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.

Conducting Disorder

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Flank Carve a Path

Schemes: Assassinate, Sabotage, Hidden Martyrs, In Your Face, Secret Meetup

My list:

Molly, Chaotic Conductor & Necrotic Machine
Philip & Nanny
Archie with The Whisper
Noxious Nephilim
Forgotten Marshal
Bone Pile
Crooligan

Stones: 5
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs (Bone Pile & Crooligan), Assassinate

Opponent had:

Nellie, Voice of Disorder with Lead-Linen Coat & Printing Press
Allison Dade with Lead-Linen Coat
Auguste Hart
Pale Rider
Guild Mage
Guild Lawyer

Stones: 6
Schemes: In Your Face, Hidden Martyrs (Lawyer & Auguste)

Turn 1:

Noxious Nephilim kicked one strategy marker down to Crooligan that had deployed From Shadows.  Bone Pile started moving another marker from top. My aim was to somehow hug the edges of the map with my markers so that opponent wouldn't be able to control my interacts.

Forgotten Marshal summoned a Night Terror that eventually went to tease Nellie without much of an effect. Necrotic Machine and Philip & Nanny walked a bit and concentrated, with Philip & Nanny going a bit further with Deadly Pursuit since there didn't seem to be that much lethal threats around for the baby carriage. 

Guild was moving in one, compact front with Pale Rider, Allison Dade and Guild Mage delivering a strategy marker towards top. Nellie was in the middle, with Guild Lawyer, Auguste and Printing Press below, moving second Guild strategy marker from the middle. 

I had been worrying the Guild Mage a lot, since that heal procs also from my discards. I was afraid that Archie would just die embarrassingly, but I did have a really good hand with multiple severes and black joker. 

So, after Molly had paraded Archie a bit forward, the big guy was able to leap and charge Guild Mage and remove it from the board. Major relief.

Turn 2:

Since Archie clearly overperformed last turn, he made up for it by not doing absolutely anything at all to Nellie who hadn't activated yet. 

Auguste and Guild Lawyer were busy delivering strategy marker in the middle, but Philip & Nanny managed to kick it back into middle of hazardous terrain.

Night Terror seemed to be impervious to attacks, and that Negation Aura certainly had its toll on Guild until Allison activated and drew, like, almost a full hand back from zero cards. Okay only four cards, but still insane card draw potential. 

Pale Rider kicked strategy marker to my side, but Bone Pile ignored my own marker and went to kick enemy marker back, as Crooligan was able to get one of my markers to enemy side without opposition.

Nellie was spamming Lessons of Ephraim Wade, but fortunately mostly just managed to remove Focused from my various models. 

It seemed like an uneventful turn until Forgotten Marshal, a summoned Rabble Riser and Philip & Nanny were able to kill Guild Lawyer, so even if I couldn't do anything for my Assassination attempts, at least Guild was losing synergy pieces. 

Resurrectionists got strategy, while Guild revealed Hidden Martyrs on Guild Lawyer and Auguste Hart. 1-1.

Turn 3:

Archie tries to grind through Nellie but mostly just manages to remove her Shielded. 

I get fixated on removing Auguste Hart, and toss Philip & Nanny, Noxious Nephilim and even Molly on it. Bad idea, I guess Lessons of Ephraim Wade involved something about not bunching up. Cursed Translation was also a scary ability, but it wasn't until Pale Rider punched strategy marker to my side and charged Archie that my position started to feel threatened. It's only two irreducible damage, sure, but when it ticks on seven models it's bound to have an effect.

Forgotten Marshal failed to summon anything but at least put out Philip & Nanny's fire. Necrotic Machine went to push enemy marker back to their side and healed itself as well as it could. Bone Pile double interacted Resurrectionist top marker to enemy side.

Auguste died, Rabble Riser died and nothing at all was done to my scheme progression, but at least Guild was denied a strategy point while Resurrectionists scored one for 1-2 lead.

Turn 4:

Archie beats Nelly a little, again not accomplishing anything. Pale Rider, however, accomplishes somewhat more by killing Archie in one activation. At least the rider had to bite Burning +7 while doing that. The irreducible damage from Pale Rider's bonus essentially killed Philip & Nanny and Night Terror, although the actual killing blows might have come from Lessons or Cursed Translation. 

Nellie also gave an action for Pale Rider who took a walk way past centerline. In Your Face incoming, I suspected. Because of that Bone Pile and even Molly herself tried to attack the horseman with additional help from a summoned Rabble Riser, but the darnest thing didn't take even a single point of damage. Only damage came from that enormous pillar of fire it was riding with. 

Noxious Nephilim charged Nellie and continued Archie's work of not-doing-damage. Though putting it like this isn't fair for the big guys, at least they were draining Nellie out of soulstones but still it might have been nice to deal more than one point of damage at a time. 

Crooligan was able to kick strategy marker to opponent's deployment, and Necrotic Machine did the same on top. 

Guild surely enough revealed In Your Face while Resurrectionists got third strategy point. Scores went 2-3 for Resurrectionists. 

I dreaded last turn, as so many of my models were just about to draw their last breath. 

Turn 5:

Opponent, however, prioritized In Your Face and went to my deployment zone, far beyond my reach with Pale Rider. 

This left Noxious Nephilim, Molly, Necrotic Machine and a summoned Night Terror to claw at Nellie, and the end result of my Assassination was: Nellie was alive with one point above 50%. I think I scored more than seven hits on Nellie throughout the whole game, so safe to say that Lead-Linen Coat was the thing standing between my two or zero points. 

Allison kicked one strategy marker to my side, but Crooligan was able to By Your Side from Forgotten Marshal to get it back in Guild's table half. 

Rabble Riser challenged Bone Pile and "stunned" it, pushing it 3" closer to Allison. Then it activated within 8" of Molly, discarded a card to move 3" and ran to engage Allison, giving me at least one point from schemes.

Resurrectionists got their fourth strategy point and one point from Hidden Martyrs, while Guild got their In Your Face. Game ended 3-5 for Resurrectionists. 

Interviewing the Flutist

 A 50ss Malifaux game on Vassal.

Strategy: Wedge Carve a Path

Schemes: Assassinate, Breakthrough, Hidden Martyrs, Leave Your Mark, Spread Them Out

My List:

Hamelin the Piper & 3x Stolen
Nix
Disease Containment Unit
Catalan Brawler
The Midnight Stalker with Soldier for Hire (kind of a mistake...)
Obedient Wretch
Prospector
Malifaux Rat

Stones: 4
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs (Brawler & Obedient Wretch), Assassinate

Opponent had:

Nellie, Voice of Disorder & Printing Press
Phiona Gage
Allison Dade
Auguste Hart
Guild Steward
2x False Witness
Field Reporter

Stones: 4
Schemes: Hidden Martyrs (Steward & One False Witness), Spread Them Out

Turn 1:

Well, since most of the enemy team would be able to control my Interacts, I thought best course of action would be to try and smuggle my strategy markers from toppest of tops and bottomost of bottoms. Midnight Stalker was tasked with tops, and team of Prospector, Disease Containment Unit and Obedient Wretch were dealing with bottom. They were joined by a Rat King that was created from one Stolen and Eyes in the Walls.

Nix, Catalan Brawler, Hamelin and a couple of Stolen were focusing on the middle. Nix, especially.

Especially Nix.

Phiona used "bring it" to move Nix way past center line relatively early in the game. I managed to save the dog by Obeying Phiona away from melee with the 2" push from trigger and attacking Guild Steward, then Obeying Nix into forest. Last action was the aforementioned Eyes in the Walls on a scheme Obedient Wretch had set up. 

Since opponent was still teasing Nix with odd damage points, Catalan Brawler walked and placed some condor security more than 8" away from enemy story chasers.

So, enemy had Phiona, Nellie, Steward, Allison and False Witness coming from the middle. A lone False Witness was punching the ball on top, and below were Auguste, Printing Press and Field Reporter.

Turn 2:

Midnight Stalker and False Witness on top are able to push their respective strategy markers to opponent's side. 

Nix charges in to the middle of enemy crew and heals to full by drinking some spirits. Opponent forced Nix to make an Interact, but there was no excluse interview close enough so it "only" spammed a ton of Focused +1 on journalists and gave a point of irreducible damage to my henchman.

But since there now was a scheme marker, Catalan Brawler came to offer his services.

Hamelin removed one enemy scheme marker and failed the rest of his activation, except for stunning Phiona. She was also Staggered from Brawler.

Opponent mauled Catalan Brawler down to three health remaining (picture shows two, but that was before we remembered that Cruel Disappointment had saved him one point of damage.)

I took too long to react on the bottom side of things - Auguste parked over my strategy marker below and with Exclusive Interview that was a nasty place to be. He also nearly killed Obedient Wretch, and had Disease Containment Unit engaged.

Prospector came and planted a scheme marker which Disease Containment Unit used as a rapid response target, pushing Obedient Wretch and self out of melee. Then she blasted Printing Press and Field Reporter once. Sadly not twice. 

Both players score strategy.

Turn 3:

Miraculously Hamelin wins initiative, and Catalan Brawler saves his butt with Juggernaut... at least for a while. He also tosses Nix into mud and makes a futile attempt at attacking Phiona.

It certainly takes a lot of work to remove Catalan Brawler, but eventually that just happens. Hastily Obedient Wretch takes a run towards my deployment because losing both Martyrs in one round would suck big time. 

One of the better moves for this round was when Midnight Stalker kicked enemy strategy marker back to their side and leaped to engage False Witness. Witness did manage to deal a couple points of damage to the honorable gentleman, but situation there was now locked. For both sides, though.

Nix is able to weather whatever is left of the middle storm.

Disease Containment Unit was still trying to fry the Printing Press and Field Reporter, but kept failing.

Auguste kicks my strategy marker back to my side a little, but this was a mistake - Hamelin was able to Obey Prospector to the marker, who interacted twice and got it past centerline. Hamelin also tried to kill one of those infuriating False Witnesses with Piper's Influence and Bleeding Disease, but failed at that.

Field Reporter parked close to Hamelin so that he'd have to start discarding come next activations.

This turn scores went to 1-3 for Outcasts as I was able to reveal Hidden Martyrs while denied opponent a strategy point.

Turn 4:

Up until fourth turn I had not been able to kill a thing, but that changed surely enough.

Nellie started to soften up Nix but failed to do much of a progress - and then Nix just healed the damage that had been inflicted.

Phiona was a bit more adept in killing Nix with three attacks. Hamelin then killed Phiona, who had eleven blight tokens at the time, with two Bleeding Diseases and used Obey to bring Prospector to my strategy marker.

Field Reporter managed to bring strategy marker to my deployment zone against all odds.

Rat King was able to chew Printing Press down.

False Witness in the middle placed a scheme and walked for a bit, and False Witness on top died for a bit after Midnight Stalker activated. Allison Dade slowed him down and even shot a couple of points off with derringer.

Obedient Wretch moved a bit and interacted a scheme.

Auguste was busy with rats but eventually managed to move out of melee, only to become slowed by Rat King that was pushed back into contact with Rapid Response by Disease Containment Unit who also healed my remaining martyr, Obedient Wretch, over half of her health remaining. 

A Stolen managed to shoot False Witness dead. Who was, by the way, opponent's Hidden Martyr. 

 Prospector pushed strategy marker around, and scores went to 2-3 for Outcasts, although at the time we thought it was 3-3 because we missed the insignificance of a Stolen.

Turn 5:

To deny opponent a point from Hidden Martyrs, Hamelin smashes Guild Steward and takes eight points of damage in the process, essentially scoring the point from Hidden Martyrs for opponent now. Great job.

Allison shoots Midnight Stalker, who is - yay - saved by his Hard-to-Kill from the purchased upgrade.

But then Midnight Stalker fails to leap, so he can't get to charge Nellie in a futile attempt to scrape assassination points.

Stolen manages to shoot dead Field Reporter, who went to place a scheme marker in my deployment zone.

Prospector had been obeyed by Hamelin, so she is able to double-interact the marker to enemy deployment zone.

Nellie manages to land third scheme marker 10" away from each other scheme marker, but is not able to teleport Auguste Hart away with False Reality, so Obedient Wretch is able to run to get engaged with Auguste, scoring me Hidden Martyrs end condition.

Scores in the end go 4-5 for Outcasts.