Better Know Your Malifaux 006: Niño Ortega

As the youngest operative of the Ortega family, Niño Idolizes his older siblings, in particular his sister Perdita. Smaller than the rest, he uses his size and stealth to bring a unique tool to the Family's battle plan. Niño's contribution to his family's success on the battlefield is larger than his small size and young age would suggest.  Ranging ahead of the rest of the Crew, Niño sets up in an ideal position to bring his deadly Custom Repeating Rifle to bear.  From his forward position he can work to control the battlefield, often getting off the first shot of the encounter and causing the enemy to cling to cover.

For the most part it's best to think of the youngest Ortega as a turret.  Although Niño has an impressive Df, above average for a book one enforcer, his remaining stats are average to poor at best.  This is why it is so vital to make sure you maximize From the Shadows during deployment to make sure he doesn't need to move (his Wk being the same as the Enslaved Nephilim... A guy with a ball and chain strapped to his leg).  A strong opening position with good sight lines also let's you use Spotter to lock-down your opponent's ability to place Scheme markers near the rest of the Family.  Should someone actually get to grips with Niño he can use "Where'd He Go?" to escape being engaged or Shrug Off to remove a negative condition.

Niño's main ability, the reason that you take him with you in your Crew, is his aforementioned Rifle. His Sh is low for an Enforcer's primary attack but this is offset by his positive twist.  Most importantly, Niño extends his rifle range to a whopping 36" when he takes a Focus Action prior to shooting. Two of his Triggers, Critical Strike and Precision, are fueled by his built-in Ram.  His third Trigger, Headshot, requires a Crow and a target within 10” to get off but can result in instant death for a model who can't pay either two Soulstones or two cards to avoid it.

None of the current Upgrades are a very strong match for Niño as all three of those available to Family require him to be uncomfortably close to the enemy. Niño doesn't have enough wounds to really make Lead Lined Coat worth the points.  Theoretically there could be situations where Plant Evidence would be of benefit since it can be an automatic Marker for such Schemes as Breakthrough, Plant Evidence or A Line In The Sand.  Beyond these limited situations you can probably spend your Soulstones more wisely. 

Once a must-include powerhouse under the first edition rules, Niño is now a much more subtle tool in the Guild arsenal.  He no longer dominates the field as he once did and this has caused many of his detractors to disregard him entirely.  He is absolutely a trickier model to play now, but the ability to be up field before the game starts can not be dismissed in a five turn game.  Second edition also introduced the Vantage Point rules which Niño is uniquely suited for, being able to shoot over terrain is a great combination with a 36" range.  The test will come when the rules for the rest of the Ortega models are released and we can see him at his full potential. 

Better Know Your Malifaux 005: Papa Loco

Once a powerful and wise leader, the man now known as Papa Loco is no longer in complete control of his mental faculties.  The reasons for his break with reality are unspoken, but whatever the cause there seems to be no cure - even an extended stay in the Malifaux Sanitarium was unable to provide relief.  Due to his mental infirmity he no longer leads his family, either on the battlefield or in the homestead, but has instead handed over control to his daughter Perdita.  Even still, Papa will often insist on going along with the family when they go to battle, arming himself with a variety of homemade explosives.  Out of respect for their patriarch emeritus the Ortegas never say no, but they are smart enough to not stand too close when he starts flinging the dynamite.

In his delicate state, Papa Loco wins the contest for least defensive Enforcer in the game.  With a combined Wp and Df of eight no one else has stats that low without also having a defensive trigger or ability.  Whether it's a complete lack of self-preservation, or whether the demons in his skull demand that he end his own life, Papa Loco offers very little resistance to anyone who dedicates themselves to taking him out.  Crossing the great open table to get within range of his foes is the hard part.  Luckily his Crew is well-equipped for the challenge with several abilities to help him get a head start on his activation.  Papa himself has Companion so can launch the assault right after he is given a boost.  Hold This returns the favour, giving his ally within 2" a rare bonus to attack that lasts past the end of the turn until the start of Papa's next activation.

Although uniquely vulnerable at before he gets there, once Papa closes to short range he owns his space.  Both Throw Dynamite and the close combat Dynamite Punch attacks have significant blast effects that can do a lot of damage close up while "Te Llevare al Infierno Conmigo" can hit everyone within 4" for a whopping six damage, including mandatory damage to Papa himself.  This is more often than not part of the plan since his ability Boom! has him do five damage to everyone within 3" when he expires.

As of the content of book one, the Upgrades available to Papa are not of the highest calibre for his play Hermanos De Armas and Diestro are both at odds with his armament and Torementa De Plomo is a watered-down version of his own "Te Llevare al Infierno Conmigo" (although it would be nice to avoid the self-inflicted wounds).  Papa can get some use out of Lead Lined Coat to help him get up the battlefield unmolested - it also provides some protection for when he inevitably blows himself up.  Plant Evidence seems tailor-made for a model that wants to get into the enemy's face and expire and is a good situational pick-up should the Scheme pool call for it, otherwise it seems that Papa Loco might find himself on the field with an empty Upgrade slot.
style.

Regardless of how you use him, Papa Loco is unlikely to see the end of turn five, so the trick is to make sure your Crew makes the most of his sacrifice.  Capitalizing on the Family's many movement and out-of-activation Abilities, Papa Loco can rapidly launch up the field to the point where his proximity can disrupt your opponent's plan and force him to make difficult decisions.  Does he take out the walking bomb and suffer the consequences, or does he burn multiple AP to reposition his entire Crew to avoid the madman?  Either way Papa exerts his will on the table, influencing everyone within his significant radius. 

Better Know Your Malifaux 004: Santiago Ortega

A perfect counterpoint to the stern Francisco and the smouldering Perdita, Santiago loves to be in the thick of it, relishing the heat and press of battle.  Unburdened by the responsibilities of leadership, he has put his energy into honing his near-combat prowess and has developed an exceptional talent for delivering hot death to the enemy from the mouth of his peacebringer.

Santiago shows a singular focus, doggedly pursuing his task regardless of pain or circumstances.  Shrug Off allows him to remove a Condition that has been applied to him, helping him bypass such effects as Poison and Burning.  When he is wounded, his effectiveness actually increases as "¿Es Todo Lo Que Tienes?" kicks in, putting his Sh above even Perdita's skill level and providing a positive twist on damage.   Even when Santiago has taken enough damage that he should succumb to his wounds, Hard to Kill keeps him the game, fueling his recklessness.  Despite this he is not invulnerable, having fewer Wounds than most other Enforcers and only average defenses.

Although he likes to be in close, Santiago doesn't want to get too close; He is not a close combat expert and his capabilities tail off substantially when he is engaged. Santiago is at his best standing several inches back from the main fray where he can rely on I'll Cover You to fire on enemies his more melee-oriented Family members have engaged, using Companion to activate right after they charge.

Santiago has a few interesting options available for his singular Upgrade slot. Tormenta De Plumo goes well with his placement on the battlefield but doesn't take advantage of his enhanced shooting under "¿Es Todo Lo Que Tienes?".  If you want to shore up his survivability, Lead Lined Coat provides him with armour.  Alternatively, Plant Evidence can add a silver-lining benefit to Santiago's eventual demise by helping you achieve Scheme Marker objectives.

Probably the best Upgrade for him is Hermanos De Armas which lets him provide his Crew with more mobility, launching close combat allies toward the foe or helping reposition the team.  For added efficiency, Hermanos De Armas costs a zero action to use which Santiago would otherwise only use for the situational Shrug Off.  This gives him something to do every turn and that works to keep the team together.

Whatever role you give him Santiago approaches it with gusto.  Using him in your Crew is a matter of balancing his dual nature.  He wants to dive into the fray and rapidly close the gap with the enemy but he needs to hold back and keep at range.  He wants to take some fire to unlock his entire potential but he mustn't take too much or he goes down.  Bring him to the table and you can feel his urgency and caution as you strive to seek the right balance.  Get it right and he can be a game changer.