Jeremy Baker
10/25/2005

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When you look around the top tables at the venue you toss dice in each week, what do you see? If your gaming crowd is anything like mine, there's always some version of Vet Supes, Lamp, or FF taking home an LE. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I don't hate on other teams or tactics, and firmly believe that there is no cheese, only different strategies to overcome. But I found it disappointing that out of eight constructed sets (fourteen unrestricted) and with hundreds of figures to draw from, the top teams are dominated by a bare handful of heroes. I asked myself, time and again, how can I field a unique, competitive team? Aren't there figures out there with the untapped potential of Viper? Or am I simply taking the wrong approach to building teams?

I discovered the first part of my answer buried at the bottom of the Legacy checklist. Fantastic Forces provided the rest.

Gentlemen, BEHOLD!

Here's the team that's beaten Supes, Sue, and LAMP alike:

LE Drake Burroughs (Wildfire) 127 + Armor Piercing 10
E Songbird 67 + Thunderbolts 5
E Batman (Icons Starter) 47
E DEO Agent 18
E Destiny 23
Carol Ferris 3

300 Points

Not impressed yet? Don't worry, I'll break it down.

LE Drake Burroughs 127 + Armor Piercing 10

Between the E and LE Wildfire, the backbone of my constructed teams has proven himself in countless tournaments, although at first glance his advantages don't exactly jump out and grab you. First, four natural damage is significant, especially considering the lack of it among similar Armor Wars REVs (Vet Titanium Man and Ultron-16 also have four). Second, Running Shot gives him an active range of thirteen squares, around corners and over rooftops. This is especially useful at indoor locations such as the new armor wars map, when Poor Teamwork is down, or when you're trying to run down a wounded click. Third, being a proud member of the Legion of Super-Heroes gives him the ability to switch from Batman Ally to Mystics to Ultimates. Fourth, double-shot Energy Explosion is only slightly less vicious now that you can't Enhance it, but it still ensures that your opponent's brick can't hide behind a wall of Lians. Armor Piercing is the necessary icing.

Defensively, he only has one click of Invulnerability, then six of Toughness during which his DV drops from 'Thug' to 'Pog' status before his Phasing/Impervious click, so it's understandable to balk at the last half of his dial. Keep in mind, however, that this is one figure with Defense Powers designed into his Team Ability (more on Disbanded later). Your opponent should never be able to outwit you, much less make a ranged attack, as long as you protect your Batman Ally.

I'm partial to the LE, Drake Burroughs, because for only four more points he gets an extra click of running shot and his AV doesn't drop as quickly, making him quite pushable. So although he isn't as flashy as front-loaded HSS with five damage, Drake (or E Wildfire) gives you a lot of options most teams simply don't have, while leaving plenty of room for quality secondary attackers and support.

Speaking of support, let's talk about the team member who's been Drake's sidekick and constant companion ever since Fantastic Forces.

E Songbird 67 + Thunderbolts 5

Songbird is far and away the best TK'er out there. Yes, I'm fully aware that Jean Grey and Clarice Ferguson exist, don't start hollering about how much cheaper they are, because although they cost less and have the same Attack Power on their first click, they do not do the same things.

When I build a team, I, like all competitive players, try to maximize the effectiveness of every member on it. But where most people ask themselves “How little do I have to pay for this power?” I ask myself, “What do I want this piece to do?” Do I want a piece to activate my Big Gun turn one, then sit on the back row and look pretty the rest of the game? Or do I want a piece that can activate my Big Gun on turn one, put a point of damage through Invul/Imperv or bust down a section of wall thirteen squares away, push and keep her stats stable, have useful powers (ES/D, Pulse Wave, Barrier, Incapacitate) on every click, have a major team ability, and if the dice gods frown on my 19 ranged defense, survive a 5-damage shot?

Put her in your starting area, you'll agree 67 points is a bargain. She has the same Running Shot range as Drake and a 16 Defense with ES/D on her first click. Two clicks down, her three-damage Pulse Wave can be just the surprise you need. She's your only Thunderbolt, but most of the time this means your opponent will overextend and attempt to KO her in one shot. Six clicks of life helps prevent that.

It's tempting to downsize to the Rookie at 44 points, but it's not worth losing a click of life, and her stats and powers decrease dramatically. I would also stay away from the Veteran. 79 points for a figure with only six clicks of life doesn't cut it in 300 point games, because you have to save room for figures like…

E Batman (Icons Starter) 47

In case I haven't made it obvious by now, I'm all about two things: Mobility and figures pulling triple-duty, so when they spoiled the Icons Starter Batman on the wizkids site, I pitched a tent outside the Chantilly Game Parlor until release day. He was worth the trespassing charge, and easily took over the E Batgirl slot on my team.

What really sets this figure apart from classic outwitters such as Black Panther is his self-sufficiency. He can cripple figures five times his point value, reliably hit a 17 defense, and not worry about push damage. He's Batman! 'Nuff said.

The support:
E DEO Agent 18
E Destiny 23
Carol Ferris 3

These pieces come down to personal preference, and don't require much explanation. The E DEO Agent has a number of advantages over a Paramedic, and I'm not just talking about the Perplex. She Earthquakes right onto her support, she can deal damage at minor range (most of the time this is the difference between clearing out a pog in base contact with Drake and, well, sitting there looking pretty), and after Universe rotates out she's all we're going to have, so get a jump on the people in your gaming crowd and learn to use her effectively now.

You HAVE to have PC. Period, and like Wolverine, Destiny is the best at what she does, although if I had a few more points I'd switch her out for Rookie Domino. Natural Stealth on a moderate Wildcard team like this ensures that even if you're Disbanded, you still have cover. To do that, however, you're giving up a free action to move your PCer into position and downgrading your DEO Agent to a Rookie Paramedic.

Personally, I hate having leftover points, so while I'm not going to cheese it up with X copies of Lian Harper, I'll throw in a Bystander to bring me to 300 and tie up pieces as necessary. If you don't have a Drake Burroughs, the E Wildfire will free up just enough points for you to downgrade Destiny to Rookie and add Henry Peter Gyrich, my favorite Bystander and a surprisingly aggravating attacker for seven points.

Like I said, the support corps is a matter of personal preference, so go with what works for you.

BFCs:
In a standard, three-round, 300-point tournament, the two BFCs I take are Power Dampening Field and Ordinary Day. Earthquake is also fun, and sometimes I'll take Poor Teamwork if I see a lot of LAMP, but the tournaments in my area rarely go past three rounds.

The Matchups:
Realize that most game play decisions are situational. It's easy to say 'Make sure to get the first shot on Vet Supes, but how often does that happen? There are times where you need to charge in with both guns blazing, and times to hang back and be patient.

VS. Vet Supes
I don't fear Superman, and you shouldn't either! Your game plan is to knock Supes off his first three clicks, then keep him away from his medic, but how you go about that will depend on your opponent's BFC and his support. You will, of course, play Power Dampening Field. If he plays Disbanded, he's still stuck on three damage. If he plays Ordinary Day (or anything else), declare Mystics as your Thunderbolt TA and make him pay for every click. I usually end up chasing him around the map for a few turns before I can corner him and start swinging. Your Armor Piercing ensures a lucky Impervious roll won't leave you completely exposed, and that Supes can't hide behind Lian.

VS. LAMP
Unless your opponent is foolish enough to base Songbird with Joker and allow her to keep Telekinesis, or leave Joker where he can be Outwitted, this is not going to be an easy match up. When you setup, play Ordinary Day as your BFC (every LAMP team I've ever seen packs Disbanded and Darkness, and playing Poor Teamwork on top of either of those makes for a lousy round), and if you win the roll, always choose an outdoor map. Park Drake on the edge of a rooftop with your team around him, and you'll have a much easier time. Unless their build has two or more henchmen with Stealth, don't declare Ultimates as your Thunderbolts TA. The Mystics feedback from Drake and Songbird are sometimes all you need to finish off a Lockjaw.

Your initial goal is to knock Joker off his Mastermind clicks (all versions have three) or his poison clicks (four for the R and E, five for the V). This is much harder than damaging Superman off his HSS clicks, because Mastermind trumps Drakes' double-targeting EE advantage. I've had the most success when I scatter my team (taking retreating or sometimes breakaway Running Shots), so he can only poison one character at a time and I can pick at his flanks. Also, keep in mind that when you push Songbird twice she gets Pulse wave and still has three damage.

Another way to play against this team is to change your focus. Instead of spending all your actions trying to hurt the Joker, change your initial goal to KOing a Lockjaw or their other support pieces. Unlike V Supes, you don't have to KO the main piece to come out ahead on total points.

VS. FF
Vet Doctor Strange is a Nightmare unto himself; when you team him up with Sue Storm (and Spider-Man, Ultimates Scarlet Witch, or sometimes Alicia Masters for easy Support) he becomes a full-fledged Jabberwocky. Atlantis Rising cuts Spider-Mans' Pounce distance in half, but I honestly wouldn't waste a BFC on this match (*until Isolation). Both sides of the map draw most of their strength from abusable team abilities, so there aren't any BFCs that give you a significant advantage. Declare Ultimates as your alternate TA, and be prepared to roll the dice and take your chances.

Both sides have access to Telekinesis, but Drake and Songbirds' Running Shot gives you the mobility advantage in this match up. Use it to do one of two things: TK Drake right next to Dr. Strange (or whichever FF member is closest to your team) and go for a crippling close combat attack, or get him into position to take a running shot on Sue and her Vet Paramedic. After Perplex, Drake should have two shots to roll an eight against either target, which is relatively manageable. Four damage to Dr. Strange will take him right past his Phasing and RCE clicks and will seriously cripple any other member of that team.

If you hit Sue, deal two damage to her, and two to her medic. This way (assuming no Alicia Masters) her medic has to roll a ten to heal her back to full. Push and finish her off the next turn, then mop up the rest.

I don't mean to oversimplify the match, but if you're patient, don't rush your shots, and don't put yourself in a position where you have to roll over an eight, you should be fine.

VS. The rest of the Universe

Those are the 'Big Three' as I see it, although there are plenty of other rogue strategies out there. For some of them, such as Vet Hawkeye + Trick Shot Thunderbolted to Green Lantern Corps, the solution is obvious: Use Ultimates to double Energy Explosion his stealth screen. Sometimes, though, you come up against rogue teams with figures you've never played against, or teams that turn your advantages against you. The best example of this, the 'rock' to my 'scissors' if you will, is the time I used Drake in a 500-point game against an all Mystics team. Against a team like that, you don't want to do what I did and double-target Energy Explosion their entire line (Fun Fact: That's the only game I've ever played where Drake was KOed with a single attack).

So you can't plan for everything. That's part of what makes the game fun, and that's why it's nice to have a team that can adapt to any situation.

Although Wild Card Abuse is certainly nothing new, this team presents a unique challenge, both to play and to play against, but don't take my word for it. Pick the figures up cheap. Spring it on your venue this week! Let me know how well it worked out for you, and I'd be happy to answer any questions or share more specific strategy tips. If you're still not convinced, at least now you know never to underestimate a 30th century flamethrower!