N18 Escher Loadout for campaign

[MattWarden]

Just getting ready for an upcoming campaign, i wanted to ask the hive mind opinions on my initial gang list. I'd like to get some smoke grenades but the campaign starting creds is 1000 and im currently at 995.

Queen
Power Sword, Plasma Pistol, Mesh Armor,
Spring up

Matriarch
Plasma Gun, Mesh Armor,
Spring up

Death Maiden
Stiletto Sword, Power Sword, Chem-synth, Mesh Armor,
Combat Virtuoso

Sister (Specialist)
Grenade Launcher w/Frag+Krak, Mesh Armor,

Sister
Lasgun,

Sister
Lasgun,

Sister
Lasgun,

Little Sister
Stiletto Knife

 

[MysticWolf]

I like your list. The only thing I would strongly suggest is cutting the power sword on the death maiden and take another stiletto sword.
The stiletto and the power sword don't stack when you're dealing damage, so they're kind of working against each other. That and you've paid extra for a Chem synth and the deathmaiden has a special skill for resolving one's on toxin attacks.
Other than that, the gang looks good. I just strongly suggest beefing up your death maiden with a stiletto sword instead of the power sword, and save 15 creds. If you absolutely need the power sword on the maiden, get rid of the Chem synth and the stiletto sword and take a plasma pistol.

 

[Heart of Storm]

You can get away with a single stiletto sword on a death maiden, she'll still butcher everything she runs into, the second sword just gives her an extra attack.

A needle pistol also works, grants the same attack with the same toxin rule and gives her same ranged ability, its only drawbacks are ammo rolls and not working with the Finesse skill, should you take it.

That would free creds for a smoke grenade, although I'd be inclined to add a new juve to run with the death maiden and catch bullets, or upgrading one of your lasgun girls to a shotgun for some more D2 weaponry

 

[Psyan]

Nice list! I endorse what MW and HOS said about replacing the Maiden's Power Sword with another Stiletto Sword or Needle Pistol. They both save you some useful credits and make sure that you get maximum effect from your Chem Synth. Alternately, just roll with a single Stiletto Sword and use the saved credits to add a little more power to the rest of your gang. Extra Little Sisters with Stiletto Knives and Stub Guns are an excellent use of credits. That's the only thing about your list that really jumps out as not being a great choice.

If you're going with what you have, definitely use the spare 5 creds to give the Little Sister a Stub Gun. Even with her BS5+ she'll hit on a 3 at close range.

The following suggestions are offered as alternatives, rather than critique.

I see that you've taken Combat Virtuoso on the Death Maiden. That's a really cool and useful skill as it both increases your effective charge range and affords you protection from reaction attacks when facing fighters w/o Versatile weapons. However, not having the ubiquitous Spring Up on your primary melee fighter means that she's a great target for pinning and may not be stabbing suckers as often as you might like.

How strongly attached are you to having your Queen as a dedicated melee fighter? Obviously, with 3 attacks and WS 3+ she's pretty good at it, but I'm usually inclined to take a slightly safer approach with the Queen and giver her a Boltgun or Plasma Gun and then a Shock Whip and possibly a cheap pistol. This allows her to still do some melee damage from the safety of Versatile range, but also ups her long range damage output, as well as saving a few credits if you go with the Boltgun.

Here is my favorite starting list for Eschers. It's not as well equipped as your gang, but it does have 9 fighters, including a Queen, a Death Maiden and two Matriarchs. It's initially focused on shooting, but adding Power Swords and pistols on the Matriarchs later in the campaign will make it extremely choppy, as well.

Far Dareis Mai

Escher (HoB) gang with a rating of 1000 by Psyan

yaktribe.games

 

[FelixD]

A bit of late response but may be for future use
Stiletto+power sword is a great combo, but it is better to get it later in campaign.
The reason is that it not only give you extra parry, but allows to parry 1 power weapon attack. So until there are power weapons in your campaign you can save money on power sword.

A good start for a DM is stiletto sword + claw and virtuoso, as sword will give you extra range if you won't have enough charge range and claw give extra punch with -2 AP and entangle for tougher targets. Then add a power sword later in campaign, or even have double power sword loadout when toxin becomes less effective.

There's absolutely no reason to give DM a pistol (except maybe plasma pistol if you have a lot of extra cash in later stages of campaign), as she can pull 2 or 3 (with overseer) ~20" charges per turn in the earlier turns of the game and if she survives that - will just charge more people nearby

 

[Heart of Storm]

I'm not a fan of mixing melee weapon types as you have to split the attacks down the middle, meaning your having to make half your attacks with the less effective weapon (usually the Stiletto Sword in ever combo you've described) because you want to benefit from the effect it provides.

Power sword and a pistol gives you more attacks with the power sword whilst still benefitting from the +1 attack from an extra weapon and you get some ranged ability too which can come in handy.

Unless you REALLY want the effects of the two melee weapons, I'm of the view that pistol + melee weapon is far more efficient than dual melee weapon.