I agree with most of this, except for the following.
Warmachine scenarios are set-up such that complete the objective, game over so this allows to player going first an ununsettling advantage, delegating the 2nd player to a caster kill in most cases.
There are a couple casters that will indeed have advantage, but with MKII and Streamroller 5, we should see those issue be even more reduced.
I do find it interesting in Malifaux, that if both opponents happen to pick specific VP goals and get specific win conditions, that killing models becomes secondary concern. Killing usually helps attain those goals, but killing itself can really have no effect or relevance in some situations.
I'm not sure if I like that a strategy and schemes are figured out FIRST, then lists are made.
It just seems like for specific strategies/schemes, you will see the same lists and variants will be not be common.