Omenbringer

I agree that they have really lost their way with the faction. Most of our model release from the last few books have been out of sorts and really seemed to be more useful out of faction than in. I would blame the initial synergistic and self-destructive designs. Most games seem to really struggle with implementing synergy on a wide scale. Generally, you tend to either require so much of it to make your models function that it defeats the purpose (what I typically refer to as "Menoth Syndrom") or you have to either omit or counter it with future options. The issues with the self-destruction piece should be obvious but just in case...when your models have to hurt themselves to do what they do, then you either have to provide a healing mechanic, a replacement option, or make them cheaper than their contemporaries. We see each option implemented in Gremlin's and each comes with it's own opportunity cost (these often exacerbate "Menoth Syndrom" and also make the onion more fragile). I think Gremlin's are at a point where these limitations are becoming very noticeable. Some great examples of these can be found in the Pigapult (which is expensive and always seems to work flawlessly in battle reports... wish mine was half as reliable) and models that lack the crucial key words "Gremlin" or "Pig" in their characteristic line (In a faction that is built heavily around those two words, models that don't have them tend to be shelf sitters). I also agree that the current "hate" targeting the faction is really more attributable to the current Gaining Grounds Strats and Schemes than anything else. I might also add that it could also likely be due to the skill of players currently piloting Gremlin's in high profile events. Unfortunately, what is competitive is usually sedated. With most factions this isn't usually an issue, they tend to be singular models or at the high end of the hiring pool (Think of that wonderful Mechanical Rider whi has had some work over the years). With ours, the complaints are generally targetted at our staple models which we need to function at all (Bayou Gremlin's who always seem to have 3-4 AP due to the perfect and consistent positioning of support models like the Slop Hauler and Iron Skeeters) or Slop Haulers (who always seem to be able to pass out the maximum amount of healing, remain highly mobile, and protected without support models tending them). Sorry if this feels like a rant, it isn't intended to be but I have grown "crotchety" over the years. Complaints tend to come from players who don't actually play Gremlin's and have only seen them work spectacularly (i.e. near perfectly). If you remember the old Red Joker debate it is a similar argument. The Red Joker's appearance is memorable because it is typically seen and does great things (perhaps on a damage flip) where as a lot of players rarely see the Black Joker cause many issues. Despite having the same card rarity (1 in 54), the Black Joker tends to pop out a lot less because if a player draws it into their control hand then it tends to sit there the rest of the game where as the red Joker is allowed to run. The appearance of the Red Joker is usually very memorable because it is either spectacular or pulls victory from defeat. The Black Joker tends to be less memorable because it's appearance is far from spectacular I really hope that they don't alter much for the faction with the next errata. The complaints seem to be more related to the current batch of Strats/ Schemes than anything else really. Let the Strats and Shcemes shift and see if the issue remains. I doubt it will. So the problem with Gremlin's is the handful of models that can be hired out of faction and played with upgrades they were very likely never really tested with (yes I am confident in saying this). Again the faction is not the issue it is the models that can be cross pollinated out of faction. Easy errata there, remove the Mercenary Characteristic or restrict key abilities to only when hired in faction. Without trying to sound condescending, I think once you start actually running Gremlin's yourself, your opinion on their power level will change dramatically. They really tend to be "feast or famine" (yes even the competitive ones). I have played Gremlin's since first edition and consider myself fairly adept with them. My community doesn't consider them broken or a NPE. Now if you want to talk about models needing serious errata's let's head on over to some of those Book 4 crews. That would be a pretty good place to start working on toning things down.

Really? He needs one to summon one. He ends up with two Bayou Gremlin's that are reduced to 50% of their Wounds (Meaning no Drunk & Reckless unless healed requiring other models and actions to do). He can Summon exactly 1 model type (even Seamus can summon two different models, both of which are more durable). It requires an upgrade to even be able to do at all. It doesn't have a huge range (meaning both target model and summoned model have to hang close to Som'er). It requires a suit. Seems pretty balanced to me.

More likely they are focused on getting everything packed for Gencon right now.

The new book is well done Wyrd Crew. I was a bit disappointed that the Scrapper call out box changed from the last edition My only gripe is the continuation of the reversed gendered pronoun usage. Just changing "him" to "her" and "himself" to "herself" in the text is really sort of missing the point in my opinion.

Sparks definitely needs something to make him a bit more viable over the other options available. He really doesn't occupy a great niche within the faction. I disagree that it would be a huge issue with Som'er'ssummoning. I have long argued that Som'er's has the most balanced summon mechanic in the game. Requiring Sparks to use a 1 AP action to summon wouldn't be an issue, particularly if it followed Som'er's mechanic (i.e. needing a Gremlin model to summon a Survivor and also incuring Wounds on the summoned model).

Not to be a downer but 1 play isn't exactly proof that they are costed correctly. Granted they may have done well in the specific situation you outlined with the Strat/ Scheme combination and your opponent's crew (I am assuming very little ranged ability and low model counts) but that doesn't mean they are appropriately costed or will replicate that utility in a varied circumstance (Different crew, opponent, Strat/ Scheme combination). Don't get me wrong I think the SS increase was the easiest method of fixing the spam issue and still argue they are cheaper than they used to be (1st edition they cost 3 and you had to hire a Taxidermist to hire them at all). Aside from the 3 SS hiring cost for the Stuffed Piglet that is, which is wasted as soon as the Stuffed Piglet goes Pop to do all the damage and is removed from the board. Comparing Bayou Gremlin's to Stuffed Piglets isn't really a good idea as they do very different things. In most cases, the Bayou Gremlin is the better hiring option as it provides more options/ versatility for the crew than the Stuffed Piglet whose main (now possibly only) role is as a damage dealer. Again glad you found them worth the hire in your game but I think it is too soon to see how much the price increase hurts their use/ hiring. Keep in mind I have rarely found them worth hiring in this edition (even at 2 SS) since Som'er's Skeeters lost their ability to function as Air Traffic Control for the Bacon Bombing Assassination Runs of the last edition.

Would rather it be Survivors than Bayou Gremlin's but I like the idea (would like it even better if Spark's gained an upgrade that allowed him to summon Survivors from Corpse counters or dying gremlins around him).

Not really, the Banjonista's Pluck the Strings is vastly different.

I am hoping Som'er receives an upgrade that returns Sooey!! to him as a 1 action so he can use the Pig Boomerang again. Likely not going to happen but one can always hope.

Yes they used to have a 1 action called Deliverance that gave them Terrifying 11

I am as well, Concussion is a pretty steep negative for using Stuffed Piglets as ammo even before you add in the cost of hiring models instead of summoning them. Though the Lenny-Pigapult combination looks expensive, summoning the ammo with Lenny is generally the better method, especially if you are using Pig Ladders to aid in moving Lenny and the Pigapult around the board. Though I agree the Pigapult is an expensive model (particularly when compared to its 1sr edition version) the primary issue with lowering its cost by 4 SS is that terrain density plays a huge role in the effectiveness of the Pigapult. Groups that play at the higher end of terrain density will be affected differently than those who play at the low end. What I would like to see is the cost lowered significantly and Launch'n moved to a general Upgrade card. Removing Reckless would massively impact the Pigapult and reduce its already tenuous presence in the game. In short, it would become a shelf sitter unless massively reduced in cost.

Would be great if he could either turn Gremlin models Incorporeal or raise gremlin's from the dead as undead with Hard to Wound or similar. On that note I would love to see an upgrade for Somer that gave Bayou Gremlins their lost terrifying action from 1st edition.

If Bayou Gremlin's go up to 4 SS they will need a lot more than just another Wound. Yes, Gremlin's can do some amazing things when everything goes right. When it doesn't though (and this happens quite frequently, especially against people who know what they do) Gremlin's are easily taken apart. As a faction, Gremlins were designed and need many of the things that are being complained about. Gremlin's need synergy, easy access to healing, out activation, cheap models, and suits. They are not durable models and generally injure themselves (or each other) to do the "awesome" things that people complain about. Take the Bayou Gremlin for example. Gaining the extra Ap from Drunk and Reckless means they will not be able to again until they heal. This requires another model to do. That model isn't free so there is an additional opportunity cost to the ability. Hiring that additional model doesn't just mean not hiring something else it means the player has to protect it and huddle the Bayou Gremlin's near it to gain the healing access. As a long time Gremlin player, I would say that Gremlin's as a whole are in a fairly good place. None of my player group really struggle against my gremlin crews, truthfully they have grown increasingly adept at "weathering the storm" and "tearing the onion apart." Now that isn't to say that some models couldn't use a bit of a rework only that it isn't usually the "factional" abilities (Reckless, healing, Dumb Luck, etc.) causing the issues. From what I have been reading in the last few months, the real issue is with Mercenary models that have access to them. There is a very easy fix to this, make the offending abilities only applicable when in Gremlin led crews. I have argued many times that models designed for a specific Master, crew, or faction should work best with that Master, crew, or faction, and not outside of it (The Rotten Belles' much-maligned Lure action is a perfect example of how this could be applied). In short, without trying to sound condescending (but it inevitably will), many of the complaints about Gremlin's stem from the initial shock of what they can do when everything goes right. The more you play them the easier they are to defeat, this is why they haven't been consistent performers at the top of the competitive fields. Sure they may be (debatable) right now but that likely has more to do with the current crop of Strategies and Schemes (or the players piloting them) than the actual models/ abilities themselves.

an intriguing idea might I also add a full-size Teddy house rule for when the Puppet teddies start upgrading with heart patches?

Just for accuracies sake, the Bayou Gremlin's are not Reckless, they are Drunk and Reckless. This is a huge difference as it effectively costs half their wounds to gain that extra AP. This means that they can't use it next turn unless they heal (yes, yes we know Gremlin's have ways of healing but those methods aren't free or infinite in range). It also means that they are highly fragile.

Personally, as a gremlin player, I find Manipulative and Incorporeal to be far more of an issue. The former because it is a recurring effect (unlike a horror duel), the latter because my group tends to play with a lot of terrain (toward the high side of the recommendation) making it a very valuable ability. Aside from largely negating terrain for crews that feature a lot of it, Incorporeal also hampers damage output for normal attack actions (those using either Sh or Mi). For gremlins, this also has an effect on the Dumb Luck trigger (which is another of our often lamented faction benefits).

Sorry for the delay (had some issues with hosting). Here is an example of how I did one of my Iron Skeeters so they wouldn't be quite so delicate. Iron Skeeter 1 Left by Dustin Smith Iron Skeeter 1 Behind by Dustin Smith You can see where I glued the legs to the base and used some scenics to provide additional support.

I don't think Reckless is OP at all. It isn't free, especially in the case of the Bayou Gremlin's harsher version. Gremlins were designed around it and have been from the beginning of the game (way back in first edition). removing reckless effects the Faction in a very detrimental way, at least as much as the other often mentioned OP healing ability of the Slop Hauler. There are far worse things in the game than Reckless. The only thing I will say about the GG Strats and Schemes (and the Standard Encounter version of the game) is I have never considered Malifaux to be well suited to the Symmetric Strats and tightly restricted Scheme pools. Limited Strats and restricted Schemes pools don't balance a game they just force players to build to them. This is exacerbated further by the vast majority of Strats/Schemes being score-able within a very small portion of the actual board. Being competitive means building crews to achieve the "Always" available scheme and control the center of the board. Despite the wide range of models available many are just not suited to achieve these goals. The models that are, will appear OP when compared against models that aren't. As others have stated in this thread, perhaps the issues with Reckless (or other abilities/actions being called OP this year) are more attributable to the Gaining Grounds Strats and Schemes than the models themselves.

I should have been clearer, I meant the Iron Skeeters add to the factions mobility in a general way not specifically for Lenny.

If you are finding Lenny to be slow moving then give him a piglet tender (summoned is even better). Pig ladders and the Truffle shuffle really add to the factions mobility, though Iron Skeeters can do a good job of that as well.

Announcing a custom Story Encounters Event for the Cleveland Area. Warzone Matrix is hosting a one-day event on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at 1:00 pm. The Store is located at 4704 Rocky River Dr, Cleveland, OH 44135 Additional: Event Cost: Free This event will utilize a custom story encounter designed by our local community. Players will negotiate a small enclave in the Bayou, complete with trailers, abandoned cars, and screaming Tots. Help the Guild clean up the filth. Proxies will be allowed as long as they represent their base model. This is an extremely casual event that is intended to be fun and build the Malifaux community. Sportsmanship is a large component of this, in short, games should be engaging and fun, not "soul crushing." All player levels are welcome, even those playing their very first full games. Think of these games as more of creating an engaging narrative than honing your tournament lists. Painted crews are highly encouraged but not mandatory. This event will utilize the Official Wyrd Event Prize Pack and may have a few additional offerings based upon participation. At the least, each player will receive a Guilder (Poker Chip of various denomination) for participating in the event. Other prizes will be awarded via raffle at the end of the event. Those interested in attending or with questions regarding this event may contact me via either PM or email at NOLA_henchman@yahoo.com We look forward to seeing you at Warzone Matrix.

I use him quite a bit in my Som'er summon factory lists. He is also fairly good at feeding the Pigapult.

This is a great looking project.

I would suggest just sticking with the Citadel paint line. They really aren't that bad and the new system gives really good results without a lot of fuss. I don't consider the cost prohibitive but then I always add some of my custom paint additive mixture to keep them flowing and wet (I can give you the recipe if you are interested). If you need a conversion chart from the old paints to the new there is one available however it won't be exact as the formulation has changed and the colors are slightly brighter or darker than what you would expect. Using the entire paint system (base, shade, layer 1, layer 2) for the conversion color does get it much closer though. Here is what use for Gremlin Skin (I use them in this order): Citadel Base Castellan Green Citadel Shade Reikland Fleshshade or Citadel Shade Seraphim Sepia Citadel Layer Elysian Green It gives a really nice look with minimal fuss. You could continue with another highlight layer (Layer Straken Green I believe is the next step) if you desire, but I haven't really seen a need to do that. If you are dead set against Citadel paints then I would endorse the Reaper Master Series line. They are great paints and are available in pre set "Triads" that take a lot of the guess work out of building a palette. They also come in dropper bottles which are nice. Finally, they also take to paint additives very well without chalking. Price isn't that bad either. If I was going to repurchase my paints then I would probably go with Reaper. Also I can post some photos of my Gremlin's if you want to see how they look with the citadel system.

I would second the magnetic storage suggestion for the Iron Skeeters. I would also suggest to try and include scenic elements that allow you to glue the spindly legs to them. If I get some time I will upload a picture of what I did with mine.