Dark Knight Rises 2 player set part 1- my thoughts on Brave and the Bold

Hi all, this month we have a very exciting set of releases all based around the Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, and a lot of things to consider. To start I will be discussing the main release of the month, the Dark Knight Rises 2 player set featuring Batman vs a Bane focused League crew, splitting the box into its 2 halves for separate posts. The box has some really nice minis in it that have some great roles in their respective crews, but also a couple of duds unfortunately, and it is important because it's bringing into the game the return of proper vehicles in the form of the Tumbler and Batpod.

Brave and the Bold

The 3 cops in this pack are great in that they're generic police officers, but they are of vastly differing value to a Brave and the Bold player. Agent 1 and 2 are valuable for a variety of reasons, but Agent 3 is not very good when considering other options.
Offensive
Being cheap henchmen, they don't have too much in the way of offence, but for their costs they're not bad either. Automatic Pistol is an ok weapon for what it does at its price point, Extendable Batons are great, and Agent 2 has a new type of weapon that is really great in the form of Pepper Spray. A short ranged Beam weapon (so no picking up ammo, and only 6+ ping) with Reload, it does no damage but has the Blind effect. It means you're able to potentially shut down some big hitters, and for $0 funding the fact it has diminishing returns on higher defence characters isn't even a bad thing.
Defensive
There isn't much to be said for any of them defensively, and they're all fairly standard defence 3/endurance 5 cops. Agent 2 is a lower endurance 4, but at his cost that is more than tolerable, while Agent 3 has a Bulletproof Vest to protect against guns.
Overall
All 3 have Arrest, which is of great benefit to any Brave and the Bold crew, and they're relatively low cost
Agent 1 is pretty much a replacement for Agent Ron from 1st edition, albeit better with Street Guy replaced with Undercover to deploy further up the table and an extra endurance for only 1 rep more. She's not as useful as some other henchmen in Brave and the Bold, but she definitely has a place.
Agent 2 is the standard version of stripper cop, and damn he is a good replacement. Losing the jank with defensive on the baton, he instead has his pepper spray to support the rest of the crew in a couple of different ways. Very valuable model and arguably the best in this box period in terms of points/value comparison.
Agent 3 is slightly different to the already standard Arkham Guard 1, and for the points increase I'm not entirely sure he's a great take over AG1. Replacing Hockey Gear for Bulletproof Vest is largely match-up dependent (although Bulletproof Vest is more useful in general) and the extra willpower is always good, but if it comes at the expense of other better models in the crew it isn't worth taking. This is the one with the toughest competition in standard for that reason.

It's hard to do a box titled Dark Knight without the Dark Knight himself, so here he is! A new Standard version of Christian Bale Batman, he hasn't had too many major changes from the old version but what has changed is quite useful. 

Offensive

An Attack 4 Batman isn't something one would normally even consider at 120 rep, but in looking at his traits he is actually something of a great beater. Combo means he is counter efficient while having more attacks than the average Batman, and although it is a 50/50 chance to block he can easily make himself impossible to block through use of Sneak Attack, which itself gives him a +1 to hit and helps his hit and run style of attacking. He isn't the brawler you see in Anniversary Batman or Batfleck, but he can definitely run around and pick off models where he needs to which is very helpful. Also of great importance to him is Arrest, which makes him ridiculously self-sufficient when it comes to taking out the models he hits. This in Bat-Family is also something really great, as it means he enables a very easy triple Arrest list with his good cost and native Arrest so others can buy it. 

Defensive

At Defence 5 he is already hard to hit, but with Master of Stealth he is very hard to get into a position to shoot at until he is threatening you, while Bat-Armour MkII can potentially block hits and is still nice to have, even at a 6+. 

Overall

This is quite a good Batman model, although it misses out on some of the upper-tier abilities I find best in general (mainly being rerolls). With a 5" BMD and movement 4 he is already very fast, plus Batclaw and Batcape as standard he can get where he needs to be very easily when he needs to be. For the same rep as the old version he replaces regular Stealth with the superior Master of Stealth (bringing with it a +1 to hit on Sneak Attack), which is enough of a reason he should at least be considered as a competitive option, especially factoring in his upgrade cards. Both in Brave and the Bold and Bat-Family, he performs well in roles that aren't greatly filled in his points slot while facilitating other options in the crew. 

Another very important part of the box, there are 2 upgrade cards given for Batman to play with representing the Batpod and Tumbler he uses in the Dark Knight movies.
Batpod
Working in a very similar way to the old Batpod model (albeit for 5 rep and $100 more), this operates as mostly just a more streamlined version (and with an actual listed base size!). The strange thing about it is that it lacks the Batpod trait from the Compendium, but has the Mechanical Mount and Fast rules to make it work effectively the same way. It has the same movement abilities as the Joker Bikers, but also comes with a +1 movement to put Batman at a whopping movement 5 and adds 4 endurance to him. Coming with a disruptor is a nice addition, and between that, defence 5, Batarmour Mk2, Master of Stealth and ECM he is pretty safe against guns even without Acrobat.
Offensively it has a great 4 ammo (which is likely to not all get used with its endurance) across 2 guns, both of which are medium ranged and firearm doing double stun. The fact the machine guns have Anti-Tank and not the rocket launchers is odd, but the weapons basically operate as better riot guns when in range, and combined with Batman's Arrest and movement potential can be a death sentence.
Tumbler
The new vehicle in the box, the Tumbler operates pretty much as it looks- like a tank. Even though it lowers Batman's defence (to 4, still good) and only gets Ping on 6s, it compensates by having 5 extra endurance and Heavy Armour for a -3 to wound (all but guaranteeing 6s to wound on most things) and an extra +1 to movement like the Batpod. The Tumbler has the same guns as the Batpod with unlimited ammo, and when it's destroyed is immediately replaced by the Batpod which is a major factor in the cost of the Tumbler. As far as movement goes, it can charge (but no other attacks other than the guns thanks to Sealed Cabin) and gets a 7" BMD, with the downside of not being able to jump or climb. However, to get around this it ignores terrain 2" high or less when moving, and has a once per game use of Boosted Jump to make an 8" place for 1MC and 1SC (effectively a one use Super Jump). Transport is likely to not see too much use, but it lets a model on a 30mm base be carried around alongside the Tumbler without being able to use its own attacks while inside.

The first (and likely only) Catwoman from a live-action movie to make it into BMG, DKR Catwoman is a nice profile but not all that adventurous in terms of a Catwoman profile. The same statline as Modern Age Catwoman, she is a close-mid range character that is somewhat geared towards combat, but is probably still better off as an objective piece. 

Offensive

She has 2 weapon profiles, and her Heels are effectively just the Retractable Claws every other Catwoman has and as such aren't much to speak of. Attack 4 gives her decent chances of failed blocks, and a good amount of attacks to work with, but she will still only really KO henchmen somewhat reliably. She does have a automatic gun though, which she can use if something is close enough (if they move into base contact Light is awesome) and in most cases she's more reliably damaging by shooting things instead of hitting them up close. Pickpocket means she can take weapons from KO models, and as such can take some great weapons from other models, but I would only recommend doing it if she's not putting herself at risk in the process. 

Defensive

By pure virtue of being a defence 5 and movement 4 Acrobat she is very survivable, although she lacks Martial Artist to truly capitalise on it. Night Vision on her is mostly a defensive ability as well as she has no ranged abilities over 8", but it does make her less open to sneak attack if the occasion arises. 

Overall

Climbing Claws is pretty standard fare for Catwoman, and as always isn't that useful with her movement potential, while Undercover can come in handy often and helps protect her early game. She lacks any of the special movement or VP shenanigans the other Catwomen have, but she is also cheaper to make up for it and has somewhat of a different role. She could be interesting as a Batfam addition, but I'm unsure of just how useful she is to the team without testing her on the table. 

As is seen in The Dark Knight Rises, Catwoman also has an option to take her Batpod. For the same cost as Batman with a steep increase in funding ($400 extra) she gets almost the same statline with the loss of ECM and Disruptor. Her guns, however, don't just do double stun like Batman's do, with the machine guns being double blood for great potential damage, while the rocket launcher is blood/stun explosions. The damage output more than makes up for the lack of other special traits and explains her extra funding cost, but at the same time it is an $800 investment to do that, and is only really good in Brave and the Bold (the funding difference is way, way too expensive to take it in Bat-Family where it does only stun damage, especially at the expense of great equipment)

Birds of Prey general thoughts- Canary, Katana, Catwoman and Huntress

Hi all, back with my first proper team overview, focusing on the Birds of Prey. In this post I'll be talking about general tactics to use when playing Birds of Prey, and then a few choice models to take (Huntress, comic Katana, comic Black Canary and Sirens Catwoman)

General Tactics/Team Overview
In a Birds of Prey crew there is a somewhat limited potential hiring pool, although in terms of options they are now firmly a competitive team in my opinion (Suicide Squad being the only other one of the 4). As a team, all members gain Stealth, with the drawback of also gaining Moral Compass. Despite being able to very easily KO models, not being able to use the Coup de Grace rule is nasty, although there are ways to get models off the table and score VP otherwise. Being a team they are prone to a lower model count, and so I would almost never split the team up, preferring at the very least 2 model teams (usually now Canary/Huntress while the rest move up). The Birds are somewhat more forgiving in terms of VP given away, as they give up 2VP for a KO, then 1 more for a casualty (so 3 all up), with the Boss counting as a Leader. The Boss of the team also gains Reinforced Gloves and +1 Willpower, which ranges from amazing to of little use depending on the Boss. In terms of objectives, Medical Supplies and Ammo are a must, because 3VP each objective is huge for a team, but then the third standard objective depends on crew build. If Catwoman is in the crew, Loot is a definite in my opinion, because easy access to Hidden and Undercover means you can reach it quickly to hand it off to Catwoman.

So as in my Rogues overview, starting with the model I think is the best fit as a Boss model. Black Canary brings so much to a Birds of Prey crew that she is almost always worth including in a list, the fact that she has to be Boss is also pretty negligible. The only case I think the Boss buffs are big enough to warrant taking another character is in the case of Batgirl, because her 59 point version is absolutely insane with the Birds buffs.
Offensively
Attack 4 with Reinforced Gloves and Martial Artist is awesome for her cost, but factor in that she is now Willpower 7 as well and she can be a great rewarding piece most of the time. Her other huge trait is Canary Cry, which is unique to her but can be offensive in both control and in damage. If she's against a horde of mooks, she can quite reliably shut them out of the game entirely or force them to split up away from buffs (Inspire, Leader and Sidekick Let's Go! changes). Leadership is the biggest thing to look for with her, because you want to absolutely knock it out as quickly as possible. Further adding to her aggressive shutdown playstyle is Technique, which means if there's a model that isn't Stunned from the Cry, she can beat it down a bit to paralyse it and shut it out for that turn. Don't rely on her to solo a crew, but she can pretty easily lock them down for everyone else, or at least to protect the advance.
Defensively
Stealth from Birds is awesome on everyone that doesn't already have it, so Canary loves that. She's also a Movement 3 Acrobat for when people do actually shoot, and Defence 4 Martial Artist, so takes an investment to take out in any regard. Keep in mind though, that she is only Endurance 6, gives up Leader VP, and losing her is punishing to the crew in general. You can realistically shut down a huge amount of models a turn with her, but be careful that it doesn't end up with her being left in a position to be easily damaged should things go wrong. Preparing for failure is very important with her.
Overall
Canary is a relatively quick model, and as previously mentioned oppressive in terms of shutting down models. With Hidden she can start doing her thing from turn 1, and now she has quite a good partner for it in Huntress. Between the two you can put pressure on early, and your crew can relax on the advance without much of a threat.

My personal favourite version of Catwoman, she plays well into the Birds purely because she can rack up VP for the crew somewhat easily, while being a royal pain to deal with.
Offensively
In terms of combat, Sirens Catwoman doesn't particularly do anything special. Modern Age Catwoman is the one you want to be fighting in any case, she is far more competent at it. Retractable Claws are a decent attack, but at Attack 3 and Strength 5+, even with rerolls, she is someone who should be at most supporting a combat or harassing an objective, not diving in herself.
Defensively
Simply put, this is where she shines. Acrobat at Movement 5, combined with Defence 5 and she's not easy to take out at all. Add in Stealth and guns are a non-starter without ways to stop her spending counters, meaning she's more of a target to melee models. Defence 5 is always solid, leaving a 33% chance to hit, but she is still prone to defence debuffs, and with no Martial Artist she can't be caught outnumbered. Endurance 5 makes her a bit of a liability, so I am personally prone to keep her out of harm's way as much as is humanly possible (with her movement tricks though, it's easily doable)
Overall
She works best as a simple VP battery. With the inherently lower model count in team lists, someone like Catwoman who can comfortably sit on 5VP a turn (8 with a lucky Change of Plans) is a huge boon to them. With Primary Target:Loot I would take it in most situations Catwoman is in the crew, purely because it lets her be mobile and keep doing her thing. Sneaking lets her always score the 2VP, as long as the contesting model doesn't have it as well, but at the small cost of 1MC still. Her easy scoring opens up the crew to deal with threats, and as long as you can defend them easily enough you will have an easy VP game. Like almost all members of teams, Catwoman works best when she has someone to back her up, in this case to clear off objectives and prevent the opponent from scoring.

Huntress is a character who was largely not worth taking in any crew until July, when she got an update to resin and a new card. The changes on this card compared to the old one are HUGE, and now she is definitely worth using whenever she fits, because she is awesome. +1 willpower and ammo and picking up Hidden are game changers, completely revitalising her.
Offensively
Huntress is an offensive piece first and foremost, being able to do solid damage herself and also enable the rest of the crew to fight better. Her ranged attack is RoF1 with Rapid Fire, so she can always move and shoot with no penalties, and at 2 blood per shot with Mechanical is consistent enough in laying down hurt. At Medium Range she has a great threat range, being able to damage most threats before they can even see her, and with Distract she has an effective means of reducing enemy defence so the rest of the Birds can hit easier, especially helpful against high defence targets. Her Hand Crossbow is also effective at getting around Moral Compass, letting her deal blood damage so there is less need to Coup de Grace enemy models.
Defensively
Nothing too out there for Birds, she's almost exactly the same as Canary defensively. Runaway is situationally very good, making her immune to Arrest, but won't factor in all the time.
Overall
She works best in conjunction with other pieces, mainly as a supporting firebase. As a secondary Hidden piece with Canary, you have a ton of potential threat in a pretty cheap package, right on the opponent's doorstep, and can put the hurt on right from turn 1 to threaten flanks and get early VP. As a Boss she isn't the most desirable, not getting much out of the buffs (Reinforced Gloves on attack 3 is meh, and she has no huge need for willpower 8) but she could potentially lead if needed.

The last piece for this post is comic Katana, who is the simple melee killer of the crew. While there are other models that can quite reliably damage, Katana is the one to take to remove models from the equation, because she completely ignores Moral Compass with her Soultaker.
Offensively
As is obvious from her name, Katana kills things. She is quick enough to get into combat, and her traits are geared around her being in the thick of it cutting things down ("like she's mowing the lawn"- Rick Flag 2016). Weapon wise she isn't too special, basically being the same as Lotus from the League of Assassins, with the exception of her Soultaker having Enervating/1 on it. She will be quite reliably hitting models with Handy and Precise Blow, so she is at least stripping counters off of what she lands hits on. Her Soultaker is nice damage, same as any other Katana wielding model, and the Shurikens are decent at hitting lampposts or little damage at models you can't quite reach. She has Feint, which is awesome on her as it shuts down blocks for 1SC, meaning she will be hitting easier, but the real star is Precise Blow. She should always be using this, because it tunes up her damage output quite significantly, giving +1 to hit and a reroll on the collateral dice. This means she easily hits models, as I have already said, with a +1 to hit and rerolls to hit, then rerolling damage and the collateral she is relatively consistent. Use the reroll to fish for Knock Down, that's what it's best used for with how much counter denial Birds can get going.
Defensively
Like Huntress and Canary, she is again a movement 3 Acrobat that gains Stealth, so she is already quite good against guns. She also has Martial Artist, so Outnumber is very hard to get in a standard Birds of Prey crew, and it suits her a lot with where she wants to be. Her biggest boon, however, is in Adaptable, which effectively means she will be Defence 5 most of the game.
Overall
Katana is the main attack piece of the crew, but I would still make sure she has some form of support as she can only do so much by herself. As a Boss, she doesn't benefit from the Reinforced Gloves at all, but +1 willpower can help a lot in using her as an attack piece, which can come in very handy.