Ngaatoro's contacts

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Corner Cursed Objects

Schemes: Assassinate, Load 'Em Up, Secret Meetup, Hidden Martyrs, Sabotage

My list:

Kirai & Ikiryo
Datsue Ba with Grave Spirit Touch
Jaakuna Ubume
Lost Love
Shikome with Killer Instinct
Gwisin
2x Seishin

Pool: 7
Schemes: Secret Meetup (Shikome and Mr. Ngaatoro), Hidden Martyrs (Lost Love & Gwisin)

Opponent had:

Lucas McCabe, Tomb Delver & Luna
Sidir Alchibal
Jessie Halliway
Mr. Ngaatoro
Rough Rider
Cryptologist
Ruffian
Hopeful Prospect

Pool: 3
Schemes: Secret Meetup (Mr. Ngaatoro & Gwisin), Hidden Martyrs (Rough Rider & Ruffian)

Turn 1:

Well, uh. I had originally planned to walk Shikome and Ikiryo a bit forward with Seishins and whatnot, but somewhere along the way both Seishins gave Kirai a walk. She walked into safety behind the Secret Meetup building in the middle, summoned a Goryo and tried focus it, but shielded it instead. 

Idea was to delay Explorers' movements and give an incentive for Mr. Ngaatoro to step forward. 

Goryo didn't do much except soak up damage and deal like two points to Rough Rider.. Lost Love had to teleport to heal Goryo.

Gwisin ran to take the hit for Lost Love and Kirai. Datsue Ba gave a walk for Shikome, who walked and charged Rough Rider for a couple points of damage more. Perfectly softened up roughness.

Remainder of my crew wasn't set up as perfectly. Because my Seishins had gone wild with Kirai, Ikiryo, Jaakuna and Datsue Ba were walking so, so slowly towards action. Well, as slowly as Movement 6 incorporeal models in severe terrain can move. 

In fact, looking at the picture it's almost as if McCabe made much faster progress despite messing up Ride With Me shenanigans. 

Sidir and Mr. Ngaatoro brought Goryo down to three health remaining. McCabe dug up a Timeworn Blade and it kept getting tossed around Explorers, finally landing on Jessie. 

All the explorers were in a blob, which is usually nice when you got blasts around, but this time a size 3 overwalk was dividing the crew more than horizontal distance. 

Mr. Ngaatoro was exactly where I wanted with the wounded Rough Rider nearby. Jessie was also there, making Urami attack actions less effective with McCabe's aura. That was the first wave, second wave was everything else that was gravitating toward bottom-right quarter.

Turn 2:

Nearly dead Rough Rider rode away from the melee, healing himself for three. He then started taking shots at Goryo. Not ideal, but at least the horse did not run completely away from action - I was planning on getting my curse token discarded from it.

Everything was fine and dandy until Jaakuna Ubume went into full Karen-mode and asked for the manager after screaming out her lungs. She didn't actually manage anything, but the manager McCabe took a walk and sprayed her twice with pepper spray. 

Lost Love teleported to heal Jaakuna, and she admitted that maybe she overreacted a bit. Seishin gave her a walk action to move outside of Sidir's machine gun range. 

After some artifact juggling Sidir moved and shot Jaakuna with a machine gun, making exemplary work on how to deal with frustrating customers. Fortunately Jaakuna did not die.

Goryo that had been summoned last turn was shot off the board by Jessie. I could not take the risk of Mr. Ngaatoro charging Shikome, perhaps in an odd angle and getting away from secret meetup. Gwisin walked and charged the big bully. 

Ruffian, Mr. Ngaatoro himself and Cryptologist eventually remove the second Goryo. I had poured everything I could at the wounded Rough Rider, but only managed to bring it down to three health remaining. 

I had to make my gambit - Datsue Ba walked forward and bought masks and extra card to try and give Shikome a free charge at Rough Rider. Things went unexpectedly well and the rider died instantly, leaving my Secret Meetup model to get back to within 3" of Mr. Ngaatoro and the house. 

Which she did. 

Then came the surprise - both players revealed Secret Meetup. Mr. Ngaatoro had double booked a meetup with Gwisin and Shikome.

Explorers also revealed Hidden Martyrs, which gave them a 2-3 lead. 

Turn 3:

And then we get a messy, messy turn. 

Sidir shoots Jaakuna dead and scores a blast that damages Ikiryo and Lost Love.

I set my aim on Ruffian and charge it with Shikome. Attacks don't do much because the swagger had stacked some focus. 

I try to bring Ikiryo to charge Ruffian, but mess up a few things and end up in melee with Mr. Ngaatoro. Lucas charges Ikiryo back and a weird dance ensues where Gwisin is placed here and there with Take the Hit. In the end it doesn't help much as McCabe scores ample supply of rams, dealing some automatic points of damage with the trigger. 

But the jumping around opened up line of sight for Kirai to shoot Ruffian. She managed to kill Ruffian with two action points, so she planted a scheme for Secret Meetup end condition. Jessie, however, avenges Ruffian in a terrifying way. I had ran out of cards in my hand, so Kirai was vulnerable. Jessie scored a harpoon hit against her and drags my master into melee with unactivated Mr. Ngaatoro.

I had wanted to give a walk for Datsue Ba with Seishins, but I didn't feel like I got the time for that. Datsue walked and weighed Mr. Ngaatoro's sins - and they were grave indeed. Red Joker brought Mr. Ngaatoro to one health point remaining, which combined rather nicely with Kirai's life leech. Disaster averted.

Lost Love heals Kirai for a bit and Seishins walk forwards.

Mr. Ngaatoro has to activate and die.

Both players get strategy for scores of 3-4. 

Turn 4:

Carnage just continues. 

Lucas places a scheme to secret meetup building and charges Kirai. Gwisin obviously takes those hits, because Kirai was at four health remaining. Gwisin dies to the attacks, and even Kirai takes a point from rams. Finally McCabe tosses Phantasmal Mask for Jessie. 

I expected Kirai to die this round, so she went all-in and summoned both a Goryo to center and Ikiryo to Cryptologist, whom I had to kill this turn for strategy point. 

Lastly she walked a little to get Datsue Ba to protected range. And protects the granny did! Both harpoon attacks hit Datsue instead of Kirai. 

Shikome tried to kill Cryptologist. She chose tomes from pale hunger to ignore armor and started flailing at Cryptologist. Both melee attacks missed, though. Challenge gave an extra melee attack, but that missed too. Yaaaaaaaay.

Sidir, on the other hand, makes a brutal activation. He disengages from Goryo and shoots Kirai dead, hits Ikiryo for five points of damage and then kills her with an extra shot - all of this with negative fate modifier from friendly fire. 

Situation looked grim, but I still had plans to get my point from Cryptologist. Fortunately Cryptologist score only a weak damage to Shikome, bringing her down to one health remaining. 

Seishin succeeded in giving a walk for Datsue Ba, who then charged Cryptologist. I needed a moderate or two weaks to kill him. And again. All attacks missed despite me having stat lead this time around. Even startling Cryptologist failed! 

Well, I still had a chance - to give a walk for Goryo with Seishin and then charge Cryptologist. But Hopeful Prospect completely ruined that by engaging the ghost in melee. It tried to launch itself to Cryptologist by getting On Your Heels with the bonus action... but got tomes instead. Hooray, adversary. Frustrated, Goryo punched Hopeful Prospect with moderate damage, but thanks to hard-to-kill didn't even kill Hopeful Prospect.

What a horrible turn. Seishin ran to engage Sidir, and Lost Love went to place second scheme for Secret Meetup.

Explorers score strategy, Resurrectionists Hidden Martyrs for a 4-5 lead for Explorers.

Turn 5:

Despite my grievances, there was still an opportunity to win. Cryptologist started the turn by killing Shikome, so winning became that much harder. Fortunately Datsue Ba managed to kill Cryptologist with one attack. She charged Luna, missing the attack again, but staggered McCabe.

Jessie activated, disengaged from Datsue Ba and tossed Phantasmal Mask for McCabe. 

Seishin walked to engage Luna and McCabe, hoping to block possible scheming attempts. Luna, however, tore Seishin to shreds. 

Goryo failed to kill Hopeful Prospect with Violent Ghosts, so it had to use a real action point for that. Thus, it not longer was able threaten McCabe. But, at least it could walk to engage.

Lucas single-handedly killed Goryo and also Seishin engaging Sidir. 

That sealed the game.

Lost Love was able to teleport to Datsue Ba and go and get engaged by Lucas to score Hidden Martyrs. Sidir Alchibal then had the option to take a double walk and plant a scheme for secret meetup or deny me secret meetup. 

So, it was a closely fought 7-7 or 6-6 draw, depending how Sidir would have chosen. 

Admiring only, not contesting

 A 50 point game of Warmachine Mk4.

My list:

Skorne Unlimited
Hexeris2
-Archidon
-Rhinodon
-Agonizer
Unit of Cetrati
Unit of Venator Reiver
Unit of Beast Handlers
Void Spirit
Bog Trog Trawler

Opponent had:

Trollbloods United Kriels
Madrak3
-Dire Troll Mauler
- 2x Trollkin Axer
- Impaler
2x units of Fennblades

Scenario was Recon II.

Skorne started game and advanced with Cetrati contesting zone on left with Hexeris following nearby, then Rhinodon and Reiver in the middle with Agonizer and Beast Handlers behind them. Archidon with Cloak of Ash was holding zone on right with some additional Void Spirit support.

Opponent had a unit of Fennblades coming to challenge zone on left with Axer nearby to control. Dire Troll Mauler was behind their objective, ready to go either way. Madrak was going to flag with Axer and Impaler standing on a hill with another unit of Fennblades.

Second turn Reivers did some good damage on Impaler. Hexeris cast Eruption on the beast to make it less feasible to heal it back to full. Another Eruption thinned down some on the hill and left Hexeris with zero fury points left for transfers.

Bog Trog Trawler ambushed the Fennblade unit on the left and actually managed to shoot one of them dead. Or, more precisely, skewer one of them and punch him dead. 

Archidon with Cloak of Ash was trying to hide for a bit behind terrain, maybe luring something in for a charge. Rhinodon went into middle behind a cloud effect, with Agonizer crying next to it. 

Fennblades on the left, however, didn't pay much attention to Bog Trog Trawler and instead played pathfinder card and charged Cataphract Cetrati, killing one of them. 

The Fennblade unit on top of a hill and Axer removed Reiver unit with some thrown spear help from Madrak. Madrak also used his feat. Dire Troll Mauler was laying in wait for a better day to turn the tides, but Impaler and Axer tried their luck in attacking a Def 16 heavy. There was no luck. 

So, it could have been worse. 

It was time for Hexeris' feat. It wasn't all that impactful, but at least all beasts were able to run full on Fury and remove both Axers. 

It was nearing the end of my turn when I casually measured if one of the Fennblades on the left were within 4" of my flag, and damn that 4" has become difficult to estimate! Yeah, that was two control points for Trollbloods, since the Fennblade had been contesting my flag all along. 

Yay.

Well, that Fennblade continued to do just that. Impaler and fully loaded up Dire Troll Mauler clear the zone on the right while Madrak sits at the flag. So that's a four point lead for Trollbloods.

I try to remove Fennblades from my flag, but only get half of them out. Beast Handler heroically kills last Fennblade from the unit on right and contests rectangular zone. Rhinodon has the ungrateful duty of running to contest both Madrak's flag and rectangular zone. Trollblood lead falls to three points.

Impaler doesn't frenzy, which could have saved my game. But now it was able to go and remove my contesting Beast Handler. Mauler and Madrak are more than able to kill Rhinodon together, and Fennblade gets within 4" of my flag. Game over. 

No fair I, choose violence too!

 A 50ss game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Standard Guard the Stash

Schemes: Load 'Em Up, Breakthrough, Vendetta, Hidden Martyrs, Spread Them Out

My list:

Hamelin & 3x Stolen
Nix
Benny Wolcomb
Yannic Waller
Johan Creedy
Prospector
Catalan Rifleman
Winged Plague

Pool: 5
Schemes: Spread Them Out, Vendetta (Johan Creedy on Elijah)

Opponent had:

Kaeris & Eternal Flame
Elijah Borgman
Carlos Vasquez
Fire Golem
2x Firebranded
Fire Gamin

Pool: 0
Schemes: Load 'Em Up (Pyre), Hidden Martyrs (Firebranded)

Turn 1:

I put Nix and Yannic near my right strategy marker, and Winged PLague flew hugging the rightmost board edge. Nix took a double walk and I must say - even with his resilience I was a bit hesitant when it looked like he'd have to face Fire Golem, Carlos, Eternal Flame and a Firebranded.

Everything else I got was were on the left powering up Benny Wolcomb. I somewhat messed up my initial positioning, but in the end everything went fine and a Rat King was summoned just fine. Although Benny wasn't able to take even one step, when Firestarter lit fire under Catalan Rifleman's feet and moved him so that Benny's way was blocked by Hamelin, Rifleman, Stolen, Prospector and even Johan Creedy to a degree. 

After a walk Hamelin failed to lure Firestarter closer, so the outcast master just ended up concentrating.

Kaeris and Carlos both succeeded in landing a pyre marker. Kaeris, Elijah and Firebranded were behind destructible boxes near center-left marker with Firestarter even further ahead. 

Turn 2:

I forgot to take a picture at the end of turn, so Firestarter has already started round three in the picture.

Kaeris sure enough sets the world burning when she starts the turn, charges to conflagrate Rat King a bit, plants two pyre markers in the middle of my tightly packed crew and fans a marker through Stolen, Johan Creedy and Rat King. 

Kaeris was pondering if she should have escaped instead of fanning the flames, but she chose violence. Alrighty, then. Hamelin chooses that, too! He uses bonus action to charge Rat King to Kaeris, then walks to take two attacks against her. Only one hits, but deals severe damage. 

Nix goes to engage Carlos, Firebranded and Eternal Flame. All of them fail Drink Spirit checks, and Winged Plague had placed a scheme marker and continued to fly towards enemy deployment zone.

Carlos disengages from Nix and walks to breathe fire on Winged Plague, not doing anything. He also managed to make a pyre marker near mid-left strategy marker, which was used by a Firebranded to set itself burning.

In the meantime, Stolen had given mean time for Kaeris by vomiting disease over her mechanical wings, dealing more damage together than Hamelin did. Johan Creedy had also charged Kaeris and all of them together had brought Kaeris down to one health remaining.

Fire Golem had leaped to the Firebranded's flames, entering the melee in the mid-left marker. It walked to slap Carlos' pyre marker on Rat King, Hamelin and Johan Creedy, and took a little swing at Rat King. 

Yannic Waller had tried to come to shoot Firebranded and hopefully spill some blast damage over Kaeris, but that never happened. What did happen, though, was a severe greatsword to Yannic's face. Firestarter tried to set fire under Rat King's feet to push it away from Kaeris, and succeeded at that. That took away one action point to be spent on killing the Arcanist master, but as it happened - that lone action point was enough. Rat King managed to charge Kaeris dead, and voracious rats from Hamelin even transformed her into a Malifaux Rat. 

Benny Wolcomb takes a double walk so that he'd be in position to perhaps place some scheme markers next turn. I completely forgot that Benny needed to assist a Stolen who had Burning +4, so one kid went down to that. Another had died earlier after vomiting on Kaeris - he had been on fire and one health remaining, so two rats sounded better than one rat since it was inevitable fate, anyway. 

Opponent had middle-left marker, and to score a strategy point Prospector had to walk and charge Elijah, thus getting points to 1-1.

Turn 3:

Again I forgot to take a picture at the end of round, so some activations have already happened. 

Firestarter walks and charges to last Stolen who had been hanging near bottom-left marker. 

Carlos and top-right Firebranded fail to kill Winged Plague, so it had time to leave one more scheme marker on board. Nix went to place a scheme near mid-right marker and spammed some blight tokens around. 

I had tried to save Yannic Waller by activating her first, doing some democracy and trying to disengage. However, disengage failed with -6 movement reduction. Miraculously Elijah didn't succeed in killing anyone.

Fire Golem wasn't as inept. It killed Rat King and charged Johan Creedy below hard-to-kill threshold. Johan was also at, like, Burning +8 or so. And he was my Vendetta model. It wasn't looking good.

At least he managed to deal some damage to Fire Golem with Relic Hammer, remove Hamelin's burning and heal himself and Hamelin for one with Final Rest. 

Hamelin kills Fire Golem, hooray for that. But now there was way open for Firebranded to charge Johan Creedy, and does indeed score that required one hit to bring him back below hard-to-kill threshold. So yeah... Hamelin killed a ten point model, but I lost a two victory point model. C'est la vie. 

For some reason I didn't consider placing a scheme with Benny and climbing on top of the reservoir terrain to contest middle-left strategy marker. Instead I went to deny a point from Firestarter when, in fact, even if he'd been alone at my marker opponent wouldn't have got a strategy point. But that's hindsight, maybe it wasn't so apparent at the time if opponent had unactivated models around. 

So, Johan Creedy burns to crisp and scores go 2-2 when Outcasts reveal Spread Them Out and Arcanists get Load 'Em Up on pyre markers.

Turn 4:

Firebranded top-right finally kills Winged Plague before it is able to drop even more scheme markers. Nix interacts a scheme and charges Elijah so that he is entirely on top of it. I don't think the attack hit, as Nix had been distracted by Carlos many times over. 

Hamelin blasts a rat with Pustulent Tumors, killing Firestarter. Firebranded isn't as easy kill, and Benny needs to come and finish the hidden martyr. 

Yannic Waller is done with democracy and shoot Elijah with a severe blast from her shotgun. 

Prospector appraises Johan's corpse and estimates it to worth around two victory points. So he saw no reason why his corpse wouldn't be worth as much, and dies to Elijah, Carlos and Fire Gamin.

Arcanists reveal their Hidden Martyrs, taking the lead in points with 2-3.

Turn 5:

Yannic gives democracy another chance, healing herself, Nix and Eternal Flame and damaging Elijah, Fire Gamin and Carlos. She takes a bonus concentrate and shoots Elijah, but unsurprisingly doesn't kill.

Elijah heals for a bit and finally kills Yannic. By now Elijah had juicy five blight tokens, so Nix tried a distracted Bleeding Disease twice, failing both.

Fire Gamin runs to secure bottom-right marker. Hamelin takes a walk and a charge at Elijah, barely missing the attack. His Bleeding Disease hits, but that wasn't enough - Elijah was left at one health remaining. And then last remaining Firebranded took a double walk , got engaged by Nix and healed Elijah so even Benny's Swarm Them was of no use. However, at that point removing Elijah wouldn't have mattered anyway since Carlos was able to get to bottom-left marker, and Benny needed to walk away from mid-left marker to place a scheme marker for Spread Them Out.

It was a tough 3-5 game, and Arcanists won. So, fortunately my blunder with Benny did not cost the game as it would have been 4-5. What did cost me the game was choosing Vendetta and then getting jammed in high-profile melee. 

I should have probably taken Hidden Martyrs anyway, though I was afraid that my martyrs would die to burning. Breakthrough and Load 'Em Up on the other hand weren't options for me. 

Shrimpy shrimpy

 A few days ago I played first rounds of Mantis, the party game sort of thing. 

We had two players, and I have a hunch the game functions far better with more players. There aren't a lot of options and no special cards to shake things up. With two players this leads to rather repetitive flow. But with more players who knows? 

But on the bonus side, the game had me look for information about mantis shrimps and gosh darn, they're an interesting species.