Two Reds in one attack

A 50ss game of Malifaux. 

Strategy: Corner Turf War

Scheme pool: Assassinate, Breakthrough, Hidden Martyrs, Claim Jump, Detonate Charges

My list:

Jack Daw & Ligeia
Montresor
Jaakuna Ubume
Midnight Stalker
Hanged
Guilty
Catalan Rifleman

Stones: 7
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs (Hanged & Guilty), Detonate Charges

Opponent:

Titania the Autumn Queen & Gorar
Malisaurus Rex (Claim Jump)
Hooded Rider
Rougarou
2x Autumn Knight

Stones: 7
Schemes: Claim Jump, Assassinate

Turn 1:

Knowing I would most likely get the horrible corner of bottom-right, I tried to take models which would actually get out of that bottleneck before turn 3. By then I didn't know that my side of the board would be filled with severe terrain templates right away.

Well, at least I had Jack Daw, Hanged, Jaakuna and Lady Ligeia incorporeal enough. Guilty, Montresor and Catalan Rifleman were the only models severely hampered by severe terrain since Midnight Stalker would just leap over things. Or so I thought. Midnight Stalker wasted its first turn because I didn't draw a mask for my hand. So he kind of got about 2" past my deployment zone.

Anyway, I opted to shovel pretty much the entirety of my crew to threaten the board center. Catalan Rifleman took bottom-right turf marker.

Neverborn were a little more spread out with Hooded Rider rushing to bottom-left marker and Malisaurus Rex as close to top-right marker as middle marker. Gorar, Rougarou and Titania were chilling around top-left marker while both Autumn Knights engaged middle marker.

Turn 2:

Resurrectionists win initiative, and Jaakuna puts up a hazardous aura. What a waste.

Then goes Titania. I had Red Joker in my hand, so I wouldn't have needed to let Third Law pass on Jack Daw... This was because I woefully underestimated the distance that is 4" - I thought it wouldn't bring Jack Daw into melee with Autumn Knights. Well, it did. And now Jack Daw was stunned.

To make matters even worse I somehow didn't register that stunned doesn't let you declare triggers on your own models, too. Because of this I walked Jack Daw a little forward to place Curse of Injustice on Malisaurus Rex. After that I only needed to use Suppressed Memories on The Guilty and buy a trigger to escape... oh wait, stunned.

At least Autumn Knight received Curse of Injustice, too.

Malisaurus then charges Jack Daw and after a brutal mauling and a staggering expenditure of stones and cards, Jack Daw is at two health points remaining.

The Guilty tries to save the outcast master by charging another Autumn Knight, not doing much. But neither did the Autumn Knights. Both tried to attack The Guilty, which all but confirmed opponent had taken Assassinate.

Midnight Stalker runs towards top-right turf marker while Rougarou seems to have the same idea.

Hooded Rider takes bottom-left marker and rides into woods to collapse my lines next turn. Or not.

Catalan Rifleman takes a point of damage to get tomes for a warning shot against Hooded Rider,  fails on purpose and then takes the actual shot. He takes a point of damage again to get stun trigger.

Hooded Rider wins the duel hard, so I have to cheat Red Joker from my hand to hit. Then I get to do a damage flip with some negatives. My deck went empty, so it was reshuffled. Damage: Red Joker. 

Then Hanged walks, charges and fails its attack on Hooded Rider. Last, it uses bonus whispers on the Rider, buys crows and kills the Rider with Mental Trauma.

What just happened?

Both players score turf, and Neverborn gets Assassinate for a score of 1-2.

Turn 3:

And again, Red Joker in my starting hand. Luckily this game was played on a virtual platform, because by now I'd have become really suspicious about my shuffling skills had we played a live game.

My starting hand was pretty good otherwise, too. I "won" the initiative, but opponent cheated a 13 for initiative (he had one pass token). I thought that I had good chances to win even if I wasted my Red to get a re-flip. So I did. I lose, but cheat in a 13. Opponent also cheats 13, winning the initiative. So he had two 13's in starting hand.

I suppose I can't complain, though, because past 10 cards or so had included three Red Jokers for me...

Titania butchers Jack Daw, but at least she spends all of her stones while doing that.

Remaining Outcast forces gain a good position in the middle, because Malisaurus and both Autumn Knights have staggered on them and Montresor nearby keeping that stagger in place. Jaakuna Ubume is offering hazardous terrain and Lady Ligeia making all cheats costly. While my wet noodle attacks weren't impressive, damage was steadily pouring in via these eroding abilities.

Hanged takes a charge against Autumn Knight and scores a lucky tomes, placing an unsuspicious scheme marker.

Malisaurus beats Montresor and Montresor fails to Execute Malisaurus even when opponent had no stones or cards in hand.

Midnight Stalker jumps to top-right turf marker, interacts and charges Rougarou for a couple points of damage.

Scores go 2-2 when Outcasts manage to get their second turf.

Turn 4:

Neverborn wins initiative and Titania heals 80% of all damage I managed to do last round. Feels good.

Malisaurus doesn't manage to kill Jaakuna Ubume, who then walks to offer Autumn Knights some hazardous terrain. Autumn Knight then tries to kill my enforcer, and fails. And last but not least - Gorar takes a ranged attack against Jaakuna Ubume who has Serene Countenance and gets Friendly Fire. And scores a kill. Thanks to Black Joker Jaakuna flipped.

Rougarou smacks Midnight Stalker down to two health remaining, and Midnight Stalker pays the debt, bringing the beast down to one.

Montresor & Jaakuna and their various abilities had brought Malisaurus down to one health remaining.

Hanged & Catalan Rifleman brought Autumn Knight down to one health remaining.

Gee, wouldn't it be a shame if enemy master was able to heal six points and hand out shielded as required in a situation like this? (Well, at least she wouldn't do anything else.)

Alright, there were reasons for this, though. Lady Ligeia didn't succeed to deliver the last point required to Malisaurus, which honestly was to be expected. But Hanged could have killed Autumn Knight, but chose to get Draw Out Secrets instead, securing me reveal condition for Detonate Charges.

3-2 for Outcasts.

Turn 5:

Red Joker in my starting hand again. Opponent flipping 13 for initiative again while having a pass token.

Titania heals Malisaurus for six and gives Shielded +3 for it. Malisaurus doesn't get to do anything useful, though.

Montresor kills one of the Autumn Knights with his bonus action and then is cursed to watch while Hanged takes a walk and interacts with turf marker. Autumn Knight then attacks The Guilty and declares Into Thorns. I win, but as a perverted act of mercy I cheat to lose the duel. Unfortunately it's minimum damage and I didn't get Hidden Martyrs.

Autumn Knight then interacts with middle turf. Hanged then interacts with middle turf and places a scheme marker for Detonate Charges. Catalan Rifleman takes a double walk and interacts with bonus action.

Outcasts get third turf and end condition of Detonate Charges, and Neverborn declares Claim Jump on Malisaurus.

Outcasts win 5-4 this tough game that was considered confusing by both participants.