Teaching folks to play: Henchmen Hardcore?

[Achilles]

Hey guys,

 

 

I'm going to be starting up a web series teaching some folks to play Malifaux and I'm considering the Henchmen Hardcore format as a starting point. 20 SS, 4 models (no more no less) basic Cache, No summoning, Strategy is Turf War, Scheme is Assassinate. 

Seems dead simple for new players and should even out the learning curve some starters come with. I'll have all my Guild stuff as well as a pile of older Ress and Neverborn figs to make some demo forces out of. 

 

Thoughts?

[Fetid Strumpet]

The problem with that is that you have to be very careful how you play. Henchman hardcore is not a very balanced format, and it really doesn't offer much of the actual MALIFAUX experience, as it is way more focused on killing than any other.

I'd say as long as you agree in advance that the format can be very swingy, and it is being used solely as a teaching tool for the mechanics you'll be alright.

[Achilles]

It would be more to teach basic mechanics. We COULD just play a 20SS format with only Henchmen and call it that, but fixing the schemes and strats seemed like an easy way to teach the principles of those two things without bogging it down in selection. 

I'm planning on just a game or two in that format to start off. I might even just pick forces that are fairly well matched to make it even simpler. 

[Hateful Darkblack]

I've taught new players using Hardcore Henchman and it's been a pretty good intro to a simple fast game.

[Achilles]

That's pretty much what I was thinking. They'll get the hand of the cards, actions and Ca / Sh / Ml Mechanics, triggers and suits. They'll have a basic Strat and Scheme to go for. We can graduate on to full crews later but I think that format will help with the learning curve. 

[Ausplosions]

I think it  bastardises Malifaux and isn't designed for intro games. 

 

 

What if your newbie likes Resserectionist?"Sorry, no summoning ".  

[MasterDisaster]

I think to teach the basic mechanics of the game it's fine however for a real Malifaux experience you'll need to play at the full 50ss and set aside a good 2-3 hours. 

[zFiend]

Resserectionist

 

That is some damn twisted magic show right there. 

[Dirial]

That is some damn twisted magic show right there. 

 

You have a damn twisted mind, my friend.

[Nical]

Recently, I and my friend prepare Henchman Hardcore as Tutorial, too. 

Our Plan is Teaching Basics of Malifaux to Newbies in very short time. 

But we both know Henchman Hardcore is not balanced and we want to show basics as much as possible to them.  

So we think about using only some locked-in crews and testing them each other.

[Achilles]

So pro's: 

- It only requires them to paint a handful of models. 
- It keeps the number of schemes simple for their first game or two so they can learn the mechanics and uses a simple strategy. 

- It keeps the amount of special rules to memorize fairly short. 

 

Con's

 

- It hamstrings at least one faction quite badly (this is certainly something to consider)

- It isn't a 50 pt game and thus isn't 'real malifaux'

- Its mom and dad weren't married. 

 

So all that being considered I think I'll just suggest we play 20SS games for the first two we play (which basically covers all the pro's bases anyway) and just use the full gamut of rules. I'd like the guys to be able to play a game or two in rapid succession to get their rules-on and that seems to fit the bill. 

 

[J_D]

The problem you get with Henchman Hardcore is it's basically 'kill your opponent to win', instead of focussing on claiming objectives 

[decker_cky]

Yeah, I usually pick one strategy and one scheme to force the new player to consider that there's more to the game than killing. But the crews essentially look not much different than henchmen hardcore. 

[Nical]

I said I and My friend's Plan (But I take lead) is Teaching Basics of Malifaux to Newbies in very short time. 

But It means if we have enough time, we may play just less-points games. Because We know HH is not 'real' Malifaux likes you.  

I think your ideas about Picking Strategy and 1 Scheme for HH, 20SS full games are good ideas for teaching Basic, too. 

So I need to think something more for my teaching program plan by recommending your ideas.

And In my experiences and opinions....  

 

Strategy / Schemes are sometimes complicated for newbies. so experienced player needs to guide them. 

For Example, Frame for Murder is always very useful scheme against greenhorns. Because they mostly kill everything in front of them.   

 

Model Combination is complicated, too. HH format is not balanced, so experienced player must think about his/her Crew and guide Newbies. 

So I think about Lock-in Crews (At least, models) for both sides. It will be helped to solve HH's Balance Problems.

 

Now We are designing Crews as Combination of 1 Henchman, 1 Enforcer, 2 Minions for our teaching program. 

[wana10]

As a new player I like the idea of having fixed schemes for the first few learning games but while I've played, and enjoyed, hardcore it is a totally different beast from the regular games I've played. Why not look at 20-25 henchmen led with line in the sand and assassinate and then swap back and forth between reconnoiter and reckoning(only require one death a turn because of low model counts at this stone level). gets players thinking about scheme markers, killing, placement, and when to prioritize between the three.

[Dorrinbran]

If you havent read it yet I would sugest reading Wryd Chronicles 13 "Bringing Others thought the Breach by Michael Kelmelis" on pg 11

[laalratty]

As someone who never played any miniatures before my husband gave me my first game two weeks ago with a variation of Henchman Hardcore that he made up himself, I think this is a great idea. If he'd tried to give me a 'proper' game of Malifaux it would have been too much to take in and I would have given up very quickly. As it was, I found it fairly simple to pick up and asked for a second game. This happened last week, added in a couple of schemes and a couple of extra models, so not too much for me to take in again and ended up still enjoying it. We're upping the ante again this week by bringing in upgrades (and I think that summoning may be allowed as well). 

 

I'd say that it's not that important to deliver a full Malifaux experience the first couple of games, the main thing is to teach at the student's level. If you're doing a web series, you can advise more seasoned players that they may want to skip ahead whilst advising complete beginners to start at the beginning.