The Dead Hate the Tanuki

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Wedge Raid the Vaults

Schemes: Death Beds, Information Overload, Let Them Bleed, Ensnare, Power Ritual

My list:

Dr. McMourning, Insanitary & Zombie Chihuahua
Sebastian
Dead Rider
Corpse Curator
Kentauroi with Grave Spirit Touch
Nurse
Guild Autopsy

Pool: 4
Schemes: Death Beds (corpse), Ensnare

Opponent had:

Jakob Lynch, Dark Bet & Hungering Darkness
Kitty Dumont
Mr. Graves
2x Illuminated
2x Beckoner
Tanuki

Pool: 4
Schemes: Information Overload, Ensnare

Turn 1:

I deployed Kentauroi to top-left corner, Dead Rider to top-right. Only Dead Rider dropped a scheme marker to bluff Power Ritual and counteract Information Overload. Once the situation in the middle started to look clear, I decided I had no time to make such bluffs. 

As is usual for my McMourning, turn started real slow. Sebastian crafted a dog out of Corpse Curator, and the dog crafted a corpse out of the corpse curator. I realized this was actually the extent of corpse markers this turn, so, yeah, it took me a lot of activations to accomplish... nothing, really. Oh well. At least Sebastian got a new head, and Corpse Curator sported a fancy trio of legs. Sebastian was amputated for a second corpse marker first turn.

Corpse Curator had been mauled by my own troops down to two health remaining, but Nurse, Catalyst and poison heal from end phase brought it back to full. It went to place a scheme marker right past the right flank of my deployment wedge, where Guild Autopsy had crafted a soulstone out of curator-dog-corpse. 

So yeah, there Experimentals were. Barely out of their deployment zone.

Beckoner had placed a Power Ritual looking scheme marker to Ten Thunders left corner and was still hugging wedge deployment line, but everyone else was within about 3.5" of centerline, on centerline, or past it. That did not bode well for my strategy game.

In the center there was Lynch as the spearhead, Beckoner just about on the center point and Hungering Darkness right next to strategy marker. It had placed a scheme marker with its third action point. Death Beds? Ensnare? Information Overload?

Tanuki and Kitty were a little behind the center bunch. Mr. Graves and an Illuminated were approaching from the left, and then we had a single Illuminated coming from right.

Turn 2:

Resurrectionists got the initiative, and Canine Remains picked up a bone and delivered it near Lynch, and interacted a scheme marker, too. 

With their first activation Hungering Darkness charged Sebastian right away. Thanks to good damage blocks, Sebastian was only reduced down to two health remaining. Well, he did still have a spare head.

So I decided to take a little risk with Sebastian and drag a scheme marker close to Lynch with Corpse Curator. It managed to make a sludge marker, too, so that's a bonus. 

From then on my memory on activation order is gone, so let's go from right to left.

Illuminated placed a scheme marker on bridge. Dead Rider was pushed a bit forward with Desperate Pace, and on its own activation it rode into the river, charged the dastardly scheming Illuminated and went to control strategy marker at bottom-right, worth two points for Resurrectionists.

Guild Autopsy was just crafting soulstones and shooting dogs. It had tried to shoot a Beckoner, but Black Jokered the damage after declaring Wild Shot. What a champ.

Kitty tried to charge Corpse Curator, but the curator proved to be just as unassuming as Kitty's attacks were. All missed. However, she left a scheme marker with bonus action, and things were looking a lot like Information Overload. 

Nurse had healer Sebastian for three, and Sebastian healed one from Catalyst and two from poison. 

McMourning was swimming in corpses like Scrooge McDuck in coins, but he wasn't nearly as greedy. He crafted a fine Flesh Construct out of the surplus before climbing on top of crates to pace Dead Rider forward.

After Lynch had charged and killed Canine Remains (and placing a scheme marker) Sebastian made a new puppy with whom to play fetch. Remaining attacks, as well as Flesh Construct's attacks, brought Hungering Darkness down to four health remaining until I remembered how useless it is to attack Endlessly Hungering Darkness. Oh well. 

Tanuki and Illuminated went to raid the center-left marker. We all know what Tanuki was raiding from that. Well, we might even have a pretty decent guess what Illuminated was craving, too.

To block Mr. Graves from walking and charging Kentauroi, Kentauroi charged in first. Unfortunately charge attack missed, but the second one scored a bit of damage and a trickle of poison.

Beckoner in the middle went to contest center-right marker, and the other Beckoner at Ten Thunders bottom-left corner took a double walk to maybe become relevant one day.

Resurrectionists had been able to score Ensnare from Lynch, but so were the Ten Thunders able to score Information Overload. Both players got strategy for a 2-2 tie.

Turn 3:

And then we had a bit of a weird turn. 

This time going from left to right, Mr. Graves beat Kentauroi down to one health, so it had to activate right away to regenerate at least a little. It was able to infect Mr. Graves with poison, and cut him down to two health remaining. Last attack scored Like The Wind trigger, which was more appropriately Like Brave Sir Robin. Illuminated tried to walk and charge to finish the centaur, but missed. As I didn't Sir Robin to hold that flank all alone, I sent Canine Remains to bolster that front. Yup. Doesn't look good, there in the west.

Tanuki healed Mr. Graves for one and schemed, while Beckoner also dropped a scheme marker and walked to secure center-left strategy marker. 

Lynch and Hungering Darkness weren't really up to the task in holding center, but at least the real master healed itself back to full. 

Flesh Construct did more than anyone could have expected - all three attacks hit Lynch, and even scored one severe in the process. This had a heavy toll on Honeypot's soulstone stash, and so the former master survived with four health remaining. 

Kitty had activated early enough to drop a scheme marker near Corpse Curator, who soon enough triggered Ensnare for Ten Thunders. Curator went to place a scheme marker near already activated Illuminated on the bridge. 

Most of my brain's processing power went into figuring out how to score Death Beds this turn. And surely enough, that plan worked! Nurse with movement of 7 was able to charge then un-activated Illuminated with accompanied stun and 3" push past centerline. That didn't help me too much, as Illuminated activated next, healed back to four and charged Nurse for two points of damage.

My problem was that while there was a scheme marker close enough, there was no corpse marker within 2" of the Illuminated. So, McMourning had to abandon center and charge the Illuminated and do an impromptu amputation, before killing Illuminated next to a scheme and a corpse marker. 

Situation was tough. Opponent had Kitty and Beckoner near center-right strategy marker, while I only had Corpse Curator there. Opponent also had center-left marker, while I had bottom-right that's worth two. So, it was up to Sebastian to try to deny Ten Thunders a point. He walked through Hungering Darkness and disengaged with -2 Mv. He was able to get within 2" of the Vault, but he was in a precarious position. He was ending his activation, which prompted a check from Feed the Darkness. Cheating would give Brilliance for Sebastian because of Beckoner, which in turn would trigger Delirium, getting him out of strategy marker's reach. And that's exactly what happened.

However, as the very last activation on this turn, Dead Rider was able to get line of sight to Beckoner that was contesting center-right. Rider passed the check for Revel in Death, and made a melee attack against the Beckoner that had four health and Poison +1. Flips were excessive, and that contestant went down. 

Scores went 4-3, lead being that of Resurrectionists.

Turn 4:

... and carnage ensued. 

Ten Thunders got the initiative, and Lynch butchered Flesh Construct before it was able to activate.

Kentauroi used this opportunity to regenerate to five health, ride away from melee and stampede Mr. Graves down to one health. Charge attack scored a hit with my only 13, killing the bouncer. This left Kentauroi free to charge Tanuki and Beckoner, stampeding both but missing the attack.

Sebastian had healed back to full, but he had been dodging his fate long enough. Nine action points from Hungering Darkness finally did its trick. Sebastian, gone. 

Illuminated at top-left strategy marker claimed the vault and massacred Canine Remains. 

Tanuki, then, went on a drunken rampage and smashed Kentauroi dead with a jug. It also went to talk dirty to Lynch before deliriously wandering towards center. Later in the turn, that heinous Tanuki had to pay for it sins, when Dead Rider walked, raised three Mindless Zombies and rode back to bottom-right strategy marker. One of the Zombies with respectable melee stat of 6 put wrong to right by removing Tanuki from board with a double severes with negative modifiers. Justice!

Remainder of the turn was more peaceful. Nurse just went to scheme with a corpse, and Corpse Curator lobbed a scheme marker near another corpse marker. McMourning ran into the river to, perhaps, one day plant a scheme marker for Ensnare end. I'm not quite sure what Kitty did, and Zombie Chihuahua was not sure what it was doing when it tried to bite Beckoner. 

Guild Autopse went to place a scheme marker near top-right strategy marker, if Hungering Darkness or someone decided to reposition there next turn.

Both players got their strategy, and scores continued 5-4 in favor for Resurrectionists

Turn 5:

Last turn was kind of intense wrestling on the activation order. Ten Thunders gave Resurrectionists the initiative, which meant I would have to score first - all but giving Information Overload for Ten Thunders.

Resurrectionists kept activating Mindless Zombies, Chihuahuas and whatnot no delay important activations. 

Lynch killed a zombie, placed a scheme, charged and killed another zombie, and walked in delirium to control center-left marker along with Beckoner. Mindless Zombies and Chihuahuas had been trying to kill the pleasant distraction, but it didn't work out. 

Eventually Hungering Darkness activated, disengaged, concentrated and charged Nurse. Good thing that she had an extra leg, because she fell from no damage taken to one health remaining with a Red Joker. 

Guild Autopsy had to pick up the scheme it had planted earlier and carry it a couple of inches closer to Hungering Darkness for a possible Ensnare end condition.

I was running out of action points, so Corpse Curator dragged a scheme marker originally planned for Death Beds to Ensnare Hungering Darkness. Nurse was healed herself for a bit, pulled herself away from melee and walked to bottom-right strategy marker to place a scheme marker. 

Finally it was clear that I would have the last activation, and last to activate from Ten Thunders would be Kitty Dumont. I had the markers for Ensnare on Hungering Darkness, but not Death Beds. Opponent was sure to get Information Overload and the strategy while Ensnare looked unlikely.

My last two models to activate were McMourning and Dead Rider. I chose Dead Rider to ride to control bottom-left strategy marker. So it was up to Kitty to decide the game now. She dislodged from melee with a bonus action, and went to remove Guild Autopsy's sorry scheme marker. 

Now I could score either Ensnare or Death Beds, but not both. And sure enough, opponent got the Information Overload and strategy point. But so did Resurrectionists, barely claiming victory by 7-6.

We Need Information

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Flank Cloak and Dagger

Schemes: Take Prisoner, Let Them Bleed, Sweating Bullets, Death Beds, Information Overload

My list:

Hamelin & 3x Stolen
Nix
Fumigator
Johan Creedy
Tunnel Rats
Rat Catcher
Prospector
2x Winged Plague

Pool: 2
Schemes: Let Them Bleed, Information Overload

Opponent had:

Youko Hamasaki & Chiyo
Shojo
2x Kunoichi
2x Bunraku
2x Geisha
2x Tanuki

Pool: 2
Schemes: Take Prisoner (Johan), Death Beds (strategy)

Turn 1:

There was relatively little engagement in the first turn, probably because of the enormous, obstructive building in the middle.  But it was enough for quite a set-up.

A single Bunraku was sent to top-left corner, and was greeted by Prospector and a Winged Plague. 

Another Bunraku sped towards bottom-right corner, and there I only had Rat Catcher trying to get to a strategy marker there. Well, Hamelin was also nearby, but he was kind of busy, facing Youko, Geisha and Tanuki as he was. 

Hamelin had walked and lured Tanuki within charge range, but failed the attack. Unclean Influence aided another Winger Plague in gathering an intel first turn, and I must say I'm warming up for Winged Plagues for this scenario. The end-phase movement certainly helped in delivering the plague gamin to relative safety.

Tunnel Rats were also able to teleport inside central building and claim an intel. 

Geishas were pulling Ten Thunders models around, and another Tanuki placed a highly suspicious scheme marker to enemy deployment side. 

Stolen did little else than ate enemy activations. 

Fumigator had shot a scheme marker near center point, and Nix went to guard it like a good boy. Shojo managed to land a bad boy insult on the dog.

Youko's activation was a tad distressing. First she riddled Nix, presumably something like "well are you a good boy or a bad boy?" Nix was nihilistic over the question and discarded black joker. Rat Catcher took a quick follow-up riddle, but only got distracted. Youko had ran out of pass tokens (well, they had one...) so she concentrated and asked Nix again: "Well ARE you?"

Nix blinked, and finally question got through his skin. He did no know. He was Distracted +3, because I didn't want to discard my twelve of crows. In the hindsight, bad mistake.

Kunoichis started activating left and right, and managed to get their hands on Red Joker. Apparently opponent had enough rams in hand to trivialize landing Unexpected Ferocity. 

I also had Johan Creedy who could have tried to yell rebelliously how good of a boy Nix was, but didn't consider a confusedly low self-esteem to be a critical threat to a dog's well-being. So little I know about dogs. One charge attack and one shuriken later Nix was still at five health remaining, but I had only one soulstone now, and six points of damage were prevented by soulstones and incorporeal.

Lastly, Chiyo ran to have her toes on my side of table for her inconspiousnesses.

Turn 2:

Second turn couldn't have started any more terrifyingly. I knew opponent had Red Joker in hand. Opponent had two Kunoichis with Tools for the Job. Nix had Distracted +3. This meant opponent had all but guaranteed start. 

With a moderate damage block Nix would be able to tank two minimum damages, so I tried to fish for those. I was able to give a negative modifier to damage flip, but even then damage was moderate and damage block was not a severe. 

I did have a 12 in my hand, but I knew for sure opponent had Red Joker. Buh-bye, Nix. 

It took two strikes for Hamelin to take part in the important duty of population management of Tanuki species. A rat that emerged from the corpse charged Youko with Unclean Influence. Hamelin's Lure of Bunraku failed because of concealment. The Bunraku then proceeded to strike Rat Catcher down to two health remaining.

Concerned, I activated Winged Plague at top-left before second Bunraku butchered it. First attack hit, and second action crafted a scheme marker out of two Blight tokens Bunraku had.

Shojo walked closer to activate Boring Conversation. Johan tried to misplace his gigantic runic sledgehammer on top of Chiyo with high velocity... twice... but didn't quite succeed. 

Youko activated, walked and charged Rat Catcher and riddled Hamelin for a bit. Hamelin shrugged at the riddle he did not quite understand and discarded a four of crows not to be distracted.

Kids started demonstrating their disapproval of killing a doggo, and spat three points of damage to Kunoichi in the middle. This kind of opened up a possibility for me to score Let Them Bleed this turn... except a Tanuki came to heal the dog slayer for two. 

I tried to activate a Stolen to go engage Youko and her and Bunraku blight tokens. Youko forced Fumigator to activate instead. I no longer had cards in my hand and didn't want to try to fish a tome from top of deck, so he took a double walk towards Youko and Bunraku.

A Geisha called Chiyo away from Johan's sledgehammer, and another Geisha dropped a scheme marker. Second Kunoichi charged Johan and did a couple of damage points. 

Bunraku at top-left got away from melee with Risky Maneuver, walked and took intel from strategy marker. And since Chiyo picked another Intel later, Prospector did not go and steal Bunraku's intel. Instead, he picked his own and charged Bunraku for two points of damage through armor. 

My future killing potential did not seem great, so Tunnel Rats started shooting Kunoichi with their trench gun. Miraculously despite Boring Conversation both attacks hit and dealt a point of damage, and even a minefield was dug up. 

Winged Plague in center went to place a potential scheme marker for Information Overload.

Both players scored strategy, Outcasts revealed Let Them Bleed and Ten Thunders got their prisoner from engaged Johan. Scores were 2-2 tie.

Turn 3:

Top-left, Bunraku began acting disagreeably, stunning Prospector, so Prospector had to put it down and interact with a strategy marker. Wingman Winged Plague Plagueman went to place a scheme near the corner.

After being declared a prisoner, Johan failed to hit Kunoichi twice. At least flurry attack hit, but by then I had nothing to cheat with. Boom. Dead Kunoichi, even with negative modifiers. Top-left quarter was now entirely uncontested by Ten Thunders.

Tunnel Rats had picked up an intel and teleported away from action to score points. Strategy marker went pretty much where it left, when Tanuki picked up intel and healed injured Kunoichi for a bit before escaping with intel. 

One Stolen went to guard Hamelin, and another managed to damage Kunoichi after a concentrated attack.

Third kid, well, that one was beaten into a pulp rat by Youko's horrible, horrible words. Ensuing rat was also talked off the board by Qi and Gong master. But Youko still had treasured a few, choice words inside her heart. She delivered them to Hamelin with not much of an effect other than removing cards from Hamelin's hand via Nihilism.

I had not drawn any Tomes into my starting hand, so Fumigator was not able to reliably fume scheme markers around  the board. He concentrated and charged Youko, missing the attack.

Shojo was late to activate that turn, and only managed to affect Hamelin with Boring Conversation in any meaningful way. She also scored a hit with melee attack, delivering poison to Hamelin. 

Before Stolen and Fumigator had activated, Hamelin had tried to show Youko his cool, black staff in close proximity. He was distracted, though, so first attack was understandably a failure. I had to cheat my last card to pass the conversation check, though. Concentration went just fine, but when Hamelin tried to attack Youko for that Injured +5, conversation proved too boring. 

Winged Plague below had flown to place a scheme near a strategy marker. Damaged Kunoichi took a double walk nearby, and a Geisha came to place a scheme marker right next to Plague's scheme. I had the suspicion that opponent was suspecting me of Information Overload. However, I failed to take into account that that was a good set-up for Death Beds, too.

Bunraku below had picked up intel and did... I don't remember, something. Chiyo ran to touch centerline.

I had four scheme markers on opponent's side of the table, and opponent had five scheme markers in total, so no point for Outcasts from that. But at least opponent didn't reveal anything either. 

Scores continued in 3-3 tie. 

Turn 4:

Going from top to bottom, Winged Plague picked up intel from strategy marker and Prospector placed a total of two scheme markers - one with trigger from Malifaux Mining Law. 

Tunnel Rats failed to teleport, so they just placed a scheme marker on my side of table for Information Overload end condition. Johan did the same, while he went inside the building in the middle to shrug his shoulders.

Geisha nearer center placed a scheme marker and walked close to my side, and Tanuki continued to run like the drunk little coward it was. Chiyo was just just about the last model to activate, and just placed a scheme marker.

Kunoichi had killed the Winged Plague below, and scored Death Beds that way. Geisha was able to go and collect an intel from the marker that Winged Plague had been guarding. 

And then, the big melee... Uh, oh. Maybe I should have just disengage last turn with Hamelin so that he might have done anything useful this turn. But I just could not resist trying to land that Injured +5 on her, before Boring Conversation was even on! 

Focus from last turn gave me an opportunity for two clear strikes, but Hamelin missed both. Losing Nix after first activation was one of the game defining moments for sure, but achieving absolutely nothing with six action points on turns three and four with my master certainly had an impact, too!

At least Youko's action points weren't that grand either - just a dead Stolen -, but she only needed to stand there to mess up with my activation order.

Fumigator had charged to steal an intel from Shojo, and Bunraku killed a rat and came to steal intel from Fumigator. 

A Stolen tried to spit at Youko, but failed at that and split into two Malifaux Rats because of the shame. 

Ten Thunders took the lead by 5-4, since they got Death Beds but had spawned enough scheme markers to deny Outcasts a hypothetical Information Overload.

Turn 5:

I had plans to try to get a miraculous Let Them Bleed end condition with pustulent tumors, but an abominable Bunraku managed to kill Hamelin, as Fumigator wasn't able to land even a single hit to discourage any manner of risky maneuvers. 

After that turn was pretty straightforward wrestle of Outcasts gaining hypothetical Information Overload or not - and in the end it was ten scheme markers versus ten scheme markers.

So, a 5-4 victory for Youko.

Zaharasheth

 A 50 point game of Warmachine over War Table.

My list:

Skorne Unlimited
Dominar Rasheth
-Titan Sentry
-Rhinodon
-Basilisk Krea
Praetorian Swordsmen
Paingiver Beast Handlers
Void Spirit
Venator Dakar
Mortitheurge Willbreaker

Command cards: Blessing of the Gods, Break Through, Careful Reconnaissance, Infiltration, Power Swell

Opponent had:

Khador Winter Korps
Kapitan Zahara Vilkul, Avenging Force, Fog of War, Superiority
-Dire Wolf with Shield Guard, Ice Hammer, Scrap Saw
-Great Bear with Slammer, Heavy Cannon, Blasting Fist
Shock Trooper Gunners
Winter Korps Infantry + 2x Autocannon + Standard
Winter Korps Infantry + 2x Rocketeer + Standard
Arkanists
Winter Korps Officer
Battle Mechanik

Command cards: Infiltration, Old Faithful, Power Swell, Careful Reconnaissance, Break Through

Scenario was Two Fronts from Steamroller 2024.

Khador started game and advanced under Fog of War, with battlegroup and assorted support going towards 50mm objectives. Shock Trooper Gunners were there in the middle, too, and two units of Winter Korps and their Officer to the left. 

Skorne started with Praetorian Swordsmen to the left, supported by Mortitheurge Willbreaker and Void Spirit. Swordsmen had Castigate on them. It looked like a tall order for five Swordsmen to remove thirteen Winter Korps, but I was seriously outnumbered anyway. Go, heroes, go. 

Venator was exactly 6" away from 30mm objective, and battlegroup was sitting within 3" of Basilisk Krea, with Krea being fully in cover. 

So that was the setting after first round. Second round Winter Korps advanced behind a forest, outside Praetorian charge range. 

Shock Trooper Gunners repositioned to middle inside rubble terrain. Arkanists took positions inside a trench and around 50mm objective, with heavy warjacks nearby. No shots were fired, from Khadoran side, except for Shock Trooper Gunners. Well, kind of.

Dominar Rasheth cast Influence on one of them, blasting the other two and finished the last guy with Sunder Spirit.

Flesh-Hardened Praetorian Swordsmen ean to engage Winter Korps infantry in a bit of a suicide mission. Void Spirit that had been used as an arc node stood nearby. Venator took the flag in middle. Battlegroup tried to take as defensive a position as possible, but damn were they afraid and starved of threat range without Titan Gladiator. Do your worst, Zahara!

Well, they shot Praetorian Swordsmen and Void Spirit off the board. Nothing else, though, so it could have certainly been worse. However, Zahara rolled full six cloud effects, thus being able to cover his entire contingent of troops on the right side. 

Bad news? My "heavy" hitters would still not be able to reach any targets, and western flank was pretty much lost. 

I decided to stall for a turn, waiting for a better opening. Mortitheurge Willbreaker ran to contest my 40mm objective. Titan Sentry and Rhinodon walked a little forward, shielded by Basilisk Krea. Paingiver Beast Handlers sacrificed themselves to land Blood Mark on Great Bear and kill each and every Arkanist with a ritualized Breath of Corruption.  

Mortitheurge was removed easily enough and both 40mm objectives were lost. Zahara killed last Beast Handler and cycloned to relative safety of a trench. Both Khadoran warjacks were able to charge Titan Sentry, failing to kill it. 

While that was a slight boon, situation was terrible for Skorne anyhow. Having sacrificed the damage boost of Paingivers, I decided to go for assassination. Fortunately Rhinodon was well within charge range of enemy warcaster that was at zero focus points. Whoopsie!

Rasheth used his feat and tried to connect Blood Mark and Sunder Spirit on Zahara, but there was a trench in the way. Even Krea attempted to paralyze the Khadoran warcaster, but failed. So, it was up for a carnivorous Rhinodon to win Rasheth the game. 

Initial charge attack with tail scored a respectable amount of damage, dropping Zahara down to three hit points remaining. First claw attack missed, but last one did hit naturally. Even double 1's killed the target, so, it was a victory for Skorne. 

You've Changed, Lucas. I don't feel like I know you any more.

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Flank Stuff the Ballots

Schemes: Take Prisoner, Espionage, Outflank, Ensnare, Protected Territory

My list:

Kirai2 & Ikiryo
Kari Zotiko
Jaakuna Ubume
The Ferryman
Lost Love
Goryo
Gwisin with Grave Spirit Touch
Seishin

Pool: 4
Schemes: Espionage, Protected Territory

Opponent had:

Lucas McCabe & Luna
Sidir Alchibal
Desper LaRaux
Jessie Halliday
Rough Rider
Tanuki
2x Ruffian

Pool: 4
Schemes: Take Prisoner (Goryo), Outflank

Turn 1:

Vengeful ghosts were indeed a little afraid of Sidir's machine gun.

Seishin walked Goryo behind a tall building, Goryo then went to bottom-right corner, Lost Love dropped a scheme marker to my left corner, all easily out of range of Sidir. 

But Sidir wasn't in a hurry to activate. Desper went to top-left corner, Ruffian chain ganged Jessie a little forward, swaggered around and concentrated on the meaning of life. Tanuki swore like a sailor, Luna dug up a Phantasmal Mask for Lucas, and I found out I had to commit to... something, I guess. 

Ikiryo carefully walked towards center-left strategy marker and concentrated, somehow thinking she was safe there. No. Jessie took two harpoon shots at the ghost and dragged Ikiryo next to Jessie and an already activated Ruffian.

Kari took only a little walk into a forest clipping through my deployment zone and swirled mists around Jaakuna Ubume. My plan was that if I had to bring someone to be shot at by Sidir's machinations, a concealed Serene Countenance model in cover might be one for the job.

Especially, when Lucas activated and took a double walk, tossed Phantasmal Mask for Sidir and shot Ikiryo down to one health remaining. 

Gwisin walked to offer some hit-taking for Jaakuna and Ferryman, so killing Jaakuna would be impossible this turn. 

Kirai waited so she'd be able to heal whatever damage Sidir would do, but the henchman would just sit there. Ferryman had also activated just to walk behind cover and concentrate, all in fear of The Gun. But activations were traded in such a manner that it looked like Sidir would be the last to activate. Another Ruffian and Rough Rider moved Sidir a bit and closed in on center-right strategy marker.

Kirai had to activate. So she did. She slapped come concealment on Gwisin and The Ferryman, swirled Kari, Seishin and Ferryman around, buyng Masks for herself. Ferryman and Kirai both moved to defy Sidir.

And then, Sidir activated. He looked at the robust defenses I had built and thought, "screw that" and shot Ikiryo dead instead. Uh oh. 

Turn 2:

Ruffian going center-right activated and continued his journey, missed his shots and generally acted like the swaggering fool he was. 

I decided to risk it all, and Kari walked, gave a charge for The Ferryman with silver whistle, and charged Sidir for that no-heal aura. Ferryman clawed Ruffian for four points of damage, Kari tickled Sidir for three. Machine gun was locked away, now. Kind of, at least. 

Luna tried to dig up an artefact for Lucas, but failed at that. 

I decided to walk Goryo to bottom-right strategy marker to place a vote before Rough Rider would get any funny ideas. Lucas dropped Phantasmal Mask for Sidir and charged Kari, but failed to connect hits. 

Sidir tried to whack Kari for a bit, and did so with a fair severe + critical strike. Stone blocked three of those damage away, though, and Sidir who was now at four health reflected on his life choices. So, he disengaged twice to get away from the range of no-healing aura to Juggernaut a couple points back. 

Jaakuna went to place a hazardous aura to center ballots box, getting Sidir inside of it. She also placed a vote.

Tanuki sweared Sidir back to full. Gwisin walked and charged Sidir, but took only a parry to the face. 

Ferryman killed Ruffian and placed a scheme on the centerline. Rough Rider disengaged with Ride With Me and got a funny idea to run and hug Goryo. And since Desper had failed to jump, but used his activation to get to top-left corner and placed a scheme there, it looked awful lot like Outflank.

What escaped me was that it also looked like taking prisoners. 

Lucas had beaten Kari down to four health remaining. There were no immediate threats to the henchman, so Seishin had time to walk Kirai forward. And hoo boy, what an activation Kirai did!

First she healed Kari for a bit, and swirled Gwisin and through Lucas and Sidir. Both of them failed their checks, so an Enslaved Spirit and a Seishin popped up. With her last action she swirled Ferryman to center-right ballot box, and used bonus action to give Lucas adversary. She received Masks off the deck, and was able to try and summon Ikiryo. Despite needing 8+ card, I decided to spend a stone for Crows. And, an Ikiryo it was. Ouch.

Ruffian woke up from his contemplations, chain-ganged Jessie closer to center-left ballot box and charged the now exposed Gwisin. And flipped Red Joker for damage on the first hit, also slowing it. Greedy as he was, he took another focused swing at Gwisin, but scored only a single point of damage and drowned in Jaakuna's aura.

Jessie scored center-left ballots, while Ikiryo reduced Lucas down to four health remaining.

Finally, Lost Love teleported to repositioned Kari and placed a scheme marker for Espionage.

Both players scored strategy, and Resurrectionists got their Espionage. Ten Thunders, though, received both of their schemes for a lead of 3-2.

Turn 3:

Lucas won the initiative, and started warning everybody of the threat of Phantasmal Mask with "Careful, it's cursed!" on Sidir. All three action points went into it, and result was only Enslaved Spirit ended up dead. However, Jaakuna was at three health with four points of injured, Gwisin was still at one health and Ikiryo had two left with Injured +4. 

McCabe also rode away from melee and outside of Kari's aura. So, Kari activated right away and tried to heal  Ikiryo. She failed the check, though, and had to do attempt again, this time with better results. Silver Whistle commanded Ferryman to interact a vote. However, Lucas was left outside of her no-heal aura... for now.

But instead of Tanuki, Sidir activated. With one big strike he killed Ikiryo nonetheless, and also cleaved Gwisin dead. 

Before Def 1 Jaakuna would die to whatever, Kirai activated and healed her for a bit. Only a bit, though, as she had failed the first try. She also pushed Kari to melee with Lucas and swirled off to center line with mask trigger.

Next problem was Luna walking and charging Lost Love, scoring moderate wound. Summoned Seishin charged that-who-was-not-a-good-boy, trying to free Lost Love from the clutches of an overenthusiastic dog. Luna survived, albeit with just a single hit point remaining until Tanuki activated to ruin it all, healing Luna back to two.

That was too much of a threshold to deal with frantic flailing, so Lost Love teleported to Kari, walked and placed a scheme marker for Protected Territory.

Despite Jaakuna having both concealment aand Serene Countenance and even cover to boot, Jessie was able to sink two points of damage in through incorporeal. Red Joker helped in that.

Jaakuna attempted to punish Jessie for that, and indeed brought her down to one health. 

Rough Rider took off from melee with Goryo by kicking some dust. He tried to shoot the ghost and, after Goryo had activated, kicked the dust.

Desper placed a vote and a scheme in top-left corner and leaped off.

Ferryman dropped a scheme and walked closer to action next turn, and a Seishin had gone to engage Sidir to block him from participating in voting process.

Resurrectionists got their territory protected, and both players scored strategy for a 4-4 tie. 

Turn 4:

Turn started with Luna delivering Phantasmal Mask for Lucas, and charging Lost Love again - killing my premium support schemer. My first activation was to remove Jessie with Jaakuna Ubume, put up Drowning Aura and walk into position to cover Lucas, Tanuki and Sidir with hazardous terrain.

For whatever reason this infuriated Tanuki, who charged Jaakuna. That miserable drunkard managed to deal one point of damage in to Jaakuna and four to itself. Well, Jaakuna was now at one health remaining.

Lucas made a gambit to ride away from melee but into the hazardous terrain. He concentrated and struck Jaakuna, but failed to kill. Depressed, Lucas was about to commit suicide in hazardous terrain by taking another melee attack without a plus to his flip against Serene Countenance - and, look at that. Masks and high enough flip to kill Jaakuna. Mask trigger brought Lucas to fulfill his civil duty and put a vote in the ballots.

Kirai walked up, and swirled Kari to kill Tanuki with rams trigger. Idea was that then Kari would be free to walk and place a vote to Ten Thunders deployment ballots. But... Kari Missed. 

Kirai landed adversary on Tanuki, which is proper indeed, but still failed to kill the filthy beast with Sundering. Problem? Perhaps, as Sidir killed Seishin in the middle and placed a vote in the center box, gaining majority there. 

Kari activated an used silver whistle to have Ferryman charge and kill Tanuki, and then she went on to place a vote. 

Ferryman tried to kill Lucas, failing like a champ, but at least it engaged Sidir and Lucas now. 

Meager Seishin killed Luna, and Goryo walked within 1" of a scheme marker... and only later I realized Goryo was prisoner for Ten Thunders' scheme, so he would not be able to score Protected Territory without also giving a point to Lucas. Or that's what I still thought by that time. Turned out the friendly model distance was 3", not 1"... oh well.

Desper took a long run towards ballots box on my side of table. 

Game went 5-5 as both players got strategy.

Turn 5:

Lucas went to remove my scheme marker from centerline and came back to engage both Kirai and Ferryman. Sidir also went to engage Kirai. Line of Sight to Ferryman was also blocked, so it was a tricky situation for Kirai. She had wo walk in Sidir's melee range, then not Black Joker Swirling Spirits for Ferryman and also score Masks... and black joker it was not. And I had masks in hand. 

That enabled both scheme end conditions for me, while wastrels got fourth point in strategy for a 7-6 victory for Kirai.