James Wilson Codes

Note - my opponent here is organising a Malifaux League at Powder Monkey Gaming. I first learned Malifaux through an escalation league he'd organised, and now it's my favourite hobby. This, however, is a round-robin full faction league. I'm pumped for it, and if you're anywhere nearby, please think about joining, even if you've not played Malifaux much before. We're friendly people and are always happy for new people to join the Community!

I was quite excited to play against Yan Pietrzak, of Green Jokers Podcast fame. The last time we’d faced off was at the English GT when we played in Round 3. This time, we were just playing casually, but I knew that he was planning to move away from Lucas McCabe, probably to another faction. The last time we’d spoken I’d thought he was heading towards Guild, so I was surprised to see that he declared… Arcanists. However, I know they are his favourite faction, and he has a lot of games in with them, and I was pleased to see Rasputina - the first time I played a 50 soulstone game against Yan, he took Rasputina, and it was my first game with Kastore, Fervent, and I was very excited to try out the new Monstrous Beatstick master - and he got stuck behind Ice Pillars for most of the game! I’ve faced Raspy a couple of times since then, so I was hoping to be able to give him a better show this time.

I was always going to be declaring Reva Cortinas, Luminary, because I want to get better with her - and in particular get faster - as I don’t think I have yet played 5 turns with her. Yan was returning after a few months off from playing Malifaux regularly, and told me he thought he would clock out while he remembered how to play the game, and the December crew. It was, indeed the first time I’ve had more time on my clock than Yan at any point in a game!

I've been trying to think more about Scheme selection and as I was looking at the pool I noticed something. As only two of the Schemes required Scheme Markers, and one of them was Power Ritual, you could conclude that, unless it was a feint, any Scheme Marker dropped on 98.4% of the board (I did the maths...) was going to be used for Ensnare - so I decided not to take Ensnare.
With two Dapperlings, Hold Up Their Forces seemed like a valid choice, so I picked that and Power Ritual.

I’d found in my last few games (and, if totally honest, many of my games) that I’ve been outdone on the flanks. I think I bubble too much - especially with Reva, where I’ve wanted to keep models near her to protect her (Shieldbearers) or benefit from Spirits in the Flames or Dancing in the Flames or Demise(Eternal Flame) or healing from Visions of Fire. However - I’m not scoring points when I’m in a big bubble, so I need a flanks plan.

The plan was, on Standard deployment, to have a Corpse Candle and a Lampad on each flank. The Corpse Candle would double walk, the Lampad would Hovering Flame then charge it, and would get a 2 inch push from Tear Back The Veil - and then walk, using Dancing In The Flames to hopefully end up near the Ballot marker on the centreline and the board edge, with two Pyre Markers to keep it alive, and 2 Burning to reduce damage with Flaming Body.

This… kind of worked. Because I’d picked Power Ritual, I also needed to drop a Scheme within 3 inches of the corner - so I put my models there, and I also added a Dapperling. What I should have done is followed the original plan, but used the Dapperling to drop a Scheme, and brought it up to meet the Lampad later. However, I think having models that can reduce damage and revive on the flanks was a big help - Yan referred to it afterwards as ‘a tricky puzzle for me’ which I took as high praise. One flank was answered by Ceddra and a Silent One (and an Ice Pillar) and the other was answered by the Blessed of December and a Gearling. I think tying up 4 models with 2, and scoring a Strategy point was not bad. The flank with Ceddra, the Lampad Black Jokered its Hovering Flame and then the positioning of models meant it couldn’t get its vote in first - but I think the plan is solid, and I will tweak in future.

In the centre, Rasputina came forwards and was going to wipe out a Shieldbearer - who flipped the Red Joker, winning the duel. This was one of those moments that was lucky for me, I can’t claim credit - although Yan was frustrated to have spent two of his Master’s activations achieving nothing. There was also a Kaltgeist nearby, and I used Batsch & Amalie’s Mushroom Cloud attack to damage it - with Armor +1, it only took 1 damage, which looked a bit puny - but the reason for doing it was to bring it down to 4 health, so that Reva’s Immolate could turn it into a third Lampad (after using Lantern’s Light to pass Burning on to it). I think leaving the Kaltgeist there was the only mistake Yan made that I noticed. At one point he said to me ‘I think you have this game’ but I replied ‘never underestimate my ability to make a mistake and screw it all up.’ I don’t think I did that, but because I couldn’t get ahead on Strategy (the flank where the Lampad died only had a Dapperling, who eventually died for-real, as did my other Dapperling) and because because Ice Pillars were giving me Slow (I often chose to take Slow, because I didn’t want to discard the cards that would keep my Lampads and Dapperlings alive, or allow the ShieldBearer to Take the Hit for Reva) I wasn’t able to score enough to win. Yan had 2 minutes left on the clock at the end of Turn 3, (I had 10, so there is still some way to go on that clock watching!) And we stopped there at 4-3 to Yan. This is the best result I’ve had against him (although it took some card flips in my favour, him not playing for ages and picking up a crew for the first time in a year and me practising loads, but I’ll take it!)

I think if I'd put some more pressure on Rasputina, I probably wouldn't have killed her, but I might have made her remove some Ice Pillars, which would have made my life easier.

I also got to use Guiding Light and Visions of Fire in a way I hadn’t previously - usually I’d tried to stack Burning on my own models and heal them, but here, I dropped the Pyre Marker further away, and used it to push Rasputina around a corner so she couldn’t see me (or her Ice Pillars) as easily. I think this helped eat up an action, or at least dictate what Yan did a little bit, so I will have to remember it.

Another fun game - and I learned a couple of rule things I hadn’t realised:



• You have to be able to see a model to summon it - I was trying to summon a Corpse Candle next to Rasputina, but in base contact with a Pyre Marker, but I had to do it nearer me where I could see it.
• You can Charge through engagement - I knew you couldn’t Walk out of it, but I’d not considered the case where you both enter and exit it in a single Charge action. I like the idea that you’re just running going ‘AAARGH!’ and the other model is so taken aback they don’t get a chance to stop you.

I’ve got one more game before an upcoming event at Element Games, which at the time of writing still has spaces available - so any readers who are free on 5th April and are anywhere near Stockport, UK - think about coming, it will be fun!

Also, a big shout out to Adam Eccles (@trister) who talked through my crew and tactics with me before the game, appreciate it!

If anybody reading this is in or near West Yorkshire, join the Powder Monkey Discord, post a message and come down for some Malifaux fun, or even join our League! Other games are available, of course - I just tend to write about Malifaux due to time constraints, but I've enjoyed Turnip 28, Kings of War and Dungeons & Dragons there too - and I've seen people playing 40k, Sigmar, Middle Earth, A Song of Ice and Fire, ShatterPoint, Arcane Arena, Cy Borg, all sorts of stuff!