1) On a Risky or Desperate start, before they (the PCs) take any actions- I’m straight up taking action with my NPCs and they need to Resist straight away. Risky: I’m having the Wraiths fucking book it and I’m having them take their shit. I’m also telegraphing the release of a massive series of smoke bombs and gas clouds that inflict Level 2 Harm “Poisoned” to everyone and a 4 Segment Clock that shows the poison worsening to level 3 and beyond. If it’s Desperate, I’m not even telegraphing it: it just happens. All three of these things (escapees, escapees with the sweet loot, and the dangerous poison gas) need to be Resisted first and foremost before the PCs begin to act in those Positions.

I'm not sure I understand this. When you say "on a Risky or Desperate start", do you mean these are the actions you'd take as consequences for a 1-5 on a Desperate/Risky engagement roll? So on a 1-5 Desperate, you'd just have the Wraiths get away with their loot and the PCs are poisoned for 2-3 harm?