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clockwise from top left: The Spot, Super-Adaptoid, Armadillo, Nightshade, Chameleon, Rocket Racer, Living Laser, Mentallo, Puma, Scientist Supreme. And, of course, MODOK in the center.

I recently got the new MODOK (Captain America #050), and so want to run a near-complete M.O.D.O.K.’s 11 team.

MODOK (Captain America #050) 160
Super-Adaptoid (Captain America #020) 175
Scientist Supreme (Captain America #033) 97
Armadillo (Captain America #036) 89
Nightshade (Captain America #027) 72
Mentallo (Captain America #010) 71
Chameleon (Web of Spider-Man #019) 66
Rocket Racer (Web of Spider-Man #044) 60 + Outlaws ATA 1
Puma (Web of Spider-Man #012) 56 + Outlaws ATA 1
The Spot (Web of Spider-Man #051) 51
= 899 points.

There’s no questioning that this is a F.U.N. team. There’s hardly a hint of the powergames that usually go on in 900-point teams. It’s also Nifty, being based the Super-Villain team-up comic.

That leaves only the matter of Usefulness. How in the world will I make this team work?

Well, it’s going to be a little bit like planning a heist, I think.

Naturally, MODOK is going to be the main perceived and actual threat. It’ll probably do for me to run counter to usual wisdom and use my highest-point fig, Super-Adaptoid, as tie-up and blocker. His Shape Change and long, hulk-up dial make him ideal as a damage sponge. With him being a wildcard, though, I need to leverage the Sinister Syndicate TA provided by Chameleon (who’s only good for this one thing, really) to bump up the AV of my third mobile attacker, Rocket Racer.

For the Racer to make any sort of impact, his 2 damage is gonna need Scientist Supreme’s Outwit. That’ll make her a target, so she’ll need to Mastermind damage to Armadillo, chiefly. I must resist the urge to fully hurl him into the fray. Mentallo will try to take up some of that offensive slack with Stealth-busting penetrating shots and HYDRA aid to fellow shooters like MODOK and Nightshade.

Mobility’s going to be an issue, as there’s just one taxi for the whole team in The Spot. And frankly, he may be better reserved for receiving Nightshade’s Werewolf Serum, which turns him into a potentially lethal teleporting buzzsaw of Flurry/BCF on the right map. Setting up that opportunity is going to be difficult, though. I’ll need to rely on Puma in the meantime, keeping him next to WCs and fellow Outlaws to receive the needed movement boost to get in close.

MODOK’s 11 is a team that’ll live and die by the effectiveness of its swarm potential; no hanging back and sniping with this crowd. Neither, though, is it a melee-capable group. Mid-range is the ideal zone; close enough for Scientist Supreme to use her super-Outwit and for Rocket Racer to take ranged shots while getting boosted by HYDRA and Sinister Syndicate.

Can the Eleven pull off this caper? We’ll have to wait for the next Modern Age 900-point game to see!

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From Batman, Inc. #1.

I’m not a huge Batman fan, whether in comics or clix. But there’s no denying he’s a great character, no matter who’s wearing the cowl…there’s a reason he endures even after celebrating his 75th anniversary just last week.

So when mad genius comics writer Grant Morrison created “Batman, Inc.” with Bruce Wayne’s public revelation that he’d been bankrolling Batman for years, and then followed it with a team-up between Bruce Wayne Batman and Catwoman in that first issue as well, this Modern Age team quickly formed itself:

Batman and Catwoman (The Brave and the Bold) 142
Batman (DC 75th Anniversary #031) 77
Robin (The Brave and the Bold) 43
Alfred (Batman Alpha) 30 
+ Indigo Lantern 5
+ Dynamostat 0
+ Kinetic Accelerator 0
= 297 points. 

FIRST TEAM FACED: Chris’s Martial Artists led by Bullseye (Web of Spider-Man) + Thunderbolts ATA, Nightcrawler (Web of Spider-Man), Hand Ninja (Hammer of Thor), and Howard the Duck on my choice of the Castle map, picked more for fun than for effectiveness. 

TURNING POINTS

  • I thoroughly forgot to use the Catwoman trait to “steal” Chris’s Yellow Lantern special object. Oops. But for his part, Chris opted to use Mystics instead of the Stealth-busting Ultimates team ability.
  •  My map choice turned out well anyway, as my placement of the Dynamostat left Nightcrawler no way to reach BatCats — or even to place his carried Hand Ninja pal next to the duo.
  • Finally, as repeated Smoke Cloud Maneuvers got Batwing and Robin slowly closer to the action, Chris moved Nighty and Bullseye within range of Batman & Catwoman’s alpha strike. And though it failed, BatCats could counter Bullseye’s Running Shot to stay safely behind hindering terrain until the others could back them up.
  • Feeling the pressure, Chris pushed Nighty to try to hit and reposition BatCats. He failed. By then, both Batwing and Robin were in fighting position to overwhelm the Martial Artists completely, losing only Robin. 

===

LAST MATCH was against Brian’s Future theme of Kid Zoom, Trevor Fitzroy, Karate Kid and Ahab on his choice of a 3rd-party map.

TURNING POINTS

  • AGAIN forgot to use Catwoman’s trait, robbing myself of positioning opportunities thanks to Brian’s Dynamostat placement. Lesson Learned: Give all character cards a quick readthrough before the first round of play begins.
  • Got first shot on Karate Kid, ending his threat before it’d begun.
  • Fitzory incredibly failed to hit Alfred and was a sitting duck for a huge counterattack by the others. His KO pretty much sealed the win for the Gotham crowd, as my Dynamostat kept BatCats safe from Ahab more than long enough to take him down a peg. Didn’t lose any characters this time.

MVP: Batman & Catwoman are a really strong duo…they could almost take on these teams themselves, given the right die rolls. But the presence of Robin as ever-ready tie-up and Batman as a very strong secondary help BatCats shoulder the load. Finally, there’s Alfred’s Support as the back-up plan should things go wrong (as they did in the 2nd game when Batwing crit-misses and took a hit, losing Charge).

I will play Batman, Inc. again in Modern Age, as all the characters remain legal when Avengers, Justice League, Mutations & Monsters, and Crisis all retire May 15. (I’ll have to find a different special object than the Dynamostat, though!)

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It’s almost Valentine’s Day, that Hallmark-promoted holiday that puts dudes on the spot the middle of every February and sets ladies up for disappointment.

Oh, sorry. Did I sound a little bitter there? Didn’t mean to.

(Much.)

Anyway, a lot of venues like to couple-up the clix in their scenarios. Here are a few that I always look toward (or will for the first time, this year):

Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl

For 170 points you get this pair of wild card fliers. One is a tough fighter and the other a mobile taxi, both sporting 18 DV. Theme ’em up with other Teens or with their own crew, the Legion of Super-Heroes (which features other pairings like Lightning Lad/Saturn Girl, and Mon-El/Shadow Lass).

Speaking of teens…

Invincible and Atom Eve

It took a while for these teenagers to come together, but they are inextricably linked, now. ‘Vince gives you an inexpensive HSS brick while Eve covers his retreats with Barrier.

Speaking of Barrier, half of this pair is a mistress of it…

Mr. Fantastic (Secret Invasion) and Invisible Woman (Secret Invasion)

The First Couple of the Marvel Universe makes a decent team, too. His +2 Perplex makes her a potent ranged threat while her TK enables some extra range.

Superman and Lois Lane

As classic as this pair is, in HeroClix it’s really just an excuse to play a Superman in this format. Lois doesn’t contribute anything other than A) the Superman Ally TA if you’re fortunate enough to own the ultra-rare chase figure from Origin or B) a way to block or tie up enemy figures for a turn or two.

Peter Parker (Web of Spider-Man) and Mary Jane Watson (Web of Spider-Man)

Even though MJ nearly topped my list of 2010’s worst pieces, she does have some playability when paired with her man. In this format, I might just stick with AE Parker and let this couple act as wild card support for the real fighters.

Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre

Aside from his obvious huge damage potential, he also has TK to toss his gal out to tie up targets with her 19 DV in close. Then, if she survives a hit, she can run back to him and Enhance his shots even more. But if that pair of Watchmen is too rich for you…

Nite Owl and Silk Spectre

With two versions of Nite Owl, this pairing offers more points flexibility (if not much raw power at all). Use them as the street-level tie-ups they are.

Black Adam (Crisis) and Isis

The only thing the big Crisis Super Rare has really needed to work is some TK for extra mobility/range and PC to help his must-hit alpha strike land. Isis provides both. Huge point cost, though.

Hawkeye (Avengers) and V Mockingbird

Even adding the Thunderbolts ATA (he qualifies for it) doesn’t even break the 100-point mark! She’s perfect tie-up to set up his shots.

August General in Iron and Ghost Fox Killer

These Great Ten members are in love and are fairly deadly in melee.

__________________________________

I’m not really one to promote gay couples. But there are some in ‘clix that shouldn’t be overlooked:

Scandal Savage and V Knockout: These villains are mistresses of close combat.

The Question (Arkham Asylum) and Batwoman: One of the game’s best and one of its most mediocre for under 80 points. Could do worse.

Wiccan and Hulking: Ditto…except Wiccan’s not nearly as good as Question and Hulking’s nearly double the cost of Batwoman…y’know, you probably should overlook these booty-buddies.

Phyla-Vell and Moondragon (Hammer of Thor): Costly, but you know I love me some Phyla-Vell.

 

Happy clixing this weekend!