I've read a few mixed reviews on other sites, but I figure I should ask here.  You guys, for all our differences, seem capable of giving a more honest review for a product.  After all, it's because of your reviews and opinions I've tossed money into more than a few games and researched a few others.

So, I see some of the minis for this game and I do like the idea of small-scale miniature games.  While I love 40k, and just as much love the Kill-Team variant... it'd be fun to break up the pace with something a bit different that didn't cost a small fortune.

So, questions:

1- Learning curve- is it complicated, or absurdly easy?  If you had to rate it on a scale of 1-10 of complexity... where would rate it?  Or better, what game would you compare it to?

2- Mechanics- How smoothly does it play?  Do the mechanics make sense and somehow incorporate the fluff to represent that?  

3- Model quality- Are they well-made?  Durable?  Detailed?  Do they prime well?  Are they a migraine to assemble?

4- Price point- If you had the cash, and wanted a mini skirmish game- would you say it was worth it, or would you go for another game?

5- Meta- do you find people interested in it?  Do you think you could generate interest easily?

You can download the rules for free (I didn't realize that at first). However, too pricey on the minis for me. Other people have also said it is too storygamey for them.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/133323/Malifaux--RULES-ONLY-Handbook--2E

I'd rather invest in a boardgame that comes complete (like D&D Temple of Elemental Evil) or a wargame that is complete (like the new Kickstarter for Ogre plastic minis).
YMMV

Sorry for not addressing your actual questions, as I really can't. Except, for your last question: I find that the book covers and the mini designs tend to attract people. Kind of like how a lot of the well-done FATE books draw people in there.

Quote from: Tod13;931296You can download the rules for free (I didn't realize that at first). However, too pricey on the minis for me. Other people have also said it is too storygamey for them.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/133323/Malifaux--RULES-ONLY-Handbook--2E

I'd rather invest in a boardgame that comes complete (like D&D Temple of Elemental Evil) or a wargame that is complete (like the new Kickstarter for Ogre plastic minis).
YMMV

Sorry for not addressing your actual questions, as I really can't. Except, for your last question: I find that the book covers and the mini designs tend to attract people. Kind of like how a lot of the well-done FATE books draw people in there.

It's okay, you actually gave me quite a bit of information.  I tend to wait some time before investing money in something like a game.  Because I've spent a lot of my life traveling, I've got quite a few games and such still on the shelf that I haven't cracked into with anyone.  I had Exalted 1e and no one to play with consistently for about 2 years, just because during that time I was living out of a duffel bag.

Quote from: Crüesader;931372It's okay, you actually gave me quite a bit of information.  I tend to wait some time before investing money in something like a game.  Because I've spent a lot of my life traveling, I've got quite a few games and such still on the shelf that I haven't cracked into with anyone.  I had Exalted 1e and no one to play with consistently for about 2 years, just because during that time I was living out of a duffel bag.

I kept hoping someone with more experience with Malifaux would post. Sorry.

Are you looking for a miniatures tactics game? You might see what is being played in local groups and see which of those are most interesting to you.

I've recently looked at a _lot_ of miniatures tactics games. The money sink aspect really turns me off, which made timing of the Ogre Kickstarter fortunate. Another aspect of a lot of them that turned me off is the complexity. Often the complexity is to the point where I'd rather play an RPG, as being less stressful.

Quote from: Crüesader;931267So, questions:

1- Learning curve- is it complicated, or absurdly easy?  If you had to rate it on a scale of 1-10 of complexity... where would rate it?  Or better, what game would you compare it to?

2- Mechanics- How smoothly does it play?  Do the mechanics make sense and somehow incorporate the fluff to represent that?  

3- Model quality- Are they well-made?  Durable?  Detailed?  Do they prime well?  Are they a migraine to assemble?

4- Price point- If you had the cash, and wanted a mini skirmish game- would you say it was worth it, or would you go for another game?

5- Meta- do you find people interested in it?  Do you think you could generate interest easily?

1&2.  it's different.  I don't think it it's any harder than any other skirmish game out there. Maybe 6 at most on complexity.  I think it fits in between Warmachine and Infinity.

3. Are they well-made? (iffy)  Durable? (most are not) Detailed? (yes)  Do they prime well? (yes ) Are they a migraine to assemble? (most are.)  Very fiddly, glue points on some are tenuous at best.  As display pieces I could understand, but as play pieces...not to my liking.

4. I will now only buy select models for the challenge of the model itself or because I like the model's looks.  

5. We had a group who were playing but the models ended up turning most away.

Quote from: Crüesader;931267So, questions:

1- Learning curve- is it complicated, or absurdly easy?  If you had to rate it on a scale of 1-10 of complexity... where would rate it?  Or better, what game would you compare it to?

It's not really complicated but it's unusual.  It uses a card based mechanic that takes some getting used to if you have played dice based miniatures game.  The setup part is a bit fiddly with a series of card draws and plays to determine scenario conditions.  I would rate it maybe a 5-6 depending on what I am comparing to.  The core card mechanic is more complicated than 40k's dice mechanic but the small number of models means it plays pretty quickly anyway.  A starter army only has 6-7 models in it.  

Quote from: Crüesader;9312672- Mechanics- How smoothly does it play?  Do the mechanics make sense and somehow incorporate the fluff to represent that?

It plays fairly smoothly once you get used to the card mechanics.  Some of the individual unit rules can get a bit weird to deal with kind of like Warmachine/Hordes.  The rules for units reflect the fluff pretty well for the ones I have seen.  I have a Showgirls warband and their rules reflect their fluff quite well.  My knowledge of the rules is an edition behind but I am told the second edition is just a tweaked version and has basically the same mechanics.

Quote from: Crüesader;9312673- Model quality- Are they well-made?  Durable?  Detailed?  Do they prime well?  Are they a migraine to assemble?

They look great and hold up really well.  I have the older metal ones not the current plastics though.

Quote from: Crüesader;9312674- Price point- If you had the cash, and wanted a mini skirmish game- would you say it was worth it, or would you go for another game?

I have two warbands for it.  One is painted (Showgirls) and one is not (Rasputina and her ice golems) so I did go for it.  Unfortunately, the one guy who drove most of the organized play dropped out for reasons unknown to me so I haven't played in years.  

Quote from: Crüesader;9312675- Meta- do you find people interested in it?  Do you think you could generate interest easily?

There was a lot of interest in it in Fresno for a while.  The miniatures look good and it's not terribly expensive to get in to as such things go.  It's hard to sustain interest in anything that isn't 40K around here though.

Good to see informed opinions. Thanks!

It sounds like my level of desired complexity is under a 3 or a 4, based on the responses.

Quote from: yosemitemike;931493It's not really complicated but it's unusual.  It uses a card based mechanic that takes some getting used to if you have played dice based miniatures game.  The setup part is a bit fiddly with a series of card draws and plays to determine scenario conditions.  I would rate it maybe a 5-6 depending on what I am comparing to.  The core card mechanic is more complicated than 40k's dice mechanic but the small number of models means it plays pretty quickly anyway.  A starter army only has 6-7 models in it.

Completely lost interest.  Specifically at 'card based mechanics'.  

If I wanted to play a card game, I'd go find some of the little shoplifters and do Y-gi-oh or M:tG.  Or, you know, just play Spades or something.

Thanks, honestly.  Saved me money.

If you don't like card based mechanics, Malifaux is not the game for you.

The card-based resolution mechanic adds to the game without having to go the route of most skirmish games do of adding more and more and more special goodies to each model.  

Truthfully the only thing that makes Mailfaux unique is the card-based resolution mechanic.  Well...that and the hillbilly gremlins

There still seems to be a good bit of interest in it around here, at least at the one shop I frequent.
I've bought a number of the figures, just the older metal ones... I'm not such a fan of ABS plastics... and for use with other games with more open-ended rules. So far nothing about the setting has sucked me into actually playing, unlike what happened to me with Confrontation.

If you are looking for a new minis game, I would look at the Mythic Battles Pantheon kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/806316071/mythic-battles-pantheon

It's a skirmish boardgame. Check out the rules to see if they work for you.

I was a big fan of Age of Aegyptus minis game, but I've never met another player. Ditto for L5R's Clan Wars. That's semi-kept me from buying into another "lesser known" minis games again, but the glory of a skirmish boardgame is you already have a bunch of "armies" effectively ready to go in the box. Especially with a KS. So a single purchase can provide a whole group of people the ability to play and replay.

Quote from: Spinachcat;931804That's semi-kept me from buying into another "lesser known" minis games again...

That's why I no longer play skirmish games with locked-in settings or figure lines... and don't play at game stores. A few friends willing to have a go with Song of Blades and Heroes, Dragon Rampant, one of the Two Hour Wargames, or Goalsystem games and I'm set to buy pretty much whatever figures I like. If I want to play in Malifaux's setting there are other games I can use.
Full Thrust, Stargrunt, Gruntz, Dirtside... none of them require specific figures either. Same goes for a lot of historical games as well.

Quote from: Simlasa;931771So far nothing about the setting has sucked me into actually playing, unlike what happened to me with Confrontation.

That game had some very, very sick models.  I used the Neuromancer as a D&D character.  

Quote from: Spinachcat;931804If you are looking for a new minis game, I would look at the Mythic Battles Pantheon kickstarter.

That does seem kind of fun.  I'll consider it.  

The only other minis game that seems to have any real following near me is Warmachine/Hordes.  The models look pretty cool, but I don't know if I am ready to invest in it quite yet.

Quote from: Crüesader;931834The only other minis game that seems to have any real following near me is Warmachine/Hordes.  The models look pretty cool, but I don't know if I am ready to invest in it quite yet.

Yes cool minis for Warmahordes. I like using the big mech as Imperial Guard/Adeptus Mech robots in Rogue Trader.