Battle Report - Yan Low (Ten Thunders) vs Seamus (Resurrectionists)

Welcome to the 1^st post! I thought that I would start with a battle report for Malifaux – this involves a play test of the Yan Low crew for Malifaux who are currently being play tested for balance and a “fun” play experience. 

Yan Low (Ten Thunders) vs Seamus (Resurrectionists) – 4/10. 22^nd October 2013

Turf War – Standard Deplyment

Scheme Pool - Line in the Sand, Bodyguard, Kill Protégé, Make Them Suffer and Defend Territory

Ten Thunders

Yan Low + Path of Bones + Path of Ash + Path of Spirit

Izamu + Spiritual Fortitude

Toshiro the Daimyo + Command the Graves

Yin + Eternal Terror

Ashigaru

Ashigaru

Schemes - Make Them Suffer and Defend Territory

Resurrectionists

Seamus + bag o’ tools + red chapel killer + Mad Haberdasher

Mortimer + my favourite shovel

Rotten Bell

Rotten Bell

Punk Zombie

Flesh Construct

Bete Noir

Scheme Pool - Bodyguard, (Mortimer) and Make Them Suffer

Game Report

Turn 1

Ten Thunders crew moved forward to the centre of the table but stayed in cover. Toshiro used “Teki o Juden!” To push the Ashigaru forward but was blocked by terrain. Mortimer placed a corpse counts and used “Fresh Meat” to push the crew forward. Seamus turned the corpse counter into a new bell and moved up under cover. The Bells then lured Toshiro into the middle of the Resseraction minion’s crew and the Flesh Construct and Punk Zombie reduced him to 3 wounds and kindly gave him the poison 2 condition – generous chaps that they are.

Turn 2

The Resurrectionists burnt a stone to win initiative, imidatlly activate the Punk Zombie to finish the job started last turn with Toshiro. Toshiro who was out of range of Yan Low so he couldn’t be recycled. The Ten Thunders moved forward and secured the centre of the table with Ashigaru using “brace” and Yin holding the middle. Seamus used a focused hand cannon shot to reduce an Ashigaru to 1 wound who was then lured away and killed by a Rotten Bell. Mortimer used Fresh Meat again to have the minions surround the final Ashigaru. Izamu decided that was the right time to involve himself and attacked Bete Noir who used “One with the Night” to avoid her death. Yan low remembered to use his 0 action to gain a point of Chi this turn and attached the second Rotten Bell but was unable to kill her (missing once and doing 2 damage). Finally the Flesh Construct reduced the wounds on the remaining Ashigaru is left with 2 wounds.

Both Ten Thunders and Resurrectionists score 1VP for Turf War

Turn 3

Resurrectionists win initiative and activate a Rotten Bell attacks and kills the Ashigaru. Bete Noir is placed near Izamu who activates, reduces her to 0 wounds and she “One with the Night” again. Yan Low uses “Ascendance” to attach Spirit Ascendant. He then attacks one of Rotten Bells with Spirit Barrage and kills her. Seamus, Punk Zombie, Flesh Construct and a Rotten Bell all attack Yin and kill her. Bete Noir is placed back into play after Yin’s death and Yin’s upgrade is attached to Yan Low. Mortimer walks twice to move out of the Resurrectionists deployment area to.

Both Ten Thunders and Resurrectionists score 1VP for Turf War.

Both Ten Thunders and Resurrectionists score 1VP for Make Them Suffer.

Turn 4

Izamu once again activated, killed Bete and she used “One with the Nigh” to avoid death yet again (one trick pony!). Seamus charges Yan Low and summons a Rotten Bell from the only corpse counter within 6” of Yan Low. Seamus hits Yan Low 3 times with Bag of Tools doing 3 wounds. Yan Low returns the favour and causes 3 wounds to Seamus after damage prevention. A Rotten Bell then “Lures” Izamu so that Seamus heals 2 wounds due to the failed WP duel. The rest of the Resurrectionists crew attack Izamu (3 Rotten Bells, Punk Zombie and Flesh Construct) leaving Izamu with 3 wounds and slow for the next turn. Izamu in kind hands out 4 repost strikes in the hope that the hoards of zombies will just leave him alone (can’t a magical suit of armour just get some alone time!).

Both Ten Thunders and Resurrectionists score 1VP for Turf War.

Resurrectionists score 2VP for Make Them Suffer and Bodyguard

Turn 5

The Punk Zombie finally kills Izamu, Bete Noir is placed again. Yan Low moves and re-summons Yin and then attacks Seamus with Brutal Khakkhara doing sever followed by red joker for damage. Seamus is left on 1 wound. The rest of the crew focus all attacks on Yin and kill her again.

Resurrectionists score 4VP for Turf War, Make Them Suffer and Bodyguard

Thoughts on the models

As an overview of the Yan Low crew it has some specialised models and a lot of staying power. If Toshiro has survived for longer and been adding positive flips to attacks for the crew they would have been formidable. Model to model comments I would say the following:

 Yan Low + Path of Bones + Path of Ash + Path of Spirit: Yan Low was a tough cookie once he gets his upgrades going. Like a lot of the Resurrectionists masters he is tought to put down and this is a nice addition to the Ten Thunders faction. The new mechanics for re-summoning ancestors is much better and prevents from an infinite supply of them. However he did fell as if that is all he did. Most of the other masters can do these things and then something else. I think if he had slightly better attack value he would be great as a ranged attach master – maybe a bump on his damage profile for spirit barrage. As a rules point of view one thing that I would like clarified is the “Ascend” upgrades – is the limit of the 3 upgrades on a master still in effect therefore meaning that if you start with all 3 upgrades that you cannot then Ascend and add another.

Izamu + Spiritual Fortitude – Strong “tar pit” model that can really hold his ground. Mostly worked really well – the only thing that I would perhapse add would be a 6MI but I think that he would need to cost 1 more SS for this (which I would happily pay). Would have been a great combination with Toshiro.

Toshiro the Daimyo + Command the Graves – didn’t see a lot of the model tbh but he looked fine – he actually survived quite a few attacks coming in on him. Should be used as a support model and kept to the back of fights. Both players agreed that they missed his limited summoning from 1.5.

Yin + Eternal Terror – frustratingly difficult to hit and damage, with a terror test, neg flips on both attack and damage as well as 8 wounds Yin was very challenging to put down – would be strong if used with the Grave Spirit. Might be worth changing to just negative flip on attacks.

Ashigaru – great model felt very well balanced for the points. No changes needed.