M2E+Mechanical+Dove

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 * Mechanical Dove, Arcanist Totem (Colette)**

=__Overview__= Colette's totem, and trusty stage prop, the Mechanical Dove is a marvel of magic and machinery. Just like a real dove in older magic shows, these little buggers sometimes get crushed for effect, but it's more humane this way- because they're only powered //by// soulstones. They don't actually have a soul. We don't think. Capable of amazing movement techniques and usable by many of the other showgirls, as well as innocent bystanders, these birds have an amazing ability to be used as scheme markers, or blow themselves up to make important models better for a turn.

=__Mobility__= While they're insignificant and can't really make any attacks or cause engagements or many other tricks, the mobility of the Mechanical Dove is well above average. They've got a move of 10 with flight, so if there is anywhere on the board they need to go, they've got the means to get there. If prompted, they can still move up to 20" even on the turn they're summoned, and if hired, they can make it to a grouping of enemy models and potentially explode on turn one. (Colette Prompts, moves it 3" and then has it take it's 10" move, then it activates, moves 10" and takes it's detonate soulstone action). Getting around isn't a problem for these quick little birds.

=__Offense__= == Not a ton to mention here- the birds are often more useful as mobile scheme marker targets for things like seduce, or now you see me- meaning they can either power other people's attacks or allow Colette to gain her defensive triggers- That being said they do have one actual attack:


 * Detonate** **Soulstone-** Creates a pulse of 2" that forces DF duels. That's pretty great, until you realize the soulstone they're detonating is the one that's powering the poor little birdy. This attack also causes them to explode themselves. While you can certainly summon them and use them for this action, it's usually a little more useful to give a model you have a buff with it's (0) action for the turn. That's not to say never use this- Does Collodi have his full cadre of Marionettes bunched up close, and ditched his whole control hand? 'Splode a bird. Vikis bunch up and want to make 'em sweat? 'Splode a bird. It's not useless, it's "situational".

=__Resilience__= Df is an average 5, wp is a little low at 4, but for a 2 stone totem these are perfectly fine. They don't have armor (it's too heavy for them to also be able to fly), or anything else that keeps damage low, and they've got three wounds, so if someone tries to kill a dove, they probably will. But if they do, it's also three damage that isn't going onto Colette or other showgirls.

= = =__Tips and Tricks__=

The mechanical doves aren't showgirls- which is too bad really. But they are scheme markers, so you can use them to poof your troops upfield with Colette. It takes a 5 up of any suit, so if you really wanted to put the hurt on, you could potentially have a few beaters or shooters in the back field, burn some activations, then fly the doves to key positions- then activate Colette, use **Disappearing Act** three times, and all of your doves are gone, but all of your models are in positions to bring the pain.
 * The (not so) Armored Personnel Carrier**

The Mechanical Dove's 0 action "Soulstone Powered" is an amazing ability. It sacrifices itself to add one of the following three options until the end of turn.. Let's look at it from a economical standpoint. I hire Cassandra, and I use a soulstone for offense. Rare, I know, but let's say she wants to cast breathe fire at someone in cover. I get a positive twist to that attack. One soulstone. One plus flip. Swell. I instead hire a mechanical dove. 2 soulstone cost. It chooses to Cassandra to get a positive to casting to the end of turn. She takes her activation and gets two CA actions at positive flips. Two soulstones, two flips. Great! But remember. This is a Colette crew we're talking about- Colette "just so happens" to be in range to use prompt on Cassandra three times. So, for two soulstones, Cassandra gets the benefits of a soulstoned attack, potentially, //five times.// Where this gets very good is when you're //not// shooting into cover. You can give Cassy a positive twist to the **Damage Flip** and have a much higher chance at getting the moderate or severe needed to place blast templates. This works on models other than Cassandra- in fact, this works on models that aren't showgirls. An oxfordian Mage with a positive twist to something. A mercenary hired librarian with a positive twist to cast for her heal or a word. Howard Langston going crazy with a positive twist to damage- He can do his normal nimble flurry, then Colette can make him attack more times, which would me he could make a potential 6 attacks in one turn, all at a positive twist to damage.
 * The Helping Hand (Or wing... I guess...)**
 * Add a positive flip to **Ca** actions.
 * Add a positive flip to **Df** actions.
 * Add a positive flip to **Damage Flips**.

There are a large number of other abilities that require you to have and destroy a scheme marker, the birds can be used for any of them, and the ability to throw a scheme marker 6" is good, but the ability to fly them 10" can be better. The list of abilities that use scheme markers looks a little something like: //Performer// **Seduction;** 3" Pulse that hands out a double negative to DF and WP. Tasty. //Colette// **Disappearing Act;** Move a model up to 14" away to a scheme marker. That means the bird. Can be used to put a model many places without having to make them walk there. For instance- Engaged with a shooter/caster. Into the backfield for Breakthrough or Entourage. Into the center for turf war. Out of the center for Reconnoiter. To the flanks for outflank. Out of engagement with Killjoy. The list goes on and on. //Colette// **Hooked Cane:** This doesn't discard the dove- but they count towards the "Scheme Marker" count giving her plusses to her Ml score. Surround the enemy with dove and then while they're distracted, whack em in the groin with your cane. Classic slapstick comedy act. //Colette// **All Together Now** Upgrade action. Allows models in play may discard a scheme marker within 1" to take a one action. If there are enough models with enough scheme markers in the wild, this 2 action will pay for itself numerous times. The doves can help with scheme marker flexibility. It's situational, but potentially very powerful. //Colette// **Shell Game** Doesn't actually make anything happen because of the doves, but allows the doves to get some extra move- allows all doves and mannequins within 4" to move 4" in any direction. Could be useful for setting up a good **All Together Now**.
 * Other Techniques**

=__Playing Against Mechanical Doves__= The threat of a dove is relatively low- and they're resummonable, so attempting to kill the dove is not super effective. They're usually going to be either darting for masses of group up enemies, or sticking around other models to give them a scheme marker to use, or give them a Soulstone Powered buff. If you have blasts, you can try to do damage to the threat, and then blast onto the dove, or vice versa, damage and kill the dove while still getting to do damage to the main target. If you see one near howard or cassandra, beware. If you see a lot of models with scheme markers, doves, or mannequins near them, watch out for an all together now. While I know I said killing the dove isn't usually worth it, if you force Colette to continually resummon them, either she'll give up and those buffs/mobile scheme markers can go away, //or// she'll just keep summoning them and they'll be slow, and she'll be using her ap to summon instead of prompt key models, so it may be worth it. You'll have to play it by ear, and if the Colette player seems like they're the type that the Doves are the important part of their strategy, wiping them off the board //may// be worth it.

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