Crooligan


 * Crooligan, Resurrectionists Minion** toc

=__Overview__= Children who have fled their parents to the Quarantine zone, only to face an undeathly result, these 'undead orphans' are surprisingly mobile and very capable of completing objectives for their Master - while their boss leads their crew to deal with the bigger issues. Hiding in The Mist, they launch out to complete their tasks, or hide in its welcoming embrace.

=__Mobility__= Crooligans are fairly fast, though not as straight-forward fast as dedicated objective-grabbers like the Night Terror.

Most Crooligan mobility shenanigans rely on **The Mist** spell (much like the majority of everything they do). For instance they have the (1) ability **Curiosity Calls** allowing them to teleport into base contact with a friendly Crooligan inside of **The Mist**. They also gain +2Wk while within **The Mist**, moving them up to an impressive Wk of 6. With these two abilities it is often that Crooligans will work in tandem, with one moving under the guise of **The Mist** (Wk 6 or up to Wk11 with Molly) before another teleports in and interacts with an objective. This does mean that if you're taking one Crooligan, you're probably taking 2-3. They also have the Scout special rule, so are not slowed by severe terrain, which can let them slink in and around terrain to get at the 'shinies' they so desire.

Crooligans get to push up to their Walk as a +1 action if they perform an interact action (**Always on the Move**), making them able to move, activate something, then get out of the way. They are well suited to the Steal Relic Scheme as they can walk to a master, interact with them, then walk a way (and with no disengaging strikes as it's a Push!). This can also let them get away after Planting/Destroying the Evidence markers (or move towards the next one). It will not help them with the Treasure however as it is a Push which would cause the Crooligan to drop it. Basically if you want to interact and run away then Crooligans can do the job decently.

With **From the Shadows** a Crooligan can choose to deploy up to 12" away from enemy models/strategy markers. This can let them get into position using **The Mist** as well as Molly's buffs/spells(Mostly Imbue Vigour) and **Curiosity Calls** to quickly run up the table and grab what objectives you have outside the enemy deployment area.

As a final, though not spectacular, ability Crooligans can also use a (2) Action to push into base contact with a friendly Master within 10" (**Return to Sender**). This is less useful than **Curiosity Calls**'ing away, or if you have the cards and numbers, perhaps eliminating the threat, but could be better than merely letting your 4ss model die outright. It's very much a last resort, and you'll find Crooligans are not the easiest of threats to take down for a great deal of models.

=__Offense__= Crooligans aren't great at offense, but they've got a decent little melee attack when they need it most. However if they can flip a tome they go from a very weak damage flip to a mediocre one maxing out at 4 damage. The weapon also has Poison 1, making a severe damage flip with a Crooligan's Infected Dagger under the trigger do 5 damage, post poison. This can really hurt other minions, especially other dedicated objective grabbers or fast models who will attempt to stand in the Crooligan's way from accomplishing the goal they have set.

=__Resilience__= With **The Mist** affecting them, Crooligans rise to an impressive Df 7. With their Df trigger turning them into a Spirit, they become surprisingly resilient. A Df 7 5WD spirit is a nasty proposition to try to shift with non-magical damage. Note that they are a spirit until the Resolve Effects step so if they get hit before they can move they then get to act like a spirit, and if they die while a Spirit they will leave no Corpse Counter (this can be a good or a bad thing depending on the master you have in control and the models on the other side of the table).

Some of the Crooligan's most impressive-looking defensive tricks require you to field two or even three Crooligans working together. At 4 soulstones apiece, this can add up quickly, but as stated above, Crooligan's work in teams with one Crooligan being next to useless, but 2-3 starting to be capable of actually accomplishing schemes and putting some hurt on models. In addition their resilience can lead the enemy to have a hard, if not impossible time trying to shift the Crooligans off an objective and/or just out of the way.

=__Tips and Tricks__=

An ideal scheme for the Crolligans is 'Steal Relic'. Each Crooligan generates -1WP to all enemy models within 3", which is cumulative so get 2 or more Crooligans to gang up on the enemy master. Stealing the relic is also an interact action, so the Crooligan that takes the relic can get a head start on running away from any retribution coming.

With 'Destroy the Evidence' you can set it up so that you can have both objectives that are not in your enemies deployment zone turn 2 (provided you have 3 Crooligans and Molly). Molly cast's Imbue Vigour on a Crooligan who is 12" away from the Marker (Crooligan 1), possibly also casting it on the second Crooligan (Crooligan 2) who is 12" away from the other Marker. Crooligan 1 pops **The Mist** and takes a walk action of 9". Crooligan 3 teleports using **Curiosity Calls** and walks to the edge of the mist to stand next to the scenario marker (staying within **The Mist** to gain Df 7. Crooligan 2 pops **The Mist** and walks up either 6 or 9" (depending on whether you bothered casting Imbue Vigour on him). Turn 2 Crooligan 2 uses **The Mist** and walks next to the Evidence marker. Crooligan 3 Destroy's Evidence marker 1 and then either **Always on the Move** + Walk's away or **Curiosity Calls** away. Crooligan 1 **Curiosity Calls** and Destroy's Evidence marker 2. Depending on who your opponent is threating/this moves this order can be switched up.

Crooligan's are dedicated objective grabbers, but they are not Night Terrors. Night Terrors are generally faster and can easily go after one objective. Crooligans rely on their ability to be everywhere are once and receive movement buffs from **The Mist** and Molly. Both are very hard to take down, with Crooligan's being harder, but less reliably hard (need **The Mist** to be Df 7, need trigger to be a Spirit, do not have Hard to Kill). Night Terrors can move in a straight line faster, but Crooligans can be anywhere there is **The Mist**. Crooligans are also more expensive at 4SS each, but both require you to take multiples, and if you feel you can get away with only 2 Crooligans you might be able to save a stone as you generally want 3 Night Terrors.

Crooligans are great for spoiling opponents' objectives. As Sandwich on the Malifaux forums describes them, they're "model-bogs." Sit on top of an enemy objective and use ** The Mist **. Then keep them in place defensively to spoil enemies trying to meet objectives. A Df 7 spirit is a pain to shift, and a Crooligan can do damage or summon up some of it's fellow undead orphans to help deal with enemy threats.

As a final fun trick, Molly can swipe ** The Mist ** from a Crooligan using Whispered Secret to allow them to teleport to her using only 1 AP and from a greater distance (at least one must be within 12" of her so she can get the spell) than is allowed via ** Return to Sender ** . This can help Molly summon up a few bodyguards to keep her alive (though Molly is a bit of a tough nut to crack herself), or to allow them to grab an objective/defend an area without having to use a Crooligan to start the cycle.

=__Master-Specific Tips__= Molly has quite a bit of synergy with Crooligans, which is to be expected due to them being Horrors. She can add between 2 and 5 inches of extra movement to their Wk with Imbue Vigor and Extraordinary Dead. In addition if she is leading the crew some of the models that are similar crooligans but more focused, especially the oft mentioned Night Terrors, are not available. It is doubtful you will see Crooligans without Molly also being on the other side of the table, even if she is not leading the crew, due to the Special Forces rule, in the end you really want 3 Crooligans and that is impossible without having Molly around. The synergies she really represents with this Minion are reflected above, where the majority of the guidelines to using them rely on her being with them.

The other Resurrectionist Masters can use them as effective model bogs, though less effective objective grabbers due to less models/lack of Molly. Still you might find them to be a decent option. It is highly recommended to just buy Molly to come along with them however.

Kirai does not care at all about Crooligans, as they are only spirits when they flip a trigger and as such even with Molly you are only allowed 2. In addition with Swirl Spirits, Evolve Spirit, and Into the Spirit World, Kirai is usually fast enough to not need fast models to assist her.

Yan Lo requires more testing.

=__Minion-Specific Tips__=

Rotten Belles/Sybelle can Lure Crooligans, if they can get a good angle on them, allowing Crooligans to save AP, or position for a better **Curiosity Calls** from their fellows. You also might be able to use the Dead Rider to push them along, a task made better if you can get the Spirit Trigger off (as a Dead Rider's Weak damage is 3 which is a more than half dead Crooligan).

=__Playing Against Crooligans__= With **The Mist** up, Crooligans can be hard to move from an objective. Getting to them before they are able to activate will be much easier for minions to take them down. A moderately skilled combat master may have to invest some effort, but can take them down. Magical attacks will neutralize their defensive trigger that makes them a Spirit. All in all it can take a surprising amount of effort to shift a Crooligan under **The Mist** with their Spirit trigger up, try to get to them before they activate, and try to keep them from teleporting around if you can. Remember Crooligan's need to work in groups, if you can take out one or two of the two or three your opponent has it will massively decrease their effectiveness.

Unless otherwise stated, all names and images on this site are property of Wyrd Miniatures, LLC. ([|Link])
 * __Ownership__ **