Noob Alert - Hello

[Speedguyjp]

Good morning!

A friend of mine gave me a demo game of Malifaux a few weeks ago and I got bit hard. He gave me a couple pointers on list construction but just based on fluff and model coolness factor I picked up the Seamus and Reva box sets and a couple versatile models. I've been perusing other posts and there is a lot of good tactics, etc. on this forum. But, like anything else until I start playing the game a lot of the verbiage doesn't stick yet. 

Any good advice for general noob/starter as far as how to approach this game? 

Not a complete tabletop rookie...I played a lot of old warhammer fantasy in the day and am used to just point and click try and kill everything. This game seems a fair bit more nuanced. 

 

 

[Adran]

My general advice is "victory points win games". Don't get distracted by killing, it can be useful but it won't win games on its own.

For learning my advice is learn your own models and crews. Don't always worry about how someone else tells you something should be used, if you find it works for you in one way, then that's good. But peoples play styles make such a big difference to a models use, that you can easily get completly different views on how to use something, and both can be right.

When you start, you may well find it easiest to use a fairly fixed crew, with multiples of the same models. This helps reduce the mental overload, and also lets you see how a model does in a wide range of circmstances, which will help knowing what things are and aren't good at later. (Later I like selecteing a fresh crew every game, others try to fine tune a list to cover all eventualities, both can work.)

As you start understanding the game, and your crew, you will want to start understanding the opponents crews. This is probably the hardest part, and until you have a really good understanding of the game, its hard to realise quite how somethings can change games until you face them. If you have a few reagular opponents who use the same crews, you'll probably soon get used to their crews and game styles so you can start to plan against them. Just remember that the way they play a master is not the only way to play them, and there are probably plenty of other tricks out there. (For example I know a lot of people focus their game plans on their master, and go all out to protect the master at all costs. I'm happy to send them into the enemy crew if I think they will cause enough delay and confusion that I will get enough points to win at the end. )

Good luck, have fun,

 

[Thatguy]

I really recommend Wyrd's Malifaux crewbulderApp. Or let's you easily build crews, examine up cards and look up rules. 

My other advice is to just play some games. You'll  mess things up, play and rules wise, but I'm my experience is easiest to learn through play them by memorization. It'll also help you contextualize the advice people here might give you.

[thatlatinspeakingguy]

Have you been told by your friends that Reva received a solid buff in the recent errata? if not, check her new card at wyrd-games.net or in crewbuilder app.

From the two masters you've picked up Seamus is both stronger and easier to pilot, as he has a simple basic action pattern (teleport in - concentrate - shot - teleport out) and can work independently from the rest of the crew, while Reva relies on synergies. Focusing on him during the learning period is probably a good idea, since playing him can feel very rewarding. Just don't forget to Concentrate before each shot

 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Some great advice here:

The key thing to remember is that you always want to be asking yourself how you are scoring points and denying points this turn.

Often that involves killing, but don't mindlessly go after kills. For example, last game I had Claim Jump. So I aggressively smashed everything near the centre, so then I could score claim jump. The killing served a darker purpose.

[Ogid]

 Welcome to Malifaux! 

There are a few posts with general advices for begginers, the above plus these could be a nice starting point:

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/148128-an-introduction-series-for-new-players/

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/147751-how-do-the-schemes-and-strategies-affect-your-crew-building/

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/147222-does-malifaux-have-a-pay-to-win-problem/

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/148177-best-choices-for-each-deployment-type/

 

I don't know much about Reva, but for Seamus you'll want to get the Emissary ASAP; Exumation gives him both a teleport point on demand and a corpse to remove and get a second shot each turn. Also some additional way to give him Focused would be good; concentrating with the Master is something you'll do, but if you can give him a head start your game will be much easier. Apart from that Seamus doesn't rely on its keyword much, so you have some freedom to pick your crew; the eternal servitude box has strong and popular out of keyword picks for example.

[Speedguyjp]

Thanks everyone!

[thewrathchilde]

check out the pinned post in this forum as well. It contains links to some good threads and to some podcasts that include episodes on Gaining Grounds, general play, and a somewhat questionable but maybe entertaining episode on Seamus.