Malifaux

I had been wanting to start a new miniatures game recently. I wanted it to be cheap to start, not be related to Games Workshop, and have awesome models.
I had been leaning towards Warmachine/Hordes, but the price on some of the models sort of drove me off. Between bills and the new baby, I didn't have as much cash on hand as I wanted to be able to spend.


Then I heard about Malifaux and several things clicked with me. It had pretty much everything I wanted to have in a game with very few drawbacks to keep me from getting into it.

Pros: 

1. Amazing models.  I paint/model more than I play games, so fun models to paint was a very big reason for me to get into the game. Except for the Ressurectionists, I pretty much love every model I've seen.  The detail is great, the poses aren't dull, and each faction is markedly different from another. I'm actually excited about painting these models.
2. Cheap.  For a standard 25-30 soulstone game, you need about 4-7 models. That's it. If you get a starter set, you get all the models you might need for a game at a cheaper price than buying them separately.  I got 2 starter sets, a rulebook, 2 faction decks, and several extra misc models to add in for only about $100.  I've spent more on 1/6th of my 40k armies.
3. New Mechanic. No dice in this game. It uses basically a glorified standard deck of playing cards. Like poker cards.  While the mechanic is strange to use in the beginning, it's just different enough to make the whole thing fun for me.
4. It's not GamesWorkshop. I guess I'm just tired of GW having basically a monopoly on the wargaming around here. I never see anything else. (Of course I don't really go anywhere) Between all the same armies, the recent price hike, and their horrible customer service regarding rules questions etc, I just need to try something else.
5. Story/character. 95% of the models are an individual. They have their own stories and look completely different from each other. No more, Tyranid gaunt #152 or Space Marine #36, each with the exact same paint scheme. Every model I paint will be different and unique and...and...awesome! Glee!

Cons:

1. Metal Models.  I hate working with metal models. They are bitch to clean mold lines from, nearly impossible to convert, and I HATE PINNING/SUPERGLUE. If it wasn't for the amazing detail on these models, I'd skip the metal and just run plastic stand-ins.
2. Small Crews. While having a small crew is great on the pocket and painting wise, it just isn't very impressive on the table top. What I mean is, a fully painted 40k army is something to be proud of. Putting a small crew next to one of those just makes it seem so pitiful.
3. No generic heroes. While it's awesome to have each character actually be someone unique, it'd be nice to be able to field a master/minion that represents a hero that YOU had a story fleshed out for. Being able to create your own stories and characters would have been nice.