N18 Escher Starting List 1000 creds

[jmccornack]

Seen similar posts, but thought id post anyway for some specific feedback.

Returning to Escher, my first gang, for my fourth campaign. Want to build a more effective list than last time that leans into melee and chem alchemy. Here is my starting 1000 cred list so far:
Queen (220 creds): Chain axe, plasma pistol, mesh armor. Skill: Overseer
Matriarch (250 creds): Chem thrower, mesh armor. Skill: Spring up
Deathmaiden (185 creds): stiletto sword, mesh armor. Skill: combat virtuoso
Specialist (105 creds): Grenade Launcher
(x1) Sister (55 creds): lasgun
(x3) Little Sister (45 creds): stiletto knife, stub gun
Apprentice Clan Chymist (75 creds)


Future build goals:
Got some feedback that putting a chymist in at creation is a good idea to get that immediate fixer bonus.
I want to build queen towards being a melee beatstick, eventually more armor, needle rife for some range threat
Matriarch: Will lean into chemthrower with liftin'. more armor, chem synth, eventually will give cheap backup gun and melee weapon'
Deathmaiden: more armor and chem synth
Specialist: choke gas grenade for launcher, chem synth, hallucinogen chems. backup lasgun
Sisters: buy two more, build towards hot shot lasguns and armor
Juves: keep cheap, give some smoke grenades and some photon flash grenades

 

[thetrashman]

Is your matriarch trying to fight or give orders? if she wants to get into fights than she probably wants a different skill than Overseer as you've put about a tenth of your starting creds into close combat equipment and she cannot do both. If the latter than you want her hanging behind your other champs where she can give out orders while also having them screen her from threats. Maybe a cheap mid range weapon like a needle rifle would be a better option so that she can still contribute to the fight on turns that she isn't Overseering the champs.

As for the rest of your list it's fine except you're hovering just on the edge of having enough bodies in your gang. You aren't Goliaths whose base Toughness of 4 makes them remarkably durable and can get away with a slightly smaller starting gang size. For example, currently if 1 of of gang goes OOA and another is Seriously Injured then you're at risk of Bottling Out. Yes, it's only on a 6 but the amount of times I've failed Bottle Checks on 5s and 6s has made me leery of having too low a breaking threshold before I have to start rolling Bottle Checks every round.

Maybe drop the stub guns on the Little Sisters and see if you can squeeze in another just so you have 9 members in your starting gang.

With that all said, I like your idea of going melee and hope it works out well for you in your campaign.

 

[HugeSamples]

I think 8 bodies is fine.

Your leader is over equipped if you want to go the overseer route. I think she'd be better served with spring up if you want a melee configuration. Spring up is mandatory on any melee fighter with good initiative.

You don't have a lot of ranged support for your melee fighters, this is where the lasgals come in. You might consider doing a 4/4 split between your melee and ranged fighters. i.e. lasgals to pin models while your melee/short range models move in.

 

[suprablitz]

I'd suggest to drop the chemyst for now and invest the 75 creds into another Las-sister (55) and some smoke ammo (15) for the grenade launcher to improve your chances on reloads. The remaining 10 creds could get you flak armour for your specialist