The Bayou is home to many gruesome and oversized creatures, and its mosquitoes are no exception. These Bayou Skeeters are barely smaller than humans, and their bites can be lethal. Even more disturbingly, it seems Som’er Teeth Jones has trained a number of them and keeps them as pets. How he managed the task is anyone’s guess.

Skeeters are Somer’s totem, and they may only be taken in crews led by him. Unlike most totems, up to two are permitted in a crew. They are insanely mobile with Wk 10 and Flight. They also have a high Df and melee, allowing them to cross the board quickly and engage enemy models, tying them down. They have few Wounds and do little damage, but sometimes holding up a target is enough. They can also use Somer’s zero actions as they hold their targets at bay, doing damage in a pulse.

Gremlins reproduce at an alarming rate, with one litter sometimes containing up to twenty pups. This is more mouths than any reasonable Gremlin can feed, and, while most die, many wander off and find their own way. Ophelia gladly takes young, wayward Gremlins under her wing, training them to shoot and sending them on errands.

Young LaCroix are Ophelia’s totem, and they may only be taken in crews led by her. Unlike most totems, up to three are permitted in a crew. They can take advantage of Ophelia’s upgrades, enacting attack actions with a penalty to the Sh, giving Ophelia more opportunity to use those attacks. They also deal decent damage with their own attack (though with a low chance to hit) and, most useful of all, they can reattach Ophelia’s upgrades to her.

The art of making moonshine is always passed from master to apprentice; such valuable knowledge cannot be lost. Of course, the Brewmaster also finds it convenient to test all of his new concoctions on his young apprentice. Young Wesley is simply biding his time until the day he can don the cloak of Brewmaster and take over where his master left off.

Apprentice Wesley is the Brewmaster’s totem and may only be included in crews led by him. He can give out the Poison condition and further lower the Wp of models with the Poison Condition, which is always useful for the Brewmaster. He can cast one of the Brewmaster’s Ca actions per turn at a reduced Ca, giving his crew another use of a master-level action. Finally, if the Brewmaster dies within 6” of Wesley, Wesley becomes a new Brewmaster!

The smartest creatures in the Bayou are the Bayou Gremlins. While most would claim they are only smart by a low standard, they have adapted quickly to the human incursion into Malifaux, organizing themselves and learning to use human weaponry. They have even mastered the art of banjo music, much to the chagrin of anyone in earshot.

Bayou Gremlins are the cheap cannon fodder of the Gremlin faction. They can be used to tie up enemies, grab objectives, or overwhelm enemies with sheer numbers. With “Drunk and Reckless,” they can suffer two damage to generate an extra AP, which is great for achieving a variety of goals. They can also Cheat using the top card of the Fate Deck with “Bayou Two Card,” and they have useful Triggers on their shooting attack (though it pays to be careful; Gremlins must declare a Trigger if possible, and the Crow Trigger ricochets the shot into a friend). Any Gremlin crew can use a few Bayou Gremlins among their number.

Pigs are a crucial part of Gremlin society, both as a food source and for labor. As such, the Hog Whisperers that keep the pigs in check are vitally important. They are experts at wrangling pigs, and most can even calm a pig from the height of rampage. Armed with pig sticker, they guide their herds and jealously protect them from anyone who would do them harm.

The Hog Whisperer helps to control Pigs, so any crew that doesn’t have another model to keep them in line (like Ulix) may find the Hog Whisperer essential. His “Pork Whisper’n” ability prevents Pigs from charging when their charge would be more detrimental than useful and he drops Scheme Markers when nearby Pigs die. He can also give Pigs “Reactivate” and Push them towards himself. Any crew with a few Pigs will get a lot of value from this model.

Moon Shinobi are members of the Tri-Chi and have been taught the art of Drunken Gremlin Kung Fu. Only the Moon Shinobi know who teaches this art and how it works; it is a mystery to everyone else.  However, anyone who has encountered the Moon Shinobi knows that their unusual fighting style and uncanny ability to distract an opponent make them an even match for some of the most hardened fighters.

Moon Shinobi are highly mobile models. When they take damage from Poison they may be Pushed, which makes them great with the Brewmaster as he relies on Poison. They have some decent melee actions that can target Df or Wp (allowing them to choose the target’s lower stat), and their “Where’d You Get That” action lets them Push towards another model with Poison. Their best trick, however, is “Drunken Gremlin Kung Fu,” which turns their negative modifiers into positive ones (and vice versa), allowing them to turn terrible situations into great ones.

Gremlins long ago mastered the catapult, and it wasn’t much of a stretch before they realized that firing pigs at their opponents was far more devastating than simple rocks, which don’t run around mauling people after being launched. Although the Pigapults aren’t very mobile, many Gremlins have taken to disassembling them and then reassembling them where they are needed most.

With a Wk of 2 and no Cg, the Pigapult is not a very mobile model, but it doesn’t have to be. It sits at the back, launching Pigs at the enemy. Its “Bacon Barrage” action has an impressive 24” range, and it ignores cover and LoS! However, a Piglet is sacrificed to use the action (if a Stuffed Piglet is sacrificed the attack still works and does more damage). This model works well for Gremlin crews that have a few spare Piglets and can take advantage of catapult-style fire support. 

The pigs of the Bayou hold the unusual distinction of being both the Gremlins’ greatest food source and number one predator, as Gremlins are frequently mauled to death by their pigs. These are not domesticated Earthside pigs but are rather the stalwart Malifaux equivalent with thick hide and tusks. Once they start stampeding, few can stop them.

With a high Df and penalties to Sh actions targeting it, Piglets can be tough for the enemy to pin down. They may Charge for one AP instead of two, but, if there isn’t a friendly Gremlin close enough, they must Charge. Piglets are models that can be let loose on the enemy crew to bounce from model to model. They can get significantly more attacks than their cost would normally allow, but positioning them correctly is very important. In skilled hands, they are devastating.

Being a gremlin slop hauler is a dangerous and dirty job as pigs sometimes have trouble distinguishing between their food and the one carrying it. Even so, it’s worth it, as the slop haulers get first pick of the fresh bacon. In battle, slop haulers hurl buckets of slop onto their enemies and laugh when the pigs stampede towards them.

Slop Haulers are utility models. They can lower the Df of enemies, causing the massive (but inaccurate) volume of fire Gremlins can generate to land on target more often. They have “Reckless” so they can suffer damage to gain an extra AP, and they can “Bayou Two Card” to Cheat with the top card of their Fate Deck. Their best trick is “Feed Piggies,” which heals up to four friendly Pigs or Gremlins that are nearby. Gremlins frequently suffer damage to fuel their abilities, so one or two Slop Haulers healing that damage is excellent for any crew.

The pigs of the Bayou can grow to massive size if they live long enough. War Pigs are of the larger variety, and they have been “tamed” by the Gremlins enough to be ridden.  Their riders have figured out how to point them in the general direction of the enemy so that their rampage will tend to cause more harm to the Gremlin’s foes than the Gremlins themselves. Of course, this is a risky venture, but it is often worth it.

Warpigs are the Piglet’s bigger cousin. Like the Piglets, they bounce from target to target with efficient Charge actions that come at the price of being less controllable (see the Piglet entry). However, they do significantly more damage, have very high Wounds, and can heal to full after killing a target with “Eat Your Fill.” Dropping a Warpig in the middle of an opponent’s crew can really ruin their day.

Penelope is Ulix’s loyal dog, and the foundation of his pig farm. She herds the animals with expert skill, corralling them, calming them, or sending them into a frenzy if need be. She is a loving animal and feels protective of her pigs, but her ultimate loyalty is always to Ulix. If you see Ulix, Penelope is only a whistle away.

Penelope is Ulix’s totem and may only be taken in crews led by him. For her cost, she is an excellent model. She has good defense and may deploy almost anywhere on the board due to “From the Shadows.” Pigs that activate near her get increased Wk, and her “Pork Whisper’n” ability stops pigs from stampeding. Finally, she has a decent melee attack and a free action to push a friendly Pig around the table. Any Ulix list should seriously consider adding Penelope.

No magic act is complete without a Lovely Assistant, and Wong’s is no different. Although a master of pyrotechnics, Wong’s organizational skills always left something to be desired. His Lovely Assistant put an end to that, choreographing and timing his shows perfectly. And that baton isn’t just for show; many people have been pummeled to the ground when they tried to interrupt the proceedings.

The Lovely Assistant is Wong’s totem and may only be included in crews led by him. She has good defense and Wounds for her cost. She can use her “Prepare the Show” action to rearrange the top four cards of her Fate Deck, which is very helpful to Wong as he relies on a lot of random effects. She can also clump enemy models together, making it easier for Wong to blow them apart.

The Little Lass is a whirlwind of destruction wrapped in a cute, pint-sized, pigtailed package. She tears through her enemies with her oversized wooden spoon, emulating her hero, Mah Tucket. Kneecaps are her specialty, and more than one person has underestimated her because of her small size; few of them survived to tell about it.

The Little Lass is Mah Tucket’s totem, and may only be included in crews led by her. She is a melee model, tearing into enemy models with her Medium Wooden Spoon attack. Her “Aim For The Sore Spots” action can increase the effectiveness of her melee attacks. Finally, she can even take one of Mah Tucket’s upgrades at no cost. The Little Lass adds another melee threat to any Mah Tucket list.

The life of a gremlin is often hard, brutal, and, well, short. Old Cranky has defied the odds, now well into old age and barely held together by chewing tobacco and grit. The other gremlins heed his advice because he’s been there, done that, poked it with a stick, and made soup out of it. On top of that, he isn’t bad with his trusty shotgun either.

Old Cranky is the generic Gremlin totem, and he may be included in any Gremlin crew that does not already have a totem. He provides a number of benefits to nearby friendly models, including: increased Wp, boosts to defensive flips, and the ability to gain a Soulstone when they kill something. He has a decent attack in the form of his Sawed-Off Shotgun, and he can discard a card as a free action to draw a card. Old Cranky is always a good addition to any Gremlin crew that doesn’t already have a totem.

There is nothing like a giant, angry, three-headed pig to instill fear in the enemy crew. The Sow, as she has come to be known, has birthed more Piglets than any other pig known to the Gremlins. All of the piglets she births seem to be unusually troublesome, ready to fight as soon as they pop out. The Sow herself has a foul temper that has become infamous in The Bayou.

The Sow is a melee model that is also capable of summoning. She does impressive melee damage, though she has a low Ml value. She also has “Smell Fear,” which allows her to make an extra attack if an enemy model fails a Wp duel nearby. Finally, she has the “Birth” action, which can be used to summon Piglets at the expense of enemy Scheme Markers, and the “Farrowing” ability, which allows her to summon two Piglets when she is killed. The Sow is a great choice for solid melee, especially in a Pig-centered list. 

There are few gremlins in The Bayou who are both foolish and skilled enough to become a Rooster Rider. The over-sized fowl that Rooster Riders take into battle are unpredictable and dangerous to friends and foes alike. The Riders themselves carry rifles, doing their best to hit their targets as they hang on for dear life to a giant, angry bird.

Rooster Riders are some of the speediest models in the game. With a Wk of 7, “Reckless” to gain an extra AP, and the ability to take the Charge action for 1 AP, Rooster Riders can get wherever they want to go whenever they want to go there. They make up for this speed with their lack of durability, as they are killed very easily. They also pack good shooting and melee attacks with a few useful Triggers. A Rooster Rider can get where it needs to go faster than almost any other model.

Stuffed Piglets are Piglets that have been killed, stuffed full of as many explosives as will fit, and then reanimated so they can run into enemy ranks and cause chaos. Few people expect a raging, undead pig strapped with dynamite to come running at them. The element of surprise frequently goes to the Gremlins on this front.

The only really useful thing that Stuffed Piglets do is explode, but, for their cost, that’s all they really need to do. They have access to the “Bacon Bomb” action, which allows them to be sacrificed to deal damage to nearby models. If they happen to be killed by an enemy, they still get the chance to take the “Bacon Bomb” action, so there is no stopping the porksplosion.

The Bayou Bushwhackers are the embodiment of Gremlin competence. They are mistresses of stealth in the deep Bayou, and they are crack shots with their trusty rifles. If an enemy does get too close, they’re not above beating him to death with a frying pan or cooking pot. This all-girl gang is under the watchful eye of Mah Tucket.

Bayou Bushwhackers are excellent shooting models, and they add some much-needed reliability to the usually chaotic Gremlin faction. They have good stats, and their Trusty Rifles deal more damage when they benefit from the Focused Condition. They also gain cover against everything except melee attacks, and they can use their “Playin’ Possum” action to make the area around them soft cover. They even have a decent melee attack if the enemy does get too close.

Wild Boars are the slightly-less-domesticated cousins of the Gremlin’s pigs. They roam the Bayou, rummaging for food and mauling anyone that gets in their way. Occasionally, a clever crew can herd them into battle and send them stampeding towards the enemy. They are dangerous, unpredictable, and always hungry, but none of that is new to the Gremlins.

Wild Boars have “From The Shadows,” which allows them to be deployed almost anywhere on the board. Like other Pigs, they are highly unpredictable and liable to Charge anything that gets near. However, since they can begin the game so close to the enemy, they have a habit of Charging into the enemy’s ranks early in the game and staying there, disrupting their plans and causing havoc.

The Lucky Effigy lends good fortune and durability to any hero of The Bayou it chooses to champion. When it is around, the Gremlin’s plans almost start to seem like they were a good idea, with each ham-fisted reach for power or wealth paying off with minimal catastrophe. Occasionally, Gremlin masters are even cunning enough to use this good fortune to their advantage.

Like all Effigies, the Lucky Effigy is incredibly durable for its cost, making it a great objective runner. It also does tremendous damage with its Crusty Blade, though at Ml 3 it is very unlikely to hit. It can use its “Hit Me” action to force enemy models to attack it, disrupting their plans. In addition, it can provide some healing for the friendly leader.

Lightning Bugs are zealous acolytes of Wong. Wielding their magic blasty sticks, they hurl arcane force in all directions with no thought to personal safety or where their friends are standing. More often than not they crawl from the crater, slightly singed and grinning. It is also not uncommon for them to simply blow themselves sky high, to the amusement of their peers.

Lightning Bugs are great additions to a Wong list as they reduce damage dealt to them by blasts and pulses and can take an additional action after being hit by a blast or pulse. They have a Ca attack action that ignores Armor, which is generally uncommon in the Gremlin faction. They also raise the value of Mask cards while lowering the value of Tome cards, which is useful to use with a few Masks in hand. Lightning Bugs are great models that bring some much-needed abilities to the faction as a whole.

The gator is one of nature’s finest ambush predators, and the Bayou Gators of Malifaux are no exception. They are large, cunning, and have the stealth, speed, and patience to drag an unsuspecting victim down to the murky depths. A few clever individuals, such as McTavish, have figured out how to make use of these creatures, but they are few and far between.

The Bayou Gator is an extremely good melee model for its low cost, but it comes at the expense of being able to take Interact actions. It has “Melee Expert,” giving it an additional attack every activation. It has good attacks with great Triggers, and it can push as a free action. A Bayou Gator adds solid melee to any list for very little cost.