Reinforcements! or When Monsters Need Mercs

Introduction

Malifaux offers many factions and each faction has strengths and weaknesses to exploit. This is shored up a bit by offering the ability to use mercenary models at the cost of an extra SS to their cost. The question is, when do you use them and why? My side of the blog is of course from a purely Neverborn perspective so lets take a look at the mercenaries that will help to bring Malifaux back to its rightful owners.

Neverborn Gaps

Neverborn are a very strong faction, full of casting and melee actions which are focused mostly at short range. They have a lot of brutal movement tricks and tend to be full of glass cannons (models that can deliver powerful attacks but tend to die quickly to any concentrated assault). The one thing Neverborn as a faction tend to lack are solid ranged attacks. Shooting is just not their thing. There also aren't many condition removing models in Neverborn, making it hard to get around being set on fire or paralyzed.   When looking at options for Merc models, we want to see ways to fix these gaps in the Neverborn arsenal, though there's something to be said for beefing up what can already be done.

Han(d)s On!

*all images in this blog do not represent the
actual models. Its just fun to imagine them
this way.

This guy. If you have ever gone up against him, you know how annoying he can be. Snipers in Malifaux are extremely good and nearly always benefit from the Focus action. Hans is the best of the best when it comes to taking models off the board and focus and board wide range make it ridiculously hard to hide from him. When you know your opponent is going to be bringing nasty support pieces that will stay far out of your range, pay Hans to get rid of them for you.

Johan 

Steel driving man

Johan is a brute who loves crushing constructs and tyrant models. He also has an ability called Rebel Yell which removes conditions from models. There's very little that isn't fantastic about this. Normally you will see him in M&SU crews but he's cheap enough that he fits well into Neverborn's plans. Take Johan if you know you might come up against some serious conditions or any masters with the Tyrant type. (Dreamer, Hamelin, Shenlong)

Convict Gunslinger

Seen trouble all their days

So you like to shoot things? What are you doing playing Neverborn? Well, ok there's some options for you. Convict Gunslingers are awesome bullet slingers. They get even better when you can Obey them and do more ranged damage. Bring 1-2 of them and maybe a gremlin or two and suddenly Zoraida has a gunline. No one will expect that!


Freikorps Trapper

Oh look, another sniper. Coming it at a bit cheaper than Hans, this guy has a lot more mobility with slightly less damage potential. Still he gets the job done.

Just watching the neighbor's Netflix

Sue

When the man comes around.

The Man in Black is a good option if you are facing Resurrectionists or Ramos and don't want dead enemies coming back to haunt you. He is also very good for schemes that require lots of markers by granting allies Finish the Job. He is also very strong vs Ca Leaders like Rasputina, Sonnia or Pandora with his Man in Black ability.






Killjoy

Come on we all thought it.

Remember when I said sometimes mercs are about doing more of what Neverborn already does? That's Killjoy. He lives (unlives?) to destroy things, and Neverborn are very good at helping him accomplish this goal. His Blood Sacrifice ability means that he's going to hit the table exactly when he needs to, so no worries about him being beaten up before he gets there. Comboing him with Bad Juju and Eternal Fiend could mean that killing a single swamp fiend unleashes two beat sticks in the enemy's midst. He can also help spread the love in a Lilith crew with all the Bad Blood. Killjoy's downside is that he will be incredibly expensive at 13SS.

Bishop

It doesn't matter what your Defense is!

This cage fighting maniac works very well in his versatility of using either Df or Wp for his melee attacks, meaning that a nearby Pandora or Sorrows will be able to use Misery off his attacks. He can also trigger to ignore quite a few annoying Df abilities.

Lazarus 

I'll be back with another overused quote.

This guy does it all. Melee, Ranged, self healing construct. Which makes him perfect for Collodi crews. His Assimilate ability allows him to steal a (1) action from any nearby friendly construct. He can take Gamble for Your Life from a Stitched Together, Obey from Vasilla, or oddly enough Sew Fate from a Voodoo Doll. Neverborn have plenty of good construct options for Lazarus to play around with.

Taelor

Sorry did you NEED those kneecaps?

This model is another nightmare for any summoning crews you are going up against. Her ability, Welcome to Malifaux allows her to charge models that are summoned anywhere near her and her damage potential along with a 3" melee range makes her an expensive but intimidating model no matter what crew she tags along with. Giving her Fears Given Form will mean that she dominates any part of the board that she happens to be on. Summoning Leaders should be terrified of her, honestly any model that gets in her way should be terrified of her.





Conclusion
This is in no way an exhaustive list but its a good place to get started on options for mercs if you are playing Neverborn. In most cases mercs are pretty niche, filling out spots in lists where there are known weaknesses, and even more so when you have a pretty solid idea of what your opponent is going to be bringing. In most cases you can stay in faction fairly easily with Neverborn but there are some times that having the extra range, conditions removal or healing becomes a key that helps you survive a specific match up.
I'd like to once again thank the players at A Wyrd Place on Facebook for helping with some ideas for Outcasts I haven't gotten a chance to try yet.
Until next time, Keep Cheating Fate -- John Fox

Preparing for the Trenches or Malifaux Tourney Primer

Introduction

So the time has come. At the end of March I will be attending my first Malifaux tournament. Taking an entire month to plan may seem like overkill but I am a perfectionist when it comes to games and I like to know I'll be playing to the best of my abilities.  So come along with me as I prep for my initial foray into competitive Malifaux.

Schedule
Seems like a no brainer, but it is important to make sure your schedule will be clear for the day you plan to go play. Game tournaments take all day, no matter how much I try and downplay it to my wife. I need to make sure that day is a good day for me to go. The tournament is also a 2.5 hour drive from my hometown, which is also a factor to take in. This time around, I'll already by at my In Laws which are only 30 minutes away, so fate is on my side. Otherwise, its always good to try and find some other players and see who can carpool to the event. Save gas, you can chat about the tournament or other things on the way, etc. My first step to preparing for the tournament is to make sure I actually have the day free to commit to it. (IE: asking the wife's permission to go play with toys all day).
Caveat to this is; Make sure you know where the tournament is going to be held as well. GPS the location and have a realistic idea of how long it will take you to drive there and when you need to leave, etc. Once again, seems like common sense but I used to have a friend who was continually late to every Magic tournament we went to because he assumed time frames instead of looking them up.

Rules
The next step is to figure out the ground rules for the tournament. I know from looking at the Facebook event and the Wyrd Forums that it will be a 50SS Fixed Faction 3 Round Gaining Grounds
2015 Tournament. So I immediately go to the Wyrd Forums and download the Gaining Grounds rules and peruse them. What does all this information mean?
Well 50SS Fixed Faction means that I can bring everyone in my faction, including anything that Zoraida can bring through her Enthrall ability and any mercenaries I want. 3 Rounds lets me know approximately how long the tournament will take. I also find out the entry fee. (Note to self: Put 10 bucks aside in the gaming budget)
Gaining Grounds is the official set of tournament rules for Malifaux and offers brand new Strategies that aren't in the main books.
I also see that Proxies are allowed by the TO's discretion. Sweet, maybe my Deneghra/Widow Weaver will pass.

Who is Coming to the Party?
So I'm committed to my Neverborn this year which means picking a Faction isn't an issue. There are some of you where this will be a much tougher decision, and I'm sure as I branch out into other factions it will become that way for me too. My best advice is, go with what you feel you are the strongest with. If you are just learning Guild, maybe not the best choice for a tournament. However, if you are just going for fun and not necessarily to bring home the big bucks, then go for it. For now though I'm firmly on Team Neverborn!
Of course the Lynchpin (see what I did there?) for any crew is your Leader and should be the first consideration when deciding which models to invite for the road trip. I need at least 3, as there are 3 rounds though, I'm not by the rules required to play them all. In fact, a player recently won a Templecon Tournament playing only Marcus.
I have 4 Neverborn Leaders: Pandora, Zoriada, Lynch and Lucius. I have yet to play Lucius so for now, he is benched. This might change in the next month, but probably not as he is a complicated Leader and I don't have a lot of time to learn him. That leaves me with a trio of pretty well rounded Leaders. I have Lynch for removing models, Zoraida for board control and Pandora for zone dominance.

So looking at my pile of models, I have these options:
Bad Juju
Candy
Baby Kade
Nurse (available because of Zoraida)
Rami (ditto)
Pere Ravage (Ditto)
Rapheal (Ditto)
Widow Weaver (pending approval)
3 Silurid
3 The Illuminated

3 The Depleted
2 Beckoner
Mr. Graves
Mr. Tannen
Teddy
3 Waldgiest
3 Sorrows
Hungering Darkness
Doppleganger
Killjoy

Mixed into this list, I have a few heavy hitters (Killjoy, Baby Kade, Graves, Teddy, The Illuminated, Bad Juju), with a few tar pits, (The Depleted, Waldgiest, Bad Juju), Several Control/Support Models (Candy, Beckoner, Nurse, Widow Weaver, Tannen) and thanks to Zoraida a few ranged options that Neverborn tends to not have often. I seem to be have the least options with Scheme runners, so before the tournament I might pick up the Mother of Monsters box to give me access to Terror Tots and since none of Lucius' starter crew is dual faction, they useless unless I decide to run him.
So for a starter to the Neverborn faction I have a pretty wide selection of models. Of course, figuring out when and where to use them is the tricky part.

Scoping Out the Battlefield

Before playing in a Gaining Grounds tournament I feel like its important to have a good grasp on the new Strategies that are available. There are 5 new Strategies that aren't in the core rulebook, Headhunter, Collect the Bounty, Guard the Stash, Interference, and Extraction. Some of them are similar to the base game strategies but others, like Collect the Bounty are very different. I plan on playing each of them at least once in the next month to make sure I have a feel for them.
As it is, Headhunter and Collect the Bounty feel like strong contenders for Lynch. Guard the Stash and Extraction seem good Pandora choices, and Interference seems strong for Zoriada. Ok, truthfully I feel like Zoraida could do well at them all with different crew set ups but I'd like to play someone besides the Hag.
Regardless, learning all you can about the objectives for the tournament you are about to go into is a good plan. Your TO might also let you know ahead of time which Strategies will be used during each round, leaving just the scheme pool a mystery.

Play More Games
 My favorite way to prep for a tournament is to just play some more games. Toss around some ideas for crews and see if they work well before you take an idea into a tournament. If you want to do well, perhaps an untested crew combination is not the best option. Get the group together and throw down. 

Don't Stress It

This is my first Malifaux tournament. I've played approximately 60 games so far and only half of those with my chosen faction. I don't expect to take home the big prize and though I will fight hard to repel all the human invaders from the streets of Malifaux. At the end of the day, I will ask myself these questions.
Did I have fun? Did I play to the best of my ability? Did I meet some new awesome people to play my favorite game with?
If the answer to all of these is "Yes," then the mission is accomplished.

Until next time, Keep Cheating Fate-- John Fox

Best Laid Plans.....

Introduction
So first of all, apologies for the late entry this week. I spent all day Wednesday working on painting Malifaux and not writing about it, but just like that I have my topic for this week. I have spent quite a bit of this blog talking about having a plan going into the game. There's a whole post on how to set up your pre game. Everything from the models you take to the schemes you pick.  By coming up with a plan of attack you can use tactics and decision making to achieve a flawless victory.....But wait, there's a snag in that plan, you have an opponent and they have very carefully crafted their own full proof method to victory. So what happens when the best laid plans get blown apart? How do you recoup from an unexpected ploy on your opponent's part and bring the game back into alignment?

Like the Man Said, Don't Lose Your Head
First of all in the immortal words of Douglas Adams

Was cool before the "Keep Calm" stuff

There it is just like the Hitchhiker's Guide says, in big friendly letters right on the cover, "Don't Panic." Sometimes its easy to let a bad start ruin the game, and get the momentum down. Maybe you forgot to hold a 10+ and Bete Noir went the way of the Dodo, costing you a significant amount of your points. Perhaps you gave up 3 points on a turn 2 Set the Trap and now you are looking at a points deficit. The best advice is just breathe and don't panic.  Now comes the time to take a look at the board and decide how the plan can be amended.

When an early move nets your opponent an early lead in VPs you have to turn towards damage control. Allowing them to accrue points will only keep the momentum in their favor. Take a look at what way you can disrupt them from gaining VP from the Strategy or try to discern what their other hidden scheme could be. Damage control could come in the form of eliminating models, in the case of Reconnoiter or Turf War or keeping models off of key points, such as in Squatter's Rights.
Continue to play to your crew's strengths but in a defensive position work on early denial.

Move Ahead!
Playing defensively is fine but you can't keep yourself from scoring points while you switch gears. Some crews have little staying power and must react swiftly or will lose what advantage they could gain. Did you lose a key model in your plan? Time to improvise. Each activation you need to ask yourself if you are getting the most you can out of each model. Don't waste time and AP on anything that doesn't help you accomplish what you need to do.

Fate Gets in the Way

Sometimes this is how it seems

It is an inevitability, sometimes the cards don't happen the way you want them too. The model that you want off the board keeps flipping 13s and 12s, you had a positive flip and you hit both the Red and Black jokers. Take your time, mumble a little curse at the RNG gods and then toss it off. Spending too much time railing on the cruelty of the card flips doesn't help get you back in the game. The key is to make sure your initial plan is strong enough to withstand the possibility of not flipping what you need. For instance, if you are playing Nicodem and you want to summon a Flesh Construct very badly, make sure you have the number you need in your hand, if you don't then maybe its worth using a Soul Stone to dig for cards at the beginning of the turn.

Ain't Over Until Madam Sybelle Sings

There's another thing to consider about Malifaux as well. Games change on a dime, especially when

She probably has a voice like an angel

it comes down to the last turns. That extra turn 5 or 6 could exhaust the stamina of your opponent's crew and leave you in a positive position. If you are careful and look for ways to recover, a surprise extra turn can make all the difference between win and loss. Don't call the game off until you know for sure. Just a few weeks ago, I had a game against Marcus in the bag with my Pandora crew. Turn 5 came up and he went from being 2 points behind to a single point ahead of me, a game I had the momentum on the entire time. Never give up, never surrender.

Conclusion

There's times that no matter how good your plan, your counter plan or your counter counter plan is, you are going to be facing down heavy odds. As I said in my blog about how to learn from losing, sometimes the best way to get better at the game is to have our tails handed to us. It happens to even the best players. As a new player to the game, I find myself occasionally staring in utter horror as I realized that I just unleashed Killjoy on my crew by being trigger happy or that I set myself up for Sonnia to roast the model I thought was so carefully hidden. The best way to fight off a loss in those situations is to keep your head and revise the plan.

Until next time, Keep Cheating Fate-- John Fox

Hooked on a Demon: A Beginner's Guide to Jakob Lynch

Introduction

Come on, first taste is free! 

I started playing Lynch just a few weeks ago, and have been amazed by the amount of strength he brings to the table as a Neverborn master. Lynch is equal parts card advantage and damage dealer who wants to play close but not too close to the action. He brings along with him some of the toughest models in the faction and plays inside of his theme of Brilliance very well. This article will of course be speaking of Lynch in a strictly Neverborn style though he is certainly potent as a Ten Thunders crew as well. 

Pusher Man

So what does Lynch do? He gets his own crew and his opponent's crew hooked on a demon essence called Brilliance. The Brilliance condition doesn't do anything on its own, but when teamed up with the other Darkened models in Jakob's crew, things suddenly start adding up. 
Lynch's stat card isn't that great to look at and most of his power comes from the large amount of upgrades that has available to him. He has a decent Def, pretty good WP and his wounds are on the low side for a Master.  He can bring Darkened models in his crew, which isn't really a big deal because all the Darkened models are Neverborn anyway. Anyone who cheats against him takes 2 damage after the attack resolves and its pretty awesome because it goes off even if Lynch wins the duel When you combine this with Tannen's Cooler ability that says enemies in LoS must discard a card to cheat, it makes your opponent really pay to cheat cards against Lynch. 
Lynch is immune to Brilliance which comes in handy during the mirror match and if one of your guys gets Obeyed, Alpha'd etc.  

Ace in the Hole is an interesting ability of Lynch's that doesn't see real use until you get to his upgrades. This ability allows him to pick any aces up that are used during another friendly model's activation. (Note: A trick with this is that you can basically always sprint with Terror Tots if you have an Ace of Masks in your hand, because Lynch will just pick them back up) 

Lynch has 2 attacks in the form of a shooting/melee attack with 8/2 range respectively called Hold Out Pistol. This attack gives Lynch a decent damaging shot but more importantly allows him to discard cards for triggers. He can give a model Slow, add some extra damage, force the model to discard a card or give them Brilliance. (Hint Brilliance is the important one)

His other attack is a CA attack that forces a WP duel. The loser of the duel takes 2 damage and can be triggered to give the model Brilliance. (Sensing a theme?)

Lynch has 2 (0) abilities. Mulligan, which allows him to discard up to 3 cards and draw that many and Pay Up, which allows him to flip cards for the top of his deck for every enemy model with Brilliance on the table. He gets to keep all Masks revealed this way.  While Pay Up is risky, Mulligan is just fantastic. Lynch gets to do what most crews need to spend soul stones for. Admittedly you take what you get, but if even one card is better than the others you discarded you have come out ahead. 

So from a straight card perspective Lynch isn't that impressive. 2 attacks with so so damage and a decent (0) ability. Its not the stat card that makes Lynch shine, its his upgrades. 

High Quality

Like most Masters Lynch's upgrades factor into his play style. 

The Rising Sun is a Limited upgrade allows Lynch to summon his totem/henchman Hungering Darkness back into play after an enemy model with Brilliance dies within 6" of Lynch. This is the aggressive Lynch upgrade, turning the Hungering Darkness into a guided missile of death and destruction as long as Lynch is close. Notice, Lynch has to play pretty forward for this to work out and if Lynch gets aced, the Darkness can't come back to play. (Thanks to a friendly forum member I have to amend this section and add that Huggy coming back is dependent on enemy models dying). This means that your opponent might play a bit more timidly in case their models get mowed down and reveal a demon in their midst. Perfect for controlling certain parts of the board through fear.

Endless Hunger is the other Limited upgrade for Lynch, despite the fact that it sounds like it should be the one to bring back the Darkness. This model turns the Hungering Darkness into a Terryfing(All) Turret with 3 total CA actions to spend. Hungering Darkness has a very fun Obey style ability called Heed My Voice, which with this upgrade allows him to play towards the back field and control the battlefield.  If Hungering Darkness goes down though, he doesn't get back up as he does with the other upgrade so be careful.

Woke Up With a Hand is my second favorite Lynch upgrade but it does force you into decisions about when you want to activate Lynch. If he activates last in your crew, you get to draw 2 cards at the start of his activation, which is awesome, but Lynch is a very good source of getting Brilliance on models for the rest of your crew to deal out extra damage. Illuminated and Hungering Darkness lose out a little bit if they are not attacking models with Brilliance on them. 

It also gives him a very strong CA attack called Final Debt. This CA attack does damage to a Brillianced model equal to the number of cards in your hand. Drawing two cards makes this attack even better, but is of course much stronger at the beginning of the turn unless you have been very conservative with cards. Still, this attack can't be ignored as it does a static amount of damage with no flip needed and I love being able to count on exactly how much damage I can do. Alternately, Lynch's Ace in the Hole ability can add extra fuel for this attack by putting aces back into his hand. 

This upgrade is my favorite mainly because it offers you solid choices. No matter when you activate Lynch you will get some sort of benefit from it.

Expert Cheater is one of the most fun upgrades that Lynch has. It allows you to cheat upside down as long as Lynch has LoS to the friendly model. The uses of this upgrade come in handy to pysch out your opponent, especially if you get to cheat first. The unknown factor of the card you dropped down could force them to spend high cards when you actually cheated in low when you know you aren't going to win the duel anyway. Your mileage may vary depending on your play style and your opponent. You also get access to Jakob's only defensive ability in Squeeel! Which lets him push 4" from a model that damages him with an attack. Its perfect defense if your opponent is playing a melee heavy crew that wants to use lots of flurry attacks and take him down all at once. 

Wanna See A Trick gives Jakob the 52 Card Pickup ability which allows him to discard Aces to do damage to a Brilliance model. Since Jakob has the ability to put Aces back in his hand when allies spend them, this can be a really nasty bit of burst damage. 

Addict upgrade can go on Jakob or Hungering Darkness to give positive flips to models with the Darkened keyword positive flips to attacks and damage vs models with the Brilliance characteristic. This upgrade is very good if you are taking a Darkened crew with Jakob. His out of the box crew has all darkened models plus Beckoners, Mr Graves, Mr. Tannen, Stitched Together and The Depleted are all Darkened and make a very solid crew choice for Jakob anyway. 

These upgrades are pretty much the staple for Lynch and considering most of them clock in at 2 SS cost, you won't find too much room to go outside of them. On Dreaming Wings can give Lynch flying to provide some extra mobility but that might be my only other real suggestion. The biggest choices come from the Limited upgrades and how you want to play Hungering Darkness and whether you are planning on taking a Darkened crew with Addict. 

Hungering Darkness 

Feed me, Seymour!

I would be very remiss if I didn't talk about Lynch's henchman totem in this blog. He will always be tagging along with Lynch and he is an important part of the viability of Jakob's crew. 
Hungering Darkness has a good WP and a very very small Def and Wound count. He is Terrifying (Living) and Incorporeal. At 7 wounds though, he can be focused down hard, so choose your placement wisely. 
 His movement and charge are very nice, especially combined with a 3" melee attack that gets positives vs Brilliance models and hits very hard. It also has triggers that give models brilliance or heals him for 2. 
Hungering Darkness is scary. 
He also has an ability called Heed My Voice that is an enemy only Obey style attack. with a decent range. So even when he isn't chomping people's faces, he's still a threat.
He can also consume brilliance and heals a wound for each brilliance model in 6" inches, forcing them to make a horror duel. Be very careful who he's around here, as you might end up spending cards to keep your own models from being paralyzed. 

Huggy can be a big centerpiece model for your crew, able to be both controlling turret or melee shredder with the ability to stay alive even with low wound count. Just like Jakob, he centers around opponent's models having brilliance to give him that extra edge. 

As far as upgrades go, if you are playing against a melee centered crew you can't go wrong with Fears Given Form. Huggy already has Terrifying(Living) and forcing extra WP duels digs more cards out of your opponent's hand and deck. To me, that's the best upgrade to see on him. Lynch only has 1 SS in his Cache, so those extra points are probably going to go to shoring up your SS pool instead of upgrades.

Strategies and Schemes
I plan on stealing  Allen's grading scale for Strategies and Schemes. Here it is for reference:

5.0 - All Star in this Strategy or Scheme

4.0 - Staple Choice for these types of Strategy or Scheme

3.5 - Very Good in the Strategy or Scheme

3.0 - Good at the Strategy or Scheme

2.5 - Average at the Strategy or Scheme

2.0 - Has some bright moments at the Strategy or Scheme

1.0 - You should probably pick another Master/Model/Upgrade

Strategies:

Turf War: (4.0) Lynch and Hungering Darkness can hold the middle of board on their own with sheer killing power. Add in his Darkened crew, especially The Depleted and you are going to score points all day. 

Reckoning: (4.5) Lynch excels at killing things. Tack on some Brilliance and his burst potential is pretty huge. He is fairly squishy though, so he has to remove as many threats as possible. 

Squatter's Rights: (3.0) Lynch isn't fast, he has no movement shenanigans and he can't do much to help out the rest of his crew in that regard either. The good thing is that between him and Huggy he can hold two claim markers.

Reconnoiter: (2.0/3.5) The same problems Lynch has in Squatter's Rights are doubled here. He can keep one quarter of the board cleared, but he's not able to divide his attention very well. Not my first choice in a faction that has plenty of other movement tricks. (Note: His Ace in the Hole trick with Terror Tots tips the scales a little bit. They can always get a sprint off meaning they can get across the board and away from other models pretty easily. If you take them, it ups his chances with this Strategy)

Stake a Claim: (2.0) Same difficulties as before. Lynch just doesn't get a round very well. 

Schemes:

Killing Schemes: (4.5) Jakob has no problem removing all obstacles from his path. The double shot combo of Lynch and Hungering Darkness is hard to pass up. 

Marker Schemes: (2.5) He doesn't do badly with them, but he doesn't add anything either. The lack of movement bonuses or marker dropping abilities means his crew will have to do all the work by themselves.

Miscellaneous:(2.5) Once again, Lynch doesn't specifically add anything to these schemes but he doesn't hinder them either. He is much better at putting models in the ground than he is slowing them down or stopping them from removing conditions. 

Conclusion:

Lynch is a powerhouse master when it comes to blasting his way through the enemy lines, but he has a definite bubble that he plays the best in. He's not a front line guy, but rather likes to hang about 6-8 inches back. His upgrades are where the real package is, so choose wisely and make sure to keep Hungering Darkness up and ready for business as they are most definitely a package deal.  The best way to play Lynch is that the best defense is less models on the board to hurt him. He has a few tricks he can turn out, but for a Neverborn master he's pretty straight forward. I would rate him pretty high on the beginning Master scale compared to someone like Pandora or Zoraida for the faction.

Malifaux Manners or Mini Game Etiquette

Introduction

Hello again readers. I've given some thought on this week's topics and I've settled on one that seems to be brushed over but is ultimately very important to maintaining a good community and just having people to play with in general. To me, tabletop gaming is the last bastion of great communities in gaming in a world that has taken a heavy hit from the callousness that has become internet and console gaming.
 Join any League of Legends or Call of Duty game and you will see or hear people calling out incredibly foul things and preening their pumped up egos all over the place. Tabletop gaming is a different animal all together. Being right across from your opponent can curb a lot of the abuse that happens online.
That being said, there are protocols to be learned and bad behavior does still exist in the local gaming club. Sometimes its accidental, and sometimes people are just jerks. I'm hoping my readers all fall into the accidental/bad day category. So lets make sure that we are all set for the rules of being a gamer that helps build community and keeps others coming back to play the games we love so much.

Sportsmanship

So some of these things seem like they should be common sense, and for most of us, they are but I'd be remiss if I didn't bring it up. Be a good sport. We all have bad days, we all have bad games. Playing games is our escape from the bills and the stress of our jobs and responsibilities. Too often people want to blame their loss on RNG or on the opponent's pieces being Over Powered which often isn't fair to your opponent. Take the time and let your opponent know that they played a good game. Learning to lose gracefully is tough, swallowing your pride can be hard, but acknowledging that your opponent played a good game as well is key to making sure someone wants to play another game with you.

Alternately, when you win make sure to let your opponent know how well they played too. Try not crow to loudly about your victory. If you go back to the last time that you lost and remember the feeling of being completely tabled by a Perdita crew, that's possibly what your opponent is feeling too. If its possible and you have time, whether you win or lose, go over the game with your opponent. I mentioned in the article about learning from losing that you should always try to get a good grasp on what happened in the game.

If you are going to an out of town tournament remember that to some degree you represent the LGS that you normally play at. People will know you as "that guy from XXXX store" and they will base their opinions of the store on your demeanor. Being a good sport will influence whether they decide to travel your way for tournaments later on. Everyone has been at a game tournament before and heard "Oh its those guys from XXXX. Those guys came in, rolled the tourney and were complete jerks." Don't give your LGS that reputation, this a place that goes out of their way to provide you with a place to play. Your bad behavior could cost them customers which might lead to you not having a place to play in the future.

Asking Permission

OK this is another common sense thing but I see it so often that I find it disturbing. We spend a lot of time on the hobby aspect of this game. I know that my Malifaux crews represent nearly a hundred hours of painting and basing and *shudder* gluing pieces together. Nothing makes your pulse race more than some person randomly snatching a fragile model up off the table to admire it. Not asking permission to touch another person's models, transport bag or even their cards on the table is rude and can give people a very negative opinion of you.
Even when models are sitting on a side table and you need room to put your stuff too, find out who the owner is and ask if its ok to move their stuff. Think of the heart attack you would have if you came to the table and your things weren't there. The same goes for people playing other games. Magic players have spent as much if not much much more for their things as you have with your minis and everyone has to share the same LGS space.

Language

This is a tricky one. Most LGS are family friendly and don't really like to hear profanity spoken, and if you are visiting a new LGS its best to be on the safe side. If you know your opponent well and you know they don't mind then speak as you will. However, leaning towards the conservative when it comes to foul
language is the better option in public places. I'm still learning this myself, as I have to keep things very PG at work all week so on the weekends I'm a bit more free with my words. The same thing goes for blogs, podcasts and video battle reports. Profanity restricts your potential audience and might cost you the popularity that you deserve when it comes to your work.



Measuring and Model Placement

This is a biggie, and probably the most unintentional of bad manners in a game. The difference of a few centimeters can put a model in or out of engagement range or out of line of sight and model placement is a large part of the learning curve for any miniature game. Make sure when measuring distances that you measure from a consistent point every time, back to back or front to front on the base, there won't be any questions as to where it was supposed to end up. If there is ever any doubt find a neutral 3rd party to eyeball things for you. Malifaux is pretty forgiving when it comes to measuring, and the fact that you can premeasure should make it easier to decide where you are going to move your models and cut back on the need for touching models any more than necessary.

Helping Out The New Player

So this is more suggestion than a hard fast rule but its something to point out. As Derek said in his first blog, this game is about community and the only way to expand it is to get more people interested in playing the game. When a table is set up with terrain and models in a LGS it will definitely attract a lot of attention. People will want to know whats going on and ask questions. It can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you are trying to concentrate on the game.
If you can though, answer questions, get people's interest piqued. Most people start playing mini games because they saw others playing it, not because they saw the models on the shelf. By no means disrupt your game, unless your opponent is cool with it as well. However, be polite to the new people, even if its just to say that you can answer more questions after the game is over. (Note: This is by absolutely no means a good suggestion if a tournament is going on)

Being a Good Bystander

Which leads me to the next point. If you are a bystander please be respectful. Games can be tense, and

Don't be this Robin

require concentration on both player's parts especially in a tournament. Watching is ok, maybe even cheering a good move, but keep it quiet and keep it respectful to both players. Do NOT give advice. If it isn't a tournament game, make sure both players are ok if you offer some pointers, but always ask permission first. Once again, this seems like common sense but it is a problem that I see over and over again in tournaments and events. No one likes a sideline coach during their games.

Yes, She's A Girl

This is a point that saddens me to have to go over. Never the less, girls play games. Lets take a minute, let that sink in. Girls play games and more and more of them are playing as the community becomes more open to the fact that they are playing. If you get paired up against a girl please keep your opinions to yourself. No one wants to hear comments along the lines of "wow you are pretty good for a girl" or "I wasn't expecting a girl to be such a good player." It may seem like a harmless thing to say but it comes across as very condescending. Also, girls are not there just because their boyfriend/husband play. They also are not using their feminine wiles to help them win. What is a wile anyway?
 (Note: This also applies to younger players as well. No one wants to be treated in a condescending manner)

Conclusion 

These are all tips that will keep everyone's Malifaux experience pleasant and ensure that you will have plenty of people to play with in the future. Remember, a person is not necessarily always a bad sport either. Part of gaming etiquette is to be understanding to a point. Don't hold a single bad game over someone's head like the Sword of Damocles. Sometimes you just have a bad day and getting frustrated in a game is the straw that breaks the camel's back. It happens and when it does, remember to breathe and that it isn't your opponent's fault things are going badly. I love this game, love the communities that I am seeing pop up all across the world and learning how to treat each other with respect will go a long way to making this game last into the foreseeable future. 

Until next time, Keep Cheating Fate-- John Fox

Makin' Deals, Friends and Opponents

Hi Malifolks!

This post was supposed to be just a simple introduction to the faction I'll be focusing on in 2015. Allen has claimed the mantle of chief Arcanist and John is weaving wicked deals with the Neverborn so I've got to do my best to draw a line in the sand and stand by it. I have an infamously poor track record when it comes to committing to a single army/faction/crew for any real length of time, but it's a new year so let's see if I can change my bad habits.

So break out the moonshine, I'll be playing Gremlins!

Bacon flavored whiskey? Yes please!

With that being said, this post is much more than a drunken proclamation. No, this blog will be explaining HOW I managed to get my grubby hands on this new faction without spending any cash from my depleted coffers. I'll also showcase a few corners of the interwebs where gamers can get miniatures on the cheap themselves. If a poor bayou bum such as myself can do it- so can you!

Makin' Deals
Who doesn't like a sweet deal? The internet has several great places for miniatures players to get new toys on the cheap. Let's take a look at a few.

Bartertown

Good ol' B-town! I've been trading with this community for years now and have had nothing but positive experiences. The forum based site hosts several threads for gamers to acquire Malifaux, Warmachine/Hordes, Games Workshop, Infinity, RPG books, comics, video games, CCGs and more!

Players can trade, buy and sell for their wanted items at prices that are generally 40-50% off of retail or better. While there is always some risk when it comes to dealing via the internet, B-town has been around a long time and boasts a "reputation archive" for each transaction that is done on its site.

 Make sure you do some research on the person you are dealing with and make sure they have a solid track record. If they are a new trader with little to no history, it is common B-town policy to have the person with the lowest rep make the first move in regards to sending funds or shipping items. While there is no one overseeing your deals like with eBay, you get to decide the details of the transaction and don't have to kickback any fees.

A Wyrd Place

First off, if you don't know about this awesome Malifaux-based Facebook group you should go and join it right now. Seriously, do it, I'll wait. Now that you are a member of one of the best Malifaux communities on the net, let's talk about makin' some deals! A Wyrd Place is a great place to hammer out a trade or buy/sell Malifaux pieces. Due to the fact that this is a premier Malifaux group, most people are very knowledgeable about the game as well as Wyrd's product line so you can be rest assured people know the value of items and will push for a mutually fair deal. It is also a great place to find rare Malifaux items such as Gencon and Black Friday exclusives that can cost a pretty penny on Ebay. 

While there is currently no reputation archive like with B-town, most people in the group are regulars and conduct themselves with integrity. This is a group of players who truly love the game and it is reflected in their community. I have had several trades using this site and have had nothing but positive experiences.

One thing to note, A Wyrd Place only allows people to post on topics relating to Malifaux so that means you'll have no luck dealin' for Space Marines here.

Warmachine/Hordes Trades and Sales

Despite its generic name, this Facebook group has been a great place to find deals as well as meet some pretty cool people. It is similar to A Wyrd Place in regards to how deals are made via Facebook posts, but it also boasts a collection of reputable traders and transactions which can help ease your mind when you're researching and planning your next deal. It is also open to other types of items such as Warhammer 40k, Malifaux and even Magic cards. Like with all online trade venues, be sure to exercise some caution and check references before planning any major transactions. I've made a few good deals here and check it often to see who is looking to part with what!

Hello Stranger! What'a you buyin?

Makin' Friends and Opponents

I won't spend too much time on this because the concept is a simple one. If you conduct yourself with integrity, have open and honest communication and are generally a cool person you are going to meet some great people who enjoy the same hobbies you do! The only thing better than making a great deal is making a friend (hallmark moment).

Throughout the course of my online trade history, I've met many people I've done recurring deals with and the trust and reassurance that comes with that is very valuable. A few of these people have become friends and are always up for a chat on aspects of the hobby and theorycraft. One or two of them have even become noble opponents via Vassal and are there to get a game in when you can't make it to the LGS.

In Conclusion

- I'm playing Gremlins in 2015 (with models haggled over via online trade sites)

- There are great places to get awesome deals online if you are willing to do some research
- Build a reputable name for yourself as a trader of integrity and you will meet cool people and save loads of cash by bartering for mutually beneficial deals

Ya'll keep readin' and we'll keep postin!

-Derek

Table War Mini Case Review

Hey guys just wanted to drop this video here about a new product I just picked up from Table War.