The Dual Faction Cycles of Malifaux - The Trinities

[trikk]

I agree about being "honest" to the new player. 

Since I arranged a few demo games and people ask me about Malifaux I tell them the cons but focus on the pros.

 

For me the main cons are:

Not very popular in Poland yet (although we`re working on it)

Not all models are out (but all Masters should be out by the end of the year)

You probably will like to have many models (but you can play a normal 50SS game for around 70-80$)

 

My gaming group and the events we make have a "just painted models" policy although we preffer people show up with base-coat painted crews or single inpainted models than them not showing up at all.

[SpectreEliteGaming]

trikk - Yeah, I generally like the "only painted models" rule even though it sounds a little "high and mighty" in an inclusive way when thinking about it out of context.

The worst thing Wyrd did, imo, is make those translucent crews - promoting easy entry into wargaming is unacceptable! This is srs bsns only. Take that boardgame mentality elsewhere.

My list of cons is pretty damn extensive and usually starts with a groan and a "okay, here goes..." Yet I find myself very dedicated to the hobby... still haven't figured out why that is just yet. :/

[trikk]

So what are the cons for you? I think every miniature game has it cons and why not focus on the good stuff?

[SpectreEliteGaming]

The good stuff sells itself - no real need to be a pusher. If someone sees a table in mid-game with exceptional miniatures and they get that awestruck look chances are good that they are already hooked or at least interested. I'd rather have people ask about it themselves then be a pusher and "spread the good word" as it were.

Negatives include all the normal obvious big points like:

- time

- money (no matter "how little" or what game)

- transportation and awkwardness of play

- lack of availability/gaming potential

- inclusive (or at least very "particular") community -think small town - by this I mean like how its not readily accessible for all personalities ie. prevalence of "geekdom" or geek culture or maybe not catering for groups like females or what have you .... flame on :/

But there are also a host of other things you see from being in the hobby for a long time that aren't readily apparent...

I'm talking about things like being overwhelmed by the sheer scope of games (holy fuuuuuuuuu adeptus titanicus and apocalypse) or how your ability/potential doesn't meet your own personal standards for what you want to achieve or even perhaps powercreep, edition changes and so on.

Not to mention all the cut fingers, no-return investment, trial and error and mental balancing act of maintaining some kind of moderation with your jobby.

Blah, that's it for me - I'm getting upset just thinking about what I got into a long time ago.

This is all precluded on how seriously you're going to take it - but honestly, why would you commit yourself to something you weren't serious about? Oh wait, the "fun" rationalization right?

No reason you cant be fun and serious at the same time.

[trikk]

Well, I`m sorry but I totally don`t get your point:

 

"- time"

its a hobby. The time spent on your hobby is not wasted. Some people have 1 free evening a week, some have 5. Its not a Malifaux con. Its a hobby con

 

"- money (no matter "how little" or what game)"
I thought so too, until I realised that for a hobby miniatures aren`t really expensive compared to other stuff. I played american football and decent equipment is about two times current Mx guild range. You can start with 80$ and then expand when you can afford it. There is not outer pressure to have 7 masters for your faction.

 

"- transportation and awkwardness of play"

I`m sorry but I don`t understand. Most people I show my miniatures too are very positive about them and think that this is a cool hobby. Some people go around with a sports bag. I go out with a mini bag.

 

"- lack of availability/gaming potential"

I don`t understand.

 

"- inclusive (or at least very "particular") community -think small town - by this I mean like how its not readily accessible for all personalities ie. prevalence of "geekdom" or geek culture or maybe not catering for groups like females or what have you .... flame on :/"

From what I heard Malifaux has a very high female player base. Also. Some people get into Miniature games for the models/story/aestethic side. Other people just love big powerful models. Other like synergies and combinations. I agree miniature gamers are a rather hermetic group but if someone is interested he probably has/will have friends with similar hobbies.

 

 

"I'm talking about things like being overwhelmed by the sheer scope of games (holy fuuuuuuuuu adeptus titanicus and apocalypse) or how your ability/potential doesn't meet your own personal standards for what you want to achieve or even perhaps powercreep, edition changes and so on."

 

Well, for playing Apocalypse games you need a bunch of stuff and probably are well in the game rulewise. I don`t get the "ability/potential" stuff. You`re just bad at a game? Miniature games are games for people who like puzzles/mechanics/cool miniatures. If you`re a paint first/play second person you probably can get your ass beat as its not the thing that brings you fun. If you`re a puzzle/mechanic guy then you have to learn or discuss with you opponent so that you can evolve as a player. Its not rocket science.

 

What do you mean about "being serious about the game"?

Some people play 5 games and Malifaux can be the first on their list or fifthl Why are you projecting your views on stuff on other people? Maybe they will be perfectly fine playing one box for a year as they play once a month? It shouldn`t be your decision to make nor your worry. They are grown ups. If they lose interest they didn`t spend 500$. They spent 80$ from which they probably can get 40-50$ back.

[zFiend]

To you I say good day, sir.

But Spectre..

I said good day!

Ah 70's Show flashback.

[SpectreEliteGaming]

trikk - Most definently not explaining every single one of my points - if you don't see it then you never will.

My entire generalized view of this hobby is that it takes a very special person to fall into it - my opinion is that this hobby is both cool and ridiculous as hell.

Most normal people would want to have nothing to do with the hidden parts of this hobby that you don't appreciate face value and/or there are much easier/more facilitating hobbies/interests instead. A person would have to be very interested for me to push them - most people would be better off playing boredgames and vidyas.

Besides, most people will push themselves into it if they really want it. I am very aware of the manipulation of a compulsive nature that this hobby relies on and I am just attempting to save people time/effort/money with an informed decision. Chances are good that that "new community member" who got coaxed into the game won't stick with it unless they are dedicated anyway. I'd say thats a pretty responsible attitude of mine but I'm probably just being the "bad guy" again.

zFiend - You're always making my day. <3

[JoeJones]

I have always been much more a "gamer" than a "hobbyist". I had looked at miniatures games at various times, but stayed out of them since I didn't want to be bothered with assembling and painting models.

I've played Battletech since 1990, but I didn't buy or build minis for it; I just used the cardboard stands that came with the game instead. Then I went to Star Fleet Battles: more strategy, but no minis. I dabbled in Magic: the Gathering - still no minis.

When Mage Knight came out, I played it for a while. It was a minis game, but no hobby aspect beyond collecting. The same went for HeroClix, Mechwarrior Dark Age, and Star Wars Minis. I had some form of minis game going on, but no hobby aspect.

In 2006, a friend of mine who worked at a FLGS decided to get into Warmachine, and bring a lot of his friends into the game so he could have opponents.... I resisted for a short while, but picked up a Khador starter soon afterward. I didn't enjoy assembling the models at first, but I got used to it, and the game was a lot of fun - but I still didn't paint anything. Two of my WM/H buddies painted the army I took to my first Hardcore (severe time restrictions, fully-painted armies required) tournament. I liked the look of the painted models, but I still didn't have the patience to actually paint minis myself.

I had fallen away from Warmachine for a while, having moved away from my regular group, but I started doing a bit more on the hobby side of things. I painted a few Battletech minis here, a couple minis for a Pathfinder game there. In 2013, I decided to go to GenCon and get back into Warmachine by entering the Hardcore tournament there. I painted a couple minis to prepare for that event, but mostly used the models my friends had painted. After that, though, I started painting a bit more, including painting a unit I'd owned for almost 9 years so that I could play a small local tournament with a fully-painted army.

Two months ago, some friends of mine started talking to me about Malifaux, and I finally picked up a few minis: Children of December box, December Acolytes, and the Hoarcat Pride. Within one week, I had all those models assembled and painted. I have not played a single Malifaux mini which was not fully painted. I have fallen firmly into the hobby side of gaming through starting this game. As of this point (late Saturday night/early Sunday morning), I have a crew box unassembled which I plan to play fully painted Thursday evening at the local league....

And that is how a dedicated gamer gets sucked into the hobby aspect of miniatures gaming.

[Eclipse]

This article is about the dual faction master trinities (thx Prae^^) and their advantages for having a cheaper start into the game.
At first, Malifaux isn`t quiet expensive compared to other tabletop games, but for small money pockets it`s a good idea to make some guesses on the options for a further development of your model collection.
What beside the money is also of interest?

Well, being flexible to react on the strat and scheme pool, less predictable for your opponent, versatile to fight the menance he offers to you and having a lot of fun.
How to manage all this things at the same time?

Therefore, the Wyrd team has had several ideas: Mercenaries (mainly outcasts, but also others like the Performer and several new ones in the wave 3 batch), masters with fellows of one or more other factions (e.g Leveticus, Marcus) and dual faction units like Mei Feng and the Guild Pathfinder with his Clockwork Traps. This leads into a net wich connects the different factions with each other and form mutiple cycles of masters, wich have access to quiet simliar model pools. The cheapest variation are the trinities, three masters covering three factions, each with two masters. First thing about them is to say is, that they wouldn`t work without Ten Thunder: Currently it`s not possible to form a trinity in absence of a 10T master.

 

So far there are four trinities exisiting:
Misaki, Tara, Yan Lo;
Yan Lo, Dr. McMourning, Lucas McCabe;
Lucas McCabe, Lucius, Jacob Lynch;
Jacob Lynch, Zoraida, The Brewmaster.

As everyone can see, the cycle can be extended from Misaki to The Brewmaster without the other 10T masters, but i will stick to the trinities because of th€ co$t$.

 

My favored Trinity is McCabe, Lucius and Lynch. Why?

Because they have a really effective way for sharing models. With the 'Suprisingly Loyal' upgrade Lucius can trust in up to four Mimics or Guardsmen, regardless of the announced faction. Lucas McCabe could hire models with the Guardsmen or the Black Sheep characteristic on his stat card and Jacob Lynch has access to models with the Darkened characteristic.

 

And here are some of this useful Models:

 

Beckoners: Not for McCabe, but for Lucius and Lynch in NvB/Guild and NvB/10T.
Mr. Graves and Mr. Tannen: For McCabe 10T only, but for Lucius and Lynch in both of their factions.
Guild Pathfinder: For Lynch 10T only, but full access for Lucius and McCabe. Note: Lucius can`t hire Clockwork Traps in NvB, but the Pathfinder can summon them.
Lawyers: To Lucius in NvB and Guild, McCabe Guild only and no access for Lynch.

So there`re easily arround 30ss they can share, and the rest could be filled with their crew box contents. In 10T Lynch and McCabe could share everything of their boxes, except for each others totem, the same is true for McCabe and Lucius in Guild, but while Lucius could hire Lynch box models as well,  Lynch can`t hire Lucius` box models.

So that are my suggestions on this trinty. For the others, i have not enough experiences how good their models fit in each others plans. So if you could, don`t hide your ideas and post them below.

This is exactly the trinity I went for, seeing as it's efficient, diverse and I also love Lynch and Lucius. Little did I know it would lead me to dabble in Ten Thunders so much more... Recently I gave away McGabe some models so as not to get too caught up in all the possibilities. Instead now I play Misaki and have successfully stopped myself from branching off to any other factions. Whew.