The main reason I've put this off is because it's more of a report on my own shortcomings than anything particularly incisive about Malifaux. Without giving too much away (if you're reading this, you're probably following my Twitter feed and know what happened), whilst wide awake and firing, I did well enough to lead the event for two rounds and fight a valiant rearguard. And then it all started to go horribly wrong...
Scheme pools aren't on this report because I forgot to write them down, and don't have the results sheet to write them up. Apologies - will try to do better.
Round 1
Lady Justice, Judge, Francisco Ortega, Dr Grimwell, Master Queeg, Brutal Effigy
Vs
Giordano Vignoli (Henchman for Modena, Italy)
Perdita, Francisco, Santiago, Nino, Austringer, Brutal Emissary, Enslaved Nephilim
Collect the Bounty
This one didn't last very long.
My first activation, my Francisco put El Mayor on Lady Justice, brought her up with Hermanos de Armas and cleared the way. Next up, Judge double-walked and pulled Justice up again with Stand for Judgment. Then Grimwell used Doctor's Orders and that was another 5" for the Lady.
When Justice activated, turn 1, she could charge literally any model in Giordano's crew. She was so far forward, and this caught him so completely by surprise, it was a very unpleasant shock. Nino died turn 1 to clear the path for my Convict Labour, his Francisco went down turn 2, and when Perdita died at the hands of the big sword early in turn 3 Giordano conceded. He had his Austringer and Nephilim left, and no chance of scoring. My Francisco had Flurried his Emissary to death and Santiago had been Lobotomised by Dr Grimwell.
10-0 win. I felt so guilty I gave him my limited edition Perdita card, and we talked Guild for a while. My use of Queeg for Promises, and Welcome to Hell so my Henchmen could set up Convict Labour with 0 actions, really helped get me that far ahead, and notes were taken on the Justice slingshot. Not just the Viks that can do that!
Believe it or not, of the 62 games that took place in the first round, this game was the only 10-0. Which meant I was leading the event...
Round 2
Sonnia Criid, Francisco, Dr Grimwell, Lone Marshal, Field Reporter, 2 Watchers
Vs
Will Finn-Lewis
Lilith, Nekima, Tuco, Doppelgänger, Illuminated, Waldgeist, Primordial Magic
Extraction
I like Sonnia against Neverborn because they have monstrously high stats, Pandora taking everything on Wp7 or Lilith hiding behind Df7. Ca9 cuts through that. Being able to pick on the available models and blast off into the hidden models is even more useful.
That's pretty much what turned this game. Lilith was skulking behind a train whilst Tuco was trying to get into position to shotgun Sonnia. Sonnia Focussed, cast at Tuco and hit the Red Joker for damage. He died screaming and burning, whilst the Blasts bracketed Lilith and Nekima. When Lilith threw Nekima up with Tangle Shadows, Nekima couldn't survive the counter attack from Francisco and Grimwell and went down quickly whilst Lilith immediately hid. That made it very difficult for him to contest the Extraction marker, especially when the Lone Marshal secured my Leave Your Mark and trick-shot off the Doppelgänger.
It got to turn 4 when I was a little careless with Sonnia, and Lilith came out on the attack, Tangling herself in. Sonnia went down (even Badge of Office didn't help!), but then Francisco piled in and finished Lilith off. 3 points each for Neutralise the Leader...
10-6 win for the Guild. Sonnia was able to dominate the table for the opening turns whilst Lilith hid and Nekima was killed off, and that made it impossible for the Neverborn to contest the Extraction marker. Solidity is a faction weakness of theirs and boy does Sonnia make them pay for it once she's settled.
Round 3
Hoffman, Peacekeeper, Guardian, 2 Steam Arachnid Swarms, 2 Watchers
Vs
Pete Sidaway
Hamelin, Obedient Wretch, Ashes and Dust, Big Jake, 2 Winged Plague, Stolen
Squatters Rights
I was still leading the event going into the third round, which was the round of old school schemes. Unfortunately for me the strategy was Squatters Rights, and I just find it one that Guild really struggle with. Trying to interact across such a wide space is a major problem for a faction that doesn't have the interact tricks of others. The scheme pool was all scheme markers as well which made it even harder.
Hence the choice of Hoffman. One Watcher was Nimble, the other could interact for 0 actions. The Steam Arachnid Swarms could pulse away enemy scheme markers. And between the Peacekeeper and a Guardian, the thought went, there would be enough reach to contest the squat markers.
Unfortunately trying to keep up with a Hamelin crew on interactions is like urinating in a strong gale. Models combine into other models which push and generate more models. Some of those models have Don't Mind Me. Some of them eat my scheme markers. And in the middle of it all is my crew, getting its Blighted condition cranked up so Hamelin can go "BLEEDING DISEASE!"
This was a very technical game. I was able to get two Squat markers and protect them, but protecting Protect Territory and Power Ritual markers from Rat Kings was much harder. That's where I lost points and couldn't get them back. All credit to Pete, he's a very good player and played Hamelin well and quickly enough that we comfortably finished all 5 turns in the time limit.
When the dust settled, I believe I lost 6-10 (it was definitely a 4 point loss). In the circumstances, I'm almost proud of that. It was bloody hard work.
From here unfortunately my notes go to pieces, and so did my Malifaux.
Round 4 was Interference, against Jamie Clark and his Arcanists. Rollins Black took the field against Mei Feng. This game was the reason why I don't play 4 round events - my brain just can't cope, especially after the utter headf*ck that had been the previous game.
I was horribly tired and Jamie rolled me over 6-8. To be honest it didn't really feel that close. I was being annoying with Field Reporters, and Joss bouncing off Grimwell was funny, but making daft decisions like letting Pale Rider get too close to Langston with Kang nearby turned out to be fatally idiotic.
Overnight, unfortunately I didn't get much sleep. So when I rolled in first game on Sunday I was really feeling the effects of the previous day, and when I drew Lewis Phillips, one of the Best Guild protagonists, I really hoped I could give him a real game, my Rollins vs his Nellie. That didn't happen...
This game can be summed up with the following story. We were joking around at the start of the game about a ramp, and Rollins leaping off it. I deployed my crew and played the entire first turn before Lewis asked me if I was going to activate my Master. I'd left Rollins on the ramp. Which was Height 7. So he had to spend 2 entire turns, even at his speed, just to get into the game.
I lost and I lost badly. Apologies to Lewis - I'll give you a real game next time!
Round 6 was a straight up cock up. I saw my Italian opponent Luca Pagliai's beautiful Perdita crew set out for Best Painted, and figured in Headhunter I'd stick to my normal plan. Sonnia Criid burns lots of things and then Watchers pick up heads and relay information.
Luca, however, set out Hoffman. First time I've ever played against Hoffman and I didn't see him coming. Sonnia took one look at all the armour and was left saying "this is bullsh*t..." as fireballs bounced off left right and centre. 9-3 win to Luca who played very well.
The freefall bottomed out last round against Nathan Chenery. He plays Hamelin very well, and the strategy was Stake a Claim. I swore when the draw was revealed. I swore a lot. This was going to be tough...
My list actually worked. Nellie Cochrane to hand out Fast, pull his models where they couldn't Stake, Phiona Gage and 2 Hunters to do some damage, and 2 Reporters and 3 Watchers to speed across the table.
Unfortunately my brain didn't work. Turn 2, I Staked a Claim in the wrong half of the table, a decision that gave Nathan two free points. And thinking I was being clever, at one point I burned Nellie's entire activation to clear the path for a Watcher to Stake, forgetting that the Watcher in question had been smashed to bits in the previous turn.
Yep. 5th straight loss.
So having led the biggest Malifaux tournament ever for most of day 1, I sank without trace and finished on 2 wins and 5 losses, good for 102nd from 124.
As I said at the start, I'm pleased with how I played the first 3 games. Thereafter, tiredness and its consequences meant this is not a tale of glory for the annals...
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