New Comic Day Battles: wall-to-wall ALTER EGOs again?

After what’s probably the hugest FAIL factor game I’ll ever play, you’d think I wouldn’t so much as touch a team composed of all the Alter Ego figures in HeroClix:

  • With no fliers, phasers or Leap/Climbers, this weak swarm team is pretty immobile.
  • They’ve got hardly any range, or damage reduction, or speed.
  • They take forever to get deployed, and constantly have an action deficit.

I’m kinda stubborn this way, though: I don’t mind playing at a handicap if I think the idea’s neat enough. More importantly, I’m still convinced I can make the team work as long as I don’t make a solid dozen user errors again.

Norman Osborn  (Web of Spider-Man #023) 66 + T-Bolts 8 + Contingency Plan 12
Peter Parker  (Web of Spider-Man #008) 50
Clark Kent (The Brave and The Bold #002) 48
Bruce Wayne  (The Brave and The Bold #001) 48 + Outsmart 10
Jason Blood  (The Brave and The Bold #00)  44
Eddie Brock (Web of Spider-Man #010) 42
Ben Reilly (Web of Spider-Man #024) 38 + Lunge 5
Walter Kovacs (Watchmen #0) 38 + Loner 5 + Infiltrate 2
Hal Jordan (Green Lantern Gravity Feed #002) 35
Diana Prince (The Brave and The Bold #003)  32 + Invigorate 10

Again, I T-Bolted to Ultimates. My opponent Paul was using the following Brotherhood team:

Juggernaut (Giant-Size X-Men #046) 193
Pyro  (Giant-Size X-Men #034) 
Sabretooth (Giant-Size X-Men #040) 93
Esme Cuckoo (Mutations & Monsters #101) 50
Unus The Untouchable (Mutations & Monsters #042) 90

Another themed team, it got easy map choice, placing us on Oa from Green Lantern Fast Forces.

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WS Norman Osborn 66 + T-Bolts 8 + Contingency Plan 12

It’s fair to say that this team rises and falls with this piece. The only one with any range, plus Outwit and the Thunderbolts ATA, he delivers nearly all the early offense. I got a break when Juggernaut had to move just within Osborn’s line of fire (or, rather, where Osborn was going to be once I moved him — thank you Ultimates TA for ignoring hindering terrain for movement), forcing the big guy to either close in or remain Outwitted and unable to Charge in for a long time. That gave Osborn the chance to fight back and whittle Juggy down.

WS Peter Parker 50 

My chief Perplexer survived in this role throughout the game, never having to switch to either Spidey.

BB Clark Kent 48

Unlike last game, Kent was very much a part of this game, continually Perplexing up Osborn’s damage and defense on alternating turns while absorbing Mastermind damage to get to his Alter Ego, Superman (The Brave and The Bold #017). At that point, my team could really start delivering the attacks and had gained a needed taxi in the big blue boy scout.

BB Bruce Wayne 48 + Outsmart 10

Though the Outsmart feat was completely wasted again, his Outwit was another key to the game, despite the problem of his low, low speed. I had to take great care to draw the needed lines of fire to make sure Juggernaut was good and vulnerable. Eventually got him to switch Batman once my initial Perplexer was unavailable.

Jason Blood 44 + Endurance 5

Mr. PC did his thing until the end of the game, even taking the occasional swing. The feat? Just filler.

Eddie Brock 42

This time, Venom got a chance to attack and land a hit or two against Sabretooth before exiting the game. His ability to switch IDs early in the game is important to this team.

Ben Reilly 38 + Lunge 5

Still stinging from the horrible failure of last game, I was much more conscientious of wildcarding to the right team abilities with him. He was still an early KO, barely getting to switch to Scarlet Spider (Web of Spider-Man #040) before dropping, but copying Mystics at least made sure he hurt ’em along the way.

Walter Kovacs 38 

Used his Stealth and, more importantly, his Special Power to much better effect to tie down before eventually switching to Rorschach.

GF Hal Jordan 35

Where he was a key factor in the last game, Hal was an early casualty in this game. He still served to block access to more valuable figures.

BB Diana Prince 

Didn’t set her up right to best use the Invigorate feat due to the lack of actions to move her at first, but she worked out later as Superman emerged. Better still, her solid DV down the line enabled her to survive long enough to switch to Wonder Woman (The Brave and The Bold #018) and land the game’s final KO blow.

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In the end, I wiped the Brotherhood out and only lost Hal, Ben and Eddie for a commanding victory over a team that was arguably stronger than the one that decimated me before. It just goes to show what decent play will do for your chances of winning.

In a Modern Age game, I’d toss in Madrox (Giant-Size X-Men #001) as a sort-of Alter Ego piece in 500 points to make it work. In 600, I’d use two of ‘im and add the mighty morphing Beast Boy (DC 75th Anniverasary) for 597 points of figure switching action. Hope to try it sometime!

Next week: a return to Diana’s Wardrobe.

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