KitKatKat

I already have Hoffman and Lucius... All my money is just flying away...

I enjoy taking Mechanical Rider and Mobile Toolkit with Hoffman, along with a couple Watchers and a Hunter. Turns 1-4 Mechanical Rider has the ability to have a walk of 18 inches with pass through (thanks to her Power Stages, I believe they are called). Hoffman can stick to her, and mobile toolkit can then follow, bumping Hoffman's CA by 2. My list is extremely mobile. Fairly squishy, yet it is the best I've been able to come up with for objective grabbing. In one turn, I can be onto my opponent's side of the board, destroy an objective marker, then be back in my deployment zone. Combat is not the list's strongest suit, yet, if playing correctly, it's very difficult to hit you in the first place.

I play the Ortega's primarily, and I, for one, greatly dislike Santiago. Nino is a godsend for the way I play. I take down my enemies before they can even touch me through a combination of alpha strikes, Nino's 16" range, and Perdita's and the Enslaved's ability to Obey. Part of what makes Nino so excellent is his capacity for board control. He has a 16" range, and if you get off "In My Sights," he has CB 9 and the ability to get off Trigger Happy or Headshot. If you want something dead, it will die. I've had instances where, turn 2, I've mowed down 3 models with Nino alone. However, he is difficult to position and when he gets into melee, he dies fast. Santiago is far too slow for what he does, in my opinion. (I'm doing this all from memory, so I may be a bit off with numbers). His walk is only 4, which is the same as Nino's, yet I do not see his ability to hit as hard. His CB is lower, and he has no built in way to change it, like Francisco does. He's no better in melee than he is at range, and at range pretty much all of his family is better than he. In melee, Perdita and Francisco are better (in my experience). I also dislike the fact that he has to be half-dead in order to get his buffs. It promotes reckless play with him and makes it far too easy for him to get focused. Maybe I'm missing something with him, but as far as my play style goes, he is not worth the 7 points. If he was 5, I would take him in a heartbeat. But stone for stone, I greatly prefer Francisco and Nino.

I started playing Malifaux over the summer (I got the Ortegas for my birthday in August), and have quickly become fascinated. Malifaux is my first table-top game, so I have a lot to learn, but I do so love the game! Hello to all of you! I also overuse exclamation points!

Thanks to everyone who has responded! Once I get enough time, I'll definitely take a look into the products you have all recommended. The brush cleaner will be a godsend, as will the wet pallet. I custom mix most of my own colors, so I spend an eternity matching colors when I have to remix. ---------- Post added at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 AM ---------- I have been trying to use thinner layers, but I have run into a bit of a problem: the pigment in the paints tend to gravitate towards the edges of the area I paint, so I end up with what looks like watermarks. It's a bit difficult to describe, but if you know what I'm talking about, how would you recommend avoiding this problem?

I just recently have gotten into painting miniatures with my Ortega crew, and I must admit I'm swiftly on the way to becoming obsessive. I was wondering if anyone had advice on which kinds brushes to use, brush care tips, and particular tips for a newbie using Citadel paints including tips for mixing, keeping paint usable longer while on the palate and painting techniques that a newbie can easily use. I have checked out other threads, but I have yet to find the kind of advice I need on brush types. I would especially appreciate brush brands and exact sizes.