Choosing a good bag for Malifaux

[Mentat_Canis]

I have 2 systems I am currently using. I have a Warmachine Battlefoam bag that I am using for 2 armys and my 5-6 crews but I am outgrowing the bag so am looking at options myself and I think I am going to go with one of the Portable warfare bags cause they are inexpensive and if I want to travel for a tournament I drive so I don't have to worry about plane travel. The blue foam has been great.

I would recommend against the Battlefoam Malifaux bag because it is relatively small and if you have a moderate to large collection it will not handle everything.

[karn987]

Yes, the 5 x 4 slot tray has smaller slots and I'd definitelt go with the 6 x 3 tray in future.

Haven't got those models so can't really comment. As there are different pick'n'pluck trays I'd recommend downloading the printouts and working out what you need that way. I don't plan ahead that much (and so I have rather too many 'spare' trays!).

Definitly will have to but I'm having trouble getting my printer to print to the right size. Have to try another one, this one for some reason wont let me tweak the scaling.

Otherwise, can you list what foam trays you ended up getting and what your using them for? Specifically looking for the names of this stuff as their naming convetions keep tripping me up XD

Also whats that box that you have them sitting in called? Or is that just their Mini's Box or something? Or is that the Card Case I keep seeing talked about? I know that is what their foam primarily goes in and from there they sell bags that hold multiple of those etc.

[fishtank]

Thanks on the input on Feldherr! I had hard time finding any reviews on the net.

Could you tell me how big is the pluck foam? Is it the 60mm variant? How many 50mm based models would you say it can take?

Not sure of the depth of the pluck foam, but I'd guess it's 50mm as I have one model lying down in there and it's a good fit (Sonnia's Avatar)it has room for about ten 40mm bases I'd guess? mine has a variety of stuff - 30mm minis that wouldn't fit in standard slots (Austringer, a DM), some 40mm (Executioner, Coryphée, Guardian) and one 50mm (Duet) comfortably.

If you went all standing 40mm bases yo'd get ten or so at a guess.

Sounds like you want something bigger than the mini plus I use tbh...but they have bigger. Their backpack is kinda cool.

[Clousseau]

Definitly will have to but I'm having trouble getting my printer to print to the right size. Have to try another one, this one for some reason wont let me tweak the scaling.

Otherwise, can you list what foam trays you ended up getting and what your using them for? Specifically looking for the names of this stuff as their naming convetions keep tripping me up XD

Also whats that box that you have them sitting in called? Or is that just their Mini's Box or something? Or is that the Card Case I keep seeing talked about? I know that is what their foam primarily goes in and from there they sell bags that hold multiple of those etc.

Referencing the KR website I have one MX1 set and one MX3. And yes, they are the card cases (to fit in the backpack). They may be card but they survive amazingly well. For more serious travel (train/plane) then a bag to fit them in or an aluminium case would be necessary.

[CRC]

Got any pics of your models in the case? About the only thing holding me back is I'm dubious on how well they will deal with the large models like the Riders, NE LCB etc and really looking for pics of them in the foam+ case.

The only large model I have is the Steamborg Executioner. He fits fine, but he's a pretty cubical 50mm x 50mm x 50mm model.

[JMGraham]

I have an old Sabol bag I use, but I know folks who swear by: this $25 aluminum case with pluck foam by Harbor Freight. If you want extra pluck foam, it can be had VERY cheaply from the Foam Factory.

The Malifaux Battle Foam bag looks cool (though expensive), but I find Battle Foam's policies (and Romeo's public persona) very unappealing.

[ispep]

I have an old Sabol bag I use, but I know folks who swear by: this $25 aluminum case with pluck foam by Harbor Freight. If you want extra pluck foam, it can be had VERY cheaply from the Foam Factory.

The Malifaux Battle Foam bag looks cool (though expensive), but I find Battle Foam's policies (and Romeo's public persona) very unappealing.

I've never had any issues with Battle Foam products, and the issues our customers have had have been promptly resolved. I'm not sure what one's personal persona has to do with the quality of the product they sell.

[JMGraham]

It has nothing at all to do with the quality of the product, I reckon.

[karn987]

The only large model I have is the Steamborg Executioner. He fits fine, but he's a pretty cubical 50mm x 50mm x 50mm model.

Good to know thanks! I'm just worried because I have a penchant for the big, dramatic models and I all to often modify/convert something into a much more volumesk (is that a word?) pose. So while the Steamborg fits nicely, wondering how NE LCB will do or the Hooded Rider, A. Pandora etc.

But I think Im sold lock stock and barrel on the KR case! Now to just plan out what foam I need... thats going to take a while haha. Thanks a ton all!

[Q'iq'el]

I have a follow up to post - I've got the KR Multicase for Christmas. Ultimately the price argument won - it's 1/2 the price of other bags, if you consider shipping cost to Japan.

It is the smallest of the new Kaiser1 Transport Bags, with Malifaux foam set #1 (F3 and J5H foams). I must say I'm very happy with it. As far as storage goes, the replaceable card-board core box is a pure genius. I'm definitely going to order more "inserts" and transfer my other minis from other game systems there.

I have F3 and J5H sized- foam inside. F3 is about right size for 40mm bases and perfect for larger 30mm minis, but smaller 30mm models have some free room in their cells, which is not perfect I think (especially Colette's doves look like they may be rattling around in transport). At least not if your bag is going to be exposed to vibrations and such. This can be fixed with a single N3H foam though, and I'll probably order that with my next case.

J5 foam is perfect - most 50mm minis fit in "standing", as you can see on the picture below (one of my Mature Nephilim and Coryphée Duet already in). This may not be perfect for transport, but the minis will be standing when the case is put on the shelf (which will be most of the time, in the end).

I had been resigned to build a special separate box for Nekima, but it turned out she fit very well. She had to be put in horizontally and took an awful lot of space, but she sits quite firm in her cell. In that position she's also resting on one of her extended wings, but it isn't a problem - on the contrary, the sword is protected by that wing, so there's no danger of it bending.

If your Nekima is posed less conventionally, there's unfortunately some risk she won't fit, as mine fits just barely. You can see a zoom-in on her on the second picture. And before the question gets asked - it's hard to rotate her and stretch the foam, would the wings stick out more, because there would be foam pressing on the sword and that can snap really easily, I think.

Even with the F3 foam, which has larger cells and carries fewer minis than N3, I was able to fit in my entire Nicodem, Colette and Lilith crews. There's enough place to add more Mindless Zombies, entire Molly crew and some more Nephilim and Arcanist models currently in the painting, but I'm afraid it won't take any more Malifaux crews. Still it is spacious enough for my needs and cheap to expand on. 4 Crews in one storage box means one can easily fit in an entire faction into a single case... with some free space for the future.

I don't know if the case was as rigorously tested against extreme abuse as some of the competition does, but judging from experience, it is good enough for Tokyo trains, even in rush hours. I don't think I need any more than that in this aspect.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Q'iq'el

[Mike3838]

Thanks for coming back with pictures. I've only just found this thread and it's very helpful.

I treated myself to the Battlefoam bag with some Xmas money and... I don't like it. It's getting returned after the weekend. I only went for it as there was 20% off in their Black Friday sale.

I don't like how tightly the trays are packed - it's a lot of effort to get to the bottom tray. I don't like how the foam doesn't quite fit in the bag (so you cant close the zip without chewing up foam). I don't like how the thinnest of the three trays is too shallow for a 30mm base.

The KR cases are my next option, and I like your setup there. Am I right in saying you have a J5H pictured there alongside an F3H, and then on top of those you fit in two more F3Hs? Is that a standard bag/foamset that has a name for itself?

Cheers!

Mike

[Q'iq'el]

The KR cases are my next option, and I like your setup there. Am I right in saying you have a J5H pictured there alongside an F3H, and then on top of those you fit in two more F3Hs? Is that a standard bag/foamset that has a name for itself?

There are several sets for Malifaux. I believe mine is Malifaux set 1 or Malifaux 1. The top foam is F3T rather than F3H (full width). I've realized it only after ordering the case, but I actually like it.

1st F3H foam - Colette with her Mercenaries and they still have 6 or 8th cells left for expansion.

2nd F3H - Lilith crew (can be seen on the picture), with enough place for second Lelu, Primordial Magic and some other models I plan for in the future (though it is going to be almost full).

F3T foam - Nicodem's crew (the largest) fills roughly 2/3rd of this and there's enough space for more Mindless Zombies and entire Molly crew... Probably will leave a few slots left for adding Rafkin, Drowned and some other undead.

J5H seems to be able to hold a lot. I have another Mature and Rogue Necromancy to put in there, but it seems there will be enough space for Lilith's avatar and Nicodem's avatar as well (assuming these are 50mm), and Colette's will go to her 3H foam... That means 3 full crews with avatar and the stuff.

Once my Malifaux Collection grows to several masters per faction (takes me a long time), I'll probably take another cardboard box with just N3 trays - that way every cardbox will have at least one tray for smaller models... but that is further away in the future...

[WookieeGunner]

I have the KR Malifaux 1 as well and love it. In the deep tray (shown above) two decks fit perfectly on their sides. So do my tape measures.

[diehard]

This thread was an interesting read for sure. Although I still have my old original GW black plastic case and the Army Transport for my HORDES models, I'm sorely tempted by the Malifaux bag. I'll never be hauling around more than two crews (most of my painted stuff sits in cabinets or on shelves) so the space is not an issue, and although the layout seems fine, I'm a little discouraged to hear about the tight fit and the chewing up of the foam trays. Will definitely have to ponder this a little further.

[Mike3838]

There's a good review of the battlefoam bag on YouTube if you search for "malifaux devstro". Wishing I'd seen that before buying mine. Although a lot of people swear by it, its just not for me.

Mike

[Cadilon]

I am a cigar smoker, and the golden rule in that hobby is to buy a humidor much larger than you think you need because your collection will quickly grow faster than you think. I find that to be the case with miniatures too.

I didn't take my own advice and started with the Battlefoam Malifaux bag and outgrew it very quickly. I got a good deal on an older model BF PACK 432, which I've grown into, but I am already seeing that its going to be too small once I get all my guild, plus two or three crews from other factions, in as well.

So right now I am trying to figure out how to easily upgrade to the BF 720. Good thing about the BF PACK series is that the trays work with their other bags, so I could just buy the empty 720 and use my 432 trays.

I guess my point is, when buying a bag and spending the money, spend a little more now and buy a bag a good deal bigger than you'll think you'll need. It'll give room for expansion and save $$ in the long run.

[Q'iq'el]

I am a cigar smoker, and the golden rule in that hobby is to buy a humidor much larger than you think you need because your collection will quickly grow faster than you think. I find that to be the case with miniatures too.

<cut>

I guess my point is, when buying a bag and spending the money, spend a little more now and buy a bag a good deal bigger than you'll think you'll need. It'll give room for expansion and save $$ in the long run.

This is one of the reasons, besides the shipping price, why I've decided on the KR Multicase.

It is perhaps hard to tell from the pictures, but you need just 1 of the "outer bag" and you can easily replace the "inner" carton boxes with your minis. I'll be able to add more carton boxes as my collection grows for about half the price, and just swap in the one I need as I go out to play.

In the future I may also order a dual transport bag (holds two cartons) or the backpack, for my bigger armies... but for now I think almost everything I own would fit in a single carton box each (1850 points of 40K Tau just barely), except for Warhammer FB Greenskins, but I have an original GW case for those.

Malifaux crews will definitely outgrow the initial case I've bought, but that can be easily remedied by moving factions to their own boxes in the future.

[sinistercats]

This is basically the same way I've gone as well. The foam in the KR bags is softer and seems (in my experience) to be kinder to paint jobs. I've got two of the Battlefoam Malifaux bags and they're very nice but more in the "transport" than "storage" camp of bag.

The cardboard of the KR seemed iffy to me but when you actually get one they're just fine. And they stack much better...

[CannonFodder]

for battle foams bags, I like the 216 for most people who have under 6 crews, and don't buy 3 of each blister so they can play 60 points with each master.

I upgraded to the 432 bag and its a little big for my tastes, I have 2x 1 inch in it and 2x 2 inch, the second 2 inch is never used. Take note this is not the default load out, the default is 1+2+3 inch

I recently saw a Heavy gear bag by battle foam and its right in between the 216 & 432, I don't know the default load out. but it looks like it will hold 4-5 inches of standard battle foam trays. The only problem is that it has the Heavy gear logo on it.

[Ratty]

I'm also using a KR multi foam. it's a Malifaux load 5 with one of the pluck foams replaced with 2 thin sheets.

[EvilGinger]

If you are in the UK I recommend figures in comfort you can by individual trays which fit in GW sized cases & Really Useful boxes which come in a wide range of sizes which will fit such trays in. Are light and tough as well as being readily avalible

[Backno]

One thing you can do if you are unsure of what size foam and bag you need from KR is email their customer support. Just tell them what minis you have if you want extra space for expanding your collection. They will get back to you with what you will need.

I have the Aquilla 4 with 1x J2H (pluck foam for the big guys), 1x M4H (holds almost all 30mm), and 1x F4H (holds the 40mm and odd shaped 30mm). In that bag currently have my full Ramos crew, my full Collette crew, Lady J box, Perdita box, Lilith box, Young Nephlim blister, and the Executioner. Also holds my small rule book, games aids, character cards, fate decks and measuring tape.

The big thing is because the foam is softer and more flexible you can get some of your oddly shaped guys into spaces that would be impossible in a Battlefoam bag (I use a PACK 432 to carry all of my 40k Ork Boyz). This lets you pack the bag without wasting space leaving empty spaces between minis.

[dsmiles]

I just bought the 'standard loadout' Malifaux Battlefoam Bag. They say it holds about 6 crews, so I bought 2, since I have 10+ crews.

[mindwarpusa]

I got the Battle foam Malifaux bag when I got my first two crews but at this point I have 4 crews in it and its 100% full. Now thats all the gremlins, the dreamer, and Kirai. I have all models for them. While I could see 7 smallish crews in here the other 5 crews that I have just have to get switched out. I plan on trying out battlefoam backpack next and hope that it will do me.

[tadaka]

Any one happen to know if Sabol transport Foam will fit in the RK Card boxes worth a crap. I have a number of large storage bags full of them and looking for a good smaller bag to just toss a few trays in at a time.