Pictures of Gencon 2011 Malifaux tables?

[SteamPants]

Hello everyone.

I'm new here. A friend and I are thinking of getting into Malifaux. We were also sort of toying with the idea of maybe even signing up for any tournament like events for Malifaux at Gencon 2012.

Anyways, I've been searching the internet to see if there are any pictures of what this year's Gencon Malifaux tables looked like. If we're gonna get into the game, I'd like to know what is considered the proper amount of terrain used at big events.

I know it's kind of an odd question, but in the past with our gaming group, we've found that how we set up terrain is totally different than how most people do it. Then, when we go to events outside the group, our game is a little off due to terrain sometimes being very much different.

I'm thinking, let me head this off before I get started. If I'm gonna start playing a new game. Let me find out what most terrain is like. Then I can build my own collection of Malifaux terrain to suit the "standard"?

Appreciate any help and tips regarding this. Thanks!

[sephiroa]

this is a table someone made for me for my tourney

these are 3tables (you won't see the last one so good)

another 2 tables

a table i used for a demo

and 2 tables again

[Omenbringer]

From what I recall of the Gencon tables for the Story Encounters and Tournament boards...

They were all pretty much the same set up (Terraclips structures over a vinyl mat version of the Sewers of Malifaux set). From what I saw there wasn't actually that much terrain (much less then I used in my local tournament seen Here. I will defer to the actual TO's and participants though since I wasn't able to observe the entirity of any of the events (since I was demoing Puppet Wars in the main hall).

[Calmdown]

this is a table someone made for me for my tourney

That board is really nice mate!

[SteamPants]

Sephiroa, Omenbringer, those are some nice tables for your events. Thanks for posting those pictures! However, you're saying that the Gencon tables have a less? A tiny bit less? Or significantly less?

I'm gonna assume it's a matter of resources? Or is it a matter of Wyrd's personal tastes with terrain? How do you feel this effects the competitive gaming at Gencon? Since I haven't played this game yet, I don't how terrain effects Malifaux gameplay.

Here's a picture I took of the Malifaux tables at So Cal Smackdown in Anaheim, California. What do you guys think of these tables?

Edited October 10, 2011 by SteamPants

[Omenbringer]

Definately significantly less terrain then what is recommended in the Rules Manual. What you have posted there from So Cal is about what I remember from Gencon.

This would definately be a huge change from the boards I usually play on.

As for the effects on the competitive nature of the tourney's I will defer to those that actually participated.

[dgraz]

is that WWG cardstock terrain?

[nerdelemental]

Here's a picture I took of the Malifaux tables at So Cal Smackdown in Anaheim, California. What do you guys think of these tables?

that it has so little terrain on it I'd not want to even consider a competitive game on it.

[Cadilon]

There are some photos of the Gencon tables at The Wasted Warrior blog.

[Omenbringer]

Those pictures are about what I remember of the GenCon tables.

[Cadilon]

I liked the mats and am still really hoping that they are working on those for retail.

[Omenbringer]

I would second the sentiment above (if only for Tournament Organizers).

[sephiroa]

That board is really nice mate!

thanks but it's not mine it took us 2 hours to build but it was a lot of fun to play on this

is that WWG cardstock terrain?

no idee what that is acctually

i know that he printed this on a sticker, and than on some cardboard, to fit them together (uy morning,, my english is still sleeping in my bed)

that was the mountain board, this is the sewer one, same structure and cardboard

[Mike3838]

Most of Sephiroa's boards above look to have a good amount of terrain, but those California ones look pretty dire.

Malifaux boards need to be very terrain dense! I can't remember exactly what it says in the book but something like 2/3 terrain features in each square foot. Not 4 terrain features total, and small hills don't really count.

The woodland board is really pretty, but it looks a bit too much like a big open expanse in the center which will give ranged crews a big advantage.$$

Mike

[LoboStele]

As I helped set up the terrain a couple mornings at GenCon, I an attest that they had MUCH more terrain than those So Cal tables. In general, we were shooting for about 15-18 pieces per table. Unfortunately, we didn't have as much Terraclips product to utilize as we would have liked, but it was plenty.

The key things I always look for when setting up the terrain is to be sure that sufficient terrain has been set up near the middle of the table so that LOS is broken up across the map. Only takes 1-2 games against Zoraida to learn how to properly set up terrain. Also, scarce terrain, like in the SoCal pics above, will give ranged crews a HUGE advantage over melee based crews. You want to make sure you have a decent amount of 2" high terrain. And I also highly recommend getting used to Forest (soft cover) terrain. We didn't actually have any like that at GenCon, since we were using the Terraclips, but we have found that adding some forests to the tables really adds some neat elements to the game.

FWIW, the pics on that Wasted Warrior blog are probably one of the most sparsely populated of all of the Gencon tables.

[nilus]

I have found that its not so much how much terrain you have on the table as where you place it.

You need to get down to a models eye view and look to see where firing lanes come up.

I also can't stress that sometimes a lot of small pieces of terrain can make up for not having tons of really nice pieces. a lot of companies make prepaint wood barrels that do wonders for adding lots of cover to the board. You still want some large LOS blocking pieces of terrain but not every piece of terrain needs to block LOS completely.

[sephiroa]

Most of Sephiroa's boards above look to have a good amount of terrain, but those California ones look pretty dire.

Malifaux boards need to be very terrain dense! I can't remember exactly what it says in the book but something like 2/3 terrain features in each square foot. Not 4 terrain features total, and small hills don't really count.

The woodland board is really pretty, but it looks a bit too much like a big open expanse in the center which will give ranged crews a big advantage.$$

Mike

thats how we based the tables, Malifaux tables are (imo) with a lot of terrain, at least 9 pieces, about 3/4 of the table is terrain, when you are on ground level and you can shoot 16" with nino in a straight line wihtout that your enemy has a cover (i know nino ignores it but you get the point) the table is not good imo.

edit: and i am talking about when you deploy there could some nice shooting lines, but you would have to move at least once to obtain this

[LoboStele]

thats how we based the tables, Malifaux tables are (imo) with a lot of terrain, at least 9 pieces, about 3/4 of the table is terrain, when you are on ground level and you can shoot 16" with nino in a straight line wihtout that your enemy has a cover (i know nino ignores it but you get the point) the table is not good imo.

Just as a point of reference, the Malifaux rules suggest 18-27 pieces of 3"x3" terrain.

Just doing some rough math, that means that approximately 1/4 of your table's surface area should be covered by terrain when you play. Of course, that would be 1/4 if you bunched it all up together in one spot. So, spread out over the table, that's actually quite a bit of terrain.

[Omenbringer]

Just as a point of reference, the Malifaux rules suggest 18-27 pieces of 3"x3" terrain.

Just doing some rough math, that means that approximately 1/4 of your table's surface area should be covered by terrain when you play. Of course, that would be 1/4 if you bunched it all up together in one spot. So, spread out over the table, that's actually quite a bit of terrain.

Page 64 of the Rules manual recommends between 2-4 pieces of terrain per square foot (so actually 18-36 pieces). Also suggests a minimum size of 3" X 3" (so will cover approximately 1/8 of the table on the light end and 1/4 of the table on the high end, assuming minimum size pieces).

This is definately a lot more then you see in most other mini games.

Lobostele: Just my luck, each time I slipped away from the Puppet Wars demos in the exhibit hall to peak in the gaming hall it was toward the end of the event.

[SteamPants]

As I helped set up the terrain a couple mornings at GenCon, I an attest that they had MUCH more terrain than those So Cal tables. In general, we were shooting for about 15-18 pieces per table. Unfortunately, we didn't have as much Terraclips product to utilize as we would have liked, but it was plenty.

FWIW, the pics on that Wasted Warrior blog are probably one of the most sparsely populated of all of the Gencon tables.

Thanks everybody for the replies. Your responses help on two fronts. One, I have a better idea of how to approach building terrain for my own group and two, I have a rough idea of what to expect if I make it to a GenCon event.

I've never been to GenCon. A few friends and I have been saying how we really gotta make the effort to go finally. One of our many goals in going is to also participate in one tournament of some kind. We were toying with the idea of it being Malifaux. Even if we get spanked in every game (which is likely considering how casual we play), we want to do it. One of my fears however, is that we finally go all that way and the terrain on the tables are not complimentary to the game.

The impression I'm getting is that, for the most part, they're pretty good. That's great to hear.

[Hookers]

that it has so little terrain on it I'd not want to even consider a competitive game on it.

aha. so thats why people still think perdita is better than hoffman...

[sephiroa]

Just as a point of reference, the Malifaux rules suggest 18-27 pieces of 3"x3" terrain.

Just doing some rough math, that means that approximately 1/4 of your table's surface area should be covered by terrain when you play. Of course, that would be 1/4 if you bunched it all up together in one spot. So, spread out over the table, that's actually quite a bit of terrain.

I'm talking about at least 9 peices who are roughly 5"x7" or bigger (our gaming club is kinda new to Malifaux, and we are still making and buying new scenery)

[LoboStele]

I'm talking about at least 9 peices who are roughly 5"x7" or bigger (our gaming club is kinda new to Malifaux, and we are still making and buying new scenery)

And that's really quite fine, because if you think about it, a 5x7 piece is 35 sq inches. A 3x3 is only 9 sq in. So, a 5x7 piece is approximately the same as four 3x3 pieces. So, in reality, if you're using nine pieces at 5x7, you're just about where you should be in terms of total table coverage.

The only reason it becomes a problem to utilize large pieces like that, is in Strategies like Plant Evidence, where you have to Interact with a bunch of terrain. Can be tough to make sure there are 4 pieces completely on the opponent's half of the table.

I know when I set up tables at our LGS, I usually go for about 4-6 'large' type terrain pieces, and then sprinkle in 8-12 smaller ones.

[sephiroa]

And that's really quite fine, because if you think about it, a 5x7 piece is 35 sq inches. A 3x3 is only 9 sq in. So, a 5x7 piece is approximately the same as four 3x3 pieces. So, in reality, if you're using nine pieces at 5x7, you're just about where you should be in terms of total table coverage.

The only reason it becomes a problem to utilize large pieces like that, is in Strategies like Plant Evidence, where you have to Interact with a bunch of terrain. Can be tough to make sure there are 4 pieces completely on the opponent's half of the table.

I know when I set up tables at our LGS, I usually go for about 4-6 'large' type terrain pieces, and then sprinkle in 8-12 smaller ones.

this has been dealth with we do have some smaller bits, and the plant the evidence can be done on a special part of the terrain (big ruins, both on each side of the terrain, but in a way, they still have to move to get it)

[LoboStele]

Yeah, if our tables are set up with mostly big items, we usually let people do plant evidence more than once on a big terrain piece, but it must be at least 6 or 8 inches apart, or something like that. Make it work.