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Hello,

A new player to Malifaux I find myself up against fast crews like Collodi, the Viktorias, The Dreamer. Playing Seamus (and probably missing some movement tricks) I'm finding it next to impossible to deal with some scenarios.

My last game saw the enemy zipping around the board planting evidence while my crew tried to Lure itself around. I managed to get three tokens planted by turn five with my opponent having planted five. Sending a couple of minions out to try and delay the enemy just proved futile and gave up tokens to Widow Weaver (resulting in Teddy charging down my throat). Even with my crew's resilience my minions were overwhelmed by numerous little guys (and killing them just dropped more spare parts).

My current collection:

Seamus
Bette Noire
3x Belles
3x Punk Zombies
Grave Spirit
Sybelle

It was only a 15SS match so I had Seamus, a Belle, Sybelle and a PZ. I know I need to get a better handle on companioning chains, luring, etc but when the enemy can simply reel toys back out of harms way it becomes rather demoralizing. I want to push up to 25SS next game. I'd prefer not to buy any extra models until I get these ones painted...but is there anything I'm really missing?

In a 15SS game, I'd probably load up on Belles. Their Lure is very easy to get off, and can really counter fast crews by dragging pivotal models out of formation - and into range of the Hatter's handcannon. Sybelle is probably a bit pricy IMHO for 15SS games, but Rotten Belles are some of the best minions you can get for their cost, so taking all three and maybe the Grave Spirit might be worth a go?

Lure really does mess with crews like that. the other options you have, all of which are effective to some extent or other, are:

rely on ranged attacks: in a saemus crew, saemus is really your big hitter, and that gun of his is amazing. not only that, but he's durable enough that he's one of the few masters that i would feel comfortable sending out alone. Get him to the middle of the board, and from that point on, between him and the belles luring, you can set up a nice little fire base with a lot more reach than it might initially seem

2. strategy and scheme selection: a lot of those crews will have problems when it comes to strategies and schemes that require them to come to you. They might be good at getting to you, but often times fail at taking you once they've gotten there, especially with a crew as hard as saemus'.

3. Self Lure Slingshot: Keep your models close to saemus, lure him up, use companion, etc. Saemus has more than enough tricks to get the job done once he's up there, and is tough enough to take most reprisals.

4. Soulstone management: this one is a tricky one, and is one of those things that just comes with time. Make sure, before you spend a soulstone, that this is REALLY the best use of it. That being said, if you end the game with half of your soulstone pool left, it didn't really do you much good now, did it?

5. Out-activate them: as a rezzie player, you have access to some great cheap minions. Necropunks for quick movement and objective grabbing (as long as there's more than one of them), canine remains (these dudes are awesome in any non-kirai rezzie crew), Belles (way undercosted for what they can do), totems (saemus+ grave spirit is a nasty combo, avoid his personal totem though)

6. Willpower duels: A Saemus crew too-often overlooks the nasty WP effects that Saemus has in preferance of the lure/handcannon combo, but he really does have some nice ones. Forcing enemy models to fall back can have devestating effects.

7. don't try to keep pace with them: you won't be able to. So don't try. Be methodical, plan your moves out ahead of time, and play the game YOUR way, making your moves and not just reacting to theirs.

Saemus' crew is one of the better ones out there, so i think the main thing you need to do is just remember all of the tools in your toolbox... or bag as the case may be...

Remember Seamus gives Rotten Belles a +2" to their walk when they activate within 6" of him. so they can trundle along quite quickly when you need them to.

Collodi is a pain because he and his crew are non-living meeting Seamus' Terror tricks are no good. Ideally you'd want to use pulse/aura spells/attacks as they don't require targetting and can catch multiple dolls in one attack.

For the Dreamer, you don't want to lure his Alpha strike in, you just want to kill his day dreams to slow him down. At larger games you can bring Bete Noire in, as when you kill his day dream it should allow you to place her (not summon!) next to the newly brought in Nightmare (not LCB anymore as the Dreamer has been erratta'd)

Vikis I have only Pandora experience with so it won't be much use, but her crew will be living so Terror tactics can help, along with Seamus taking on at least one of the Viks. Have him tie up one for a turn, then use a belle to lure him out of combat, then he can cast live for pain on the Vik to heal himself right up before either charging in again or using the handcannon to finish her off.

The models you need for Ressur speed are the Night Terrors! These guys are great, dragging each other along and tying up annoying units thanks to a) there Blind strike stopping the model making strikes for a turn and b) being hard to kill spirits meaning they won't be killed in one activation unless the enemy make at least two strikes.