tidge
12/23/2009, 13:15
This installment covers the squad as they appeared in their one and only annual (http://www.comics.org/issue/43823/cover/4/?style=default), dated 1988. Chronologically, it takes place after the Jihad attack on Manhattan and the subsequent exposure of Captain Boomerang as "Mirror Master", while Deadshot was off starring in his own miniseries.
The squad is essentially on two missions (no spoilers), so I'll list the roster as follows:
"A" Team (sent in the field to infiltrate a Kobra base)
Mark Shaw, Manhunter (not existing in clix)
Duchess/Lashina
Captain Boomerang
Bronze Tiger
Shade the Changing Man (not existing in clix)
Rick Flag, Jr. (not existing in clix)
Vixen
"B" Team (lead the way in the infiltration of Argent)
Tom Tresser a.k.a. Nemesis (disguised as Amanda Waller)
Nightshade
The first order of business is to decide who to use as the figures that don't exist in Heroclix.
I've made up my mind that Rick Flag Jr. is to be represented by Vet Silver Sable (http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/album.php?albumid=666&pictureid=7703). (58 points)
I have two candidates for Rac Shade, depending on the point budget. The cheaper is the 59 point Rookie OMAC. If more points are available, I suggest the 90 point M&M Morph.
Mark Shaw (Manhunter) is a little trickier. At this point in comics he essentially had Batman-level skills and tricks, but was a bounty hunter. For these teams, I'm going to represent him with the Veteran Taskmaster. The mask seals the deal, but I like the powers on the dial (they represent his staff quite well) and the combat values are top notch. The wildcard of course plays very well with the mercenary attitude. The Exp is a better deal, but the Vet is more of a stand-alone figure.
xp066 V Taskmaster
Team: Minions of Doom
Range: 6 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 75
Keywords: Agency X, Martial Artist, Thunderbolts
m-boota-fistd-shieldd-starburstg-starburst812162711162610151691515814157141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
Now for the teams:
For the invasion of the Kobra base, you can have either a 400 point or 500 point team.
For 400 points, you leave off Rick Flag Jr. (this would be when he was co-ordinating the actual attack):
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
59 R OMAC (as Shade, the Changing Man)
38 E Vixen
= 382 points
For 500 points you can build:
90 M&M Morph (as Shade, the Changing Man)
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
53 V Silver Sable (as Rick Flag Jr.)
38 E Vixen
= 466 points
At 600 points you can build the entire lineup:
90 M&M Morph (as Shade, the Changing Man)
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 AA Amanda Waller (either as herself, or as Nemesis)
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
53 V Silver Sable (as Rick Flag Jr.)
50 Nightshade
38 E Vixen
= 592 points.
If you want more feats at 600, feel free to use the 59 point R OMAC for Shade, which has the team total at 560.
40 points is a LOT of feats/BST IMO, but that team has a LOT of wildcards...and it isn't beyond me to play BSTs to take advantage of that...I'm thinking Alicia Masters for extra healing potential or Jarvis for move actions.
For pure feats: Protected (8 points) on Nightshade will probably be worthwhile, since you will need opponents to take as much Mystics damage as possible. Passenger (5 points) on Vixen is always a favorite option, and Lunge (5 points) on Bronze Tiger should allow him to get an attack (something that doesn't always happen when I play him!).
Contingency Plan (12 points) on Silver Sable/Rick Flag Jr. is a good investment...but be careful to save actions, as the squad will need actions to deploy....another good reason to use Jarvis BST. Keep in mind that Silver Sable is almost certain to NOT be an early target for opponents, so chances are good she will keep Contingency Plan, even if she's in the thick of things.
For the last 10 points I would either just put Swingline (10 points) on Lashina for offense, or Nanobots (10 points) on Nightshade (for uber-conservatism)
I want to note that Captain Boomerang can benefit from both Ambidextrous (16 points) and Elite Sniper (20 points, mid-dial). Based on my own experience with the figure, I think Elite Sniper would be better, since most opponents will try to base ol' "down-under" to negate his Running Shot and ESD....and I simply doubt that most opponents will try to hit him for 4+ damage while he is copying Mystics (and there are other figures on the map).
The squad is essentially on two missions (no spoilers), so I'll list the roster as follows:
"A" Team (sent in the field to infiltrate a Kobra base)
Mark Shaw, Manhunter (not existing in clix)
Duchess/Lashina
Captain Boomerang
Bronze Tiger
Shade the Changing Man (not existing in clix)
Rick Flag, Jr. (not existing in clix)
Vixen
"B" Team (lead the way in the infiltration of Argent)
Tom Tresser a.k.a. Nemesis (disguised as Amanda Waller)
Nightshade
The first order of business is to decide who to use as the figures that don't exist in Heroclix.
I've made up my mind that Rick Flag Jr. is to be represented by Vet Silver Sable (http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/album.php?albumid=666&pictureid=7703). (58 points)
I have two candidates for Rac Shade, depending on the point budget. The cheaper is the 59 point Rookie OMAC. If more points are available, I suggest the 90 point M&M Morph.
Mark Shaw (Manhunter) is a little trickier. At this point in comics he essentially had Batman-level skills and tricks, but was a bounty hunter. For these teams, I'm going to represent him with the Veteran Taskmaster. The mask seals the deal, but I like the powers on the dial (they represent his staff quite well) and the combat values are top notch. The wildcard of course plays very well with the mercenary attitude. The Exp is a better deal, but the Vet is more of a stand-alone figure.
xp066 V Taskmaster
Team: Minions of Doom
Range: 6 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 75
Keywords: Agency X, Martial Artist, Thunderbolts
m-boota-fistd-shieldd-starburstg-starburst812162711162610151691515814157141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
Now for the teams:
For the invasion of the Kobra base, you can have either a 400 point or 500 point team.
For 400 points, you leave off Rick Flag Jr. (this would be when he was co-ordinating the actual attack):
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
59 R OMAC (as Shade, the Changing Man)
38 E Vixen
= 382 points
For 500 points you can build:
90 M&M Morph (as Shade, the Changing Man)
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
53 V Silver Sable (as Rick Flag Jr.)
38 E Vixen
= 466 points
At 600 points you can build the entire lineup:
90 M&M Morph (as Shade, the Changing Man)
78 JL Captain Boomerang
75 AA Amanda Waller (either as herself, or as Nemesis)
75 V Taskmaster (as Manhunter)
72 Duchess/Lashina
60 Bronze Tiger
53 V Silver Sable (as Rick Flag Jr.)
50 Nightshade
38 E Vixen
= 592 points.
If you want more feats at 600, feel free to use the 59 point R OMAC for Shade, which has the team total at 560.
40 points is a LOT of feats/BST IMO, but that team has a LOT of wildcards...and it isn't beyond me to play BSTs to take advantage of that...I'm thinking Alicia Masters for extra healing potential or Jarvis for move actions.
For pure feats: Protected (8 points) on Nightshade will probably be worthwhile, since you will need opponents to take as much Mystics damage as possible. Passenger (5 points) on Vixen is always a favorite option, and Lunge (5 points) on Bronze Tiger should allow him to get an attack (something that doesn't always happen when I play him!).
Contingency Plan (12 points) on Silver Sable/Rick Flag Jr. is a good investment...but be careful to save actions, as the squad will need actions to deploy....another good reason to use Jarvis BST. Keep in mind that Silver Sable is almost certain to NOT be an early target for opponents, so chances are good she will keep Contingency Plan, even if she's in the thick of things.
For the last 10 points I would either just put Swingline (10 points) on Lashina for offense, or Nanobots (10 points) on Nightshade (for uber-conservatism)
I want to note that Captain Boomerang can benefit from both Ambidextrous (16 points) and Elite Sniper (20 points, mid-dial). Based on my own experience with the figure, I think Elite Sniper would be better, since most opponents will try to base ol' "down-under" to negate his Running Shot and ESD....and I simply doubt that most opponents will try to hit him for 4+ damage while he is copying Mystics (and there are other figures on the map).