Malifaux Review

[quotemyname]

Hello everyone,

I realize that I'm new to the forums here, and also relatively new to the game (Been playing about a month now).

But all the same, I've drawn up a review of Malifaux on my blog. I thought you all might be interested. You can view it here.

Questions and comments are encouraged!

Have a nice day!

[Jadin]

I think you were too biased towards the Neverborn.

I agree with you on measuring. I think Warhammer Fantasy has offered some universal ideas about allowing everything to be premeasured. In my experience, I'd rather lose games to sound tactics, not because I was a half an inch too short.

The FAQ and Errata doesn't bother me, it cleared most of the issues up, and most new games have playtesters who can't possibly dream up every possible scenario that the masses can.

Welcome to the game. I understand your frustration with the larger games and time investment, but the miniature market has recently exploded with small scale skirmish games, and this is just one of many that I play(Helldorado,Infinity,Mordheim,Uncharted Seas). GW gets way to expensive to start any more.

You also have to understand that not everyone is a gamer like myself and it sounds like you lean more towards gamer than hobbyist. There are a lot of painters out there who also do not play games but purchase miniatures to paint. Painting is secondary to me, and I am feeling how secondary it is right now, as I have slaved over the painting table over the last 5 months getting my 10k+ points Dark Elf army complete for Warhammer Fantasy. Boy, would I love to just paint up a Malifaux starter real quick. It would not take me more than a month to paint to a table top standard.

Later,

Seamus from Vermont

[quotemyname]

Thanks for your input!

I agree that I am definitely biased towards the Neverborn. As of yet, it's all I play. I own the Victorias, but they are very secondary for me. I bought them so my friends would have something to play, essentially.

And yes, I am a gamer. As of right now, I only have the smallest of intentions to actually paint my minis. I would rather buy more minis instead of paint and thus give myself more options when hiring lists, etc. If you read the earlier post on my blog about how I don't usually like miniatures games, this may make more sense.

It's exactly the type of 10 month process of painting that I don't want to get into. The fact that you don't have to paint these minis for competition is worth huge points in my book.

But, in summary, that review is really the best I can do at the moment. But it's my general impression after about a month of it, and I think it would serve the "new player" well in deciding whether or not to play.

Thanks again!

[Endgame]

For the painting aspect, if you decide you'd like to get some color on your minis, I'd recommend the Army painter system. Spray paint with a colored primer (like leather brown), base coat your remaining colors (like skin and metal weapons), and dip in the quick shade dip. I can easily knock out 10 minis in an hour that look quite decent.

[paradox]

Nice review. I'd like to point something out:

Malifaux also breaks the trend of normal miniature/skirmish games by changing what it means to win. In other games, you win by eradicating the enemy, or killing their leader, or some other arbitrary goal that involves a lot of fighting. In Malifaux it is possible to win a match without actually attacking your opponent. It's not about killing the other person's models (though that does help), it's about accomplishing your strategy and schemes. This is why Malifaux is a story driven skirmish game. You win by completing the story, not by killing your opponent. This is my favorite part about Malifaux! It is such a revolutionary idea to me that I immediately fell in love with it. To my knowledge, none of the other mainstream miniatures games employs this. Fun and original! Wyrd Miniatures gets a tip of my hat for that.

I very much agree. The card mechanic is flashy and "new" to many minis games, and may be something that draws people in intially (as I have said before). But the Strategy/Schemes (which are now MUCH more fleshed out in the expansion) are, IMO, the best part of the game. In many games of Malifaux, I still see (and myself do) people playing straight up kill-games. I really want to see the strategies and schemes worked ever more into the game. I think it really is the true genius of the system and the reason to stick around after the fun of playing cards wears off.

In a way, you could say that people who play bash em up games without using S and S are missing the point and "don't know how to play.

As for errata, seems a necesasary evil. I'd love a reprint with updated rules. I'd buy it.

[nilus]

It's exactly the type of 10 month process of painting that I don't want to get into. The fact that you don't have to paint these minis for competition is worth huge points in my book.

Just a quick note. There have not been official Malifaux tournament rules published but most likely there will be a painting requirement for official tournaments(Like there was at Gencon this year). Local Tourneys will always have there own rules but for the big official tourneys you will most likely need to put some paint on your metal.

That being said at least its a Skirmish game so you are only painting 10 or so models instead of 50+ like in an army style game.

[Poko]

There's always the option to pay someone to paint them for you. I'm sure even in the local shop there'd be someone willing to paint them to a decent (if basic) standard for the equivalent of a blister or two.

[Xango]

yeah, yeah, the errata, keep an open mind and jump that obstacle, besides that, all other aspect of this game is just great, card idea awesome, i have been a long time miniature player, here i go, wh40k, wh fantasy, wm, hordes, hybrid, firestorm armada, mage knight dungeons, mordheim, blood bowl, rezolution, space hulk, at-43, confrontation, hell dorado, and more. IMO the best systems right now, malifaux and infinity with their ARO`s, next i would probably say okko, only for the elemental dice that add strategy and fun to an ok game, the rest for me are in weird steps, i can not stand another game of any GW game (except blood bowl) the PP players have become agresive and intolerant, "play as it you have a pair"!!!!!! they yell now, i have always enjoyed magic tg and malifaux is like that but with minis, supported by great stories and background, again, a great, great game.

[quotemyname]

Thanks again for all the input you've given.

It saddens me to hear that major tournaments will have a painting requirement. In my mind, all that really does is turn off casual players. Because if you have the minis, what does it matter what color they are? What if I like metal colored things? What if I want to run "Team Gunmetal Grey"?

Thanks goes to Endgame for the painting tips. I'll have to look into this, "quick shade dip".

[nilus]

What if I like metal colored things? What if I want to run "Team Gunmetal Grey"?

Base coat black

Coat with a dark grey

Dry brush with a highlight grey color.

Paint a red stripe somewhere on every model(or any other color)

5 Minutes a model and you qualify for a 3 color paint requirement. People will mock you for it but you will qualify.

The reason for the painting requirement is that Wyrd wants to encourage all branches of the hobby.

the dip option mentioned above can work as well.

[pigi314159]

It saddens me to hear that major tournaments will have a painting requirement. In my mind, all that really does is turn off casual players.

As a casual player, I find it amusing that you think I will go play in a tournament. New people scare me, that's why I have friends .

[Poko]

It saddens me to hear that major tournaments will have a painting requirement. In my mind, all that really does is turn off casual players.

In my (limited) experience, it's actually a great detterent against WAAC people who don't give a fig about the models, background and all and just feel manly trampling people into dust in a game of toy soldiers. The rule is PAINTED model, not PAINTED well

[aka_hazard]

I'm a new Malifaux player, so new I'm still waiting on my first figures to be delivered, but I have been playing Flames of War for a while.

To me FoW and Malifaux have one major element in common, which also happens to be one of the biggest draws for me, and that is the 'look' or visuals of the game.

Because of this I would expect unpainted minis in friendly games, especially when it is a new crew/figure, but not in a tournament.

This is not to exclude anyone because, as the other posters have already detailed, there are many options and 3 colours is not really a massive burden especially on the few miniatures Malifaux requires.

Normally players attending a tournament have to spend time and money on travel, food, accommodation and entry fees in addition to building their crew. To me not having a painted crew just seems discourteous.

A well laid out table with painted miniatures also looks a lot more appealing to potential new players than bare metal.

I would never decline a game because the other player hadn't painted their miniatures but at the same time I would personally never field an unpainted crew/army.

[quotemyname]

Not that I don't enjoy discussing all elements of this game, but I'm going to have to put a stop to the discussion about painting requirements here. This is only to make sure the thread stays on the topic it is supposed to: The Review.

If you want to discuss purposes and/or opinions of/about painting miniatures, you can always PM me, and even link me to a new thread about it. But I feel like it's a minor part of the game that I've done a review on, and I'd rather it not entirely hijack this thread.

Again, any comments or questions about the review are always welcome.

-Q