The Messenger - new and improved miniature carrying case

This review is cat-approved

I got my A-Case almost two years ago. It has served me very well since then. I've worn in rain, snow and heat. I traveled by plane to a tournament abroad, and it perfectly fit both under the passenger seat and in the luggage storage on board. After using other alternatives (foam, plastic containers) I was really happy to make the switch to a metal case and magnetize my minis. What is more, after all this time, the case still looks good as new and there is no wear and tear visible. 

I spend long hours making sure my minis are painted to a high standard and really hate it when there are accidents and the paint chips off or the minis or when they get damaged. Using magnets for keeping minis safely locked in the bag has been a blessing. I've had no problems since I started using it. Yet, every rose has its thorns. 

After a while when my collection started growing exponentially, there wasn't enough space to pack all my minis and I had to decide which ones are going to a tourney and which are staying in the glass cabinet. Malifaux is a skirmish game and requires only several miniatures in a game but you want to make sure you have more options when building competitive lists. Also, while the minis were kept super safe in the bag, after some time the shelves started feeling a little clunky. Not to a degree which would make using the case inconvenient but still, it was a factor and I had to always bear in mind the fact that I need to be extra careful while sliding them in or out. The case also has an external pocket that can fit small bits like tokens or measuring gadgets. Useful but that's never been enough to store all the game aids I wanted to take with me to a tourney. 

Those are not big problems by far. Rather, as mentioned earlier - small thorns on a pretty rose. I realize, these may seem like your typical "first world problems". Still, despite these minor issues I've been very happy with my bag. 

That's why when I learned that the company is launching another Kickstarter with new, improved versions of the bag, I was immediately interested. Thanks to the creator of campaign, Olo, I soon received a parcel with my carrying case. There are three versions available in the campaign (more on that later), and I opted for the middle one - The messenger. 

Size and material 

It's obviously bigger, as you can very well see in the picture above in which my old case easily fits into the Messenger. Its dimensions are: height 31,5cm/12,40in, width 40cm/15,74in, depth 21cm/8,26in. It means it can still be used as carry-on luggage on a plane. But it's not all about the size here. I just love the new material. Instead of plain silver galvanized steel, we get powder-coated steel trays in powder-coated aluminum frame. It has an incredibly luxurious feel to it. It looks very elegant and feels much more solid than the previous version. 

The assembly process has also been simplified. Instead of bending flat aluminum sheets into shape and then putting them together, the set comes with ready elements that just need to be connected. No tools are needed. There is a really neat lock system and the whole process takes no more than five minutes. 

Safe Teddy is a happy Teddy

The trays are not only wider and deeper. Their movement is just flawless. They slide in and out easily without any hitches. It's so satisfying, knowing that your precious minis are easily accessible and you don't need even take into consideration how fast/slow/at what angle you pull on the tray. Just like with the older version, there are metal bolts to keep the trays in place. There is one more thing - rubber attachments that keep them connected to the trays at all times. A clever solution that allows you not to worry about losing them.

one of the new, smart solutions

Inside, there are 7 slots for trays. It means that you can customize the height of each tray. At this point of the KS campaign a third one has been unlocked and that's a perfect number for me as a Malifaux player. However, if you feel you need more options, additional trays can be added to your KS pledge. 

There are two options to carry the Messenger. Either a handle firmly attached to the top, or an adjustable strap with a shoulder pad. Both work very well. 

Messenger has a huge side pocket. It easily fits a thick Ultra Pro-Binder album and there is still plenty of space left for all other gaming essentials you may need. 

A few words should be written about the price-quality ratio. Let's be honest - wargaming is not a cheap hobby. Some people pay as much as $100 or more for just a few, or even for a single miniature (the author of this review is guilty as charged!). What should be stressed is that buying A-Case is a long time investment. My previous case lasted almost 2 years without any problems and I expect to get even more out of my new one. As such, paying $139+shipping for a product that will last for years and will ensure the safety of my miniatures is a reasonable expense. 

My whole Neverborn force easily fits in and there's still plenty of space left

Summary 

The creators have done their homework and managed to turn all problematic points into major strengths. I honestly can't think of any way in which this carrying case could be improved. Maybe adding Bluetooth, WiFi adapter, and remote control? 

It's a wonderfully well designed and polished product. The creators have listened to all the feedback they've gathered over the years and they've been respectful towards their clients. A-Case is not a global company. It's basically just one guy with passion who makes the best out of working with his target group, and I can honestly admit that I feel happy to be part of this community. 

Olo from A-Case says hello. Left to tight: Kane, Messanger, Victory 2.0

P.S. The KS campaign runs until Mon, April 22 2019 4:05 PM CEST. Make sure you check it out as they have two other carrying cases available. Victory 2.0 is an improved version of the small one I used to use. Perfect solution for small skirmish games. The other one is Kane - a true beast designed for those who want to carry really huge armies. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/armycase/a-case-hybrid/description

Smart space

I've had my Detolf glass cabinet from IKEA ever since I moved into my new flat. This was one of my priorities - get a nice, functional cabinet to showcase my works. And it worked... for a while.

My "man cave", or rather a room in which I work and paint is not a large one. As such, the cabinet fits right between a bookshelf and a desk. There a 4 shelves (if you count the bottom one) and plenty of space inside. The trouble is, after a while it got to the point when I simply added more finished models to the upper shelves, while keeping the unpainted ones on the lower ones.

As a result, it turned into a colorful mass of models without any coherence. Simply put, one tall column of chaos. Definitely not the way I wanted to present my works. 

Fortunately, I was able to find an easy way to fix the problem; A-Space. A perfect solution from a company that successfully launched their A-Case campaign a while ago (I reviewed that one on my blog). It's so simple, you basically get 4 custom made transparent shelves with 16 pieces to fix them in place inside your Detolf. The difference is huge. I was able to organize my minis thematically without losing any aesthetic value.

The installation was simple and straightforward. Putting the first extra shelf in place took me about 5 minutes, and I needed less time for next ones. One thing worth mentioning is that the extra shelves keep the whole thing more stable. I have two small kids (as evidenced by the mess on the bookshelf which is often their playground area), and the whole thing used to shake when they ran pasy it. That's no longer an issue as extra connections points made the cabinet more stable.

Wrapping things up - if you have Detolf glass cabinet at home, it means you have a great hobby and want to proudly showcase your collection. And if you're a collector you're bound to run out of space at some point. Don't wait for that moment, grab your set at Kickstarter now.

Before          vs.          after A-Space

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/armycase/a-space-get-more-space/description

Is A-Case+ The Case for Malifaux?

The Big Lie

Malifaux belongs to the "skirmish game" category as you don't need dozens of miniatures to play it. We've all heard that many times and know it's not true. After a while you accumulate more masters and more models, and transporting your entire army becomes an issue. While you're definitely not going to need all of them but on the other hand larger hiring pool ensures greater flexibility during tournaments.
I've been using a dedicated Malifaux bag from Battlefoam for a couple of years. It's a very good product that allowed me to keep most of my minis safely packed. As my collection grew, it became more complicated. In theory, there are 36 slots for minis on 30mm bases in one foam tray. As you can see in the picture below, it doesn't always work this way. Wyrd miniatures are often very complex and take up much more space than that (Titania, Aeslin are good examples off the top of my head).

Large miniatures pose another challenge. There is one thicker pluck foam tray that allows you to customize space and put in as many big models as you manage to fit. It is a nice solution but not the most efficient one as you run out of space after a while.

As a result, I ended up with one bag that was filled to 2/3 of its storage capacity and was never able to bring all my faction models to a tournament. Additionally, I had to bring another bag or backpack with me to make sure I have all the cards and markers I may need.

I started looking for other options and found an interesting Kickstarter campaign that features A-Case+, a wargaming carrying case with innovative magnetic solution. At that time I had no spare money to back the project, so I've only recently got in touch with the creator. It turned out that everything is  available for preorder on the backerkit of the company (although the main focus is on finishing the remaining KS pledges). I contacted a representative of the company and received it after a couple of days.

The Assembly 

Everything was neatly packed and I started assembling my case. It was an easy process and I had no trouble in combining different elements. All the parts are flat to begin with and you just need to bend them into proper shape. No tools are required. Just take your time and make sure the angles of elements you bend are right. Also, I'd suggest setting the whole shelf on the floor and pressing on one edge when it rests firmly on even surface. If you try bending the edge just with your fingers, you may have to correct uneven edges after it's completed.
If you have trouble with it, the assembly instructions are available online in a video that presents all the steps clearly, it can be found here.

The frame is made of metal sheets. The structure is really solid once it is built properly. I was a bit concerned about the shelves, as they might simple move on their own. In order to prevent that from happening, a clever system of lock-pins that hold them in place is used.
Specific dimensions can be seen in the picture below. What struck me immediately is how small it is compared to my old miniature carrying case. The important thing is that the case easily conforms to standards of carry-on luggage and you'll have no problem transporting your minis on a plane.

Material

The material on the bag is water resistant polyester. It is easy to maintain as it doesn't gather dust easily and doesn't absorb liquids (so for I've only tested it in light rain and the interior part was perfectly dry). What is important from the perspective of Malifaux player, all faction colors are available. I chose a purple one to go with my Neverborn. It is a very nice, slightly creamy shade of this color and looks even better IRL than in the picture. There is also a patch with velcro material, to which you can attach various tournament badges. That's not really a thing in Malifaux but I guess that might appeal to fans of some other gaming systems.

The zipper is thick and has a solid feel to it, which is important, as it will definitely see a lot of use. The bag can be carried wither by a handle or an adjustable strap. Nothing fancy here, those are standard solutions.
There is also a big pocket on one side. A big Ultra-Pro album I used to bring with me to tournaments doesn't fit in there but I managed to put my cards in a plastic deck box and upgrades in a small cardboard one and these fit in there.

Storage

When it comes to storage, this is where some out of the box thinking shows. The miniatures are attached to shelves with magnets. In practice it means that you can fit more of them inside. What is more, they will be safer during transportation. And since the entire interior structure is made of metal, you can even attach models to the sides if you need extra space.
If the case is properly assembled, the shelves move with ease and taking one out is fast and convenient. In a game of Malifaux you often need extra models that are summoned as the game progresses. This solution makes sure that adding these models to the table won't slow you down. The small bolts that are inserted from the side ensure extra safety as the shelf won't open and fall out on its own.
Magnetizing your models is an easy. though time-consuming process. I was a bit worried about resin bases as drilling a hole for magnet in it was putting me off. Fortunately, another brilliant solution was introduced to deal with it. Sticky magnets are easy to use and hold the model in place inside the bag perfectly. They are available in sizes that match that of bases. They do increase its height a little bit, but it doesn't have any in-game effects as all the heights are used by their default value, regardless of the height of bases. If you need help with it, a very good video explaining the whole process in detail in available online here.
The option to carry your paints and other hobby supplies is also worth mentioning. You can order additional shelf with slots specially designed to carry your paint pots. Moreover, there is also a special case (which can also be ordered in all available colors) for tools and brushes. It's a neat solution as it will fit into the case easily and everything packed inside will be easy to access after unfolding.

Summary

So how does it all come together?

In the end I was able to put much more inside than into my previous bag. It was a pleasant surprise as A-Case is much smaller. Still, the possibility to fit more models one next to another on a single shelf provides a lot of extra space. I had no problem in putting 32 models on 30mm bases on a single shelf. What is more, I also put all my markers and tokens, tape measure, laser pointer, and all of the cards (I put them in a plastic deck box instead of big album that I used to carry separately in a backpack). There was even some space left for extra minis/gadgets in the end. It amazes me that such a small bag has such great capacity.

And to wrap things up, time to answer the big question I put in the title of this entry. A-Case+ has incredible capacity. It's made of solid materials and has unique solutions that work really well. It's not a cheap product (it's not a cheap hobby as well...) but in the end buying it seemed justifiable for me as I was getting two products for the price of one. Now I no longer need to carry a bag and a backpack to tournaments. So, from my perspective, the answer is YES - this is the best bag for carrying your Malifaux minis. It ensures the best safety and the best storage capacity. You can't really ask for more. 

At some point my Malifaux collection will become much larger so I may have to look for new solution then. But I don't expect the creators of A-Case to rest on their laurels. They've launched a successful KS campaign and they have to start making plans on how to make their product even better than it is now. My experience with their product allows me to believe they will do exactly that and they will be successful.

And one more thing - it may seem like I'm discrediting Battlefoam bag on purpose. That is not my intention. I really like that bag and it's served me well for a long time. However, my compulsion to BUY MOARRR minis meant that it's outlived its usefulness. I can still recommend it for those of you who don't expand their Malifaux collections too fast.

I'll leave you with some pictures, enjoy!

As you can see above, everything is neatly packed and the instructions are printed in color. Also, now it's official - the product has been tested "by animals".

Jak widać powyżej, wszystko jest elegancko zapakowane, a instrukcje są wydrukowane w kolorze. Poza tym można już teraz oficjalnie powiedzieć, że produkt był testowany "przez" zwierzęta.

 The problems I had with storing Malifaux minis in foam trays is illustrated above...
Powyżej widać na czym polegał mój problem z przechowywaniem figurek do Malifaux w piankowych tackach...

...as a result my Dreamer and his friends didn't fit in and stayed at home, which made Teddy one sad Panda :(

...w efekcie czego mój Dreamer i jego przyjaciele nie pasowali do środka i zostawali w domu, przez co Teddy był smutną pandą :(

32 minis on 30mm bases easily fit on a small tray...
32 figurki z łatwością mieszczą się na pojedyńczej półeczce....

... and they don't fall off when you turn it upside down.

... i nie spadają z niej po przekręceniu do góry nogami.

Foldable hobby case allows you to safely transport brushes and tools...

Rozwijany piórnik na materiały hobbystyczne pozwoli bezpiecznie transportować pędzle i narzędzia...

...and a paintholder shelf will take care of your paints - as you can see in the picture above, bottles and pots from different companies fit easily.

...a  specjalna półeczka zapewni miejsce na farbki. Jak widać na zdjęciu powyżej, buteleczki i kubełki z różnych firm bez problemu się na niej zmieszczą.

The cat has chosen...
Kot wybrał....

I am still amazed by how much stuff I managed to fit into this small bag.
Wciąż ciężko mi uwierzyć jak dużo rzeczy zmieściłem do tej małej torby.

Wielkie kłamstwo

Malifaux to gra "skirmiszowa", do której nie potrzeba dziesiątek modeli.  Wszyscy to słyszeliśmy i wiemy, że to nieprawda. W miarę jak powiększa się liczba masterów i figurek, transportowanie całej armii staje się wyzwaniem. Z całą pewnością nie wszystkie będą potrzebne, ale większy wybór pozwala na większą elastyczność podczas turniejów. 
Od paru lat używam dedykowanej torby do Malifaux od firmy Battlefoam. Ten świetny produkt pozwolił mi na bezpieczne pakowanie większości moich figurek. W miarę jak zwiększała się moja kolekcja, stawało się to coraz bardziej skomplikowane. W teorii miałem do dyspozycji 26 miejsc na figurki na 30mm podstawkach w jednej gąbkowej tacce. Poniższe zdjęcie pokazuje, że nie zawsze działą to w ten sposób. Figurki Wyrda często są bardzo skomplikowane i zajmują znacznie więcej miejsca (Titania i Aeslin to dwa przykłady, które od razu przychodzą do głowy).

Kolejnym problemem są duże figurki. Jest na nie szersza tacka z gąbką do wyrwania w odpowiednim kształcie, co pozwala w pewnym stopniu dostosować przestrzeń i wpakować tyle modeli, ile się da. To dobre rozwiązanie, ale nie jest też najbardziej wydajne, ponieważ i tak szybko zaczyna brakować tam miejsca.
W efekcie miałem torbę wypełnioną w 2/3 jest potencjalnej pojemności i nigdy nie mogłem zabrać całej frakcji na turniej. Co więcej, musiałem zabierać ze sobą dodatkowa torbę lub plecak, żeby mieć pewność, że mam ze sobą wszystkie karty i markery potrzebne do gry.

Zacząłem rozglądać się za innymi opcjami i trafiłem na ciekawą kampanię Kickstarterową, gdzie zbierane były fundusze na uruchomienie produkcji torby z innowacyjnym systemem magnesów o nazwie A-Case+. W tamtym momencie nie miałem wolnych funduszy na wsparcie projektu, skontaktowałem się więc dopiero niedawno skontaktowałem się z przedstawicielem firmy. Okazało się, że wszystko jest już do kupienia w pre orderze na backerkicie KS (chociaż głównym celem pozostaje pełne zakończenie kampanii KS). Zamówiłem swoją walizkę i już po paru dniach otrzymałem przesyłkę.

Montaż 

Wszystko było elegancko zapakowane więc mokłem zacząć składanie torby. Cały proces był łatwy i nie miałem żadnych problemów z łączeniem poszczególnych elementów. Wszystkie części są płaskie i wystarczy tylko nagiąć je do odpowiedniego kształtu. Żadne narzędzia nie są do tego potrzebne. Wystarczy tylko podejść do tego na spokojnie i upewnić się, że zginając tworzymy kąty proste. Dodatkowo, sugerowałbym też układanie elementów na płaskiej powierzchni przed nagięciem brzegu. W przeciwnym razie można łatwo skrzywić krawędź, co tylko doda nam niepotrzebnej pracy.
W razie problemów, szczegółowe instrukcje montażu są dostępne online w formie video, które w jasny i przejrzysty sposób pokazuje wszystkie poszczególne kroki.

Cały szkielet jest zrobiony z aluminiowych arkuszy. Cała struktura jest bardzo solidna po prawidłowym złożeniu. Obawiałem się, że półki będą się suwać same z siebie, ale na szczęście działa tutaj sprytny system małych wyjmowanych bolców, które blokują ruch i trzymają je w miejscu. 
Szczegółowe wymiary widać na zdjęciu poniżej. Od razu zwraca uwagę to, że torba jest znacznie mniejsza w porównaniu do mojej starej. Co ważne - torba łatwo spełnia wymagania bagażu podręcznego, a więc nie będzie problemu z transportowaniem figurek w samolocie.

Materiał

Materiał na torbie to wodoodporny poliester. Łatwo go utrzymać w czystości, nie zbiera kurzu i nie wchłania płynów (póki co testowałem tylko na lekkim deszczu i wewnętrzna część była suchutka). Co ważne z perspektywy gracza Malifaux, dostępne są wszystkie frakcyjne kolory. Wybrałem fioletowy dla moich Neverborn. Odcień jest bardzo ładny, delikatnie kremowy, i w rzeczywistości wygląda jeszcze lepiej niż na zdjęciach z katalogu. Na torbie jest też spora łatka z materiału rzepowego, do której można przyczepić różne odznaki turniejowe. Akurat w Malifaux nie jest to istotne, ale pewnie fani innych systemów mogą być zainteresowani.

Suwak jest szeroki i sprawia wrażenie solidnego, co jest istotne, bo będzie na pewno mocno używany. Torba może być noszona za doszyty uchwyt lub też na ramieniu na pasku, którego długość można regulować. I jedno i drugie to standardowe, sprawdzone rozwiązania.

Z jednej strony mamy jeszcze dużą kieszeń. Duży album Ultra-Pro, którego używałem wcześniej nie zmieścił się do środka, ale po przełożeniu kart do plastikowego pudełka na deck i upgradów do małego tekturowego, byłem w stanie wszystko tam zmieścić.

Pojemność

W tym miejscu możemy mówić o tym co naprawdę wyróżnia tę torbę. Figurki są mocowane magnesami na półkach. W praktyce oznacza to, że można zmieścić ich znacznie więcej w środku. Co więcej, będą bardziej bezpieczne podczas transportu. A ponieważ wewnętrzna struktura jest w całości metalowa, modele można doczepiać do bocznych ścian jeśli potrzebne będzie dodatkowe miejsce.
Po prawidłowym złożeniu półki wysuwają się bez wyraźnego oporu, wyciągnięcie pojedynczej jest szybkie i bardzo wygodne. Podczas gry często przywołuje się dodatkowe modele, a takie rozwiązanie znacznie przyspieszy dostawianie ich na stół.  Małe bolce wciskane od boku w szufladę zapewniają dodatkowe bezpieczeństwo, ponieważ dzięki nim szuflada nie wysunie i nie wypadnie z torby.
Przyklejanie magnesów to łatwy, choć czasochłonny proces. Patrzyłem z pewnym niepokojem na żywiczne podstawki, nie zachęcała mnie perspektywa wiercenia w nich otworów. Na szczęście wprowadzono tutaj kolejne świetne rozwiązanie. Przyklejane magnesy są łatwe w obsłudze i idealnie trzymają model w torbie. Są dostępne w rozmiarach, które idealnie pasują do tych używanych w grze. Minimalnie zwiększają wysokość modelu, ale nie ma to żadnego wpływu na grę, ponieważ w Malifaux wysokość figurek jest określana domyślnie, wysokość podstawek nie ma tutaj żadnego znaczenia. Jeśli przyklejanie magnesów sprawia komuś kłopoty, można obejrzeć to video, które w bardzo przystępny sposób wyjaśnia jak się do tego zabrać.

Warto również wspomnieć o możliwości przenoszenia w walizce farbek i materiałów hobbystycznych. Można do tego celu zamówić dodatkową szufladę z otworami zaprojektowanymi specjalnie do pomieszczenia kubełków z farbkami. Co więcej, dostępna jest specjalna torebka (również dostępna we wszystkich frakcyjnych kolorach) na narzędzia i pędzle. To sprytne rozwiązanie, ponieważ całość bez problemu zmieści się w torbie, a dostęp do narzędzi hobbystycznych będzie łatwy po rozwinięciu.

Podsumowanie 

A więc jak to wszystko wygląda całościowo?

Ostatecznie byłem w stanie wsadzić do środka dużo więcej niż do mojej poprzedniej torby. To była miła niespodzianka, zwłaszcza, że A-Case jest znacznie mniejsza. Możliwość ułożenie podstawek jedna obok drugiej zapewnia znacznie więcej miejsca. Nie miałem żadnego problemu z ułożeniem 32 figurek na 30mm podstawkach na jednej półce. Co więcej, włożyłem też do torby wszystkie markery i tokeny, miarkę, wskaźnik laserowy, oraz wszystkie karty (włożyłem je do plastikowego pudełka na deck zamiast do dużego albumu, który dawniej nosiłem osobno w plecaku). NA koniec pozostało nawet trochę dodatkowego miejsca na dodatkowe figurki/gadżety. To naprawdę niesamowite, że tak mała torba ma tak dużą pojemność.

I jeszcze jedno, czas odpowiedzieć na wielkie pytanie z tytułu tego wpisu. Torba A-Case+ ma niesamowitą pojemność. Jest wykonana z solidnych materiałów i są w niej zastosowane unikalne rozwiązania, które świetnie sprawdzają się w praktyce. Nie jest to tani produkt (nie jest to tanie hobby...), ale ostatecznie wydanie na nią pieniędzy wydawało mi się uzasadnione, ponieważ w praktyce dostałem dwa produkty w cenie jednego. Teraz nie muszę już nosić na turnieje i torby, i plecaka. A więc, z mojego punktu widzenia, odpowiedź brzmi TAK - to jest najlepsza torba do transportowania figurek do Malifaux. Zapewnia najlepsze bezpieczeństwo i największą pojemność. Ciężko wymagać więcej.

W pewnym momencie moja kolekcja Malifaux będzie jeszcze większa i będę pewnie musiał rozejrzeć się wtedy za nowym rozwiązaniem. Ale też nie spodziewam się, że twórcy torby A-Case spoczną na laurach. Przeprowadzili udaną kampanię na KS i już teraz powinni zacząć planować, jak jeszcze mogą ulepszyć ich produkt. Moje doświadczenia z tą torbą pozwalają mi wierzyć, że zrobią to z powodzeniem i efekt końcowy będzie jeszcze lepszy.

I jeszcze jedna rzecz - może się wydawać, że celowo źle oceniam torbę Battlefoam. To nie jest moja intencja. Torba Battlefoam bardzo dobrze mi służyła przez długi czas. Jednak moje uzależnienie od kupowania coraz większej liczby figurek oznaczało, że w pewnym momencie nie mogła już pełnić swojej funkcji. Wciąż mogę ją polecić jako rozwiązanie, które do pewnego momentu będzie się świetnie sprawdzać.

Na koniec zapraszam do obejrzenia zdjęć powyżej.

Malifaux Clockwork Control Panel by Customeeple

There are some things in a game of Malifaux that are a necessity (cards, markers, etc.), and there are also those that are not essential, but make the game more enjoyable nonetheless. Clockwork Panel from Customeeple belongs to the second category. 

It is made of 2,5 mm MDF and comes packed neatly with all the necessary instructions. And trust me, your're gonna need them as assembling the panel isn't an easy task. They clearly illustrate which part goes where but it still takes a while as there are many different elements that are needed to put the whole thing together.

All the elements need to be removed from three MDF trays. However, I wouldn't suggest starting everything at once. When I first looked at them I knew I had to somehow plan my work. 

I'd written before that when it comes to painting MDF, Airbrush is my go-to tool. This material absorbs paint very well, which makes painting it with standard brush much harder. To make using airbrush possible, I had to work on the thing in stages as getting paint to the lower layer after the assembly would be very complicated.

This is the way I'd suggest painting it. As you can see in the pictures above, the lower part doesn't need a lot of paint, but is has to be applied in specific areas. The movable elements are very small and I decided to wait with adding them until the final stage.

One more thing regarding the movable elements. Make sure you dry fit them before the assembly and check that they can be moved freely. I messed things up at this point as some glue got on them and had to cut away some of the area around them with a hobby knife. 

When it comes to painting, make sure you apply colors with thin brush and the consistency is right. If you don't thin the paints down with water, the result won't be good as the thickness will give it the appearance of muddy substance, not something that is part of the structure.

The panel gets a solid endorsement from Chompy and Big Jake

I have to admit that the Panel looks simply amazing. It feels very good when you hold it in hands as all the movable elements are easy to access. It has a steampunk feel to it and the extra decorative elements make it look elegant. 

In a game I tend to place it next to the table. It keeps track of turns, soulstones, and victory points. Even a quick glance at it can be helpful to remind me of the situation in the game. I laways take it with me to tournaments and many people have given me positive feedback. The "wow" effect is definitely there.

If you like adding extra elements to your Malifaux games and want to enhance the gaming experiece, the Clockwork Panel by Customeeple is a way to go. You can order it here.

GG 2017 Markers by Customeeple

Everything is neatly packed...

...and all the explanations are written at the back.

This time I will be reviewing Customeeple's tokens for GG2017. The set contains:

Tym razem będę recenzował zestaw tokenów od Customeeple do GG 2017. W jego skład wchodzi:

- 2 Stash objectives (50 mm)
- Informant silhouette (30 mm)
- 5 Cut Head markers (30 mm)
- 5 Evidence markers (30 mm)
- 5 Accused markers (20 mm)
- 5 Marked for Death (20 mm)
- 5 Spotted Markers (20 mm)

The variety of designs and colors is striking at first glance. The tokens are made from thick fluorescent methacrylate and the designs are etched onto them. Each of the markers is easily recognizable and it's easy to tell what it is supposed to represent. The sizes vary from 20 mm to 50 mm and they are fully compatible with Malifaux. 

There are three markers that stand out in particular due to their nifty design. The 30mm Informant marker is made from MDF so it requires some painting. Once it's done, a silhouette of an elegant man putting his finger to his lips can be glued on top of that. It is a clever design as it keeps the marker visible and doesn't hamper gaming experience. The silhouette is thin enough not to block any movement and it corresponds really well with the description of the Strategy.

Zróżnicowanie kolorystyki i designy poszczególnych markerów od razu rzuca się w oczy. Tokeny są zrobione z twardego fluorescencyjnego plastiku i mają od góry wyryte wzory. Każdy z markerów jest łatwy do rozpoznania i bez problemu można określić co reprezentuje. Rozmiary wahają się od 20 do 50 mm, a wszystkie są w pełni kompatybilne z Malifaux.

Trzy z markerów warto wyróżnić za zmyślny design. 30mm marker informatora jest wykonany z MDFu, a więc wymaga malowania. Jak już się to zrobi, można na niego nakleić sylwetkę elegancko ubranego mężczyzny, który przykłada palec do ust. To naprawdę inteligentne rozwiązanie, które pozwala na to, żeby marker był dobrze widoczny, ale w żaden sposób nie ogranicza przyjemności z gry. Sylwetka jest na tyle wąska, że nie będzie blokowała żadnego ruchu, a dodatkowo świetnie oddaje opis tej strategii w grze.

The other two that I was impressed by were the Stash Markers. They're also made from MDF and feature this thin, detailed element that I wrote about in my previous review of Customeeple's base inserts. The assembly is a bit complicated but it's not too hard. I strongly suggest using a PVA type of glue as it dries slowly and makes it possible to correct any mistakes you might make at this stage. 

The chests look really good and are clearly visible on the table.

Pozostałe dwa, które zrobiły na mnie wrażenie to markery zapasów. Też są wykonane z MDFu i mają ten cienki, pełen detali element o którym pisałem w mojej poprzedniej recenzji wkładów do podstawek. Skłądanie ich do kupy jest nieco skomplikowane, ale też nie powinno sprawiać za duzo problemów. Zdecydowanie polecam używanie kleju PVA, ponieważ schnie wolniej i łatwo daje się poprawić ewentualne błędy popełnione na tym etapie. Skrzynki wyglądają naprawdę dobrze i łatwo je zauważyć na stole.

As always, I recommend using either airbrush or many layers of thinned down paint while working on elements made from MDF. It absorbs paint so you must take it into account while working on these markers. 

Overall, I really like this set and highly recommend it for boosting your gaming experience in GG 2017. Visually, the design is very impressive and the tokens are also very functional. You can order the whole set here.

Jak zawsze, polecam stosowanie aerografu lub też wielu warstw rozcieńczonej farby przy pracy nad tymi elementami. Wchłaniają farbę więc trzeba to mieć na uwadze podczas pracy.

Podsumowując, bardzo podoba mi się ten zestaw i mogę go polecić, na pewno jeszcze bardziej poprawi wrażenia z gry na GG 2017. Wizualnie design jest bardzo ładny a dodatkowo tokeny są bardzo funkcjonalne. Cały zestaw można zamówić w tym miejscu.

Even the little one can't resist the lure of goodies from Customeeple...

Crewfaux

"The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive."
Coco Chanel

This review is long overdue. I've been using Crewfaux (along with other 5K+ users) for months and have become so used to this fantastic app that I take it for granted. It is used by Wyrdos around the world. However, I believe there is still something more that can be written about it.

Crewfaux is a free app available for Android and iOS. It has been designed by one guy (Pawel Maczewski) who also happens to be an avid Malifaux gamer/collector. Pawel has put in more than a thousand hours of work into making Crewfaux the most handy app for Malifaux. Also, the gaming community has had a big impact on the design and functionality. The app was initially in beta version and all feedback gathered at that stage was used to improve it.

The main functions are generating Deployment, Strategy, and Schemes for an encounter and preparing your crew list. Crewfaux significantly speeds up the whole process. The layout is clear and the whole process is smooth and easy. Members of the crew are chosen from a list that is organized by faction and cost in descending order with all possible merc models added at the bottom of the list. Cost of each chosen model/upgrade is automatically subtracted from the soulstone pool that is automatically set to 50. A prepared list can be easily exported, which makes it easy to share your ideas on forums or on dedicated FB groups.

It is possible to keep track of the score in the Encounter menu by tapping and holding on a strategy and your chosen scheme. Also, there is a very useful option to quickly switch between your crew list and encounter setup, making it easy to adjust your choices before the game as you prepare your list and decide on the best choice of schemes. Also, at the start you can choose which type of Strats and Schemes you want (Standard/GG2016/GG2017). And one more thing, you can share the strategy by generating a QR code. It's a really great option, especially for tournaments. Some TOs upload these to FB events for all participants to access easily. If that's not the case, people can quickly and easily share them before the tournament.

Finally, and this is probably the main thing that made me write this text - in the most recent update a new option to make notes has been added. You can write a not about a model/upgrade or take a picture. It is a fantastic option as it means that you can have the complete package in a single app on your phone - all the stats, rules, upgrades. 

I also want to make a disclaimer here - cards, upgrades etc. fall under IP laws and as such should not be shared and distributed publicly. Make sure you use your own resources for Crewfaux.

As I've written before, the author has put in hundreds of work hours into the app. Pawel devotes his private time and financial resources into making the best Malifaux app for us, gamers. He's also a great guy - I've faced him a few times in different Malifaux tournaments and these games have always been enjoyable. Pawel has recently set up a Patreon page for Crewfaux (you can find it here). He's already announced that the app is going to stay free and only asks for some financial support there to make up for all the time and money he's had to invest into it. I think that buying him a beer (or a coke as that's his preferred drink) by declaring the minimal amount of cash there is the least that can be done to thank him for all his work.

I also wanted to have some of the author's input in this review so I used this opportunity to ask him a few questions.


Hi Pawel, can you tell us something about yourself?
I’m almost-40 guy, husband (my wife’s actually a co-developer of CrewFaux and author of the graphics in the app), father to 3 kids (one of them plays Malifaux already, while the youngest daughter started painting her first minis recently… some fantasy Orcs and Wolsung tentacles). I work as a computer programmer, try painting and playing wargames (but I actually spend more time wondering about what I’d like to play then I really play the game).

How has creating Crewfaux impacted your life?
I asked my wife about it. She said something like: „When working on Crewfaux you did NOTHING ELSE”… Well, that’s not entirely true, but pretty much shows the time of most rapid development - that would be just before going to the beta stage.
Other than that - it’s great to know someone does use my app…
I also became more familiar with some of the Malifaux hiring rules - I get emails sometimes notifying me about some bug in the app, and between digging out the book, checking the rules and answering the the person - I learn a lot.

What was the biggest challenge while working on Crewfaux?
Biggest challenge would be working on it under the time-pressure. Without any official affiliation with Wyrd, I wasn’t able to get my hands on the 4th book before it got released - so I ordered it from Gencon, with fastest possible shipping to Europe and all I could do was to wait… I’ve had a few people telling me what’s there on Day 1, so I started preparing the changes to the app - but still, I had to take several days off my regular day job, dig in a basement and just stick with the app changes, just to have new models, upgrades and some of the new rules as soon as possible, for people’s games.

What are your plans for the future of Crewfaux, what other options would you like to implement?
There’s a long features that I’d like to see in Crewfaux. One of the most requested is the „models collection” that would allow me to mark models I own (with optional „painted” flag) so I can limit my crew selection to only the models I really have. Or I have painted.
The other thing (and it’s on my workbench right now) is redesigned screen for in-game score tracking, revealing schemes to the opponent…
I also get asked quite often about a PC or web version of the app - ifs, whens… And I’d like to say it’s gonna be out there, sooner then later, but I always find something more important to work on, to be honest. And it’s quite a big work to create the entirely new web application that would, in addition to the normal operation, „talk” to the mobile CrewFaux and allow syncing the crews and everything… So it’s a lot of work but it’s super cool to work on, so I’ll try to fit it into my schedule :)

Who is your favorite Malifaux master?
Hard question :)
I stated with Rasputina and Marcus just to jump to Outcasts after one game with each of them. I owned every Outcast master, haven’t played games with all of them just to switch to Ten Thunders Lynch… And after that, Gremlins. Now Ressers.
Out of all the masters I played so far I liked Jack Daw, Mah Tucket and Ulix the most. When I think about it now, I think what makes a master „my favorite” is the story behind her - both the official story, published, as well as the story I’d like to tell when I play the games.
But since I started playing Ressers just recently, I guess the two BFFs, Molly and Kirai, should become my favorites now.

Thanks and best of luck with the app in the future.

Here are the links:
Patreon page
Android version
iStore
Facebook page
OwlCoding

Crewfaux in action