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I've just picked up Drake MacBain so I'd like to discuss some ideas for lists (both tier and non tier) and synergies for him.

Countermeasure seems like a great spell to cast on a unit with stealth (Enemy cannot make ranged attackswhile within 5"). Croe's, Eiryss and Aiyana & Holt look like being good targets for this.

Erergizer will play well with any Warjack but I see it having extra use for Mariners and Mules as they can move out of activation with it.

Fail Safe. Are there any warjacks that couldn't do with +2 ARM and being able to ignore crippled systems. I think the newly generic Mangler will like this one most along with the Mule.

Fortune will probably see most use on Croe's as they need all the help they can get hitting things.

Jackhammer probably plays best on a heavy warjack. If you weren't planning on boosting attacks it's probably a better choice than allocating focus.

Rift is Macbain's only damage inflicting spell. The rough terrain AOE may come in handy from time to time.

MacBain fights better when his opponent is also in melee with another warrior model of your's Alexia's Risen and Thralls are excellent 'runners' for this job. He dishes out MAT 8 P&S 15 attacks that cannot be healed or 'toughed' when using this simple tactic. He's also ARM 17 when he's in combat. He can make himself (and current FOC+4 friends) unkillable for one round with his feat. If he stands next to a Mariner or similar while he's doing this there's no penalty to doing this.

WIP list

MacBain +6
Mangler 8
Mule 8
Vanguard 5
Alexia & the Risen 5
Croe's Cuttroats (max) 10
Eiryss (epic) 3
Dirty Meg 2

35/35

If I play around with the solos I could probably play this as level 1 tier to drop a point of the cost of Alexia (4) and Croe's (9). That would give me a 'free' two point solo.

Of those available to his tier I own Alten Ashley, Gorman di Wulfe, Orin Midwinter and Rhupert Carvolo. Gorman di Wulfe, Orin Midwinter and Rhupert Carvolo come to six points leaving me one spare that I cannot spend, although dropping one of them and getting Dannon Blythe and Bull (3 points with tier bonus) fills my points. They're a little dull though and I'd probably never use them outside of MacBain's tier.

All thoughts and suggestions welcome.

The batrep in NQ 30 had a pretty interesting game with Drake vs. Mordikaar. He's an interesting caster who I think can do jacks or do infantry, but I don't think he can do enough of both at the same time.

To be honest, the only two spells I see him using alot is failsafe and energizer. He gets alot of his spells from Cygnar and in all the times I've ever played Siege, I've never cast rift once.

He seems like he'd do well with a pair of nomads to be cheap beatsticks and then be able to get more infantry. Steelheads on his feat turn would be pretty nasty too.

A Dirty Dozen style army of Merc solos might be fun. With Sam and Rutger Shaw Marshalling jacks.

are his jack boosting spells Battlegroup or friendly?

If they are worded like the Cygnar versions, Energizer and Jackhammer are BG only and Failsafe is any friendly.

I'll get some games in with him next week so I'll have a much better Idea how he plays then. I also need to re-read his battle report. Quite a lot of his spells look handy I think I'll probably use most of them.

I played two games with him tonight using the list in the OP. both games were wins.

Game one vs. Kara Sloan
(Kara Sloan, Defender, Defender, Lancer?, Long Gunner (6), Long Gunner (6) + UA, Rangers.

Cast fortune on Croe's and Failsafe on the Mariner. Advanced slowly, using the Mariner to destroy infantry, kept everyone around the Vanguard to make the most of Shieldguard. Lost the Vanguard, Eiryss and assorted infantry. Managed to assassinate Sloan with a Mariner MacBain hand cannon and Alexia hand cannon volley.

Tips. Put Failsafe on the Vanguard if you intend it to be taking the majority of the shooting hits and put Countermeasure on Eiryss to keep her alive.

Game two vs. Amon ad Raza
(Amon, Vanquisher, Reckoner, Revenger, Devout, Chior (6), Zealots (10) + UA, Vassal, Vassal Mech.

Cast Fortune on Croe's and Failsafe on the Vanguard. Again advanced slowly into a very fast moving Amon Battlegroup and infantry screen. Got stuck behind my own infantry screen and terrain trading weak blows, managed to negate most of his shooting with Countermeasure alternated between Alexia's Risen and Croe's and by putting Eiryss right next to his warjacks on my feat turn. Lost the Mariner, Eiryss and all the Croe's except Croe. Assassinated Amon with a Mangler charge set up using Energizer. Fortune, three Focus and good dice did the rest.

Tips: Don't get stuck behind your own infantry screen.