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. 

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.

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.