Sword Hat Trick

 A 50ss game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Corner Stuff the Ballots

Schemes: Sweating Bullets, Espionage, In Your Face, Hold Up Their Forces, Take Prisoner

My list:

Ensouled Jack Daw & Lady Ligeia
Montresor
Hans
The Ferryman
Auguste Hart
Crooked Man
Drowned

Pool: 6
Schemes: Sweating Bullets (Montresor), In Your Face

Opponent had:

Colette Du Bois & 3x Mechanical Doves
Cassandra Felton
Shadowlark
Coryphee Duet
Angelica Durand
Blackbird
2x Showgirl

Pool: 0
Schemes: Espionage, Sweating Bullets (Cassandra Felton)

Turn 1:

Performers started performing right off the bat - Coryphee Duet was delivered some 28" inches from one corner of the board to another. While that could have been a relief, there were now two ballot boxes guarded by Coryphee Duet. Not gonna challenge those, yeah.

Shadowlark and a Showgirl were going towards the bottom two strategy markers, while remaining performer troupe were tromping towards marker in the center. 

Blackbird, another Showgirl and Cassandra Felton were out there in the open, however, not quite close enough to Hans' clockwork rifle. Hans just took a little walk to the edge of a cargo container to start shooting next turn.

Jack Daw, however had taken a double walk to inaudibly whisper to a Mechanical Dove. Dove was not impressed, but showgirls beckoned poor Jack's ensouled mind and walked him right next to Cassandra Felton. So, Coryphee Duet was not the only model that was flinged over 24 inches this turn by performers. 

So, at the end of first turn, remaining Tormented models were lagging dangerously far behind. Ferryman had managed to Black Joker its Lost In the Fog against Montresor. This had repercussion for the next turn, so let's go there.

Turn 2:

Cassandra started by nimbling past Jack Daw, suspiciously engaging Tormented master within 6" of center point.

As I did not know opponent had Sweating Bullets on Cassandra, I tried to figure out a way to deliver Montresor to Cassandra. But, if Ferryman used Lost in the Fog to move Montresor close enough to get to Cassandra, I most certainly would not get strategy points this turn. So thanks, Black Joker on turn one. 

In the end, I chose strategy points that Ferryman went to pick. 

Jack Daw, though, managed to land some Anger Issues on Cassandra, and then walz past Blackbird and Showgirl with Burst of Speed. Draw Them In also dealt a point of damage to Showgirl. I had been saving a one of rams from first turn in my hand just for Hans, and he was able to snipe off Showgirl from the board. Let's call that the sniper rifle trick.

However, next Colette did a sword trick on Jack Daw. Well, that only buried Tormented master, but I did groan inside a little when I looked at my Espionage bluff scheme marker - my only scheme marker - on my deployment zone. 

Unfortunately that was not the only trick this turn saw - Shadow Lark Red Jokered a surprise shot trick against Drowned, killing it in two shots. Shadowlark's backup dancer was then able to go and place a vote on center-left box. 

Coryphee Duet was able to place three votes, one to top-right and one to center-right strategy marker. 

Montresor was able to slow and stagger Cassandra with a tossed noose. A Mechanical Dove had flown to block Montresor, but Lady Ligeia, the melee monster we all know and love, was able to remove that blockage. 

Both players scored strategy.

Turn 3:

Montresor started turn by charging Cassandra. She had only three health remaining after that. 

After what had happened to Jack Daw I wasn't exactly feeling secure that Montresor would still stand there, engaging Cassandra in the end phase, so I decided to unbury Jack Daw, take a double walk and charge Cassandra. The only killable cost 8 model died, so I had to take In Your Face as soon as possible.

And, sure enough, soon Montresor was standing next to Colette, and where one Montresor stood was now Angelica Durand. And Auguste Hart was sword tricked off the board before he had activated. This, at least, gave him a chance to remove that failed bluff scheme marker from my deployment zone. 

A Mechanical Dove flew next to Hans and started being Annoying. I was impressed. That was actually effective use of Annoying rule. It just takes an insignificant model with Puny to meaningfully pull off. If Hans wanted +10" range, he needed to concentrate - which would only give him Distracted from Annoying. So, no +10" range. Also, his field guide referencing would be next to useless, too. 

Coryphee Duet walked and charged The Ferryman, and hilariously enough Red Jokered it down to one health remaining. Then the thing just split up into two. Ferryman, who was distracted, had one chance to kill the un-activated Coryphee, and obviously it just failed that. Coryphee killed the enforcer. 

Hans was able to demote one of the Coryphees into a mannequin.

Crooked Man crooked hard against odds against charging Shadowlark and voting Showgirl. It survived, although he did fail every single one of his own actions, though.

Blackbird was speeding towards my deployment corner, so, and Espionage it was. As if that wasn't clear enough from five or so scheme markers in a pool where only one scheme required markers. 

Outcasts had not placed even a single vote this turn, but Arcanists got their second strategy point. Points were still 2-2, though, thanks to killing Cassandra In Your Face.

Turn 4:

If game had not been ridiculous enough as of yet, things were about to change. 

Colette sword-tricks Montresor back to my deployment zone, as Angelica had been able to remove the scheme I had placed in the center to be a homing beacon for Montresor. 

Montresor walked and charged Blackbird, but only managed to drop another scheme marker thanks to Set the Scene. 

I had been carefully waiting for opponent to burn through his control hand so that Hans would have his best shot at injuring Blackbird seriously enough.

So, he took a shot. Attack dealt a point of damage through Shielded +1, but opponent drew Get Off the Stage straight from the deck. So, Hans was teleported near center. He still had LoS to Blackbird, though, so he took another shot. Two points in, and again Get Off the Stage from top of deck. So Hans was taking snap shots at Blackbird while getting teleported from scheme marker to scheme marker. 

Jack Daw couldn't figure out a way to meaningfully contribute to scoring, so he went to kill a Coryphee. At least he managed to do just that. 

Crooked Man crooked even harder than last turn, as neither Showgirl nor Shadowlark were able to kill that Df 4 model who was at three health remaining. Yay! Go, Crooked Man!

However, Outcasts were not able to score any points that turn. Arcanists got a strategy point, as well as Espionage reveal. Points went 4-2 for Arcanists.

Turn 5:

So... Montresor had one turn to run about 38" for In Your Face. I might have a shot at Sweating Bullets, but not at scenario. Arcanists had potential for all three points. We ended the game, as even if I somehow denied all three points from Arcanists and scored my maximum of one, I'd still lose.