Bad (Good) things happened!

[Paul7926]

Hi

I'm pretty new to Malifaux and still learning almost everything so I'd decided to not grab tons of models.......  Yeah, that didn't work.

So last night I'm at the FLGS with some store credit and I see the Tanuki box.  I really love the sculpts and this box had the 'extra' model in so despite not having any TT models I decided I had to have them.  Now obviously I can't use them on their own and my Outcast models are no help (Viks and Von Shill boxes) so I look at the shelves to find no TT masters at all.  Disaster was averted by someone pointing out that they had the Brewmaster box amongst the gremlin stuff.  I have a very old metal Ophelia crew from way back in the day when I tried to learn before so I end up going home with a new crew box and the Tanuki.  Someone said that it was a good fit because the Tanuki have Tri-Chi which fits in with the Brewmaster crew.

Anyway, none of the above is really a TT question until I point out that a conversation with a gaming friend late last night has led to me picking up his unused Malifaux collection.  So I've also got coming to me:

Shenlong box, Asami box, Izamu, Katana snipers and Low River monks.

So here I am with complete TT overload, no idea what I've got, where to start, what to do.  If any of you would like to take pity on me and give me suggestions for a crew out of that lot that includes at least 1 Tanuki I would be very grateful.  It does not have to be a good list it just needs to include Tanuki!

All advice and encouragement gratefully received.  I'm also expecting a fair amount of head shaking and finger pointing at the impulse buying idiot so don't hold back.  

[Amayasu]

I'd start with Shenlong; he typifies the Thunders play style perfectly. Low River Monks and Katanaka Snipers work well with him, too.

Add one thing, the Shadow Emissary, and you have a decent crew.

Something like;

Shenlong
 - Wandering River Style
 - Recalled Training
Sensei Yu
 - Promising Diciple
 - The Peaceful Waters
Shadow Emissary 
 - Shens Conflux
Peasant
Katanaka Sniper
Katanaka Sniper
Monk Of The Low River
Tanuki

Now, Tanuki don't have the most synergy with Shen, but they're great for some strats and schemes. Amazing for table quarters and any objective that requires a model count. They can drop Scheme Markers when attacking, and so on.

Katanaka Snipers have some tricks too; the Peasants (hire one, you'll get a second after initiative) can give out Focus. Shen allows models to Focus for a (0). Katanaka Snipers get 28" Range when Focused. So you can easily have four shots across the board from two Snipers. When you need them to do other things they'll manage; they're good in melee and hard to kill.

But if you could add one more to pull it all together it'd be the Emissary. He can give out fast, can deal great damage, and when paired with Shen can end conditions and draw cards. A common trick is to have the Low River Monk take a Focus action as a (0). He gains an extra Focus the first time he Focuses. Spend one more AP to Focus for Focus+3, and have the Emissary end Focus on him for three cards. If you don't want to buy anything else, add Izamu in place of the Emissary. He's slow, but Shen and Yu will get him where he needs to be.

[Jinn]

18 minutes ago, Amayasu said:

They can also give Yu/Shen Fast if they have enough Poison.

Tanuki can only give fast/reactivate to Tri-Chi models unfortunately.

[Amayasu]

Just now, Jinn said:

Tanuki can only give fast/reactivate to Tri-Chi models unfortunately.

Yeah, i've just corrected that. I had to double check the card, I thought Reactivate was Tri-Chi, but Fast was just Master/Henchman.

[thatlatinspeakingguy]

If the only reason to play TT is Tanuki, then you should probably stick to Brewmaster. Boxes you have provide good pool of medium-sized models (Ohaguro Bettari, Izamu, Sensei Yu and Fingers) which can play different roles according to the chosen scenario (Ohaguro is a fast and tricky beater, Izamu is a tank and a beater, Sensei Yu is a supporter who can turn into a schemer after turn 1 and Fingers is an excellent schemer). I can see some potential synergy between Tanuki's Bottles aura and Sensei's Yu Mighty Gust, or between said aura and Sensei's Yu Fermented River Style. Not to mention extended Drinking Contest aura thanks to Yu's ability to copy Master's (0) actions.

[Paul7926]

1 hour ago, thatlatinspeakingguy said:

If the only reason to play TT is Tanuki, then you should probably stick to Brewmaster. 

It's the driving reason for me suddenly ending up with a ton of TT models and where I want to start but it most certainly will not be where I stop.  I've noticed that I have some sort of subliminal pull towards anything with a 'Far East' feel in my gaming systems.  If there is a side/faction that represents a Far Eastern country, however stereotypical, I tend to end up playing it.

I blame David Carradine and the TV series Kung Fu from the early to mid seventies.  Shenlong will always be Kwai Chang Caine in my head and known to his crew as 'Dave'.

(Younger forum users will no doubt have to google that)