Malifaux (3rd ed) - First Games Review and Discussion

[Primarch]

While I technically played a game back when 3rd ed first dropped, it is only recently that I have been able to play several games (or parts thereof) in a short-ish period of time.

First off, let me say that Malifaux is still my favourite game in terms of game mechanics and rules. While I love my historical games for a variety of reasons and I enjoy the fluff of the 40K universe, Malifaux is a fantastic system that checks all the right boxes for me. It's also a lot of fun in terms of model variety. On the tables today we had Stompy Robots, Berserker Pigs, Undead Call-girls, Vicious Mercenaries, Half-blooded Mutants and Insane Psychotherapists. I don't think many other games pack in that much variety.

Personally, I am still trying to wrap my head around 3rd edition rules and forget the various 1st and 2nd edition relics that are still stuck in my noggin. So, even though I thought I knew the rules, I had to keep checking and looking things up to be 100% sure. This slowed things down a little, but I think I did okay overall.

In terms of time, it does seem that 50-stone games take a while. Until everyone has the rules down and knows exactly what they are doing with every model in their crew, I don't think 50 stones is a viable number for games days if you expect to get 2 games in. From past experience, I doubt that we will ever get to the stage where every player is fully up to speed with the game. We all play too many other systems and get games in too infrequently to reach that level I think. 35 stones seems like a much more realistic option for a 2 games/1 day scenario. This does lead to Masters having a larger influence on the game as they represent a large percentage of both crews. This works for both players of course, so shouldn't be a big problem. The smaller game does mean that some figures will be left behind as players can't afford all the options they may want to take in a 50-stone game.

One thing that I did think of was to have the strategy and schemes for the day worked out ahead of time. When games are being lined up, we could generate deployment options, schemes and strategies beforehand. Players could declare which faction/crew they were bringing that day, and then at the event we could simply flip for attacker/defender and start directly from the deploy crews step? We could either do one set of flips for all the games on a given day (so if you play 2 games, it's the same set of options twice), a set for the a.m. and for the p.m. or even just unique sets for every game you line up. What do people think?

As for crews, the official method is that you declare faction, set up the rest of the game and only announce crews when everything is locked in. For players with multiple crews per faction, this is fine, but for players with only 1 crew, it puts them at a disadvantage as everyone knows what they will be bringing. For the time being, perhaps it would be best if everyone declared Keyword/Master in the declare Faction step, so that we are all on an even footing?

Anyway, I love this game and I'm eager to get a LOT more games in.

[Primarch]

This discussion came up in the games day thread:

Balloonacorn, I think I found the answer to my question about markers. In the rules for the Corrupted Idols strategy, surprisingly enough:

"Drop the Strategy Marker anywhere within X" of its current location, not into base contact with a model or Impassable Terrain, where X is equal to the amount of damage suffered by the Interacting model"

So, I would not have been pushing it through the wall, but assuming 3" was enough so that it was on the far side of the wall, I could have dropped it outside. If not, it was basically immovable.

I've looked through the FAQ's and core rules about this. The Underdweller is correct in that the marker is not pushed through the wall. It is removed from the table and put back onto the table in its new position.

A few other points relating to the Corrupted Idols strategy. In the Season Zero (each year Wyrd has produces a set of tournament rules and an FAQ, Season Zero was released before the first tournament season, but after the core rules as a patch) rules, the strategy is altered slightly so that markers are created on the centre point, the corners or HALFWAY between the two, not 8" from the corner as the core rules state.
In both the Season One and Season Two FAQ's, models can no longer reduce themselves to 0 wounds to move a marker.
In the same FAQ's, if a model is being controlled by another model (e.g. an Obey or similar ability), the controlling model takes the damage instead.


And something for Grantholomeu. Piglets' Mindless ability that makes them count as having activated when they are summoned also prevents your opponent getting Pass tokens from them. They could still cause Pass tokens at the start of the following turn though.

[Primarch]

More games played, more lessons learnt.

First off, a big apology to The Underdweller. I made multiple mistakes in our game, you are more than entitled to claim the victory, or at the very least demand a rematch.

1. I totally forgot that if my model makes your model move a corrupted idol, MY model takes the damage. It's not just with the Obey ability, it's every 'control' ability.
2. I had your models drop a couple of scheme markers, but even then I couldn't drop two markers within 4" of each other.
3. Multiple auras with the same name don't overlap, they merge. At times my two Field Reporters were both pinging you for damage/discards, when only one of them should have been.
4. If you have a focus token and a distracted token, they immediately cancel each other out. You can't choose to hold on to the focus token.
5. Focus maxes out at +2, at one stage my Master had +3.

Back to rules school for me I think.

[The Underdweller]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I also thought Focus went up to 3, and didn't think to question the markers being within 4" of each other. Like you said on the day, those reporters have a lot of effects to manage; it's kind of overwhelming.

Also, despite Nicodem having relatively few special rules, I pretty much consistently forgot (edit: until reminded by you) to add his +flip for nearby Undead's Melee and DEF attacks, and often forgot to pass attacks off to nearby Zombies, as well as the - to + thing for the Belle, so I can't really fault other people for missing a few things.

That being said, I am not quite as scared of your News crew as I was before. Still pretty scared, mind you, just a little less so.

[Balloonacorn]

April saw the first game of Malifaux for 2023 featuring the noble Pandora and the Woes vs the much-hated Molly and the Forgotten.

The game was fairly even with each crew scoring 2 but the writing was on the wall when the Dead Rider and Archie ambushed the faithful and fun-loving Teddy. The Dead Rider was eventually sent back to his grave but there was nothing I could do about Archie. His Numbskull ability prevented damage and movement from the Woe.

Archie and the fact that I mis-used several members of my crew, and I should have taken some different Woe, and I couldn't flip or draw cards, and the fact that Underweller out-played me cost me the match.

As a token victory this was the first game of Malifaux I actually finished. 40ss is the new 50ss.

Research stated that Pandora was slow, but I found she and her crew able to get to centre from corner deployment in the first turn. The Forgotten were faster especially with those silly little Crooligans hoppy across the board and dropping scheme markers.

Thank you for the game Underweller. As the only hard-core Malifaux masters this game is in the lead for "Match of the Year."

[The Underdweller]

Thanks for the write-up, Balloonacorn!

I think the odds were in my favour in this one, due to Archie with Bonehead, and the Dead Rider with high Willpower and Ruthless. The Crooligans are great scheme runners for their points, as well. If I had taken McMourning it would have been another thing entirely.

Anyway, I look forward to the next game, hopefully sometime this year!

[Balloonacorn]

Anyway, I look forward to the next game, hopefully sometime this year!

Give me 3months to learn the crew and I will agree to the Pandora vs Molly rematch now.

[The Underdweller]

Anyway, I look forward to the next game, hopefully sometime this year!

Give me 3months to learn the crew and I will agree to the Pandora vs Molly rematch now.

It's a deal.

[Balloonacorn]

The May game day Malifaux Match was between the ever-enjoyable Pandora vs the 'nerf-able' Jedza.

After jockeying for position in the first round, Jedza and Mickey 16 came out swinging. Candy was gone early in second and Pandora could do little against them. Both players scored the first Strat. Most models occupied the area around the centre and much to my surprise the woes traded punches with the seekers. The Woes did a lot of chip/ping damage but combined with the pushes from Misery surprised and frustrated the Seeker crew. Iggy's ability to remove scheme markers from afar made the Seekers rethink their strategy.

Round three saw Pandora laid to rest and somewhere along the way I lost Carver. Both players scored Hidden Martyrs and things were looking bleak for the Woes.

The Seekers scored 1 in round four and the attrition wars were in full swing. The incorporeal trait and Siphon Life(?) saved many of the Woes.

Round five saw a late surge by Woes but it was too little too late. Final Score 3-2 for Seeker.

Although this was Pandora's second loss, I am going to say this was a very positive step for Woe kind. The 5-point Sorrows and 6-point Aversions punced above their weight class and I see greater synergy and potential points in the future. There is a lot of book-keeping, and many markers are needed but you never want to be in the middle of Pandoras crew. I played Pandora Tyrant Torn this time and she plays very different than her original title. I honestly don't know which one is better and I like them both.

Thank you for the game Grant.