Viktorias Help

[GTFriday13]

If you want a Korps feeling list, I would drop the Gunslinger and Taelor and pick up the Trapper. That leaves you with 7 SS. If you're worried about being out-activated then you can always add a Desperate Merc for 2 SS. Having 5 in hand with (effectively) 3 masters will feel tight, so that's your call.

When running Korps, I find that keeping most of my models together/near each other is better, especially with Von Schill's abilities (Hard-Ass, Slow to Die aura, etc). And with their relatively weak Dg, it's better to gang up on opponents than try to have a lot of solo 1 on 1 battles going on.

[naiatoc]

Yeah, the Viks and Von Schill without ANY soulstones is a definite no-no.

Very true!

I played a small game with a buddy one time, just teaching a new guy how to play. He had only played one game previously. He used his box set (he had Lilith) plus a totem. He also had a couple of young guys to upgrade to. I had a few guys, no soulstones. He stomped me! It was embarrassing. I think it was mostly due to not having any stones. He charged my Vics hitting them hard and there was nothing I could do about it. I assumed with the Librarian I could heal up a little, but my girls died in one activation before I could heal em.

[bigasb]

As of the weekend I have joined the Vicks camp.

Was planning to run

at 25ss

Vicks

F Libarian

2x Ronin

Convict Gunslinger

3ss cache

at 35ss I palnning to add either Tealor of 5ss cache or F Trapper for 7ss.

Wanted to keep the gun vick with the libarian so the healing can happen, then send the swords plus the ronin and gunslinger to do what needs to be done, i can push the other vick up if I need the help, or bring the other back if she is about to die.

I some ways I think I perfer to have the trapper as I can then do some damage before we get in to swinging distance.

[Koschai]

If you're worried about being out-activated then you can always add a Desperate Merc for 2 SS. Having 5 in hand with (effectively) 3 masters will feel tight, so that's your call.

Given the fairly low model count and therefore low number of activations of the Viks crew (especially when teamed up with Von Schill and Friekorps, see my lists above) do you guy's think it's worth getting the Desperate Mercenary?

I'm thinking while it drops the SS cache down just a little, for 2ss your getting an extra body who while only mediocre is still another activation and another body your oponents need to deal with.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Koschai

[Serigala]

Given the fairly low model count and therefore low number of activations of the Viks crew (especially when teamed up with Von Schill and Friekorps, see my lists above) do you guy's think it's worth getting the Desperate Mercenary?

I'm thinking while it drops the SS cache down just a little, for 2ss your getting an extra body who while only mediocre is still another activation and another body your oponents need to deal with.

I haven't played the Desperate Mercenary, but it does look as though she (of course you'd be playing the 'she' right?!) would work well with the Viks.

There is a tendency to overshoot with a single Vik, leaving her unsupported, but I am usually in melee by turn 2 and always by turn 3. Similarly with the Ronin. Getting the extra punch from a Desperate Merc and then a free healing flip can't be bad.

It is hard to pull off Another One but not impossible (if you boost the casting with a soulstone) but having the Librarian onside reduces the need for it. Nevertheless the Ronin are good value for 5 points, and I usally use 3 Ronin with a full cache, and then the Librarian, Convict, Trapper or Taelor up to the total.

[Adran]

Okay so having picked up some more models last night the list I am looking at is:

Viks

Von Schill

Friekorps Librarian

Friekorps Specialist

Taelor

Convict Gunsliger

However that is 35ss and with the Viks cache of zero that leaves me with no soulstones. Assuming this is a bad thing, what should I drop?

I'm guessing you will say the Specialist, however I like him and like the template attacks. Plus I still want a Friekorps vibe to the list as that was my whole purpose here, the other models just really crept in to make me more competitive. Should I trade out Taelor or something cheaper or drop the Gunslinger (shame as I just bought him!)?

The alternative is that I talk my friends into upping the ante to 40ss, however I'm not certain how this list will stand up to the nastiness other gangs can field at 40ss..? One of my most frequent opponents is McMourning with a lot of dogs...

I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, but you won't need to decide what to drop until you know what you (and your opponent) are doing. If you somethign big and hard in a certain place, Taelor will do well. If you want to move from place to place then Von Schill is amazing. If you think you'll need to Vics healed, then the Librarian is great.

If you need lots of models then you might consider taking the list back to the drawing board and putting in a few cheaper models (Friekorpsman, or ronin, or possibly the desperate merc).

[Greenizbest]

This thread is awesome I have gotten so much good insight to using the Viks. I was wondering if I could ask a crew question of my own.

I'm new (like 5 games new) to Maliaux so bare with me.

What do people think of this crew list?

- Vks

- Convict Gunslinger 5ss

- Ronin 5ss

- 2 x Desperate Mercenary 4ss

- Von Schill 9ss

- Hans 8ss

31ss with 4 cache

is that too low on ss cache?

[Bigmike]

i would ditch hans personally also for me i dont play them with less than 6 ss

[naiatoc]

I haven't used Desperate Mercenaries yet so I can't speak to that point. But I do have some advice for the rest of your list.

Drop Hans and pick up the Librarian. That would give you 5ss. Which is not bad. You can use the Librarian to heal the Vicks back up. Make sure to save her activation until you need her. Too many times one of the Vicks has gone from full health to dead before the Librarian can get to heal her.

Also, when your playing this list think of Von Shill as your Master. (Technically he's not, but get in that frame of mind.) Save your ss for Von Shill's Slow to Die action and heal him back up. You'll loose the Vicks without ss to boost their defense, but you don't mind, Von Shill is your heavy hitter.

[Sezar]

+1 to naiatoc's words.

I almost always field Von Schill along with my Viks, and I always play then as if the Viks were the Henchwomen, not really the Masters.

Never player the Desp. Mercs but keep in mind that you might need them later in the game, so you may possibly have to discard one extra ss ingame for it. Plan your SS Cache accordingly.

[DireTrollJake]

So...what is your optimal 25/35 pt builds for both Viks and/or Von? I got both boxes but will be trying them for the first time next week it seems.

[Greenizbest]

I thought I would give an update from all your help.

I swapped out Hanns fro the Librarian

- Vks

- Convict Gunslinger 5ss

- Ronin 5ss

- 2 x Desperate Mercenary 4ss

- Von Schill 9ss

- Librariann 7ss

I played against Sona and did well although I forgot to play the mission and lost 6 to 3.

What I found was that having the two Desperate Mercenary maybe over kill. The Healing

flips were useless because the Librariann was Johnny on the spot with the heals. With

only four wounds the DM died before they could use the for the For My Family. So

counting on them for help was a bit of waste. If I use them as a hide and then jump out

and get a shot off to soften this up.

The Librariann is just awesome in combination with the Vks.

So looking at the crew I feel if I remove the DMs I need some punch maybe add more Ronins??

[Scurry]

its not a bad list, however if you drop both for another ronin your only on 4ss cache at 35ss games which isnt enough for viks and von schill. i would keep one and have 7ss cache or drop both for a 'korpsman and saty on 5ss cache

[Therizzlesign]

Could drop the two Desperate Mercs and pick up the Student of Conflict and +1 soul stone.

Von Schill is out of control with fast, and it works well with the Viki's also. The trick is to wait until you need it to throw it out. Don't just waste the (All) Assist until you are ready to abuse it. Von Schill also works as a next round (All) Assist target.

Alternatively you can burn the (All) Assist to launch Von Schill 20" flying on the first turn for field position. If you do that consider trading the Ronin for the Freikorps Trapper to give you mean field position for turn one between the two of them. I expect most people won't like running Viki's without at least one Ronin, but it gives the advantage of mixing it up and keeping the opponent guessing. This makes a very range heavy list, while usually people tend to expect a more in your face setup when you see Viki's.

[Imperator]

Viktoria's primary weakness is her ability to control the board in turn 1/ turn 2. As such I feel that one of the following models is non-negotiable:

Von Schill

Hamlin

Hans

Personally I don't tend to go for Von Schill that often because it becomes a soulstone drain that costs me a bunch of offensive power on Viktoria, but against ressers he is amazing.

I think the most decisive thing that a viktoria crew can do in any game is put Taelor in the spot on the board that she wants to be in, and if she can get there on 9 wd then you are more than halfway to winning.

For this reason I like at 35 SS:

Viktoria & Viktoria

Hamlin

Taelor

Hans

Librarian

Cashe: 3

This is a small cashe, but the minions in this crew do a lot of the heavy lifting. Obey ads heaps of depth to both Taelor and Hans. If you opponent is coming at you quickly; an obey on Taelor turn 1 can ruin their advance, and if they are advancing slowly obey on Hans can have you laying down fire on critical models turn 1. So unless your opponent can deal with these 3 minions what the Viktorias is doing is superfluous to your opponent's plan.

Ad the fact that you have a Librarian that is propping up your important models and you have an aggressive crew that can get it done.

The main weaknesses to this crew are:

->mask dependence, Hamlin and Bounty Hunter are competing for your masks, if Hamlin is in position to obey-growing command-piper's lure your opponent then he get's the mask.

->control management, of your seven cards at the start of the turn you probably have plans for 5 of them: lowest or second lowest ram goes to the librarian, high crows go to Hans, masks are split between whirlwind and growing command. Bodycount helps you out alot here, but you are struggling for control cards for defence, and opponent's crews that go after your control hand can really cramp your style.

-> first 2 turns you are getting out activated, all you can do is kill a lot of things to make up for it.

On an unrelated note does anyone have any ideas for playing agains Colodi?

About all I can think of at the moment is convict 'slinger for suppressing fire, other than that I just see a lot of models that will out activate anything that I conceivable put on the table as Viktoria and mess me up badly.

defensive wall of ronin is okay, but as soon as they make a disengaging strike they lose harmless, which is okay, but not brilliant.

[Serigala]

Some good points but I don't really get what you mean by this...

Viktoria's primary weakness is her ability to control the board in turn 1/ turn 2. As such I feel that one of the following models is non-negotiable:

If the opponent is advancing, then there is always the potential to land a swordmistress whirlwinding Vik in the face by turn 2. Last game, with a lucky draw of 2 Masks, and a bold advance to about half way across the table by my opponent with a Shikome and a Hooded Rider, I killed both on turn 1. I actually used the Student of Conflict, to give the Swordmistress Fast, but had killed the two before I used my extra action.

This can sometimes leave the slingshotted Vik vulnerable to a counter, but the potential is always there and the Viks can nearly always threaten to kill anything in the centre of the table on turn 2.

I think the most decisive thing that a viktoria crew can do in any game is put Taelor in the spot on the board that she wants to be in, and if she can get there on 9 wd then you are more than halfway to winning.

For this reason I like at 35 SS:

Viktoria & Viktoria, Hamlin, Taelor, Hans, Librarian

Cashe: 3

This is a small cashe, but the minions in this crew do a lot of the heavy lifting.

This might explain the difference. I play with a large cache, and expect the Viks to use every stone of it (2 stones burnt on the first turn whirlwind in the above example, but for 18ss worth of models it was well worth it).

Edited August 16, 2011 by Serigala
spilling...

[HaggisMcMutton]

I'm currently building a Vik's crew with 3 ronin and misaki. Been reading this thread and thanks for you guys posting all the advice!

[S3agu11s]

Well to add my two penneth's worth. I started playing Malifaux with the Viks and they are my favourite crew (I'm now moving over to Nicodem/McMourning). They hit hard and can cope with most other factions and the strategies (especially Assassinate and Slaughter).

Firstly, you shouldn't have a pre-designed list before a match up. Certain things just won't work in certain strategies or against certain factions.

I don't have access to the Friekorp at the moment but am back in to thinking of buying them. Saying that, i've had quite a bit of success at 35ss with the following.

Vik & Vik

2 x Ronins 10ss

Convict Gunslinger 6ss or Misaki 7ss

Taelor 8ss

Johan 6ss

5 or 4 ss cache.

This gives you some good ranged weaponry to support you're excellent close combat. I like running both Taelor and Johan for the simple reasons that they have a Magical Hammer. Magical means you can hurt spirits (rather than half damage for non magical) and the hammers also make armour irrelivant (helps against things such as the Peacekeeper). Johan also has a pistol for a bit of range.

The Ronins in this crew are the best thing i have used in the game. They are so versatile. They have manouverability (Mobile - ignore severe terrain) as well as a ranged attack. They're also really good in close combat with the +1 Melee expert (Daisho ignores armour and +flip on damage).

I like the Misaki model which is why i use it. She has her weakness and that is her 7wd's. But what she does give you is a bit of speed and the fact that you can bolster her with a (0) action spell before you go. 6" melee range or a +2dg in your attacks.

The Gunslinger is also great to use. He has paired pistols so get a +flip on the strike, giving you a good chance of hitting.

As a side note, people i've played against say that the Ronin is the most broken thing in the game. For 5ss they are definately one of the best things in the game. Never overlook them in a Viks crew.

One other advantage of buying this crew is that they are all Mercenaries. That means you can hire them in other crews from other Factions. I like being able to hire some of these hard hitting things in another faction.

I think i need to go away and look at the Friekorp as an addition to my crew now though.

[n_ellingworth]

As a new player starting with the Viks this thread has been very helpful for me. Thanks to all who've contributed.