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So I'm relatively new to Malifaux (at least compared to the folks I play with) and I've been trying to get the most out of my Freikorps. I find Von Schill fits my play style very well. Still I lose more than I win. I know this is partly to do with my inexperience, but I'd like to get some feedback on the crews I've been running.

This is a version of a crew I tend to have good luck with, but I'll frequently swap out Killyjoy for an extra specialist or change the librarian for a Trapper.

Von Schill -- 5 Pool
+Oath Keeper [1]
+Survivalist [1]
+The Shirt Comes Off [1]

Freikorps Librarian [7]

Freikorps Specialist [8]

Freikorpsmann [5]
Freikorpsmann [5]
Freikorpsmann [5]

Killjoy [12]
+Oath Keeper [1]

I know it's kind of a noobish question. As much as I like Killjoy am I better off cutting him out of this list altogether and replacing him with a Strongarm Suit?

Thanks, folks.

Maybe replace him with a strongarm and replace one of the regulars with one of their snipers (blanking on the name...)

Trapper. And yes the trapper is awesome. But then I'm a purist when it comes to the Freikorps. That's why I custom built a Hannah proxy that looks more like a member of the Schill's team.

I wouldn't cut out the Librarian, I personally think it's the best model they have.

The attack is neither melee or shooting and is magic, so you bypass a lot of defensive shenanigans. The healing can be clutch. The removal of inbuilt suits can be amazing as well.

While none of these abilities make the Librarian worth it on their own, together it makes it a fairly vital piece that helps the friekorps deal with some threats that could give them trouble otherwise.

I might consider replace killjoy with Lazarus if i were you. Lazarus+ oathkeeper gives you a hard as steel piece with pretty nice offense, and way more ranged asskickery than killjoy. Also, unlike killjoy you get him from the beginning. Last but not least he saves you 2 stones. Anyway, just my 2ss

Thanks! I like the idea of swapping Killjoy for a Strongarm Suit and Trapper. Hadn't occurred to me that it's cheaper than Killjoy plus a regular. I really came to like Killjoy playing more melee heavy lists and love the "I dare you to kill me" aspect he adds, but I've been finding him less useful lately cause my Freikorpsmen might be anywhere when they die and I wind up saving him till fairly late in the game.

Thanks for the tip on the librarian too. I've been playing mostly smaller games lately and where the suit removing bubble isn't as crucial as it is in those big brawls that happen in 50 SS matches. If anything, I'll probably double up on them.

In 50 ss friekorps lists, you see a lot of double librarians, because they really do make an excellent toolbox

Do you actually use Hannah in your lists? She's pretty awesome.

And of course Malifaux being very objective dependent has me wondering how you're losing the games you lose. I know you're feeling you've got the wrong pieces for the job, but having a general idea of what's happening when you do lose may help us to help you out. The only thing I can see right off the bat is that with seven people in your lists you may be getting out activated about half your games.

I like this thread as I was planning on picking up the Von Schill box this weekend.

I'm losing games for issues grabbing objectives just as much as I am being outperformed. Objective claiming is always my weak point in any game I play, but force selection is something I'm in direct control of. The people at the shop I play at tend to play really high power lists and often shoot first and grab objectives later so being able to take a beating and then give one back is a major boon for me.

That said Malifaux has made me much better at being aware of objectives and playing with them as my primary focus.

Speaking of which. I have a side question, regarding what you just said. If your opponents wipes the table clean before grabbing objectives himself, he's not considered to have the rest of the game turns to reach them, is he?

Sounds stupid, but one of my opponents swears this is what happens.

Pretty sure there's no tabling turn limit, and I don't really think there should be: say you spent the first three turns completing your objectives while your opponent tabled you by the end of the third since they were focusing on killing you but scoring no (or fewer) points, but set up to easily grab points in the remaining turns. They'd be penalized for killing you too efficiently, so would need to intentionally leave a guy alive (and what if it were something like a Ronin, where you could kill your own model to end the game when you had an advantage?).

Unless there were some reason against it, if this happened, I'd expect the player to reveal any hidden schemes and measure a few distances to see if things were valid without flipping; if things were uncertain (needs a good hand for movement spells for instance), play it out quickly, otherwise call it for obvious reasons.

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
Speaking of which. I have a side question, regarding what you just said. If your opponents wipes the table clean before grabbing objectives himself, he's not considered to have the rest of the game turns to reach them, is he?

Sounds stupid, but one of my opponents swears this is what happens.

The game doesn't end until you fail to flip a 10+ at the end of Turn 5. If a player gets tabled before then, they're just out-activated by a lot.

Yeah that is incorrect, as you could then kill your own models to force the game to finish sooner (with a closer VP score)

Games always continue until turn 5 but the victor probably wouldn't shuffle his deck, flip initiative etc... but just show that his remaining AP over the turn(s) would be sufficient to complete a scheme or strategy.

Tabling doesn't end the game. I could even continue to gain points after being tabled through schemes like power ritual. Generally I'm not getting tabled. I'm just getting hit too hard to really contend for objectives.

Thanks for the tips. It's all greatly appreciated.