What you gonna do... When Hoff-a-mania runs wild on you?! (BatRep/ToMB2)

Well, Good Morning and Hello!

Yesterday I was meant to have two games of Malifaux against Matt (@thetweetsofmatt) and Adam (@vonstilton) but Adam fell ill, so I got in one game which fulfilled Matt's first #ToMB game... although strictly not ToMB because he used other minis other than the box but he had the right idea!

I've declared Neverborn and Matt declares... GUILD!
Slightly different to what he has been running recently which wasn't a complete surprise but I thought he might try Yan Lo, since he's been talking about it for a while! But anyway, Guild!

So, we flipped for Strat and Schemes and we ended up with:
Strat: Squatter's Rights
Scheme: Assassinate, Line in the Sand, Murder Protege, Spring the Trap and Breakthrough

Some interesting Schemes in the pool:
Assassinate - Kill the opponent's leader
Line in the Sand - 4 markers on the centre line
Murder Protege -Kill the highest SS costed model in the opponent's crew
Spring the Trap - Markers within 4" of enemy leader at the end of any turn earn 1VP. If the crew has equal or more models than your crew, earn an additional VP.
Breakthrough - 1VP for each marker 6" away from deployment zone.

Some things to really think about in that pool.
Line in the Sand is possible, but with Squatter's Rights I think that it would be too easy to remove the markers from the centre line.
Assassinate... I'm not sure about this, particularly as I know what Master he is playing and after having his card read to me I knew this was the right choice not to take it!
Murder Protege is Joss... get bent! That ain't happening!
Breakthrough - Yeah, I've got a Silurid and Madnesses... why not! I might as well!
Spring the Trap - I've never taken this scheme before but with the options in the pool I thought I might as well give it a go!

So more or less a 'standard' crew build for me I suppose:
Dreamer
- On Dreaming Wings
- Tantrum
- Restless Dreams
Chompy
Waldgiest
Waldgiest
Madness
Madness
Stitched
Stitched
Silurid

I thought that with the Squat Markers down, I use the Waldgiest to get a 4" bubble to stop interactions between markers and have the Madnesses or Silurid jumping forward to turn the markers and pop down scheme markers for breakthrough... oh, by the way, these are the two schemes I've taken:

I'm going to reveal Breakthrough and hide Spring the Trap but I will be trying to play this as Assassinate or Murder Protege to see if I can get it off without him realizing!

So Matt went with the Hoff which was interesting... with some very sweet upgrades. Those who don't know (and haven't read my Blog post about The Guild - shame on you) Hoff creates constructs for the Guild but his ability - Power Loop - enables him to use the defense of a nearby construct (within 3"). His Def is 3 normally with a trigger which allows him to gain armour from nearby constructs too! It is scary good if he's got a tight group together!

He went with:
Hoffman
- On Site Assimilation
- Arcanist Assets
(0) Modifications:
Patchwork Plating
Programmed Directive
Hydraulics
Targeting Systems
Joss
Hunter
Hunter
Guardian
Trapper
Johanna / Johan

Interesting build, not one I'd consider with Hoff per-say. The Trapper idea was an interesting one but Matt had revealed Breakthrough and Line in the Sand at the start of the game. I think Guild Riflemen would have been a better selection but unfortunately he does not own any... yet!

I draw my opening hand... Red and Black Joker... Interesting! Three 'useable' cards and then three which are just crap of my plan with The Dreamer!

And we set up... Each madness on each flank with a Silurid hidden behind a building with the Stitched both within 3 of the Dreamer and the Waldgiests next to them! Matt sets two Hunters on either flanks and behind the red building - the Trapper!

The game gets underway...

Key Moments:

- Hunter drags the Silurid into his melee and the Guardian charges in, causes severe damages and finishes it off.

- Joss shoots the stitched and Red Jokers the damage flip, takes the Stitched down to Hard to Kill (1 Wound).

- Stitched gambles with Hoff who has strolled away from his Power Loop, so left himself on Def 3 but was close enough to Joss to gain Armour +2. Stitched does 11 damage, reduced to 7. Hoff down to 3 wounds! 

- Johanna heals Hoff 2 damage.

-  Hoff Power Loops to Joss and heals more damage.

- Hunter walks into engagement with the Insidious Madness and flips severe on a negative flip! 5 Damage... even with Incorporeal it wasn't enough to save him! Dead!

- Dreamer gets close to Hoff, Joss and Johanna. Drops a scheme marker (4" away from Hoff) turns into Chompy and hits Hoff - Matt burns 2 stones to keep him alive!

- Both Waldgiests lay down germination markers which help control areas of the board and stop Joss moving freely kicking the shit out of everything!

- Hoff gets to Defense 7, Armour +3. Chompy hits 3 times and misses with all of them! 

- Johanna charges Chompy, uses the Red Joker on passing a terrifying test and promptly smashes Chompy into a million pieces. 

- Dreamer tries to run away (not before dropping another scheme marker near Hoff) but Joss catches him and brings him down to 1 wound after his attacks and being 'told to' by Hoff! 

- Hunter kills the Dreamer! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

- End of Turn 3: Spring the Trap revealed and 3VP obtained.

- End of Turn 3 VP: Dreamer 5 - Hoffman 0

Matt calls the game at the end of this turn saying that he can't recover from 5-0 down. Had we of carried on, I would have scored 3 for Breakthrough as the Stitched are being pushed around by a Daydream so they can interact in the positions I need them! 

With Hoff's power loop ability he benefits from being close to constructs and because this was Matt's first time with the crew he kept them in a very tight bunch. The Hunters on the flanks did a good job but were too isolated for the most part. When one hunter was dragged in it enabled me to get one of the Madness up the board to flip the furthest Squat Marker. Moving up in one solid lump with Hoff enabled me to flank around the outside getting points for Breakthrough and holding the Squat Markers!

What have I learnt:

-  Don't be a prick and put Dreamer into Hoff (although he did get me my 3VP for Spring the Trap)

- Hoff works better in a bubble so going around the outside to complete schemes is the way forward. 

- Spring the Trap is possible but, for me, it comes under a set of strict criteria and it has to be something manageable to do! Against Yan Lo, it would have been shite!

- I need to expand on my collection with the Dreamer to get someone/something which is a small beat stick. Saying that - What happened in this game was that I ran around the outside and completed schemes/strats

- Don't be afraid of losing The Dreamer - I managed to markers near Hoff and that was key and then what I did was proceed in burning all my resources trying to keep him alive when in truth, I could have bluffed half way but I didn't need to spend this much on trying to protect him!

- Isolate Hoff (by Beckoners or other means) to get rid of him!

In other news, which is hobby related and kind of Malifaux related: I've managed to trade this wonderful Avatar Hoffman for a shed load of Privateer Press Legion of Everblight minis! I must do a blog post on them at some point! Matt built this whilst I was in the store and was very proud in showing it off!

In ToMB related news - I've found these models which I thought I could use part of for the Oxfordian Mages and The Captain!

Here are the smoke plumes! These with Mages on top would look ace!

Lastly for this post, Steve's painting skills have been pushed once again with these two Skaven minis! You can follow him on Twitter (@furryjamhats)!

Thanks for reading!

I'll see you soon!

Malifaux JargonBuster: Neverborn

The time has come where my journey around Malifaux is nearly at an end! I'm not going to lie, it's been emotional! I know that I have one faction to do now and I thought I'd introduce some basic mechanics in another post so you can get the hang of it!

For the penultimate time; Ladies and Gentlemen... please listen to your health and safety announcement before continuing with your journey. This post is intended for new players/players who are not yet into the wonder world of Malifaux and want to know a little bit more about each faction and master. They are not comprehensive guides on how to play or provide you with additional background.

If you're reading this and you're wondering where the funk the others are, well, they're here of course:
Background
Gremlins
Arcanists
Guild
Ten Thunders
Resurrectionists
Outcasts

Today... THE NEVERBORN!

The city of Malifaux is a dangerous place, but it is as cosy as a roaring fire on a snowy night compared with what lies beyond the city limits in the Badlands. Every nightmare ever dreamed has a part of Neverborn included in it. These horrors manifest themselves and are a very real threat.
When the Breach closed for the first time, no one Earthside knew what had happened, but many scholars agreed that the Neverborn had something to do it with it. When it reopened, the Guild expected a mass attack but none came. The Guild began a recovery mission to 'take back' the city. After a few months, they eased back their control and they thought they would be safe.

They were wrong...

Unlike humans, Neverborn are not limited to a familiar shape. Many begin life as small creatures, growing into larger beasts. Others might seem little more than a child, but bear no greater desire than to cause pain and suffering.
Some tell tales of creatures who assume human form, not only fitting into a crowd, but impersonating their victim in the midst of horrible crimes. Just because the Guild can't see them, doesn't mean they're not there. Many lives were lost to the unseen threat, and the Guild is certain the threat has been incorporated into their ranks.
Neverborn draw strength from the primal magic that flows through Malifaux, rather than the surface magic which the Arcanists twist to their own devices. It is through this power that some of the more skilled creatures are able to twist fate to their own designs.
There are many cults which have been dedicated to reaching this magic, through the blood rituals performed by ignorant humans serve only to strengthen the power. To this end, some of the more clever Neverborn foster human worship, and convince man to deprave themselves in the service of the darker forces.
The Guild has grown desperate in their fight against the Neverborn, hiring just about anyone who is willing to join their 'Neverborn Hunter's Task Force'. Rare is the person who returns from their first hunt, and rarer still are those who come back unchanged.
No two Neverborn need ever use the same tools. While some lash out at humanity with bloodshed, others drink deep off mankind's emotions. Others still twist the strands of ate, or touch upon the madness in every man's heart.
One thing remains constant, however. Malifaux is theirs, and they do not appreciate guests.

 

Lilith

Lilith is the first Neverborn. A calm and cunning leader one moment, a frenzied creature of hatred and malice the next. She remembers the end days of Old Malifaux as fleeting memories. She will not stand by while humanity takes over, what Lilith sees as her domain. 

When the Breach first opened over a century ago she was curious, inquisitive to see what these creatures were like in numbers. She had been aware of humans which had slipped through reality from time to time; Zoraida being the prime example. What she learned was that humans were a pest which must be exterminated.

For now, Lilith is content to plot on a short term basis, slowing but not thwarting humanity's expansion beyond the city walls. Her steady hit and run tactics have earned her prominence on the Guild's Most Wanted List. The bounty grows with each successful attack.

In Lilith's box you get: Lilith, Barbaros, 3 Terror Tots and a very cute Cherub

Pandora

The Neverborn take on many guises, but none are so at odds with their true nature than Pandora's appearance. Pandora uses this youthful facade to stroll the streets of Malifaux undisturbed, enabling her to pursue her dark and terrible agendas without suspicion.
She carries with her an ancient box which remains firmly sealed until she is ready to release its contents. Opening the box unleashes pandemonium, twisting sanity until the lines of reality blur.
Maliciously mischievous, she has a cruel sadistic streak which comes out when the mood strikes her. She is a force of all the suffering in Malifaux, feeding on the anguish of the popluation. Unlike Lilith, she has little desire to see humanity leave the city, as they are delicious treats for her macabre whims.
Where Pandora walks, hope dies.

In Pandora's box you get: Pandora, Poltergeist, 3 Sorrows, Candy and Kade.

 Jakob Lynch



The Bliss-Pushing Card Shark. Like the fates of Malifaux. Jakob Lynch can find himself in incredible good fortune, though more often than not, his luck is sour. Winning the whole Honeypot Casino was a stroke of good luck that would only end poorly for the young entrepreneur. Quickly, Lynch found himself in debt... to the Ten Thunders.
Then one day, very curiously, an offer came Lynch's way. Two men would pay off his debt if they could use the basement of the Casino. This offer was too good to refuse so Mr. Graves, Mr. Tannen and Mr. Lynch became partners in business.
Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him and he slipped down to the basement to see what was going on. There, in front of him, the moment of truth; a terrible creature that was the source of all his success. Now Lynch is torn between the Ten Thunders and the Neverborn, barely able to keep either at bay. If he has any hope of surviving he may have to dive into even darker places to become the master of his own fate.

Lynch's crew box you get: Jakob Lynch, The Hungering Darkness and 3 Illuminated.

Zoraida

 Desperation can drive men and women to do desperate things like moving for the relative safety of the city into the Bayou. Those who travel out of the city and find her, find themselves in an unusual position as she knows their names and why they have come. In order to answer any questions they may have they are challenged to a game of cards - if they win, she tells them what they need to know but if they lose, she collects a unique ante. Most never see the city's lights again.
Zoraida is the hag with the second sight. Centuries old, she is not truly in one faction or another. Being placed as a Neverborn master, really she is a human who traversed the inbetween and reached Malifaux long before the first opening of the Great Breach. Over time she become one of the Neverborn and she knows more about the weaving's of fate and where to pluck than any other creature in Malifaux.
Zoraida interweaves her own designs into fate's plan and maneuvers hundreds of desperate elements together to achieve her desired results.

In Zoraida's box you get: Zoraida, Voodoo Doll (totem), Swamp Fiend and 3 Silurids

Lucius Mattheson

In the Guild is the right hand of the Governor - Lucius Mattheson or to give him his correct title: Lusius Gustavius FitzWilliam Mattheson. He is master of guile and an effective leader. He uses his influence to move minions around the board and do his bidding. No-one realizes (or in fact knows) how much influence Lucius wields, or how many in Malifaux are now loyal directly to him instead of to their duties.Nobody knows many spies he has, how far his reach extends. Nobody knows who comes to speak with him in the dead of night, or the company he keeps when he vanishes into the Quarantine Zones or the Neverborn-haunted wilderness. Nobody knows...
Lucius has an affiliation to both the Guild and Neverborn which make him the last dual faction master and indeed the last master of the Guild. He has many movement tricks which focus on the minions around him.

 In Lucius' box set you get: Lucius, 2 Lawyers, 2 Guild Guard, Captain Dashel (a bit brute with a fearsome reputation among the Guild but thick as shit) and a scribe, Lucius' totem who carries a spare mask for Lucius... just in case!

Collodi

 There are many old relics from humanity's first time through the Breach. Most of these are the usual - ruins, coins, books. But there are some forgotten things as well, things that were imbued with magic and life.
Collodi is a living puppet, the size of a human adult. It was made to be an entertainment device, a performer, sharing stories with the humans. At the closing of the Breach, Collodi was left alone with no more children to share stories with. To make up for the loneliness, Collodi began making new puppets from bits of wood it scavenged.
When the Breach reopened, Collodi rushed to the newly arrived settlers, drawn by the laughter of the children. It wasn't to be like before, the adults attacked the puppet, forcing it away with torches and axes.
Unable to fulfill its purpose, Collodi learned to hate. It vowed to teach humanity the emptiness it had felt for so long. It started making a new kind of puppet, using the blood of stolen children. Collodi wanders Malifaux in its painted wagon, hiding in plain sight behind the masks it wears, still committed to its now twisted purpose.

Collodi's box has not yet been released, however I would expect you will receive: Collodi, Vasalisa and 4 Marionettes! Not much I know, maybe they'll throw something else in!

Finally... my personal favourite in the whole of Malifuax... The Dreamer

Dreamer

 Nytmare has twisted human's dreams since the fall of Old Malifaux, feeding on the terror he causes. In that time, there is only one child who has resisted his efforts.
The Dreamer simply reshaped his dreams back again, never once fearing the lurking Tyrant. When Nytmare tried to leave the boy's dream to feed on easier prey, he was surprised to see the boy follow him. In the darkness of Malifaux, the boy demanded a playtime with 'Lord Chompy Bits' - a game of hide and seek. He seemed unaware that his mind was no longer inside his own dreams, but bending the fabric of reality in Malifaux.
The power this offered Nytmare was tremendous; if he could only determine how it worked! Unwilling to risk finding anyone else or even harming the boy, he has since indulged in every demand for the new game, watching gently over his host until he can understand how a mere boy can wield such power so casually.

In Dreamer's box you get: Dreamer, 3 Alps, 3 Daydreams, Lord Chompy Bits and Coppelius.

So that's it! We've run down all of the Malifaux factions and even see what the crew boxes look like! I hope you've enjoyed the run down and are considering the game! If you've experienced the game before, I hope you continue playing and expand your collection, there is a lot of tasty models out there!
The game is refreshing from the usual endless dice rolling and brings a new dynamic to playing.

Thanks for reading!

I'll see you soon!

Malifaux JargonBuster: Outcasts

Hello again, I must go through the health and safety features of reading this - This is intended for people who know nothing about the game or have just started playing and want to know more about what each master is/does and gain a better understanding of the world of Malifaux.

If you haven't seen my other JargonBusters they are here (links will open in a new window...hopefully... if I've set it up right...):
Background
Gremlins
Arcanists
Guild
Ten Thunders
Resurrectionists


The Outcasts are an unusual faction in the world of Malifaux. The Guild are after power, the Arcanists run the Union and the Resurrectionists and Neverborn are after anything they can get; mainly blood and bodies! But to think that these broad titles cover all the players in Malifaux would be naive. There are men and women who, for some reason, have shunned (or been shunned by) other affiliations for a more rougish lifestyle.
Many convicts have their roots within the Guild; convicts, desperates and even exiled practitioners who find themselves on the fringes of Malifaux city itself. These people often create their own safe haven without the fear of persecution. There are those who have escaped sentences of work or death and live as fugitives. For them, the only safe place is where the Guild fear to tread.
Those who have been outcast my still choose to operate within the confines of the city and act a mercenaries. With the threat still high in the city it is always a viable business option to make yourself a gun-for-hire.
While there are lone mercenaries operating within the city, there are those who have formed stable fighting forces available to offer a small army if the price is right.
Others who have been branded as outcasts merely may not play well with others and therefore cannot conform to society's expectations, leaving them out in the cold.
No matter what the reason, all Outcasts have the same thing in common: They are masters of their own fate... good or bad!

With that in mind, let's take a look at some masters in the faction.

Tara

The Herald of Obliteration.

Orphaned at a young age, Tara learnt how to survive on her own. She found skills that she had learnt could be useful. Killing came to her as easily as breathing. It was a small step to take her skills to Malifaux, where the dangerous country promised only profits for the young woman.
After briefly considering the Freikorps, Tara decided to go it alone and gained an uncanny ability to tell when the Neverborn were around. Then she met Obliteration.
Obliteration invited her inside his prison and she claimed a piece of him, bringing him into the world. At the crest of her power, with all standing before her, a sniper took aim and left her for dead. It was only through Karina's quick thinking (a woman who Tara brought out of the prison) that she was able to recover. It wasn't exactly the result that Karina had hoped for as Tara raised from the dead instead of healing. She maintains complete autonomy and is able to act in death as she had in life.

Tara's box includes: Tara, Karina, The Nothing Beast and 3 Void Wretches

Misaki

The Assassin. As a child, Misaki lives in her father's shadow. It wasn't until he decided that she would be part of their first wave of infiltration that she was able to come in to her own. She came to the city under the guise of a Guild Lifer, now she is leader of operations within the city. She is torn between decisions which will best suit the faction but more importantly, she is torn between doing it her way or honoring her father and family.

Misaki's crew box comes with Misaki, Shang (Totem) - quite literally a magical fox, 3 Torekage (Ninjas!) and Ototo. Her crew works on the premise that you hit hard and work as a team. The Torekage best work when around other models as they get defense benefits.

Von Schill

 In 1902, a crack commando unit was sent into Malifaux by the Guild for the extermination of the Neverborn. These men promptly pissed off the Governor-General and went underground. Today, wanted by the Guild, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them....maybe you can hire The Freikorps.
(I'm really proud of this by the way! Sad I know! And although it's not strictly true, I'm going to bend the truth because it fits nicely!)
Von Schill single handedly exterminated many Neverborn when the Breach reopened and he was destined for leadership within the Guild. Complication came when he made an enemy of the one person you can't make an enemy of in Malifaux: the Governor-General.
Eventually, he established himself with a base just outside the Guild's control and began building a team called the Freikorps. The first members were those who also disagreed with the Governor-General's leadership but now extends to soldiers and specialists alike.


In Von Schill's box you get: Von Schill, Steamtrunk, Freikorps Specialist, Freikorps Trapper, 2 Freikorpsmen and a Freikorps Librarian.

The Viktoria's

 There is a lure within Malifaux which inevitably draws certain people to the city. Some go because of the power that can be gleaned from Soulstones. Others go because of information or to find lost ones. Viktoria went due to information received from a contact which promised a greater treasure than she has ever found. A seasoned treasure hunter and adventurer, it was an offer too good to refuse.
In the city Viktoria quickly found herself in the middle of plots and plays from many of the great names in Malifaux. Part of a Neverborn scheme left her with a perfect double: a doppelganger. They may dress differently but many cannot tell the two apart. They bonded as sisters and have been inseparable ever since.
While they are willing to hire themselves out, their real goal is to find artifacts they can sell Earthside or within the city for profit. The thing that stops most treasure hunters are the natives, but due to the doppelganger's insight they can avoid or fight them as the humour strikes them.
The mystery of the sisters continues to grow within the community!

In the Viktoria's box you get: Viktoria of Ashes, Viktoria of Blood, 2 Ronin and a Student of Conflict.

Hamelin


Many years ago, Plague was a preeminent alchemist in Malifaux, well respected in his field of study. He developed a fascination with decay and aging. A tragic accident during an experiment nearly killed him. Drowning in his own blood, his eyes closed only to reopen the next day.
Few records remain from the time of the Tyrants of Malifaux, the only thing for certain is that they were locked away, trapped because they could not be killed. Plague slept for a milenia in the necropolis below the city until he was awoken by Hamelin the Rat Catcher on the run from the Guild. Hamelin's death was horrific but it gave Plague a rebirth.
Plague is the most aggressive of all the Tyrants that walk (or used to walk) Malifaux. He holds a strange view that all of the Tyrants are playing a great game, one which is only worth playing because existence itself is the gamble.
While his first attempt at ascension failed, he is discovering new methods to try again. He refuses to admit defeat.



Currently, Hamelin's crew isn't out yet but I would think you will get: Hamelin, Nix (his dog), Stolen Children, Rats (lots of rats) and possibly Rat Catchers or a Rat King.

Leveticus

 Leveticus is the proprietor of Captivating Salvage and Logistics, a small shop in Malifaux City that offers a range of services. He and his young companion Alyce have been staples of city since the opening of the Breach. Whatever you need, Levi is your man!
What few know is that Leveticus is a man of magical talent. His designs can even rival the work of Victor Ramos!
Leveticus has discovered he is able to cheat death by combining necromantic texts with modern theories and has made links between his soul and dead husks he calls Hollow Waifs. Levi can come back to life.
According to Zoraida, Leveticus is positioned at the centre of fate's design. While the exact details are uncertain, he is one of the lynchpins that Malifaux leans on. If there was to be a war with the Tyrants who awaken in the city, Leveticus is in a position to lead the charge!

In Levi's box you get: Leveticus, 4 Abominations, 3 Hollow Waifs and Rusty Alyce. 

Jack Daw

 No one forgets their first sight of the Hanging Tree. Everyone can see it when they cross Breachside, where hanged men drift in the wind, right in view of the train station. At the top of the Tree hung Jack Daw, beyond the reach of any man. There are legends o this mysterious corpse, which had been present since the reopening of the Breach itself.
The only thing that is certain is that Jack was not present during humanity's first time in the city. The first legends of Daw dealt with his origins but now they have taken a darker turn.
One night, Jack went missing from the tree. This immediately prompted rumors and stories and it didn't take long for these to subject panic on the parents of Malifaux, creating a haunting rhyme that became extremely popular warning of Jack Daw.
From the Wastelands, Jack had been seen just outside the city. At first, the stories told of him standing, watching the city but then progressed to him leading a horde of dead, tearing apart towns in fury.
Whatever drives Daw into rage, he takes it out on everything nearby. He seems drawn to acts of betrayal, present at nearly every mutiny or insurrection of recent months. Towns have disappeared overnight, leaving behind only blood on the ground and burned buildings.

 Currently, Jack Daw's box isn't out but the artwork suggests you get: Jack Daw, Lady Ligeia, Montressor and 3 Tormented.

This wraps up the Outcast section of Malifaux!

Thanks for reading!
I'll see you soon!