Laugh Off Standoff

 A 50ss game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Corner Cloak and Dagger

Schemes: Hold Up Their Forces, Power Ritual, Outflank, Death Beds, Information Overload

My list:

Seamus Baker & Copycat Killer
Strange Lady
Madame Sybelle
Bete Noire
White Rabbit
Gravedigger
Rotten Belle

Pool: 5
Schemes: Power Ritual, Outflank

Opponent had:

Shenlong & 2x Aspiring Student
Sensei Yu
Fuhatsu
2x High River Monk
2x Wandering River Monk
Low River Monk

Pool: 3
Schemes: Death Beds (strategy), Outflank

Turn 1:

Monks had two strike teams of High River Monk, Wandering Monk and an Aspiring Student going to both corners, top-right and bottom-left. Top team was also reinforced with Low River Monk. High value monks and Fuhatsu were coming through from the middle. 

I had far less of a uniform crew. Copycat Killer and Gravedigger were going towards bottom-right, and after White Rabbit Co. crafted a hat for Bete Noire, both she and Rotten Belle were going towards top-right. 

Madame Sybelle walked inside a forest to take some concealment in case Fuhatsu would start shooting around. But instead Seamus charged from behind and stabbed Madame in the back, dropping a new Mourner on the board. Fuhatsu eventually shot a couple of damage points to the newly summoned model.

Mourner nearer to centerline as well as center point, and Strange Lady healed all the damage Seamus had done. No intel was picked this turn, which wasn't exactly a surprise with corner deployment.

Turn 2:

Resurrectionists got the initiative, and Bete Noire went to place a scheme marker for Outflank and Power Ritual before High River Monk would activate. Soon enough it did, and had Bete Noire down to two health remaining, plus Burning +2. But the hat had not been knocked over.

A little too enthusiastic Wandering River Monk on top went to pick up intel from strategy marker, only to become counter-picked by Mourner. Rotten Belle also benefited from this by getting intel from the marker that was placed.

In the center Seamus had taken Mourner by the hand and crafted a new Dead Doxy out of her before picking up intel from a strategic bystander.

Sensei Yu and Shenlong were trying to kill off the Dead Doxy once it had walked next to a strategy marker, but Regrettably (yeah, via masks), she survived with two health remaining and Burning +2.

Strange Lady told Gravedigger to walk forward a bit toward bottom-left, and Gravedigger did so. He also dug up a corpse to get within 1" of strategy marker, picked up intel and walked away from the tide of monks about to crash bottom-left.

I was a bit worried that various punchy shenanigans would soon drain Seamus of his intel, so Copycat Killer took a double walk to dropped Seamus to bottom-left corner. And right after another High River Monk came to set Seamus on fire, while Wandering River Monk was picking up intel. From strategy marker, though.

Madame Sybelle took a long walk out of forest and went to sit on center-left strategy marker after Fuhatsu had activated. If I remember correctly, Fuhatsu shot Dead Doxy in a forest and took a walk to cover more of the board with that horrifying gun.

However, Resurrectionists got both Outflank and Power Ritual, although this left Bete Noire with only one health remaining, and burning. Both crews got strategy, and scores went 3-1.

Turn 3:

Resurrectionists got the initiative, so the now hatless, burning Bete Noire at one health remaining was able to get an activation. She did some damage in to High River Monk before becoming the first casualty of the match. The monk also placed a scheme marker to the corner,

Mourner was able to nearly kill High River Monk before an Aspiring Student four-wind punched Low River Monk nearby to heal the beatstick minion. Now at four health remaining, I didn't think Rotten Belle would be able to kill High River Monk, so she proceeded to smack Low River Monk with a parasol.

Wandering River Monk on top went to pick up an intel, and walked to engage Rotten Belle.

In the center, Sensei Yu scored Death Beds from Dead Doxy. Shenlong walked to pick up intel from a strategy marker, and possibly attempted to strike Copycat Killer.

Four Winds Punch that pushed Low River Monk had actually come from Sensei Yu pressuring the totem to do that. With his actual activation, Aspiring Student walked and charged Strange Lady that had earlier healed Seamus. Boom. Six damage in with that 1/1/2 damage track. Well okay, Shenlong had switched his upgrade to High River Style. 

Fuhatsu charged Madame Sybelle, stunning her and pushing away from melee. He tried to shoot Strange Lady for a bit. Next shot went to Strange Lady, fortunately only dealing weak damage but still bringing her down to two health remaining, Burning +2.

Madame Sybelle managed to lash Fuhatsu down to five health remaining despite being stunned. 

Bottom-right, early on Seamus spent his entire activation killing another High River Monk, before Copycat Killer switched their places and went to sit on a strategy marker. This caused Wandering River Monk to go to bottom-left corner and drop a scheme marker. Aspiring Student charged Copycat Killer, and managed to broom the Little Seamus below the carpet. 

Gravedigger had picked up another point of intel and distanced himself from the local monks.

Resurrectionists had managed to block intel points from Ten Thunders, but this turn Shenlong managed to score both of his schemes for a 4-3 lead for Seamus. Resurrectionists were also all out of soulstones by now.

Turn 4:

From top to bottom, Rotten Belle was able to kill Low River Monk before it healed High River Monk any more. Mourner harassed High River and Wandering River monks without that much of an effect. Wandering River Monk leaped to pick up an intel and ran towards top-right corner. 

Later during turn, Seamus took a double walk and took Mourner by the hand to deliver himself next to Wandering River Monk to collect his intel.

In the center, Shenlong didn't manage to do anything with his activation. White Rabbit's fashion statements beat martial arts this time. White Rabbit gave a hat for Strange Lady before they went into position to pick up intel next turn.

Strange Lady had killed Aspiring Student and healed herself before Sensei Yu walked and charged her, smacking her down to two health remaining and Burning +2 once more. 

One of my first activations had been Madame Sybelle trying to kill Fuhatsu, but she only brought the enforcer down to one health remaining before Juggernaut healed him for four. Le Sigh. 

Fuhatsu was able to stun and push Madame Sybelle again.

Bottom-left Gravedigger went inside fog bank. Aspiring Student came to harass him, while the other Wandering River Monk went to pick up intel.

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

Turn 5:

Early enough Seamus and Mourner were able to deny opponent Outflank by killing Wandering and High River Monks. 

This, however, made the other Wandering River Monk reckless at bottom-left corner. Because there was no incentive for him to go and pick Outflank, he leaped to strike Gravedigger with the 3" push attack. Despite concealment the attack hit sure enough, and pushed Gravedigger mere 0.5" away from being able to score both Outflank and Power Ritual.

Opponent had picked up enough intel in the middle so that the best course of action for Gravedigger was to drop a corpse push & walk to Wandering River Monk and pick up his intel. This robbed Ten Thunders at least one point.

In the center, Shenlong Four Wind Punched Sensei Yu to strategy marker, and as the situation unfolded, the result of the game now hinged on whether Shenlong flipped a 6+ for The Dragon Command's It. He did not, so game ended in 5-4 victory for Seamus.