Malifaux modeling rant (to keep me from throwing models)

[Ultravanillasmurf]

This is my first point of call: http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.co.uk/p/unboxing-malifaux.html

The instructions for most of the figures are available on the Wyrd [edit: damn you autocorrect] website, finding them can be frustrating. https://www.wyrd-games.net/build-instructions

You do need to know if the figures are in a starter set if you are looking on the GMortisChaotica site as they only appear once (Guild Guard are from the "Bound By Law" starter set so you need to look there).

Normal Internet caveats apply.

Oh, and I managed to assemble one of my Ice Dancers with the wrong face, so I think the other one might be a write off.

[tjgreenway]

I completely lost interest in Malifaux as a result of the fiddly assembly  - a shame as it's a really fun game, interesting setting and once assembled the miniatures are quite nice to paint, but as somebody with a new baby in the household, I just can't justify spending so much time on something so frustrating!

[Maledrakh]

@SotF, sorry if this is way too late, but I see the Wild Boar question has gone unanswered.

At any rate, I have built three of them and I did not find them particularily fiddly or problematic to build (not in comparison to the gremlins, at least). And the models themselves are really nice as dynamic and angry boars.

[AngusH]

Malifaux was my gateway game back into the hobby after a 20 year absence, and unfortunately I picked Gremlins... Having 3+ part microscopic heads, multi-touch-point hands/arms/weapon assemblies, ultra-thin parts that snap when you clip them from the sprue... just a nightmare. And if assembling isn't hard enough, the joins are often in the worst possible places too - very obvious and hard to cover up without obscuring detail. For me, assembly ranks as my least favourite part of the hobby, and thats a big reason why Malifaux was probably not the game for me.

The game itself - I like the basic mechanics, but too many unique characters and rules. I don't play enough to know what my opponent is setting me up for, so most of my games turned into "gotcha" lessons on what not to do, and I haven't touched my minis in a year or so.

[The Voivod]

I don't have any experience with malifaux, but I do have wyrd's  criminally underrated boardgame puppetwars.
I must say I was very impressed with their plastic, but yes, there where some very fiddly bit.

I don't think this helped the popluarity of the game, as I've read several reviews of people beig frustrated with having to model, especially on that level.
Really a shame, as the game is really crying out for an expansion, but due to it's lack of popularity I've given up hope for this a long time ago.

[The Gray Ghost]

the main reason I've cut back on buying Malifaux is all the fiddly bits.

[shadowbeast]

Maybe the Hanged in front of me will argue otherwise once I get onto them, but I don't see the problem after assembling GW's Morghast kit and a few of Iron Winds' online exclusives. Although, how is the guy with his tongue hanging out supposed to stay upright on the base....?

[Spooktalker]

I'm mainly an old school guy, but of the stuff made today, the Malifaux figures are my favorite. They scratch an itch no other miniatures do. They are polar opposite to, for example, the Talisman figures I've been painting lately.  I wasn't interested before they went to plastic, and steampunk turns me off, but I love the refined 2e designs and the engineering of the models is awesome. Now that the steampunk has been smoothed into the overall aesthetic, I'm on board. I love the character designs and the backstories. I even like the rules, although the way it's played is much more like chess than I would like, as I need immersion. Same rules, totally different social approach with a campaign behind it would suit me.

Of course I know why the fiddly nature of the figures isn't for everyone, but I have loved every minute of assembling and prepping 2 and a half master boxes and a few minions. And I need to say I really don't like putting together a fiddly or complex metal figures. For example, something like the metal Hordes carnivean for a big complex model, or an Anima tactics figure for tiny metal bits that need to be pinned. This and all the grunt filing. There is no comparison for me. I love the experience of putting together complex plastic figures. They are little puzzles. And the ones I've put together go together perfectly. The only problem I've seen is with the Vengeful Spirits Onryo, where the mold had a problem in the face that left these weird artifacts, like digital artifacts but given form. It was tricky to discern what was supposed to be there from what wasn't, and file them smooth, and it gave me pause. But overall, still not a bad experience. Another time I snipped the sprue connection points in the wrong order and snapped an anchor that a drowned was holding, but replaced it with wire.

You can't ship them and expect them to survive, that's for sure. I bought some painted, because I wanted to play and didn't want to rush my own, and I only play with painted figures. Neverborn young nephilim broke at their tiny attachment points, but I was able to get creative with a metal pin, and now they are much stronger than they were when new, and you wouldn't know the difference.

I chuckle at Wyrd's uncompromising approach, and am surprised and happy that it worked out and they are successful. Most companies play it safe. Not Wyrd. Things like Kirai's scissors and the way she is balanced on the toe of one flip flop are flaunting it.

Anyway, I appreciate both perspectives on the matter. I love it, but there are plenty of other games and ranges for those no so inclined. I'm about to share my first Malifaux figure here in a new thread, BTW.