Can you play to theme?

[J_D]

I'm the kind of person who loves to get in to the stories behind the game and the models, and like to play games like this. But is this actually an effective way to play games? Am i seriously hindering myself if I just play with Raspys December tribe or Von Schils Freikorps?

[bertmac]

There will always be the odd occasion where you could have done with a model out of your crews main theme raspy and frozen heart work really well together and have a bit of everything same with freikorps so its not that much of a hindrance if you stick to your theme. I use kaeris a lot and have often used just crew that synergise with burning.

[J_D]

Was curious about bands other than Raspy and Freikorps, just meant in general.

[bertmac]

Yeah certainly ramos and hoffman work best with constructs marcus with beasts lady j with marshalls lucius with guardsman etc. You can easily run in theme with most masters for most strats and schemes there will be times when you could be better off using all of the faction but good play will get you around most things similarly you can go completely out of synergy and still do well.

[AverageBoss]

Jacob Lynch can work just fine with a pure Darkened crew. Yan Lo is pretty awesome with nothing but ancestors and retainers.

[Kadeton]

Part of the design philosophy that I really like about Malifaux is that you are encouraged - but not forced - to stay in theme. There will usually be specific thematic bonuses (like Colette working well with Showgirls) but these are tempered by flexibility of approach (like Colette working well with Minions in general). Some Masters are more strongly themed than others (Dreamer loves Nightmares and Hoffman loves Constructs) but the game does very little to restrict choice.

 

If you want to stay in theme, I haven't come across a Master yet who suffers for doing so. Thematic mechanics generally support each other and produce strong crews.

[dgraz]

I think most of the Masters can play very well with 'themed' crews. Every crew I play, I play themed.....Ortega Family theme, Lady J Marshal theme, Sonnia Witch Hunter theme, Raspy Frozen Heart theme, Marcus Beast theme, Yan Lo Ancestor theme.........those are just the ones I've been playing lately. 

 

There are certainly models that you can throw in to the mix with anyone to switch things up, but I don't think it's necessary to be competitive.

[SpiralngCadavr]

Depends on how much you force theme.

 

If strictly going with the trait, yeah, particularly with the smaller ones, you're limiting yourself, but...

 

Example time:

Rasputina easily has fluff reasons for M&XU boys coming over or beasts from the mountain (her first incarnation came with a Hoarcat, for instance). She's probably not going to have fire gamin or be controlling pure constructs, but most other things have reasonable justification in her list.

 

I regularly play Tara with just her void creatures and western-themed models: this means guild undead, 1st edition ronin, sue, etc., but there are a number of pieces I like to fit in with her crew but don't have models that look particularly appropriate, so I've converted a Hanged and Punk Zombie, am working on a Librarian, and am considering doing something elaborate for hannah.

 

Von Schill, except for having a 4-point model, has a strong variety of pieces, so it's not a stretch to see him entirely in the FK theme. As long as you're okay if you don't have the exact tool for the job, he's got a lot of good picks (with my only real problem with him being the glut of 10-point FK options).

 

 

EDIT: of the above mentioned lists, the only one I don't really get is the Marshal theme. I really like 1-2 Death Marshals, but have always felt like 6 points a model is too pricey for you line infantry... what are people doing with them?

[Vorschlag]

Most crews work very well within the limitations of fluff, sometimes you need to stretch the fluff to explain things (I.e Lucius' relationship with other neverborn is yet to be fully explained) but unless your playing against power gamers you should be able to play fluffy in a "story based skirmish game" and have a challenging and enjoyable game.

[Parker Barrows]

I would say yes. Theme crews work very well in general if not for every strat/scheme. Also, the fluff has been presented where they do work together. For example, Misaki had a Torikage and some of Jakob's Illuminated working together to watch over a safe house.

[Machiavelli]

It depends on what you're after. If it's gaming to win tournaments and the the like, then you are probably better off going purely for what is best and works well regardless of theme. However if its a combination of winning plus fluff/themes (much like myself) then I'd say stick with the themes. I much prefer gaming with a fluff-acceptable crew as to me, the tabletop game is just another type of story, one with dice that we're making as we go, and that is always more fun for me when the premise of the battle is believable. 

 

But as always, that is just my opinion and how I play. It doesn't bother me what my opponent brings so long as we both enjoy and get a fine game. As mentioned, Malifaux does a good job of combining theme-incentive crews with enough freedom to customize and tailor your lists.

 

Edit: also, there's almost always a reason why a master can bring others. E.g. Lady J, as leader of the Death Marshalls, would be able to deputise or command most guild minions as who would defy her? Same with Lucius, and while we don't know his relationship with the Neverborn yet we do know he has some kind of control-and-or-deal with them which justifies their use in his crews. 

[zFiend]

I like to play themed over any other form of playing. I like Malifaux a lot as you can really play themed and do well or really well.

[Patzer]

I like to play themed over any other form of playing. I like Malifaux a lot as you can really play themed and do well or really well.

 

Since you manage to solely play utter filth while "staying in theme", I guess its possible to do both...

[J_D]

It depends on what you're after. If it's gaming to win tournaments and the the like, then you are probably better off going purely for what is best and works well regardless of theme. However if its a combination of winning plus fluff/themes (much like myself) then I'd say stick with the themes. I much prefer gaming with a fluff-acceptable crew as to me, the tabletop game is just another type of story, one with dice that we're making as we go, and that is always more fun for me when the premise of the battle is believable. 

 

YOU MENTIONED DICE!!

 

But thanks everyone for the responses. It's good to know that I can stick to a particular idea or theme, and still do reasonably well

[Wake of Godzilla]

Certainly I think you can be competitive in theme, my McMorning crew doesn't leave home without Sebastian, a nurse and a few dogs. Yan Lo as stated above works really well with Retainers and Ancestors only lists.

[dancater]

So....

 

First I have had success playing strictly in theme with many crews, in particular Raspy, Ramos, Collette, Marcus & Mei Feng (so yes I play Arcanists mostly) also the Viks. Additionally I have experimented with other 'theme' crew lists and generally find that I prefer theme models for what they bring power wise as much as fluff reasoning.

 

Secondly I find that it is often an advantage to stick to the theme, it provides more often than not great synergies and also in a game which can overwhelm with options, moving parts, interactions and possibilities it stabilises my crew selections and allows me to choose from a more manageable 'always good' model pool.

 

Thirdly it's cool and fluffy and no one can really complain you're cheesifying the list.

 

However, yes it does narrow the options somewhat, makes it a little tougher to manage against certain types of attack or tactics (most particularly things like condition spam lists and horror lists) where that crew schtick is vulnerable or normally has limited counters available. It also means that you are less likely to ambush your opponent with the novel Raspy takes Metal Gamin and the Firestarter list or Marcus with Archnid's because spiders are beasts even when they are metal... or at least they should be. Finally it means you don't have the option of really taking certain powerful models which in particular crews bring the pain but have no strict fluff based link cf Collette and the Mechanical Rider or Howard/Miss Step and the Viks and the Friekorp Librarian.

 

So in summary I personally believe it is fun and satisfying to play in theme , that it is generally powerful, provides synergy and is at least 85% of the time competative , however yes it limits options and means you could be at a disadvantage against certain combinations/lists/strat combos .

 

I think for competative fun I'd nearly always do it. For a soul crushing doomeggedon Malifaux master tourny player of renown recognition award (now with blood splatter and spangles ) yeah maybe you want to open your options completely.

[zFiend]

Since you manage to solely play utter filth while "staying in theme", I guess its possible to do both...

What is this filth rant you and MD are on? Mr. I will start playing Ulix.

[Cats Laughing]

As others have mentioned, this can also depend on how "strict" you are with the idea of "theme".  Some "theme" selections are pretty obvious, such as Rasputina and her December's Cult.  Anything with "December" in the name of the model is likely "in theme" as would be almost anything with the Frozen Heart Trait (almost anything, since something in the future like Raethford<sp?> from the Crossroads scenario, would not be "in-theme").  As mentioned, however, she is part of the Arcanist faction and Ramos has employed her at times, which can certainly include lending her union goons (M&SU models).  Alternatively, older stories of Rasputina include some affinity with cats, so Hoarcats and possibly even Sabertooth minions could be considered to be in a loose theme.

 

Conversely, Leveticus's "theme" might be harder to determine.  Is his theme only abominations (and desolation engine), alyce, and Ashes & Dust (Core and Storm included)?  Or do you consider other constructs/undead to be "in theme"?

 

Similarly, Marcus can hire out of faction beasts.  Is his "theme" all beasts, or only arcanist beasts?  Do you exclude frozen heart beasts (Blessing of December)?

 

I think that you can make pretty decent lists for all masters while sticking to a master's theme, as long as you don't go overboard in restricting that master's theme (the 5 model-type Leveticus list, for instance, Leve, Alyce, Abominations, Desolation Engine, and Ashes & Dust).  In some cases a very restrictive 'theme' list might still work well with that master.

 

Of course if you do something silly and decide that your idea of theme is that Rasputina should *only* be accompanied by Ice Golems, Ice Gamin, and the Wendigo (where your top walking speed is 4, iirc) you might be restricting yourself too much and you'll have trouble in various matchups.

[Myyrä]

I like to play themed over any other form of playing. I like Malifaux a lot as you can really play themed and do well or really well.

Rotten belles are in theme only when playing Seamus or Molly. Just so you know.

[Fetid Strumpet]

And let me just say it is really nice to be able to play a belle centric list with Seamus and not just get rolled.

[J_D]

And let me just say it is really nice to be able to play a belle centric list with Seamus and not just get rolled.

 

FS (or anyone else) do you have any ideas how to expand a Seamus crew? I love that crazy bastard and have the starter crew, but much beyond more Belles and some Doxies I have no idea what else would go with him.

[osoi]

Hanged, Bishop, Nurse and Canine Remains/ Necropunks all solid additions for Seamus

[zFiend]

Rotten belles are in theme only when playing Seamus or Molly. Just so you know.

 

Rotten Belles would be in theme with the Arcanists if you could play them

[Wake of Godzilla]

FS (or anyone else) do you have any ideas how to expand a Seamus crew? I love that crazy bastard and have the starter crew, but much beyond more Belles and some Doxies I have no idea what else would go with him.

 

The Hanged I would go to as well as the Dead Doxy. Afterwards its up to you, I found that Bete Noir was good and still in theme ish and punk zombies (not in theme but give you some good hitting power). Crooligans could also be great scheme runners for a Seamus "women and children" list.

[Kogan Style]

I would add Punk Zombies, as the Ladies "chaperones" Flesh Constructs would probably pushing the theme too thin.

 

Alternatively in the Fluff Molly was working for Seamus (1st ed), and Albus offered her the Iron Zombies for her use (From the scenario booklet) , so you could buy the Transmortis box and expand that way.