M2E for Beginners - Shooting Into Melee

Many of the Version 1.5 mechanics have changed slightly in Malifaux 2nd Edition which can cause some confusion when your used to the old version. Rather helpfully though, the M2E version is usually simpler.

For reference purposes the 1.5 tutorial can be found here should you be interested in the differences.

Inevitably in Malifaux your going to get into Melee range at some point and it's also likely that you'll have models available whose only expertise is shooting. At this point certain more ruthless players might decide that the chance of hitting their own model is worth the risk...I do it all the time...don't judge me...

An Example.
Several Outcasts from the Viktorias 'Hired Swords'have decided to go hunting for the considerable bounty on the head of Seamus, the Mad Hatter (A). With his usual disregard for any life but his own he's sent a Rotten Belle (B) to occupy them while he makes his escape. The Student of Conflict (C) and Taelor (D) are in combat with this minor inconvenience.

As you can see from the above picture the combat is a bit of a mess. Taelor (D) is engaged with the Rotten Belle (B) as is The Student of Conflict (C) though the Rotten Belle (B) is only engaged with the Student of Conflict (C).

Seamus (A) has decided to even things out by randomly shooting into the combat...

Firstly Seamus (A) picks a target which in this case is the Student of Conflict (C). It's worth noting that effects such as Terrifying and the like do not occur at this point he is merely picking an initial target and determining Range and LoS (Line of Sight) to it before we see which one he actually hits...

We now measure 2" from the initial target in order to ascertain who-else might get hit by the ranged attack. In this case the Rotten Belle (B) and Taelor (D) are also potential targets in addition to the initially targeted Student of Conflict (C).

Here's a top view so you can see who's in danger and who's safe...

We then need to flip a card for each potential target to see who gets hit by the ranged attack. So select a viable target and flip a card and then move onto the next viable target. In the unlikely event that the firer is also within the 2" target zone he (or she or it) doesn't flip a card for themselves. Whoever flips lowest is the model that gets hit...

A 5 is flipped for the Rotten Belle (B), another 5 for the Student of Conflict (C) and a 9 is flipped for Taelor (D). In the event of a draw the acting model gets to pick the target and rather unsurprisingly Seamus (A) selects the Student of Conflict (C). Any effects that effect a unit being targeted (such as Terrifying, Manipulative, etc) are now bought into play. 

Now the shooting attack is resolved as normal using the standard method which can be found here. 

A few notes...

1) The 2" distance is the important factor when deciding viable targets, not Melee range as with version 1.5. It is therefore possible for a model to be in Melee with the target and yet not be a viable target (if it had a 3" Melee range for example).

2) It is theoretically possible that the randomised target could be out of range or even out of LoS from the shooter but if the target is hit the attack still hits in these specific circumstances. 

3) If the randomised target is in cover then any bonuses for cover are resolved as normal.

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

Mars Attacks Kickstarter - Only a Couple of Days Left...

Another wonderful Mantic Games Kickstarter is coming to an end. Other companies could learn a lot from how Mantic handle their Kickstarters...

...reasonable initial price options and plenty of free stuff is the way to go in my opinion, lol.

Well just 48 hours to go before the Mars Att-acks fun ends… so this will be our last email before we go back to all things Deadzone. Thanks for being patient with us, normal service will be resumed next week! As we head into the last days we want to finish on a big high. It has been an amazing ride so far - we are at 950% of the goal, and have funded the game, lots of heroes and characters, tons of new scenarios, flying saucers, Robots and so nearly giant bugs! Firstly, we’ve upgraded the 2D card counters for the likes of the Civilians, Burning Cattle and the wrecked car in the main boxed game so that they’re 3D and stand up – and we’ve also moved our Giant Mutated Bag and Handler, Supreme Regent and Martian Army Standard Bearer stretch goal as an unlock at $485,000 - which is now unlocked! This means we haven given away 1 FREE Supreme Regent to all pledges of $100 and up (including Early Bird The Will of Man), add 1 FREE Giant Mutated Bug to a pledge of $150 or more (including Early Bird The Invaders Arrive) and a FREE Martian Army Standard Bearer to a pledge of $300 and up – there’s also more free bugs at $300,you can find out all the details on the Kickstarter. To make sure we have some sweet goals for the weekend and cool things to spend $10 on ;)we have we have a few extra toys and goodies… - We have now produced a Robot Conversion with a Shrink Ray! We’ve also got 5 shrunk US Marines - and we have now included a complete Robot with Shrink Ray AND five shrunk US Marines as a Special Gift to all pledges of Alien Abduction and Bloodshed on the Battlefield – totally free of charge. This will be included in the 1-click package, and included in the Build Your Own without using any of your credit. We’ll also make the new weapon and the marines for just $10 as a Core Add-on!   - We have created a Limited Edition Mars Attacks Hardback Rules Compilation – only available to Kickstarter Backers with a few available to round out the print quantity. This will be available as a $30 Core Add-on – but it will be included free with all pledges of $200 or more! We've added new goals to the Kickstarter (Hint: Braaaaiiiinnnnzzzz ;) ) and can't wait to see where the weekend takes us. This is your 48 hour call - please pledge your support and back the Mars Attacks - The Miniatures Game on Kickstarter.

Mutant Chronicles - Warzone Resurrection - That Tricky First Game...

So after experiencing a couple of demo games (and watching a few more) the manager of my FLGS asked if I wanted to give my Dark Legion a proper test run at 1500 points and as a game with some-one who'd actually read the rules more than once seemed like a good idea I accepted. I'll be doing 'proper' intro articles and battle reports later on but I'm currently in that wonderful 'excited about everything' phase of exploring a new system and so there will undoubtedly be several more half-arsed articles with me rambling excitedly about every tiny thing I bloody do...I apologise in advance for those...

He used the Cybertronic force he'd tried for his initial games as he had a fair idea of how it all worked and I basically took one of anything Dark Legion that I had because...I wanted to...

A really, really brief introduction to Mutant Chronicles...

Loyalty to country has been replaced by loyalty to corporations and these massive organisations alternate between making deals with each other, cooperating with one another and betraying each other depending on which of these things makes them the most profit or expands their power in comparison to the others though it was rare for outright conflict to occur. Unfortunately for humanity while expanding throughout the solar system and poking it's noses into places that should really have been left alone the human race inadvertently broke a seal keeping the forces of the Dark Symmetry from the universe. This power has the ability to affect artificial intelligences, raise the dead and generally ticks all the 'these are the bad guys' boxes and subtly at first began to turn the corporations against one another until outright violence occurred that the dark forces were only to willing to exploit...

When things were looking their worst a man of vision appeared with the power to wield the forces of light against those of the darkness and he united the people behind him and having little choice the corporations followed suit lending all their resources to the battle against the Dark Symmetry. Victory was achieved at the cost of their leaders life and an era of (relative) peace and prosperity resulted, rules were introduced in order to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again...

...unfortunately humanity has a short memory and has begun again to make the mistakes of old paving the way for evils return...

Each force has it's own individual flavour based in many cases around a certain archetype of a country though others are somewhat more esoteric in nature.

An even briefer introduction to game-play...

It uses D20's, low rolls are better than high ones as you have a target number to roll under (except when seeing who goes first) and each model has the expected stats relating to it's abilities in the appropriate areas (Close Combat, Ranged Skill, Strength, etc.). Each army also has a number of resource cards that it can 'burn' to gain benefits each turn which range from the fairly mundane (gain an extra shot) to more interesting unit specific ones (throw building at nearby unit...). Unit activation is done alternately (you activate a unit, your opponent activates one, etc) and each model in a unit activates individually though they need to stay within a certain distance of the unit leader (Leadership divided by two, rounding up in inches). Once the unit is activated each model decides what it wishes to do and is free to shoot at different targets from one another and can even shoot something with one guy (or girl) and charge something with another if they are able.

A slightly longer report than the game-play introduction but far to vague to be called a battle report...
The first turn was the usual moving towards each other and was characterised mainly by me deploying my units terribly so I got in my own way, realising that Undead Legionnaires take a while to get where you want them and deciding I need another three Razides....

If you listen carefully you can here the Behemoth saying "who the hell came up with this battle-plan?"

I thought I was doing well at this point as my dead pile was significantly smaller than Martins...

...but I rapidly realised that this game is wonderfully brutal once you get stuck in and I was about to get my arse kicked...which I promptly did...

As we got further into the game I began to lose critical elements of my army far faster than I was putting a dent in my opponents though with the exception of the last two* turns this was due to mistakes I made in a number of important areas. As I mentioned previously, my deployment was terrible. I failed to take into account that the Legionnaires 'Brainless' rule means that they can only take basic actions and their inability to run made getting them out of my Behemoth's way a more complicated exercise than I would have liked and also cost me a round of shooting from them which would have been useful.

*Two turns without Martin failing an armour save or missing a shot was a bit frustrating but I'd lost at that point regardless of dice and the fact that I didn't pass a single heal test was just amusing by this point, lol.

The mechanic for deep-striking (referred to as 'Rapid Deployment') is much rarer in Mutant Chronicles than 40K but is significantly more powerful due to the ability to act freely after arriving.

A moment ago there was an enemy squad here but a combination of flamer templates and charging Praetorian Stalkers made them go away...

The Behemoth wins the 'man of the match' award as he neatly bypassed the Cybertronics Mirrormen's penalties to ranged attacks against them by the wonderfully inventive method of throwing a building at them. This cost me a Resource Card to accomplish but was well worth it.

There was a building at the bottom of this picture...and a lot more Mirrormen in the middle of it...

I learnt a few important things during this game but I invariably learned them about ten minutes after they would have been useful. Firstly I learnt that it's important to remember what passive effects your models generate as Golgotha gives me a bonus of +1 to models within 12"'s movement (which I remembered when it didn't matter but not when it would have been useful) and a +1 bonus to armour within the same range (which I noticed when I only had about three models left...). I also forgot that everything Dark Legion gets Heal (2) which might have saved my Behemoth and that would have been a game-changer.

All in all it was an enjoyable game which I can only foresee becoming more enjoyable as I remember to use the rules I have and actually select units that compliment one another.

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

An Exciting Time For Hobby.....

I really need to win the lottery so I can quit work and have enough time and money to do all the hobby stuff that's about to arrive...

Warmachine - Vengeance
I'm a big fan of Banes and Goreshade so it's great news for me that we're getting a mounted Goreshade and Bane Cavalry...I'll be needing as many of those as I'm allowed to field...

We also have the long awaited Deadzone arriving within the month...

Deadzone.
Preview stuff is appearing everywhere for this now...

I'm also currently enjoying Mutant Chronicles Warzone Resurrection...

My Dark Legion progress...

And last but by now means least...new Malifaux crews...

I'm going to be so bloody poor.....

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

Weekly House of Paincakes Article (26)

This weeks House of Paincakes article is another in my series on alternative miniature war-gaming systems to Games Workshop. This time we're looking at my personal favourite...Malifaux...

The article can be found here.

As we've recently had some new information on upcoming Malifaux releases and one of those revealed crews is the much awaited new M2E Marcus starter set I thought this weeks gallery should have an animal theme...however apparently Gothic girls only hang around with wolves, snakes and cats rather than mutated gorillas, giant rattlesnakes and undead rabbits...

...I suppose they'll just have to do though...

As usual if this isn't the sort of thing that interests you then don't scroll down...

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Still here? On with the gallery then.....

Snakes...

Wolves...and a Dog...

Cats...lots of cats...

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.....they can even be on the article if you like...