Roller Coaster Models

The discussion of Roller Coaster Models arose when I was asked a question last week about a particular model. What are these "Roller Coaster Models"? They arrive at a particular time and space for when you get into a game. Here's the gist: You've done your demo game. You've bought into the game. You may have played a few matches. Won some, lost some. Hopefully more winning than losing. Then on the advice of the forum/friends/Santa's List/Satan's List/Bob Dylan is to buy that miniature. I personally don't know what that miniature is, but I can give you a few traits:

Unusual Combination of Skills
Rare Skill That Only That Model Has (In the entire range)
A Model People Recommend That You Don't Immediately Understand Why
A Model That is Outside your Regular Strategy (If you like shooting, it's melee. If you like melee, it's a gun guy)
Perhaps The Model Gets Labelled as a Particular Fragrance That Resembles Dairy Products
A "Gotcha!"-type of Mechanic

Congratulations, you've bought a Roller Coaster.

All I wanted was a pewter miniature

The Roller Coaster Model represents the initial curve of a miniature's performance. Technically, just getting into the game makes all your original models Roller Coasters, however; this is a new factor you've introduced into the wild.  You had your original batch of miniatures, they were what you got used to. You learned their strengths and weaknesses. The problem is that your opponent understood them too. And perhaps as a group you all decided to buy more, or perhaps you struck out on your own. Which is where you arrived to this purchase.

Following the picture above, you can see the slow incline as you gain understanding of this model. Perhaps you read the rules or study a FAQ. You go on the forum, you've bought it. This means that when you slam your pewter onto the board, you've got a far vaster understanding of the model than you poor opponent. And then you proceed to savage them with this model's unusual qualities. After all, you didn't buy something that compliments your force, you bought something strange. Until you reach that apex, things are wonderful.

A word of warning if you're the type who decides fun is winning. This strategy is a perfect example of Endalyon's Infinity article "How to Win a Blood Bath (part 1) (part 2)." However, once your opponent gets your number, then you're going to go need to buy a new Roller Coaster Model and keep doing that. You'll end up with a whole bunch of miniatures that you don't quite know how to use, which is why I recommend sticking it out.  The other problem is with Roller Coaster Models that veteran players have already seen this before, so your model's ability to win alone is more like the flatline. You'll fall on your face with a model you expect to give a burst of wins.

Because what goes up, must come down. Once your opponent understands what your model does, it will under-perform in what was in your mind a few heady days of continual victory. Your choice is either ditch the model and focus on what previously worked. I see this continually when I'm on the forums and I feel that it is a not very satisfactory choice. It isn't fun to see your models collect dust.  No, my recommendation is to stick with the miniature.  Once you and your opponent have an understanding of the model, then you have competitive games where the outcome is not foretold. Those are the most fun, as you're not politely waiting for your opponent to win.

Roller Coasters aren't fun if they only go up or down - variety!