Game report 16.12.15 50SS Jack Daw vs Leveticus

Game report - 16.12.2015

50SS Jack Daw (daniello_s) vs Leveticus (Eoin)

Deployment: Standard Deployment
Strategy: Reckoning
Schemes: ALITS, Bodyguard, Breakthrough, Outflank, Deliver a Message

Eoin brought:
Leveticus (5SS pool) - Desolate Soul, Pariah of Bone, Oathkeeper
Rusty Alyce
Lazarus
Madame Sybelle
3x Rotten Belle
2x Hollow Waif

I took:
Jack Daw (5SS pool) - Writhing Torment, Twist and Turn, 3x Curses
(Curse-giver and reasonably good hitter who also supports his Tormented crew)
Taelor
(heavy hitter which would be Tormented via The Guilty's action)
Johana
(as above plus condition removal)
The Guilty
(model which allows grant Tormented to other models; scheme runner who would jump into Outflank position at the Turn 5)
2x Void Wretches
(Outflank-runners; model which can annoy Levi when he is buried)
Nurse
(general support thanks to Take Your Meds action)
The Hanged
(sneaky-killer who can drop enemy models to half wounds)

Eoin picked: Bodyguard (Rusty) and Outflank (not revealed)
I took: Bodyguard (Johana) and Outflank (revealed)

Seeing Eoin's crew I knew it is perfectly possible I can be obliterated around Turn 3 or if I'm lucky maybe around Turn 4. That Levi's crew is absolutely pure evil...Still, job has to be done! :D

Deployment (Levi deployed first):

Turn 1
Initiative: Jack Daw

I knew I have to be very, very careful with my activations as Belle can easily Lure my already activated models into the open spot straight under Levi, Rusty or Lazarus gunfire.
I decided that Wretches will be hidden all game and at Turn 5 they will jump into position for Outflank, Johana will help knocking things down but I won't commit her into the thickest fight leaving this task to Jack, Hanged and Taelor. Nurse will try to use her Take Your Meds either to paralyze enemy models or to buff Taelor's/Johana's damage output. The Guilty after tormenting Taelor and Johana would run to the side to grab Outflank. That was the plan anyway.

I used cover extensively to stay out of LOS from Belles. Hanged jumped behind the cover and successfully attacked already activated Belle with his Whispers. Jack advanced a bit and stayed more than 18'' from last Belle. Unfortunately Madame walked twice and called Belle who focused and lured Jack into open. Levi burnt his Oathkeeper, Walked once and triple shot Jack. I had to prevent some damage (all my damage prevention flips during the game were not higher than 1 damage prevented per prevention flip...) and Jack was left at 9 wounds.

After attack Levi buried himself, his summoned Waif walked towards Jack and Levi unburied at the end of the turn close to Jack - they were engaged.

Upkeep phase:
No VPs scored by either side.

Score after turn 1: Jack Daw  0 - Leveticus 0

Turn 2
Initiative: Leveticus

Levi won initiative (flip of 12) and he attacked 3 times Jack. All attacks went through with single or double negative damage flips. In one instance Levi pulled double severe on negative flips. I tried to save Jack with damage prevention but he couldn't survive this kind of carnage and I lost Jack at the start of Turn 2.

Now I knew I'm in the deep defense so I took a chance and Hanged attacked twice wounded Belle. Thankfully he killed her triggering Horror duels on Lazarus, Rusty, Madame Sybelle and two other Belles.
Eoin burnt his whole control hand to prevent his crew being paralyzed except one Belle.
Thanks to that Hanged was relatively save as anything trying to attack him had to pass Horror duel and without cards in his hand Eoin was aware this might be a bit of gamble. Rusty took her chances, she walked and fired once at Hanged damaging him.

I have relocated my crew for more defensive position disallowing Eoin to score points for Reckoning this turn and I prepared myself for Levi's general assault next turn. Unfortunately I wasn't in position to kill any other models this turn either. Nurse paralyzed one Belle.

Levi's crew start to drop scheme markers at the centre line which convinced me that one of his schemes is ALITS - clever deception :D

Upkeep phase:
No VPs scored by either side.

Score after turn 2: Jack Daw  0 - Leveticus 0

Turn 3
Initiative: Leveticus

Rusty used Rapid Fire on Hanged but he survived although severely bruised.
Hanged relocated and damage paralyzed Belle with Whispers. Madame Sybelle quickly called her to stay away from my crew (Taelor was going to charge her).

In general Levi's crew advanced and Again I was avoiding any direct confrontation this turn and I run away into cover with my models. Levi double walked and attacked Hanged - attacked missed.

Wretch tried to tarpit Waif so she couldn't get closer to Johana but it was unable to damage Waif nor give her Slow. Waif hit Wretch twice in return - first missed but second pulled double severe on negative damage twist... Again... Wretch was left on last wound.

At the end of the turn Levi unburied right in front of Taelor and Guilty which meant one thing - either I win initiative and remove (temporarily) Levi from the table or I will suffer loads of damage.

Upkeep phase:
No VPs scored by either side.

Score after turn 3: Jack Daw  0 - Leveticus 0

Turn 4
Initiative: Leveticus

Levi won initiative again and he charged Taelor who was defending herself bravely and suffered only minor damages (damage prevented).
Hanged walked and attacked Lazarus with Whisper (I thought Eoin has Bodyguard on him). Belle walked and lured Hanged who was later killed by Rusty.
Nurse gave +2 Walk to Johana who double walked into the cover and I declared Bodyguard on her. Johana was also 3'' from edge at the center line.

Madame Sybelle double walked and tarpit other Wretch. Thankfully Wretch was able to disengage and double walk into cover to secure points for Outflank on my left flank.
Eoin declared Bodyguard on Rusty.

Upkeep phase:
Jack Daw: +1VP for Bodyguard
Leveticus: +1VP for Bodyguard

Score after turn 4: Jack Daw  1 - Leveticus 1

Turn 5:
Initiative: Jack Daw

I took opportunity and disengaged from Waif to double walk to Levi only to tarpit him. Also I was able to cast Slow on him (by cheating the fate which raised Wretches Df). Belle walked and attacked Wretch but I deflected attack cheating the fate again.Second Wretch took double Df stance discarding another card. Levi tried to kill Wretch but combination of already high Df and cheating high cards (which bumped Df by 1) saved my Wretch.

Madame Sybelle charged Taelor wounding her a bit (and making her Peon). Taelor swung back but missed. Finally Lazarus walked and fired at Wretch who was engaged with Belle and also Johana was nearby so she could be clipped by the blast. Eoin randomized and Belle was a target. He flipped attack/defence cards but was able only to pull straight 3 damage on Belle (negative flip on the damage).

Rusty double walked to secure points for Outflank.

I flipped for Turn 6 - nope. The game has ended here.

Upkeep phase:
Jack Daw: +2VP Bodyguard, +3VP Outflank
Leveticus: +2VP Bodyguard, +2VP Outflank

Final score: Jack Daw  6 - Leveticus 5

At the end of the game I wrongfully calculated result as I thought it was a draw but since Eoin didn't declare Outflank at the start of the game he could only score 2 points for this scheme.

The game was absolutely mind blowing for me. I had to consider twice my every move and having ultra mobile Levi (via his unbury tricks), Rusty and luring Belles it was a pure nightmare to plan anything.
Either way I was really happy from the outcome as when I lost Jack at the start of Turn 2 I thought game is lost. Without Jack his Tormented crew (Taelor, Johana, The Guilty, Nurse) are really slow and cannot perform as they used to in my previous games. Well, bad things happen and last night they happened to Jack himself :D

Till next time!