The Hag's Puppets
Soul Stone amount - 25
Now there are a few builds for Malifaux's resident seer but two main ones in keeping with the fluff one focusing on puppets and manipulation and one focusing on the Bayou and all the strange beasties there in. It's this second idea I'll be focusing on this time. The box is a pretty solid one that comes in at a hefty 25 SS. Its got speed, strength and some pretty evil magic. It is a little model light but in games at lower coats it will hold its own with little trouble
Expansion
Now I know a few of you just swore at your monitors and said something like "isn't this supposed to be Malifaux on a budget" and yes you're right. The spawn mother has a pretty hefty price tag but you get a whole lot of model that's not only survivable but makes tiny baby silurid for you to throw about with wanton abandon. She also allows your silurid to operate independently thanks to her rain dance ability.
Another slightly expensive model BUT grab your self a few 40mm bases and you have three of the blighters. Gupps are worse than silurid but cheaper and more importantly spawnable. The spawn mothers pool allows you to collect corpse counters and for every two produce a new Gupp. Hoard neverborn? yes please.
The guild box this post - my mortal enemy Sonnia Criid.
The Box
Soul Stone amount - 20
Ask any Arcanist player (myself included) and they will tell you Sonnia Criid is an evil evil woman with a horrible crew of day wrecking midgets. Sonnia Criid is a witch hunter as are her followers, a job they do very well. They have great anti magic abilities, good range and combat backed up with a few anti movement powers and bonuses to hit high Ca models.
Also she is one of the best casters in the game! (yes I am very bitter), The box has few weakness but does have pretty low defence on average.
Expansion
The handler is a great little model, she works great with her charges as you would expect and in return they buff her back. She allows you to get round the slow movement of witchling stalkers. She also ignores the blast damage witchlings produce on their demise. A must for Cridd users.
Withclings are good, they work well with Criid, so if some is good, more must be better. Simple as that.
Total cost - £37.35/ $61You're in a treat next (well at least I am) with my personal favourite master - Miss Colette Du Bois
The Box
Soul Stone amount - 20
So I'll try not to gush too much. The show girls aren't the eaiest crew to use but they are a fast paced tricky crew that will leave you opponent guessing. Their abilities revolve round magicians tricks and Colette pulls "now you see it, now you don't" style moves, in addition to this Cassandra is one woman tar pit and the show girls allow for a lot of manipulation. In addition to this Colette is the only master who can create soul stones, mid-game!
Expansion
While Cassandra can handle her self in combat the rest of the show girls are lacking. Enter the Coryphee. These ladies are Colette and Cassandra's personal mannequins. Fast, hard hitting and survivable they fill a definite hole in Colette's arsenal. Ans they have another trick...
Yes the Coryphee combine into a many actioned even faster whirl wind of pain. You will need to blisters to make a pair of Coryphee and a suet but some clever magnet or pinning work and you can do it cheaper.
Total cost - £44.55/ $72
Our Outcast this time is Von Schill, Freikorp commander.
The Box
Soul Stone amount - 26
So now we come to Malifaux's swiss army knife. The freikorps are able to do everything! OK not always well but they have grunts for numbers, a close range character, a mid range specialist, a sniper and a healer/ debuffer, they're like an MMORPG party in a table top game.
The box set comes with a more than healthy 26SS so you can start when you open the box and attach the specialists backpack. I have literally seen this box set purchased and on a table in five minutes. They're simple they pack a punch and who doesn't love steam punk Nazi's.
Expansion
So remember when I said this post was weird, well here's weird part two. At the time of writing this model isn't out but ALL freikorps players are looking forward to this close combat monster. His rules have him as a survivable beat stick that can happily take on even masters at a push while your librarian heals him up.
Next up more cannon fodder, in larger games you'll want more of these guys just to tar pit if nothing else and with Von Schill's buffs they stay in the fight longer than most core troops.
Total cost - £46.25/ $78
Malfaux On A Budget: Part 2 - 1 Box, 3 Blisters, 35SS
Ok last bit of weird. I've ummed and erred about this next gang and to be fair to you all I can't do it justice in less that 3 extra blisters I'm sorry. But here goes - Spirits of Vengeance.
The Box
Soul Stone amount - 19
Right Kirai's box set is a bit weird as one of the models s free and summoned later, one can be summoned when Kirai has something die near her and the other actually start on the table. The mistress of spirits has a lot of trick up her sleeve the main one of which is spirits take half damage from non magical attacks. Theres some good manipulation effects in the gang and Ikiryo can handle is self in combat once summoned.
Expansion
Soul Stone amount - 8
The shikome is a great model for hunting down your opponents best piece. At the start of the game you nominate a prey model. Shikome will hunt this model down with better attack and damage flips, the stalker ability and a spell to stop movement! Sit back and watch your prey run.
While I have included three blisters with Kirai the cost doesn't come to much more than most of the other combos, and will give you enough models to summon (or re-summon) as well as starting with 35 SS on the table.
Total cost - £51.20/ $81.50
So another one down. Next time on MOAB we look at crews that take serious investment.
Soul Stone amount - 19
Right Kirai's box set is a bit weird as one of the models s free and summoned later, one can be summoned when Kirai has something die near her and the other actually start on the table. The mistress of spirits has a lot of trick up her sleeve the main one of which is spirits take half damage from non magical attacks. Theres some good manipulation effects in the gang and Ikiryo can handle is self in combat once summoned.
Expansion
Soul Stone amount - 8
The shikome is a great model for hunting down your opponents best piece. At the start of the game you nominate a prey model. Shikome will hunt this model down with better attack and damage flips, the stalker ability and a spell to stop movement! Sit back and watch your prey run.
Soul Stone amount - 3 each
Gaki are cheap, good in combat and summonable.They are the back bone of kirais front line especially in in slaughter missions while the onryo move your opponents pieces from afar.
Gaki are cheap, good in combat and summonable.They are the back bone of kirais front line especially in in slaughter missions while the onryo move your opponents pieces from afar.
Soul Stone amount - 2 each
The seishin are lesser spirits drawn to Kirai when a model dies near her, They can be used to heal her, make stronger spirits or even as a tar pit.
The seishin are lesser spirits drawn to Kirai when a model dies near her, They can be used to heal her, make stronger spirits or even as a tar pit.
While I have included three blisters with Kirai the cost doesn't come to much more than most of the other combos, and will give you enough models to summon (or re-summon) as well as starting with 35 SS on the table.
Total cost - £51.20/ $81.50
So another one down. Next time on MOAB we look at crews that take serious investment.
