When you get right down to it, Heroclix is a game of 'What If?', where we can play out the epic battles of the comic books or test out our dream matchups. If Spider-Man and Superman fought Batman and Iron Man, who would win? Well, are they in Metropolis, Gotham City, or New York? What armor is Iron Man wearing? Did Batman have time to plan? For simplicity's sake, sometimes you have to just eliminate all the variables. That's when you toss them in the Arena.
Based on the death matches held in the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk stories, this simple stadium does away with all the distractions and just focuses on the fight. Unlike Krakoa[/URL ([URL]http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311058)], there are no special rules, no water, no blocking, and only a minimal amount of hindering and elevated terrain (just enough so as not to rob figures like Batman of an essential element of their power sets.
The Elevated terrain sits in each of the four corners. Any figures here are likely to become spectators, as they're too far from the heart of the battle to provide any combative contribution. Characters with long range may eventually find targets as opponents are forced to overstep the line of scrimmage, but for the most part dedicating major attackers to this task is going to be a losing strategy.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/80851/HCRealms.com/201104/Mini-%20Arena1.jpg
Shadow King may have great line of sight, but his 8 range is just shy of the action.
As for the hindering, it takes the form of two clumps diagonally facing each other. Here, your ranged figures will find a better position for attacking, though will have little protecting them if they lack Stealth. In a 4 player game, these positions can become volatile as players are forced to hide their supporting cast in already occupied posts.
For the most part, this map will drive all combat toward the center as figures cross quickly from one isolated fight to another as opportunities arise. Most squares on the map have little to differentiate them tactically, and so figures capable of quick and simple repositioning will find few reasons not to. The biggest interference is entirely transient, in the form of other characters who will block line of fire and congest movement.
This is not a map to play it safe on. The arena is designed to encourage balls-to-the-walls initiative and risky attacks. A map like this should reward you for tearing it up with the biggest bricks in the game. And therein lies the biggest fault of the Arena map: you're better off here with a long range fighter than most of the big bricks the game has to offer.
<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/80851/HCRealms.com/201104/Mini-%20Arena2.jpg" class="imagecenter" width="800px" />
It's hard to get a real man-to-man round of fisticuffs in with so many spectators! Green Scar delivers a finishing blow to Absorbing Man, while Bishop, Fabian Cortez, and Living Monolith stand by to intervene.
To be fair, it's not really the Arena's fault. Consider, for a moment, a change in the core rules of the game, where changes in terrain benefitted a ranged figure more than a hand-to-hand fighter. Let's imagine that a close combat brick could tear apart a figure it had a clear, straight path to (like GSX's Juggernaut), and a ranged combatant would use careful positioning to keep obstructive terrain between them and their opponents. In this scenario, the Arena would favor close combat because there'd be nothing for a ranged figure to use as cover.
Due to the way the game was designed, a map with more terrain features will almost always benefit close combat, as your figure carefully keeps cover as he moves toward the ranged combatant. A wide open field means a bevvy of available targets, and gives the advantage of the Arena to the wrong archeotype: long range.
Entering the Arena? Here's how to equip yourself:
-Long Range. 10 is good, but to rule in the Arena, 12 is best. There's nothing here to block your shot, so only the fastest figures will be able to base you without getting shot on the way in.
-Multiple Targets, since you can see so much anyway.
-The ability to break away with ease and/or ignore adjacency. With little terrain, the number one thing that will slow you down is other characters. Figures with Plasticity are especially handy, as you can use adjacency against your opponent, then leave with ease.
-Barrier will be your only protection as your close combatants advance.
-Swarms have the upper hand here, as a centerpiece can easily get ganged up on with nowhere to hide. Use your less essential figures to cover for the key pieces.
-Galactus. Seriously. He'd reign here.