Seadhna

The wording on the FAQ entry is pretty confusing to get on a first read unless you cut out the irrelevant parts like you just did. So no need to be salty tbh

Does anyone know where to find the fluff for Levi becoming a Rider? It's referenced in Shifting Loyalties, but I was unable to find the actual stories.

I actually like grey renders more than GW photos. Those painted minis are done by professional artists and serve to attract customers, but there's such a huge time/skill/cash investment gap between picking up a box and having minis that look like those on the box that it leaves me depressed (i'm a profoundly shitty painter myself, only having started the hobby). Less disappointment => more self-respect => more enjoyment of the game. Still, expanding on the "box contents" text blurb might indeed be a good idea.

I think Yin is popular with Bone Leveticus, she's got some synergy

He's already a competitive choice in many communities tbh. I do think even with Cache 3 he would shine, not to mention Cache 5.

On your second question: Johan, Sue, Effigy

It's the Obliteration Symbiote: the small part of Obliteration she brought back to the real world from his prison. When she touches it, it covers her arm in an obsidian claw that you see on her model. There was a pdf somewhere but I can't seem to find it...

See here's the thing: I can see myself taking some models over other models, but that's my personal preference. Speaking from Outcast perspective, models I never use and would never use are Desperate Mercs, Freikorpsmenn and Lady Ligeia. Other models I personally very rarely use are A&D, Hans, Bishop, Killjoy, Vanessa, Rusty Alyce, Strongarm and Johan: hardly bad models, I just have alternatives that suit my own playstyle better. Every other model in the Outcast faction has a place in my games. These ones? I just like how other models play, is all. But there will be dozens of people saying that the ones I've listed above are very good choices. So that's what, 3 strictly inferior models out of about 40? I call it "almost no never-take models".

I love it. The new schemes really put forward the skill element in this game. There are more and more matches where I kill zero models but still win, and that is extremely satisfying. There are also a lot of matches where shit just dies left and right, so variety is a thing. Finally, the new set allows me to bring more varied lists to the table.

I've been playing for about 4 or 5 months now, with about 50 matches under my belt. From personal experience, there's a whole lot depending on player skill (this includes both knowing how to spend your actions and in which order and knowing which models to take in a given set of schemes/strats), much less on random effects (bad flips can ruin your game, but that single thing you need to get done you will get done; if all else fails, you'll get at least a couple of VP off things that are independent of luck) and even less on pure balance numbers. I'll elaborate on the latter point: there are almost no auto-take models in most factions (screw you, Doppleganger) and there are almost no never-take models. For a given scheme pool, you will always have a choice between several models that do the required thing well, after which you can pick ones that fit your playstyle or aesthetic preference or current whims. This is what I love about Malifaux: there are model choices that fulfill basically the same role, but with slight variations in numbers and approach to that role. In light of that, there's no such thing as "you need to get 6 Wave Serpents/3 Conquest core boxes/that card from the transport box to be competitive", you just need to get models that cover most of the scheme pool and learn to play better.

Killjoy is different from Gremlins in that he doesn't have to charge the closest model: Blood Price just states that he has to make a charge if he's unengaged and there is a legal target available. So, if there are more than one legal target, Killjoy's controller can freely charge any of them.

I've played them in Outcasts a few games. Once you get them in melee (10T should have no problem with that), they are extremely tanky. Ml 6 with a positive flip and either free pushes or extra attacks from other models is very good. Add possible scheme marker shenanigans (and more free pushes!) for a low Tome and you have youself a solid model. When I first saw them in the boom I went "meeeeeh", but then I tried them and went ohmygodletmetaketwo. Just bear in mind that they're highly specialized models intended to quickly reposition and tarpit mid-tier melee beaters. Things that are stat 7 or 6 with positive will eat them for breakfast.

I'm extremely tempted to run Aionus as a leader, but that cache of 1 just plain hurts. There's also the denial game to be played: Rusty Alyce merc Sloth+ Creeping Terror Guilty Hodgepodge Effigy or Abomination or swap Sloth for Pride and add Survivalist to Rusty I've had moderate success with a rapidfire crew Mad Dog + Poncho Rusty Alyce Bandido Hodgepodge Effigy Or go full HtK Rusty + Survivalist / Mad Dog + Poncho Sue + maybe Return Fire Johan + maybe Oath Keeper (depending on whether I take Return Fire) Effigy

In the loud words of a genius,

Gave my combo with Mad Dog and Hamelin a go against Ramos, but due to questionable decisions on my part (I built a very thematic table with a river across the middle) and my opponent's part (he decided to go bubble Ramos and was promptly stuck in the severe terrain for the whole game) there wasn't much action going. Still, gave my Guilder Hamelin a spin (which is probably the coolest model in the faction at the moment). Several things to note: 1. a bad hand Turn 1 (like, zero Crows in the 8 cards you get with a SS) can be overcome by Obeying the Wretch to Focus and then shoot with Focus 2. free Rat Catchers are amazing 3. I can't properly play the Killjoy bomb for the love of me 4. Irresistible Dance, baby!

Maybe an insight into game design: something along the lines of a short text explaining things like "why did we make Wokou Raiders so cool and why is Hodgepodge Emissary the best Emissary" from people who made the rules. Oh, and pictures of Aaron would be nice, so far we've only seen his thumbs in TOS Kickstarter videos.

What's the name of your podcast?

yeah there probably were a few, but I enjoyed the show so it doesn't matter however, painting reqs are a hot topic in our local meta atm, therefore it attracted my attention

@godswearhats one tiny nitpick: GG17 says nothing of the "3-color minimum", it only says that models should be painted beyond grey plastic or just primer.

On Guillotine: it's a good upgrade, and it's good for killing off big minions like Jorogumo and Warpigs, but you can't know how many of those you'll be facing. And that's still wasting master AP on minions. Bigger they are, on the other hand, is a steady stream of additional damage that lets you do nice things like 10+ damage on a charge. On Ligeia: she will die as soon as someone looks at her sideways the no-cheat aura is nice, but it's a very fickle combo Whereas Hodgepodge will take at least 3 AP or a dedicated melee beater to take down, can interact and provides a way to regain soulstones. Still, everything is up to personal preference in this crazy game, I've just shared my own experience with the models in question.

Go Jack, swap Envy for a Freikorps Spec for the Nurse combo. Swap Ligeia for Hodgepodge Effigy. If you have it, swap Guillotine Injustice for Bigger They Are. Schemes are up to personal preference, but I'd go for Ruins and Eliminate. Alternatively, go with Hamelin, but use Survivalist instead of Infectious Melodies. With that crew, probably go for two marker schemes (i'd get Leave Your Mark and Ruins and bluff Claim Jump)

There weren't any Knights in Midsummernight's Dream, but Titania is definitely the mythological Fae queen (it's far older than Shakespeare). Moreover, the way Lilith, Zoraida and Dora are presented in M1E books, they were definitely inspired by Shakespeare's three witches around a cauldron (Macbeth, I think?) oh, and Zipp is definitely cpt. Brannigan, it's evident from his speeches in the Ripples of Fate story

That's too bad. It's only been about 5 games since I added your blog to bookmarks. Ah well, best of luck in your future endeavours!

Donkey Man is indeed boss, especially with Hamelin's upgrade giving him a second zero and to all duels vs Blighted.

yeah, those 9-10 SS are the flexible part. I was just dreaming of humiliating some Gremlins at the time so put in Ama. Not gonna play Lazarus until the next sculpt comes out (the model's attacks are shitface boring as they are, the current sculpt just adds insult to injury), but Rusty and Libby might give me some nice mileage. Nix is a nice consideration as well, he loves the Vitality Potion from DonkeyMan, but competes for it with Mad Dog.