BMG Team Builds: Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

 

First thing first, we look at the special rules available for the team.  As always, there are negative and positive additions to the Team.  The negative here is fairly simple, but potentially huge; the Birds CANNOT use Coup de Grace.  Given that most of the Birds deal primarily Stun damage, this leads to a dangerous situation.  They have the ability to KO, but rarely the ability to bring about Casualties.  Therefore, their enemies might recover and make it back into the game.  Without an Arrest ability, the Birds are at a serious disadvantage.

The benefits of using the Birds, though, are strong as well.  First, all Birds gain the Stealth Trait.  While many of the Birds already have this Trait, giving it to the entire Team does create some new dangers.  Poison Ivy with Stealth and Mortal Kiss?  Don’t mind if I do.  Also, they have the special Strategy Aerie Two granting two models the ability to start the game anywhere on the board at the beginning Round Two or LATER.  Yes, this does take 3 Strategy Points and can be countered with Snitch, but if it works, it works wonders.

Now, with all that taken into account, let’s look at a couple of potential lists, using available models:

Standard Fair (300)

Classic Black Canary

Animated Batgirl

Animated Catwoman

Huntress

Strix

This is all about maneuverability.  Stealth, a good amount of Batclaws and Acrobats, and healthy amount of Movement Counters means you should never be in a fight unless you want to be.  Choose Objectives like Riddle and Loot so you do not have to stay in one place.  Attack enemy models only when you know you can defeat them in a turn.  Use the Sewers and terrain that limits line of sight to your advantage. 

The Swoop (350)

Hawkman

Hawkgirl

Katana

Catwoman

Aerie Two

Place only Hawkman and Hawkgirl on the table during the first turn.  Have them Fly High immediately.  At the start of the second turn, place all your models exactly where you want them.  Grab a Loot and run with Catwoman.  Have Katana defend a Titan canister; with Martial Artist, Titan and Adaptable, she is a Defense 6, non-swarmable anchor of a model.  The Hawks should target a key model like a Leader or a turreting shooter, and use their Teamwork to lay low that model.  Hawkman with a mob bonus from Hawkgirl and a Power Strike attack can Knock Down most anyone with just a pair of attacks, allowing Hawkgirl up to 5 Attacks using Teamwork hitting that same target on a 2+ for 1 Blood/1 Stun each.

Bonus Team: Ivy's Kiss (350) *Recent discussion seems to state that Harley's Affinity: Ivy does not work with the Bird of Prey rules.  Otherwise, I'd be inclined to to to get her in this list

Poison Ivy (blister)

Black Canary
Lady Shiva
TAS Catwoman
TAS Batgirl
Aerie Two

Remembering that Stealth + Ivy’s Mortal Kiss seems like a pretty fun combo, and that Aerie Two lets you place Ivy anywhere on the table before Raising the Plan, you could get a Mortal Kiss on any single model.  The rest of the list can take on either of a pair of roles; either chasing down Objectives or sitting back and waiting for the opponent to come to their Objectives and offering a counter-punch. 

The Birds of Prey are one of my favorite parts of the DC Universe, and fit into the Batman Universe (and BMG) seamlessly.  And I’ve been waiting for a time when a reasonable list could be put together.  The negative/benefit ratio is not out of whack with the Birds, so I could imagine their position as fairly neutral.

For the future, though, there are a few models coming their way:

            Dove, Hawk, Wildcat, Starling

Again, we can imaging a Teamwork situation with Hawk and Dove.  Wildcat will hopefully bring a heavy hitting combat model to the team.  And Starling will add some shooting ability, which is greatly lacking.