COMIC ACCURATE: The Hellfire Club

[Arsenalroy2k]

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1014&pictureid=15058FEATURING
The Hellfire Club

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to another Marvel edition of Comic Accurate. This time, we're focusing on some X-Men villains: The Hellfire Club. Now this odd mix of villains is not only getting some long overdue love in the upcoming release of Giant Size X-Men, but some of their members are making their way to the big screen this summer in X-Men: First Class. So we're going to look at some teams based off of their varying appearances in the comics.

Plus, as this is my twentieth article, we're going to be joined by a special guest to help me as we build this team.

So click to read more! (http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309065)

[Arsenalroy2k]

Influenced by The Avengers (The UK TV show from the 60's, not the Marvel team) and introduced during the Dark Phoenix Saga, The Hellfire Club have been a constant thorn in the X-Men's side. And one of those thorns is with me right now! HCRealms, please welcome the Hellfire Club's OG Black Bishop: Fat Harry Leland!

http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1014&pictureid=15057
Harold is fine.

Not according to his cholesterol count. Now let's start out by building the team as they debuted back in the Dark Phoenix Saga. Beginning with the Black King of the Hellfire Club, Sebastian Shaw. His strength, his power... his muttonchops...

aw089 U Black King
Team: The Brotherhood
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 116
Keywords: Hellfire Club, Mutant
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst89111812152811173911183911184910174910163891638915388143KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

Mmmm... Muttonchops. *Drools*

Down, Harry. I was talking about his hair. Moving on, if the Hellfire Club was Baywatch, she'd be their Pamela Anderson. It's the White Queen, the Frostitute herself, Emma Frost!

gx011 E Emma Frost
Team: The Brotherhood & X-Men
Range: 8 :bolt:
Points: 81
Keywords: Dark X-men, Generation X, Hellfire Club, Hellions, X-men
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst7101737916279162691726916268151KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

Worst stripper EVER.

I wouldn't doubt that. Boston strippers are the worst. No one wants to make it rain for some chick that's given lapdances to about a hundred different guys all named "Tully" who spend the night arguing with their buddies from the South End about the Pats as they suck down bottle after bottle of Sam Adams. Though to be fair, working the pole at The Hellfire Club is probably no picnic either. Who wants to bump and grind for a cyborg and a fat guy who smells like jalapeno poppers?

I can't help it! They're free! And DELICIOUS!

Let's keep going. Our next member is The White Bishop; Donald Pierce!

mm088 U Donald Pierce
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 73
Keywords: Hellfire Club, Martial Artist, Scientist, Reavers, Robot
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst8101628101628915269152681426713246121KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

All hail The Donald!

Yep. Just like Trump, only he's a cold-blooded half-robot with delusions of grandeur. So... never mind. The sarcastic zinger just turned into an apt description. Next it's Shaw's assistant turned retconned spy, Tessa aka Sage!

sv031 R Tessa
Team: The Brotherhood
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 39
Keywords: Hellfire Club, Mutant, Spy
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst781627815268141671415713157121KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

Mmmm... Sage. *Drools*

Really? You're drooling for spices now? Have you no shame?

I wear ruffled shirts in a modern day setting for non-ironic reasons. You tell me.

Well played, fatso. Up next are the two folks who tried to join the team during the Dark Phoenix Saga: Mastermind and the Black Queen.

mm092 U Black Queen
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 10 :bolt:
Points: 70
Keywords: Cosmic, Hellfire Club, Psychic
m-winga-fistd-shieldg-starburst109163981528814287132771327612266121KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

mu052 U Mastermind
Team: The Brotherhood
Range: 8 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 117
Keywords: Brotherhood of Mutants, Hellfire Club, Mutant, Psychic
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst7101617916169161691526814258141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Speed) Mind Games: Mastermind can use Mind Control and Stealth. Modify Mastermind's attack value by +2 when he uses Incapacitate or Mind Control.
(Defense) Chimera: Mastermind can use Mastermind and Super Senses.

Worked out nicely. One became a lobotomized drooling mess... the other was a cosmic entity! Am I right, guys?

Oof. Maybe you are better off shoveling Chili Fries into your mouth, if it'll stop those jokes. Last, but definitely not least (especially in terms of size) is our own dear Fat Harry.

Yay! I have a figure!

And it's visible from space!

...

Oh. You meant your Heroclix piece, didn't you? Sorry.

gx020 E Harry Leland
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 53
Keywords: Hellfire Club
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst6918259171581715817158171KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Attack) Gravitational Focus: Harry Leland can use Incapacitate as if he had a range value of 4. If he hits with Incapacitate, his target's speed value becomes 1 and is locked until your next turn.
(Special) Mass Increase: Opposing characters within 4 squares of Harry Leland can't be given actions to use Charge, Running Shot, or Hypersonic Speed and halve their speed values when given a move action.

Now all together, this team so far comes out to 549 points. But we need some minions on this force.

Bring on the cannon fodder!

Exactly, Harry. So let's add on some Hellfire Club Guards.

gx004 R Hellfire Club Guard
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 37
Keywords: Hellfire Club
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst79162791616915158151KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Damage) Minion: True Pawns: If a friendly character of a higher point value with the Hellfire Club Keyword is within 8 squares, that character can use Mastermind, if they can't already, but only to deal damage to characters with the Hellfire Club keyword.

Five guards should be enough for now. It'll bring our build up to 734 points, which is fine. Like Harry's dinner portions, bigger is better.

True dat!

Plus, with 66 points left over, this will give us space for feats or better yet, a Hellfire Club ATA if Wizkids rolls one out. If they don't, feel free to add in another Guard if you don't want to use all 66 points in feats. But whatever feat you do choose, get something to help out your attack values. At least your damage values won't need any help thanks to Emma and Tessa's Enhancement.

I can tell you one thing their enhancements helped!

Please don't. Here, have a cake.

Ahhh... cake! *Starts shoveling it into his face*

Anyways, this isn't the only Hellfire Club lineup we can build. After the Dark Phoenix Saga, the Inner Circle changed. Jean didn't take, Mastermind never made it in, Friedrich Von Roehm came and went, Donald got kicked out and Harry died.

Nom nom nom... WHUT?

Chew your food, Harry. Don't talk with your mouth full. But in those members places came new ones. First was the new Black Queen, Selene.

cm081 V Selene
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 71
Keywords: Externals, Hellfire Club, Mystical, Psychic
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst911172810162891527814277141671316613156121KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

Let me tell you, she made Emma look downright classy in comparison.

No lie. Boston is a haven compared to that dump Nova Roma. But the Hellfire Club got some more respectable members with Storm and Our Lord Magneto, who joined as a part of a truce between the X-Men and the Club.

gx048 V Storm
Team: X-Men
Range: 9 :bolt:
Points: 86
Keywords: Deity, Fantastic Four, Hellfire Club, Morlocks, Ruler, X-Men
m-winga-fistd-shieldg-starburst10101738917289162710163791627915268151KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Damage) The Weather Witch: When Storm occupies a square of outdoor terrain, modify her damage and range values by +1 and she possesses 2 targets.

gx053 V Magneto
Team: The Brotherhood
Range: 10 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 189
Keywords: Acolytes, Brotherhood of Mutants, Hellfire Club, Ruler
m-winga-fistd-shieldg-starburst81118481118481017381017381017379162791627916279162KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Attack) Magnetic Mastery: Give Magneto a power action. Magneto can use Telekenesis twice as a free action. If Magneto uses Telekenesis option 3 increase the damage dealt by 2.
(Defense) Magnetic Shield: Magneto can use Toughness. Characters halve their range values when Magneto is one of the targets of their attack.
(Special) Magnetic Field: Magneto can use Energy Shield/Deflection. When Magneto uses the Carry ability, he can carry up to 4 characters. Modify Magneto's combat values by +1 if he's occupying a square that contains a debris marker.

Taking out Harry, Donald, Mastermind and Black Queen and subbing in Selene, Storm and Magneto now brings the team to 767 points. 33 points for maybe an ATA or a bunch feats. If no ATA, then those feats might be worth it. You'll definitely want Fortitude and a Protected on Magneto, to keep such a useful piece safe. and the beauty is between his trait and the two Enhancers, he can be dishing out a seven damage to opponents! That's sick!

Speaking of sick, I'm feeling a little oogy.

Was it something you ate? You know... everything?

Jerk! I've had enough of your insults! I'm leaving!

Gradually?

ARGH! *Leaves*

While Harry waddles his way out, there's one more Hellfire Club team that you folks can build. During X-Man's series, Sebastian Shaw returned from the dead and retook the club from his son. During that time the lineup consisted of Shaw, Selene, Tessa, the returning Donald Pierce along with new members Madelyne Pryor and Trevor Fitzroy, who will soon be made in Giant Size X-Men.

ul094 U Goblin Queen
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 8 :bolt:
Points: 81
Keywords: Mystical, Psychic
m-winga-fistd-shieldg-starburst1091631091639815398152881428714277131KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

gx043 V Trevor Fitzroy
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 65
Keywords: Future, Hellfire Club
m-boota-fistd-shieldg-starburst891728917289171791617816268151KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
(Special) Life Force Portals: When an opposing character takes damage from Trevor Fitzroy's close combat attack, after actions resolve you may place Trevor Fitzroy and up to one adjacent friendly character anywhere on the map as long as they remain adjacent.

Shaw, Selene, Tessa, Donald, Maddie and Fitzroy come out to 445 points. Again, enough points for feats (or an ATA if made). Also, Holocaust was credited as Shaw's "associate" on Wikipedia. So when his colossal comes out in the super boosters, he can make your team even bigger. Apparently by 400 points.

So while Harry goes off to enjoy the entire menu of a Carls Jr., you can go and enjoy the new life that's been breathed into the Hellfire Club.

Next time: CLIX... IN... SPACE!

[StormCrawler]

Have to say Harry is growing on me (figuratively speaking, that is).

Awesome article!

[CBOWEN333]

Great Article.
Wheres Norman Osbourn?

[Pepsirox08]

So what is the best way to group all these people together in a 500 format? And why the heck does Norman Osborn have the keyword as well??

[tmahony]

Great article, but I'm looking forward to playing Wade Cole in a Hellfire Club team. Stealth, Dual target EE, and RCE. Suprised he didn't get mentioned.

[elfholme]

I'm actually surprised the older Hellfire Guards weren't mentioned. You can get 3 of the old Rookies for the price of one GSX HCG. Keep the GSX ones alive to confer MM, and have the Rookies actually soak up the damage to your more important figures. If you were planning on 5 HCGs, mayube try 3 of them and 6 Rookie HGs instead. That's enough for a meatshield next to each of your Inner Circle members! :)

Nice article. The Hellfire Club have always been my favorite X-villains.

[JAKECOBB10]

So what is the best way to group all these people together in a 500 format? And why the heck does Norman Osborn have the keyword as well??

well, a quick search (wikipedia to be precise), suggests that Norm was offered membership by one of the existing members, although it doesn't say who invited him.. :( (EDIT: double checked, it's only the FF LE that gets the keyword.)

Interestingly, the characters (and their alter egos) that have been offered membership who wouldn't be classed as x-men villians are: Angel, Psylocke and Iron Man (Warren, Elizabeth and Tony inherited their places from their respective father's), Night Thrasher, Vance Astrovik and Rachel Summers (the latter being invited by Emma Frost). also, Cannonball (sam guthrie) had worked as a named hellfire guard.

[cattmoe]

I really want to try Trevor Fitzroy, but I haven't come up with a viable way to really make him work.... :disappointed:

Also, what about Sunspot? He was in the Club for a time... I think he inherited it form his father?

[VictorySaber]

well, realistically speaking, so does Tony Stark. He inherited his old man's membership...

[krusticlese]

I like the presentation of the teams as they appeared in the comics, however the commentary inbetween has little to nothing to do with those stories and is kind of distracting and crude (comments about Bostonites getting lap dances?? Really??).

So take all of that out, you are left with a post with teams that you can find in the Combat Formations forum. Sub par article with no commentary on how to play the team, or specific strategies to make them work better.

I feel like I just wasted 5 minutes reading it.

[ComicJunkie]

I just ran the Hellfire Club in a 400 point GSX only tourney.
Magneto 189
Emma Frost 81
Leland 53
Hellfire Guard x2 37x2=74
Totals to 397.
Magneto had just enough people to carry, and the enhancement from Emma helped to boost the damage on the Guards so they could destroy blocking terrain and create debris for Magneto to sit on. Leland was my Outwit light, taking away the Hypersonic on Phoenix's, and kept people off Magneto (like Holocaust err. Nemesis (though thats not what we call him ;) )) Harry's 18 Def with mastermind from the guards was great for me. Even Krakoa's earthquake rolls were tolerable because of the mastermind on Leland and Emma. It put both the guards on running shot right away.

Favorite part of the night was when Magneto got knocked off of running shot and retalliated by multi-tk 2 heavys using Enhancement for 12 total clicks of damage in a single action. Felt kind of dirty. Like, Nova Blast dirty. I haven't felt this way since Spiral first came out and I crit twice on Flurry/BCF and rolled 6s knocking both my targets off elevated, dealing 18 total clicks in a single action.

Next week is 500 point modern age Marvel only. I'm thinking of running it again with Storm and some special objects. Although I was unable to do so, I recommend placing an imobile object somewhere strategic so you can destroy it and have debris regardless of map choice. I promise you this, the more Hellfire Guards the better. I see that common raking in some $$ in the future...

[JoeGualtieri]

What Krusticlese said. This article was terrible.

[hpred]

Next week is 500 point modern age Marvel only. I'm thinking of running it again with Storm and some special objects. Although I was unable to do so, I recommend placing an imobile object somewhere strategic so you can destroy it and have debris regardless of map choice. I promise you this, the more Hellfire Guards the better. I see that common raking in some $$ in the future...

You do know that objects now no longer generate debris when they are destroyed with the exception of the Satellite per its special rules but you have to be holding it to do that.

[xlii]

Really underwhelmed by the article. Maybe strategy advice rather than fat jokes?

[Roderic_Cliche]

Actually, immobile (blue-ringed) objects do still leave debris. Check the rulebook, page 17, under "Immobile Objects." Normal light and heavy objects do not (see the paragraph under "Destroying Objects" on the same page).

[tylerdrake]

Nice fun article. Thanks for your efforts.

[falconpunch]

Magneto got knocked off of running shot and retalliated by multi-tk 2 heavys using Enhancement for 12 total clicks of damage in a single action.

I'm almost positive this is wrong.....? Enhancement modifies the adjacent character's damage, whereas Magneto's SP specifically modifies an object's damage. I don't see how they could ever work together.

[STUimus Prime]

I thought it was funny and informative. Thanks for the comic accurate lineups.
Exclixior!

[Preacher13]

Great article! You left out Wade Cole, the Hellfire Guard LE. I think Wade needs to be represented.

[theemaxx52ad]

I like the presentation of the teams as they appeared in the comics, however the commentary inbetween has little to nothing to do with those stories and is kind of distracting and crude (comments about Bostonites getting lap dances?? Really??).

So take all of that out, you are left with a post with teams that you can find in the Combat Formations forum. Sub par article with no commentary on how to play the team, or specific strategies to make them work better.

I feel like I just wasted 5 minutes reading it.


Got to agree, entertaining as all that banter was, there was not a word about comic accuracy or strategy for making the team work. Not the quality of "comic accurate" I've come to expect, especially for such a highly-anticipated team.

[Bat-Phreak]

I like the presentation of the teams as they appeared in the comics, however the commentary inbetween has little to nothing to do with those stories and is kind of distracting and crude (comments about Bostonites getting lap dances?? Really??).

So take all of that out, you are left with a post with teams that you can find in the Combat Formations forum. Sub par article with no commentary on how to play the team, or specific strategies to make them work better.

I feel like I just wasted 5 minutes reading it.

Got to agree, entertaining as all that banter was, there was not a word about comic accuracy or strategy for making the team work. Not the quality of "comic accurate" I've come to expect, especially for such a highly-anticipated team.

I enjoyed the article and found the comments by "Harold is fine" to be entertaining, but your readers have come to expect a bit more "meat on the bone" (an aspect that Harold would find important: "Mmm, meat bones!") from your articles.

Great article! You left out Wade Cole, the Hellfire Guard LE. I think Wade needs to be represented.

I totally agree! Whenever Mastermind is being used, having multiple low-point-cost figures can be important. Don't forget, the GSX Hellfire Club Guards can also use MINION: TRUE PAWNS to pass damage onto the Ultimates Hellfire Guards either as part of a MM chain, or if the GSX HCG is targetted directly.

[ThePancakeMan]

The best of X-Villains!

[sstralkowski]

Wonder why we didn't see any Ultimates Hellfire Guards for mastermind fodder. They have 4 clicks of life (admittedly without toughness) at less than half the cost (17 or 15 vs 37). And an LE Wade Cole could add some diversity. Aside from that, you've inspired me to run one of these teams.

EDIT: You could just completely replace my post with "what Preacher and BatPhreak said."

[KidSinestro]

For a person like me, that doesn't know much about the Hellfire Club, this was very informative. Thanks

[DaddyDoom]

I'm almost positive this is wrong.....? Enhancement modifies the adjacent character's damage, whereas Magneto's SP specifically modifies an object's damage. I don't see how they could ever work together. You are correct, now the player can feel real dirty.

[someoneyouarenot]

Why was Sunspot left out of the mix?

[candusima]

What Preacher and BatPhreak said.

These articles have come to be very well regarded by the community in general. I liked Harry's banter, but I would have rather had the strategy about feats. That's a lot of points to toy with. Do you chain up an abusive play like Compel to empty the field of objects in a single turn with Magneto and completely flatten your opponents' front line? Do the Inner Circle use Alias to foil attacks? Is Fortitude a good investment? What about Armor Piercing? Lots of different ways to take this, and I value that discussion very much.

[Nickel97]

Seems pretty Comic Accurate to me. I liked it. Clever and Creative and far less boring than "Here's my team, and how to play." I needed the history lesson far more than instructions on how to use the figures (I heard they give you numbers on the figures dial, and little cards that tell you what the colors mean to help you do that)

[BLACKHEART25]

Really underwhelmed by the article. Maybe strategy advice rather than fat jokes?

Underwhelmed.....Overwhelmed.....Why can't anybody be just whelmed?

[TheScarletCrit]

Was it just me or did anyone else cringe when he suggested Protected and Fortitude on Magneto? I don't think I would have the heart to play that...

Otherwise great article!

[Carbon Rod]

Don't worry Fat Harry, I could go for some muttonchops too ...

[get_1]

So while Harry goes off to enjoy the entire menu of a Carls Jr., you can go and enjoy the new life that's been breathed into the Hellfire Club.


It's called Hardee's. ;)

[Arsenalroy2k]

Wheres Norman Osbourn?

After Norman's last appearance in Comic Accurate (http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=292933), he declined to return.

I'm actually surprised the older Hellfire Guards weren't mentioned.

The newest piece was the most important one to the build. The older Hellfire Guards, including the LE, just help fill points. And there's no set combo as to how many of which older figures to use. So that's on the individual to choose for themselves. So I didn't feel posting their dials made much of a difference.

Got to agree, entertaining as all that banter was, there was not a word about comic accuracy or strategy for making the team work.

For the most part, the focus of my articles aren't about the in-play strategy aspect. Usually the building portion and then filling out any remaining points with whatever best helps the build perform. The gameplay itself is rarely discussed in-depth as players have different styles.

Why was Sunspot left out of the mix?

Because Roberto was a part-time member at best, and when he finally did go all in, it was just him and Tessa. Maybe they might make for a nice low point team, but I already had three different rosters in the article. So they got left out.

Was it just me or did anyone else cringe when he suggested Protected and Fortitude on Magneto? I don't think I would have the heart to play that...

It's ugly, but at near 200 points, he's going to be the biggest target on your team. So you want to protect him as such.

It's called Hardee's. ;)

Not in Tucson, it isn't.

Seems pretty Comic Accurate to me. I liked it. Clever and Creative and far less boring than "Here's my team, and how to play." I needed the history lesson far more than instructions on how to use the figures (I heard they give you numbers on the figures dial, and little cards that tell you what the colors mean to help you do that)

Nothing to say about that. Just wanted to repost it as it makes a lot of sense.

[TOE-NEE]

Very nice article. I hope to play a version of the Hellfire Club sometime soon.

[elfholme]

The newest piece was the most important one to the build. The older Hellfire Guards, including the LE, just help fill points. And there's no set combo as to how many of which older figures to use. So that's on the individual to choose for themselves. So I didn't feel posting their dials made much of a difference.


I actually think they're pretty important to a good (and still comic accurate) Golden Age Hellfire Club team. Which ones you choose, and in what mixture is personal preference, but the ability of the new GSX Hellfire Club Guards to make the old ones playable again deserved a mention I think. I don't think it's a big deal, but their exclusion perplexed me. Save your new Hellfire Club Guards from taking damage - include them and let the older guards take the actual lumps! I just think it's weird that you've got extra points left over at the end and you mention Feats and an ATA that may or may not appear, but not the older guards. It seems a very nice trick to shunt damage off to a horde of the older figures, where many players might otherwise intuitively set up their new Hellfire Club Guards to take all the damage. Newer players may not even be aware that the older guards exist! :)

I still think it's a nice article, and I've repped you for posting it.

[Batman1983]

I really want to try Trevor Fitzroy, but I haven't come up with a viable way to really make him work.... :disappointed:

Also, what about Sunspot? He was in the Club for a time... I think he inherited it form his father?

Trevor Fitzroy can transport anybody if he hits. Teamed with a high point piece with Perplex or their own PC he can be a great way to save the high point piece from damage. He doesn't fly, so KC Crisis Superman cracks somebody and places Trevor in the middle. Now Trevor can pop that piece and move Icons safely outside of range. If he misses he is still filling the gap and protects Superman that way. "Takes damage" makes it trickier early game, but played right he is unconcious. Beauty is it can be a Future Theme with the right pieces in 400+

[elfholme]

I really want to try Trevor Fitzroy, but I haven't come up with a viable way to really make him work.... :disappointed:


After running him as part of my team in Monday's sealed event, I have a lot of respect for Trevor. I think he'll be a staple of my Hellfire Club teams going forward.

[vlad3theimpaler]

Trevor Fitzroy can transport anybody if he hits. Teamed with a high point piece with Perplex or their own PC he can be a great way to save the high point piece from damage. He doesn't fly, so KC Crisis Superman cracks somebody and places Trevor in the middle. Now Trevor can pop that piece and move Icons safely outside of range. If he misses he is still filling the gap and protects Superman that way. "Takes damage" makes it trickier early game, but played right he is unconcious. Beauty is it can be a Future Theme with the right pieces in 400+
I have no idea what you were actually trying to say here, but I strongly doubt that was it.

Underwhelmed.....Overwhelmed.....Why can't anybody be just whelmed?

Consider me whelmed.

[Miraclo]

While I think you went a little heavier on the comical commentary and lighter on the synergy than some of us would have liked, and probably should have included the old Hellfire Club guards - since the new ones grant Mastermind to their masters and so make those old ones very cost-effective damage sponges - I did enjoy the piece.

I understand that you weren't looking to do an exhaustive exploration of the possible builds, especially as that first story arc presented a fairly sprawling group and you were trying to present who, in a comics-accurate grouping, would be together. It should be left to us to decide who to use within that group if we were, say, looking to create a comics-accurate sub-team to fit in a 400 or 500 pt build. You did what you came to do, and judging by some of the comments the background was appreciated by some of the people who didn't get to read some of the stories.

Thanks for posting this. Rep.

[Feral2k]

Honestly, I think the jokes made this article an epic fail. It's the same reason I don't like Deadpool; the jokes were poorly written and dragged the whole thing down. I was actually looking forward to seeing an article on the Hellfire Club, but this was kind of bad (and I know about writing a bad article; my Teen Titans one that I ghost-wrote for lancelot was poorly executed, I feel in retrospect). The omission of the older Hellfire Guards, who make excellent Mastermind fodder with the new Guard, seemed a little ill-planned, especially since you used a few older pieces in the teams. Don't get me wrong, the teams were pretty good, but the rest seemed like a waste.

[Soferiel]

Interesting info, just need to get some of those that I still missing and I'll try out how well can they work, at least Fitzroy is pretty good when working with Magneto and a couple of guards!!!