explorator

Discard to focus is nice, but with Queeg you can take one damage (if near the Dispatcher, two otherwise) to gain Fast instead, which is very nice! I would suggest you need some Fast minions first turn if you intend to summon early in the game. A Fast Mounted Guard can cover a ton of space first turn, and bring another model upfield as well. Fast Executioners are a major threat. Before the Dispatcher can turn your Scheme Marker from friendly to enemy, you need another model to spend the AP to drop it. I have played Dashel quite a bit, and while his summon looks good on paper, in practice it is AP intensity, and NOT high cards that limits his summoning as a practical matter. Dashels summoning is not bad by any means, it is just takes more complex set up than others. Yeah....Dashel is likely to die before he can summon off an enemy scheme marker, but when it happens it is magnificent!

I know how his totem works, it is just pretty AP intensive and you need to be mindful of positioning; both of which are higher barriers in practice to needing a "high card". In later turns, you can get the double benefit of summoning off of an enemy scheme marker (i.e. placed BY the opposing crew) to remove it and get a model, which is much more satisfying. I like Dashel, and I like Lucius, I am just not sold on both in a duel-master list.

The main barrier to Dashel having an efficient summoning game is Scheme Markers, not cards; Dashel can summon useful models with 10+. I am not sold on Lucius in a two-master Guild list, but Dashel is probably his best partner.

I think Hoffman is top-tier for all the reasons mentioned, plus he has a great heal; 3 wounds with no TN. Sonnia, Lady J, Dashel, and Lucius round out my list because I have not played or faced any others in M3E. Sonnia can erase models, as can Lady J. Dashel's summoning is not as powerful as I would like, but there is a ton of synergy, and his crew can really move around. Lucius is probably my favorite, and his mechanics are quite powerful situationaly.

I use the Simulacrum model for Archie.

Her Hazardous Aura is for when your opponent sends his master or a beater/tank to tie her up. I have played one game where Sonnia has good LOS all game and never took the Walk action at all.

I am just starting with her, bit I have found Sonnia's Aura of Hazardous terrain is pure gold, the tradeoff being she needs to spend AP to move instead of roasting newbs at range.

I never misrepresented ANYTHING and I will defend myself in a court of law if needed. Unlike Wyrd, I do not have a coven of internet lawyers defending me, but I stick by everything I posted in this thread.

Nathan pinged my IP to figure out where I lived, then told me, "At the end of the day though, if folks just think we're plain shite and can't stand it, well I encourqge them to live a less stressful moment in life and find a company and game they are pleased with." I have played more Warcry than Malifaux in the past month so I guess I took the advice. Looks like Wyrd continues to step on their own tails with shipping issues and staffing shortages. I only hope they finally get their act together and reach the potential Malifaux holds.

Hard to Wound AND Hard to Kill is a sick combo. I have not really used Pine Box much at all, it is usually better to just to damage. Now, it is nice in certain situations, just more of a secondary attack in most games.

Guess who told me to find a game I could be happy with? Nathan. I was told on these boards that the store owners in my area were lying about their orders, so I spoke with two that I know. I was told on these boards that the fault was 100% on Alliance and I should tell Alliance my problems, so I called and spoke with a representative from Alliance and told them my problems. I was told on these boards that my concerns are nothing more than some conspiracy theory. I love Wyrd, so of course Occum's Razor would suggest I make up some wild conspriracy to hurt them. Lmao.

Talking to people familiar with the events and parties in question is in no way a conspiracy theory. Conspiracy theories are based on the ABSENCE of fact. All Conspiracy Theories are made up, and I am neither making up the product shortages at lgs's in my area, nor stating a narrative of fantasy about Wyrd's culpability. I talk to lgs owners because I am a customer and they know me; one of whom I have knoen for 35 years, the other for 15 years. Someone on these forums asked why I had not called Alliance, so I CALLED Aliiance and spoke with a person there. When I first complained about delays related to the M3e launch on these forums, I was called "angry", a "hater", and was told "find another game to play". I have to laugh in order to keep from crying; my favorite skirmish game is suffering in my area. The bar to entry is higher for Malifaux than any other skirmish game. The world and ruleset are amazing, Wyrd has taken the card mechanic from an interesting twist on random number generation and added a depth of sophistication in M3e I neve even imagined, and the tactical choices made in the game have dramitic, and cinematic drama. Learning the basics of Malifaux is not for novice gamers. The models Wyrd created are distinct and characterful, but again, they are not designed for novice modelers. Malifaux is a niche product inside a niche marketplace. A marketplace, btw that is far more dynamic now than it was 15 years ago. New skirmish games are popping up like crazy, and some of them are in the same lane as Wyrd, who cannot afford too many mistakes if they want to maintain market presence.

You will get my notes during discovery. I have spoken with the owners of lgs's (local game stores), and one party at Alliance. For each complaint voiced publically, 26 other customers just walk away without a word. Do you want to silence all critics? Malifaux is a complex, sophisticated game, with beautiful, inticrate models; Wyrd made this game for advanced gamers and modelers, and you expect their customer base to accept second-rate performance without speaking their minds? I am actually waiting to hear from people who made it to GenCon about how the Malifaux stock at the booth held up before making a final call, but it is looking more and more like Wyrd fumbled the rollout of M3e. On a side note, how does one get deeply into the world of Malifaux WITHOUT sarcasm?

I think it is amazing that Wyrd's lawyer is online answering our concerns on a case-by-case basis.

Some new players have models due to generosity within the community, i.e. giving or selling them discounted crews.

If Nathan stiffed the LGS's in order to look good at GenCon by having literal piles of product, that is an issue for me. Are there product shortages at GenCon this year? If (IF IF IF!) there is a product surplus at GenCon, and a product shortage in our LGS's, then asking why is absolutely warranted. I get that GenCon is a massive cash cow for Wyrd; both onsite and online. I mean....Nathan COULD be sitting on a huge pile of faction decks at this very second, because he misjudged the market. Or not....I have no idea...but Malifaux gamers from my area are at GenCon this weekend, and I will be asking them about Wyrd's stock, just like I talk to local lgs owners and the distributor Wyrd uses in my region. How is complaining about missing out on new releases for your favorite game such a crime all of the sudden? I am not just popping off so I can dunk on Wyrd.

I hoped these forums were a place for honest critism without wild accusations. Well, if frogs had pockets...they would carry pistols. This is the 21st century; we can love a company, be critical of certain details of that company, and speak those critisisms without being "Wyrd's CEO".

New players (i.e. new to Malifaux) do not want to use proxies and download and printout cards. Some existing players are waiting for new cards to play as well. I understand gaming is a tricky business, but it is not reasonable to hold Wyrd unaccountable. I like Wyrd. But, if I get a bad dish at me favorite restaurant, I SAY SOMETHING! Not because I am mad, or a hater, but because I want the place I love to eat and recommend to others, to be as good as I know it can be. None of the previous tariff's affected gaming, and those that do are not in place until September. I would expect most miniature companies will move heaven and earth to get product shipped out of China before that deadline. Does GW have a distinct distribution chain in the U.S. ? I think my lgs gets GW product from the same distributor as every other game product. They do occasionally get promo copies through direct mail, but actual stock comes in on the truck.

It is absolutley fair to compare companies that share market space. RC cola will never compete with Coke, but both can be judged in a side-by-side taste test. GW sets the standard in virtually every aspect of miniature design, production, marketing, and merchandising. Malifaux is a niche game in a niche market; long-term sustainablity is dependent on superior rules (NAILED IT!), and basic levels of product management; from design to distribution. Underdogs have to work HARDER and SMARTER to get results similar to companies that dominate the marketplace. Wyrd obviously put untold hours of work into making M3e a great game, unfortunatley the company fell down on launch. Forget thought experiments...I sold high-end bread and pastries for years as a route driver for a national company. Our product was top rate, on shelves in stores, and sold well. 80% of my business came from grocery stores and 20% from restaurants. A coworker asked why I spent so much time supporting the restaurants when they only made up 20% of the business on my route; I told him, that 20% is MY MARGIN. I had to shower those little shops with my time and effort if I wanted to make money. I had to work HARDER and SMARTER to keep up with the major players, who would gobble up my shelf space in a SECOND if I let up one bit. Mailfaux is by far the best, and my favorite skirmish game ever, but Wyrd is a frustrating company to appreciate. I have players in my area who are waiting for M3e product, but are now drooling over the new Marvel hero skirmish game, and Warcry is about to make a big splash as well. Wyrd is going to have to do better if they want to be sustainable. Is it possible that Wyrd held product back for GenCon?

The M3e rollout has been a hot mess from the jump. Now that everyone is at GenCon, we won't hear a word for awhile. Unfortunately, no one at Wyrd seems at all concerned about the many roadblocks standing beteeen their customers and their product. Any criticism of Wyrd's business practices is seen as a personal attack on "the family", and those who critique Wyrd are "losers" "angry", and are told if they don't like it, "find another game to play".

It was concluded (in beta) that Obey ignored the Dispatcher's aura for the same reason Obey ignores Laugh Off.

No, actually my win rate is about the same, but I have more fun with Lucius. My only realy bad beat in M3e was Dreamer over Lucius 8-1, otherwise I have mostly had close games with a pretty even win/loss rate. Also, as I adjust to M3e, I am getting better at matching Strategy to Master; Lucius is my guy for Corrupted Idols and Plant Explosives. I have only been playing painted crews so those four are my current pool. Once I get Hoffman and crew painted, I expect to take him pretty often actually. Hoffman looks to be top-tier for Guild, imo.

Agent 46 is perhaps the weakest part of the Lucius crew; if he gets over exteded he dies very quickly. Drop agent 46 for Dashel, or Perdita, or even Lady J if you want. Dashel hits hard in melee and has bonus summons. Now, negative flips are NOT reliable protection, when your opponent can spend a stone to ignore it. Lucius will die if focused, but he is certainly not the only Master vulnerable to being targeted, especially endgame. Lucius is about scoring, and scoring denial; with the right scheme pool he is a no-brainer Master for me, but then I never bought a Nellie crew. For my part, Lucius is FUN to play, and so different in style from Dashel, 'Dita, LJ, that I just like playing his crew.

Worse...Just Like You only works with non-free Tactical Actions, which there are precious few of. Issue Command is a non-free Tactical Action. So is Scatter.

Lucius is a manipulation and control Master, who excels at card draw and hand management. Lucius, like others in M3e, needs Keyword minions to maximize his own poterntial. My mileage has varied with Agent 46, as Stealth only protects from ranged attacks, but he does hit hard, and Mimic is nice for a free action. Lawyers are excellent in this crew. They can throw around Shielded +2 and have a decent Obey. Investiagtors are must have IMO. The range 0" is deceptive because an AV of 7 and a built-in MASK for stagger can be nasty. Active Crime Scene is one of the few Aura's that makes enemy Scheme and Start markers be ignored. Changelings are nice, and I try to run two most games. Changelings "Just Like You" action can benefit from Lucius Issue Command to order Lucius himself to Hidden Sniper enemies. Only once per Changeling per turn, but extra shots are nice. Put Expert Marksman on Lucious, and Hidden Sniper igores friendly fire. The Scribe is pretty meh, but is a source of potential heals when unbutied.