Last To Speak

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Wedge Covert Operations

Schemes: Public Demonstration, Assassinate, Sabotage, Catch and Release, Breakthrough

My list:

Seamus & Copycat Killer
Madame Sybelle
Bete Noire
White Rabbit Co.
Dead Doxy
Mourner
2x Rotten Belle

Pool: 4
Schemes: Assassinate, Catch and Release (Mourner)

Opponent had:

Nellie, the Voice of Disorder & Printing Press
Phiona Gage
Allison Dade
Auguste Hart
Undercover Reporter
Field Reporter
False Witness
Guild Steward

Pool: 2
Schemes: Public Demonstration, Catch and Release (Field Reporter)

Turn 1:

Probably because of terrain first round was mostly about positioning. Mostly. Well, one accidental shot by Seamus may have one-shotted a False Witness, sure... yeah. When this happens, it always feels a little filthy, using that cannon. Maybe I should remind myself of all the games where the cannon pretty much amounts to nothing. 

Anyway, Doxy, Seamus and Mourner were pacing towards top half of the board, with Mourner keeping its eyes on Allison Dade for a possible Catch and Release next turn.

Madame Sybelle was standing at the doorway to my deployment zone and beckoned Guild Steward a little closer.

Both Rotten Belles were hiding behind the wall near Sybelle. 

White Rabbit had given a hat for Bete Noire, who ran to bottom strategy marker. Copycat Killer held bottom portion of the board for Seamus.

Journalists were mostly in the middle, with Phiona guarding Nellie and Field Reporter. 

Auguste was a little behind, probably going to bottom portion next turn. Allison and Printing Press were holding top. 

Turn 2:

White Rabbit & Co started turn by luring Guild Steward even further. I considered removing the only heal opponent had that important. Oh, and Madame obviously received a fancy hat.

Unfortunately Phiona charged Madame Sybelle and dealt two points of damage in, making Steward's reprisal that much threatening. She even slowed my henchman.

Rotten Belle went to lure the Steward next to herself and Madame Sybelle, and punched two points of damage in. Minimum damage with critical strike would kill Steward now. 

But, Nellie threw a wrench in the plan. She walked a bit forward and started doing cursed translations on Rotten Belle, clipping Madame Sybelle and White Rabbit Co. in the process and making Madame Sybelle distracted.

Screw this, Madame must activate now before even more debuffs rain in. So, she healed White Rabbit, Rotten Belle and herself a little with rams on Undivided Attention, bought a positive card to negate Distracted and bought rams, and swung her lash at Guild Steward. Steward died and dealt six points of damage in return. Solid investment, two soulstones and a lost hat. Oh well, I got an opportunity for assassinate now.

Undercover Reported appeared next to the Rotten Belle that ho was next to Madame Sybelle and poked some holes in White Rabbit & Co. 

Bete Noire walked and charged Nellie, not doing anything. But Auguste did something, yeah. He walked and charged Bete Noire. She also had comfortable hat, so she chose not to fade away. But the comfort of a hat goes only so far when you're dealt six points of damage despite having a negative modifier. White Rabbit & Co at three health, Madame at three health, Bete Noire at three health. Admittedly, situation was concerning.

One of the Rotten Belles who was covertly operating ran to bottom marker, and Printing Press went to make Seamus' life difficult. Oh wait, but it wasn't Seamus! It was some kind of a diminutive gnome. Seamus had been on the bottom portion of the map all along. 

Dead Doxy pushed Mourner around a little and charged Printing Press. She did manage to land one severe damage, but second attack missed altogether. 

Field Reporter ran within 1" of Madame Sybelle. Seamus climbed on top of some rocks at bottom strategy marker and took a concentrated shot at Nellie, who flipped a black joker for defense. Poor Nellie was blasted with eight points of damage, although damage block was a severe, too.

Finally Allison Dade activated and ran to center-below marker. Just outside of Mourner's reach. Well, at least there was Phiona there for Catch and Release. 

Allison scores and Rotten Belle below scores covert operates a strategy, and both players reveal Catch and Release for a 2-2 tie. 

Turn 3:

Auguste managed to land a killing blow to Bete Noire even with Fade Away declared. At least this bought time for White Rabbit & Co. to craft a hat for Madame Sybelle, walk for a bit and beckon Undercover Reporter to Rotten Belle.

Reporter tries to swing at White Rabbit, but failing at that he removes a scheme marker to walk to engage Madame Sybelle. 

Seamus had to activate next and try to deal with Nellie before she triggered her First to Speak. Handcannon hit home, but dealt only four points of damage, out of which three were blocked by a soultone. Seamus walked and charged the Guild master, and managed to deal moderate wound with his bag of tools. My first two activations were astonishingly successful, not a single test failed.

Allison, however, wasn't that lucky. She failed three One More Questions at Mourner despite having a lead of two on stat, and even failed her impassioned defense. Nobody listened poor Allison that turn. 

Madame Sybelle activated, and managed to Black Joker her heal. To make matters worse, when she Red Jokered her attack on Field Reporter, I realized I might at least push her away with masks. That was until we realized that attack was invalid since Phiona was there. So instead, her bleeder lash only tickled Phiona closer to grit (frenzied).

But, Guild continued to receive the short end of the stick. Already being said, Undercover Reporter had missed everything. Allison had missed everything. Phiona missed everything, and only Field Reporter managed to take a shaken photo of Mourner. 

Rotten Belle walked to Undercover Reporter with unassuming demeanor, and dealt impressive four points of damage. Mourner fed on Phiona's grief for a couple of additional damage points. 

Dead Doxy caned Printing Press for whatever reason and dismantled it. 

Opponent kept using pass tokens, so Copycat Killer couldn't do much else than walk for a bit and concentrate. This round Nellie was the last to speak. She disengaged and went to center-top strategy marker and translated a couple of damage points to Mourner. 

Doxy got top marker, and Nellie the aforementioned one. Resurrectionists revealed Assassinate for a lead of 4-3.

Turn 4:

Nellie activated first to give herself a chance of survival. She also removed a potential victory point for me by translating Mourner dead.

Since she had done her worst, I supposed I had time to optimize my attacks. Copycat Killer activated and tried to shoot Nellie, and then delivering Seamus to a more charge-able position.

Then it was time for Madame Sybelle to go down, scythed by Phiona. 

Distracted Seamus charged Nellie, and obviously didn't do much. He then concentrated and took a swing, but this time opponent played Red Joker from his hand, thwarting Seamus' blow. To the last attack Seamus used last soulstone in game and finally assassinated his target.

Allison took a couple of worrisome derringer shots at Seamus, bringing him down to five health remaining, and walking to shield Auguste Hart a little. You got it, champ!

And indeed, Rotten Belle couldn't get through Auguste's defenses.

Copycat Killer, Rotten Belle and White Rabbit Company tried to block Auguste from getting to score any points, but Rotten Belle failed her ghost chasing test, and a line was thus opened. 

Field Reporter ran away, but was caught by Dead Doxy, whose blank stare could have slowed even the wittiest of reporters. 

Both players scored strategy for a 5-4 lead for Resurrectionists.

Turn 5:

White Rabbit created his fanciest hat to-date by sewing one for Seamus. Auguste and Allison tried to kill Copycat Killer but failed. Phiona killed unactivated Rotten Belle and tried to fish Shove Aside from her bonus, but failed. Then there were no real threats for Seamus any longer, so he activated and shot Undercover Reporter into splinters. There we stopped the game, since opponent had had Public Demonstration tied to that barrel. 

Game ended essentially 7-4 for Resurrectionists, with a chance of five for Guild.