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I haven't really seen anyone talking about Cooper's title. Has anyone got any table time with it? How does it play? What's working well? And does Hidden Agenda work as well on this version of cooper as it looks like it does?

Cooper experts - I have just picked up the core box, On The Hunt and the Malisaurus Rex. I haven't played since 2e and I plan to play fixed-list for my first ten or so games to a) get used to what the core models of the keyword do and what synergies exist between them, b) get back into playing after a long break (and an edition change!) and c) get familiar with the new strats and schemes. I figure that if the fixed list doesn't work great for a strat then that should help me to work out what I would have wanted there, which will help me when I branch out into more hiring options. So my question - will those three boxes give me enough for a fixed list that is at least OK into most schemes and strats? I was thinking something like Cooper, Runaways, Ullr and Artemis (which feels like the core models), model 9/Malisaurus (not sure which one?) then either 2x crypsis and 1x vatagi, or 1x crypsis and 2x vatagi. And a flush with cash somewhere?

I got the app! I've been browsing ES to get a feel for the different keywords, and Outcasts to see what my old crews do these days too. I actually downloaded vassal, but I'm running it on Linux and I have a hidpi display and I can't get Javas UI scaling to apply to the module that I load (despite it applying to the overall vassal program) so everything is unuseably tiny on the screen! And thanks Adran! Both Jedza and the Syndicate sound very cool. So does cadmus, but a bit of a book-keeping nightmare?! And free obeys sounds VERY strong...

Thanks for the reply! This is making Jedza sound SUPER interesting! It looks like her keyword models aren't available until next month, but that gives me the chance to save up a bit of dosh for them (core box + austere and twigge + Here Lies to get started?)!

Sweet - I'll have a look! Also, are there any "necessary" boxes for ES (versatile models etc.) that are good across the faction and/or needed to make Anya's crew box up to 50SS? I've also taken a look at Lord Cooper - very cool! It seems like that guy just wants other keyword models to get up to 50SS, but less clear with Anya? OoK hiring seems like something I should forget about for now for the sake of my wallet! Same re. English Ivan (since it seems like half his crew box and one of his keyword boxes seem like they want to start play off the table!)

Well, Parker's crew was very tricksy with scheme markers and manipulating enemies, with a minor theme of ranged combat. Von Schill was more like a durable jack of all trades, master of none crew, as opposed to a perdita-style shoot them off the table crew.

Hi all. I played a LOT of M2E, but having a kid, then COVID, put a pretty hard stop to gaming. Now that the little one is a bit more grown up, and things are looking up as far as face to face gamin goes, I've decided to get back into Malifaux! I want to start a new faction, and looking at the models/art/fiction for Explorers Society, I think this is the faction for me. The thing is, I haven't played any 3E yet, so it's hard for me to parse the new cards in the context of what they are meant to do in a game, how they might play out etc. I thought perhaps you guys might help me in choosing a master to start with? I used to play Outcasts in 2E, my favourites being Parker, Jack Daw and Von Schill. I also enjoyed playing Leveticus post-nerf when the crew played a strong attrition game. With that in mind, do any of the ES master's play a game along similar lines? How can I think of the currently available master's in terms of 2E outcast touchstones? Thanks for you help pals... I'm looking forward to finally choosing and getting some paint on some models!

Oh that's very cool - that's kind of how I want to play Malifaux I think! I never really liked chaff activations - it always felt kind of boring for a model to basically do nothing, and it was never as rewarding to paint up a nice piece when all it every does is burn an activation. Ok good to know! I am looking forward to playing with the new sculpt and the scavengers - they seem quite fun. I only ever played Leve after the nerf in M2E and he never really clicked for me - it seems like there is a bit more support for an attrition-ish playstyle in his keyword now. Very excited to crack him out one day! And good old Parker - he's always been fun, glad that's not changed! That's good to hear - that's what drew me into Malifaux in the first place, but towards the end I found I basically just played the same crew more or less every time... Also good to read! It sounds like the game is in a pretty good spot with third edition, and I can't wait to get a few games in! Thanks for your help and your responses folks!

As per the title, I haven't played since M2E. Back then I played a lot of Parker and Von Schill with a smattering of Jack Daw and the Viks. Over the COVID-19 lockdown I picked up the new M3E Leveticus box, some necropunks and Marlena Webster (a lovely model, but getting it on the base was a PITA, and WTH is with those ribbons?!) which I have been painting up, and I have finished off my prospectors and midnight stalker. I also got the app, and the M3E outcasts card pack. So that means now I have most of the faction painted up and ready to play. The exceptions are hamelin (I never fancied the rat engine kind of stuff so don't have any of the models from his box, benny or the winged plagues) and tara and karina (the theme of the crew seemed pretty hard to get going in M2E, and the tara model is so spindly and fragile that I could never get up the motivation to get it done). Now that it is a bit easier to meet up and get some games in (safely, or course!) I thought I'd get back into it. My question is basically this - what has changed and what is the same for the outcasts? I have read over the cards and the current pool of schemes, but as always with these sorts of things it's not easy to see what works and what doesn't work in the translation from cards to tabletop. What are we good at and bad at? What models are worth looking at for out of keyword takes? Are any of our masters very bad these days? Is Jack Daw really a ressur master now, or does he work in outcasts? The Viks seem like they are a little bland now - it seems like they are just a mobile, pointy crew? Given how different M3E is (i.e. many fewer 7 stats, smaller engagement ranges, less min-3 attacks) I am struggling to understand the role of some models. e.g. Ashes and Dust, from the card at least, seems like it's really just the king of scheme runners now with the odd chance to smash in for damage if you happen to have a good crow. Have the roles of some of our iconic models changed? Or is it more or less the same? I am mostly interested in Leveticus and Parker - what are some good "well rounded" lists for these masters that would work to get a feel for M3E? Finally at the end of M2E I felt like I was pretty much forced to pack my lists with cheap models (which it never felt like we had GREAT options for in Outcasts) just to keep up with all the activation control that was going around. It was kind of a shame, since the faction had (has?) so many good mid-high cost models that I always felt like I wanted to play a more "elite" game, but activation control was just so so strong that it never worked out. Do pass tokens actually fix that? Or is there still the incentive to pack out the list with some chaff to actually do something with activationS? It seems like although pass tokens let you save your big activationS for later in the turn, it still gives your opponent the chance to get in quite a lot of unchallenged actions. Apologies for so many questions! It just feels to me that the game is pretty different now and I wanted to get a bit of advice from the community so I don't spend a bunch of time having to re-learn the game! I think I'll realistically only be able to get a couple of games in per month at the moment, so I'd like to try and hit the ground running!

Right on man, thanks! I think I will need to pick up a box of Depserate Mercs sooner rather than later! I have to say, having them at 3SS is so nice for Outcasts - I always felt pretty vulnerable going in with 7 models, and having a ead cheap minion (even if they are nothing more than meat...) makes quite the difference I would suspect. I am a big Hannah fan - in the past I have taken her way more than I ought to have done! I STILL haven't got round to trying out Montressor since he got errated! He just never seems to fit

When you say two 10SS hitters, are you saying on top of also taking HPE? Something like Parker and 3SS of upgrades, Doc (3SS), HPE(10SS), then 20SS of hitters and spending the remaining 14SS on activations? Also, not that I doubt it, but what is leading to the 10+ cards drawn on the first turn? I am just getting back into playing after a few months out and I am not really feeling Jack, Leve or Viks so I will be focussing on Parker and Von Schill, so any insight to playing Parker in GG2018 and with wave 4 would be greatly appreciated! Is the shell of your crew Parker (Black Market, Stick Up, Hidden Steel Plate), Doc, HPE, 10SS hitter and then season to taste (presumably with one of the 8SS Outcast all-stars)? Has Benny played much of a role in your crews? I remember when book 4 came out (just about when I stopped playing - I picked up Talos and Midnight Stalker and then didn't really get any games in...) I didn't see him much past a Hamelin crew. Two final questions! Do you find you need to maximise activations to get the most out of the Midnight Stalker, or is he just fine around 7 or 8 activations? And does Talos have any play in the crew as a slightly cheaper beater?

I find he takes a lot of effort to keep alive, and if you over extend him (which is easy to do with the red mist!) he dies too fast, resulting in one turn of carnage on HtK and then he's gone. I like him, but he's a hair too fragile in my experience. He's not awful, not great either (in my eyes).

Not as many moving parts as Parker, at least! Speaking of which, I don't know what it is that makes up for his high TNs and punishing additional costs... It is a great ability but I wish that it would affect Jack himself sometimes!

I might be missing something here, but I don't see how he gets to 14 without setting up (i.e. ensuring Firing Squad Injustice is on the target before his activation)? Here's my thinking... Attack 1 - deals 2 damage (or 3, if they have an upgrade already), give target Firing Squad Injustice. Attack 2 - deals 4 damage (2 +1 from the bigger they are, +1 from Firing Squad Injustice. Attack 3 - deals 4 damage (as before), +2 damage from removing Firing Squad Injustice. That's either 12, or 13 if the target started with an upgrade. Where do the other 2/1 points of damage come from? If the target started off with Firing Squad Injustice on it then you get to 14/15.

The sad thing is that it feels so bad taking Nurses now, and they were one of the main (or the only?!) draws to out of faction tormented hires. They just don't seem good at 6 to me... I am keen to try a more shooty list with Guilty though - dead outlaws and then lazarus or rusty alyce or something like that - seems like it could be pretty cool.