Public Nightmares

I found some time for a game of Malifaux. Round was standard 50 soulstones. 

Strategy: Public Enemies with Wedge deployment

My list:

Seamus & Copycat Killer
Mortimer
Bete Noire
Hanged with Grave Spirit Touch (Vendetta)
2x Rotten Belle
Dead Doxy
Gravedigger

Pool: 1

Schemes: Breakthrough, Vendetta

Opponent had (something like):

Dreamer with Ancient Pact & Lord Chompy Bits with Inhuman Reflexes
Serena Bowman
Coppelius (Vendetta target)
Stitched Together
Insidious Madness
Daydream with Ancient Pact
Daydream

Pool: 8

Schemes: Assassinate, Breakthrough

Turn 1:

It was wedge deployment, so action started right from the first turn. Seamus shot a severe injury in to Coppelius, which was a bit more than I was comfortable with - killing Coppelius was tempting, but he was my vendetta target!

Coppelius returned the favor with dealing casual six points in with a moderate damage, push and poking Seamus' eye a bit.

Bete Noire charged Lord Chompy Bits, dealing four points of damage which was nice surprise, although it might be inconsequential because of regenerate and various heal abilities. 

I forget which model, perhaps Dreamer himself, dropped Seamus down to three health remaining which was the moment when Copycat Killer had to come in to save the day. 

Belles, Mortimer and Hanged kill off the Daydream who has Ancient Pact, and I'm left wondering if it was worth about six action points or what. Perhaps it is safe to say that a daydream happened - a model died to black joker! 

Turn 2:

Hanged activates, desperate to whack Coppelius with dead man's collar for vendetta. Hanged succeeds, but it wasn't until my second attack was half-way through when I realized that if I killed Coppelius, I wouldn't be able to reveal Vendetta. Dang. Fortunately opponent denies Hanged's kill by cheating fate. 

Seamus kills Coppelius, sure, but not before it could land its pulse effect on four models, slapping Slow on Mortimer and getting one Alp to manifest. 

Dreamer charges Gravedigger and switches positions with Lord Chompy Bits. Gravedigger tries to kill Lord Chompy Bits who only has four health remaining. After he was done and Lord Chompy Bits activates, it is back at seven health and there is another extra Alp on the board. Gravedigger dug his own grave. Badum-tshhh.

All Rotten Belles and Dead Doxy charge the newly emerged Alp, and fell it down to two wounds or something.

Bete Noire speed towards enemy deployment zone, but is followed by Stitched Together. 

Then there was this brawl at the middle of the board that included Serena, Insidious Madness, Alp and Dreamer versus Hanged and Mortimer. This fight continued for pretty much the rest of the game with neither side getting to do anything useful.

Resurrectionists score two, and opponent reveals Assassinate.

Turn 3:

Bete Noire takes a run deeper into enemy deployment zone, and Seamus does the same. 

Lord Chompy Bits kills a Belle, which means opponent can score strategy this turn. 

Stitched Together charges Bete Noire, who buries herself. Later I, for some reason, deny myself a point from Breakthrough by teleporting Seamus away from a Daydream.

Belle kills Alp and starts backing off with a precious bounty token. Hanged kills another Alp, so now I'd need one extra point from already wounded Insidious Madness. Mortimer, go! Well. Decay does a little damage, but alas, not enough. He manages to summon a Mindless Zombie, though.

No other reports from the middle. Just whiffs and failures.

Neverborn evens out scores to 2-2.

Turn 4

Seamus continues to lay eggs on the enemy deployment zone. On top of everything, he is also the Easter Bunny. 

Lord Chompy Bits moves to my deployment zone and interacts. Mortimer has to come and deny the initial point from Breakthrough. 

Nothing happens against the Hanged. Sure, he's around half health remaining or so, and that was only because of one lucky severe injury. But still going "strong." 

Bete Noire jumps from Gravedigger's corpse and runs back to enemy deployment zone. 

Resurrectionists go 3-2 with revealed Breakthrough.

Turn 5

I think the important bits from turn 5 can be summed: neverborn murders Mortimer, and as last activation Copycat Killer comes and teleports Seamus within 4" of Lord Chompy Bits, denying the point that would have given draw.

Neverborn go to 3 points from strategy, and resurrectionists to 4 from Breakthrough end condition.

Two letters in no particular order

 A short update on two games of Love Letter with two players to pass long days and longer nights.

(Make that three four games.)

I'll use this blog post to also jot down four games of Labyrinth and two games of Sphinx.

Telekinetic

Since there was one weekend with less of other pressing matters, it could be sanctified for gaming purposes! Yay. Another game of Warmachine on the following day with 50 points.

My list was:

Cryx

Dark Host
Lord Exhumator Scaverous [+27]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Leviathan [16]
 - Reaper [13]
 - Ripjaw [7]
 - Skarlock Thrall [4]
Bane Lord Tartarus [0(6)]
Bane Warriors (max) [16]
 - Bane Warrior Officer & Standard [0(5)]
Wraith Engine [15]

Opponent had:

Protectorate

Exemplar Interdiction
Grand Scrutator Severius [+28]
- Blessing of Vengeance [13]
 - Crusader [10]
 - Indictor [14]
 - Hierophant [3]
Exemplar Bastion Seneschal [0(5)]
Vassal Mechanik [1]
Vassal of Menoth [0(3)]
Vassal of Menoth [0(3)]
Choir of Menoth (min) [4]
Exemplar Bastions (max) [15]
Exemplar Cinerators (max) [13]
 - Exemplar Cinerator Officer [5]

Cryx won starting roll and chose to go first because I was confident in the disparity between the speed of our forces.

Wraith Engine took one flank, and was to face Indictor and Blessing of Vengeance and an assortment of solos. Both armies had their infantry go in the middle, and one flank was a duel between Deathripper and Crusader. Ouch.

Second turn I was able to start shooting. Reaper dragged one Bastion to its death, and Leviathan managed to kill Bastion Seneschal in one shot. 

Opponent then engaged with most of his army, which was good news for Bane Warriors. I figured that if I don't use my feat on turn 3, I won't have a feat because of Severius' own. Scaverous allocated some focus for Leviathan, and started with casting feated Feast of Worms on Cinerators, and a Telekinesis on Crusader that was barely standing on zone on the right. 

Here we both forgot defensive strike from Bastions. It might not have changed things that much - my warjacks would've needed to dedicate themselves for Bastions, and maybe Feast of Worms would have gone to different direction, saving a couple of Cinerators. But as it happened, both units vanished from the board. Even one Machine Wraith entered the fray. Scaverous netted a total of six souls, which is about on par with Asphyxious3 on feat turn. Go figure.

Opponent removed Wraith Engine as was expected, but most of the Banes survived even after two Ashes to Ashes, which was unexpected. Crusader smashed Deathripper to bits, so opponent would start scoring points from scenario soon. 

There were some options for me to assassinate Severius, some more illegal than others. Fortunately the warcaster fell to shooting, since I had completely forgotten about the fact that Severius had fried Ripjaw's cortex system earlier in the game, meaning it should not have been able to run as far as it did. I had planned to launch Feast of Worms on top of Hierophant, but then I kind of forgot even that and spent my 13 focus spamming some worthless telekinesises... 

Well, at least Severius died. 

Test brawl

 Had a 25 point game of Warmachine on Vassal. 

Brawlmachine format has been evading me for a while, but this is no longer the case. We played the Ignition scenario.

My list was:

 Asphyxious the Hellbringer [+24]
- Malice [15]
 - Nightwretch [7]
 - Slayer [10]
Machine Wraith [2]
Necrotech [2]
Pistol Wraith [5]
Cephalyx Overlords [8]

Opponent had:

 Bane Witch Agathia [+29]

 - Deathripper [6]

 - Desecrator [14]

 - Reaper [13]

 - Skarlock Thrall [4]

Bane Warriors (max) [16]

I chose to go second to start scoring. I felt the new and improved Bane Warriors of Agathia were oppressing, so as soon as I got the chance I slapped Calamity on them. Worth it? I don't know. I lost Nightwretch and entire unit of Cephalyx Overlords, but hey, Calamity!

Opponent had used feat on turn 2, but this didn't stop me from scoring two scenario points by walking my army far too close to enemy lines. This ended up with Desecrator shooting the cortex off of Malice, the loss of aforementioned models and even six points of damage to Asphyxious after using focus to mitigate damage.

But Asphyxious' forces survived, with fourteen focus on Asphyxious to boot. First Slayer activates to trample, and removes movement from enemy Reaper. Vociferon shoots a Hellfire to Reaper, and even Malice comes to take a focusless harpoon shot at it. And yet the thing survived with cortex and helldriver intact. 

Asphyxious charges to a group of nicely lined Bane Warriors, and manages to kill all five and still ended his turn with six focus. Pistol Wraith had been sitting on a flag, attempting to score points but now there was a Bane Warrior sitting within range to contest. The bane was shot.

It's turn 3, and Asphyxious leads the game by three points.

Now he just needed to survive a shot from Desecrator, three focus worth of attacks from Reaper and whatever Agathia would be able to deliver.

The heavy warjacks bring Asphyxious down to two focus remaining, plus half of his damage grid dusted off. It wouldn't be easy for Agathia to finish him, and eventually she didn't. And since there were no contesting models near Pistol Wraith, game ended in favor of Asphyxious.

Warmachine in Stopped Motion

 

This game was played a long time ago actually, many months ago. But it took me a great while to actually complete this video, but now it's here! Never mind the Warwitch Siren that I forgot to deploy!

Cornered Locations

One quick game of A Touch of Evil via Tabletop Simulator.

It was a continuation of our long running campaign with a friend.

This time we were up against the Necromancer, which I consider one of the more if not the most difficult encounters of the game. Especially with only two players. Because of this we took two extra investigation per hero from our campaign stash, and spent one investigation to draw two heroes and choose either one. 

We had some luck to receive Karl the Zombie Killer in our pool of heroes. Karl is especially good against the most frequent spawn of the Necromancer, the Walking Dead. They have four combat dice, but hit only on 6+, and Karl ignores first hit during every fight round.

Another character was Sara the Bright Witch. Initial plan was to make Karl invulnerable with her Aura of Protection.

But the very first zombie the heroes faced must have been an ancient warlord or something. It took over five fight rounds for Karl to carve through it, and he went to one wound remaining with Aura of Protection. I guess campaign rules caused bad karma, and game wanted to rob us of our resources right from the start.

Sara single-handedly beat her first zombie. She visited Manor and entered the Forgotten Island via secret passage. She drew a +3 combat pistol she couldn't use. But at least she'd be able to carry it for Karl, right? Right??

Yes and no. She managed to get knocked down as she tried to grind some investigation points to get Sacred Chalice. But the zombie guarding the Monastery was a cousin of the first zombie, and ate through Sara's Aura of Protection, leaving Sara knocked down with just one investigation point, a horse, and the pistol. 

On mystery phase she rolled 2 for lost investigation. She had lost it all, except for the magic pistol.

Karl visited Abandoned Keep, and after losing one investigation from a collapse, he found the Rogue's Rapier. 

These two visits to corner locations were the only times heroes were able to do it in this game. 

Such is the nature of the Necromancer.

But thanks to some lucky events and courses of action, Karl was able to afford silver bullets and pistol. He did receive -1 combat Devil's Mark. Coupled with the magic pistol from Sara and Magistrate Kroft, Karl sported ten fight dice once we started showdown. He had also managed to train his Spirit & Cunning to 8, unlike Sara. 

Sara's most accomplished deed over the course of the game was to bring magic pistol for Karl. In the showdown she also prevented a total of four wounds from Karl, so her contribution wasn't negligible. But she scored no wounds to the villain, and didn't succeed to kill Mayor Carver, the Shadow's Puppet, first time she tried with three dice and a re-roll. Second time with four dice and a re-roll she got through with her spell of death. 

Karl, however, did the dirty work. It was toughest showdown in a while - for two rounds victory hinged solely on a roll of 5+ if Necromancer killed Magistrate Kroft and brought Shadow Track to 0. He didn't, so heroes saved Shadowbrook from the most oppressive of villains. 

Campaign Statistics:

Villains defeated: Spectral Horseman, Vampire, Siren, Bog Fiend, Volgovian Nutcracker, Delion Dryad, Scarecrow, Krampus, Sunken Seven, Gargoyle, Banshee, Reaper, Dreamweaver, Werewolf, Unspeakable Horror, Necromancer

Villains still to be defeated: 2, +1 investigation vs Shadow Witch

Heroes dead: Katarina the Outlaw, Frederic Leon Brother Marcus, Anne-Marie, Lucy Hanbrook, Harlow Morgan, Scarlet Shadow, Maria de la Rosa, Thomas the Courier, Adrianna, Valeria, Jack Fellows, Argot Blackwell, Inspector Cooke, Isabella von Took & Liliana, Lost Soul
Heroes remaining: 8

Stashed investigation: 4

January Update

 I haven't had time for too many games lately, because of reasons. And probably won't for a little while.

However, now and then I've been able to snatch some time to paint.

Two quick models were both Hanged models for Resurrectionists in Malifaux. Nothing big there.

But it's been a while since I've done any terrain for my game table. I've expanded choices with a total of eight wooden walkways, two stretto bridges and villetta alessandra, a pretty much 3"x3" building. All of them are by TTCombat. 

Price tag for these terrain pieces isn't wasn't that high for EU customers, but then Brexit changed everything. There were some issues with stretto bridges and villetta balcone zaira (not shown in picture), but nothing that a proper file and clippers couldn't take care of. 

There we go.

Most Annoying Dog of All Ages

 Had a game of Malifaux over the Vassal platform. It was a 50 soul stone game, strategy Turf War and Wedge deployment. Scheme Pool: Claim Jump, Deliver a Message, Breakthrough, Vendetta, Outflank

My list was:

Hamelin & 3x Stolen
Nix (Claim Jump)
Benny Wolcomb
Hans with Servant of the Dark Powers
Rat Catcher
Rat King
Winged Plague
Malifaux Rat

Pool: 5
Schemes: Claim Jump, Outflank

Opponent had:

Jakob Lynch & Hungering Darkness
Kitty Dumont
Mr. Tannen
Mr. Graves
Tanuki
2x Illuminated
2x Depleted 

Pool: 2
Schemes: Breakthrough, Claim Jump

Turn 1:

Things started heating up right from the very first turn. Heralding Hans took all but one hit point off from Mr. Tannen far, far away. And it wasn't even severe damage (but double critical moderate.)

Mr. Graves on the other hand got to charge Hamelin as made possible by Kitty Dumont. 

Nix went to become an annoying nuisance to mid-field. Both players interacted two turf markers for them. Benny Wolcomb fails to make three more rats as I had already burnt through my applicable cards.

Turn 2:

Hans takes another shot at Mr. Tannen, killing him. This forced Tanuki to go and re-interact turf marker on the lower right back to Ten Thunders. A Rat Catcher accompanied Hans on the right side of the map, and he was just out of scoring a point from Outflank. Because of this I didn't even bring Winged Plague to outflank left.

A heck of a brawl turned loose in the middle, when Nix was joined by Rat King to contest the middle, and Hungering Darkness was reinforced with two Illuminated. 

Nix endured, and then Nix endured, and then Nix endured even more. The dog probably ate some Duracell batteries before it was transformed into an undead wraith by the eldritch energies of the underworld.

Illuminated were rather unremovable, too, and I didn't even bother with trying to attack Hungering Darkness.

Jakob Lynch and Depleted gave some damage to Hamelin, who was sitting at six hit points remaining right on the second turn. Good thing he still had 15 of them in the form of Stolen. Most of the damage came through Mr. Graves, however, who went down with three blows from the Black Staff. 

Benny Wolcomb is out of cards once more, but succeeds to summon three rats on his second action. Those were some costly rats. Both players score one point from strategy.

Turn 3:

Hans takes a shot at the comic relief that is Tanuki, and manages to shoot off five sixths of its health. Tanuki on the other hand savagely tears apart Malifaux Rat.

Melee in the middle is a farce. No-one manages to do anything, except getting loads of frustration from trying to kill Nix. More serious casualty was the loss of a Stolen through scintillating cloud.

Benny makes one more rat, who eventually form into another Rat King. 

Although eight models were removed one way or another, none of them were significant. Finally, however, Outcasts get to score Outflank.

Turn 4:

Opponent wins initiative with his seven pass tokens. Chances were he'd win even with a black joker. Because of this, Nix finally succumbs. But really. What a nightmare model to deal with. It caused opponent to spend at least 12 action points into directly trying to remove it, and on top of those is the way Nix dictated the game flow. Perhaps it was a mistake to slap Claim Jump on a model like Nix, as it's the most obvious choice for it but damn is he not good at staying!

Then Hans kills Tanuki, essentially gaining his points back.

Rat King in the middle survives either an Illuminated or Kitty Dumont with a cheated red joker, and is then used to summon a Rat Catcher. 

Another Stolen dies to a scintillating cloud, and then Lynch and Hungering Darkness try to remove Hamelin who is now at one hit point remaining. But the one Stolen survives attack by Hungering Darkness, so Hamelin has a safeguard against death for now.

Rat Catcher on the right takes a dive into enemy territory, wanting to interact with enemy turf. 

Summoned Rat King just hangs around near Outcast top-left turf, just in case.

Turn 5:

We did not play turn 5 in its entirety. Once it became apparent that opponent wouldn't be able to counteract my turfs and my outflank, we stopped. But still, the game was rather starved of victory points with scores being 4-2 for Outcasts.