A Place of Power

This is a recap of a Malifaux encounter between crews of the Neverborn and Guild factions. The encounter takes place on the edge of the Knotwoods close to Malifaux town. The game was played at the Falkirk District Wargames Club on Monday 23rd March 2015 between Alistair Grant and David Muir. This was one of the first Malifaux games for David who had brought along his Sonnia crew while Alistair took a Lilith crew.

The Mists Clear

The mists clear

Strategy

Squatters Rights was the determined strategy for the encounter.

Available Schemes

The schemes available for the encounter were:

• Bodyguard
• Protect Territory
• Vendetta
• Power Ritual
• Line in the Sand

Guild

• Sonnia Criid with Cherufe's Imprint, The Mask and Reincarnation, 6 Soulstones
• Samael Hopkins with Disrupt Magic and Witch Hunt
• Purifying Flame
• 2 Guild Guards
• Guild Rifleman
• 3 Witchling Stalkers

Neverborn

• Lilith with Beckon Malifaux, Wicked Mistress and Living Blade, 5 Soulstones
• Barbaros with Nephilim Gladiatus
• Cherub
• Sorrow
• 2 Beckoners
• 3 Terror Tots

Facing Off

In the borders between civilised Malifaux and the wild Knotwoods lie abandoned and ruined buildings and villages, the strange deprivations of this land advancing their decay. The Guild received reports of a witch ritual taking place in one such place and dispatched Sonnia Criid and her witch hunters. Upon finding the location, Sonnia intended to take it back for the Guild and put the witches to the flame as an example to all but the reports were untrue, it was not witches but Lilith and her Neverborn undertaking a ritual of unknown design. 

Facing Off

Probing the Enemy

Sonnia starts to direct her people with her Guards moving up the west flank, covered by their Rifleman companion with their movements being mirrored by the Terror Tots and Cherub.  After engaging in a cat and mouse on the west flank, the action moved to the east where the Stalkers and Samael started to edge forward towards the points marked out by Sonnia as important. 

Unfortunately, one Stalker moved forward just a little too far and came under the influence of one of Lilith's Beckoners who drew them further forward out of position. While the Sorrow moved up to hide just out of sight waiting to pounce upon any stray combatants.

Sonnia and the Flame move to hold the centre of the encounter area intent on getting a good vantage point to support the guards. 

Advancing and Scouting

On observing the movements in the area, Lilith deigned to move forward and exert her influence on matters, binding and dragging the hapless lead Stalker into danger. Whereupon Barbaros rushed forward to end the life of the confused Stalker.

Lilith takes a stroll 

The Fight in Earnest

The Guild begin to take the strong points outlined in their plans to prevent the previous ritual from taking place in the hope that this would disrupt the machinations of the Neverborn. A Stalker took point and held one of these points on the east path while their Guard comrades came under attack from the Neverborn in the west. A Beckoner stepped out from behind a tree tempting a Guard forwards for the Cherub to buffet into the waiting Terror Tots who hacked away at the bewildered Guard but the Guard managed to stay standing under the assault for a time. Ultimately the Guard fell to the frenzied attacks of the Tots but while their colleague was being assailed the other Guard and Rifleman moved to claim another of the strong points.

The eastern Beckoner tried to lure the witch hunter Samael forward but the witch hunter drew upon his discipline to resist and fired back to heavily wound the foul temptress. Lilith drew upon her powers to almost kill the witch hunter as she viewed the damage being inflicted upon her property.

Getting Stuck In

Sonnia caught a glimpse of Barbaros and hammered the henchman severely but his armour shielded him. The resulting fires spread out, catching Lilith unaware. Enraged, Barbaros charged Sonnia but failed to land a hit in his rush to battle. The Flame charged to the aid of its mistress but Barbaros disdainfully parried the blows away.

Back on the east flank, a Terror Tot snuck up and slashed at the legs of Samael driving him to his knees while the Sorrow appeared next to Samael to further compound the hunters problems.

Don't Lose Sight of the Objectives

The remaining Guild Guard moves to take a secondary support point lining up in support of Sonnia and the Rifleman as he puts two holes in one of the Terror Tots which manages to remain standing. Though expecting support from their leader, they were unaware that she was being engaged by Barbaros who slashed through her defences to wound her not only on the attack but on the counterattack as well as she failed to strike back. The Flame tries to help Sonnia but fails to land a blow upon the nimble Nephilim warrior.

The Rifleman was enticed forward by the western Beckoner only to be shot by the Cherub and flung into the Terror Tots who climb upon to eventually overwhelm the deadly shooter as they get a lucky hit on the man's jugular with their short but wicked blades.

The Stalker in support of Samael sets the Sorrow alight before dispersing the vile being with a cleaving blow of its blade and a Stalker was resurrected. However the witch hunter was struck down by the whirling dervish of a Terror Tot that was attacking him relentlessly. In an effort to disrupt the ritual, a Stalker moved to another support point but the tide was beginning to change.

Lilith walks casually forward and smacks a Stalker out of existence, mainly out of spite for daring to interfere with her workings as she realises that her ritual will be weakened by these interlopers.

Remember the Strategy and Schemes

When the Dust Settles

Barbaros continues to harass Sonnia, but neither combatant can land a killing blow even with the aid of the Flame, Barbaros continues to tie them up at the behest of Lilith as she prepares her ritual.

On the west edge, the Beckoner tries to tempt the remaining Guard but fails to interest them but the Cherub manages to hit and push the Guard towards Barbaros. The Guard in shock attempts to strike at the angry devil but he pushes them away.

On the east edge, the lone Terror Tot places his totem for Lilith in the appointed spot and awaits his mistress. The resurrected Stalker charges the Tot who stands its ground as it is wounded and set ablaze, more fearful of its mistress than the Stalker.

The eastern Beckoner moves to ritual power spot to place her mistress' icon for the ritual as Lilith relieves a Stalker of its head plunging her bloodied blade into the ritual spot to begin her working as the remaining Guild try to make sense of what was happening.

The Dust settles

Who won?

Lilith managed to start her ritual but the Sonnia disrupted it enough that all the power Lilith wanted was not present. The Guild took heavy losses but the Neverborn ritual was setback stalling their enigmatic plans for a while.

Final Score: Guild 2, Neverborn 3

Score breakdown:

• Guild
• Strategy 2 VP
• Scheme Line in the Sand 0 VP
• Scheme Bodyguard 0 VP
• Neverborn
• Strategy 1 VP
• Scheme Bodyguard 1 VP
• Scheme Power Ritual 1 VP

Review

I think the game was a good one, which was always one flip away from disaster on both sides towards the end. The game was a bit in two halves, the first half the Guild did pretty well, the second half the Neverborn. The game ended closely and it was a good point to end on rather than trying to drag it out.

I hope David enjoyed one of his first forays into the world of Malifaux and we hopefully get a rematch in the future.