Osaka BatRep: Sonnia vs Zoraida – 50ss Extraction (GG2017)

[Eastern Effigy]

This is the first of I hope several battle reports that will be coming out of our new group here in Osaka.  Most of the players are relatively new, but there is already quite a bit of enthusiasm and most players already have fully painted crews.

In addition, I will be attempting to dramatize part of the battle reports as more of a story and not just pieces of plastic being moved around a flat surface.  I will keep those parts separate from the tactics by italicizing the story for those who aren't interested in such things.

 

With that, let's get into our first game.  It is Guild vs. Neverborn.  This is the Guild players first time playing a full 50 soulstone game.  The Neverborn player is a bit more experienced.

 

Standard Deployment

Strategy: Extraction (Greed was used as the informant “marker”)

Schemes: Claim Jump, Eliminate the Leadership, Dig Their Graves, Hidden Trap, Set Up

 

Guild List: 8 Members, 3 Soulstones

Sonnia (The Mask, Reincarnation, Cherufe’s Imprint), Puryfying Flame, Dr. Grimwell (Research Grant), Samael Hopkins (Witch Hunt, Disrupt Magic), Guild Pathfinder, Orderly, Witchling Stalker X2

 Guild Schemes: Eliminate the Leadership, Hidden Trap

 

Neverborn List: 8 Members, 4 Soulstones

Zoraida (Hex Bag, Crystal Ball), Bad Juju (Eternal Fiend), Mysterious Emissary (Conflux of Fate), Doppleganger, Waldgeist X2, Bandersnatch, Will o’ the Wisp

Neverborn Schemes: Dig their Graves, Hidden Trap

 

 

Background:

“Samael Hopkins Field Report to the Office of the Governor (Reviewed by Secretary Lucius)

“This is the follow up report into the investigation of the destruction of the Pig’s Eye Hamlet.  As indicated in a previous report, the hamlet was abandoned after several of the locals attempted to murder the others and make off with all the valuables in the village.  The final survivor of that night was mostly incoherent, but made reference some kind of music.  Guitar music, which ‘filled him with such desire.’”

“Well, my Mistress and I were out hunting in the Hag’s territory.  Dr. Grimwell had made, and was granted, a request to hunt the bayou.  He was hoping to catch some specimens of fast healing Neverborn or swamp creatures and with Perdita off engaged elsewhere Sonnia took it upon herself to help.  The Dr. brought along one of his Orderlies as a personal assistant.  To help with the capture we also employed a Pathfinder and brought a couple of the witchlings to help carry the traps.

“We had been roaming for about an hour before we heard the sound of a guitar echoing on the breeze.  Immediately I remembered the report of the vanished hamlet in this area and informed Sonnia of it.  She agreed it was worth investigating.  Sure enough, we followed it straight to the hamlet and in the main courtyard there stood a woman playing a soft tune.  I recognized her as someone that occasionally joined in with us on hunts or other Guild expeditions.

“We started our approach to detain her and find out what we could, but then the forest on the other side of the hamlet came to life…”

 

 

Guild Deploy: Sonnia, Puryfying Flame, Dr. Grimwell, and Orderly deploy in the middle. Hopkins takes cover behind some crates.  The Stalkers spread out to the right and Pathfinder deploys further up behind a large building on the left.

Neverborn deploy: Mysterious Emissary takes the center flanked by the waldgiests.  Zoraida crouches behind a nearby building with the Wisp.  The doppleganger prepares to advance on the right flank.  Bad Juju and the Bandersnatch take the left flank.

 

“It seemed like the forest itself was marching on us as several towering creatures that looked more like trees than people or animals lumbered into our lantern light.  I immediately took cover behind some crates while Sonnia started directing the stalkers to fan out to our right flank and our Pathfinder to our left.  The only sound from our side was the mad Doc who started cackling madly.  Apparently he thought this was a perfect chance to catch his prize.

“Sonnia immediately went about preventing their approach by advancing on them and summoning a great wall of fire between the living forest and the woman we were after. She still threw down the trap she had been carrying for the doc and the Witchlings advanced and did the same seeing a gigantic creature of moss and logs approaching them.

“The doc himself was only too eager to get up close to them and take a “sample” personally.  I had to run up and cover him since I could see trees and shrubbery sprouting up all along the edge of the courtyard covering the advance of these monsters.  I didn’t know what was going to come out the other side, but we needed to be ready.

“We lost our pathfinder first.  He laid one of his animated attack traps on the far side of the building, then stalked over to the other side to get ready to set another trap.  He seemed startled by seeing a small brown homunculus of some kind, like a walking doll, run off into the trees after seeing him.  After that though, he suddenly doubled over like he was having a heart attack. I saw him stand again, only to be brought down like he was crushed by an invisible weight.  The last I saw of him in mostly one piece, his body was being dragged into the newly grown trees by a woman with camouflaged skin.”

 

Round 1:

Neverborn win initiative, force Guild to go first.

Sonnia walks and casts a flame wall off her upgrade to block the direct advance of the neverborn, then drops a scheme marker.

Waldgiest walks up, places scheme marker, germinates trees to cover the right centre flank.

Dr. Grimwell double walks to get into position.

Bandersnatch double walks.

Pathfinder lays trap covering entry around far left side of building, then double walks to get into position on the other side.

Waldgiest walks and places another scheme marker, germinates trees to cover the left center flank.

Puryfying Flame double walks to get into position.

Bad Juju double walks on the left flank.

Witchling Stalker walks and places scheme marker, preparing their Hidden Trap expecting the Neverborn to push far into their territory.

Mysterious Emissary uses upgrade action to look at the top 4 card of the deck and draw one.  Then walks and summons a Changeling out of a scheme marker.

Other Witchling Stalker walks and also places a scheme marker for the coming trap.

Will o’ the Wisp walks to the edge of a building and summons a Voodoo doll, copying Zoraida’s ability. The Doll successfully Hems to the Pathfinder.

Samael Hopkins double walks forward.

Voodoo doll walks closer to Zoraida and other Neverborn models.

Orderly walks up and places a scheme marker.

Zoraida draws a card with crystal ball. She then casts Obey on the Doppleganger, forcing it to walk forward. She then walks herself forward and casts Hex Bag on the Voodoo doll and pricks it for 2 damage and two damage on the pathfinder.  She then fails to cast her last Obey.

Doppleganger walks up and places a scheme marker within 4” of pathfinder.

The changeling, still slow from being summoned, uses it’s only action to attack the voodoo doll by copying the Mysterious Emissary’s Nature Reclaims All attack.  The Changeling cheats high and the voodoo doll cheats its defence low letting the Changeling hit it for moderate damage, killing both the Voodoo Doll and the Pathfinder.  The Neverborn gain a VP for Dig their Graves and discard the scheme marker next to the pathfinder (maybe, see end of game thoughts).

 

The dead Voodoo Doll and Pathfinder.  The orange disks are Sonnia's flame wall.

End of Round 1

Neverborn 1 ; Guild 0

 

“After seeing the pathfinder, a man I have worked with before and trusted well, crushed and destroyed in such an inhuman manner, well, I was ready to roast some of these freaks.  The first one to come crashing out of the foliage to face us was a huge white oak creature with pale green energy flowing from it’s eyes and hands.  It extended a hand and immediately some hideous toothed plants sprung up and tried biting at the Doc.  It then blasted the doc with some strange green energy that also blew up a trap one of the Witchlings had placed.

“Well, the doc wasn’t having none of this, he ran straight past those plant beasts and jumped up with his little hand chainsaw and dug right into the creature’s forehead.  He then used his full weight and pulled it straight down ripping into the chest of the creature after completely bisecting it’s head.  The thing was still alive though.  I knew I had no time to lose so I ran up and aimed as carefully as I could.  I could see some kind of pulsing green light inside the things split open abdomen and I shot it dead on. Green goo exploded from the cavity as it collapsed into timber.

“I wish I could say that was the end though.  But at that point I happened to look over and my heart nearly stopped.  There was the hag herself.  Worse, she was clutching a little brown doll with a toy gun. I saw her move the gun arm and sure enough, though I prayed it wouldn’t, my gun arm moved with it and pointed straight at the good doctor.

“I know I couldn’t have stopped myself at that moment, but I never will forgive myself for that.  He looked up at me in shock from the bullet wound, but I was sure he’d be okay. So I hoped but then, of all things, a strange green child walks up to me, looks at my gun and asks me “like this?” and I swear that thing’s arm turned into an exact replica of my personal customized revolver.

“And it shot Dr. Grimwell straight in the throat.

“He fell over and the last I saw of him, one of the tree creatures was piling dirt over him.

“I looked back over at the Hag.  She set the doll on fire and handed it over to one of her tree monsters to tear apart.  Sure enough, I could feel the heat rising in me as much as I felt the stabs and thrashing of the living vegetable as it tore my effigy apart.”

 

Round 2

Neverborn win initiative, chose to go first.

Mysterious Emissary walks through the trees on its left and summons a Hungry Land marker (metal tin).  Then uses its attack to hit Dr. Grimwell, getting the tomes trigger and removing a scheme marker next to a Witchling Stalker.

Dr. Grimwell bravely walks up to the enormous beast (using Nimble AP) and attempts a lobotomy, flipping a Red Joker for 14 damage.  The Mysterious Emissary survives only due to Hard to Kill.

A waldgiest walks up and places a scheme marker just behind the Mysterious Emissary.  It then Germinates a pair of trees next to the Emissary and the doctor cutting them off from the left side of the board.

Samael Hopkins walks up behind crates for cover and shoots at Mysterious Emissary.  He has to randomize between it, Dr. Grimwell, and the Bandersnatch that was sneaking around, but successfully hits the Mysterious Emissary, finishing it off.

The Will o’ the Wisp walks through a building and summons a Voodoo Doll which hems to Hopkins.

A Witchling Stalker walks up and shoots at Bad Juju doing damage and burning.

Voodoo doll walks closer to Zoraida while staying within 1” of active flame pillars.

The other Witchling Stalker walks and shots Bad Juju but misses due to cover.

Zoraida peeks at the opponents hand with her crystal ball, then casts Obey on Samael Hopkins, but failing to the Black Joker.  She tries again and this time successfully forces him to shoot Dr. Grimwell for three damage, bringing him down to 2 health.  She then uses Hex bag to give both the Voodoo doll and Samael Hopkins burning.

Orderly double walks up behind Hopkins.

Changeling walks up near Hopkins and copies his gun to shoot Dr. Grimwell, killing him and scoring 1VP for Dig their Graves from the Scheme marker the Waldgiest left.

Sonnia double walks, which causes the pillars to disappear dealing 1 damage to the Changeling, Voodoo Doll and by extension of the Hem ability, 1 to Samael Hopkins.  She then blasts Bad Juju for Severe damage and chain blasting damage into the bandersnatch and a Waldgiest.

Doppleganger fails to mimic Samael’s gun, so just walks and places a scheme marker.

Puryfying Flame walks and tries to hit Waldgiest and misses.

Waldgiest hits Voodoo Doll for 4 damage, walks and fails to Germinate trees.

Bandersnatch runs over to Hopkins and vanishes into his shadow.  It then reaches out and attacks the orderly behind him dealing 2 damage.

Bad Juju double walks up to Sonnia and a Witchling Stalker, fails to landslide.

Activations end.  During the upkeep, burning goes off for both the Voodoo Doll and Hopkins killing both of them.

Neverborn have several models within 6 of the informant and score a VP.  Guild only have Orderly and Puryfying flame, which is a peon and doesn’t count.  No VP.

 

End of Round 2

Neverborn 3 ; Guild 0

“I passed out not long after flames consumed both me and the doll image of me. I remember only a few things that seemed to be going on around me. I remember the docs orderly running up to try to help, but a huge black spider came out of the woods and started devouring him.

“I also remember the woman we were going after.  I had tried to reach for her at my last, but she just turned, still playing her accursed instrument and went to the Hag who smiled when she approached.

“I looked over to Sonnia.  She was with her Witchlings.  They had been using many bullets and energy to hold back the living pile of moss, but it still approached them.  The last thing I saw was her and the monster facing off.

“Then all light went out.”

Round 3

Guild Wins Initiative, chooses to go first.

Witchling Stalker charges Bad Juju, and hits twice for 4 damage total, bringing bad juju down to 1 health.

Bad Juju activates and landslides.  One stalker takes damage and is slowed.  Bad Juju flurries into Sonnia dealing severe damage on both the first two attacks.  Sonnia soulstones to prevent three on the second attack, barely keeping 1 health.  Bad Juju’s last attack is still too much and finishes her.

We decided to end the game there as Guild only had only two Stalkers, the Orderly, and the Flame left.

Ariel of the board when we ended.

 

Game end

 

“The next thing I remember is waking up in the Guild Hospital.  Dr. McMorning was there leering over me.  I jumped up and demanded to know what happened.  Apparently, the last soulstone had barely saved Sonnia’s life.  One of the stalkers had run off with her while the other stayed to hold of the monster.  As for me and Dr. Grimwell, well, Dr. McMorning says we were in bad shape, but he’s “worked with worse before.”  I mentioned that I saw Dr. Grimwell shoot in the throat and buried and he just chuckles and says it was the morphine talking and that I should still be resting. His nurse pricked me with something and I passed out.

“I do not like that man.

“My conclusion though, it did not end well. We were lucky, those of us that left alive.  I won't say what condition the Pathfinder and Orderly were found in.  Even McMorning hasn't worked with anything that bad before.  We didn’t catch any samples for the Doctor, and in the end the woman with the guitar evaded us as well.  But now we know, and next time I will see that living forest razed to the ground.”

~Samael Hopkins

 

 

End Game Thoughts

The Guild player was hammered with a pretty average and lower hand turn 2 which really did a number on them.  Destroying the Mysterious Emissary on turn 2 with a Red Joker Lobotomy was fun.

One of the tactical differences that I think would have swung things more in the Guild favour would have been to just ignore Bad Juju and gone straight down the middle for the informant.  Bad Juju is slow and can come back if destroyed, so better to just ignore it.

This was the second time the Guild player has run the Pathfinder and the second time that it was jumped and destroyed first turn.  They are trying to figure out how best to deploy them most efficiently without being overly vulnerable.

Changeling was perhaps the most potent little critter this game as he scored VP for the neverborn twice (probably) by destroying the Voodoo doll on the first turn when all other models were out of attack options and again on the second turn by taking out Dr. Grimwell with Hopkins revolver.

Will o’ the Wisps were supper useful to Zoraida for summoning dolls and freeing up Zoraida’s AP. Recommended to always have at least one around.

The Bandersnatch did very little, but that was expected.  The Neverborn player is still trying to figure out how to optimize it.

 

Mistakes (?):

It seems that victims of the Voodoo Doll’s Hem ability may not count towards Dig Their Graves since technically it’s a condition damaging the model according to the wording.  If anyone can confirm for or against this I would appreciate it.

 

 

So that is the first report from our new group, the Wargamers of Osaka.  Let us know what you thought, did you like the story, the photos, tactical advice, all welcome.

Thanks, see you again soon.

[Mutter]

Thanks for the battle report, easy to follow and very enjoyable.

And yes, hemmed victims don't count, same as models dying from poison, burning, etc.

[Nikodemus]

Good one. Story bits aren't my thing but they were easy to pass over so I don't mind.

Maybe deploy the pathfinder a bit closer to friendly deployment zone, or just keep him out of LOS for first turn, or try to activate him late if you're going to expose him. That or start putting Frame for Murder on him

[Argentbadger]

This is a really great battle report.  I love the format, and interspersing the story elements with the mechanics of the game works very well.  Good painting on the miniatures and the photos help to demonstrate the action.

I'd have to agree with Nikodemus about being a bit more cautious with the Pathfinder; I've lost many a From The Shadows model simply from being a bit greedy with positioning.

Overall, I think that the Guild player would benefit from making more use of their range superiority; there seemed to be a lot of walk actions from the Guild crew, especially in turn 2.  With some canny positioning in turn 1, these could easily be shots or casts.  The use of Sonnia could be much better; Flame Wall is a good ability but unless you really need to get the walls down early then you're better to save her for later so that there might be some opportunities to blow victims up.  If you're desperate for an early Flame Wall then I recommend the Malifaux Child (but I will admit that I've really struggled to get much value out of the Flame, so maybe I would take almost anything instead of her normal totem).

I look forward to more reports from your group.

[Eastern Effigy]

Thanks for the comments guys.  We look forward to putting out more eventually.

 

Right now is end of semester season in Japan so a lot of our members are either taking finals or helping their kids through finals.  We plan to do another get together near the end of March.  Look for a new one then.