Is Desolation Engine Bad?

[Cedar]

Hello all,

I'm a new member of this forum and to the Malifaux in general(I've only played about 10 games, all with Leveticus). I really like desolation engine, with his healing on hits and damaging pulses, but it feels a bit underwhelming compared to other high SS Enforcers, like Killjoy, Langston, Teddy or Peacekeeper. Even Strongarm Suit or Jorogumo have- in my opinion- more power than DE. I know that this model is a bit like piniata, with dropping Abominations when he dies, the melee expert grants him many attacks plus his pulses are very nice. Yet, Engine has no almost no resilience- his Def is pathetic, HtW helps just a bit and no armor is a huge drawback since many high soulstones models have also very high minimal damage plus most of them can perform more than 2 attacks per activation- usually with flurry or melee expert, sometimes with their (0) actions. So I've a question to more experienced players- is Desolation Engine bad as a model and it's better to take something different, like Suit, Killjoy or in case of Levi- other powerful models? 

[SuperFly TNT]

Deso Engine is generally not a model you would hire to start the game. Much better if you can get him formed with Abominations you've summoned through Leveticus or Rusty Alyce.

[FleaBag]

Desi works very well with Leveticus' crew, due to the shear number of abominations you can put into play, coupled with the Lost Focus ability, he a has enormous potential to reform,especially if you take the time to summon abominations with Levi, Rusty Alice, and other abominations. Also, due to him "forming" he literally cost 0 soul stones if you go that route. Pretty much use him as wrecking ball, back him up with some summoned aboms, when/if he dies, do it all over again.

[psychogeek]

I think you should hear some of @Mason's success stories. He has hired the Deso Engine before with Hamlin to great success. It is actually a good model, if only a tad bit pricey. If you run the thematic crew then yeah you probably wouldn't hire him due to being able to summon him.

[Mason]

 

I think you should hear some of @Mason's success stories. He has hired the Deso Engine before with Hamlin to great success. It is actually a good model, if only a tad bit pricey. If you run the thematic crew then yeah you probably wouldn't hire him due to being able to summon him.

He's pretty good with Hamelin! You can have Hamelin use Obey to shuffle him around, and then have the Deso Engine charge right on into combat, which usually results in a few Abominations falling out of whatever he kills. Plus, he can eat other models to heal himself back up, which means that Hamelin can just feed him mobile rat sammiches all game long to top him off.

It was extra fun with Reconnoiter, as the two models that he drops when he dies can often catch people off guard and mess up their "do I control this table quarter?" math.

[Adran]

He hits hard, and has a built in trigger to heal the amount of damage he does on his attack. 

He is very easy to hit and hurt, but if he has a chance to activate he will easily heal up to full or close to it. 

I take him when I have tricks to take advantage of him. So if I think I can out activate my oppoennt then using Alyce to reactiavte the desolation engine results in many dead things and a normally healthy engine atthe enmd of it despite being brought down to 1 wound. 

 

 

[Mason]

 

He hits hard, and has a built in trigger to heal the amount of damage he does on his attack. 

He is very easy to hit and hurt, but if he has a chance to activate he will easily heal up to full or close to it. 

I take him when I have tricks to take advantage of him. So if I think I can out activate my oppoennt then using Alyce to reactiavte the desolation engine results in many dead things and a normally healthy engine atthe enmd of it despite being brought down to 1 wound. 

 

Vanessa is another good choice, as she can use her Command Construct to make the Deso Engine swing (and most likely, heal from its trigger) outside of its activation. Or to just help move it up the table faster.

[Nukemouse]

I think the pullmyfinger site says something like "think of it as a 5 cost with two 4 costs hidden inside!". I really like it because Outcasts have a lot of obeys and construct stuff, like Vanessa, Hamelin, Ama no Zako, Rusty Alyce, all the stuff Iron Levi can steal etc etc.

[Cedar]

Thanks everyone for replies, now I should probably include Vanessa as regular when running Engine(or take him with Hamelin or Jack Daw). She has nice attacks, draw triggers, intuition, and can act as an anchor for Levi. 

 

Vanessa is another good choice, as she can use her Command Construct to make the Deso Engine swing (and most likely, heal from its trigger) outside of its activation. Or to just help move it up the table faster.

Unfortunately action granted by Command Construct can't declare triggers. 

I have another question- which upgrade should I take? I usually ran Oathkeeper for 16" threat range, since scramble costs 1 SS more. Now I'm thinking about taking The bigger they are... since DE has nice movement on it's own.

[daniello_s]

 

Deso Engine is generally not a model you would hire to start the game. Much better if you can get him formed with Abominations you've summoned through Leveticus or Rusty Alyce.

Well, good luck with that

I like to run Desolation Engine with Jack Daw as he loves free push at the start of his activation and also can swing something with Jack's Twist and Turn (once Tormented). Also Jack can copy his nice attack although sadly he can't declare triggers. But still damage spread of 3/4/6 is still nice think to have.

I used him with Hamelin and he was quite OK although I would rather invest extra 3SS and get Taelor/Strongarm + Johana instead especially when Hamelin would carry I Pay Better as well.

[Mason]

 

Unfortunately action granted by Command Construct can't declare triggers.

Too true!

I was thinking of Hamelin's Obey.

[Axelst]

When used with Levi it can sometimes be sometimes be worth the AP to make Levi shoot the DE so it gets a free attack from Unmakings build-in trigger. If the attacks wounds, the DE will even be able to heal back the damage.

[Cedar]

 

When used with Levi it can sometimes be sometimes be worth the AP to make Levi shoot the DE so it gets a free attack from Unmakings build-in trigger. If the attacks wounds, the DE will even be able to heal back the damage.

True, but you should remember about shooting into engagement randomization.

I think that DE might be useful with Parker with his (0) attack- obey and I told you to duck! to shoot everything within massive 3" Engine Melee range.

[Axelst]

You only randomize when the engaged models are within 2'', so the DE with it's 3" melee range can be far enough away to avoid randomization.