Finally a few games I do remember! Mainly because I didn’t take any notes during the day on my sheet of paper, and made sure to write it all down when I got home!
Build a Wagon vs Mark, 35ss
This was fun…I wrote this scenario for Walpurgis. I playtested it a bunch against Jamie and had a decent idea of what kind of crew would work best for it. I also got to answer questions about the scenario for people at other tables…thankfully, nothing came up in my game, because that would be a little conflict-of-interest.
I took Distract and Line and revealed Line. I tend to do this when I take Line, because it’s a Scheme that my opponent can see pretty obviously (even if I wanted to waste AP bluffing it out) and if they decide to try to stop me, I can still fairly easily get 1VP from it. And I only take it when I don’t like the other options at all, or when it’s a Corner/Flank and I can devote the Emberling to running to the corner all game.
Mark took Entourage and Murder Protege. Murder is a very situational Scheme, and I didn’t like my options for it. And I just don’t like Entourage, particularly since you have to announce it to make it good and because Assassinate was already an option. It just gives my opponent on more reason to want Mei Feng dead, and I don’t like that.
He played Von Schill with a Trapper, a Friekorpsman, a Strongarm Suit, a Librarian and a Steamtrunk. I took Mei with Seismic Claws, Imbued Protection (because of Assassinate) and Arcane Reservoir, the Rail Golem, 3 Metal Gamin and the Emberling.
I sent the Emberling up the right side to start on Line – that was to be his only job all game. Mei and the Golem went up the right middle to engage his entire crew, while 2 of the Gamin went up the left middle to engage the Trapper. My intention was to send the Gamin out to get the Wagon Conditions for VPs and block with Mei and the Golem.
He removed the Golem relatively easily, but I made him pay for it thankfully! I was doing great, but on the last turn he Disengaged from Mei to walk towards a Wagon Marker. When I let him get away, I was thinking that he could have the 1VP for the Wagon Marker…but had completely forgotten about Entourage! That mistake cost me 3VPs, leaving this game ending in an 8-8 draw.
Reckoning+Soulsquatch, 45ss
I played Jesse again in this one, and his Lady Justice crew. The Strategy was a simple change to Reckoning – there was a 50mm Soulsquatch monster in the middle of the table who was worth “2 kills” for the purposes of Reckoning. Since I find Reckoning points pretty hard to get, I decided that I’d do my best to kill the Soulsquatch so I could get that extra VP.
This game ended up being a 10-1 win for me…
I played Mei with Seismic Claws, Imbued Protection and Arcane Reservoir, Kang with Imbued Energies, Joss with Imbued Energies, the Rail Golem with Imbued Energies…and the Emberling. I took Line in the Sand and revealed it, and Bodyguard on Kang. Jesse had Lady Justice, the Judge, 2 Death Marshalls, Brutal Effigy…I don’t recall what else.
First turn I moved the Emberling forward to drop a Scheme marker in my deployment zone. The Soulsquatch had an ability that he would move his Cg towards any Interact Actions within 12″, and then either shoot or melee the target. I made sure the Emberling was out of melee, so he shot and missed. Then my entire, brutal, crew charged him and brought him down to 5 Wds.
Jesse made a choice. It turned out to be the wrong choice, but I definitely respect that he made it. He charged Lady Justice at the Soulsquatch, after performing some movement tricks with her. He swung twice…and black jokered for damage, leaving the Soulsquatch at 1 Wd! This was still during the first turn – his entire purpose was to stop me from getting the point. Unfortunately for him, I won the initiative next round and kill the Soulsquatch for the point, and then spent the rest of my turn killing Lady Justice – she was so far extended from her support lines that I didn’t have to worry about any other enemy model interfering. With Justice killed, I felt I could relax a bit – she is a big threat in that crew.
I spent the rest of the game killing 2 per turn. At one point he used a Death Marshal to Bury the Effigy to prevent me getting the Reckoning point that turn (good plan!) but he had so many squishy models compared to my destructive crew that I just picked another model and got the point anyway.
Arcane Ritual, 50ss
I played Tao again here. During the break he decided to swap his crew around if he could, but since it was a fixed Master tournament he had to get the TOs permission as well as my own. Since he’d steamrolled everyone else in the weekend close to 10-0 every game, I gave him permission – my odds stood higher of winning with him playing something else…
The Strategy was another from Walpurgis. There was a 50mm blocking Arcane Artifact in the middle of the table – you get VPs for placing and removing your own Scheme marker from it at the end of each round after the first. As well the Soulsquatch is back, and he’s pissed that you’re Interacting within 12″ of him. You could also take an upgrade that gives you limited control over the Squatch.
I took Mei with Seismic Claws, Imbued Energies and Control the Beast, the Firestarter with Imbued Energies, a Steam Arachnid Swarm, a Performer, 3 Metal Gamin and 3 Rail Workers. Tao took Hoffman, Ryle, 2 of a Guardian (or Warden), 1 of a Warden (or Guardian), a Mechanical Attendant, and Hopkins.
For Schemes I took Distract and revealed Power Ritual. Tao took Distract and Plant Explosives.
My plan early on was to use the SAS to be an ass and remove Scheme Markers. I was pretty successful, stopping Tao from getting full points for the Strategy. It also turned out to be great for stopping most of Plant Explosives as well! The Performer and her Seduction turned out to be great as well, allowing me to surprise Tao as he tried to get PE.
During one activation, Tao counted that Ryle did 27 Wds in a single turn. I didn’t note it all…but he had a Modification on him and something to give him more Rams for Critical Strike and such. He did those 27 Wds to Mei Feng, who, thankfully, was not a critical part of my winning plan. But still, that’s gross!
In the end, we both got full points for Distract because it’s a fairly easy Scheme, particularly since we went for turn 6. He only got 2 for PE. I got an easy 3VPs for Power Ritual, with the Firestarter heading straight for a well defended corner. And I got 4VPs for the Strategy, with him getting 3. I won 10-8!
This game was super hard, Tao is a brutal opponent, and I think the fact that I was his only loss all weekend was the most delicious thing!
I won a Zoraida crew from this, which I’m not really certain I want…and I got the Best General award for winning and/or drawing the most games, because I made Tao lose! 😀
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