Malediction Tabletop Game - Interview with Silvio Compagnoni
Some of you might know that I also write for GameRant, where I’ve been putting together gaming listicles for almost two years now. While the work can sometimes feel like shouting into the digital void, every now and then it leads to something cool — like someone reaching out after reading my stuff and wanting to connect. That’s how I found myself speaking to Silvio Compagnoni from Loot Studios.
I had the chance to ask Silvio a few questions about Loot Studios’ first game, Malediction. So I thought that this Chogg.Blog could just detail what I learned about the game to try to rub some of the enthusiasm off on anyone reading this, so that you can get as excited as I am to try this weird new game.
Malediction has been in development for two or three years, and is a miniatures skirmish game. Silvio and I made a few references to Warhammer games like Mordheim to draw comparisons, and that feels pretty apt. However, Malediction also uses cards and has a kind of deckbuildy element that should make the game feel like a light game of Magic: The Gathering at the same time. Selling as one box for each faction with everything needed to get the game to the table inside, there are 4 unique factions for us to choose from. The game has now moved forward with a full release, and Silvio couldn’t be more excited.
Diving into Warhammer 40K through the Hero of the Imperium book about Ciaphas Cain and the Imperial Guard, Silvio loved the image of Ciaphas grinning on the cover and wanted to leap in and get him on the table. It feels like part of this urge to get the coolest things on the table, which led Silvio to buy my beloved Screaming Bell Skaven model and then be met with disappointment when it gets to the battlefield, has translated to Loot Studios’ new production. Silvio especially mentioned his love for 40K Orks and how much is taken away from their presence when they have such cool lore but aren’t allowed to have that translate to the table. Here in Malediction, there are so few models on the table that every single one has to have a purpose and be useful and nothing cool is left feeling like a spare part.
Any given battle will feature about nine models on each side, with a Seeker leading the charge for each player. Each faction also has a bunch of themic terrain, adding an extra layer of strategy with placing these large impressive pieces; whether giving cover, damaging foes who get too close or empowering nearby magic, choosing where to put these pieces is crucial to good strategy. While I pointed out the head of a Giant as my favourite model, Silvio said his favourite was the Legion of the Fallen’s Spine Tree. Both are genuinely gorgeous gory models. What a perfect segue to talk about the models themselves!
My favourite, a dead giant left to lean in a morbid arch and Silvio’s beloved spine tree.
The boxes for each faction come with cardboard standees which are more than enough to play full games. Silvio made sure to mention that even competitive play is possible with the cardboard versions. However, Loot Studios’ speciality is 3D Print files for incredibly detailed and lavish miniatures that have real tabletop presence. In buying the box players get access to a treasure trove of print files for terrain, tokens and terrors to bring straight into the game, swapping out the cardboard for weighty plastic pieces.
Silvio spoke to me about this decision and agreed with me that half of the fun of playing miniature games is the model-making and painting aspect. Through these printable models players and hobbyists are given whole new ways to articulate and edit the models and express their armies on the battlefield in unique, creative ways. I really like how this sounds - letting players start with models that don’t cost an arm and a leg, but also allowing those who have detailed printers to splash out and spoil themselves with the humongous heavy hitters.
The team at Loot Studios are all fans of classic RPGs and grand scale fantasy and wanted to inject some of that larger than life lore into the game and so worked with legendary author Tracy Hickman of the Dragonlance books and the original Ravenloft D&D module closely. Silvio talked about Hickman’s talent for creating worlds that jump off the pages and said that they ran with some of the first stuff to translate to the tabletop game but there is plenty more where this came from ready to utilise in future expansions. I mentioned that they should produce tie in books to flesh out the lore, not unlike Warhammer’s ‘Black Library’ and Silvio told me that he has been pushing for more lore stuff like this and would love to get the Malediction universe into the hands of up and coming authors (hit me up guys, I would love to write for you).
Any expansions would probably be adding Seekers to the existing factions for the time being; Hickman gave them so much quality story that they want to do what they can to flesh out every faction with opportunities for different gameplay approaches. I was a little concerned hearing this - complex rules that change from battle to battle often mean lots of flicking through rule books in my experience. Silvio answered me before I even had to ask a question. The cards that are played with on the table show every piece of necessary information about the creature, spell or terrain so there is no wasted time spent checking and double checking what does what.
Loot Studios have worked with crowdfunding before but the massive support for Malediction has Silvio nervous to see what people think when they get their hands on it. Initial playtests have been super positive and players had a chance at Adepticon to chat about the game and get stuck in discussing lore and strategy. For me, the fact that the game has both of these sides of the traditional miniatures game ready out of the gate makes it super appealing and something I would love to get my teeth sunk into.
The four factions saw a full release in April and range from Silvio’s favourite, an undead ghostly faction, and the one I think I would most prefer, a faction of beastly creatures who hit hard and favour aggressive play. Check out Malediction and make sure to let them know on their social media that the Chogg.Blog sent you!
This was one of my first interviews about upcoming games, and the first time I’ve been given the chance to speak with anyone about a new tabletop game which is where a lot of my passion for gaming comes from so please let me know what you think of this format - I’ve chosen to just spew the details a little because after talking with Silvio I am so hyped for this release! Share this with tabletop and 3D printing friends, share this with fantasy fans, and again go check out Malediction and tell them you came from me. Hopefully this is the start of a lot more opportunities like this. When I do get my hands on Malediction, you can expect a full review on the site.
