Need help new to this

[Magictimes4ever]

Hi there new to the game. I have posted in the gremlins section because well I was very interested in them but then I saw the jack daw and his box set and thought that would be so fun to paint! But now I need help! What else should I put along side of the box set. I would like to build a well rounded crew with options and try to be competitive. Any suggestions and tactics would be much appreciated. List of what to buy would be great to. Books and cards etc 

[Seadhna]

All models come with cards, so books are only necessary if you want to have stats for all the models in the game.

 

As additions to Jack Daw's set, I'd recommend buying Sue and Johan, and also Dead Outlaws when they're out.

This will put you nicely into 35-50SS range for crew building, you can then play several games, get the hang of what's going on and decide for yourself.

 

Jack Daw is a tough start for Outcasts because he's certainly a top-tier master, but has a a lot of hiring options outside of the Outcast faction. Out of those, the only model I always take is Jaakuna Ubume (Resser model), every other option I've taken (Crossroads Seven, Hanged, Drowned) seemed fun, but suboptimal.

 

I also recommend to check out Schemes and Stones: it's a podcast on Malifaux masters (listen to the one about Jack, it has some nice points) and there's also a blog that has a "Building on a budget" section for Outcasts. I personally don't agree with what's written there, but it's all personal preference, really.

[Manxfaux]

For Jack Daw research check out:

Pull my Finger - the malifaux Wiki,

Schemes and Stones - Both their podcast and blog,

The sticky at the top of this forum section "The Jack Daw Project" - It's running to a lot of pages now but worth a read.

This is a far from exhaustive list btw.

 

This should give you a general idea of how you feel you might play Jack and therefore what models to buy. As for buying the books, this comes down to budget really. Starting out and having to buy all 4 books is a little daunting so I might just start with big book 1 and get the rest as you develop a liking for the game. I've found them to be a good price as Xmas and Birthday presents so only bought the 1st one myself. I personally find having the books really useful for a few reasons.

1- Knowledge is key. While I don't pretend to know every model in the game, no opponent can bring a model to the table whose card I don't have access to. If playing competitively is something you want to do you'll need to learn as much about the enemy as you do about your own crew. You learn plenty by playing but being able to recreate that crew that just stomped you into the dirt and analyse why and what its weak points are, in the comfort and time afforded outside the game, is invaluable. Buying the books is the best way to do this.

2- Planning purchases. In many ways the books are like catalogues. You might be the sort of person who buys model as they look cool and slot them into your crews, or via recommendations from sites like this, but there's nothing like looking through the books and spotting a synergy you hadn't noticed before which might influence what to buy next. This helps even more for masters such as Jack (and especially Levi) who have larger hiring pools allowing you to look at all the options before taking the plunge. On the other hand, most models in this game are (at least situationally) good, so random buying is rarely a waste of money.

3- Fluff. Personally I'm not a big reader of the fluff but it can be important to some to get that immersive experience. The artwork is also good.

[Freman]

Arguably the only book you really need is the rule book, which you can download for free from DriveThruRPG. Perhaps, if you're planning a campaign, the Shifting Loyalties book 3, but otherwise.

The rules for playing each model come on the cards that come in the box with the model, so you don't gain that much from the books except some fluff (although it is very cool fluff). If you have a tablet or a large smartphone you can read the PDF rules wherever you happen to be.

[Mxbedlam]

Getting yourself 8-10 empty 30mm bases for scheme markers is a great idea as well. Not to mention at least 2 empty 50mm bases for strats like Guard the Stash or any walls models you own might toss out. Buying sets from gadzooks games and the like is good if you have the money. The small book with no fluff is a good pocket guide to keep with. Crew Faux app for your phone is a godsend for keeping up with various aspects of the game like schemes and crew building.  Tape Measures are still used but I've seen a lot of people go to measuring sticks and widgets to keep the tapes off the table. 

I'd say talk to your local meta. Borrow or proxy models you want to try and see how they work before buying. There's very few useless models in the game but if you're budget minded you want to get the most bang for your buck and proxying until you know what you want is the best way to accomplish this. 

[Mxbedlam]

Getting yourself 8-10 empty 30mm bases for scheme markers is a great idea as well. Not to mention at least 2 empty 50mm bases for strats like Guard the Stash or any walls models you own might toss out. Buying sets from gadzooks games and the like is good if you have the money. The small book with no fluff is a good pocket guide to keep with. Crew Faux app for your phone is a godsend for keeping up with various aspects of the game like schemes and crew building.  Tape Measures are still used but I've seen a lot of people go to measuring sticks and widgets to keep the tapes off the table. 

I'd say talk to your local meta. Borrow or proxy models you want to try and see how they work before buying. There's very few useless models in the game but if you're budget minded you want to get the most bang for your buck and proxying until you know what you want is the best way to accomplish this.