Wind-ups; aren't they cute? The toy shark, toy magician, toy hunte... ok I'll stop there before I'm buried alive. Wind-Up is an archetype of wind-up toys that focus on modulating levels, swarming XYZs, and gaining hand advantage. The hunter loop of wind-ups is quite annoying and I always seem to lose to it; having lost 2 games in Nationals (one to wind-ups and one to final countdown).

Well anyway, like always I'll post the main cards, deck skeleton, and weaknesses.

Main Cards

Wind-Up Shark (lvl 4, water, fish)

When a “Wind-Up” monster is Normal or Special Summoned to your side of the field: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn: You can activate 1 of these effects.
●Increase this card’s Level by 1, until the End Phase.
●Reduce this card’s Level by 1, until the End Phase.

It works kind of like Blackwings; get one out and then you can special summon. It increases the consistency of Wind-Ups lets us choose which rank XYZ we want to summon; together with Wind-Up Factory, it isn't a hand disadvantage at all.

Wind-Up Magician (lvl 4, fire, spellcaster)

If the effect of a "Wind-Up" monster is activated, except "Wind-Up Magician": You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Wind-Up" monster from your Deck in face-up Defense Position. This effect can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.

It combos very well with Rat, which will be discussed next; I really don't need to explain anymore here.

Wind-Up Rat (lvl 3, earth, beast)

During your Main Phase: You can change this face-up Attack Position card to face-up Defense Position to target 1 "Wind-Up" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position. This effect can only be activated once while this card is face-up.

It's this vermin, I mean cute pet, that has made wind-ups what it is today. Gives access to the graveyard and can summon XYZ monsters with ease, great card.

Wind-Up Hunter (lvl 3, dark, beast-warrior)

During your Main Phase: you can Tribute 1 “Wind-Up” monster you control, except “Wind-Up Hunter”; send 1 random card from your opponent's hand to the Graveyard. This effect can only be activated once when this card is face-up on the field.

Where to start... along with rat creates the infamous hunter loop, I'll give an example. Use Zenmaity to summon rat, who then summons hunter, tribute Zenmaity to send opponent's card to grave, then rat and hunter xyz into Zenmaity... and so on. Oh and in case you were wondering, it 'sends' opponent's cards to the grave not 'discard' so effects of Dark World won't go off.

Wind-Up Rabbit (lvl 3, earth, beast-warrior)

During either player's turn: You can target 1 face-up "Wind-Up" monster you control; banish it until your next Standby Phase. This effect can only be activated once while this card is face-up on the field.

This card's effect is used to activate the effects of Wind-Up Factory and Wind-Up Magician. Rabbit can banish itself every turn, it does say you can only use it once while it's face-up on the field but after it's removed, that is reset. It is also a lvl 3 so you can XYZ cards like Zenmaighty quite easily.

Wind-Up Factory (spell, continuous)

When the effect of a "Wind-Up" monster is activated, you can add 1 Level 4 or lower "Wind-Up" monster from your Deck to your hand. This effect can only be used once per turn.

Allows us to pull of rat combos easier, we can search the deck for any Wind-Up monsters, quite simple.

Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity (rank 3, water, machine)

Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; Special Summon 1 "Wind-Up" monster from your hand or Deck. When a face-up "Wind-Up" monster is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to target that monster; add that target to your hand.

Well... if you don't know the horror of this boat... read from the start again :p

Other Cards

Tour Guide from the Underworld
Pot of Avarice
Effect Veiler

Well that's about it for the main cards, much more compared to Inzectors yesterday :p

Deck Skeleton

3 x Wind-Up Shark
3 x Wind-Up Rat
1 x Wind-Up Hunter
2 x Wind-Up Magician
3 x Wind-Up Rabbit
2 x Wind-Up Factory

Weakness

Well time for weaknesses, the main weakness of Wind-Ups are its pace and lack of beaters. If they don't start with a good hand, it can take them a while to get their combos going; take advantage of it. Also, they lack powerful boss monsters or beaters in general so keep that in mind. I've seen people make this mistake but if you have a bottomless on the field and they get a Zenmaity, wait till he gets Hunter out and remove that; most Wind-Up decks only run 1 hunter and with that gone your duel will be much easier.

Now time for more specific weaknesses:

1) Cyber Dragon

With the Zenmaighty and most of its XYZs machines, Cyber Dragon and then Fortress is a great way to slap them in the face.

2) Wind-Up Rabbit

We know how annoying Rabbit can get with its effect, but most times that leaves an empty field; don't hesitate when you have the chance.

3) Effect Veiler

Do you ever not see this card? Run it :p

It's important to find the best time to use its effect; if you have a monster who can run over Zenmaity just use it on Zenmaity while if you don't make sure you use it on tour guide or whatever the starting chain may be.

4) Maxx 'C'

This card is awesome against Wind-Ups and even if they get the Hunter loop, you will end up with an advantage if played right.

5) Fiendish Chain/Chain Disappearance/D.D. Crow

Good card, don't need to explain its uses.

Well, I know I didn't lay out as many weaknesses as I normally do but there really isn't anything else I can think of at this moment; if anybody has other suggestions please don't hesitate.

Well that's the third one done and next one will be, in my opinion, the strongest meta; Dino Rabbits.

The New Season

-2 Wind-Up Zenmaity

Well, the Wind-Up Hand Loop has been hit with the limiting of Zenmaity. Instead of 5 it can 'only' manage 3 with tour bus (assuming field advantage is kept) . It's a little bit more sacky, but still powerful with the Rat, Rabbit, Shark combos. Deck Style has changed from hand control to swarming into XYZ; don't be surprised to see 3 XYZ in one turn with Wind-Ups now. Still very powerful, still one of the top meta decks.

Very nice guide, but i'm afraid i'm too late to start using wind-ups... =(