Cruel Technology

A game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Flank Head Hunter

Schemes: Make It Look Like an Accident, Lay the Bait, Leave Your Mark

My list:

Hamelin, the Plaguebringer & Obedient Wretch
Nix
Fumigator
Tunnel Rats
Hans
Angel Eyes
Rat Catcher
Stolen

Pool: 2

Opponent had:

Tiri the Architech & Unseelie Engine
Iron Matron
Kett
Parson
First Light
2x Aua Warrior
Ancient Construct

Pool: 2

Turn 1:
Plague pick: Lay the Bait, and so did Bygone

Tiri started cruelly laying down multiple copies of lost technology, and managed to blast three points damage in to Tunnel Rats who was hanging around near the center point. Since they survived, they dropped two schemes as soon as possible and got the heck out of there via secret passage.

In the end this gambit was worth it, as opponent started to rush scheme markers to the center as well, although Kett did throw one there far from my bait markers. Eventually an Aua Warrior came to drop a second scheme near the center, which was a successful two point bait.

Later in the game I completely failed to estimate 4" distance, and Nix also gave one point from Lay the Bait for Explorer Society as well.

However, that Aua Warrior, though.

I did get strategy points this turn and opponent did not, but the amount of work it took was wicked. Angel Eyes and Hans both took two shots at the puny minion. 

 Obedient Wretch shot at the thing. Hamelin lured it forward and whacked at the thing.

Finally Nix was able to down the minion, but sheesh. 

Iron Matron was tossed by Ancient Construct, and tried to attack Nix. She did disembowel the dog, but it was already disemboweled anyway, so he was able to heal near to full with crew bonus action.

It was a good 3-1 start for Outcasts.

Turn 2: 
Plague pick: Watch Them Burn, Bygone: Leave Your Mark

Hamelin was able to cause an absolutely miserable board state for Bygone by getting all but First Light, Tiri and Unseelie Engine within 6" of himself before they got to activate, while standing near Nix. 

However... Tiri wasn't exactly lacking in making everything worse for everyone either. Those Lost Technology markers are utterly annoying. 

There was also absolutely silly exchange going on in the middle. No-one seemed to be able to do anything. Nix, Hamelin, Angel Eyes, and also some contribution from Obedient Wretch caused Iron Matron to fall down to two health remaining... but not die! It was inevitable to get one point from watching their mechanical lungs burn from pox, but constant re-applying of Shielded and small heals here and there essentially robbed me two point - one from scheme, and strategy as well, as Parson went to beat a kid with relic hammer. 

Tunnel Rats went to lay they groundwork for Reconnaissance, while opponent had plenty of time to leave their mark for two points.

So, suddenly, the scores were tied at 4-4.

Turn 3:
Plague pick: Reconnaissance, Bygone: Frame Job on Iron Matron

There was little Explorer Society could do to stop me from getting full points from Reconnaissance. 

Hamelin and Obedient Wretch softened Ancient Construct for a bit, and FINALLY Hans was able to do at least, well, anything. He scored not one, but two hits - although the second one was a cheated Red Joker, which killed Ancient Construct.

Rat Catcher wasn't a difficult kill for opponent after being brought down to one health remaining and burning. Both gained enough trophies for a strategy point.

Angel Eyes manages to fall from their crow's nest, how's that for an accomplishment?

I was super careful not to direct any attacks against Iron Matron because early in the turn order a couple of Draw Out Secrets made me rather suspicious. She did take random pings from burning, pustulent tumors and blight tokens, though. But again Bygone models kept healing her so that after resolving everything at the end phase she was back at two remaining.

This swinged the favor back to Outcasts for a 7-5 lead.

Turn 4:
Plague pick: Stake a Claim, Bygone: Make Sure They're Not Found on Obedient Wretch

Bygone was able to kill their scheme target easily enough, but not before she had given one of her trophies to Unseelie Engine. However, Tiri was able to arc through a Lost Technology marker an attack to deconstruct Tunnel Rats. I had had plans for those rats, dammit.

That was a problem on multiple levels. Opponent had seven trophy points now. Looking back now I should have just given two of Hamelin's trophies instead of just one and hope for the best. 

Hamelin did also lure Fumigator forward enough that opponent started to think it might be a good idea to tie him in melee. First Light did so, but warning shot from Hans stunned her away. Explorer Society last activation was to draw First Light back into melee with Fumigator with Kett's gravity alterations. Tiri was at seven victory points and had seven trophy point versus Hamelin's six. Hamelin was at seven victory points. It was an intense situation. Fumigator had everything in his toolkit to force a tie. But First Light had brought one of those damnable Lost Technology markers next to Fumigator, and neither of us had cards in hand.

It was so and so if Fumigator would be able to interact a second marker for a staked claim, so I tried another approach after first Caustic Spray failed. I wanted those Tunnel Rats back to finish what they couldn't. 

Second spray succeeded and summoned Tunnel Rats. They prepared for Focus, although now I think maybe I should have gone for Adaptable. Either case, the check just failed and game ended in a tough 8-7 victory for Tiri. 

Megapunk

 A 50ss game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Flank Recover Evidence

Schemes: Make It Look Like an Accident, Public Demonstration, Frame Job

My list:

Rusty Alyce, Trigger Happy & 2x Hollow Waifs
Ashes & Dust
Marlena Webster
Maurice
Hard-Stop Herbert
2x Scavenger
Necropunk
Bloodwretch

Cache: 1

Opponent had:

Kaeris, Iron-Threaded & Eternal Flame
Fire Golem 
Elijah Borgmann
Firestarter
Carlos Vasquez
2x Firebranded
Fire Gamin

Cache: 2

Turn 1:
Amalgam picks Frame Job on Ashes & Dust, Wildfire took Make It Look Like an Accident

I thought I would be able to take an easy Frame Job, but opponent had read the starting schemes carefully enough and would not attack Ashes and Dust who went to pick up the starting strategy marker.

Marlena Webster went into base contact with the Arcanist starting strategy, which I assumed would give me lead in the strategy. More on that later.

Firestarter made a guy on a wheelchair fall from a roof. That's some Lucas McCabe level of problematic behavior right there. Anyway, Arcanists took their point from Make It Look Like an Accident, but Herbert took triple-walk to the top-right corner of the board for safety and leylines.

Carlos waltzed to the base of the big hill on my deployment, and set a bunch of people on fire. During end phase Maurice, Scavenger and Alyce herself were on fire. He also removed a scheme marker Scavenger had put up to claim extra point from strategy, a homing beacon for Rusty Alyce... and scheme marker for Frame Job that never got framed. 

Alyce went to drop another scheme marker next to the building that was easily within 6" of both of our deployment zones to secure the extra point. She also managed to shoot five points in to a Firebranded, and summoned an Abomination. More on that later.

The Bloodwretch had escaped north, almost hugging the left table-edge.

Arcanist side, Fire Golem summoned a Fire Gamin and walked a tad closer, but that was it. However, Fire Golem, (now) both Gamins, Firestarter and the second Firebranded were going bottom-right... but not only. Elijah was able to walk and charge Marlena Webster, and dared to call her teddy a dude in a furry suit. Marlena was ENRAGED. More on that on later turns. 

Anyway, that flank was held by Marlena, Necropunk, Herbert and a Hollow Waif. Scavenger was sort of nearby, but at least I felt quite the discrepancy between power level of involved models. 

Both crews got the extra point of strategy as a courtesy of sacrificed peon. Arcanists got one point from Make It Look Like an Accident. Amalgam took their point from actual strategy... but so did Arcanists.

The Abomination (in full health) that had been summoned by Rusty Alyce was smacked dead by Kaeris herself, and she even had the action points left to spare to pick up the strategy marker. Oh well.

A 3-2 lead for Arcanists.

Turn 2:
Amalgam picks Harness the Leyline, Wildfire took Ensnare

From top to bottom, Bloodwretch placed a scheme for Harness Leylines late int the round.

 Ashes and Dust was able to charge and kill the already severely injured Firebranded, and claimed the strategy marker right away as well. 

Rusty Alyce shot Carlos a couple of times. She did okayish damage, but her empowered rams trigger was robbed by Carlos butterfly jumping into engagement range. Oh well. Carlos survived and went to kill Hollow Waif.

Another Savenger had just tried to attack Carlos. It took a whole lot of effort from Alyce, Scavenger and Maurice, but finally the fire dancer died. Another Scavenger went to pick up the strategy marker, and scrounged his way to stand in contact with Waif's strategy marker. 

Fire Golem and another summoned Fire Gamin caused the second Hollow Waif to die as well, although that happened during the end phase.

There was a whole bunch of twisting and turning happened at the bottom-right quarter, which eventually resulted in Marlena Webster getting hit hard by Elijah, and healing for a bit. 

Necropunk and Herbert placed the remaining two markers for Harness the Leyline, but somehow Hard-Stop Herbert was able to hard stop a Fire Gamin with just one attack. Unfortunately he was in base contact with Necropunk, who was also on fire. 

Curiously enough Outcasts managed to take the point from strategy. They also took two points from Harness the Leylines. Arcanists fell one TN 5 short of scoring two points from Ensnare, so Outcasts took a 5-4 lead.

Turn 3:
Amalgam picks Scout the Rooftops, Wildfire takes Frame Job on Elijah

Marlena Webster had been so severely damaged earlier that she had to activate. However, she was still pissed off about the furry remark and succeeded in all her attacks, healing both herself and Herbert, who had been smashed down to one health remaining. In the end this did not save Herbert, but at least it wasted precious action points from Fire Golem. She did give Arcanists a point from Frame Job, though.

Necropunk, however, did a miracle. It killed Elijah Borgmann. That must be its greatest achievement in, like, ever. Unless you count points scored, but hey, who counts those when a little guy punches a scary melee dude dead. 

Unfortunately whatever I threw into that melee were not ultimately able to block Arcanists from gaining the upper hand in strategy this round anyway. Outcasts did pick up two, but Wildfire had easy enough time picking up kills from previous turns. 

Scavenger to the left survived conflagrations and whatnot, albeit at one health remaining AND burning... but he had prepared Shielded for the occasion.

Rusty Alyce, Bloodwretch and Ashes & Dust were easily able to score two points from Scout the Rooftops. Also, Alyce shot off a summoned Fire Gamin off the board.

Both players managed to score two points, which made Outcasts still lead the game with 7-6.

Turn 4:
Amalgam picks Detonate Charges, Wildfire attempts Scout the Rooftops

In short, Wildfire was not able to burn down enough of Amalgam models to stop them contesting Scout the Rooftops. 

Arcanists were able to block Outcasts from getting a point from scenario, but Alyce was able to plant two scheme markers next to Fire Golem as just about the last activation. Game ended in 8-7 for Alyce.

Rat is a four letter word, suppose Nix is as well

 A 50ss game of Malifaux 4th edition.

Strategy: Flank Boundary Dispute

Schemes: Leave Your Mark, Assassinate, Scout the Rooftops

My list:

Hamelin, Piper & Benny Wolcomb
Nix
Fumigator
Tunnel Rats
Johan Creedy
2x Rat Catcher
Stolen

Pool: 4

Opponent had:

C. Hoffman, Inventor & Edie
Peacekeeper
Clipper
Warden
2x Hunter
2x Watcher

Pool: 4

Turn 1: 
Plague picks Scout the Rooftops, Augmented leaves their mark.

Early on Guild put Peacekeeper on the central platform without having even been activated yet. I was horrified, all my models were easily within reach of a 12" charge threat. 

Nix had to spend an eleven and a twelve from my hand to land Blight token on Peacekeeper before walking within 3" of the scary robot. In the end it was a good trade since it kept the scary robot in check, unable to do much. 

Clipper had flied with Hoffman closer, and they both went to drop enough scheme markers to center point to account for Rat King's devour abilities.

Benny and Hamelin had spawned more than enough rats for that Rat King to form. Rat Catchers had not managed to do the same, especially when Benny turned one of the rats into a scheme marker for Scout the Rooftops. Rat King did little else except that it removed a pylon.

Johan Creedy managed to leap to Peacekeeper. He started hammering Hoffman with relic hammer, but managed barely to scrape off some paint.

Stolen and Tunnel Rats dropped enough schemes for Scout the Rooftops. Augmented had over-secured their Leave Your Mark, so that was two points for both. However, two Watchers and the Hunters ensured that Plague fell behind in scenario and Guild took the lead with 3-2.

Turn 2:
Plague picks Detonate Charges, Augmented Makes It Look Like an Accident

A Hunter pulled down Rat King from center platform, but didn't manage to kill it. The Rat King got to Watcher before it was able to activate and surprisingly enough killed it. This was incredibly good news for Tunnel Rats, who were then able to deliver a strategy marker to enemy deployment zone.

The platform saw some intense fighting. Nix charged in to guard two strategy markers, and to get Hoffman, Peacekeeper and Clipper within loose bowels range. Hoffman lost his Blight token, though, because Nix considered it better to stun him.

Hoffman beat Johan down to two remaining, and Johan smacked five points of damage back with a Red Joker. Both Peacekeeper and Clipper spent most of their activations trying to kill Johan, but only brought him to one remaining. At moments like those the cost of ten makes sense for Nix. Clipper did snipe the Rat King off from the board, though.

Fumigator charged in to guard a strategy marker he just threw around. Attacks missed, checks failed.

Hunter attacked him back and brought him down to four remaining. At least Hunter took two points from hazardous terrain throughout the turn. 

Hamelin and Stolen played volleyball with two strategy markers with Watcher and Warden. 

Rat Catchers brought in so many rats that another Rat King formed and tore Hunter down to three health remaining. The catchers managed to throw away one enemy strategy marker back to their side, which meant a strategy point for me this turn.

However... I had been so busy navigating the high-stakes puzzle at the center that I was not able to get enough schemes to score even one point from Detonate Charges. I decided to keep the scheme, though, since I think I managed to bluff Leave Your Mark of my own.

So, Guild kept the lead at 6-3. Sure, point situation was not ideal, but board state did not look too bad.

Turn 3:
Plague kept Detonate Charges, Augmented takes Breakthrough. 

... things were really starting to heat up at the center. And holy moly Nix is a terrifying model if opponent lets it be - the doggo absolutely dominated the platform, essentially continuously giving Slow to Clipper, Hoffman and Peacekeeper. However, Peacekeeper was able to kill Johan as the first activation. Not much I could do about that. 

Hoffman and Clipper placed schemes on the centerline. One was removed by a devouring Rat King, another was removed by obeyed Clipper. 

Third one, late in the turn, was placed by Warden, and that one stuck.

Edie placed one in the deployment, so I kept a keen eye one the surviving Watcher. I left Benny as my very last model to activate, and that was enough for Guild to ditch their Breakthrough. Instead, Watcher delivered a strategy marker to my deployment. 

However, Stolen had managed to throw another strategy marker to enemy deployment, so Plague managed to claim the upper hand at strategy. They finally managed to score Detonate Charges as well, so scores tied exactly at 6-6. Round ended with seven rats on board without me particularly even trying to summon them... those raises just kept coming.

Turn 4:
Plague picks Take the Highground, Augmented tries to Assassinate Nix.

Guild started by taking out one of my strategy markers out of their deployment zone, and then guarding it with a Hunter. 

I considered my options. I wanted to kill Hoffman before he'd activate, so I thought that opening up two strategy markers by moving Nix behind Peacekeeper would work, especially as Hoffman had blight token to remove for the spectral bite, and I had a 13 in my hand.

Nix landed Red Death just fine, just ripping off Shielded from Hoffman. Then the good boy bit Hoffman, and Hoffman said: bad boy! Nix was so shocked from those words, which essentially functioned as the Red Joker for Nix.

Then Peacekeeper activated, and beeped as well: Bad, bad boy! Nix was so devastated that he drew Black Joker for defense. 

After Peacekeeper was done castigating Nix, he was reeling with five health remaining, and Guild got their first point from Assassinate.

Hamelin activated and went to guard the strategy markers Nix had left. He did crew action on Hoffman, leaving him down to four health. Then he obeyed Nix to attack. Attack hit home and Guild master was done.

Losing master's full activation was a hit Guild could not take. Tried as they might, Nix endured all the attacks made against him - thanks to blight tokens. 

And because Nix refused to die, Guild didn't have enough actions left to challenge strategy. 

A 10-7 victory for Plague.

This was first time I used two Rat Catchers and Nix with the piper, and I was almost horrified at how well they all functioned together. Last two turns there was a constant mass of six to seven rats on board, which meant Nix could wantonly cancel enemy actions, after which they'd just get blight right back. 

Search the Charges

 A 50ss game of Malifaux 4th edition

Strategy: Corner Boundary Dispute

Schemes: Frame Job, Leaver Your Mark, Breakthrough

My list:

(Really) Rusty Alyce, Rider Remade & Soul Battery
Marlena Webster
Hard Stop Herbert
Vee
Midnight Stalker
Scavenger
Prospector
2x Necropunk

Pool: 5

Opponent had:

Kastore, Awakened & Marathine
Barbaros
Leech King
Gwyll
White Eyes
Cavern Nephilim
Blood Vessel

Pool: 4

Turn 1: Amalgam picks Frame Job on Midnight Stalker, Returned are going to Leave Your Mark

Necropunks and assorted aides began delivering strategy markers from left and right. White Eyes and Blood Vessel did the same on the opposing side. 

Vee inspected Marlena and Midnight Stalker, and then Midnight Stalker made his gambit of leaping, walking and interacting a scheme marker to center point. Fortunately opponent thought it was Leave Your Mark and brought Barbaros in to attack him. Fortunately I had the cards to tie the score, and Midnight Stalker only lost half of his health with one attack + hunger token. 

Prospector went to move Midnight Stalker a bit towards safety, but Marathine was able to get to him just fine. He did not die, but was left with two health remaining. 

Outcasts got two strategy markers past the centerline, one of which was guarded by Rusty Alyce. Opponent had as well. Frame Job had given two points for Outcasts, while Returned took one point from Leave Your Mark for a 3-2 lead for Rusty Alyce.

Turn 2: Amalgam Public Demonstration on Barbaros Returned wants to Take the Highground

Kastore stunned Rusty Alyce. The token was removed by Vee, but she was standing on the same platform as the Prospector. This gave ample targets for Barbaros, who walked to scale terrain to beat and bonus action Vee to death. Oh well. At least Barbaros was now in place, with a scheme marker next to him.

Marathine failed to kill Midnight Stalker, although Stalker was brought down to one health remaining. 

Leech King summoned a Giant Leech to Midnight Stalker. He had to activate before he died, so he leaped on top of building to place a scheme marker, and then turned the Giant Leech into a fancy gucci bag with Work of Art. 

White Eyes and Cavern Nephilim took two terrain pieces for Take the Highground. White Eyes yeeted third strategy marker past center line.

Necropunk and Prospector stood near Barbaros, preparing a Shielded. Prospector even managed to poke in a point of damage to Barbaros. Yay. 

A whole throng of Amalgam models climbed on the big terrain piece to the left. Marlena, Scavenger and Necropunk all went there. Action points weren't quite enough to get ahead in strategy, but at least Scavenger was able to secure a strategy point for Outcasts as well, and the Necropunk was guarding an enemy strategy marker. 

Rusty Alyce started to deliver a strategy marker towards enemy deployment zone.

Blood Vessel failed to jump to Gwyll with a Black Joker, which essentially robbed Neverborn a point.

Both took a point from strategy, but schemes went two for Outcasts and one for Neverborn, so Rusty Alyce  took a further 6-4 lead. 

Turn 3: Amalgam... uh... Detonates Charges. Returned... umm... Search the Area

Neverborn was in a nasty catch-22 at the start of turn - either they go to guard one of their strategy marker to the left and leave Midnight Stalker alive to go and throw enemy strategy marker to the right away, or kill Midnight Stalker and leave Necropunk to throw a strategy marker to the left away and leap to guard it. They killed Midnight Stalke


r, which was probably for the best. 

Third turn turned out to be a race to deny Search the Area that seemed to be forming around the gallows near the center. Since Outcasts had more models, both expendable and otherwise, they were able to shove enough models to block Search the Area in it's entirety. However, this came at the cost of me completely forgetting about Detonate Charges, so neither player received any points from schemes.

Hard Stop Herbert was tickled to death by ping damage points.

However, during all these scheme failings, Outcasts were able to take the lead in strategy for a 7-4 lead.

Turn 4: Amalgam tries Runic Binding

Thanks to my blunder with Detonate Charges we played for a few activations. But when Amalgam was able to get two points from Runic Binding, we called it a game since there was no longer even a remote chance for a draw.

Truly Obscene Feasts

 Two 50ss games of Malifaux 4th edition.

First game:

Strategy: Standard Recover Evidence

Schemes: Leave Your Mark, Scout the Rooftops, Grave Robbing

My list:

Kirai Ankoku, Lady of Vengeance & Ikiryo
Kuchisake-Onna
Lost Love
Batsch & Amalie
Carrion Effigy
Goryo
Shikome
Gwisin
Enslaved Spirit

Pool: 4

Opponent had:

Jakob Lynch, Wild Card & Hungering Darkness
Kitty Dumont
Sen
Mr. Graves
Mr. Tannen
2x Illuminated
Beckoner

Pool: 4

Turn 1: Urami picks Scout the Rooftops, Honeypot Leaves Their Mark

Shikome went to pick up the initial strategy marker from far right, while an Illuminated did the same far left. 

Kitty, an Illuminated, Lynch and Hungering Darkness all kept spamming scheme markers near the center point as I was piling my own near it to bluff Leave Your Mark and Scout the Rooftops. 

Kuchisake-Onna summoned a seishin and made a Gaki near the centerpoint, which had Honeypot quite concerned. I think it was Lynch who killed the Gaki as soon as possible, which only prompted a second strategy marker for Honeypot. Bummer. High risk high reward did not pay out... yet.

Goryo had gone to place a scheme marker on top of a cliff near centerpoint. Batsch & Amalie copied it, so there were two. 

Carrion Effigy ran next to a bridge, and Lost Love stood by the effigy's side and went to drop a scheme marker on the terrain piece.

However, Kirai was just about the last model to activate. There were Seishins near the middle so she made an additional Gaki, feasting away the mark Honeypot left. Kirai also gave Ikiryo an action to drop a third scheme marker for Scout the Rooftops.

So, Urami scored two from schemes, but zero from strategy. Honeypot did vice versa, since they were able to pick up the extra point from strategy. Scores tied at 2-2.

Turn 2: Urami picks Detonate Charges, Honeypot stays with Leave Your Mark

The turn was defined by the action happening at the centerpoint. Urami began slapping scheme markers on top of the terrain for Detonate Charges - Scout the Rooftops lead to Leave Your Mark as well. And, well, Honeypot kept scribbling their initials to the hand best as they can.

One notable moment was when Ikiryo walked and charged someone, and then killed herself and blasted Adversary on the entire enemy crew, except for one Illuminated and Beckoner who were hanging around near the left edge of the table. 

Adversary proved to be deadly, as both Hungering Darkness and Kitty Dumont died without too much effort. And then to add an insult to injury, Kuchisake-Onna took a swing at Sen, and scored Red Joker, leaving Sen standing with just one hit point.

Gwisin, Goryo and Batsch & Amalie near each other proved to be a fortress. Attacks kept pouring at Goryo, but in the end phase it had only a few damage boxes marked in after Gwisin took a hit here and there, and the fungal duo did a little jig to cheer their spirit.

Honeypot managed to take a point from Leave Your Mark this time around, but Urami got two from Detonate Charges. Both got strategy, but Urami took the extra point as well for a 6-4 lead.

Turn 3: Urami picks Take the Highground, Honeypot chooses Make It Look Like an Accident

Sen who had just a single hit point left beckoned Gwisin from top of the terrain to score a point from Make It Look Like an Accident. Gwisin then did everything it could to run away, but Mr. Graves would have none of that and killed the target.

Enslaved Spirit died as well, although it first tried to go and claim the red roofed building for scheme. Illuminated in the middle died to Goryo and Kirai.

Shikome, Lost Love and Kuchisake-Onna did Take the Highground, but Kuchisake did summon Ikiryo as well. And as if there hadn't already been enough brutal attacks by Urami models, Ikiryo charged Mr. Tannen and killed him with a single action point. Ikiryo went off the board again, just in case.

Both crews took full points from schemes, but this time around Honeypot was left with no strategy points. This gave Urami a 9-6 lead.

Turn 4:

We didn't play fourth turn, as Honeypot at most might score a tie, and that would have required Urami models doing pretty much nothing.

Game 2:

Strategy: Corner Informants

Schemes: Detonate Charges, Scout the Rooftops, Search the Area

My list:

Hamelin, Plaguebringer & Obedient Wretch
Nix
Fumigator
Tunnel Rats
Tuco Ortega
Rat Catcher
2x Stolen

Pool: 6

Opponent had:

Lucas McCabe, Tomb Delver & 2x Cryptologist
Sidir Alchibal
Desper LaRaux
2x Rough Rider
2x Ruffian
Huckster
Hopeful Prospect

Pool: 3

Turn 1: Both crews pick... surprise surprise, Scout the Rooftops.

Although not much else happened other than troops closing in, it was apparent that Wastrels were not practicing enough social distancing. Rat Catcher summoned a couple rats, one of which went to drop blight on a Ruffian, from which it spread to a Rough Rider and a Cryptologist.

McCabe went to contest the marker in the center, and a Stolen ran to gave him pox after the kid had been lured by Hamelin and disoriented by fogs from Fumigator.

Five Wastrels were coming from the right, three of whom had bunched up. Nix was able to blast one Blight in there, from where it spread to Sidir, a Ruffian and the Hopeful Prospect.

Tunnel Rats was saved for the last activation, and dropped a scheme for Scout the Rooftops, and then used Secret Passage to deliver another marker to Wastrel side of the board, getting two points from scheme. Wastrels didn't have such a trick up their sleeve, and instead had to do with one. 

I gave strategy to Wastrels to move the markers around. I didn't know if that would pay off, but in my last Informants game I was at the receiving end of this, so I wanted to try it out.

So, a 2-2 tie again.

Turn 2: Both crews pick... surprise surprise, Detonate Charges

First activation was Rough Rider trying to shoot Tunnel Rats dead from a vantage point. But thanks to rotten luck and some cards from hand, stat five with a plus fate was not able to cut through def four. This had major repercussions, since Tunnel Rats was later able to walk on top of tall tower and contest the strategy marker on the Wastrel side, plus drop a scheme marker near enemy models with Biting Insult. Opponent was able to claim the marker back, but that required two models instead of one.

And whose a good boy? Nix is! And by good I mean of course super annoying. Good to see that the piece is conditionally as infuriating as ever.

Nix charged near Ruffian, Hopeful Prospect and Sidir. Would this trick pay off as well? He bit Sidir, who used his Tarnished Mirror to slap four damage back to Nix. Ouch. Bonus action was promptly the heal instead of revelers dropping. 

Welll, in the end Nix made took 50% off of Hopeful Prospect's activation, but he was able to remove blight from Sidir. My hand was relatively poor, just one ten, five empowers and... the Red Joker. I had difficult choice to make. A full-activation Sidir would mean horrible news to Nix, so a Stolen took double walk near the bunch and used Onward. No Tomes to empowers, and no Tomes from flip. So, Red Joker it was, to get off that bonus walk and re-apply blight to Sidir and Hopeful Prospect, and Desper LaRaux as a bonus as well. 

Ruffian beat the snot out of that Stolen, and Desper leaped out of Nix cancellation aura and charged the Stolen, killing them. 

Sidir walked and scaled on terrain, tried to shoot Nix but was canceled. He did a mortar strike and used soulstone to shoot Nix anyway, and managed to land in a couple of damage points.

New edition made it look like McCabe was sort of behaving better, but he relapsed into whipping a kid to death at the center. To his defense, the kid had already given him two poxes. 

A Rough Rider to the right climbed on the industrial platform and started shooting at Obedient Wretch, and brought her down to one health remaining. She thought since she'd die soon anyway, she went to at least take Hopeful Prospect with her. And didn't even die.

Tuco disillusioned Rough Rider away from contesting a strategy marker, and went to drop a scheme near the horse.

Plague had been able to dodge any too serious consequences for their actions... but then, something happened. No, that trend did continue, but it continued in such a way that it started to feel bad. Rat Catcher summoned a couple rats more, which eventually formed into a Rat King. With the remaining bonus and a single action point Rat King was able to kill an uninjured Rough Rider!

Somehow Wastrels had failed to plant any charges, and Plague lucked out full two points thanks to Tunnel Rats.

Both scored strategy, but Plague still had less points so they were able to move the markers for a 5-3 lead.

Turn 3: Plague picks Runic Binding, Wastrel stays with Detonate Charges

Now un-blighted Sidir was able to shoot Nix off the board. That could have been the beginning of a turning point for Wastrels, but then the Rat King ate Ruffian who had taken just one point of damage. Again with one action point and bonus. What is happening in here?! First summoned Gaki's eats all the schemes, now summoned rats do the same for models.

Plague did play a little too obvious Runic Binding, so Wastrels were able to wriggle out of maximum points, so Hamelin had to suffice with one. Tunnel Rats died in the process. 

Wastrels were pushing for the Detonate Charges this time a little more insistently, but Tuco was able to shoot off one of the markers, so Wastrels took zero once more. Plague also received strategy while Wastrels did not, so the situation looked grim after Hamelin was leading 7-3. 

Turn 4: 

Situation did in fact look too grim for McCabe, and we did not play the fourth round.

Leech Infestation

 A 50ss game of Malifaux

Strategy: Wedge Recover Evidence

Schemes: Scout the Rooftops, Frame Job, Reshape the Land

My list:

Rusty Alyce, Trigger Happy & 2x Hollow Waifs
Marlena Webster
Desolation Engine
Ashes and Dust
Hard Stop Herbert
2x Scavenger

Pool: 6

Opponent had:

Kastore, Fervent & 2x Urn Bearers
Gwyll
Leech King
Athorak
2x Cavern Nephilim
Blood Vessel
Giant Leech

Pool: 3

Turn 1: Amalgam picked Frame Job with Ashes and Dust, Returned took Scout the Rooftops

My first activation was to go and bait Frame Job with Ashes and Dust by scaling the model to a building in the middle, and slapping down a scheme marker that might work as a Scout the Rooftops marker. 

Neverborn wasn't too interested with the Ashes and Dust, until Kastore went to pick up a strategy marker nearby, and did some damage with a bonus action. 

Kastore took a severe enough beating from Desolation Engine that an Urnbearer lured him back to safety.

Leech King summoned a Giant Leech next to Ashes and Dust, which was eventually shot to pieces by Rusty Alyce.

Hard Stop Herbert picked up my strategy marker for this turn.

Late in the turn someone pushed Ashes and Dust away from the building. Cavern Nephilims and the hired Giant Leech scored two points from Scout the Rooftops.

And since there was a building in the middle, and deployment was Wedge, both players had easy time claiming the extra point from strategy.

It was a 4-4 opening for both players.

Turn 2: Amalgam picked Scout the Rooftops, Returned took Grave Robbing

After hired Giant Leech came to engage Rusty Alyce, A Hollow Waif went to drop a scheme marker four scouting and gave a soulstoned warning cry for Alyce, who was able to shoot the Giant Leech dead with one shot.

Desolation Engine charged Urnbearer and Leech King, leaving the Urnbearer with just one health remaining.

Most of Neverborn crew started relocating to the right after I had moved Ashes and Dust on the ramparts. There was also a Scavenger up there. Kastore came to beat up the minion, but didn't score a kill. In fact, Neverborn scored no kills this turn, which had them lose a strategy point this turn. However, damage done was prohibitively extensive. Scavenger was at three, Herbert at two and Ashes and Dust had lost half of their health as well.

Rusty Alyce had to walk, bonus and drop two schemes. Another Scavenger and the Hollow Waif had all placed enough markers to get two points from Scout the Rooftops, but then Leech King summoned a Giant Leech to Alyce, and the Giant Leech summoned a Giant Leech to Rusty Alyce. 

Oh well. 

Outcasts took the lead with 6-4.

Turn 3: Amalgam picked Detonate Charges, Returned took Make It Look Like an Accident

Returned had easy time doing Make It Look Like an Accident, when Urnbearer lured Scavenger from top of the ramparts, into her own hazardous aura, leaving him with just one health remaining - thus unable to activate without dying. Someone eventually did kill him though to get a strategy marker.

Kastore Murdered Hard Stop Herbert, and either him or Blood Vessel picked up the strategy.

Athorak was able to cleave a Hollow Waif dead with just one strike, although I don't remember who picked up the strategy. 

Desolation Engine charged the Urnbearer who had just one point left, and managed to kill her but it took all his action points. Scavenger had to shuffle round to come and pick it up, after which he was mauled by Leech King and a Cavern Nephilim. 

Another Hollow Waif picked up a strategy marker that had been left a turn before.

Marlena Webster charged a Leech on the building in the middle, killed it and picked strategy right away. So that was an intense turn with the strategy, but in the end both got a point.

Rusty Alyce shot random damage here and there. I should have focused solely on Athorak, but instead the bullets were spread between him and Leech King. She summoned an Abomination to Athorak, though. Unless I completely misremember, but I think she did five damage to Leech King and five damage to Athorak with just two hits. 

Detonate Charges didn't take too much effort, so scores continued with a two point lead for Outcasts, 9-7.

Turn 4: Amalgam took Runic Binding, Returned took Breakthrough

Early enough I took the singular point from Runic Binding. 

Gwyll had put a scheme marker to Neverborn Deployment, and Blood Vessel put one on the centerline where I really couldn't reach it. 

Kastore wrecked Ashes and Dust. I was afraid that he might get a no-heal token, so I let the guy fall with the first strike. He also killed the Abomination that had been summoned. I ran Dust Storm to block the picking up of the strategy marker.

I don't quite remember how I killed the Giant Leech, but I wasn't able to pick up the strategy during the same activation. Cavern Nephilim ran to block picking it up.

Oh alright, that's the game we're playing. I ran Marlena Webster to block picking up the marker that Dust Storm was already protecting. Well, opponent still had Lure's available, so that's why.

Athorak went to place a scheme marker to my deployment, so Rusty Alyce ran right next to it.

Because of the hunger shenanigans Leech King was able to reach my deployment anyway to drop a Breakthrough marker.

Neither crews got strategy, but both go full points from their schemes. But that was just one for Outcasts, so the game ended in a narrow 10-9 victory for Rusty Alyce.

Twin Coronation

 A 50ss game of Malifaux

Strategy: Flank Boundary Dispute

Schemes: Breakthrough, Make It Look Like an Accident, Take the Highground

My list:

Hamelin, Piper & Benny
Fumigator
Angel Eyes
Tuco Ortega
Tunnel Rats
2x Rat Catcher
2x Stolen

Pool: 3

Opponent had:

Clampetts, Fisherfolk & Bruce
Uncle Bogg
Aunty Mel
Sir Vantes
Mossbeard
Buckaroo
Skulker Skin
Swashbuckler

Pool: 4

Turn 1: Plague: Breakthrough, Angler: Make It Look Like an Accident

Since I had deployed so many of my models on the roof of a building, Sir Vantes had easy time with pulling Angel Eyes down. She was also the White Whale of Aunty Mel. Fortunately she had already activated, so Angel Eyes was safe for now. 

Benny and both Rat Catchers and even Hamelin himself were spawning rats, while Clampetts was clearing the vermin with dynamite. But the rats just kept multiplying, and were finally able to coalesce into a Rat King, who in turn tried to go harass Bruce. 

Various models of mine had sneakily dropped some scheme markers on my deployment and centerline, and Tunnel Rats were able to teleport deep into enemy deployment zone. Crows gave a scheme marker, and so did interact. Mossbeard was able to remove one of those, but couldn't stop Breakthrough.

Clampetts went to sit next to one of my strategy markers that I had not been able to toss over the centerline yet.

Both players took the scenario, but Outcasts took the lead with 3-2 because of schemes.

Turn 2: Plague: Public Demonstration for Uncle Bogg, Angler: Reshape the Land

Aunty Mel wrecked her whale, no surprises there. 

Uncle Bogg charged the Rat King and brought it down to one health. But that was all Rat King needed to kill Bruce, who was sitting with a strategy marker still in Bayou deployment.

Stolen placed a scheme marker near the uncle and went to remove a piece of destructible terrain. Unfortunately that marker was removed by Mossbeard, which forced Hamelin's flute to disengage a Rat Catcher so that it can place another. At that that point most of my crew had

Fumigator summoned a new Tunnel Rats because the earlier ones just scored their breakthrough and ceased to exist.

Sir Vantes lanced a Stolen and trampled even deeper to Outcast crew. I think it was he who summoned Bruce back, which made both of them prime targets for first Blight tokens of the game.

Reshape the Land yielded only a single point for Anglers. Both scored strategy, and Plague received two from their scheme for a 6-4 lead.

Turn 3: Plague: Assassinate on Sir Vantes, Angler: Breakthrough

I mean...

It took way too many action points to remove my assassination target, despite Sir Vantes having a negative modifier to most resists. At least nine confirmed action points went into it, and I am likely forgetting a few. Sure, Bruce healed Sir Vantes once. But still that performance was atrocious, considering that Sir Vantes had been already damaged a little. I could have used some of those action points for pushing strategy markers for sure.

A Rat King walked and charged Mossbeard, dealing solid damage as well as denying interaction. Clampetts went to place a scheme marker to Outcasts deployment, and it was up to Mossbeard to make or break the breakthrough. Fortunately he failed his second Haphazard Topography, because it was Once Per Turn anyway.

Second King received their crown and went to munch on a tide marker.

However, Plague had been so pre-occupied with Sir Vantes that Anglers were able to deny Hamelin any strategy points this turn. 

Scores went 8-6, still for Plague.

Turn 4: Angler: Assassinate on Tunnel Rats

Well.

I just found the Tunnel Rats's greatest wea


kness. They are an amazing pick for Assassinate. Which Bayou did. Two points with a one smack.

The gremlins also were leaping around and throwing Hamelin's strategy markers back to his deployment. I didn't act soon enough, and lost my chance to try to score strategy. Only option was to figure out if I could dislodge the only enemy strategy marker away from my deployment as well.

All the pieces were there, but I was lacking either a friendly token on Rat Catcher, or one action point. But since those don't just grow on trees, Anglers claimed a 10-8 victory despite having been lagging behind all game.

Rusty New Year

Two 50ss games of Malifaux 4th Edition.

Strategy: Corner Recover Evidence

Schemes: Public Demonstration, Scout the Rooftops, Reshape the Land

My list:

Rusty Alyce & 2x Hollow Waif
Marlena Webster
Ashes and Dust
Maurice
Vee
Scavenger
2x Abomination

Pool: 4

Opponent had:

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

Pool: 3

Turn 1: Amalgam picks Public Demonstration on Lynch, Honeypot picks Scout the Rooftops

I built up an awkward chain of activations to bring Rusty Alice to pick up the first strategy marker. I had placed it quite far to the left, well out of easy reach of both Amalgam and Honeypot models.

So in the end, Maurice tossed Ashes and Dust into mud for 2", and then Ashes and Dust went to drop a scheme marker for Alyce to jump into. Then all it took was a double walk and interact.

Honeypot had placed their marker closer to center, but terrain on my side blocked an easy denial of picking up that one. I had originally chosen Public Demonstration on Lynch based on his positioning - I thought he also might take a double walk and interact to pick up the evidence. However, I didn't take into account various abilities Honeypot had for additional movement. Instead plain Illuminated went to pick it up.

I didn't have any options to block Scout the Rooftops either. At least Honeypot wasn't fast enough to get the second point from scoutings.

After Illuminated had picked up strategy marker, I was sure Amalgam lost their scheme points this turn. However, Scavenger had advanced mid-field. He had shot the scoring Illuminated with shotgun without much of an effect. Although failure, this baited Lynch to eclipse himself closer and start hacking at Scavenger. I still had one Abomination left to activate, and it took a double walk to hug Lynch.

Both players scored strategy and one point from their schemes for a 2-2 tie.

Turn 2: Amalgam picks Detonate Charges, Honeypot picks Leave Your Mark

Amalgam minions were lit this turn. Scavenger and Abomination scared Lynch away after they brought him down to six health remaining or so. The second Abomination was able to kill the Illuminated that had picked up strategy last turn. 

After Lynch escaped, Hungering Darkness entered the brawl in his place, and got shot four points of damage from Hollow Waif thanks to a Red Joker.

Honeypot wasn't quite as adept at dishing out damage, but didn't fall much behind. Especially Maurice was a sorry punching bag, missing all of his attacks. At least he bled Injured all over enemy models while going down to four health remaining.

I was quite powerless to stop Honeypot from leaving their mark on the centerpoint, especially after Mr. Graves, Kitty and Illuminated spawned a total of four scheme markers there. Rusty Alyce could have gone and removed one of those, but instead she went to a terrain to place two scheme markers to it, thus scoring extra points from scenario.

Vee is amazing model to spawn a bunch of scheme markers, too. Her and Marlena were able to score Detonate Charges for two points from Hungering Darkness.

Both players scored strategy, but Amalgam did it twice. Both crews got two from scheme, so Amalgam got the lead at 6-5.

Turn 3: Amalgam picks Grave Robbing, Honeypot picks Take the Highground

With great trouble Amalgam was eventually able to score Grave Robbing reveal from Hungering Darkness. Ashes and Dust was able to pick one enemy remains for the second point, but Mr. Tannen used his invisible hand to turn another remains into a scheme marker. So I needed to kill one more model for two points from scheme. I certainly tried, but Mr. Graves was too difficult to take down with the models I still had left to activate.

Oh well. At least Rusty Alyce was able to royally screw Honeypot by taking a walk to contest bridge terrain that was controlled by Kitty Dumont. She took a shoot at Beckoner to summon Abomination, and shoved Kitty off the bridge for good measure anyway.

Mr. Tannen had one terrain for Take the Highground, but the summoned Abomination was now contesting the second piece Honeypot had.

Illuminated was able to take a double walk to scale on the hill, but would have needed to also succeed in his bonus action, since you have to go 100% supported with scale terrain. This action failed when opponent didn't have any cards in hand, which robbed Honeypot scheme points this turn.

Honeypot did manage to claw strategy point from Maurice, though. Hungering Darkness gave the point for Amalgam, so Alyce's lead grew to 8-6.

Turn 4: Amalgam picks Runic Binding, Honeypot picks Make It Look Like an Accident

Mr. Graves was able to fell a Hollow Waif from top of terrain, but she was left alive with two health remaining or so. To deny Make It Look Like an Accident, she tried to hide behind the same building she had stood on. Lynch did some odd shenanigans with eclipses and whatnot, and went to kill her anyway.

Vee had managed to craft a perfect Runic Binding if Lynch had stayed in place. I was weighing if I should reveal the scheme for just one point now that Honeypot had surely secured two. In the end I decided to take the one point as I was ahead in points anyway.

Various models were able to kill the summoned Abomination. Rusty Alyce attempted a hail mary set of perfect actions. First, she needed to shoot Beckoner dead with one shot, then Scrounge to Abomination's corpse to touch both Abomination's strategy marker and pick up Beckoner's strategy. She managed just that, and we called it a game. Game ended in 10-8 victory for Rusty Alyce. At best Lynch could have narrowed it down to 10-9.

Game 2:

Strategy: Flank Boundary Dispute

Schemes: Detonate Charges, Harness Ley Lines, Public Demonstration

My list:

Rusty Alyce, Rider Remade & Soul Battery
Marlena Webster
Vee
Hard Stop Herbert
Scavenger
Abomination
Necropunk
Angel Eyes
2x Bloodwretch

Pool: 3

Opponent had:

Hoffman, Steel Sculptor & Mechanical Attendant
Peacekeeper
Melissa KORE
2x Hunter
Warden
2x Watcher

Pool: 4

Turn 1: Amalgam: Public Demonstration on Peacekeeper. Augmented: Public Demonstration on Hard Stop Herbert.

Early on Vee pushed Alyce and Marlena a wee bit forward. That was the first mistake. 

Hoffman gave Melissa fast and extra walk, so she got into position to blast Rusty Alyce four times, hitting with each shot. Each shot dealt two damage. 

I had a bunch of 13's on my hand, so Marlena Webster took a walk and shot Melissa with her healing shot, but only managed to heal two points from Alyce.

And then Peacekeeper walked and used Wrecking Ball to charge Marlena. Fortunately it did only three damage or so, but this left Marlena a prime target for assassination next turn.

However, Peacekeeper was now in easy to reach position for Public Demonstration, and that was indeed what happened. Rusty Alyce jumped over a fence to get Peacekeeper within 6", and summoned two Abominations to the demonstration target before galloping away much like brave sir Robin.

Hard Stop Herbert and Bloodwretch were delivering a strategy marker to top, where it looked like Warden and Watcher would be the main adversaries. 

Another Watcher as well as Hunter were delivering two strategy markers towards bottom, where I had Scavenger and Bloodwretch.

I was able to present Augmented a dilemma to either score one point from Public Demonstration or one point from strategy, but not do both. They took the strategy.

Amalgam took the lead with 3-1, as their public demonstration was a SMASHING success.

Turn 2: Amalgam: Detonate Charges. Augmented: Assassinate on Marlena Webster

Peacekeeper started smashing Marlena as the first activation of the turn, scoring Assassinate both reveal and end condition instantly. It still had actions left to smash Necropunk in one hit.

I wanted to bring Rusty Alyce to middle, but Melissa's gatling gun had put the fear of god in Alyce. Both Abomination and even Bloodwretch went to engage Melissa. They were all dealt with easily enough, but Melissa wasn't able to blast everyone dead, as she had to scale on top of terrain to yeet my strategy marker back whence it came.

Angel Eyes took a shot at Watcher, who stumbled out of her reach with crew card shenanigans. The thing leaped to bully my strategy markers even more. Finally Scavenger was able to put an end to the Watcher's rampage over my precious little markers, and out of spite scrounged Watcher's corpse off from board. Which was a short-sighted mistake.

Vee was important model to score Detonate Charges, as she passed Secret Inspection checks left and right without cheats. This left Hard Stop Herbert able to walk, scale and interact Augmented strategy marker away, which in the end was the factor that forced Melissa's hand.

Lastly, Rusty Alyce charged Peacekeeper after detonating some charges, and managed to dish out five damage or so. However, she was now in a precarious position even if she had managed to heal up back to seven or so, and Augmented had the start next turn.

Only Hoffman scored strategy this turn, but Rusty Alyce got two scheme points easily enough.

Amalgam was still leading with 5-4.

Turn 3: Amalgam: Graverobbing. Augmented: Detonate Charges

... and this is where everything fell apart.

Although Peacekeeper failed to kill Rusty Alyce, she was equally unable to kill Peacekeeper. I had the option to run away with last action, but instead I was greedy and tried to finish the thing for graverobbing purposes. I didn't have the cards to secure that, so obviously it failed miserably, and now Alyce was sitting with two health remaining.

Hoffman healed Peacekeeper a little, charged and killed Rusty Alyce.

Peacekeeper was at three health remaining without Shielded. Abomination tried to claw it dead. I thought that if I a managed to land a total of two points and Injured to the robot, it'd die. But damage was only one, without Injured. So Mechanical Attendant just moved, schemed and healed Peacekeeper back to unfortunate amounts of health.

I still threw everything I got at Peacekeeper to score schemes, but killing took the effort of my entire remaining crew. The flips were absolutely miserable.

However, Scavenger was MVP of sorts. He took off from melee with Hunter, Scrounged to Guild scheme marker and shot the Peacekeeper dead. This gave me a point, and denied a point for Augmented. But the thing was, Scavenger was my second to last activation - it was impossible to get extra point from Graverobbing. And Augmented dominated the strategy markers, and most of the board so totally that we didn't continue the game even if Amalgam was still leading the scoreboard with 6-5.

Turn 4: Amalgam: Runic Binding. Augmented: Take the Highground.

Third turn was such a horrid spectacle that we did not play fourth turn. It was clear Augmented would get four points, while Amalgam had a minimum and maximum of one. 

Augmented won with something around 9-7.

Fun fact: I didn't receive Red Joker in any of my flips throughout the game. Not even in checks that essentially waste Red Joker. Same can't be said of the Black Joker, who certainly made an appearance every single turn. 

Coughing in the audience

 Strategy: Wedge Recover Evidence

Schemes: Ensnare, Take the Highground, Harness the Leyline

My list:

Hamelin, Piper & Benny
Nix
Fumigator
Tunnel Rats
Ratcatcher
2x Stolen
2x Prospector

Pool: 3

Opponent had:

Colette, Star of the Show & 3x Mechanical Doves
Shadowlark
Cassandra Felton
Blackbird
2x Showgirl
Altus Keene
Irena Keene

Pool: 2

Turn 1: Plague picked Take the Highground, Performers attempted Ensnare

Plague started and got strategy point with Tunnel Rats. 

Colette walked, Sleighed a decoy marker near Tunnel Rats and bedazzled them twice, drawing up secrets with both.

Hamelin walked, gave a walk for Tunnel Rats to get out of likely Ensnare, summoned rats and moved rats and Nix with Piper's Dance.

Irena walked, charged a Malifaux Rat and blasted away one of the earlier scheme markers.

Benny summoned rats and resupplied.

A Mechanical Dove walked and charged and killed Tunnel Rats with crow trigger.

Fumigator took a double walk to stand next to deployed enemy strategy marker. Caustic Mist summoned a new Tunnel Rats and did damage to Colette, and we erroneously (I think?) delivered Shadowlark to Fumigator. Wordening could use some clarification. I would've considered "attack" to refer to attack action, but opponent intuitively associated damage to attacks. 

Showgirl walked to beckon Shadowlark closer, but quickly regretted that because of hazardous. 

Rat Catcher double-walked on top of terrain and summoned a couple of rats.

I tried to stall with Malifaux Rats, but opponent just activated Mechanical Doves 

And then Shadowlark went to town with Fumigator, leaving it to one or two health remaining. 

Stolen took a double walk to enemy strategy marker and summoned a couple of Malifaux Rats. 

Altus zapped a couple of Malifaux Rats with arced Shatter Illusions.

Last Stolen and a Prospector didn't do very meaningful activations, but another Prospector went to control the Highground.

A Showgirl and Cassandra go to Keene siblings. 

Nix ran on top of terrain inside enemy deployment for scheme.

Performers failed to score points. Plague got two.

Turn 2: Plague picked Search the Area, Performers took Reshape the Land on Decoy markers.

Shadowlark, Colette and Blackbird kills a Stolen, played whack-a-rat and seriously damaged Tunnel Rats, as well as picked up strategy. After Irena picked up another strategy, I didn't even bother for this round.

Hamelin and Benny summoned quite a few rats that were eventually cleared out by Altus and Mechanical Doves. Hamelin managed to black joker Haunting Melody on Nix, which was especially bad for Search the Area. 

Tunnel Rats moved and escaped the venue by walking and using Secret Passage to drop a scheme marker for Search the Area now that 

Cassandra and Showgirl were beating Benny, who summoned more rats. Benny was able to damage Showgirl down to one remaining, but Altus was able to heal her back to full.

Shadowlark and Colette put down the required decoy markers for Reshape the Land one pointer.

Nix placed two schemes for Search the Area, which Plague scored with one point thanks to Hamelin's black joker.

Plague got a point from scheme, while Performers got a point from strategy as well as one from their scheme for a 3-2 lead for Plague.

Turn 3: Plague picks Breakthrough, Performers took Public Demonstration.

For strategy extra point, Tunnel Rats dropped a scheme with trigger before being killed by Mechanical Dove... again. 

It shouldn't have been that hard, but it took Prospector, Benny, Stolen AND Hamelin to kill one Showgirl. And it happened at a good point too, because opponent could have revealed  Public Demonstration. Benny got tome trigger from his rat summons, and planted it on the centerline. With the marker that Prospector dropped last turn, Plague was able to score two points from Breakthrough.

Fortunately opponent wasn't that effective with attacks, either. I lost only Rat Catcher, second Stolen and the Tunnel Rats, plus every rat my crew was able to summon. 

In three turns I had managed to kill a Showgirl. Strategy was not looking good.

But, Plague did manage to get the extra points for Recover Evidence, and two for Breakthrough. Performers also got the extra evidence point as well as regular point, but Public Demonstration failed. Scores went 6-4, so chances were it wouldn't matter that much that I was so far behind on attrition.

Turn 4: Plague picks Frame Job, Performer picks Detonate Charges

Plague managed to kill the other Showgirl, too, and Hamelin picked up both strategy markers. 

I also had the opportunity to bluff each possible scheme with my first move - moving with Prospector's bonus, dropping a scheme and charging Cassandra Felton. This could be Frame Job, build up for Assassinate as Cassandra was barely above half of her health, or even Public Demonstration since Prospector was a minion.

Irena came to butcher up the Prospector, netting Plague two Frame Job points.

Arcanists managed to get just two scheme markers to Benny Wolcomb, but they also picked up two strategy markers.

Game ended in a 9-6 victory for Plague.

My Very First Ashen Core

 A 50ss game of Malifaux 3rd edition, with the addition of terrain scaling and jumping from 4th.

Strategy: Standard Raid the Vaults

Schemes: Take Prisoner, Sweating Bullets, Information Overload, Power Ritual, Let Them Bleed

My list:

Leveticus, Pariah & 2x Hollow Waif
Rusty Alyce
Ashes and Dust
Marlena Webster
Vee
Soul Battery
Scavenger
Abomination

Pool: 2
Schemes: Sweating Bullets (Ashes and Dust), Power Ritual

Opponent had:

Kastore, Awakened & Marathine
Barbaros
Gwyll
Leech King
White Eyes
Cavern Nephilim
Urnbearer

Pool: 3
Schemes: Sweating Bullets (Barbaros), Information Overload

Turn 1:

Amalgam was quite evenly distributed along their deployment. From left to right I had Hollow Waif, Ashes and Dust, covering the bottom-left corner. Ashes left a scheme marker there, tool Rusty Alyce and Marlena were just beyond bottom-left corner's strategy marker, while Leveticus went already to cast a useless Soul Harvest. My idea was to limit regeneration overheals that way, but only Leech King actually cared about that.

Scavenger, Abomination and Soul Battery were around the centerpoint. Vee placed a scheme marker to bottom-right corner and took a walk forward, as I had no targets for intel gathering. Last Hollow Waif was at the right table edge, biding her time.

Most of Neverborn Resurrectionists walked and concentrated, plus had their overheal shenanigans. White Eyes was coming from the left, hugging table edge there. Cavern Nephilim was next, inside a ruined building. Leech King was behind the building, near  top-left strategy marker and Urnbearer next o Leech King. 

Gwyll went on top of building, next to top-right strategy marker. Kastore was a bit further on the same building, having enthralled Scavenger to charge Soul Battery. Barbaros was past the building, so all Returned henchmen and master was in top-right quarter, and Ashes and Dust for sweating bullets was in bottom-left corner. Yay.

Marathine had gone to place a scheme marker past centerline near center-right strategy marker.

Turn 2:

Leech King was able to summon a Giant Leech right next to Leveticus, who did two pings of Soul Harvest next, and finished off the Giant Leech with a lucky melee attack.

Cavern Nephilim does an Echolocation to Marlena, blasts damage to Alyce and uses its second action to maul her. White Eyes walked, charged Ashes and Dust and leaped to Rusty Alyce to attack her, too. And lands a Red Joker on damage. Damage block reduced that by two, armor by one and one was transfered to Marlena. It felt wild to mark only two boxes of damage from Red Joker.

Alyce has to stay in melee with both models to contest bottom-left marker... although I don't quite know why. I guess I still had some hopes to deny Returned a point. As even Vee took a walk, Gathered Intel for Soul Battery, and didn't get tomes for her own burial. Soul Battery rant to contest bottom-left strategy marker, too.

Urnbearer comes to contest center-left marker that was held by only Leveticus, so Ashes and Dust had to walk and charge her, not doing much. 

Kastore enthralls Abomination to slam a bush in front of it and charged the thing. Abomination survived, but was finished off by Barbaros.

Scavenger was staggered and stunned from last turn, so he wasn't able to do much.

Hollow Waif slammed a part of the hedge maze and takes a shot at Kastore, not doing anything.

Gwyll exists, staying disguised on top of a building.

End phase thing of Kastore drops third required marker for Information Overload reveal, and both crews get their strategy point for a 2-1 lead for Kastore.

Turn 3:

Bottom-left quarter sees some fierce combat. It takes the combined efforts of Rusty Alyce, Marlena Webster and Hollow Waif to finally kill the gravely injured White Eyes. Soul Battery doesn't do much of anything, but he does explode into two soulstones. 

Cavern Nephilim and White Eyes attacked Rusty Alyce, so much so that I was almost out of soulstones again despite Soul Battery's sacrifice. Last to join the fray was Kastore himself, who took a double walk and charged Marlena. I don't blame him, both Rusty Alyce and Marlena were starting to be low on health - but so were Cavern Nephilim and Kastore himself after a lucky shot from Scavenger's shotgun and Hollow Waif's gun.

Leveticus walked, pinged Leech King and Urnbearer for a point of damage, and killed Urnbearer with a strike. Leech King charged him, and so did Barbaros. Well, technically he charged Ashes and Dust, but that inbuilt Shove Aside is a thing. After Barbaros was done, both Ashes and Dust and Leveticus were low on health. Well, Ashes wasn't that low, but a bad Cage Fighter coupled with Black Blood might rob me of Sweating Bullets. So, Ashes and Dust just had to concentrate and shrug.

Scavenger and Vee were controlling center-right, Leveticus and Ashes and Dust the center-left. Cavern Nephilim had bottom-left all by itself, so both players got their strategy. Both also reveal Sweating Bullets, so scores go 4-3 for Kastore.

Turn 4:

Somehow Marlena Webster survived the onslaught of Kastore, and that spelled doom for Kastore. Sure, Returned master took kind of a risk, but Marlena was like down to three health or so - she should have been removed with four master action points. 

But instead Rusty Alyce and Leveticus make the Returned master Gone. 

Buuut... after Leech King and Barbaros were done, Leveticus was down to one health remaining and Ashes and Dust was transformed to Ashen Core and Dust Storm. 

Cavern Nephilim did a scheme and went on top of tower, still contestin bottom-left marker. This eventually forced Marlena to go contest it.

Vee had walked and healed Leveticus, and was contesting the center-right marker with Gwyll. Where did Scavenger go? Well, he was able to score Masks with Weird Device to get an 8" teleport, then walk to control top-right strategy marker.

This evened scores to 4-4.

Turn 5:

Barbaros sure enough killed Leveticus with bonus action and charged to beat Vee. Gwyll went to place a scheme, contesting center-right marker, but did so near enough Vee that she was able to engage both henchmen for Sweating Bullets.

Rusty Alyce walked within 6" of centerpoint and tried to finish off Leech King, but failed to do so. Instead the King engaged her. Giant Leech was also summoned.

Hollow Waif at one health remaining went on top of the tower where Cavern Nephilim was, but it took both of her actions. Fortunately Cavern Nephilim failed to kill her with one attack, so it wasn't able to drop a scheme. 

That was pretty much the last deciding factor, as now Marlena and Scavenger were able to deny Kastore the Information Overload.

Outcasts got Power Ritual reveal, and both players got Sweating Bullets end condition for a 6-5 victory for Leveticus.