Malifaux Tactics

[FacelessMage]

I got my first game in yesterday afternoon. I got stomped. Heh.

We played a 25 ss game.

I was playing victorias. My crew looked like this:

Gun Victoria

Sword Victoria

Taylor

Hans

Ronin

I played against the box set of Ortegas.

I had to Kill Perdita and he had to grab a loot counter.

We were playing on the new Victorian/Oldwest Terrain I built for the store. (I will post pictures of it when I get it painted.)

Not too complicated

I droped Hans on the top of a building and split my forces, Ronin and Sword-toria and Taylor and Gun-toria. Going for a flanking maneuver.

My buddy kept his crew pretty close together.

The action happened like this:

Hans got a couple of inneffectual shots off on Perdi while the 2 groups tried to move into range. Then all hell broke loose for the Vics; Perdi Shot the heck out of Sword-toria who switched places with Gun-Toria (because after the shooting she was at 1 wound), Gun-toria and the ronin unleash a barrage of shots at Perdi, who had gun singer activated, and barely clipped her and in turn took several wounds. Taylor tried to move closer to Perdi.

While this was going on the rest of the ortegas moved up a bit and being family activated like crazy Shot pretty well at anyone they pleased handing out several wounds.

Sword-toria made a brave charge agains papa loco killing him and in return got blown up, really good. With a cry of anguish Gun-toria ripped the still beating heart out of the Ronin and added a crushed soul stone to it in order to summon her sister back from the nether realms. She failed. And instead she just ended up with a sticky mess on her hands and a dead ronin on the ground next to her. Taylor managed to finally get just close enough to not be able to charge.

The ortegas Shot Hans to death, Shot Gun-toria, to death. Grabbed the pile of treasure, as well as shot the snot out of taylor.

We shook hands at that point and called it a game.

Stuf I learned:

Shoot Papa Loco. Don't hit him with your sword.

Keep the Vics closer to each other? maby?

Shuffle my fate deck better.

Cards hate me almost as much as dice.

Ok seeing what i wrote here and knowing the game much better than I do. What would you reccomend i do differently?

Keep the group closer to gether in 1 mob? Don't take a certian model? Don't get shot as much? Quit playing and just play Magic?

Any tactics adivce would be appreciated.

Thanks

[pigi314159]

Hard to say just by reading your report...but...

Use terrain to your advantage. If you're in a town you should have plenty of buildings to hide in/around. That will negate the range advantage significantly.

Keeping the Vikkies closer together let's you activate them both simultaneously. This means if you lead with Gun vikkie (get her into melee...as strange as that sounds) melee attack (or buff spell), melee attack (or buff spell), swap out Sword Vikkie goes melee happy. Potential of 5 attacks before your opponent responds.

Otherwise, anytime you're going with against a shooty army, you have to negate their range advantage somehow. Depending on your opponent's strategy he will have to commit troops forward, and then is when you pounce.

[gunpowder saint]

I had the same problem, but I was playing Sonnia, my army was just too slow. The only way I felt safe is when all those shooty people activated. At that point I had freedom of movement out of my shelter. But I agree when going against the Ortega's use Terrain to your advantage it's a damn near must! Hide in, around, underneath, besides, behind anything anywhere that might shield you from a bullet is more then helpful.

Also! if you take Hans make sure you have something that gives you cover and that allows you to shoot from without penalties, a barrier works perfect for this a pile of sand bags, I go an extra step and I put a broken down two story building and just hop on the second floor with a (1) action and just hail bullets from the window like a real sniper lol

[FacelessMage]

Great advice so far guys, thanks.

[Slinkdawg]

Once in a while, I have found that it can be helpful to run the vikis further apart. Losing companion is a pain, but it does let them swap places and keep at least one of them safe.

Also, another note on the viks, make sure you bring some soulstones with them. They can be glass cannonish, but soulstones will help them avoid getting hit or to kill nearby threats.

[Headcase2]

Where to start...

First off, if you want to summon a new Vicky you better make sure you have the card in hand to cheat the casting, and if at all possible, try to know where the black joker is (either in your hand or in your discard pile).

Secondly, as mentioned by others, use cover! The on ranged attacks doesn't just reduce the odds of getting hit, but without a focused strike (or paired weapons) your opponent won't be able to cheat. If you can get an extra point of armour as well then that's just a bonus. Also, don't forget that Hans has Bulletproof 2 already, which should allow him to survive some fire from the Ortegas.

It's hard to play the Victorias efficiently. Charge in headlong and you'll find out those 7 wounds run out in a hurry. Keep some stones handy to improve your defense flips (often better than damage prevention) and select your targets carefully. One of my favourite tricks is to get bountyhunter Vicky in close combat (lure your opponent to your very tempting squishy target, then cheat up your defense), cast (1) Sisters in Battle (Fury option), make a melee expert attack and then switch out for swordmistress Vicky, who now has a damage progression of 5/6/8 on her paired weapons and three strikes. Most things die from 1 or 2 strikes though, the third action can then be used to get back into cover. Savvy opponents often won't fall for this, but I've pulled it off twice on the last tournament I played in.

Final piece of advice: try and upgrade your games to 35 ss. The Victorias play well with a whole lot of expensive models, and at 25 ss you just can't field them. You'll always be confronted with a low model count, but it just hurts more if you can't use the inherent synergy or can't properly support your expensive models. The built-in cache of 0 just adds insult to injury.

All this being said, the Victorias are my favourite master. With a little practise you should be able to have fair chance of beating anything with them, with only minor tweaks to your set-up.

[tadaka]

Some thing I noticed and perhaps im doing it wrong. If you don't cast the another one spell you don't burn any soul stones or the ronin. Both costs are listed as effects in the spell. Have I been doing it wrong or did he waist the soul stones and Ronin?

If your not holding a 13/red don't bother trying to cast. There is only around a 10% chance of getting the card you need on the draw for this spell.

[FacelessMage]

wow, That is useful. Especially with the swap and attack. I also didn't realise my Vics got 3 attacks. or is it because swapping spots activates the one who teleports in?

I think the crew i had left me with 3 or 4 soul stones, i am not sure which. I don't think i used a single 1 in the skirmish. But as I said before it was my first game. And rereading the rules after playing once made lots of things make more sense.

the reason we are playing at 25 SS ie because that was litteraly the first Malifaux game ever played at the game store. It opened about a week ago and probably 10+ players bought crews in that time. To the point in which we will start "how to play" events on monday. So we are starting small and expanding from there.

Tadaka if i am wrong that would be great. It sucks murdering a model for nothing.

Edited August 15, 2010 by FacelessMage
forgot 1 thing

[JMGraham]

I wonder if focusing all of your initial attention of Perdita was a problem, as well. Perdita has a high defense and ability to use soulstones to add to her defense and to heal. As such, any shots that you make at her early on would likely be wasted (while the same wouldn't be true of the Ortega's early shots). Perhaps focus on taking out some of the other, lower Df, non SS-using Ortegas, so that Perdita's ability to companion a whole world of hurt on you is lessened. Only once you've gotten some of those high rate of fire models (the Ortega sniper and dual pistol guy) gone should you work on closing and engaging. Also, use cover and intervening terrain to your advantage.

The Ortegas can be brutal in their ability to focus on a single threat and wipe it out before you have a chance to respond. As such, a low-model crew like yours might be at a disadvantage. Build-wise, I'd suggest dropping some of the higher cost models (Hans, I'm looking at you!) and replace them with some desperate mercenaries and a Freikorps trapper (from the new book). That way you have more flexibility in your activations (desperate merc would make great sacrifices to Papa Loco, as well).

Jim

[Headcase2]

...I also didn't realise my Vics got 3 attacks...

The Victorias are melee experts, as are ronin and Taelor. This means they get an extra melee strike action each turn.

Teleporting in does not activate the other Victoria, so if you want to get her to activate immediately you have to use companion, and for that the Vickies would have to start within 6" of each other.

Some thing I noticed and perhaps im doing it wrong. If you don't cast the another one spell you don't burn any soul stones or the ronin. Both costs are listed as effects in the spell. Have I been doing it wrong or did he waist the soul stones and Ronin?

No, as far as I know you don't waste anything if you try to cast the spell.

[gunpowder saint]

wow, That is useful. Especially with the swap and attack. I also didn't realise my Vics got 3 attacks. or is it because swapping spots activates the one who teleports in?

the idea behind getting 5 Attacks is that you activate one, companion the other, who just happens to be within 6" if your doing it right. She attacks Twice for 2 actions, making sure you announce one of the attacks as your melee expert. Now your last action is the "switch places" spell, now that Vik is done, so you now activate the one you just switched places with because of companion which you did at the beginning, now there's nothing stopping her from bringing All Three Attacks to the field on the poor helpless opponent.

Note: this is why you want to lead in with your ranged Vik, because she will only get 2 attacks before the Melee Vik takes her place.

[FacelessMage]

I am going to try that out today at my LGS Monday Night Malifaux.

[LoboStele]

Yeah, I've used the trick to great effect with my Viks. Works even better if you can have a Student of Conflict give them fast as well.

I won an initiative and wiped out a Sonia Criid inky first activation last night by doing this. Andtheni e thing is you can either flat out swap or just push within 3 so that both Viks are still in your opponent's face afterward.

[StevO]

Would totally have to agree with the group here in terrain being your friend. Use that cool looking stable as a fort and if the scenario permits let them move up a bit to shoot and mad dash to next patch of cover. The other thing I would say is set hans up on the opposite side of the board so that while the Cat is positioning to deal with the Vics, he can shoot up the side. I think the best teacher will be trial and error my friend. And at the end of the day remember that Kitty cheats.

[Twizz666]

Cards hate me almost as much as dice.

I've found this to be true as well. But my brother and i came up with a good reasoning. Nothing good ever happens in this game. You may think that red joker-damage flip was great, but you know the Gaming karma God will surely line that black joker up for your master's defense flip. =]

that being said, i love it.

I don't really play the vicks much, but my brother does and he said you should look at taking more Ronin. He likes their harmless ability and uses it to his advantage a lot, plus, if worse comes to worse, he can sacrifice them for replacements. Other than that, i agree with just about everyone else.

[Headcase2]

the idea behind getting 5 Attacks is that you activate one, companion the other, who just happens to be within 6" if your doing it right. She attacks Twice for 2 actions,...

I've found it's almost always better to use fury with 1 of your actions. +2 strike damage is insane.

[Wodschow]

And if you're within the 6" companion distance.. Why bother swapping places? Wouldn't a charge be much better..? Same amount of AP used, but you get that lovely positive twist on the damage flip..

I guess it depends on the circumstances, however I see the charge being the most attractive choice most of the time. I have a hard time imagining what needs that many attacks though from a high Cb crazy damage sword.

[LoboStele]

Well, you have Bounty Hunter Vik spend the 1 AP for Sisters in Spirit, to move Sword Vik up to attack position, so that she gets to use all of her AP for attacking. So you get either 3 or 4 (if Fast from SoC) attacks out of Sword Vik, rather than having to spend an AP on a charge or other movement.