Copycats Keyword Box: How to Build a Malifaux Crew Around It

By Wyrd Games Official Store | Tabletop Games & Miniatures | Published: 2026-11-03

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to build a Malifaux crew around the Copycats Keyword Box. This step-by-step guide covers crew selection, model roles, and table tactics for the Kin.

Quick answer

Start by building your crew around the LaCroix family in the Copycats box, then add Kin models that fill gaps in ranged pressure and scheme control. Use the steps below to assemble, plan, and play the crew without overcommitting to fragile pieces.

Why the Copycats box works as a core

The Copycats box gives you four LaCroix relatives—Raphael, Sammy, Rami, and Pere—who each bring a different specialty to the Kin keyword. That variety lets you cover multiple table roles from one purchase, but it also means you need to decide early which models anchor your strategy and which support them.

Because the box is a Keyword Box, it is designed to be a starting point rather than a complete crew. You will still need to add other Kin models to reach a standard game size, and you should plan those additions around the jobs the LaCroix don't do well.

Trade-offs to plan for

The LaCroix are individually specialized, so spreading them too thin across the board can leave you without a clear plan. Committing to a ranged-pressure approach plays to their strengths, but it can struggle against crews that close distance quickly or punish models caught out of position.

Also note that the miniatures are supplied unpainted and require preparation and assembly. That is normal for Malifaux, but it means you should budget hobby time before your first game, especially if you want to test different configurations.

Step-by-step crew building

Assemble and prepare the miniatures: Clean mold lines, assemble each LaCroix model, and decide on a temporary basing scheme so you can identify them on the table. Common mistake: rushing assembly and mixing up similar parts, which makes it harder to learn each model's role. Label the underside of each base with the model's name before priming.
Assign table roles to each LaCroix: Read each model's card and note whether it leans toward damage, support, or scheme running. Then pick one primary role for each and write it down. Common mistake: assuming every model is a pure attacker and deploying them all forward. If two models share a role, plan to use one as a backup rather than doubling down.
Choose a leader and core synergy: Select the model that best enables the others—often one with a support or force-multiplier ability—and build your initial crew around that model's strengths. Common mistake: picking a leader only for personal damage and ignoring how the rest of the crew functions. Your leader should make at least two other models better, not just itself.
Add Kin models to fill gaps: Look at what your LaCroix don't cover: scheme marker manipulation, healing, or melee protection. Add one or two Kin models that address those gaps rather than more damage. Common mistake: buying more attackers when your crew already has enough ranged threat. A balanced crew usually needs at least one dedicated scheme runner and one model that can absorb pressure.
Test the crew in a small game: Play a 25-30 soulstone game with just the Copycats box plus one addition. Track which models overperform or die early. Common mistake: jumping straight into a full-size game and getting overwhelmed by rules interactions. After one test game, note one model to keep and one to replace in your next list.
Refine your list for strategy and schemes: Before each game, review the strategy and scheme pool, then adjust your Kin additions accordingly. Keep the LaCroix core if it suits the pool; swap in different Kin if not. Common mistake: using the same fixed list regardless of schemes. Build a sideboard of two or three Kin models you can swap in based on the scheme pool.

Product facts

Malifaux Third Edition: Copycats: Includes Raphael, Sammy, Rami, and Pere Ravage as a Kin keyword box for the Bayou faction. Gives you four specialized LaCroix models in one purchase, so you can start testing roles immediately.
Malifaux Third Edition: Copycats