Zoraida + Ophelia crew help

[Valregas]

Hi everyone,

Beginning Malifaux, i've just started playing a Zoraida + Ophelia crew (because i love cow-boys gremlins, and Zoraida seemed like a good master for them, even fluff-wise).

So for my first game, i just went with the full Ophelia crew (Francois, Rami, Pere, and Raphael) and Zoraida. That was a good crew to discover the rules, easy to understand, with a few tricks, but nothing too underwhelming (as far as my opponent pushed me ).

I noticed however that i had very big problems dealing with his melees once they get in melee range (them being undeads, repulse was of no help)... Squeel didn't trigger as much as i imagined it would (1 time out of 4, yup, but as weird as it seems, i didn't realize before playing it)... So i thought about tweaking a little my crew, so that it's less "We're all ranged gremlins more or less all doing the same stuff", and more balanced.

Looking at the neverborn models, I came with 4 options (and if you see a better 5th one, please tell me ) : Teddy, Bad Juju (because both of them are tanks), Kade+sorrow (a controlling melee with Ht 1 so i can aim high), or Candy (so i can heal my self-damaging gremlins... though i doubt it would really help surviving a real nasty melee model).

I thought about discarding Pere (i don't like his abilities, nor his look, he has no guns ), and Raphael or Francois, replacing them with one of those options and maybe a young lacroix (moar guns and hats \o/).

So i came here to ask your advice on what would be the smartest choice,

Thanks in advance !

[rainborg]

Hmm, Bad juju is a good choice being that he comes back so he has some use and also board control being you can place him anywhere on the board. second, mature nephilim just melee centered with some good abilities, or a few terror tots and you can potentally grow them to mature. don't forget you can still get regular mercs and any WP4 or less minion thats not part of a special force.

[ChefsDad]

Can you hire more than 2 Kin models? As they're special forces?

Edit: ignore me, you took Ophelia.

Is Francois not killing in melee?

Waldegeists could be an option depending on terrain, or kade?

Hooded rider could add some extra threat too, and he's cheaper than mature and juju...?

Edited April 4, 2012 by ChefsDad

[marshimartian]

Mature Nephilim is a Tank, and lacks Immune to Influence, so he can be obeyed for bonus attacks.

[Chucklemonkey]

As has been mentioned the Mature Nephilim would be a good choice because he isn't immune to influence which both Teddy and Juju are.

Another potential option out soon might actually be Tuco. He could handle himself in Melee and with him starting further up the board he could run interference, giving your gremlins more time to line up their shots.

(Also, a nice advanced obey option if you end up fighting constructs etc)

[EnternalVoid]

I have eyed the gremlin gunslingers a bit with Zoraida *have not done so yet due to money*. That said one of the largest things keeping me from doing all those gremlins is the cost in SS for a mostly range force, as each one has an extra 1ss on them. Melee was much my concern looking at it. Young Nephlims were one of the melee I was looking at myself. They have a decent attack and while not as tough as a Mature Nephlim you can get two for almost the same price.

Another model to consider is Taelor. Her 3" melee range makes her able to reach the enemy and she has two triggers that can help you. One can push that enemy out of combat with one of your shooters and the other one is nice against constructs *which might be safe from your Obey*. She is not super tough but she has plenty of wounds and some defensive abilities and a decent Wp, and she is not Immune to Inf. thus can be obeyed for some extra swings. Of course her SS cost is a bit of an issue.

[Valregas]

Thank you for your inputs.

I guess i'll have to try what works better, but Mature Nephilim (raw or maturing from terror tots who are Ht 1) seems like the better choice of tank with Zoraida... Then again, i'm not sure a tank would solve the problem.

Francois is good in melee yes, and he can handle someone pretty well... But he won't handle many, as he'll get hurt quickly anyway (with his trigger at the least). What I need is a way to control the distance (and use francois on models i chose, not on the first one who gets into melee range). That's why i came with kade, who is pretty solid in melee is Ht 1 so i can shoot high and adds some control with his terrify and incite.

I'll try tuco if i can though, and maybe taelor... The problem with the latter being it would not be a very fluff choice

[nublet]

Lucky finding this thread. I'm also new and love using Ophelia but want some trickery besides the shooty gremlins. I was planning on using Zoraida as well with this list:

35 pts: 5 stones and 10 cards in the hand

Zoraida + voodoo doll

Ophelia + Primordial Magic

Nurse

Sue

and then either 2 x Stitched Togethers or a Mature Nephilim

30: 5 stones and ten cards in the hand

Zoraida + voodoo doll

Ophelia + Primordial Magic

Nurse

Sue

Stitched Together

I was hoping to get a Doppelganger in with the Stitched Togethers but the points don't work out where I can bring the rest of the stuff. Other models I was looking at were Hans, Misaki (with that melee buff from the nurse and a 6" reach), or that Outcast Sniper guy (can't decide if hes better than Rami)