I wanted to use the 3 Preds from the starter box. But I didn't want to end up with just those 3 Preds because I don't think it would be competitive at all. So I aimed to keep the HQ fairly cheap and then get the other two Preds in first. That left me with 40 pts, which is exactly 2x Pred Hellhouns.

1 HQ:

Predator Elder Hunter - 100pts
Plasma Caster - 30pts
--------------------------------------------- 130pts

3 Hunt Packs:

Predator Hunter with Smart Disc - 65pts
Predator Hunter with Combi-Stick - 65 pts
2x Predator Hellhounds - 40 pts
--------------------------------------------- 170pts

Total 300 pts

I then went back to the HQ choices and looked at tweaking his stats to try make him a bit more imposing. The plasma caster has an AVV value that can be dropped by -2 maximum. Well at the moment that characteristic is not being used in the game as there are no vehicles or things with armour. When the Power Loader is released, I may have to revisit this, but for now, I'll take those 30 pts and buy +2 St to the weapon. This makes the HQs Plasma Caster now St14 and a fearsome weapon with its ability to make enemies re roll successful armour saves

I'd love to hear comments and talk about tweaks

Why are the 3 in the box set be not "competitive"?
With the lack of the extras, all we have available are the figs in the box set. Its a little early to start "competitive" list building.

Well the three in the box only come to 260points including your HQ costs. You could make the HQ cheaper, but he would have a wrist blade and no RS weapon for the bare 100pts.

For 260pts you can have a shizzle load of marines. Here's a rough 260pts of Marines:

HQ: 100pts
3x 5 man squads with free upgrades (1 smart gun, 1 flamer, 1 pinger)

So your Preds from the box just became severely outnumbered. Now do that for the Aliens for a 3 way game and you are in trouble. Its not the Preds who are OP in the game, only in the boxset.

As for models in the box, yes we are limited. But that's never stopped us before. My gaming group use proxies.

Just go with the 170pts in the box set. That'll limit the marines a bit more. Also, if your going to go advanced, use rules for ammo for the marines. The flamers should be restricted in the advanced game, as should the smart gun and grenades.

Ah, there's something I've not read. I will try to get the last 4 pages read tonight. I take it they have limited ammo or something.

So far there are no ammo rules that i have found. However, the marines are so cheap points wise that i limit them.
Flamer 5 shots, 4 actions to reload, 1 reload only.
Pulse rifle 10 shots, 2 actions to reload, 2 reloads only.
Smart gun 18 shots, 6 actions to reload, 1 reload only.

oh you mean use house rules?

Well I think a game should work without having to house rule stuff. I'm hoping the game has been play tested for balance, otherwise I'm probably not going to be playing it a lot.

Not sure where you're also getting 170pts from.

Hunter - 55pts
Warrior - 65pts
Warrior - 65pts
total - 185pts

That's still 3 x 5 squads of marines

My bad 185 is right, i was just going by memory. Doh.
There will probably be ammo rules in the future. One of the really great atmospheric parts of the WEG Aliens board game was the adding of ammo to the marines. To be honest i bought this game because it combined two of the best boardgames of my late teens, WEG Aliens and Space hulk. The ammo on flamers and assault cannons had extra rules too.
Prodos will probably take note of that, we hope.

I read you play using Hellhounds, Queens, Alien Warriors, Praetorians etc.. Where do you buy the extra models from?!

Yes,i was thinking the same thing