but these observations seem to hold true.

I love that blinding flash. I used it twice, to slow the gun viktoria that tried to pull off a long range shot at Colette. He didn't make the same mistake three times, though.

I'm also noticing that having a good pool of SSs for those Coryphees and Cassandra is going to be a must have. How do you guys achieve this? Colette starts with 3, and if you play with the list Dolomyte and I do, this leaves you with 0 SSs from crew building.

Do you typically ignore the schemes you can pick and gain 2 or 4 additional SSs and hope for your main objective? Sabotage just seems like such a no-brainer for Colette w/ Coryphees.

Thanks, and great information.

d

[Dolomyte]

I pick schemes typically, so I only start with three soulstones, my turn one and two (typically) activations for colette is

1

Discard for SS, Move, use free SS for reactivate

Discard for SS, Summon Dove.

2. assuming I dont plan on engaging this turn

Discard for SS, Discard for SS, Reactivate

Summon Dove, Move.

So by the end of her turn two activation I have left myself with 1 (perhaps 2 ff I did not have to cheat the dove summon) card in my hand (obviously a high one, hopefully a tome for emergencies). 5 Soulstones, and two doves which can be used as soul stones.

I like to engage on turn three, and cassandra casting colette's melee spell on coryphee debuffed models can net you some soul stones as the killing strike.

[Nutcase168]

I pick schemes typically, so I only start with three soulstones, my turn one and two (typically) activations for colette is

1

Discard for SS, Move, use free SS for reactivate

Discard for SS, Summon Dove.

2. assuming I dont plan on engaging this turn

Discard for SS, Discard for SS, Reactivate

Summon Dove, Move.

So by the end of her turn two activation I have left myself with 1 (perhaps 2 ff I did not have to cheat the dove summon) card in my hand (obviously a high one, hopefully a tome for emergencies). 5 Soulstones, and two doves which can be used as soul stones.

I like to engage on turn three, and cassandra casting colette's melee spell on coryphee debuffed models can net you some soul stones as the killing strike.

Isn't the discard for SS once per activation?

Also you need to come down to showcase again and play some more. We've got a decent group of 3-4 every week now.

[druchii]

I pick schemes typically, so I only start with three soulstones, my turn one and two (typically) activations for colette is

1

Discard for SS, Move, use free SS for reactivate

Discard for SS, Summon Dove.

2. assuming I dont plan on engaging this turn

Discard for SS, Discard for SS, Reactivate

Summon Dove, Move.

So by the end of her turn two activation I have left myself with 1 (perhaps 2 ff I did not have to cheat the dove summon) card in my hand (obviously a high one, hopefully a tome for emergencies). 5 Soulstones, and two doves which can be used as soul stones.

I like to engage on turn three, and cassandra casting colette's melee spell on coryphee debuffed models can net you some soul stones as the killing strike.

As mentioned before, Soulstone Manipulation is once per activation, still though, great ideas.

Thanks

d

[MrNybbles]

I pick schemes typically, so I only start with three soulstones, my turn one and two (typically) activations for colette is

1

Discard for SS, Move, use free SS for reactivate

Discard for SS, Summon Dove.

2. assuming I dont plan on engaging this turn

Discard for SS, Discard for SS, Reactivate

Summon Dove, Move.

So by the end of her turn two activation I have left myself with 1 (perhaps 2 ff I did not have to cheat the dove summon) card in my hand (obviously a high one, hopefully a tome for emergencies). 5 Soulstones, and two doves which can be used as soul stones.

I like to engage on turn three, and cassandra casting colette's melee spell on coryphee debuffed models can net you some soul stones as the killing strike.

I'm having a little trouble figuring out what you are using those Soulstones for. Anyways, here is a typical first turn activation for me.

Activate Colette.

(0) Soulstone Infusion (using the Artificial Soulstone) to gain Reactivate.

(1) Soulstone Manipulation to discard 2 control cards and gain 1ss.

One AP is left over, sometimes used to move or for Illusionist.

Reactivate Colette.

(1) Soulstone Manipulation to discard 2 control cards and gain 1ss.

(0) Trick of the Hat to summon a Mechanical Dove if I'm below 3. I just need an 8 or higher. There is a 46.3% chance I won't need to cheat this flip. (25 out of 54 cards will make this spell succeed).

One AP is left over.

I now have 1 more Soulstone and 1 more Mechanical Dove and should be in a good position for turn 2.

I actually do well getting in close and using Magician's Duel because it doesn't cost a ss to use, and it can generate a ss when the enemy dies. Those ss are best used to keep Colette alive and to raise the starting total of duels by Colette, Cassandra, and the Doves. Magical Extension allows it for Doves!

[Dolomyte]

Right, your correct, I typed that without the card infront of me. Nevertheless, the goal is to add a soulstone and a bird each round. you eventually start burning through them with the coryphee, colette, and cassandra.

[Celenial]

What difference does Sac'ing a Dove do? The convict isn't a showgirl and Poison Gift doesn't require any flips.

If you convict gunslinger isn't able to paralyze someone have the performer move in close enough to do it using the SS to nearly guarantee it.

[dakrulz55]

im kinda wierd i guess because i find preformers to be lack luster (pry cus i havent used em right) so i usually only bring one if any. i prefer to bring faster stuff like the duet, cassandra, and the mech rider. its just im never in range to get the reactivate off because im fairly spread accross the field. but man do i love the mech rider, whooooo she packs a punch and is faster than most people in your crew wich is saying alot. but the way i deal with melle heavy list is to mech dove swarm.

[MrNybbles]

Right, your correct, I typed that without the card infront of me. Nevertheless, the goal is to add a soulstone and a bird each round. you eventually start burning through them with the coryphee, colette, and cassandra.

Colette can be used in a support roll for as long as you want/need, but for me she really shines getting into melee with the Mechanical Doves.

I do like making Soulstones and a Dove on turn 1, but by turn 2 or 3 I usually go on the offensive with Colette and the Doves against a single target. Colette is difficult to kill and the Doves can be replaced. All of them are attacking with Magician's Duel. Cheating cards in and having at least 4 Soulstones to boost the casting total with should get you a kill.

Your opponent can either try and kill Colette who can make a Healing Flip for her Slow to Die action, or kill a Dove which Colette can replace, activate, and get in an extra attack with. This usually doesn't leave very good options for your opponent and your other models can be taking care of business somewhere else.

This approach does burn through a lot of Soulstones on turns 2 and 3, but once you kill the major threat or threats you don't need to burn through them for the little guys.

[Dolomyte]

Difference in play style is all, I like to save collette for masters and models who the duet and cassandra have trouble killing.

it's an incredibly versatile crew

[LoboStele]

With Cassie and the Coryphees being able to use Soulstones, and then both having Defensive advantages, they can annihilate most Minions 1 on 1. The Coryphees will have trouble against high-end Melee Masters (like Viks, LJ, Chompy Bits), but that's sort of to be expected. Key things against other models with Use SS, is to utilize those abilities that force your opponent into having -fates. If they are at a -fate, then the best they can do is use a SS to add to their total, which often means, that you can cheat AND SS your way to not getting hit at all. This is VERY easy to pull off with Cassandra's Southern Charm. I also use Blonde Act pretty regularly, if I think Cassie has a chance to kill the opponent and is not in range of being attacked by any other big threats that round. Even though Cassie doesn't do much damage, if your opponent is at that again, it makes it very easy to get straight flips on your damage and then cheat in higher damage cards if necessary.

And I will Echo the offensive use of Colette. Use those SS generating spells. Magician's duel is brutal, and I typically generate at least 2-3 Soulstones per game using that spell. Also, don't be afraid to blow Soulstones on the Discharge Soulstone spell when Colette is casting it. If you're sitting on a :masks in your hand, even if it's a semi-low one, then cheat in the mask, and burn a SS to add to it, trying to guarantee your opponent will fail the resist. By having the :masks in there, you automatically get one SS back, and it can often be not too difficult to get within 6" for the extra SS upon killing the unit.

A big thing I find is being very careful to keep track of those Soulstones and your triggers. It gets very easy to miss a trigger somewhere and forget that you should have gained a SS.

[Mentat_Canis]

I have found that Colette's Crew is not great at killing stuff straight out but I have had no problem winning games because the crew is great at getting missions done. For power ritual which is 3 points, you can get it done turn 2, and with Sabotage you can also get another 2 points if you chose the right piece of terrain turn 2.

So I think that killing with them is not there thing cause they can just get stuff done with such speed.

To kill stuff I have found that performers are key to keep alive to cast seduction. You have to keep Cassy Alive till late game which is hard to do but work it, and the Coryphee you have to keep alive with using Soul Dancer because soulstones is what this crew does best.

Ya but this crew will die really quickly but so much fun to play.

[LoboStele]

I know, I hate it when I flip Slaughter for Strategy with Colette. Happened to me twice last night. 2nd time was against a Chompy squad, and the game started out well with Cassie using Breathe Fire to wipe out a Daydream and ALL of his Alps. Went down hill after that though. It can be very tough to do damage with Colette's crew in any sort of effectual manner, so I definitely find that strategies requiring lots of movement are your best bet. However, you still have to survive for 6 turns.

[druchii]

I know, I hate it when I flip Slaughter for Strategy with Colette. Happened to me twice last night. 2nd time was against a Chompy squad, and the game started out well with Cassie using Breathe Fire to wipe out a Daydream and ALL of his Alps. Went down hill after that though. It can be very tough to do damage with Colette's crew in any sort of effectual manner, so I definitely find that strategies requiring lots of movement are your best bet. However, you still have to survive for 6 turns.

Fortunately I'm getting to "know" Cassandra better. With the recent ruling, she can sword dance, then use her nimble walk for a free strike, then possibly push, and then walk again for another attack...and..do it again. That's pretty freakin' sweet. Not only that but Cassandra has a dual purpose, Blonde Act giving Def flips a negative is huge. Make it so something important can't cheat up, and then you cheat enough to get a few positive (or an even flip) and dump a Red Joker, and well, there goes something scary. Heck, even if you're just cheating to severe or moderate damage that's worth it.

I'll be getting another three games in Tuesday night with the Colette crew (I'm thinking I'm going to continue the use of two performers, because I don't have any doves yet) and we're going to get the dancin' started right this time.

Although I'm definitely thinking Sabotage is a no-brainer for Colette and the girls, since it's so easy to achieve very early on.

d

[Rob1981]

I'm glad someone else is having trouble with beat-em-up crews as well.

I got pulverised by McMourning in my last game- the Coryphee Duet got oneshotted by Big Mac and that was me out of heavy-hitters save Hans who got bogged down in combat by turn 3 (not before making Big Mac burn all his soulstones from a series of headshots). Might drop hans and a performer to take Killjoy. Colette's hypermobility is useless against a blunt instrument like McMourning

[druchii]

I got pulverised by McMourning in my last game- the Coryphee Duet got oneshotted by Big Mac and that was me out of heavy-hitters save Hans who got bogged down in combat by turn 3 (not before making Big Mac burn all his soulstones from a series of headshots). Might drop hans and a performer to take Killjoy. Colette's hypermobility is useless against a blunt instrument like McMourning

That was my fear with her crew. I foresee the new Lillith monsters being a GIANT pain for the Showgirls as well. Lelu's with paired super high CB claws (that poison!), I fear, will be the death of many a girl. Not to mention their psycho mommie with a giant sword (who just so happens has a very nice Cb as well).

As much as I want to love the "finesse" crews in the game, it just seems like they get locked down, and munched up by heavy hitters like Lillith, the Viktorias, The good doctor, and even Lady J.

Hell, it took me almost three turns of burning through great control hands to kill Lillith with my Rasputina crew, let alone a crew that only has a few damage dealers (most of them relying on Df duels, too...).

d

[Dolomyte]

What lists are you guys running, I feel your really overcomplicating one of the most powerful masters in the game. I've destroyed mcmourning in a few games now.

don't get fancy and hire mercs, she works best with her box set + the duet.