Barf-fest Malifaux Style

Two 50ss games of Malifaux.

Game 1: 

Symbols of Authority, Standard Deployment

Schemes: Claim Jump, Detonate Charges, Bait and Switch, Hidden Martyrs, Spread Them Out

My list:

Hamelin & Stolen
Benny  Wolcomb
Nix (martyr)
Midnight Stalker
Malifaux Child (martyr)
Rat King
Rat Catcher
Winged Plague

Pool: 6
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs, Detonate Charges

Opponent had:

Jakob Lynch & Hungering Darkness
Kitty Dumont
Mr. Graves
3x Illuminated (one of them was the martyr)
2x Depleted
Tanuki (martyr)

Pool: 1
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs, Detonate Charges

Turn 1:

Opponent made a mistake in deploying the strategy markers, and one of them had to be put rather far up the board. I capitalized on this by putting Midnight Stalker there and assisted with Hamelin himself. First turn Hamelin lured an Illuminated closer and slapped a blight token on it. Stolen then launched a volley of vomit on the thing, and even Winged Plague tried to attack the Illuminated. But the thing was left alive with a couple of health remaining.

This flank was contested by a Depleted, two nearby Illuminated, Kitty Dumont and Hungering Darkness so Hamelin and Midnight Stalker did feel a little threatened.

In the middle of the board, I tried my best to make Benny Wolcomb factory running with Malifaux Child and Rat Catcher, but that didn't go too well. Rat King ran as far as it could, and Nix hanged close to it. They were met by Lynch and Mr. Graves, and the Illuminated on the right could reasonably well redirect their attention to middle board.

A single Illuminated was trying to sneak its way towards my strategy markers at left board side.

Turn 2:

Midnight Stalker leaps to strategy marker and interacts a scheme marker near Tanuki just in case for Detonate Charges. 

The Illuminated I had tried to kill earlier regenerated and bonus actioned itself near full health again, and punched my Winged Plague dead. Kitty, Hungering Darkness and that Illuminated received a shower of blight tokens as a result.

Hungering Darkness charged Hamelin and dealt more damage than expected. In return, Hamelin and the vomit orchestra would have actually killed the totem if it wasn't for opponent's only soulstone.

Rat King goes to engage Illuminated that was ogling my strategy markers. Rat Catcher places a scheme marker near middle of the board, and is charged by Mr. Graves who fails to destroy my model.

Benny Wolcomb makes a miserable activation, getting only three rats on the board. Two of which, along with one Stolen, were instantly removed by an Illuminated and its scintillating cloud.

Malifaux Child and Nix place strategy markers to score Detonate Charges from Mr. Graves, and Kitty Dumont does the same for Midnight Stalker.

Scores go 2-1 for Resurrectionists

Turn 3:

Opponent wins initiative, and Hungering Darkness manages to heal itself almost back to full, and continue to maul Hamelin. This time, however, Hamelin and the remaining two Stolen destroy the Honeypot henchman.

Midnight Stalker goes to claim another strategy marker, and Kitty Dumont picks up first strategy marker for Ten Thunders.

Lynch kills Rat King that was engaging enemy strategy piece. Nix comes to replace the minion - enemy getting to collect strategy markers seemed exceedingly difficult for now. This, however, left Mr. Graves confronted by just Malifaux Child and Rat Catcher. And Benny Wolcomb, I guess.

Malifaux Child (hidden martyr) attacks Mr. Graves furiously, triggering Black Blood twice. Mr. Graves didn't take the bait and killed Rat Catcher instead.

Both players score strategy, bringing points to 3-2 for Resurrectionists.

Turn 4:

Opponent has one attempt at removing already severely damaged Midnight Stalker, but it doesn't go as planned, and Midnight Stalker is able to claim third strategy marker.

Hamelin tries to damage Kitty Dumont, but doesn't do much.

A berserk, drunken furry that is Tanuki charges one of my Stolen and kills the kid. Mental image is rather disturbing. It was probably Depleted that killed last remaining Stolen, so Hamelin was now out of "get-out-of-jail-for-free" cards. 

Kitty doesn't bother with killing Hamelin, and instead speeds towards one of my strategy markers. She, however, doesn't have the action points to interact with it.

Illuminated tries to murder Nix, and I happily aid him even to the point of cheating fate to lose a defense duel. But it just isn't enough to kill the puppy. Reason? Opponent showed absolutely zero interest at killing Malifaux Child who was my other martyr. And I wanted at least one point from the scheme.

An Illuminated runs to the strategy marker that already had Kitty next to it, and Benny Wolcomb followed with Mr. Graves right behind, making broad swings with that fencepost.

Resurrectionists score strategy for 4-2 lead.

Opponent concedes in favor of another game.

Game 2:

Corrupted Ley Lines with Flank Deployment
Scheme pool: Assassinate, Claim Jump, Research Mission, Breakthrough, Let Them Bleed

My list:

Dr. McMourning with Grave Spirit Touch & Zombie Chihuahua
Rogue Necromancy
2x Flesh Construct
Guild Autopsy
Nurse
Gravedigger
Mindless Zombie

Pool: 5
Schemes: Claim Jump (one Flesh Construct), Assassinate

Opponent had:

Jakob Lynch & Hungering Darkness (Claim Jump)
Kitty Dumont
Mr. Graves
Mr. Tannen
3x Illuminated
1x Depleted

Pool: 3
Schemes Claim Jump, Let Them Bleed

Turn 1:

Alright, this game had probably the fastest start until now in my career as a malifauxer. 

Honeypot had Kitty as their lodestone carrier, and Resurrectionists had given it to Gravedigger.

One of the Flesh Constructs tried to flank and tank top-left quadrant that didn't have much of a Honeypot presence. In fact, the entire keyword was huddling in an enormous blob in the middle.

McMourning summoned a Flesh Construct from Gravediggers two corpse markers and Mindless Zombie, gave it doctor's order and then the thing ran past middle point, where it was greeted by Hungering Darkness.

My claim-jumping Flesh Construct approached more cautiously, and it together with Rogue Necromancy tried to disgorge some poison blasts into the thick of enemy crew, but both just failed. Wow. I just realized how much of a thing barfing around was in both of my lists...

Turn 2:

Rogue Necromancy charges Hungering Darkness in an attempt to stop enemy from advancing. As a bonus it deals some convincing damage in. That damage was instantly healed by the totem, and it removed the summoned Flesh Construct. 

Mr. Graves and an Illuminated tried to remove Rogue Necromancy and did a good job. Too bad it had seven poison counters, and Zombie Chihuahua had Blood Poisoning. Must have been frustrating.

However, also frustrating was when Dr. McMourning committed to middle field and summoned another Flesh Construct, it was killed in one turn and got turned into a Depleted. 

Kitty claimed top-left strategy marker, and Gravedigger claimed marker in the middle.

Resurrectionists score Claim Jump and both players get strategy. Points are 2-1 for McMourning.

Turn 3:

Flesh Construct that tried to delay top-left quadrant destroys an Illuminated and Depleted that had come to engage it. With its last action point it comes to engage Kitty Dumont. who successfully disengages with insolence. She doesn't reach a strategy marker, though.

Rogue Necromancy was on fire this round. First it scored Pouncing Strike from Hungering Darkness, leaping to Lynch to make an attack. Then it uses second action point to attack Lynch, scoring yet another Pouncing Strike and damaging an Illuminated.

Mr. Graves killed Gravedigger, and lodestone was passed to my claim jumping Flesh Construct, who took three walks to bottom-right strategy marker.

I was worried that Lynch might leave the melee with Rogue Necromancy and run into safety, so I activated McMourning early. He walked through Hungering Darkness, used doctor's orders on himself and brought Honeypot master down to two wounds remaining. Assassination secured.

But then I had to be worried about McMourning - as he might very well die to combined efforts of Hungering Darkness, potentially two Illuminated and Mr. Tannen. And one Illuminated certainly did good damage in to the good doctor. Much to my amazement, Hungering Darkness decided to attack Rogue Necromancy instead. 

Then it was end of turn, and that maneuver started to make sense. Both players scored strategy, Resurrectionists scored Assassinate and Ten Thunders revealed Let Them Bleed that I really didn't consider opponent might have.

Scores go 4-3 for Resurrectionists.

Turn 4:

Dr. McMourning kills Lynch and summons another Flesh Construct. At this point things still looked dandy and fine.

But then I lose Rogue Necromancy, Flesh Construct in top-left and Guild Autopsy in the middle. I realize I have McMourning and two Flesh Constructs on board. Uh oh. 

Lodestone carrying Flesh Construct makes a cautious advance to a position it might possibly maybe go score claim jump next turn.

But then Hungering Darkness disengages from McMourning and moves suspiciously close to middle point.

Yup. Both players score strategy, and Ten Thunders reveal Claim Jump.

Turn 5:

I needed to activate claim jumping Flesh Construct early to toss lodestone to summoned Flesh Construct. As a result, it was brutally mauled into oblivion by Mr. Graves and Hungering Darkness. 

Dr. McMourning gives the zombie doctor's orders to remove it from melee, but regardless one Illuminated succeeded to re-engage it. Fortunately it manages to disengage and park itself next to strategy marker. Unfortunately Mr. Tannen lured it away from base contact with deliriously despicable promises.

Kitty had no trouble getting to middle marker, thus securing 8-6 victory for Ten Thunders.

Strategy thunders, claim, let them bleed vs assassinate 8-6