Today (19.07.2015) we supposed to have another great day as Mike decided to sacrifice some of his precious time and he organised a 50SS open faction/master tournament.
We were hoping to have 6-7 players but due to the various reasons we ended up with 3 players only... There was a little point to pretend this to be tournament any longer so I was granted an opportunity to play 3 'friendly' games.
I was going to this event with one pledge: I'll play fully thematic (or almost fully) Tara's crew despite that there was Headhunter and Collect the Bounty as strategies in two games.
Round 1
50SS Tara (daniello_s) vs Hoffman (Mark)
Deployment: Corner Deployment
Strategy: Headhunter
Schemes: ALITS, Protect Territory, Breakthrough, Plant Evidence, Murder Protege
Mark brought:
Hoffman (4SS pool) - Arcanist Assets, Field Mechanic, On Site Assimilation
Rail Golem
Miss Step
Hunter
Metal Gamin
2x Guild Hounds
Watcher
I took:
Tara (5SS pool) - Knowledge of Eternity, Obliteration Symbiote, Dead of Winter
Malifaux Child
Nothing Beast - Void Shield
Killjoy
2x Death Marshal
2x Void Wretch
We both picked and announced Protect Territory and Plant Evidence
I've never played against Hoffman before but I knew he will work in the deadly bubble surrounded by his constructs.
Table setup:
Turn 1
Walking, walking, walking, Hoffman power loop (Gamin, Miss Step and Rail Golem) which made me almost my heart to stop when I saw this for the first time of my life, more walking...
Upkeep phase - No VP scored on either side; Score after turn 1: Tara 0 - Hoffman 0
Turn 2
More walking, power looping plus scheme marker dropping. Nothing interesting happened that turn.
Upkeep phase - No VP scored on either side; Score after turn 2: Tara 0 - Hoffman 0
Turn 3
Hoffman and his happy gang closed up so I unleashed Killjoy and backed him up with Fast. Result: 4 damage inflicted in total... Besides of that we dropped more scheme markers.
Upkeep phase - No VP scored on either side; Score after turn 3: Tara 0 - Hoffman 0
Turn 4
Time to bury Killjoy back and unleash him later. So I flipped two cards for initiative: 11 and lower and Marked flipped lower than me. Then he burned the soulstone and got 12... I tried same but failed...
Effect of those events was obvious - Killjoy died and his head was picked up by Hoffman later.
So my only option was to try to hunt down something less difficult to kill than Miss Step or Rail Golem so I spread out my guys in effort to attack Hunter or Watcher.
Upkeep phase - Hoffman +1VP for Startegy ; Score after turn 4: Tara 0 - Hoffman 1
Turn 5
Fast Nothing Beast attacked Hunter dropped him to last wound only...
Loco, loco, locomotion baby! That's how I can describe what happened later this turn.
Rail Golem (who was Nimble since turn 1 thanks to upgrade granted him by Hoffman...) charged Tara and used his locomotion (done twice) to stomp Tara to death.
We both couldn't pick her head so after all this is how the game has ended.
Upkeep phase - Tara: +3VP for Plant Evidence, +3 VP for Protect Territory; Hoffman: +3VP for Plant Evidence, +3 VP for Protect Territory;
Final score: Tara 6 - Hoffman 7
Round 2
50SS Tara (daniello_s) vs Kirai (Mike)
Deployment: Standard Deployment
Strategy: Turf War
Schemes: ALITS, Bodyguard, Breakthrough, Outflank, Murder Protege
Mike brough:
Kirai (6SS pool) - Unforgiven
Lost Love
Datsue Ba - Spirit Whisper, Spirit Beacon
Nurse
Chiaki the Niece
Izamu
Canine Remains
Flesh Construct
I took:
Tara (4SS pool) - Knowledge of Eternity, Obliteration Symbiote, Dead of Winter
Malifaux Child
Nothing Beast - Void Shield
Desolation Engine
2x Death Marshal
2x Void Wretch
Mike picked and announced: Murder Protege (Desolation Engine) and Breakthough.
I picked and announced: Murder Protege (Izamu) and Breakthough, too.
Again, it was my first game against Kirai and I had no idea what she can do to me. Then I've learnt it hard way...
Table:
Tara setup:
Kirai setup:
Turn 1
I moved my guys closer to the centre, Tara was hiding behind the central piece of columns (not visible by any enemy model).
The Kirai unleashed the hell - together with Datsue Ba they summoned two Seishins and then 'transformed' them into two Hanged who thanks to Kirai's upgrade where nicely close to Tara and her crew...
I tried to use pulses on Hanged ones but only dropped one of them to last wound remaining. Mark, who was watching this game noted: from now on it is 50SS vs 70SS game. I knew I'm in big trouble...
Upkeep phase - No VP scored on either side ; Score after turn 1: Tara 0 - Kirai 0
Turn 2
Mike won inititiative and my re-flip was unsuccessful. First Hanged used Whispers From Beyond on Desolation Engine. I've made bunch of my models Fast. Then second Hanged used same action on Nothing Beast. As an act of desperation I moved Desolation Engine and charged Izamu leaving him on last wound remaining... Crap... Then Kirai shot Nothing Beast dead.
I was going to call the game but I decided to have a fun and shot 3x with Death Marshal targeting Izamu who was engaged with Desolation Engine who was also engaged with: Flesh Construct, Chiaki and Nurse. Loads of randomization but why not! I was about to lose a game anyway and all I needed is to inflict last wound on Izamu to get 3VPs.
First randomization... Izamu! Then I missed a shot horribly...
Second randomization went to Flesh Construct.
Third randomization (Death Marshal was Fast)... Izamu again! Yay! And another horrible miss...
After that Izamu healed up himself and I called the game.
Well, that was quick...
Round 3
50SS Tara (daniello_s) vs Hoffman (Mark)
Deployment: Flank Deployment
Strategy: Collect the Bounty
Schemes: ALITS, Protect Territory, Assassinate, Make the Suffer, Murder Protege
Mark brought:
Hoffman (4SS pool) - Arcanist Assets, Field Mechanic, On Site Assimilation
Rail Golem
Miss Step
Peacekeeper
Metal Gamin
Watcher
Mobile Toolkit
I took:
Tara (4SS pool) - Knowledge of Eternity, Obliteration Symbiote, Dead of Winter Malifaux Child
Nothing Beast - Void Shield
Desolation Engine
2x Death Marshal
2x Void Wretch
Mark picked and revealed: Protect Territory and Murder Protege (Desolation Engine)I picked Assassination and Protect Territory (revealed).
I knew I'll be playing Hoffman again but I decided to use the same crew like in game 2 with one exception - I was going to use Death Marshals more aggressively.
Table setup:
Crews setup:
Turn 1
Mark pushed Peacekeeper and Rail Golem straight in front of Tara so I took my chances and used freshly unburied Desolation Engine into Peacekeepers mouth (I should really try it on Rail Golem as he didn't have this pesky Hard to Wound +1...).
4 attacks and pulses severely hurt Peacekeeper but he survived.
Upkeep phase - No VP scored on either side; Score after turn 1: Tara 0 - Hoffman 0
Turn 2
I flipped a Black Joker on initiative...
Then Desoaltion Engine died (flurry from Peacekeeper). I charged Golem and put him in the box :D
Hoffman repaired Peacekeeper and I gambled and charged Hoffman with Fast Nothing Beast. Hoffman survived, bruised and heavily beaten, but survived...
Later he was 'towed' away by his constructs... I dropped scheme markers for Protect Territory.
Just for the fun I unburied Golem and used him to charge Peacekeeper who again survived with 3 wounds left. Golem killed two Abomiantions.
Upkeep phase - Hoffman: +1VP for Strategy, +3VP for Murder Protege; Score after turn 2: Tara 0 - Hoffman 4
Turn 3
Nothing Beast killed Peacekeeper and Golem killed Nothing Beast.
Then Golem landed in pine box again.
Hoffman towed by Watcher run away but also granted his minion an upgrade which allowed watcher to use 1AP actions as 0 actions. So Watcher was ready to fly around and drop scheme markers.
Rest of Hoffman's crew run away from Tara, except Miss Step who was ready to pick a fight next turn.
Tara moved and granted Miss Step and bunch of my models Fast condition.
Upkeep phase - No VP scored by either side; Score after turn 3: Tara 0 - Hoffman 4
Turn 4
Miss Step was boxed by other Death Marshal. Golem was kept buried as well. If mark didn't flip Black Joker on the Golem's Wp duel , Tara would be dead...
I made Tara Fast (Malifaux Child), walk 3x and shot Hoffman hurting him a bit.Watcher dropped more scheme markers.
Apart of that nothing else really happened that turn
Upkeep phase - No VP scored by either side; Score after turn 4: Tara 0 - Hoffman 4
Turn 5
Tara activated first and charged Hoffman but he survived.
Then Hoffman healed himself and torched Tara twice.
Golem and Miss Step stayed in boxes.
Before I was able to re-activate Tara, Mobile Toolkit moved, blew himself up forcing Tara to pass Tn16 duel of suffer enough damage to die - I failed, of course.
That was it. Sadly. buried models don't count for Collect the Bounty purposes...
Upkeep phase - Tara: +3VP for Protect Territory; Hoffman: +1VP for Strategy, +3 VP for Protect Territory
Final score: Tara 3 - Hoffman 8
Few thoughts after game:
- Heavy hitters are nice but to have more flexibility on damage I think the best duo would be Nothing Beast and Bishop.
- Death Marshals are great but one is enough. It is better to spend other 6 points on Johana - again it is more flexible.
- Malifax Child - for 2 points I think she is worthy to take - have an access to extra Fast or just put a Slow on enemy is good option.
- Never, never, ever take Tara against Ressers. Leave the job to Levy or Viks :D
Till next time!
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