M2E+Colette


 * Colette Du Bois, Arcanist Master**

=__Overview__= toc One L, Two T's; it's the Master Magician of Malifaux, The Star of the Showgirls Show - Colette Du Bois! Where other Masters use Scheme Markers as claim markers or warnings, Colette uses them as Stage Props, Trapdoors and Implements of Deception. Her death is always an illusion and her crew will always be where her opponents least expect it and exactly where she wants it to be. Playing Colette is like being the conductor in a carefully choreographed play. You can make all your model s perform their role to your exact specification.

=__Setting the Stage__= A number of Colette's abilities require you to have some Scheme Markers down. She uses them for everything from defense, maneuverability to buffing her attack. The Showgirls/Colette likes Scheme Markers more than most, but fortunately you get multiple abilities that enhance your Scheme marker generation, like **Rehearsed** allowing your Showgirls or Minions to place Scheme Markers as a (0).

Your second big tool will come from a Peon you have access to: the Mannequin. The Mannequin has an ability, **Magician's Assistant**, that allow friendly models to place scheme markers up to 6" away, rather than in base contact.

Colette also benefits from other Arcanist models that put out Scheme Markers: Union Miners with their 2 at a time False Claim action and the Mechanical Rider's **Arcane Ritual** trigger both spring to mind as obvious examples. Be careful of overloading the scheme markers though. You need a bunch, it's true. But you don't need to cover the field in them. Find a happy middle where your opponent can't get rid of all of them but you still have some offensive power as well.

=__Abilities__=

Now You See Me
This is Colette's most powerful defensive ability. It triggers off **Df** and **Wp** so there's no getting around it, and for the low cost of literally any Mask and a Scheme Marker within an inch of you; drop all that damage to 0 and place Colette within 6". However it only triggers on failing the duel, so if you succeed you don't get to take the movement. Be cautious of models that can blow away markers (like Cojo) or ignore Df triggers (like Sensei Yu). Also note that triggers or abilities that don't trigger of damage will still be effective, so there are a few things that can sneak through if you are not careful.

However, if you have placed a handful of Scheme Markers in good positions you can teleport from one marker to another, essentially making Colette very, very difficult to kill. Its especially valuable against melee opponents as you can easily move outside of their range.

Death Defying
The OTHER **Df/Wp** trigger on Colette. You always have this on **Df**, but will need a Tome on **Wp**. It's your "panic button". You messed up somewhere along the line and you don't have the Mask/Scheme Marker to save Colette. That's ok, you're going to pop over to a moderate cost model within 8" and take their remaining wounds and not die. They will. But they weren't the star of this little number anyway. Ideally, you shouldn't have to use this. Colette is very survivable. But even when she's not: Stage Tricks to save you.

Rehearsed
This is one of Colette's core abilities, an 8" aura letting Showgirls and minions perform (1) interact actions for (0). It allows your crew to keep putting out a steady stream of scheme markers without compromising their ability to do other things. And, as it's an aura and Colette is a Showgirl herself, she can always interact for a (0). Just remember than you have to follow all the other rules for the Interact action, so you still can't so it while engaged (unless you're a Performer) and it has to be placed 4" away from other markers.

Artificial Soulstone
Once a turn you can gain a suit on a duel for free. Provided you have a soulstone in your pool. This makes sure you can always have access to your defensive triggers if you want to play defensively but it'll also give you access to all your offensive triggers if you're confident in your hand (i.e, you have a low Mask). How much use you get out of this ability is going to depend on what upgrades you're packing, as that's where the really good triggers are. We'll get to that shortly.

=__Actions__=

Sabre Trick
A nice little damage ability at 4". D on't forget about its ability to target **Wp** or **Df**, you can get around some nasty triggers like that. Also don't forget you ARE a Showgirl, which means you could be using your (0) for a Scheme Marker as well. Judge the situation. If the Trick will kill the only threat around, that's your choice. If you're about to get charged by Killjoy? Probably going to want that scheme marker.

Hooked Cane
Don't overlook this, while Colette is primarily a support master this attack is considerably better than it looks. While she only has an in-built Ml of 5, you can get up to +3 from scheme markers, so reaching Ml 7/8 is rarely a problem. And even with a 1/3/4 damage spread she is actually capable of doing a fair bit of damage.

It also has two very good triggers. With a Mask you get **Props**, allowing you to place a Scheme Marker in base contact with the enemy you just hit. This both gives you another Scheme Marker to burn for defense, and boost subsequent melee attacks. In fact, if you are engaged it can be worth it taking this attack just to be able to get a Scheme Marker.

If you don't get Props you can always use Costumes. This prevents Colette, and other friendly models within 3" from being charged. Of course, if you are already engaged it might be of limited use, but at least it might prevent reinforcement from charging in. Its also worth noting that you can actually smack a friendly model and trigger this if you think its worth it.

Prompt
This is one of the best support spells in the game. With a 10" range and the low cost of a six of any suit you can target any of your models (provided it has not already been targeted by **Prompt** this turn) and let it push up to 3" in any direction and perform a (1) action. This gives you amazing flexibility and means that while Colette will probably want a few Showgirls around she works well with any model. She does have a preference for including at least one or two elite models - after all it's better to make Howard Langston take an additional attack than a Raptor.

Prompt isn't restricted to just making attacks, combining a push and a (1) action it can give any model a lot of mobility and can be amazingly useful for accomplishing schemes, or just about anything else you need to do. Being able to give models out of activation actions is a fantastic ability in its own right, the fact you can do so much with **Prompt** makes it a very versatile spell, and it's really one of the core abilities Colette has.


 * Prompt** has two possible triggers, one on the base card and one on the upgrade Shell Game.

On the card you've got **Final Act**, which requires a Ram and lets you **Reactivate** the model. Sadly it also sacrifices the model at the end of the turn. The trigger for reactivate is something to use sparingly, but it can be incredibly effective. If you think your model is going to die anyway, why not give it reactivate? Do you really need that extra activation to accomplish something? Don't be afraid to sacrifice a model if it will accomplish your goals. A special mention should go out to Myranda, you can reactivate her and as long as she transforms into a beast at the end of her second activation you don't actually lose anything. A w ord of warning: both Marcus and Sybelle can use an "Obey" like effect to make you use this on your own crew. So be wary.

A good use for this Trigger is on a single Coryphee, just before you want to create a Duet. The single Coryphee will get to **Reactivate**, and would ordinarily be sacrificed at the end of the Turn. Instead it is sacrificed on creating the Duet, and the created Duet does not inherit any conditions from the Coryphee used to make it (except Wounds).

**Surge**, from **Shell Game**, is a highly useful trigger. For a (second) time you get to draw a card. Its a good candidate for Artificial Soulstone use as well, cards are valuable, and Colette can get an extra one almost for free.

Disappearing Act
This ability makes Showgirls one of the fastest crew in the game. Colette can move herself or a friendly minion/Showgirl into base contact with a scheme marker up to 14" away. If you have planned ahead and placed your scheme markers well that can make your crew very fast and very flexible. It will allow Colette to send models where she needs them if a Prompt isn't enough. However, it does require you to discard the targeted scheme marker so be sure thou don't need it for other things, like scoring VP.

Alternatively, buying A Lady's Secret gives you a trigger letting you keep the marker. Something to consider if you are planning on making extensive use of Disappearing Act.

Also, do remember that you can only target models 3" away from you, so while you can send models all over the board you have a more difficult time bringing them back.

=__Upgrades__=

Colette is a somewhat unusual master in that she doesn't have any Limited upgrades at all, so you can mix and match as you please. She also isn't dependent on her upgrades, and while they do offer good options they often don't alter her playstyle massively either. This means that she is very flexible in what and how many upgrades you take with her. Also remember to consider the generic upgrades.

Soulstone Manipulation
A simple, but highly useful and flexible upgrade. It gives you a (1) actions with two options; you can trade 2 cards for a Soulstone or you can trade a Soulstone for 2 cards. The ability to make more Soulstones through the game, or giving yourself more cards as can be very useful, however it does cost an action so can end up fighting with all her other excellent actions.

A Lady's Secret
This adds two triggers to your base card. Both require Masks, which you may or may not be willing to give up keeping **Now You See Me** in mind, but with your artificial soul stone you shouldn't have too much trouble if you really want one. One trigger grants a second strike at double range to **Sabre Trick**, making it a good deal more dangerous although still competing with placing markers.

The second Trigger lets you keep your scheme marker while using **Disappearing Act**. So if you want to do **Disappearing Act** a lot this upgrade can make it more practical and much cheaper in terms of actions.

Between the two triggers it opens up the possibility of a more aggressive Colette, one who can teleport models to where she needs and the launch several attacks of her own.

Cabaret Choreography
This is going to add 2 new tricks to the bag: It allows Colette to summon her Totem for an 8 of Masks (or 8 of anything with artificial soulstone). Doves have a number of great uses, Showgirls can use them as scheme markers, they can buff friendly models (positive flips on either **Ca**, **Df** or damage), or they can blow themselves up to damage everyone around them. Aside from the 8 needed it doesn't cost any resources to summon a Dove, and with being able to have 3 of them it allows you to buff multiple models, get a pseudo-scheme marker exactly where you need it or just give you multiple extra activations to help you manage the flow of the turn.

All Together Now is a (2) action that will let friendly models discard a friendly scheme marker in return for a (1) action. This is, obviously, potentially very powerful, but it's also very expensive. This is a real double edged sword. If you've got that many models in position that is a LOT of free AP. On the other hand you will be devastating your web of markers. This is best used when you have a model like Mech Rider dropping markers left and right. With the right setup this could let you have a big turn, but in most cases its probably not an action you will take as its also competing directly with Prompt and might not yield better results.

Shell Game
Another (0), this one allowing us to shuffle our Mannequins and Doves 4" from their location if they're within 4" of Colette. Considering Colette already got two very good (0) actions this is a real corner case ability, it might be useful in a highly specific situation, but generally it's not why you are taking this upgrade.

You usually take it because it adds Surge to Prompt, letting you draw a card for an extra tome on Prompt. It does potentially allow her to draw 3 additional cards a turn, while doing other things. Very good for adding even more to Prompt, and gives Colette yet another way to draw extra cards.

The showgirls generic upgrade, it grants you a free scheme marker at the start of your activation within 3" of a friendly model and more than 3" away from an enemy model. Unfortunately you have to discard a scheme marker at the end of the turn, but it doesnt have to be the same marker. You are probably better of putting it on someone else, like Angelica, but its a valid choice for Colette as well.
 * Practiced Production**

Remember that if Colette is not within 1" of a Scheme Marker you should always consider using Trap Doors to put one there asap (to allow Colette to use her Now You See Me... Df Trigger).


 * The Dancing Blade:** One of Ms du Bois' wave 5 upgrades, this lends some extra utility to her **The Sabre Trick** action. First off - provided you can ditch a friendly scheme marker nearby - you can take the action as a (1) rather than a (0), allowing Colette to pull of multiple Sabre Tricks per turn. It also hands out **Slow** to the target automatically, so if you find Colette in a tight spot it can be worth ditching scheme markers to take **The Sabre Trick** multiple times - sure, you could be using those scheme markers for **Hooked Cane**, but **The Sabre Trick** has a couple of advantages over the latter such as getting through **Incorporeal** and allowing you to choose how your opponent's model resists it.

It also adds a new trigger to **The Sabre Trick**, allowing Colette to discard an enemy scheme marker nearby after damaging. This can be pretty nifty, particularly in scheme marker heavy scheme pools, and gives the showgirls another way to mess up enemy scheme markers at range.


 * Audience Participation:** First and foremost, this gives Colette a nifty 6" aura that lets Showgirl minions (sorry Carlos!) gain **Focus +1** when they activate.

Colette herself gains a new (0) action, **'I Need A Volunteer!'**. This lets her target an enemy minion near a scheme marker to let her control the first AP of their next activation. Pretty awesome, but remember that it is limited to minions (though there are some very decent minions out there!). A bit pricey at 2ss, but definitely worth considering.

Arcane Reservoir
If you don't feel that you got enough cards from your other card draw abilities this is a nice simple hand size increase. Its big advantage is that it's a sure thing, you don't needs to spend an action on it like Soulstone Manipulation nor get the tome for **Surge**.


 * Imbued Energies**

Costs 1ss and an upgrade slot for an Ap at a crucial moment. It's arguably one of the best generic upgrades in the game, and getting an extra action point on your master is always useful. With Colette it has the added benefit of being able to power Prompt, so you can pass out that extra Ap to someone else if needed, though it does compete with her personal upgrades.

Imbued Protection
Thought I'd include this because I see it on a lot of Arcanist players' Masters. Don't bother with Colette. Your Df isn't what saves you, your scheme markers and masks are. Save the slot for a better choice.

= __Crew Tactics and Tips__ =


 * Position, Position... and Position **

Positioning matters, some says even more so in a tabletop game. Colette is a master of re-positioning her crew due to her amazing **Prompt**s. However this also requires Colette to better lay out her model positions so that even the rest of her crew not activated, she could maximize their potential and minimize the threat from enemies.

For instance, when facing a crew led by Neverborn Lilith, it is vital that Colette could recognize Lilith's most wanted prey therefore she may activate early to: 1. Summon birds to block the paths towards Lilith, therefore valuable targets are not that easy to be lured into the traps. 2. Use terrains to block possible paths towards Lilith, so that the lure cannot push targeted model towards Lilith.

When against a blast-hell Guild Sonnia, prompts your models slightly away from one another so that no single blast marker can cover the most valuable models in all.

Overcome the lack of initial Soul Stones in cache.
Although Colette's own ability - Artificial Soulstone could grant a "free" soul stone each turn for Colette to use, she is in fact a heavy Soul Stone user. He key action **Prompt** ideally wants a Tome to hit the Surge trigger (from the **Shell Game** upgrade), her defensive trigger needs a Mask, etc... Her built-in cache of 2 Soul Stones is usually not large enough.


 * Soul Stone Miner** could help mitigate this situation, to a certain degree... If you could afford such a model in your crew, that is.


 * Recharge Soul Stone** is a key upgrade to earn some "free" soul stones back by simply killing living models, either in enemy crew or your own. Note that Colette is often hands full with her other important upgrades, therefore this upgrade is literally only available to hired henchmen in her crew, preferably on some melee beat sticks such as The Captain or Joss.

Scheme Markers
Here is a list of the ways Showgirls can get scheme markers on the table:-

1. **Interact Action**. Remember that friendly Showgirls and minions can do this as a (0) Action when within 8" of Colette, but it still has all the usual restrictions of the normal Interact Action (ie. not engaged and no other scheme markers within 4").

The following lets Showgirls place scheme markers, avoiding the key restrictions of the normal Interact Action:-

2. Colette's **Props Trigger** on her Hooked Cane attack (needs a Mask). Lets her place a scheme marker within 1", with no other restrictions.   3. You can count a **Mannequin** or a **Dove** as one. You'll lose the model, though, unless you took the Lady's Secret Upgrade on Colette.    4. Cassandra's **Smoke and Mirrors** trigger, on the Upgrade of the same name. Cassy needs to succeed in a Wp or Df duel with a Mask for this to work. Sadly it needs to be enemy attacking her, but fortunately enemies are prone to doing that. Lets her place a scheme marker in base contact.    5. Colette's **Trap Doors** Ability, on the Practised Production Upgrade. Lets her place a scheme marker within 3" of a friendly model, although it cannot also be within 3" of an enemy model. This is fantastically useful for bouncing your crew around willy nilly or nailing certain Schemes (eg.  Power Ritual, Plant Evidence or Breakthrough - see Trap Doors below for details).

Extra: With the aid of **Magician's Assistant** from a Mannequin any friendly model that is doing the Interact action can put the scheme marker up to 6" away. Amazing for //Spring the Trap// or //Plant Explosives//, or highly useful to place a jump point behind enemy lines for Colette to use or for Orchestral Crescendo. Note that a Performer can do this even while engaged.

Non-Showgirls can also help out:-

1. **Mechanical Rider**. The Arcane Ritual trigger is solid gold for Showgirls, as it places scheme markers next to enemy models, and can do it from range. So useful for schemes, getting behind enemy lines or setting up Orchestral Crescendo. The only downside is that Rider is best in the late game, and as a key target it needs protecting on Turns 1 & 2. 2. **Union Miner**. Forget the bit about discarding the Scheme Markers, since you are going to use them up anyway. One of these guys can drop 4 scheme markers in a Turn, which lets Colette reposition herself and two other key models, while having a scheme marker left over until the end of the Turn in case anyone has a go at her. The other way of using his ability is to power Colette's **All Together Now** Tactical Action from the Cabaret Choreography upgrade. Since you can resolve the actions generated by that in any way you like, do the Union Miner first and have him drop two more! 3. **Willie**. His Set Charge Tactical Action combines very well with the Showgirl's ability to spam scheme markers in a confined area, such as around a Turf War marker, but even more useful is the guaranteed 2 Dg each one does (sometimes you just need to finish off a model). Siren Call the enemy in if they don't seem willing.

Here is a list of the useful things Showgirls can do with friendly scheme markers:-

1. **Keep Colette alive**. She is very hard to kill as long as she has one within 1", thanks to her **Now You See Me** Ability. Best to make sure there is another within 7" of her as well. 2. The Practiced Production Upgrade (you did take it, right?) gives you access to **Trap Doors**. See below for more details on how to maximise the VP potential of this ability. 3. Use as a target for Colette's **Disappearing Act** Tactical Action. 4. Use for the Duet's **Orchestral Crescendo** Tactical Action. With a TN of 15 and doing 2Dg and handing out Slow this is amazing, but only if you can get the scheme marker in the right place (right in the middle of the enemy crew). Getting the Duet in the right place is not usually an issue! Colette and Cassandra can drop them, but you don't want them in the middle of the enemy crew. A Magician's Assistant-boosted model might manage this, but this is also a time when you would consider using a Dove as a scheme marker, rather than sacrificing it for the combat boost it can give. Put the Dove on Defensive Stance and fly it in late in the Turn, and then have the Duet come in and set it off. 5. As a target for the Performer's **Seduction** Tactical Action. Bear in mind this does not need to be a friendly scheme marker(!), and since there is no Rst on the action Seduction is actually a great tool for removing enemy scheme markers, side-effects notwithstanding. But the side-effects are worth it if there is something you are about to target with your heavy hitters and that you want to die. If you can get Seduction off on it, the chances of it dying just greatly increased. 6. Boost Colette's or Angelica's Attack flip with the **Hooked Cane**. Nice to have, but not worth setting up usually.

Trap Doors
Practiced Production is a terrific upgrade (mentioned above), largely due to the Trap Doors ability it grants the bearer. Being able to place a friendly Scheme Marker within 3" of any friendly model (provided it is not within 3" of an enemy model) combines well with certain Schemes and models. Consider Power Ritual, Plant Evidence or Breakthrough with something like a Soulstone Miner or a Raptor unburying out of LoS in the enemy deployment zone, or even fast models like Cassandra or the Duet. Those Scheme Markers are going to be hard for the enemy to remove. The one downside of Trap Doors is the requirement to remove a Scheme Marker from play, but there is a way to work with that.

On Turn 1, every model in Colette's crew should be taking an Interact Action (which Showgirls and any Minion can do as a (0) thanks to Colette's Rehearsed ability). These Scheme Markers will not score you any points (most likely), but these are the ones you remove on later Turns to satisfy the requirement of Trap Doors, letting you keep the ones you placed deep in the enemy's table half. For extra credit, try and space these 'Turn 1 Markers' 6" apart so that Colette can use them as a line of retreat if need be.

Enemy Scheme Marker Removal
Enemy got too many VPs? That's just unfair. Why not even it out a bit with the new Seduction Hoover?

This requires a Performer, some Moderate cards and an opponent who can see the funny side. In the final Turn of the game have the Performer cast Seduction twice, then Colette Prompts her to do it another three times. That 3" Push each time will help with those hard to reach spots. Get the Ram trigger on the third and final Prompt and the Performer can do it another two times, for a total of seven attempts at removing enemy Scheme Markers, with a combined threat range of 25"(!).

Now the table is shiny and clean again, with no more messy enemy Scheme Markers, thanks to Colette's new Seduction Hoover (pat. pending).

=__Stars__=

Cassandra
Cass is fast. Very, very fast. **Nimble** combined with automatic 4" push triggers on both her attacks means it's very easy to overextend with her. Luckily being that far ahead of the pack is a great place to start throwing down scheme markers for your forward positions. Careful movement will allow you to keep a Mannequin near-by as well. At Df 6 Cassandra is a great target for that Imbued Protection I told you not to put on Colette. She is going to be a target so that extra boost to Df is going to help out a lot.


 * Breath of Fire** is a surprise to a lot of crews not expecting the blast damage. Focus or Dove up so you can cheat in severe damage to spreads those 3 wound blasts all around your opponent's models. Then feel free to push in closer for Saber or retreat backwards. Your call.


 * Dancer's Saber** has a very strong Moderate damage, so if you're able to cheat cards (either through Doves or Focus) this is a good place to dump those 6 and 7s. Magicians Prop is great if you kill your target as you can self-target and Breath of Fire another pack of enemies. Alternately if close enough to Colette you can Prompt her to Prompt you, pushing out of melee and then Breath Of Fire-ing.

She can also use her **Understudy** action either for 1ap or as a trigger on her **Dancer's Sabre** to copy **Prompt** from Colette. Just bear in mind that once you've targeted a model with **Prompt**, it can't be **Prompt**ed again until the next turn regardless of who's doing the **Prompt**ing!

=Building a Crew=

Colette has obvious synergies with Showgirls, but many of her support abilities simply require a friendly Minion or Model, meaning that she can support just about any crew you care to bring her with.


 * Models with abilities that lasts through a turn**

Gunsmith


 * Switch Chambers** would last until end of turn, thus is perfect for a little **Prompt** after they've activated. If you really need something shot that turn and don't mind losing your Gunsmith, there's always her **Final Act** trigger...

Henchmen
Cassandra - see above.

Joss A useful part of any elite Colette crew and a natural target for **Prompt** either to get him into the action or to get him hitting things with that incredible axe of his. Just watch him against crews that have **Obey**-like abilities. The last thing you want is that axe hitting Colette, as it will stop her using her Df Triggers.

Enforcers
Killjoy Colette has some easy ways of controlling where and when this monster appears on the table (see Mechanical Dove below), and **Prompt** on a model that has Weak damage of 4 and an Onslaught trigger is very useful indeed.

Peons & Totems
Mechanical Dove These can be extremely useful, and Colette can take up to three of them, as well as summon more in game using the Cabaret Choreography Upgrade. Uses include:-
 * //Activation control//. Activate the Dove, hide it somewhere safe and useful for next Turn and make your opponent burn through his own more useful activations.
 * //Count as Scheme Markers//. Note that this does not let them count as Scheme Markers for VP purposes, just for the purpose of a friendly Showgirl's Abilities or Actions (such as a node for **Disappearing Act**, or buffing Colette's Ml attack, or discarding to use her **Now You See Me...** trigger)
 * //Boost a model//. The Dove can buff a friendly model with a (0) **Soulstone Powered** Action, giving them positive flips to Ca, Df or damage flips. With a potential 23" range on this ability, you can buff just about anything you need to, and it then gets to activate as a Chain Activation. Consider buffing a key offensive model before Colette activates. Once Colette does activate, any Prompted attacks she causes the key model to take will benefit from the buff as well, since it lasts to the end of the Turn. If you can get Reactivate on Colette, you can be really mean...
 * //Attack//. The Dove has no melee attack, so cannot engage enemy models nor take disengaging strikes, but it can fly 10" into the middle of a group of enemy models and sacrifice itself to force a Df duel and potentially put 2 damage on all models within 2".
 * //Unbury Killjoy//. Since the Dove has two ways to sacrifice itself, and can easily hide until you need it, if you have Killjoy in your crew you can unbury him just about anywhere on the table you like. Within Prompt range of Colette is probably the best spot, though.
 * //Place Scheme Markers//. Since it is Insignificant the Dove cannot take Interact Actions, but you can use **Trap Doors** to put a Scheme Marker within 3" of it. Very useful for schemes like Breakthrough, ALITS, Power Ritual and Plant Evidence.

Malifaux Raptor As with the Dove, the Raptor is ideally suited for turning up in out of the way spots of the board and being a target for Trap Doors. Since the Raptor can then Bury itself on its own activation with **Take to the Skies**, it can keep itself safe even better than a Dove can. Since it also has no other real role in a Colette crew, you won't be tempted to use it for anything other than securing VPs. That said, the **Rake The Eyes** trigger can prove situationally useful. Have Colette Prompt the Raptor to hit a friendly model and cheat in a low Mask. You can now arrange the next three cards in your deck for Colette's remaining actions during her own activation.

Blessed of December Unless you want to upgrade it with some extra stuff, Colette could use her prompt action to its fullest by first hiring a Myranda with the **Imbued Energies** upgrade. With a high ram the prompt trigger could allow **Myranda** reactivate before being sacrificed at the end of turn; however before that she would have already shift-changed into a Blessed of December. You also have 4 extra cards in hand all of a sudden, how good is that? With a Zero action Leap second only to Silurid this beast most likely fits in the role as a scheme runner/hunter flanking near board edges.

**Arcane Emissary of Fate - the new shining star of the show**
The Arcanist Emissary Of Fate is a very good choice in Colette's crew. Most of this is due to its zero Soul Stone upgrade - **Illusive Conflux.**


 * Power Leech** makes Colette and other Showgirls treat this model as if it were a friendly Scheme Marker for their abilities and actions. And this one is **NOT** discarded after use! The side effect is 2 points of damage is dealt to this poor model.


 * Minor Teleport**. The true power lies in this zero AP Tactical Action: **Place** this model into base contact with target friendly Scheme Marker within 6". Place, not push, this certainly gives better maneuverability on the battle field. Arcanist Emissary could make good use of this trick to jump out of melee engagement to charge enemies, or even ambush enemy back-line in the blink of an eye :) Knowing this threat your enemy would often have to remove Scheme Markers at key positions so as not to suffer from this sudden strike.

=Playing Against Colette=

The first thing to do is work out what variety of Colette crew you are facing. Then you will know how it is likely to go about securing VPs during the game. If you are facing an Elite Colette crew (lots of heavy hitters), for example, then expect a head-on engagement with Colette standing back in support. If you are facing a Showgirl-heavy Colette crew then expect to have all manner of rugs pulled from under you and to be playing the Malifaux equivalent of nailing jelly to a wall.

There are a few things you can do to ruin Colette's day.

Target Colette
This is only worth doing if you think you can pull it off, since Colette is ridiculously survivable against normal damaging attacks. If you can manage it, however, it can turn a game around, since without Colette's support the rest of her crew is less effective.


 * //Attacks that ignore Df Triggers//. A model like Joss can kill Colette quickly in melee since he denies her the use of both her Df triggers. He is also good against the Mechanical Rider, which can often feature in a Colette crew.
 * //Auras, Pulses and Blasts//. Blasts (and some Auras and Pulses) will not allow the use of Df Triggers and can be used to put Wounds on Colette.
 * //Get rid of Scheme Markers within 1" of Colette.// Colette's main Df Trigger requires a Scheme Marker within 1", so if you can get rid of it Colette is unable to use her Trigger. Remember that Doves and Mannequins can be treated as Scheme Markers by Colette, so get rid of those, too. Also remember that there are a lot of ways for the Colette player to move Colette out of her activation to put her near another Scheme Marker (**Siren Call** or **Give Them An Encore** or **Understudy**) or to put another Scheme Marker near her, so you will really need to make the opportunity count.
 * //Move Colette more than 1" away from a Scheme Marker.// This is the flipside of the above option. Rather than getting rid of the Scheme Markers you can move Colette, so anything that will force her to Move or Push is ideal. So long as the Action you use does not also cause damage Colette cannot use her Df Triggers against it.
 * //Attacks that do not cause Damage but do apply Conditions.// You maybe cannot Wound her, but you can eg. **Paralyse** her. Conditions that strip suits from her Ca will also ruin her day, as will anything that stops her casting or makes her discard cards to do so. Watch out for Condition removal, however, usually available in the form of the Arcane Effigy.

Guard Your Own Scheme Markers
Watch those Performers! They will remove vital Scheme Markers if you let them. Kill 'em. Kill 'em all!

Remove Colette's Scheme Markers
While it is not unusual for a Colette crew to end the game with Scheme Markers in the double digits, not all of these will be scoring VPs. Some of them will be left lying around as jump points for **Disappearing Act**, targets for **Seduction** or life-lines for **Now You See Me...**. Anything that can remove Scheme Markers in quantity (eg. Guild Peacekeeper or Steam Arachnid Swarm) or that flip Scheme Markers to your ownership (eg. Lucius) will be valuable against a Colette crew. They will also be target no.1 for the Colette crew, so watch out!

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