Coming back with a "plan" *cross post*

[farmoar]

Hello fellow Wyrdos!

I am coming back to the game after a hiatus midway through 2E. Between a close friend talking me back in, and a better gaming group locally, I am back to avoiding the Black Joker.

Back with one major caveat this time; a self-imposed limitation for buying models. Last time I played, I had a very Pokemon-esque "gotta buy 'em all" mentality, which led to several still NIB models that were never built, let alone painted or put on a table.

I would like to avoid that this time, and have decided to limit myself to only models that I can fit into my standard Malifaux Battlefoam bag (https://us.battlefoam.com/malifaux-bag-standard-load-out/, or 62 pre-cut slots and a pluck foam tray for larger models). From some preliminary perusing of the forums and podcasts, I believe I can get 6 Masters/playstyles over 3 Factions (Outcasts, Resurrectionists and Ten Thunders). This is a combination of what was available to me nearby, what looked fun to play and what caught my eye.

I don't imagine that this limitation will be competitive in any real sense of the word. But it should be good enough to play locally and perhaps in a tournament in a larger city. I just want to know if there is something that I am drastically missing.

Here is what I am looking to get so far, and some explanation where possible:

OUTCASTS

Crazy Cat Lady - couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab the old crazy cat lady when I found someone in the area had it for sale.

Catelin Abernathy (Nightmare Hamelin)

Almost full cat models (missing 4 Alley Cats, and will make a second Cat Princess)

Benny Wolcomb

Ashes and Dust - Still unsure about the Ashes and Dust. Seems like a good scheme runner for the list, that can also act as a scheme runner hunter, and hard to take out beater. This is the most flexible spot, but not sure what to replace it with. Also wary of using 3 spots for 1 ”model”

Prospector

Freikorps Librarian

 

Super Soldier/Anti Obey – this was from some theoryfaux and forum discussion about pushing the hired master rule to the limit. I can also see a story where Parker and Zipp hire on the Viks and Von Schill to act as a distraction, while they secure the real prize. This also helps balance out the storage restrictions, as the list is only 5 models.

Viks (Easter Bunny alts)

Captain Zipp

Parker Barrows

Von Schill -  the only one I am unsure about is Von Schill. I am happy with the other 4 masters, and felt Von Schill covered the most holes, with different equipment he can give himself. Open to suggestions on whether one of the other masters would be a better fit than him.

 

RESURRECTIONISTS

Molly’s Pirate Crew – love the idea of a pirate-themed crew, and the models look great

Full Brine and Bones Box

New Brine and Bones themed Rogue Necromancy

Archie (when available, WarmaHordes Swamp Horror until then)

3 Crooligans – are all 3 necessary?

The Forgotten Marshal

Night Terrors – still not sold if they are needed, or maybe just 1 for the occasional summon?

 

All Elite Seamus – Always wanted to play him in 2E, but didn’t like the look of the rest of his crew.

Alt Seamus

Little Lass as the Copycat Killer

Alt Sybelle

Carrion Emissary

Mindless Zombies

Bete Noire – not sure if she is worth a spot in the bag

1 or 2 Dead Doxy – how often do you field both?

1 Gravedigger – pulse out focus, but is it too cute?

Vincent St Clair – anti-summon tech for both lists

 

TEN THUNDERS

Honeypot and their Hired Muscle

Jakob Lynch

Hungering Darkness

2 Beckoners

1 Depleted – in case of summon?

Gwyneth Maddox

3 Illuminated – I can see fielding 1, maybe 2. 3 seems like a stretch.

Kitty Dumont

Alt Mr. Tannen

Alt Mr. Graves

2 Samurai

The Lone Swordsman

1 Kabuki Warrior

Shadow Emissary

Yasunori

 

Yan’s Fam – bonus points for being able to drop in as a sometimes-Resurrectionist (and having some models that work well with Molly and Seamus)

Yan Lo

Chiaki

Soul Porter

3 Gokudo – again, can see fielding 1, maybe 2. The third one seems like a stretch.

Sun Quiang

Manos

Shenlong – seems like a good candidate for a reliquary on turn 1

Yin

Izamu

 

There we go, my “base” set of models. Is there anything that I am missing? Constructive criticism would be great. Depending on how it goes, I know that I would like to add Minako and her summons (whenever that box is released…). Space permitted, there may even be a way to sneak in a Shenlong list as well (more elite, like some of the recent lists from UK Nationals).

If you are still reading, thanks. Sorry for the slog. 

[Cursed25]

In TT you want at least 1 Tanuki! this little critter is the perfect support model! condition removal, focus and healing in one cheap package!

 

For Honeypot you want all the minions at max because you can summon them! and since dep,eted are the easiest to summon you want 3 lf them!

 

also with the Emissaey you will get the effigy in the new box for the possible replace with effigy of fate! can be worth to do it in lots of situation and saves you 4ss! Also remember the mission can be really strong on the effigy!

 

1 low river monk is also nice for a cheaper healer than Sun Quiang

 

for Yan in ressers Toshiro and a gravedigger is a really strong combo!

 

hope it helps!

[farmoar]

3 hours ago, Cursed25 said:

For Honeypot you want all the minions at max because you can summon them! and since dep,eted are the easiest to summon you want 3 lf them!

I have seen this before in the posts, and am still confused. Maybe I have missed a summoner in the crew, or am grossly playing Lynch wrong. How many models are you guys killing with Lynch, WHILE they have 4 or less Brilliance tokens (the only time I would summon in Depleted, and can't see a reason to hire them)? I would try to either get it to 5 or 7 before trying the Brilliance Bomb on them.

 

3 hours ago, Cursed25 said:

also with the Emissaey you will get the effigy in the new box for the possible replace with effigy of fate! can be worth to do it in lots of situation and saves you 4ss! Also remember the mission can be really strong on the effigy!

The Emissary is there to be a fast min-3 beater, and to help dump my hand if it is full of low cards. I was contemplating the Effigy upgrade, but I think it is more important to have the Emissary earlier than turn 3. Also, still plenty of options to find the 2e box

 

4 hours ago, Cursed25 said:

1 low river monk is also nice for a cheaper healer than Sun Quiang

If I end up squeezing a Shenlong list into the bag, there will be 1 Low River Monk. Su Quiang offers much more protection for Yan Lo with his Bedside Manner. Not an always take, but there in case I don't think Yan will be safe

 

Thanks for the input!

[Cursed25]

8 hours ago, farmoar said:

I have seen this before in the posts, and am still confused. Maybe I have missed a summoner in the crew, or am grossly playing Lynch wrong. How many models are you guys killing with Lynch, WHILE they have 4 or less Brilliance tokens (the only time I would summon in Depleted, and can't see a reason to hire them)? I would try to either get it to 5 or 7 before trying the Brilliance Bomb on them.

You don't always have the time or AP to boost a model to 7 brilliance before having to kill him! You also don't want to give them more AP by letting them live one more turn to maybe summon an Illuminated.

 

I often hire 2 beckoners at the start of the game so my only summoning option until a beckoner dies is depleted and Illuminated! Depleted are really easy to summon because of all our wonderfull aura and abilities! A model cheating twice near Lynch/Beckoner/Tannen combo will get 4 dmg and 2 Brilliance! So most scheme runners are almost dead and it's really easy to add another Brilliance with A friendly handshake attack from Lynch or Tannen's Despicable promises! After that you can kill the small models and get an excellent tank and Brilliance giver!

 

Summoned Depleted are your best way to summon more models in later turns! They are easy to summon turn 2-3! Most opponent won't try to kill them because of their demise and tankyness! So you have a model that can be faster than it looks with Drawn to Brilliance and spreads Brilliance to everyone around him until he loose all of his own Brilliance. But since he will be close to Lynch after the Succomb to Darkness it's easy to keep your Depleted stacked with Brilliance with Inner Glow trigger from This Round on Me and let him live for all game. Also Depleted are really good for controlling movement because when they get in base to base with an enemy, their 0'' engagement range really limit where the enemy can go with a walk action so this will often force opponent to do a disengage action which they are on a negative for!

 

I f you manage to send your depleted in a clump of enemy (2-3 models) you will spread so much Brilliance it will be really easy to summon more stuff in turn 3 to 5!  Also having a multitude of models with lots of Brilliance will make Lynch really scary in later turns because he can now nuke models for a really high amount of dmg and you even get another model after that if you kill said model!

 

ps: never hire a Depleted! Always summon them! they are way better with the Darkened upgrade because of the Brilliance spread!

[farmoar]

4 hours ago, Cursed25 said:

You don't always have the time or AP to boost a model to 7 brilliance before having to kill him! You also don't want to give them more AP by letting them live one more turn to maybe summon an Illuminated.

 

I often hire 2 beckoners at the start of the game so my only summoning option until a beckoner dies is depleted and Illuminated! Depleted are really easy to summon because of all our wonderfull aura and abilities! A model cheating twice near Lynch/Beckoner/Tannen combo will get 4 dmg and 2 Brilliance! So most scheme runners are almost dead and it's really easy to add another Brilliance with A friendly handshake attack from Lynch or Tannen's Despicable promises! After that you can kill the small models and get an excellent tank and Brilliance giver!

 

Summoned Depleted are your best way to summon more models in later turns! They are easy to summon turn 2-3! Most opponent won't try to kill them because of their demise and tankyness! So you have a model that can be faster than it looks with Drawn to Brilliance and spreads Brilliance to everyone around him until he loose all of his own Brilliance. But since he will be close to Lynch after the Succomb to Darkness it's easy to keep your Depleted stacked with Brilliance with Inner Glow trigger from This Round on Me and let him live for all game. Also Depleted are really good for controlling movement because when they get in base to base with an enemy, their 0'' engagement range really limit where the enemy can go with a walk action so this will often force opponent to do a disengage action which they are on a negative for!

 

I f you manage to send your depleted in a clump of enemy (2-3 models) you will spread so much Brilliance it will be really easy to summon more stuff in turn 3 to 5!  Also having a multitude of models with lots of Brilliance will make Lynch really scary in later turns because he can now nuke models for a really high amount of dmg and you even get another model after that if you kill said model!

 

ps: never hire a Depleted! Always summon them! they are way better with the Darkened upgrade because of the Brilliance spread!

Really appreciate the input. I haven't seen much chatter about the Depleted, and just brushed them off as a last-ditch summoned model. I can see where having 1 or 2 could come in handy.

Maybe it is just me, but I tend to either have opponents who come after the Beckoners hard, or will leave one out as bait to make them over-commit. Usually 1 is off the table and ready to be re-summoned by late Turn 2, early Turn 3.

I am still not sold on 3 of them (and more importantly, 3 slots in the bag), but I can see 1 or maybe 2 making the cut.

Thanks!

[Cursed25]

10 minutes ago, farmoar said:

Maybe it is just me, but I tend to either have opponents who come after the Beckoners hard, or will leave one out as bait to make them over-commit. Usually 1 is off the table and ready to be re-summoned by late Turn 2, early Turn 3.

Me I kind of want my opponent attacking the beckoners! this is why I often give one of them the silent protector upgrade so they get a little tankier and this helps a lot to protect my really important models (Tannen and Lynch are the one you really want to keep safe) Also Silent protector gives them a nice bonus action to try when you don't need their anti-interact aura! Challenge can be really frustrating if you manage to give it to a beater engage with another models before they activate!

 

Honeypot is at it's strongest when you put pressure non-stop to your opponent! This way they do more errors and have a hard time doing what they want to do!  

[farmoar]

29 minutes ago, Cursed25 said:

Honeypot is at it's strongest when you put pressure non-stop to your opponent! This way they do more errors and have a hard time doing what they want to do!

Glad to hear I assessed correctly on this one. I wanted a more control focused crew, and Honeypot seems to fit that bill, with the overlapping penalties they hand out.