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Hey all!

I got into Malifaux soon after it entered the scene back in 2009. Our group really enjoyed the setting, theme, scope, and overall gameplay of the game. Then, after some time went by, it started losing interest. As new updates were released, some players were starting to cheese out some broken combos that really took the game to a power level the rest of us just weren't happy with. It became frustrating to play. Eventually, all support for the game died off altogether, our Henchman even let his certification (or whatever it is they get) lapse.

Fast forward to now. M2E is out, and getting some really positive reviews. I read over the beta playtest documents - It looks on first inspection that most (if not all) of the mechanics that allowed loop-hole, WAAC manipulations of the rules have been corrected. One such rule is companion - only 2 models max may activate before the opponent gets a chance to react. The streamlined minion rules also help with this - less overall complexity makes a game more straightforward i feel.

So, here's my question to those of you who have been playing Malifaux, because i've been out of the game for a while: How much different is M2E as a whole vs 1st ed? Is it more fun? Less? Do encounters take about the same time, less time? Is the scale of the game the same? (Standard game 5-7 models per side for about 45 minutes game?

Our store has ordered some copies of the M2E rulebook and currently we have between 3 and 7 players interested in starting it up again. I'm just curious in the meantime if my initial positive observations are accurate.

Also any anecdotes from recent games using the M2E rules would be appreciated too. I just really want to hear about the game in general. Thanks!

 tetrisphreak wrote:
I got into Malifaux soon after it entered the scene back in 2009.

Our backgrounds with Malifaux are very similar then.. I've managed to stick through because of a few other guys helping carry the torch.

 tetrisphreak wrote:
Fast forward to now. M2E is out, and getting some really positive reviews

.
Aside from a few hardcore 1.5 players that have quit the game, the majority of players vastly prefer the new rule set. And as someone who has re-taught quite a few players the game (M2e) people are liking the rules, feeling they are just cleaner and more streamlined.

 tetrisphreak wrote:
I read over the beta playtest documents - It looks on first inspection that most (if not all) of the mechanics that allowed loop-hole, WAAC manipulations of the rules have been corrected. One such rule is companion - only 2 models max may activate before the opponent gets a chance to react. The streamlined minion rules also help with this - less overall complexity makes a game more straightforward i feel.

Yup. Infinity loops, broken combos and the such are all gone. Malifaux 2ed is the most balanced table top game I have ever played. Its ridiculous.

 tetrisphreak wrote:
So, here's my question to those of you who have been playing Malifaux, because i've been out of the game for a while: How much different is M2E as a whole vs 1st ed? Is it more fun? Less? Do encounters take about the same time, less time? Is the scale of the game the same? (Standard game 5-7 models per side for about 45 minutes game?

It is still Malifaux. You are flipping cards, cheating cards, spending stone, using AP and integrated activations. You are still trying to score VPs not just kill the enemy, the game is both symmetrical and asymmetrical at the same time. The game is very much the same at the core and the models still roughly did what they did in 1.5.

Way more fun because broken combinations and stagnant scheme selection are all gone.

Once you get the rules, I would say it is a tad quicker, but not much. The game is only 5 turns default now, so that cuts down some time, but Crews interact quicker, so that slows things back down. I would say its slightly quicker.

Yes, they upped the stone size of games to 50 as standard, but between upgrades and stuff just costing a tad more, it is still the same size model count as last edition. As for 45 minutes, no, I am at about 90 minutes for a 50 stone game, which is only slightly faster than a 35 stone game in 1.5.

 tetrisphreak wrote:
Our store has ordered some copies of the M2E rulebook and currently we have between 3 and 7 players interested in starting it up again. I'm just curious in the meantime if my initial positive observations are accurate.

Malifaux 1.5 was not a game most people wanted to get into unless they were snagged by the uniqueness of the world or flipping cards. M2e has the same, but now to the everyman gamer if offers an amazing rule set that is top notch in a competitive setting *and* allows for more narrative games.

 tetrisphreak wrote:
Also any anecdotes from recent games using the M2E rules would be appreciated too. I just really want to hear about the game in general. Thanks!

Hum... that's a tough one. When I tell people about what my models do, I generally say to them "look at the model and it probably does what it looks like it should." I use the Friekorps Specialist (flamethrower guy) and he does what a flamethrower dude should. Burns people, ignores cover, burns up schemes and explodes when he dies. Pretty simple.

Regarding the feel, my wife and I are both casual Malifaux players, and both feel like the game feels nearly the same, minus a lot of the dead weight. Turns go faster with models we don't know than they used to with models we played regularly, because of how much more straightforward things are. Not saying the game isn't as deep, but that the options on a given model take way less pondering.

Awesome input, thanks to you both!

Currently wave 2 is still in beta, so you can stop by the forums and help influence their direction if you do find any broken combos. However, about half the models in the line are already finalized and in the first book.