SpiralngCadavr

Yeah, feel exactly the same way. They're just such solid snipers that I feel kinda' dirty thinking about taking a second one, even if I know it's probably a better choice.

They were a promo sprue that was printed before the game came out, when second edition was getting released. (If he doesn't like 'em, I'd be interested)

I don't like to nay-say, but the only things that I know that work on cleaning PVC are cutting w/ sharp hobby knives and (I've heard) very specialized abrasive materials. Many regular prepping methods like scraping a knife roughly perpendicular to the surface or using regular files can cause the surface to slightly shred, getting snags that will be obvious after priming, unless aionus is made out of a type of PVC I haven't encountered before (he seemed like he was made of a standard one)

Yeah... that's kind of the problem with event support- in encouraging people to go to events, you're excluding those who don't have the time. I think it would be great as a part of an optional league buy-in or some such, but I don't like tournament attitudes and despite my area theoretically having leagues, I've never participated in one that sustains itself well. So, at the moment, my option for the alt sculpts is simply using the older metal ones.

I'd disagree. When I take mercs, I'm comparing them to non-mercs. I'm generally not going to pay 6ss for a 5ss friekorpsmann because there are better choices for that 6ss slot native, since you're paying 1ss for the opportunity to use something and it's basically just a well-rounded fighter and unless the FK is underpriced: it'd be comparing it to models that would cost me 1ss less than I'm paying (native faction 5ss options) or comparing it to models the designers balanced at 1ss more than it (6ss in faction options). I might pay the extra soulstone on an out of faction performer because it's a role that's much harder to fill. I don't go into a list thinking "I'll set aside 1ss for a merc, now I should decide which model is worth spending a ss for the opportunity to take out of its native faction." I go in thinking "I want a piece to fill X role for around y cost. Are there mercs to consider? Are there native faction models to consider? If both, is whatever the merc does worth spending a ss for the opportunity to take it and/or do I want both if there are rare caps and I want to spam that?" Yes, the ss is spent either way, but there is a proportional tax if you're comparing pieces to other pieces.

I went with Mats by Mars' ruined cobblestone, thanks, all, for the input!

Riflemen are essential if you want Dashel to be worth his weight. No idea why they included guild guards in his core set, since they don't have the stats for dashel or lucius to properly buff. I think Tannen is a fantastic choice, and not horribly expensive as a model, even if you decide to never expand into neverborn. Graves is nice if you want him/have tannen/want to stay in-theme, but not a unique role like tannen. I think witchlings are a strong choice since they're just really good minions for the price, and have definitely been eyeing wardens (didn't before since the old models were really pricey). The starter pack definitely looks possible, those minions look nice with him, and angel eyes looks like a good merc in general, but that's all guesswork.

Might be good to mention that they're not in traditional plastic, since not everyone's experienced enough to recognize the difference on sight. Otherwise, nice review.

Yeah, some of those clear models are a bit tricky, both with the clearness and that gluing them is more restrictive.

I wouldn't be that sour about her henchman- the scion's pretty questionable . OTOH, I never thought Tara was very weak, it just happened that her two enforcers were terribly overpriced. But, yeah. Lucius probably needed it more than another master's totem.

+1. If ranged superiority is feeling broken, it's probably too low terrain density. ...Which isn't to say that you should never have avenues where a shot can go down the table, but Malifaux is very high terrain density compared to most other games. Infinity is probably the only one I've seen compare.

In any game? Hands-down, the Harbinger of Menoth. I hate that model and all of its top-heavy, not actually sculpted to fit, all-metal, tiny contact points, overdesigned nonsense so bad. I'm not sure I can remember a time anyone handled it and something didn't break or bend or fall off. Wyrd? Eh, some models have too many pieces, but I can't remember actually being frustrated building any. I guess if I had to pick, I didn't like Aionus since he's PVC, so that comes with all the baggage of the irritating material.

AFAIK, they've only ever done it when there's an actual error or to make an overpowered piece worse, never to make a bad piece better.

Nope. But, if they're not going to make errata on weak pieces, and they're not going to give masters new upgrades, and considering he's cross-faction so generic upgrades probably wouldn't fully solve the problem, it would have been a way to improve him. About all you have other than that is a mimic/guardsman, but then you're still faced with how it makes him run better than his competing minion-mancers.

Adding to the general sentiment, gremlin games involve a lot of things on both sides dying. They're definitely competitive, though their abilities (esp. dealing with the ones that damage themselves) mean that they're harder to learn than more straightforward factions.

Yeah... IDK. Healing is nice and summoning minions works well for him (so, pretty sure I wouldn't take it on the Brutal) but I'm really not getting the random patch of a situational attack that does 1 more damage or 2 on a trigger. Certainly seems like another minion buff, a spell buff, or calling the big guy a minion (like others got their associated keywords) would have done the trick better.

Unless you need something very specific, I never find the merc tax worth paying on lower cost models, since most factions have an equivalent piece without the tax. Johan is very cheap for a decent beater and condition removal. Trappers are just strong snipers where not all factions have native snipers. Performers have their poison shenanigans (if that's what you're doing) + lure. I don't think there are any other mercs (that I'll pay the extra SS for) that are cheaper than the 10 range that I consider even semi-regularly when building a list (though I'm curious about Burt in Outcasts). If I field mercs, it's typically to get something very specific and expensive, where the tax is proportionally less of their cost.

Cool (no pun intended....)- I like the desaturated blue. Is there purple in his gums, or is that just darker?

Not malifaux, but a fun conversion w/ not such a different sensibility (notes)

Man, wish something like that had happened. That'd go a really long way towards making it run better than being an awkward choice between more minions and better minions.

I haven't run molly, but with other summoners I like them, they've got a pretty decent gun, come with enough healing to last them through the game (i.e. at 1 per turn), and it's nice to force your opponent to deal with holding on to cards vs. getting another activation. I've never gotten their summon to work, though. With those mediocre attacks, it's generally not worth the effort to get them to work, so it's a matter of luck and your opponent not being able to top it IMHO.

Yeah, I've run it often and short of great cards or hannah dying, they'll probably be stuck- there are a handful of models in the game that can even match her WP. I run Hannah enough with tara that I gave her her own coffin

Lucius- something to make his actions more efficient or easier. Yeah, he's pretty weak. Guild Guards- IDK. Something. Basically never consider taking them, and I love their classy old models. Justice- don't know what, but she could use further help. maybe just versatility since she's so obvious currently. Or something that really encourages you to use her with Marshals, like a cheap marshal.

Yep. Be aware, though, that it's very taxing to actually pull off, so it won't be the sort of thing you probably do more than once in a game, unless your opponent is unaware of how valuable the move is, or has really horrible cards.

Yeah, I'm fine with that, but is there word on the future of them?