Ciaran

I noticed that with the French as well. Bonamant's style reminds me of a watercolor painting, ironic considering that's the type of brush he uses.

I'm going to have to buy a ton of models and just get to painting again I think.

What paints do you use? Any preference?

Nice! Is there a specific style that you use to get your results?

How long have you been painting? Everything you paint and share blows me away.

This whole cross-faction-Master-pairing is somewhat a mess though.

Back in Book1 it was ruled that a Neverborn Brawl crew with Zoraida and Jones could hire Gremlins without paying the +1SS.

There's no mention on the matter in the revised encounter section of Book2 however.

This suggests to me that Zoraida and Jones will have to pay +1SS again and so will every other cross-factional master pair when hiring the out-of-faction minions for the sidekick masters.

Also note that the only reason you can bring all the Gremlins in a Zoraida and Jones' crew is that all but the Mosqitos are below 4Wp and the Mosqitos have a rule allowing them to be taken with Som'er.

So any special rule from the first book has to be included in the second book to be valid still?

These look great. I like the muted pallet a lot. It really makes the models believable, for gremlin swamp hicks anyway...

No, please don't. Not using the usual tropes is what makes Malifaux so awesome. Doing tired, old, worn out characters yet again is beneath you.

Now, some hot latina cousins of Perdita on the other hand.... that's a cliche I could get behind!

I'm with Avatar.

I'd like a shot at her from behind myself.

OF, OF!

Dolomyte: The math behind it is exceedingly simple, it's quite literally grammar school level. The people that DO count cards at Blackjack tables say that the biggest misconception is that you have to be a math wiz. What made the MIT group so successful at it was they accepted the fact that it only gave them a ONE percent advantage over the house. Over time that added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

MIT required? Not at all. All it took was the self discipline to put a system in place and actually follow it.

The system MIT used was as simple as: subtract a one for a high card, leave the count alone for mid cards, add a one for low cards, once the count hit a certain number signal the major bettor to swoop in and rake in some cash. Most systems are based on that theory with different spreads.

My communications maintenance MOS in the Marine Corps had harder math than that. Being a Logistics Executive for Target required me to keep multiple running streams of numbers in my head. Neither seemed easy at first, once I practiced a little they became something close to second nature and I could focus on other things while running numbers in the back of my head. The human brain is so incredibly malleable that it starts changing to facilitate new habits and learning within days many times.

Almost anyone CAN do it. Most people would choose not to out of the false belief that they cannot. The initial learning curve would be so rough as to make most people absolutely convinced that only geniuses are capable.

Every few games I come back and reread that tactica. Oftentimes I end up seeing a different permutation that helps me bump my game.

I think that in general it's a good idea to revisit basics. A lot of times players get wrapped up in the next esoteric and tricky strategy, and end up forgetting fundamentals.

Just my thought for the moment...

Read through Rathnard's Zoraida Tactica. It's incredible!

Z's adaptable, very. Rathnard gives some great starting ideas.

Issa: I think that might be making a little to complex. I think the idea of cousins heading to Malifaux in order to make a name as an Ortega has a ton of merit. Having a layered structure might well muddy it, in both rules and fluff.

alemon: I like the idea of any of the "main" Ortegas being able to activate them as part of Companion-Family. Are you thinking it could only be Perdita? I think I might need a bit more caffeine over here...

The language on the original card for the Voodoo Doll (and the original book) allowed Mama Z to attack through the conduit (and receive a positive twist to damage AND give them poison) this was changed in errata.

It doesn't make her unplayable. She has a ton of little tricks up her wrist wraps...

pop: I was seriously thinking about using the watercolor style technique until I read that. I think I might learn to use retardant before moving into that way of building up pigment.

Are there any tutorials you would suggest on using retardant?

I absolutely agree with Chuckle on this. I'd like to see more sculpts of the troops in order to round out larger crews without repeating models. I don't want to rush Wyrd with that at all. Getting everything out is much more important!

To that end I'm actually probably going to get a Showgirl blister to split with a Colette player. I'll take the performer for a Hollow Waif, he'll take the mannequin. Luckily I happen to be looking for a model that has a few alternates available. Most models aren't there yet.

Avatar, no. It's not even close.

Q' Nothing you posted makes me think it's not useful to keep a running hi-low count. Suits and the like would be next to impossible for me, having an idea of number ranges would make a lot of sense though.

So with that in mind: I think that the "standard" technique used by Blackjack counting teams might well work, with the exception of having a team to signal a player to hop onto a hot table.

Before I dig up that (easily found) information does anyone have any thoughts as to an actual system to keep track of numeric card ranges?

That was a brilliant solution. I like it!

I have to admit: I picked up Bete Noire last night, as much because of this paintjob as the things that can be done in crews I'm planning out...

Do you use a specific, named technique for your painting in general?

Gotcha, I was looking at it from a slightly different angle I think.

Nice to have a thread on track!

krak: Can it be sealed onto the model? I'd imagine so with Krylon or something, I'm just curious.

Lalo: At that point isn't counting just another aspect of the tactical game?

I agree completely. It's not manipulating chance, it's keeping an eye on the odds, which IS a lot easier in dice games.

Card counting: We've seen one solid technique in the past ten pages. Is there another that might be as easy to impart?

At what point does it move from "I have an idea of what I've played." to "I'm a cheater because I mentally track the probability of getting the numerical cards I need." in your minds?

Zethal, from an emotional standpoint the delivery of a message is every bit as important as its content. When the delivery is emotionally charged it tends to cause the recipient to ignore the message entirely.

Perhaps a bit of leeway might be afforded someone whose first language doesn't appear to be English yet is trying pretty diligently to be a contributing voice in what is unfortunately often getting pulled into the trite and tired despite its potential for being a great discussion.

Whoa, that might have been a bit harsh at the end. Being able to have an honest conversation is far more informative than slinging insults around to my mind...

I started gaming in 1983. I picked up table top stuff sometimes around 1991. As I'm 34 that means I've a significant portion of my life wrapped up in gaming of all sorts. I've seen people that are happiest when the win, happiest when they're challenged win or lose, just happy to play.

The ones I don't like are the ones that are the ones that get nasty to people when they either lose or otherwise feel threatened. Some people end up wrapping up a lot of their egos in their games, and that just seems dangerous to me.

Daniele: That raises a question. Do you consider someone that plays to win someone that doesn't also play for fun?

Unless they were REALLY distant cousins, they would still have the family type, and companion would still happen if you played them with the rest of the family

I like the family rally idea, but it should probably have a range (12" or something

I agree they'd be Family, I just wonder if they should innately have Companion-Family, or if it should be added with a (0) Action by someone else. I think it might help balance them a bit, as well as add a great new layer for managing resources with the Ortegas.