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Hi. I've just started learning the rules for Malifaux, I'm going with Von Schill as my Crew Leader. I was wondering if the box set 'Hired Guns' was enough to start playing or will I need to purchase anything else for a tournament styled game. If so what do people here recommend?

I think Hannah and Lazarus are both fantastic, and work well with him (hannah has more flexibility, lazarus has more damage output).

I'd also highly recommend tracking down a copy of I Pay Better, an upgrade from the second book/deck, which gives mercenaries a nice buff.

Johan is also a strong cheap option that fits in well.

You won't have enough points for a full game with just the box- Hannah or Lazarus will get you right up to the size you need minimally and that'll be a pretty solid list with a bit of a ranged emphasis, but you pick after objectives are revealed, so will probably want more options down the line.

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
I think Hannah and Lazarus are both fantastic, and work well with him (hannah has more flexibility, lazarus has more damage output).

I'd also highly recommend tracking down a copy of I Pay Better, an upgrade from the second book/deck, which gives mercenaries a nice buff.

Johan is also a strong cheap option that fits in well.

You won't have enough points for a full game with just the box- Hannah or Lazarus will get you right up to the size you need minimally and that'll be a pretty solid list with a bit of a ranged emphasis, but you pick after objectives are revealed, so will probably want more options down the line.

Wow, that Lazarus model is cool. I am also more interesting in damage than flexibility, so this is perfect. Thanks!

For a second master (as just playing one does get a little boring after awhile) Hired Swords (the Victorias box) is a good buy. You get a master with a different playstyle and solid minions (ronin) and a solid henchman (taelor). Vanessa is another nice enforcer model but works a little better with the Victorias as she is a sister.

I would really consider grabbing Hannah as well. While raw firepower is good, sometimes you want the flexibility offered by Hannah. Also she has Ca actions rather than Sh actions, which are better for hitting Incorporeal targets. Plus she can just smack things well in melee if you need her to.

Hannah has great denial abilities. Counterspell stops Ca actions like Lure, her large base blocks LOS to anything behind her, her aura stops a lot of triggers and abilities within close range to benefit your crew, and she can use soulstones to prevent damage and tank. Von Schill gives her pseudo Hard to Kill and she can take his shirt off (wooo), which all denies damage along with her armor/suit.

Ancient Tomes can also deny enemy placement and abilities such as auras. I've done it on the Dreamer to stop healing when his summons reactivate.

Fun fact: if you bury an enemy model with Void Record and walk over the marker covering it with her huge base, when they unbury and have nowhere to go they end up back in their own deployment zone.

I was starting out the same.
Hannah helps round things out well.
I would suggest looking at the "Strong-arm" as well.
He is a melee beast.
I got the "Convict Gun Slingers" as some pretty reasonable "filler".
I really like the "Student of Conflict" which plays into the suggestion of getting the "Victoria's" as well.

 Talizvar wrote:
I was starting out the same.
Hannah helps round things out well.
I would suggest looking at the "Strong-arm" as well.
He is a melee beast.
I got the "Convict Gun Slingers" as some pretty reasonable "filler".
I really like the "Student of Conflict" which plays into the suggestion of getting the "Victoria's" as well.

The Strong Arm Suit is also a solid Frame for Murder target. High armor, so it needs a big beater to take it down, and it's highly mobile with a great damage output, so it can get right in a priority target's face, meaning you have to take it down.

I just saw all the Malifaux boxed sets at the local gamestore last night. Range looks extensive, and I found out almost everything is now high quality plastic. This is much different from when I looked many years ago.

So, can someone sell me on this game? Also, some questions:

1) I was looking at the Smoke and Mirrors box set. Any suggestions regarding that? Additional things to buy that work well with that?

2) If I buy Smoke and Mirrors, what more do I need to buy to play?

3) Lastly, I heard there are one-player campaigns or scenarios. That looks interesting. Can someone let me know how that works? Can a beginner play starting that way?

Thanks! Mez

Smoke and Mirrors is a pretty self contained box. To expand it, I'd suggest Angelica (Colettes Enforcer) and two boxes of Coryphee (one box with the two models on 30mm bases, one box with both on a 50mm base, as they can combine during the game) is a good start. With those, play some games and see what else you might want.

Single player scenarios are in the story encounters (Amphibious Assault, The Crossroads Seven, Creative Taxidermy, Brotherhood of the Rat and the University of Transmortis). I've never tried one, so I can't comment. Story encounters are a collection of models. The Crossroads Seven is a band, and has a member from each faction. All are mercenaries, so you can use any of them in any faction, but if they're out of faction they're a touch more expensive to hire. They can be fielded as a single crew as well. The rest are sort of expansion sets for different factions, with a collection of models. Each has a book of scenarios and fluff.

 -Loki- wrote:
... and two boxes of Coryphee ...

O.o
No, just one & magnetize!

A mech rider and raptors would also be nice, and if you like slowing people while also forcing card discards, a December acolyte is great. Especially when she can be prompted...

Raptors are used with practiced production to drop schemes out of the other team's reach.

Mutter wrote:

 -Loki- wrote:
... and two boxes of Coryphee ...

O.o
No, just one & magnetize!

Depends on your hobby skill level. Personally I prefer to not have the hassle of magnetising.

 -Loki- wrote:

Mutter wrote:

 -Loki- wrote:
... and two boxes of Coryphee ...

O.o
No, just one & magnetize!

Depends on your hobby skill level. Personally I prefer to not have the hassle of magnetising.

the less hassle plastic coryphee are exposed to, the better. Those models are fragile!