Malifaux - Asami Tanaka

Having no unpainted Malifaux models (don’t worry I have hundreds of models for other games still untouched), I gave myself permission to further expand my collection with models I can play with Asami.

In Malifaux models in your warband must either share a keyword with your master (in Asami’s case ‘Oni’) or have the ‘Versatile’ keyword and be in your faction (in Asami’s case Ten Thunders).

What tends to happen is that many of the versatile models are great multi-purpose options for a host of Ten Thunders warbands, so meta lists tend to focus around these models as additions after your master and best in-keyword picks.

The main drawback in Asami warbands is that she can summon extra models but ONLY models with the Oni keyword. This means that if I were to lose a key versatile model I cannot summon it back into existence. Another thing that occurred to me is that if I did have a collection of Oni models, I can summon exactly the model I need to fit a particular circumstance in pretty much any game. More Oni is more options I can legitimately use in any game. With this in mind I decided to just collect models with the Oni keyword and skip the versatile options.

After a spending binge at UKGE 2023, I bought all of the Malifaux boxes with Oni model options currently available. With consideration my next project was the Obsidian Oni minions. I chose these models as they work particularly well if summoned vs bought in the original warband by spending soulstones. The main drawback of summoning versus point buy in terms of a models function is that summoned models enter the table with a built in clock that will eventually ‘kill’ them after a number of activations. While there are ways to extend the clock on a summoned model it can be fiddly and costly in activations for support models, so models that give value back when they die seem perfect summoning fodder. Enter the Obsidian Oni. These guys are pretty punchy and have a ‘demise’ ability (in Malifaux, an ability that triggers when you die) that basically causes them to explode and do more damage. So I can summon them, charge at the enemy, pumping my attacks with abandon and then explode in their face at the end of my activation, setting everything near me on fire. Does that not sound awesome?

Wyrd have these guys depicted as a lilac colour in the artwork which I think is weird as Osidian is black. Very black. And glossy. So…

First step was to prime with Vallejo Black Primer then the whole model was sprayed with Turbo Dork Black Ice which is a metallic black paint. Now that screams obsidian demon to me.

The rest of the colours are broken down below. As usual all paints are Vallejo Model Colour (VMC) unless otherwise specified.

Weapon handles and fabric tabbard – Clear Orange

Armour – Gold

Straps – Cavalry Brown

Easy. All the non black colours were selectively shaded with Citadel Colour Agrax Earthshade and as a final touch all the gemstones were picked out in VMC Vermillion.

I forgot how exactly I’d based my old models but I’m guessing I used a custom mix of flocks I have since exhausted (damn you Burrows and Badgers), so for speed I went with my old faithful Geek Gaming Scenics Base Ready Mediterranean Soil over VMC US Field Drab.