Freikorps Crew Idea

[Stormwolf]

Hello all,

Firstly, I apologize if this is somewhere else, I wanted to post this before I retired for the evening and didn't search very thoroughly.

I recently picked up Von Schill's box set and a Bishop model to start a Freikorps crew. For 35 SS games the crew I originally drafted looked like this...

Von Schill

Specialist

Freikorpsman (x2)

Librarian

Trapper

Bishop

The total is 36/39 available SS and leaves me with 3 SS for my pool throughout the game.

Looking through the rulebooks and the miniature's stat cards I came to realize that the Freikorps can offer a solid mixture of ranged and melee capability when mingled with a non-Freikorps model to smooth those rough edges.

I noticed the range damage was decent, not overpowering but not necessarily disappointing either, melee, is a little to be desired and that is why Bishop caught my eye, I think he is a solid melee oriented model both offensively and defensively and adaptable fighter is just a great ability to make him hit where it hurts the most.

But, in the games I have played I feel models such as the trapper and librarian have been lacking. The librarian is nice for her furious casting and allowing a potential 3 healing flips to various models in the army because on average they only have 6 wounds. The trapper I deployed with From the Shadows and normally and both times found his damage output and repositioning just a mild irritant for a 6 SS model.

After these games I was considering the following changes

Dropping Bishop

Adding Hans

(I like his ranged support and his customizable ammo, the long range support is very nice)

Dropping the Librarian

(Although she is useful I found her lacking, even with counterspell and adding any suit I wish to her casting. For 7 SS I think they could be better spent on other models)

Adding Johan

(I keep hearing nice things about him, I looked over his entry in the book, he seemed solid but not the durable melee fighter I was looking to bring to the table such as Bishop. Maybe I missed something)

I'd like input for what I've posted if you guys would. Whether you disagree or agree, or have any other model suggestions for whatever reasons.

I started with a group of friends and things I normally see are Pandora + assorted shenanigans, with Lilu+Lilatu(sp?). Seamus with Belles and Bete and a proxied Molly. Eventually a Perdita, Lucius, Ophelia LaCroix.

From my gaming store regulars I'd normally see Niccodem, Leveticus, and Dreamer from what I remember. I couldn't list their crews in accurate detail

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-edit-Lastly, I noticed this should be posted elsewhere, due to my late night forum participation I missed something glaringly obvious if someone would be kind enough to move this... if possible

Edited December 25, 2010 by Stormwolf

[OneInABilliam]

I haven't used bishop yet with friekorps but I love the model with my viktorias and always think he is a good addition. Last time I played I used hamelin and i loved it. The ability to take a few more actions, while messing with your opponents moves, and doing 1 point of damage to all living models in 18 inches (which friekorps ignore) is great to me.

As for the librarian, i think you should keep her around. Yea she can heal but she can also buff casters and take away suits for statistics which can screw over anyone's game plan (especially Levi)

[OneInABilliam]

I haven't used bishop yet with friekorps but I love the model with my viktorias and always think he is a good addition. Last time I played I used hamelin and i loved it. The ability to take a few more actions, while messing with your opponents moves, and doing 1 point of damage to all living models in 18 inches (which friekorps ignore) is great to me.

As for the librarian, i think you should keep her around. Yea she can heal but she can also buff casters and take away suits for statistics which can screw over anyone's game plan (especially Levi)

[OneInABilliam]

Sorry for the double post, cell phone bugged out

[scythewing]

From what I have seen bishop is pretty good. With all the options he comes with for his melee. I suppose its all what you are going against. If you are facing constructs take Taylor without a doubt. Undead Von Shill is one of the best anti undead if not the best anti undead character in the game.

All I have to say is test the crew out and don't be afraid to make substitutions to flush out your crew. Figure out what is best and most comfortable for you to run vs what faction and environment aka game terrain/ board.

[Dumb Luck]

Seconding keeping the Libarian in. Von Schill is unkillable with that guy. Schill pops a stone to heal on his slow to die action, flies back to her and makes her active. She pops Furious Casting and whamp - Schill is back up to full health.

[Buck Dog]

I would stick with the Trapper, he has some useful abilities vs Undead and Constructs, which should help out versus both Leveticus and Nicodem. Also, I like having a minor irritant in my crew, having a model which can do consistent damage, even if it is only minor, is a very useful asset – your opponent is always hurried, meaning you control the pace of the game . And just because he has From The Shadows, doesn’t mean you should always use it, it can also be worthwhile deploying him with the rest of the crew and making use of Guide instead.

I am not sure whether Bishop is the answer to your problems... I like Bishop a lot, but he isn’t really a pure melee beatstick. If you want great damage output coupled with good defence, then I would go for Taelor. Johan isn’t a bad choice either; although he doesn’t do anything too flashy or exciting, I think he is a solid choice, and being cheaper than Bishop frees up some points for the Student of Conflict, which I think works brilliantly with The Freikorp. Von Schill with fast is insanely good, and it is also very helpful for the Specialist who needs to get in close to make the most of his abilities. Also both Taelor and Johan bring magic weapons to the crew, which should help against any pesky spirits.

Another possibility would be to have The Vicktorias to lead your crew, which would add some real punch. A lot of people will tell you that The Viktorias are a glass cannon, but I have never had any issues with them, and with The Librarian being able to heal both of the twins with a single spell, they should be able to stick around for a while. The only thing is that you would need to drop at least the Trapper or the Specialist, as both Von Schill and The Viks are quite hungry for stones.

[AkumaKaze]

I find Bishop to be one of my favorite models to use. He is very pricey at 10 points and may not pull off "hit once and kill stuff" moves but he moves and hits like a blur. Combined with his triggers he can lock down models in melee and be a total pain in the butt to anyone who doesn't focus on killing him. He charges for (1) and is a melee expert. Combine that with his (0) action Adaptive fighter and choose rams his damage jumps to 2/3/5 base and can go to 3/4/6 on the flip or cheat (gains critical strike like the Guild) and at that point a crow on DF triggers Disarm (attacker discards 1 control card for each ram or crow in Bishop's duel total) or Riposte (defender misses with a melee strike and Bishop attacks) with a mask.

I have annoyed many an opponent with him.