Lost Lost Love

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Standard Raid the Vaults

Schemes: Hold Up Their Forces, Sweating Bullets, Power Ritual, Information Overload, Take Prisoner

My list:

Kirai2 & Ikiryo
Datsue Ba
Kari Zotiko
Lost Love
Shikome
Gwisin with Grave Spirit Touch
Onryo
Seishin

Pool: 6
Schemes: Power Ritual, Hold Up Their Forces

Opponent had:

Youko Hamasaki & Chiyo
Bill Algren
Hinamatsu
KOTO
2x Bunraku
Tanuki
Geisha

Pool: 5
Schemes: Power Ritual, Information Overload

Turn 1:

Kirai was forced to start the turn, so, Lost Love and Shikome just schemed in the corners while concentrating. Eventually Seishin gave a couple of walks for the Shikome after most Qi and Gong threats had activated. 

A few other models just walked and concentrated, namely Ikiryo and Onryo. 

Qi and Gong had Bunrakus to the flank, mirroring the schemes of Shikome and Lost Love. Plenty of others were dropping schemes, too. After Tanuki, Geisha and Chiyo were done with their activations, Ten Thunders had five scheme markers on board. That was a dedicated Information Overload -bluff, or perhaps they were trying to deny that scheme from me? 

After KOTO and Youko had activated and were near each other, and after Kari had whistled the granny a little closed, I unleashed my grandiose plan extraordinnaire. Datsue Ba gave double walk for already activated Gwisin. Unfortunately Kirai wasn't feeling that vindictive just yet, and failed to land Thirst for Vengeance on KOTO. But I had already committed, so I carried on with The Plan. Gwisin stomped over KOTO, but the jukebox passed Wp check.

Gwisin did not pass three Df -checks caused by Hinamatsu. I mean, he would have - if it hadn't been for severe damage, twice. 

Bill, Geisha and Tanuki looked like they were going to center-left strategy marker, while Hinamatsu, KOTO and Youko were near enough center-right.

Turn 2:

I have a saying that goes: "If you don't succeed at first, throw enough grannies at it until you do!" ... okay, I just made that one up. But Datsue Ba did attempt to skin KOTO, but there was only so much she could do with a skinning knife against a wooden automaton.

KOTO's nervous energy shuffled itself away from Datsue Ba, and Hinamatsu into melee with the skinner-to-be. 

Kirai activated, and now that she had a real reason to, she successfully thirsted for vengeance on Hinamatsu. But, considering what happened with Gwisin just a moment ago, Kirai decided to swirl the grandmother around for a bit, away from the potential six attacks. 

Hinamatsu failed Wp duel, so an Enslaved Spirit appeared. KOTO passed. Sundering managed to deal in a point to Hinamatsu, And that was it. The entire activation. One damage point, one three point minion.

Hinamatsu botched her first attempt at removing Enslaved Spirit, so she had to spend her flurry ability to get to charge Datsue Ba. Attack scored Onslaught, but this time around damage was done in 2:2 ratio to both combatants. 

I wasn't that eager to lose Datsue Ba just yet, so Kari activated to heal her a little. This gave time for Tanuki to heal Hinamatsu a little. So, Onryo missed the opportunity to shoot Mark of Vengeance to the puppet in time. But I guess that doesn't matter much, as the mark missed anyway. Projected voice, however, did not - and scored severe damage. 

This maneuver exposed Onryo, and Geisha lured it closer to Bill. Bill's fierce challenge reached Shikome's ears, but his Naginata reached Onryo only partially. It was left alive with three health remaining.

I was waiting for either Chiyo or Bunraku to activate from the left, and Bunraku was the first one to do that. The bugger was able to score moderate wound with critical strike, and Onryo exploded into adversarial mist. 

Since there was no contesting center-left marker any more, Shikome went to engage Chiyo. The kid's insults went unnoticed. I mean, Shikome had already been challenged by Bill Algren. Bill! Algren. What a duel it could have been.

Near center-right marker I decided to bring Ikiryo to act as a third shareholder at the vault. I figured it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for Bunraku and Youko to go and contest a point away from me.

But, that did no happen. Instead, Bunraku and Youko both attacked the innocent old lady who was holding a skinning knife. No damage. 

However, there were no reveals, either. Both players did score the strategy for a 1-1 tie, though.

Turn 3:

So, I had a 13 in my hand and a pass token. Initiative was guaranteed. Hinamatsu was at three health remaining. Do the math.

WHAT?!? Black Joker?!?!?

So, instead of getting rid of Hinamatsu easily, Tanuki complicated things by healing Tanuki for two.

I still carried out with my grand plan of swirling the heck out of my crew. Kari was brought in to deny any further heals and Ikiryo was moved closer to bottom-right corner. Gaki popped out of adversaried KOTO. 

Hinamatsu wanted to go down in a blaze of glory, and started mauling Datsue Ba. And it sure was close, as the megapuppet carved through my entire stockpile of soulstones and left the granny with just two health remaining. Well, she also left herself with just one health remaining, or so. 

Kari was concerned for the elderly, and walked to get LoS to Datsue Ba. She healed her for two. 

KOTO brought the Gaki down to one health remaining, but I don't actually remember what killed that particular Gaki? Was it Youko herself? Oh well, who cares. There were so many to choose from anyway, when another came into being from Youko. 

I was somewhat alarmed after Bunraku managed to deal two points in to Datsue Ba. Now the minipuppet required only a moderate, or a weak with critical strike to make her go away. But what were the chances of that? It needed to pass Terrifying 12 with Wp4, and then hit with the actual sword.

Yeah. Bye bye, Granny.

Because I lost her stat 7 melee attack before Datsue Ba even activated, Ikiryo had to redirect from going to score Power Ritual. She tried to kill both Hinamatsu and KOTO with Projected Voice, but the attack missed. To at least take down one enemy model this turn, Ikiryo then charged to KOTO, and killed it.

Geisha went to control center-left marker, while riskily maneuvering Bunraku went to top-left strategy. 

Despite using her focus, Shikome was not able to kill Chiyo with just one action. The deed required two actions, and my last card from hand. This was a little problematic, as this was now third turn Lost Love would have to just... do nothing, I guess. Well, at least he was spamming some scheme markers, as it certainly looked like Ten Thunders was overloading Resurrectionists with information.

Bill stopped challenging random Shikomes and entered the bottom-right melee. He did cleave half of Ikiryo's health away with naginata.

Both crews scored strategy but no schemes for a 2-2 tie.

Turn 4:

Kirai started Resurrectionist activations again, and brought Ikiryo to safety from Bill's horrible naginata, and pushed Gaki to engage Bill instead. Ikiryo was able to kill Hinamatsu with rams trigger.

Bill Algren targets an Enslaved Spirit that had just happened to happen with Heroic Intervention. This was a good move, as it flinged Youko away from recently big melee of bottom-right. The spirit was heroically freed from its slavery, and Ikiryo was back in Bill's reach. Bill got a plus on his damage flip, so he took last card from my control hand. He smacked Ikiryo for a couple more damage only, which she healed by killing Bunraku.

Lost Love did not approve, though, as this was his fourth turn spamming useless scheme markers.

The other Bunraku went to power up a ritual on top-left corner, while Geisha went to control top-left strategy marker. Tanuki ran to center-left strategy marker, but was in no shape to interact. 

Youko also went to control center-right strategy marker, and placed a scheme marker there. Gaki couldn't believe that Youko would bluff Information Overload that hard, and came to check the scheme marker, engaging Youko in the process. The Gaki was summoned last turn, so it was eligible to be used in schemes.

Shikome was finally able to go and place a scheme marker for Power Ritual.

I didn't get a strategy point this turn, but scores continued in a 4-4 tie, as Resurrectionists got both schemes, and Ten Thunders only one plus the strategy.

Turn 5:

Kirai activated first, and tried to save Ikiryo by removing her from Bill's clutches. Unfortunately, though, there is only so much survivability you can expect from a Df 3 model versus stat 6 attacks. Anyway, Kirai swirled around with mask triggers, and eventually placed a scheme marker to bottom-right corner. Shikome did that in bottom-left, and flew to control bottom-left strategy marker. 

However, after Bill removed Ikiryo, I ditched any attempts at scoring third strategy point. Kari went to act as a homing beacon for Lost Love, who finally - for the first turn in this game - actually did anything. He teleported to Kari, tried to remove a scheme marker with Soothe Spirit (failed) and charged Youko (failing at that). But at least he was engaging.

Tanuki wobbled to help Youko in controlling the center-right strategy marker. 

Resurrectionists were able to score both schemes, while Ten Thunders got strategy and Information Overload for a 6-6 draw.