New player from Boston

[Arkoriel]

Hello all, I have decided to try out this miniatures game as the models look delightful and the entry cost seem to me to be low. I'm planning on starting with Yan Lo as my Master as I love his model, as well as those of the Ashigaru. I'd like some advice on what else I should be getting; I have on hand the free digital rulebook from DriveThruRPG. My thanks.

[Scatterbrain]

Hi @Arkoriel, I recognise your avatar as being from a certain other manufacturer of wargaming miniatures, which explains why you find the entry cost to be comparatively low. 

The first question should probably be: in which Faction do you first want to play Yan Lo? People may have different suggestions for a beginner's kit based on whether you wish to field him as a Ten Thunders or Ressurectionist (aka 'Resser' for short) Master? (Obviously, you can eventually do both, but it will help guide the suggestions for your starting point.)

Nevertheless, I'm going to weigh-in by recommending the Komainu, as they can be taken by Yan Lo whether he declares TT or Resser. They also look way cool and hella thematic for him, and I'm guessing you have some metallic paints from your other system to really make the Komainu shine (pun intended). As Minion pieces, it seems likely to me you'll be able to field them in more games when you're starting out than if you invest in something that fills more of niche role.

That said, the other dual faction recommendations are: Toshiro the Daimyo, Izamu the Armor and Yin the Penangalan. Yan Lo can also take Sun Quiang in Ressers.

 

[Scatterbrain]

P.S. As I'm only a beginner myself, I used the App to double-check that info (and the spelling of "Penangalan" ) before I posted it. It's also free to download, and has a great deal of functionality in its free state compared to the Apps of a few other wargaming systems (who shall also remain nameless). I haven't bought the optional cards on the App yet, but it still lets me build crew lists across every Faction without a worry. It's called Bad Things Happen.

[Arkoriel]

Hello @Scatterbrain. In accordance with the other, very recently emergent faction that I play in a certain malrose world, I am planning on fielding Yan Lo as a Resurrectionist. I enjoy the lore behind those who have gazed beyond death's veil and emerged changed. I've just gotten the app and begun exploration within. How many miniatures do most crew contain though? I'd like to build as many as possible yet keep costs (both in-game and in-reality) low.

[Nikodemus]

7-10 seems to be a common model count. Though due to how list building in Malifaux works, that 7-10 could well change from game to game (after the initial learning curve, I suggest you learn the game with a somewhat fixed crew to start with). Summoners can also add more models to a crew during game. Yan Lo himself doesn't really summon, though he can with some resser upgrades, but few non-master ressers do like Toshiro if you decide to get him.

[Scatterbrain]

Further to what @Nikodemus mentioned, while 7-10 models is common for crews (in, say, a 50 soulstone game), the tricky part comes in deciding exactly which models to bring to each game. Obviously as a beginner, your choice will be limited with the models you own and those you're comfortable or experienced in using. As you play more, you may notice that particular models excel in certain situations, but leave you for dead (Resser pun!) in other schemes and strategies. That's when this or that additional model or box set will look very enticing... So your initial collection will likely grow with time and experience. You will probably only use about 7-10 models each game, but you will probably eventually want to own a good slice of the whole models available to the Faction from which to choose for each game. Strategically, that will depend upon the terrain, which Faction your opponent declares, the schemes and strategies available/chosen. From a meta-game perspective, if you are playing against friends or the same opponents, your choice might also factor in what you know your opponent owns, or what tactics they favour. 

Those who want to play Malifaux (and I think you may have heard this term before, in reference to another game) "competitively" in tournaments will probably own close to all of the available models from a particular Faction (or Factions). That way they choose which Master they will use from game to game, and could field wildly different crews. E.g. a poison-themed close combat crew led by McMourning one game, a summoning horde attrition list the next with Nicodem, then a fast and completely incorporeal crew led by Kirai. But theoretically, your crew led by Yan Lo with only minor changes to the line-up each game (an extra Komainu here, Goryo and Jaakuna Ubume instead there) could do better each time. It's not all about bringing the "right" models. There's also the positioning and choices in-game, and the fickle hand of fate.

TL;DR: there are advantages to owning a bunch of different models across the faction, but it's not essential to play the game and have fun, especially at the beginning. No-one starts off having all of the choices available to them.

That said, knowing you want to focus on Ressers to begin with as opposed to Ten Thunders-only models helps narrow down the choices. After looking at Komainu, Toshiro, Izamu, Yin and Sun Quiang, the next choices to maximise on Yan Lo synergy seem to be Goryo and Onryo.

[Scatterbrain]

P.S. Reinforcements for Yan Lo as a Ressurectionist are on the way in the coming months with: 

 

[Arkoriel]

Fantastic, though these models only come as part of the entire set though? I'll have to find some friends from other Factions to trade the extraneous models. with. Thanks.

[Scatterbrain]

7 hours ago, Arkoriel said:

Fantastic, though these models only come as part of the entire set though? I'll have to find some friends from other Factions to trade the extraneous models. with. Thanks.

Correct. The Ressurectionist models in The Undying story encounter box (Manos the Risen, the two Mourners & the Grave Golem) will only be sold by Wyrd in the box with the other Ten Thunders miniatures. After it's released, you may be able to buy just the Resser miniatures you want individually from eBay, Gadzooks Gaming or the trading forum on this or other websites if you don't find a friend to split the contents. But from what I've seen, the prices on eBay or Gadzooks for one individual model from a set often make it seem more cost effective just to buy the whole box retail, anyway. But you never know, you might get a lucky find.

Note that the other miniatures in the box belong to the Ten Thunders faction. Yan Lo is the only master in the game who will be able to field the entire contents of the box (but not at the same time). Unless you're playing consecutive games in a "fixed faction" tournament, you're free to change the Factions you'll play in Malifaux from game to game, after seeing the terrain layout. Instead of finding someone to buy the TT models, you could always keep them yourself and play Yan Lo in the Ten Thunders faction instead of Ressers on alternating games. You might already own Komainu, Toshiro, Izamu, Yin and/or Sun Quiang. Then Yan Lo can take the contents of his box (Chiaki, Soul Porter and 3x Ashigaru) plus the usually Resser-only models Onryo and Goryo in Ten Thunders because they have the Retainer characteristic (along with the Ashigaru). The Bad Things Happen App says that Yan Lo can also take the Resser models Punk Zombies in a TT crew, but I have no idea why that is, as they don't have the retainer characteristic. 

If you were also to get Ama No Zako and any Oiran and/or Torakage, you could play those models in either faction also. They'd each be 1 soulstone cheaper to play as TT rather than Resser, because you would have to pay the 1 ss mercenary cost for them when playing them in Ressers. And each crew can only hire a maximum of 2 models using their mercenary characteristic at a time. But you can certainly field them in either Faction if you want! Theoretically, the only models you owned that would be TT-only would be the ones in the Undying box set... which you might've been buying anyway. And remember, in Malifaux you don't need to buy a separate Code...rulebook to play each Faction, making playing multiple Factions a heck of a lot more affordable. Same models, same stat cards, but different ways to play with them from game to game! 

The Undying box is so good for Yan Lo that a large percentage of the people who buy it will either already play Yan Lo, or will be getting his box along with it.

 

 

[Dogmantra]

1 hour ago, Scatterbrain said:

The Bad Things Happen App says that Yan Lo can also take the Resser models Punk Zombies in a TT crew, but I have no idea why that is, as they don't have the retainer characteristic. 

Toshiro lets you bring Punk Zombies, so it could be that.

[Scatterbrain]

1 minute ago, Dogmantra said:

Toshiro lets you bring Punk Zombies, so it could be that.

Oh, yes, thank you. I saw the option in a crew list I made in the Bad Things Happen app, and it was available after I had already added Toshiro to the crew. Mystery solved!