Game report 20.02.16 50SS Hamelin vs Rasputina

Game report - 20.02.2016

50SS Hamelin (daniello_s) vs Rasputina (Dale)

Deployment: Corner Deployment
Strategy: Guard the Stash
Schemes: Convict Labor, Hunting Party, Inspection, Search the Ruins, Exhaust Their Forces

Dale brought:
Rasputina (6SS pool) - Shattered Heart, Cold Nights, Armour of December
(right after the game we noticed that Dale took 2 limited upgrades but thankfully it didn't impact the game too much)
Wendigo
Snow Storm
Ice Golem
Cassandra - Practiced Production
Performer
Ice Gamin

I took:
Hamelin (5SS pool) - Survivalist, The Piper
(Obey, obey, obey and charge zone denial)
The Stolen
(extra 2 Rats on turn 1)
Taelor
(anti-Construct hitter)
Bishop - Oathkeeper
(beat-stick who would hold Stash Marker)
Johana
(anti-Construct hitter and condition removal)
Nix
(Blight spreader and Guard the Stash holder)
Obedient Wretch
(Rat-machine key model)
Malifaux Rat
(cheap activation and Rat-machine support)

We both  picked: Hunting Party and Search the Ruins

Plan was this:
- use Rat machine to out-activate opponent but be aware of Rasputina's blasts so no bunching up guys unnecessary
- Nix and Bishop holds one Stash marker and would be reinforced by Rat King/Rat Catcher when summoned
- Taelor and Johana hold other Stash Marker
- Hamelin will try to position himself to be close enough to Obey anyone who might need it.

Deployment: Rasputina deployed first
(Hamelin's crew at the bottom of the first picture and on the right of the second)

Turn 1:
Initiative: Rasputina

Key moments/actions:
- we both moved towards Stash Markers
- Rat-engine would work almost great if Wretch didn't kill one of the Rats with 3x Severe damage on the damage flip... Still I got Rat Catcher (who hid behind the first Stash Marker) and Rat this turn.

Upkeep phase:
No VPs scored by either side.

Score after turn 1: Hamelin 0 - Rasputina 0

Turn 2:
Initiative: Rasputina

Key moments/actions:
- I was able to out-activate my opponent this turn
- Rat-engine didn't work at all this turn - no Crows on my hand...
- Snow Storm killed Rat to score point for Hunting Party
- Bishop burnt Oathkeeper, walked twice and charged Performer killing her - point for Hunting Party
- Nix secured second Stash Marker
- Rat Catcher dropped scheme marker for Search the Ruins
- Hamelin Obeyed Taelor and Johana to be within charged range of Snow Storm, Rasputina and Cassandra. Out of those 3 I picked Snow Storm as my target (Tina would end my activation and Cassandra had Southern Hospitality on her). Taelor hit twice and Snow Storm was hurt badly.
- As we played really casually and talked a lot I forgot to... activate Johana :D Well, if this didn't happen I would charge Snow Storm again and possible put him six feet under this turn. Because we shuffled our decks I decided to move Johana and drop another scheme marker for Search the Ruins.

Upkeep phase:
Hamelin: +1VP Strategy, +1VP Hunting Party
Rasputina: +1VP Hunting Party

Score after turn 2: Hamelin 2 - Rasputina 1

Turn 3:
Initiative: Hamelin

Key moments/actions:
- Taelor swung twice at Snow Storm. Snow Storm was left on the last wound.
- Rasputina used her Freeze Over action to Paralyze Taelor. of course randomizing through Snow Storm, Cassandra and Taelor went as planned :D. The Rasputina paralyzed Bishop as well.
- I knew Wendigo is lurking close by so Hamelin obeyed Johana to remove Paralyze from Taelor then he obeyed Taelor to swing at Snow Storm.  That would finish him off but Black Joker decided to show up on the damage flip...
- Johana had to step up and she charged and killed Snow Storm
- Ice Gamin and Golem moved towards one Stash Marker, when Cassandra secured second. Cassandra also hit Taelor and Johana.
- Wendigo damaged Taelor.
- I pressed more with Rat Catcher and remaining Rats to keep Tina and Cassandra busy. In the meantime one of the Rats died which gave Dale another point for Hunting Party.
- Nix hit Ice Gamin and tried to spread Blights on Gamin and Golem but they deflected it
- Rat-engine failed again - for second time I had no Crows at my hand.

Upkeep phase:
Hamelin: +1VP Strategy
Rasputina: +1VP Strategy, +1VP Hunting Party

Score after turn 3: Hamelin 3 - Rasputina 3

Turn 4:
Initiative: Rasputina

Key moments/actions:
- Rasputina used Armor of December to push away from Rat and then she shot at Wendigo and Taelor randomizing on Taelor. Hit went in with the blast which put Taelor and Johana on the last wounds. Second shot hit Wendigo and resulted which double blast killing both Taelor and Johana. Sweet...
- I was able to kill both Wendigo and Ice Gamin which would give me max points for Hunting Party.
- I also was able to make a mistake and charge Ice Golem to early with Bishop. I left him on 4 wounds remaining (lousy damage flips...) but in return Golem hit me with his Smash attack. I forgot Bishop had a single wound on him so even low (if you can call it low) damage would kill him. I had 12 on my hand so I was hoping to deflect that but Dale also had 12 and Bishop died. Well, my 3 big hitters died in the single turn but at least I was sure I'm gonna win this game as Johana dropped scheme marker on opponents half and close to centre of the table and Rat Catcher double walked ready to drop final scheme marker next turn.

Upkeep phase:
Hamelin: +1VP Strategy, +1VP Hunting Party

Score after turn 4: Hamelin 5 - Rasputina 3

Turn 4:
Initiative: Hamelin

Key moments/actions:
- I secured final scheme marker for Search the Ruins with Rat Cacher
- Rasputina killed Rat and walked towards one Stash Marker and Golem killed Nix
- Obedient Wretch secured me one Stash Marker,  Hamelin walked and secured other.
- Game ended here

Upkeep phase:
Hamelin: +1VP Strategy, +1VP Hunting Party, +3VP Search The Ruins
Rasputina: +1VP Hunting Party

Final score: Hamelin 10 - Rasputina 4

I was pretty happy after this game as it was my first encounter against Rasputina. Now I know I need to respect her damage abilities and also this pesky Paralyzing action.

Ratings for the crew:
(scale 1-5 where 1 is very bad performance and 5 is the star of the game)

Hamelin - 5
He did his job very well, summoned Stolen on regular basis, Obeyed crew reliably, secured points for Strategy and removed enemy scheme marker for Search the Ruins.

Taelor - 3
Put a lot of pressure on enemy crew but died too soon due to the one lucky damage flip and one well cheated.

Bishop - 3
Killed Performer and died after my stupid move. Still she (my Bishop is a girl :D) put a lot of pressure on the opponent.

Johana - 3
Exactly same as Taelor but if I haven't forgot to activate her properly on turn 2 she would possibly get rating 4.

Nix - 4
Secured points for Strategy and Hunting Party.

Obedient Wretch - 2
Due to the lack of Crows she did well with summoning Rats only on Turn 1. Then she secured point for Strategy at the turn 5.

Rat Catcher (summoned model) - 4
Secured points for Strategy and Search the Ruins.

Till next time!