It’s become a DragonCon tradition: Heroclixin’ Board Member Chadd Franklin comes down to Atlanta for a con and for big games with yours truly. And this year, we did it in grand fashion … sort of.

GAME 1: NIGHT OF THE SENTINELS

Thursday was the big kahuna, a titanic match between Chadd’s mutant heroes out to wreck my horde of every Sentinel I could possibly field in 2,500 points.

Bishop (X of Swords) 80
Exodus (House of X) 95
Apocalypse (X-Men Rise and Fall ) 125
Gorgon (X of Swords 022) 65
Kid Gladiator (X-Men Rise and Fall ) 75
Magik (X of Swords 023) 65
Marvel Girl (House of X 020) 80
Phoenix (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga) 350
Polaris (X-Men Rise and Fall 026) 50
Kitty Pryde (Empyre) 35
Rogue (X of Swords 037a) 60
Professor X, Dreamer (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga) 50
Scarlet Witch (Empyre) 50
Cable 75 + Futuristic Holograms 25 (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga)
X-23 (Fantastic Four) 50
Egg (House of X) 25
Hope Summers (X of Swords) 100
Cyclops (X-Men Rise and Fall) 45
Dazzler (Empyre) 35
Colossus (Empyre) 125
Iceman (House of X) 65

Elixir (House of X) 40
Forge (House of X Fast Forces) 75
Sage (House of X Fast Forces) 50
Dr. Moira MacTaggart (X-Men Rise and Fall ) 20
Deadpool (X-Men Rise and Fall 100) 60

Beast. (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Fast Forces) 70
Gambit (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Fast Forces) 70
Jubilee (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Fast Forces) 50
Storm (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Fast Forces) 70
Wolverine (X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Fast Forces) 70

X-Men Blue ATA 4 points each

Monster Hunter feat on everyone legal 3 points each

This was an impressive 2,500-point force and one well suited against a colossal Sentinel force, something like what I fielded:

Alpha Class Sentinel @150
Bastion (XDPS g013) @100
Cerebra @150 + Brilliant Tactician 20
Cyclops Sentinel @150
Friend of Humanity @5
Karima + Robot Team Up card 75
Master Mold @200
Nimrod (047b) @125
Nimrod the Greater 25
Nimrod the Lesser 100
Omega 200
Omega Prime Sentinel 59 + Infiltrate 2
Omega Sentinel 50
Orchis Soldier 25
Phoenix Sentinel @75
Sentinel (Captain America) @200
LE Sentinel Captain 29
legacy Sentinel Mark II @100
legacy Sentinel Mark V @40
Sentinel Squad ONE 70
experienced Sentinel Trooper 25
Tri-Sentinel @30

He’d brought the Morlock Tunnels, a cramped indoor map that I’d had to diagram carefully to even be able to place my starting force.

Chadd’s plan was to Barrier up in between my waves of attacks. But it didn’t go that way because why would I march up to get shot like that? Sentinels are artificial intelligence … emphasis on INTELLIGENCE. And so that map hampered him more than it helped — especially when Tri-Sentinel blew up the walls

We played for some hours but had to call it far too early because Chadd had been up for nearly 20 straight hours and I had been awake for more than 16 myself.

We planned revisit this battle on Monday, when the con was basically over, ahead of our Tuesday morning checkout time.

RESULT: INCONCLUSIVE (but the momentum was mine)

——

GAME 2: X-MEN #1 (1991) COVER vs. ACOLYTES

Chadd built a 1000-point team based on the iconic cover:

So I opted to face him with Magneto and his Acolytes!

Magneto (XDPS G025) 300
Frenzy
Colossus (XDPS) + Inside Information
Amelia Voght
Scanner
Kleinstock Bros x 3
Random
legacy Fabian Cortez

We agreed to play on Genosha, the site of the battle. And we kinda played it twice because the first go-round we made some ridiculous misplays. I played the Acolytes about as poorly as one could — Magneto wasn’t even on his right starting click! — while Chadd realized too late he hadn’t packed the right Beast for the team.

The second game, I had full command of my team, such that Chadd  folded.

RESULT: MAGNETO WAS RIGHT

——

GAME 3: EXILES V. EXILES

Chadd built a team of Exiles: Blink, Juggernaut, Proteus, Dazzler, Longshot and Sage.

So I wanted to play my OWN EXILES: T’Chaka II, Magik, Valkyrie, Tessa, Nocturne and Spider-Man 2099

But … this game was almost a bust because, again, Chadd had brought the wrong piece — this time a Juggernaut.

But … we found a way to rebuild our teams to have a match anyway.

But … it ended in a draw. And we didn’t even do a roll-off because WHY? It was a draw.

RESULT: A DRAW

——

GAME 4: THE NAME GAME

This is a F.U.N. scenario that Chadd came up with for Dragon Con years past where you build a force based on your government name.

C: Cyclops (Regenesis) @120

H: Honey Badger @80

A: Apocalypse (XMRF) 125

D: Dark Phoenix (M10th Anniversary) @100

D: Deadpool (X of Swords) 40

vs.

K: King Shark (Harley Quinn and the Gotham Girls) @90 + Submerged 5 because he’s a shark

H: Harley Quinn (WW80) @50 + Alias 3 because she’s literally wearing someone else’s clothes

A: Ant-Man & Wasp (Chaos War) 168 + And Stay Down! 5 because they are a one-two punch duo

R: Rikki Barnes (Empyre) 75 + Loner 5 because she’s literally the last survivor of her world

I: Ironheart (Captain America and the Avengers) 85 + Shellhead 10 because she’s armored and has the old defense symbol to gain the +2

I LOVE how the feats are thematic for each of them.

We left the hotel room for this one, playing in the Heroclix gaming area at DragonCon. The map was the David Leverette/Howard Brock-provided Barnstable Wedding map.

I wound up winning, but the biggest moment was when Jonathan, Honey Badger’s pal wolverine, one-shot King Shark. Ohhhhh I was as salty as the water King Shark likes to swim in.

RESULT: KHARI’S VICTORY BUT CHADD HAD BEST SCENE

——

GAMES 5-6: THE CHARLIE

Another Dragon Con classic, we saved this for nearly last — because we had multiple teams to run.

The Charlie (named for Charlie “Rockman” Cates, an old school Heroclix judge and former player) works like this: Seven figs, all in differing point brackets, sit on the sideline. The cheapest fig starts first. When it heals or takes damage, immediately roll d6 and replace it with the corresponding fig on the sideline.

First game, Chadd had as many Phoenixes as he could muster: from Dark Phoenix down to Jean Grey and an X-Trainee filling in the very cheapest slot.

I ran a bunch of legacy card figs: Leech, Havok, Deadpool, Warlock, She-Hulk, Namor and Thor & Loki.

RESULT: SHINY LEGACIES SHINE

 

Some hours later, we found a quiet table in the gaming hall and did the other team. I forget what Chadd packed but I used my All Black Everything squad: 25-point WOTR Black Panther, Isca The Unbeaten prime, SR Uhura, 022 Power Girl @115, Empyre Monica Rambeau @150 and 250-point chase Black Panther.

RESULT: ALWAYS BET ON BLACK

——

GAME 7: NIGHT OF THE SENTINELS PART II

Now it was time to do our real match, being relatively rested this time and having several hours to do it justice.

Well, that didn’t quite happen either, as Chadd for some reason needed nearly an ENTIRE HOUR just to set up his team. Then he never quite played his force’s best pieces, essentially letting me take the offensive at will.

He’d built an impressive team. But the whole thing was just a little too overwhelming for him.

RESULT: SOME MUTANTS ELIMINATED, SOME SENTINELS WRECKED … but not nearly enough of either!

———

Chadd is skipping DragonCon next year, but coming to MomoCon in the spring. We’ll be holding the points down to a cap of 1000 this time. And we’ll have more F.U.N. Heroclixin’.

A while back, I listed my favorite clix of the 2010s after annually doing a top ten-or-so for each year since Heroclixin’s founding in 2009, and retroactively posted my picks for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008: my first full years as an active HeroClix player.

Now, to help mark HeroClix’s 20th anniversary, I thought I’d pick my faves of the figures released in the years before I started collecting but later quickly grew to be liked.

Here we go! (In alphabetical order.)

2002

LE Arthur Curry (Hypertime 138) (experienced Aquaman pictured)

This could have been Vet Aquaman, the first single I bought. (It was during a trip out of town to celebrate my cousin’s graduation.) But I liked the slightly more subtle gameplay of this LE version of my favorite DC hero.

 

experienced Black Panther (Infinity Challenge 086) (vet pictured)

The Rookie was the meta favorite (thanks to his ability back then to autonomously move into Stealth position and Outwit from 10 squares out — neither possible today), but this Experienced version with Blades/Claws/Fangs to fight with along with the Stealth and Outwit (no TA though) reflected the character best of the REV set.

 

veteran Blizzard (Infinity Challenge 090)

11 AV was rare at this price (53 points), and so was Pulse Wave.

 

veteran Dr. Doom (Clobberin’ Time 075)

With a sky-high 12 AV, Perplex to aid his printed 3 damage, his old Minions of Doom wild card status and two clicks of Mastermind, he was my first power piece, part of the lot that got me in the game.

 

unique Elektra (Infinity Challenge 144)

I liked her more for the sculpt than anything. Also was my first Unique.

 

unique Flash (Hypertime 128)

i’ve always liked Jay Garrick. 20 Speed Hypersonic! Who cared if he only dealt 1 damage?

 

veteran Hawk (Hypertime 087)  (experienced pictured)

Once activated, he got you 12 AV with Super Strength. I struggled to play him on teams in those days before keywords.

 

rookie Invisible Girl (Clobberin’ Time 043)

18 Defend was really high in 2002.

 

veteran Logan (Clobberin’ Time 069) (rookie pictured)

Great pose, long dial.

 

rookie Mandroid Armor (Clobberin’ Time 007) (experienced pictured)

Cheap TK and an early “Black box” fill-in. Pretty sure Rhodey spent time in this suit between his Iron Man and War Machine years.

 

 

2003

 

 experienced Fatality (Cosmic Justice 053)  (rookie pictured)

A “Black box” fig, she offered Telekinesis and offense alike. The Experienced version I preferred was a flier as well.

There was an event where she was intended to be the mainstay of my team, but the judge secretly had a scenario where we had to swap our team with our opponent … and she wrecked my face.

“Thanks for building such a good team,” my young opponent told me after he’d won … the little snot!

 

veteran Hand Ninja (Xplosion 009) (rookie pictured)

This generic has a surprising 8 range, making it the first I’d reach for in any ninja-themed force.

 

LE Jane Foster (Xplosion 206)  (experienced Paramedic pictured)

Medics were a staple at this time (thanks to possible 6 healing and crater-low defense values to make the Support roll) and she was the best. It took me years to actually get her.

 

veteran Johnny Alpha (Indy 021)

There’s that TK again. But he also had an uncommon 11 AV, making him a solid fighter.

 

LE Little Sure Shot (Cosmic Justice 201)

10 range for 15 points? Yes, please. He was also a provisional member of my Black figure collection back before I realized he was actually a Native American character.

 

rookie Lobster Johnson (Indy 034)

Stealth Outwit AND wildcard status gave him a place on many of my teams in those early days, when all three of those abilities were VERY powerful.

 

veteran Magdalena (Indy 030)

Like a lot of characters from this set, she was a dull Stealth+Blades  piece, so she made my list more for her sculpt than anything.

 

 experienced Major Maxim (Indy 053)

Cheap Stealthy Super Strength. And a great sculpt.

 

 experienced Moon Knight (Critical Mass 026)

Stealth was much better then. So was Super Strength. And with his Willpower and Avengers team ability (which qualified him for the Thunderbolts feat a few years later), he was a good pick.

 

 experienced Taskmaster (Xplosion 065)

High, high AV. And Stealth. And Wildcard status. All for an economical cost under 60 points! The only thing wrong with him was the non-iconic costume.

 

2004

LE Cameron Chase (Unleashed 201)

I really liked this sneaky-good LE. On top dial, she was just a Stealthy Police TA ally, but a couple of pushes later (or if an enemy tried to beat her up) and suddenly she’s also got Impervious and/or Outwit. Pretty good for the 36 points back then.

 

LE Catwoman (Unleashed 222)

Possibly the only good thing to come out of the wretched Halle Berry film is this tiny mini of her.

 

 experienced Doctor Fate (Unleashed 071)

He squeaks onto the list by being a key part of my first-ever tournament win in Heroclix. I’d built a team based on the lineup from the JLA/JSA: Virtue And Vice graphic novel and piloted it to victory, partly on the strength of his long-range Probability Control and Energy Shield/Deflection. He was a key part of my then-JSA completion streak.

 

veteran Havok (Mutant Mayhem 039)

At 44 points, this old vet version of Alex Summers was just a TK away from dealing a massive 4 damage, making him one of the giant-killers of his day. Hence his spot in this Top 10.

 

unique Hulk (Ultimates 095)

Hulk SMASH! This sculpt is still one of the most beautiful things in HeroClix. And he was one of the first non-colossal figs to have a natural 6 damage on dial.

 

unique Longshot (Mutant Mayhem 085)

With him being one of my favorite characters, I was really happy to get the lucky one into my collection.

LE Manticore (City of Heroes 002)

This 10-ranged wildcard archer swiftly found a place in my heart, if not my competitive teams.

 

unique Shazam (Unleashed 088)

Like Doctor Fate, he was part of the Virtue And Vice squad. Others preferred the more straight-up powerful Kingdom Come-based LE version of the Big Red Cheese, but this activation-clicked one was my jam.

 

veteran Spider-Man (Ultimates 042)

This piece was all about the Pounce feat, which, for an extra 15 points, gave him a pretty staggering 10-square reach to bash someone with Super Strength (then among the game’s best powers) and land on his Super Senses clicks to stay a tie up piece the rest of the game.

 

unique Superman (Unleashed 095)

Boy, did I used to fear seeing this across the table from me. He was fearsome from 10 range with 5 natural damage, but hitting him only turned him into a Hypersonic beast that was very difficult to deal with. Still one of the best Superman sculpts ever made!

 

 

 

2005

 

LE Captain Mako (City of Villains 004)

Being an Aquaman fan, I always had a liking for the swimming characters. This shark-inspired baddie grew into a favorite.

 

LE Ghost Widow (City of Villains 002)

A flying medic with then-way above average 18 DV, Poison and equivalent of Mystics TA, this City of Villains citizen found her way into my all-time hall of infamy.

 

One of my favorite figs ever, I fielded him to great effect using the Protected feat (which gave the ability to completely negate a hit once per game — fitting for a character who uses holograms to fool attackers). He was key to my first tournament victory as well.

 

unique Orphan (Fantastic Forces 091)

Was this the first Unique (the then-equivalent of Super Rare) I ever pulled? I think so. Mr. Sensitive here is a prime example of why I love HeroClix: D-listers like him get as much a slot in the character selection as the A-listers like Batman.

 

veteran Spoiler (Legacy 003) 

Although her low cost (22 points) and contribution of Batman Ally TA for wildcard teams were the meta reasons for her being on such teams, it’s always been the sculpt for me.

 

veteran Superman (Icons 048)

My first REAL power piece. I pulled him in my very first sealed event and … chose not to play him. Even at that early date, I’d become leery of tentpole figures. Later, this incredibly un-F.U.N. figure — one that began a long series of changes to the Hypersonic Speed power — would factor greatly into defining my F.U.N. focus for how I approach the game. But that year, at least, this was definitely a big favorite of mine.

 experienced War Machine (Armor Wars 068)

This was the first kinda really OK piece for my Black team. Worked well with the old Thunderbolts feat that allowed Avengers symbol to pick any non-wildcard team ability for the duration of the game.

 experienced Wonder Woman (Icons 032)

Like so much in the Icons set, Experienced WW here functioned as a budget powerhouse. Love the pose!