How do you run a demo?

[Swift]

I am still relatively new to Malifaux, but I'm very interested in the Henchman program. I've really enjoyed what I've done so far in promoting the game to my university games society and organising for games to actually get played.

However, I am curious as to how people run demonstration games.

My first experience with Malifaux was at Auscon the First, where a member of the Blind Pig gaming club showed me some of the models and gave me a little tutorial with an Ice Gamin vs a Death Marshall. I also watched a couple of people playing in a tournament there, and saw some cool things like Rasputina making Ice Pillars in the middle of a road, changing the way her enemy had to approach her.

If I am going to be teaching new people myself, how should I go about it? Is using individual models appropriate, or should larger forces be used? How in-depth do you go with the rules when trying to get people interested?

[TheOneWhoFell]

There are two ways, and it depends on how well the new person knows war gaming.

The first way (for the players who don't know minis at all) is to start the game in about turn 3, using crews that are good at killing each other (LJ vs Ressers (Seamus) works really well). Set up the pieces so that you have some in Melee combat, others in casting or shooting range. This lets you go over duels and explain the majority of the rules, while showing them how the cards and ss's work.

The other way (for veteran players) is to start a game from the very beginning: state your faction, # of ss, etc. Walk them through setting up a game (picking schemes, flipping strategies, etc). Then play from turn one. Let them see how the whole thing works.

I usually give people a choice.... occasionally I pick one or the other.

Hope this helps!

[Stern]

starting the game say turn 3 is always a great way to demonstrate how things can work, I agree with with that,

I also like to keep the games quite small ideally around 20ss so they don't drag and of course using 2 crews which fight quite well and demonstrate most rules and examples (lady J is always good and then someone casty like Ramos or Rasputina)

[Hatchethead]

I'll echo what others have said, if only because I like to hear myself type.

Pre-arrange an "in progress" game with models placed in such a way as to promote action and create interesting match-ups. Don't even worry about ss cost, just make it engaging. Explain how activations alternate, try to avoid getting bogged down in complex stuff like Companion activations, the various types of AP, etc. Keep it light and simple. Briefly explain the stat cards and demonstrate how the control hand and duel mechanic work, as well as cheating fate. Show how movement works, gloss over LoS and cover. If you're gonna sell the game, you'll do so based on the models ("That's right, zombie hookers!"), the setting ("steamvictorianwesternhorrorbaconpunk!") and the card mechanics ("Yeah, I hate dice too ...").

I only bother with things like pre-game and crew comp if a player (usually an experienced war gamer) asks about such things. They tend to be more interested in the complexities.

If players then want to play, bust out the 20-25ss pre-built crews, pre-arranged terrain, hasty standard deployment, shared claim jump, no schemes (or bodyguard on both masters), let the bodies hit the floor.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Hatchethead

[edonil]

Never thought about jumping into the middle of things...thanks for that advice!

[FoeRender]

I also explain the cards comparing them to dice , I tell them imagine a game where you roll 7 dice and put them to the side . when you roll your dice to attack swap that roll for one of the ones rolled earlier . This is an example I use for veteran gamers that cant grasp the card mechanic replacing dice .

[BlueStar86]

Carefully, with lots of readily available fire, in case something goes wrong.