DoT

Hey there... so my flatmate and I got tired of playing Kirai vs. Viks over and over again and decided to get another crew each. While I'm not all too frightened by Kirai, Perdita seems to be quite a challenge for Pandora. I am looking at pretty much the whole family and some Austringers, meaning they'll be leaning back as long as strategies and schemes allow them to. So...you guys happen to have any recommendations for me? -DoT

In terms of fluff I like this idea very much. I would be surprised if they got yet another healer though. -DoT

Whilst I like the flavour to a certain extend, I'm not too sure about automatic weapons in Malifaux. Maybe they could have a chance to jam or overheat, meaning they can't be fired until next activation or something. Might occur when flipping a joker or after dealing severe damage? Other than that I really like the idea of another crew based mostly on unique characters like the Ortegas or the Lacroix-Gremlins. Do you have something in mind for Hatchetman's fluff though? I can hardly imagine a ressurected, bewitched dude hanging out with the rest of the crew 'cause he's met them in a bar the other day. Maybe he's the related to one of them? Or Whisper's Sensei, being forcefully returned from the dead? I could picture them being outcasts, but maybe with a connection to the M&SU...just like the Seven fought for villagers. Wouldn't happen to have a fitting idea for that connection though. -DoT

I think it's been suspected quite a few times that the next book is going to add models to the existing Special Forces, which I think would be a good way. Creating factions within the factions seems to be a nice way of adding diversity without damaging the overall feeling of the influential groups in Malifaux. That being said, I could think of a number of Freikorps Models. While I don't think that they are going to get more magic-heavy support (the librarian being described as a rather exceptional kind of Freikorps soldier) I could imagine something to buff the other Freikorps further, like a standard bearer (keeping in my mind that we don't want to get too gw-ish here). Some objective grabbers could come in handy, so that you don't need Von Schill to do all the running. Maybe without armor or with some jetpack-like augmented jump, giving them Leap or something like that. Aside from that - bigger guns? A Freikorps specialist with some kind of machinegun or gatling? A pioneer/sapper type of soldier which is able to set up traps or to place cover, much like Rasputinas pillars without the magic? Judging bei the Freikorps' style so far I don't expect to see an overgrown melee-beatstick. If they go for melee reinforcements it might be with even heavier armor for staying power...and a bigger melee weapon than the default hunting knife. A hunting sword? A hunting axe? Still, I don't expect too much of close combat for the 'korps. -DoT

As my flatmate plays Kirai and I field the Vickies this is the one matchup I feel to be kind of experienced with. First of all - I'm rather surprised with your list. I usually go for the magic weapons and a librarian. Still, we mostly play 35ss As it's been pointed out quite a few times Kirai will need some muscle. That being said (always depending on the stragies and schemes of course) I wouldn't recommend going for the Vickies. Personally I struggle the most when Shikome and/or Ikiryo manage to kill off something early in the game. In my case it's usually the librarian or the student since you can hardly keep them totally safe from a well placed Shikome. Other than that it's Johan or Taelor. They aren't easily defeated but especially Johan tends to get worn down by a number of Gakis. The two faults the Kirai crew can't afford is 1. leaving her too far behind to regain Seishin and 2. spreading too far and thus allowing the Viks to do slingshot kills. The Vickies, however, tend to survive really long which commonly nets me bodyguard. My friend has more or less decided to leave them alone and leaves me sitting on some soulstones. Still I can hardly play them more offensively since that would mean to slingshot right into the heart of his crew, whirlwind down as much as I can and hoping to somehow survive his backlash - which is highly unlikely. It's quite a stalemate: He goes for bodyguard as well, knowing that nothing except for the Viks has a mere chance of taking down Kirai. So usually the game is decided by the first big losses and how this affects strategies. Most times it ends with Kirai and her Seishin-Shield (or whatever she has summoned turn 5 or 6) on his side and the Viks plus something that's managed to survive (often it's Taelor) on mine. I recently got Misaki to try a totally offensive approach (like Viks, Johan, Taelor, Misaki and something to fill the rest). We'll see how that goes... -DoT