Heroclixin' ...it's all about F.U.N.

The scenario: 800 points of only DC characters.

I decided to turn to crime.

Lex Luthor and Joker [World’s Finest 059] 200

Deathstroke [Arkham Origins] 195 + Arkham Asylum ATA 4

Firefly  115 + Arkham Asylum ATA 4

Harlequin [World’s Finest 053b] 90 + Arkham Asylum ATA 4

Penguin [Gotham City Strategy Game] 70 + Arkham Asylum ATA 4

Two Face [Gotham City Strategy Game] 49 + Arkham Asylum ATA 4

Henchman’s Goon [Batman V Superman 004] 20 x 3

=799 points.

FIRST up was Tim’s Doom Patrol: The Chief, Negative Man x2, Crazy Jane, Robotman x2, Mento and Elasti-Girl. I selected Hank Pym’s Lab. [In retrospect, we should have limited it to DC maps, too]

KO’d both Robotman figs and only lost Firefly (in a disastrous early game misplay) for the win.

NEXT, I faced Rob’s Apokolips: Darkseid [SLOSH] at 200, Steppenwolf, Supergirl [World’s Finest], Brutaal and Desaad. I chose map, the old Okaara Temple from 2010’s War of Light Fast Forces. The choke point at the center would prove handy.

TURNING POINT

Harlequin evaded two killer attacks via the Kingdom Come team ability. That kept just enough heat off the rest of the squad for it to lay down massively Enhanced fire to KO all but Supergirl.

FINALLY, it was down to Taylor, who brought Wonder Woman [Superman/Wonder Woman 033], Superman [BvS 002], Mary Marvel [World’s Finest], Elasti-Girl, and Power Girl [SMWW].

TURNING POINT

Got Penguin’s Automa-Bomb in position for a perfect explosion to blunt the threats of Mary Marvel and Wonder Woman, eventually leading to KOs of both.

3-0! I fully expected to be roughhoused by the Apokolips team, so this was pretty gratifying.

Piece by piece:

Lex and Joker not only serve as a 200-pt. tent pole but the fact that they have Mastermind and are able to make everyone else into Underworld taxis make this whole thing work.

Two-Face, as one of the cheaper characters, was able to function as a meat shield on one hand and, by virtue of having willpower and a fairly decent attack, was able to get into the act as a clean up tertiary attacker.

Penguin is a little bit hard to work with because you can only put out one Automa-Bomb at a time and without it having willpower or good speed, it is difficult for that bomb to get into position. Oh, but when it does….:) If only it can serve as a tie-up meat shield or diversion as well as, yes, a bomb, it’s worth every one of the fat crime lord’s points. Especially because he also brings more Outwit to the team.

Harlequin is every bit the top-tier attacker that she’s talked up to be.

In previous games, Deathstroke only served to be an expensive 195-point gifts to my foes. Not this time. By holding him in reserve and not having to depend on him as the tentpole for the team he was able to score some hits that mattered.

This was the only the second time that I’ve ever run Firefly. He is a feast-or-famine piece for sure. In game 1, he was an immediate KO. In game 2, he was a clean up shooting enhancing BOSS. And in game 3 was just an expensive meat shield.

Finally, the unsung heroes villains of the day: Henchman’s Goons. With Sidestep and Enhancement, each makes this team’s shooters able to manhandle even the likes of Darkseid. Excellent Mastermind fodder, too. Costing just 20 points, at least one belongs on any Gotham City Underworld team.

In honor of the just-realesed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, the scenario was to build a 600-point Modern Age team that had to have ONE Batman or ONE Superman on it. I decided to go with the Justice League lineup that the movie was hinting at for the sequel.

[SPOILERS ahead if you haven’t seen the film]

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Batman [Batman V Superman 012] 150

The Flash [The Flash 202] 149

Aquaman [Batman V Superman 006] 110

Wonder Woman [Batman V Superman 003] 105

Cyborg [Trinity War 019] 85

=599 points. A surprise battlefield condition were “easter eggs,” foil-wrapped candies placed by the judge that could be free-action revealed to be a random special object or relic.

FIRST, it faced Taylor and his Superman [Batman V Superman 002], The Flash [Flash 019a], Guy Gardner [War of Light 104] and Wonder Woman [Superman/Wonder Woman 033]. At first, I wasn’t going to use the Atlantis map. But when I reread my cards and noted this is the Aquaman who gets Hypersonic Speed in water, I did the best thing for my team. 🙂

TURNING POINT

I know from bitter experience that that WW can win a game all by herself. So I focused fire on her.

Thanks to the Atlantis map, Aquaman was able to get enough Speed Value bonus to Charge and use his Exploit Weakness to hit Wondy for 6 straight, setting her up for Batman’s Running Shot for a one-turn KO.

Still lost Cyborg and Batman as Superman lingered and my WW repeatedly missed and failed on Blades rolls. But wore away the rest of Taylor’s force for the win.

1-0.

THEN came Aaron’s Red Son Superman, Alura, STAR Labs Tech, and Wonder Woman [BvS Fast Forces]

TURNING POINTS

I’d just had a terrible round where Aquaman wasted his UH and Batman was wide open because I didn’t realize the candies were hindering terrain. But Aaron decided Flash, not Bats, was the target to attack.

And then Aaron had an EVEN WORSE round of dice failure than I did.

Got all but STAR Labs as time expired.

2-0, for the day’s win.

piece by piece:

Batman [Batman V Superman 012] 150

Alternately terrifying and super fragile, this is a Batman more likely to adore my wall of Bat-costumes than to be fielded — especially with not one but TWO far superior Bruce Waynes for the same cost. Still, considering that one [Trinity War 051] is an over powerful cheese piece that barely reflects the character and the other is an over powerful alternate future one [KC Batman from World’s Finest], maybe this Batplane-flying version is the least of three evils.

The Flash [The Flash 202] 149

This is one of the only Flash pieces I own, but the 2 damage all the way down the dial is so low that I really can’t justify paying the points. Fortunately the Outwit helps quite a bit, especially thanks to this piece’s high Speed value. This build size helped keep him from being the focal point.

Aquaman [Batman V Superman 006] 110

Aquaman rules. That is all. Seriously, the Exploit Weakness makes this one of the hardest-hitting versions of the character to date. The Hypersonic and Super Senses in water are just bonuses, really.

Wonder Woman [Batman V Superman 003] 105

In a sense, she underperformed thanks to her lack of Flight and Battle Fury relegating her to clean-up duty just ’cause it took her forever to even get anywhere. But she also never saw her mid-dial and racked up her share of points. Will definitely reach for her on every Diana’s Wardrobe team going forward.

Cyborg [Trinity War 019] 85

As yet another Outwit fig on a team with a lot of it, Cyborg effectively filled that role. Well, that and drawing fire, as it turned out. Being the cheapest of the force, that was a role he could well play.

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It’s always great to take a team like this one, built for F.U.N. not function, and come out on top. Be here on future Wednesday installments of Heroclixin’ to see more F.U.N. Fights

I went to my first Realms Open Championship event of 2016 with a team I knew didn’t stand much chance of winning the whole thing but thought could still be competitive:

ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMEN

Chameleon Girl [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes] 115

Giganta [Legion of Doom Fast Forces] 100

Elasti-Girl [World’s Finest] 100

Ms. Marvel [Avengers Assemble 056] 66

H.E.N.R.Y. 15 points

=396 points.

ROUND 1

I face Jennifer’s cheese figs du jour team of Nick Fury [NFAOS 056], Nighthawk [NFAOS 059b], Mr. Mxyzptlk and Copycat with Doc Magnus and Mercury rounding out matters as the pit crew. Right away I was in trouble because I did not factor Copycat into my meta prep. But I was also in better shape than most because my team is designed to survive losing a key fig in the early game. She took Elasti-Girl. No problem. I got map and chose the indoors Hank Pym Lab to blunt Fury’s lines of fire.

TURNING POINTS

Sidestep For the Loss. This is where that one more game of testing would have helped greatly. When I used Giganta’s free action of Sidestep to taxi in my first turn, I forgot that she needs to be ready to push to get the best use of her combo of powers. So when Jen moved into my potential swing range, I was unable to take advantage. It wasn’t a total game-killer, but it was a classic avalanche decision that led to worse later.

The Right Ruling…But the Wrong One. So Jen used my Elasti-Girl’s Plasticity to gum up the narrow passageway, and under the new size rules giants no longer ignore Plasticity, keeping me from freely advancing past her to engage Nick Fury. I double checked with the judge and a Powers and Abilities Chart.

…but what we both missed was that the PLASTICITY rules had ALSO changed with the size rules. I could have moved Ms. M past Elasti-Girl with impunity and she would have made MUCH better — and less costly — tie-up vs. Fury than the Chameleon Girl I gambled and lost with. I blame WizKids for this one, because in this setting, even if I had remembered the right rule, not having it on a printed document where a judge can make a fast and correct ruling on may have led to the wrong ruling being made anyhow.

Stupid Senses. Despite losing Cham Girl, I was still in the game with Giganta now able to freely Quake most of Jen’s team. But Mr. Mxyzptlk scored a Super Senses roll that saved him from KO and the game for my opponent, who was in full retreat mode.

So close. But now I was 0-1.

ROUND 2

Rob’s KC Shazam @ 170, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Mercury, Harlequin, and KC Spectre @ 35.

TURNING POINTS

Are You Kidding Me? Thirty-seven potential opponents in the room and I end up facing the one guy in the room who successfully play tested against my team? What a terrible draw!

Too Fast on the Draw. Forewarned that Rob would be aggressive, I decided to go for his Spectre to take an early lead in points. Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take the time to push either Elasti-Girl or Chameleon Girl onto Plasticity to prevent Shazam’s Hypersonic Speed strike with an ultra-heavy. Once again, Cham’s SC fails and I’m immediately down a fig. But I felt all right because while my easy KO of Spectre is now denied, Rob had overextended his force a bit and I would get right back in the game with an overwhelming counterattack, first to KO Harlequin, then to wear down Shazam.

But Dice.

Despite needing a 7 or less to hit, Ms. Marvel missed her attack. Then Elasti-Girl pushed and missed with an even easier shot. Then Giganta pushed and missed TWICE with Flurry. Then she hit with Quake — but hit two Mystics with it, to take THREE clicks of damage.

Elasti-Girl attacked every round after, using Colossal Stamina and missed every time, either outright or with “help” from Mr. M.

Any ONE of those hits kills Harlequin. If Shazam is the only attacker instead of me having to weather up to THREE attacks per round, maybe I’ve got a shot at clawing back into the game.

But no. 0-2.

ROUND 3

Omar’s Zombie Super Skrull, Mercury, Black Cat, Primehawk, Proxima Midnight, and KC Wonder Woman @ 30 on my United Nations map.

Everything went normally this time. Yes, Ms. Marvel was KO’d — and zombified — in far too short order, but the girls gave every bit as good as they got. I got the benefit of some low rolls from Proxima.

Finally a win! 1-2.

ROUND 4

Bob’s KC Superman @200, Batman [Trinity War 051] @ 85, SLOSH Stargirl @ 75, and KC Green Lantern @ 35 on his Black Mercy map.

TURNING POINT

Wearing down Superman was going to have to wait. Batman was the real threat, with his Outwit and Perplex and PC and any number of extra powers at his disposal. At 85 points, Cham could take him out in one shot. It was completely worth the push to do so with a Sidestep then Flurry.

Critical missed, stranding CG on her one bad click, effectively removing her from the fight until far too late in the game. Even worse: I hadn’t opted to place the H.E.N.R.Y. she’d carried next to Batman, who was then free to either softened up or finish off Elasti-Girl, Ms. Marvel and Giganta. Unbelievable that that one dice flail essentially cost me the game.

FINAL: 1-3 with barely over 300 points scored. UGH! This team is much stronger than this performance, though the fact that two of the losses came against eventual Top 8 finishers takes some of the sting out of it.

Really missed that last play test. That would have shown me the importance of keeping Giganta ready to push for that blitzkrieg, and then I completely change the makeup of Round 1. I also may have considered a different tempo against a HSS team like in Round 2, given that I had two Plasticity figs on click 2.

Then again, there’s little to be done about the horrid dice and luck of the draw I had in Round 2.

I’m still so mad. 😀

In the aftermath of the 2015 ROC World Cup, I hung out with Edward Shelton [a.k.a. Darklogos of Starting Over podcast fame], talking competitive play with a newer player who wanted tips on becoming top-tier. Edward said something that stuck with me, as he was trying to keep our friend from obsessing over the meta and net decking his teams:

Learn what kind of player you are. Learn your own play style. Then build from that.

As you readers know, I am Mr. F.U.N. — I really don’t have the inclination whatsoever to build a min/max team composed of the best power combos in the game. I have such an aversion to it that I almost detest using any figure that’s shown up in a ROC top 8 result.

So what’s my play style? It’s generally reactive rather than strategic. The best HC players have a definite strategy that they bring to the table. My mind doesn’t work that way. I instead look at what my opponent does, then formulate a counter, because whenever I try to plan too far ahead, I end up surprised by a move that obliterates my plans.

Therefore, I build teams that are designed with obliteration in mind — MY potential obliteration. I let you think you’re taking out my most important figure but there are two or three OTHER most important figs that will continue the fight undeterred.

There’s also my tendency to want to pick favorite characters that are off the radar, then be dangerous with them. It’s how I scrapped out top 8 finishes in two big 2014 tourneys and something I’m aiming to get back to in 2016 after some major failure with tentpoles and two-headed teams in 2015.

Even when I’m planning to go hard in high-level competition like the Realms Open Championship events, I can’t help but be F.U.N. Here’s the team I came up with to combat all the chases and Nick Furies and other cheesy nonsense in the metagame:

ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMEN

Chameleon Girl [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes] 115

Giganta [Legion of Doom Fast Forces] 100

Elasti-Girl [World’s Finest] 100

Ms. Marvel [Avengers Assemble 056] 66

Hulkbuster Torso 10

Helmet of Fate 8

Pym Particles 2

=400 points.

All four can be giant- or colossal-sized. Normally, that’s a huge liability given the ease with which lines of fire can be drawn to giants. And this team has zero range, so there’s really no upside to their Great Size.

But it has three characters who are or can become standard-sized as well, giving them a shot at, well, NOT being shot at. Additionally, there’s SO much going on with this team. Cham Girl is a lead attacker and support piece and taxi and Stealthed meat shield. Giganta is expendable but a vital lead attacker and taxi and support piece. Ms. Marvel is a cleanup hitter and tie-up and taxi. Elasti-Girl is a lead attacker and support piece and tie-up fig.

Here’s how it playtested:

vs. Tim’s KC Flash, Mr. Mxyz, Dr. Fate and Black Cat, I got the United Nations map. This is a good map for the girls, as the indoor nature protects them from shooters and the special door terrain keeps them from taking hit-and-run Hypersonic attacks — vital against a HSS expert like KC Flash.

Tim was using the Weapon Drop special object on KCF. With KC double tokened, I had him where I wanted him and advanced my whole team to striking distance. Next turn, I threw about 7 attacks in a turn, overwhelming his numerous Probability Controllers and taking a lead that held up within the time limit.

Next I tested against Rob’s KC GL, Spectre, Harlequin, Mr. Mxyz and Mercury. He got an open map and immediately hit Elasti-Girl hard, stranding her on her late dial. It took me too long to get Harleqin and KC Green Lantern’s 20 DV was way too much to handle. Still, Rob had had a whole round to see how to counter my team and I was surprised by how aggressive he was.

So the 50-Foot Women went 1-1 in playtest, but with the loss coming courtesy of my best sparring opponent after he’d seen my team in action, I felt good about the girls’ chances. I really wanted to get one more play test out of the quartet, especially after switching the Torso and Helmet or other items such as the Weapon Drop out for H.E.N.R.Y.

Next week, Heroclixin’ reports on its actual tournament performance.

Heroclixin’ is on a quest to determine how each model with Super Strength can hold the object token the character is holding. Because standing on it is weak sauce and confusing. Putting it on the card is even WEAKER (and borderline cheating in our barely humble opinion because it’s sort of hidden).

So here’s how to be awesome instead in World’s Finest.

Monsieur Mallah [World’s Finest 052] barely manages a hold, here, ironically using a Brain to help.

It’s awkward but, like many giants, Alloy [WF 058] puts leg day at the gym to good use.

Surprisingly, Superman [WF 017a and 017b] just barely have a hold here. We wanted to just plop the token on the brick wall, but it’s at too much of a tilt and so it slides off.

The set’s namesake, World’s Finest [WF 060] have a classic grip.

Time to get this blog back active. And what’s better than Batman?

A: Not much.

Batman [Trinity War 051] 150
Vampire Batman 147
Gaslight Batman 75
Earth-2 Batman 60
Red Son Batman 55

A nice highlander-rule-friendly force of all-Batman for a 500-point Modern Age game. Let’s see how it did:

FIRST, I faced Bill and his Monster team of zombie Magneto, Lydea Mallor, Lyssa Drak and vampires Jubilee and Batman on my Legion of Doom map.

Despite never finishing off v-Bats, I KO’d Jubes and Magneto for the margin of victory.

NEXT, I’d have to deal with Paul and his so-called Amazon team of Red Son Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman (Superman/Wonder Woman 033) and a generic Amazon. I say “so-called” because the theme was polluted by non-thematic elements Eclipso, Ion and the Green Lantern power battery in place of, say, a second Amazon generic and the Amazon ATA. Booooo, Paul!

With the TK and HSS advantage, Paul was able to get several attack shots on me before I could retaliate. Only a serious of improbably low rolls kept me even minimally in the game.

This was the first rodeo for a number of these Bat-figs. By piece:

One of our top picks for 2015, is not surprising that TW Batman was a leading piece.

On the other hand, Red Rain Bats was a disappointment. Lack of Willpower is fatal at his price point unless he has weaklings to feed his KO-activated healing.

Gaslight Batman has some potential to be a game changer, effectively working as Outsiders TA and Guardians of the Galaxy ATA writ wide. He’s also a good melee secondary with Indom. Key in tonight’s game.

Earth-2 Batman is a bit of a mess. The Miraclo pump is fun for the two actual turns you get to use it offensively, but lacking Charge to start makes the Super Strength hard to employ before it wears off.

Finally, Red Son Bats remains F.U.N. but a bit frustrating sure to his low offense stats.

NEXT WEEK: Heroclixin’s webmaster tried to have some F.U.N. at a ROC. Did he win at all in that high-stakes tourney setting, much less place? We’ll see…

We continue our quest to photograph each character with Super Strength holding their object tokens like men.

Even if they’re women:

…as in the case of not-so-contrary Mary Marvel [World’s Finest 041] who holds this object quite securely under her cape.

Same goes for her sculpt-twin Alura [022].

Superman [WF 049], too, has a secure grip on his ultra-heavy ahead of clobbering some villain with it.

Still more to come in future installments.

Heroclixin’ is on a quest to determine how each model with Super Strength can hold the object token the character is holding. Because standing on it is weak sauce and confusing. Putting it on the card is even WEAKER (and borderline cheating in our barely humble opinion because it’s sort of hidden).

So here’s how to be awesome instead in World’s Finest.

OK, so Booster Gold [World’s Finest 008] can only manage the lame “lean on me” hold. Whaddaya expect, it’s just Booster.

Careful balance will help Iron [WF 009] achieve this grip on objects.

One of the best things about these recent pre-releases is that it’s made it very easy to have Heroclixin’s checklists ready-to-go on release day. Download the PDF file below!

WorldsFinestpocketchecklist

Wow…we’re not used to being done with our Top Ten retrospectives this early in January. But here we are.

Now let’s look to the future! What are we anticipating this year?

More Mysterio

Longtime readers may remember that doing this in a HeroClix game is one of the site owner’s fondest dreams.

But it can never happen because there just aren’t enough actions in a 300-point game to move a dozen Mysterios. Not without help from non-Mysterio elements, which suggests a bigger team, which means that Spider-Man will have a ton of help killing Mysterios.

BUT!…The first Monthly OP kit came out this January. And it has a Mysterio with an ability to create 2 Mysterio bystanders who act without eating up actions. And it’s not a Unique piece. So…maybe…with enough of this LE…we can finally surround a certain arachnid with illusions.

Moreover, July’s Superior Foes of Spider-Man set could also bring a new Mysterio, or even perhaps his quasi-successor, Mysterion.

TMNT!

I haven’t been much of a Turtles fan since I the late 1980s, but we at Heroclixin’ are getting excited for the half-shell heroes on a map anyway!

A new rulebook and Powers and Abilities Chart

We lost our 2014 PAC while judging at the ROC World Cup. Meanwhile, WizKids keeps releasing Design Insight articles that not only give a little window into design choices, but are wholesale rewriting the rules. I need to be able to put my hands on an actual physical ruleset. Heroclixin’ was pretty disappointed to hear that the 2016 ruleset may not appear until late year. What the actual hell, WizKids?

Batman v Superman

In particular, we’re looking forward to a new Wonder Woman outfit to add to Diana’s Wardrobe — and dreading that one could be a chase figure. But there’s going to be a Fast Forces version that will likely have an identical sculpt, so we’re not that afraid. There will also be a new Aquaman in that pack, and maybe in the set proper.

The Black Panther Party

No, not these guys.

We understand that there will be at least one new Black Panther figure based on the Captain America: Civil War film. Heroclixin’s webmaster cannot wait to field a team filled wall-to-wall with T’Challa.

Guardians of the Galaxy OP kit

GOTG is another theme we’re completist on. So the new Gamora, Star-Lord and Drax are on our git-lists. Though what everyone really wanted was that Groot+Rocket duo…

Speaking of Aquaman:

There’s a new one in August’s OP kit. We collect all the Aquaman and Atlantis figs.

And, of course:

MUCH NEEDED NEW CLIX…

Ms. America. Because we can’t play this team!

Sand. He’s the last character we need to recreate this roster!

… and MUCH NEEDED REMAKES

Puppet Master. With a new Boomerang almost certain in Superior Foes, he’s the only Infinity Challenge character yet to get a new dial.

Black Cat. She’s almost like a whole new character in the Spider-books after the Superior Spider-Man arc. Be nice to say “Hi, Felicia” to this resurgent villainess.

The whole Fantastic Four. We know half the team is written out of the comics at the moment. But come on: The first family of the Marvel Universe can’t be gone forever.

What are YOU most anticipating in 2016? Tell us in the comments!