The neat thing about HeroClix is that the large range of figures allow for the appearance of some very obscure characters. The Inhumans are a prime example. Unless you’re fairly deeply into Marvel Comics lore, you’ve probably never heard of ’em. But here they are, able to be played right alongside Superman or Spidey if you like.
Anyhow, a thread at HCRealms focused on how well the Inhumans play together as a team. This was borne out in a tournament I ran most of the extant team in last summer.
The scenario: 400 points with a 10% feat limit.
My team: Inhumans
Black Bolt 166
V Lockjaw 38
Karnak 79
+And Stay Down 6
Gorgon 110
=399 points
BFCs: Inferno, Disbanded, Telekinetic Strain
My plan: Use Lockjaw to transport either Gorgon or Karnak into Charging range of targets, shielding them with his big, double-based body. Black Bolt hangs back to Perplex and snipe until Lockjaw needs some help from Bolt’s Defend.
How it went down:
FIRST ROUND I faced Chad and his Hand Ninja clan
V Hand Ninja (range)
E Hand Ninja (range)
E Hand Ninja (range)
R Hand Ninja (range)
R Hand Ninja (range)
V Hand Ninja
E Hand Ninja
E Hand Ninja
E Hand Ninja
R Hand Ninja
R Hand Ninja
R Hand Ninja
V Hand Ninja (universe)
E Hand Ninja (universe)
Kirigi
LE XPlosion Elektra
V Critical Mass Elektra
LE XPlosion Betsy Braddock +Extended Range
V Armor Wars Psylocke + Saboteur
on the JSA Museum…his choice of course (theme bonus of plus NINETEEN). I opted not to play Inferno as that would have completely messed his team up and I wanted us to have fun.
Generally, every time I hit, a Ninja went down. But Gorgon got hit hard by an Enhanced Betsy PsyBlast, followed by a 5 BCF hit by Psylocke. Thank heavens for Lockjaw, who both took a PC token to save him and got him out of there. Karnak also took a fair amount of damage, but survived to the end. I lost no one and got both Betsys and Elektras and about 100 points of other Ninjas. 1-0.
NEXT, one the Dawn of Time man, new face Adrian brought his Avengers theme:
Iron Spider
SR Scarlet Witch
NGN Iron Man + Stunning Blow
V Echo
E Mockingbird + Alpha Flight
I used a Dynamostat to give myself some small cover to use the Kinetic Accelerator. He used the 3D Desk with Spidey. I immediately Perplexed up Black Bolt’s range to 11 to get rid of the Desk and actually still hit (well, after theme PCing Black Bolt’s crit miss), removing the immediate Outwit threat. A followup basing with Lockjaw and Karnak was thwarted by Mockingbird tying up and then dodging Karnak. So Lockjaw left for the Defend protection of Black Bolt.
Now Adrian clumped his team ’round my Dynamostat, providing some defense against Pulse Wave. Unable to reach Iron Man with anyone, I cringed when he pushed to Stunning Blow Bolt for 5 clicks of damage immediately after. Meanwhile, Gorgon was repeatedly being Webbed by Spidey. Fortunately, Bolt was able to Outwit Iron Man’s Outwit so Karnak could deliver a counterblow and get rid of Outwit permanently.
Tied up by Mockinbird, BBolt repeatedly failed to hit her (despite being able to use range attacks to circumvent her Combat Reflexes — this being a few weeks before the rule changes last summer) but kept her Close Combat Expert countered against his Invulnerability. Karnak crithit Iron Man out of range (saving him from a likely KO from Flurry) and Gorgon finished Spidey. Adrian’s rolls began to tank, rendering him unable to even finish off Lockjaw. I KO’d Echo, Mockingbird and Spidey for the win. 2-0.
The FINAL ROUND was on my Space map against Paul’s wildcardy badness:
V Emerald Empress + Nova Blast
Ghost Widow
V Lockjaw
E Icons Joker
Alfred Pennyworth
Cosmic Boy
I Disbanded him. 
Then, to neutralize the threat of Pulse Wave or Nova Blast, I rushed him as fast as possible, on first turn, using Lockjaw to get Karnak in base with Cos immediately, with Black Bolt putting Gorgon within Charge range right behind. Paul immediately jumped on the dog, countering his Phasing/Teleport and pounding him with Emerald Empress, Joker and putting Ghost Widow into Poison position for good measure. Gorgon, Perplexed to 11 Attack Value, Charged in to successfully Quake Joker, Cos and GW away, clearing a path for Karnak to Charge-Exploit Weakness Empress right off Pulse Wave.
Black Bolt pushed to Defend Lockjaw from what would have been a euthanizing shot from Cos. Paul tried to regroup by sending his crew across the field to my Vine, but we got to him. Lost Lockjaw eventually but got max points by wiping Paul’s team.
WIN/LOSS: 3-0. As the tourney winner, I got to pick Sir Pietro Maximoff from a grab bag of 15 or so LEs. I can’t believe this Inhumans theme actually did so well. Lockjaw is insanely useful, giving this crew mobility it would lack and blocking for the fragile Black Bolt. Karnak continued his giant-killing ways and Gorgon delivered some clutch hits.
—————-
That was last summer. If anything, the rule changes to the game that ban range attacks in adjacency only make Karnak and Gorgon even more effective. Moreover, the old archenemy rules are now gone, allowing Black Bolt’s brother Maximus to be played on the team, giving it the mobility of the Telekinesis power. Finally, the addition of Triton gives the team a third melee fighter.
That’s all for this edition of Battle Reports. Stay tuned for a series about Event Dials in the comic weeks!