This is a budget deck, first and foremost. I wanted to build something that would be fun, challenging, and inexpensive to play at an FNM without simply getting steamrolled. The budget constraints were to use only commons and uncommons and to keep it under $50, so I did not use Champion of the Parish, rare duals, Frontline Medic, etc. Since I didn't just want to substitute good cards with worse cards, I built this deck with Kessig Malcontents and the Battalion mechanic in mind.
Here is one line of play that makes this deck worth playing: T1: Boros Elite, T2: swing for 1 (19), Gather the Townsfolk, T3: swing for 5 (14), Kessig Malcontents for 4 (10), T4: swing for 8 (2), use any one of 12 burn spells for the win - all without rares.
The proportions of the deck are loosely modeled after the old Zombies decks. One thing to keep in mind is that even though there are only 16 creatures, Gather the Townsfolk and Thatcher Revolt serve as creature slots 17-24 and really create value with Kessig Malcontents and the Battalion mechanic. The deck uses 22 lands, since the curve tops out with two Warleader's Helix. And like the old Zombie decks, the remaining slots are filled with removal/reach. I would argue that the burn suite in this deck offers more utility and reach than the Zombie decks I am using as a sort of guide to the archetype.
I'm interested in comments, suggestions, and also sideboard suggestions. Remember - commons and uncommons only!
