Wizkids article on Thug strategy.

[phonixinmi]

Not being a fan of using the Thug, has anyone read the article and successfully employed any of the strategic elements they described?

They sound good in theory, I'm just wondering if they work well in practice...

Any thoughts?

[shin-goji]

Oh lord, i have to read this. Tell me they didn't seriously write an article on Thugs, did they?

[PMMJ]

It's pretty lame. I would have to seriously question any article that suggests using a taxi for a Thug.

[shin-goji]

I question the sanity of a player that does so!

[PaxZRake]

The thug is the best part of a team. No one is worth their point value like a rookie thug. You people scare me.

[darius_dax1]

I would never replace my henchmen with a thug.;)

[darius_dax1]

Originally posted by darius_dax1
I would never replace my henchmen with a thug.;)

That and my Hobgoblin might get jealous.

[Funky Jett]

I play against Brother_Magneto. I've seen him use those tactics very effectively... especially the Human Shield. One tactic he loves to use is when he is running a Sentinel. He'll capture a figure, then run a Thug up to the opponents within range of the Sentinel. They are forced to deal with the Thug first before they can make a rescue attempt. Brother_Mags just loves that kind of... stuff. ;)

[shin-goji]

For 10 points I'd rather have a SHIELD agent :P

[kaosrising]

My roommate used the Thug human shield strategy against me to win a tournament. He had the thug act as the shield for Juggernaught. Thug blocked line of site while Juggy crawled into battle.

[XocgX]

I actual beat a U Catwoman with a Thug and 2 Shielf medics....it was amazing! Herocomplex was the victim of probablity there!

[shin-goji]

Granted, there is a certain comedy factor to the whole idea, so please no one think I am bashing the article.

[Mr. Pilkington]

I think that the 10 points can probably be better spent barring any theme-related requirements. But a rookie Thug can be an annoyance when positioned correctly.

[Unasoda]

Mr. Jett, you are a prince. :p

As for the naysayers, don't knock it until you try it. ;)

[Spinebreaker]

I love fielding a few Thugs...

But an entire article???

How much space does it take to write...

"Use a Thug to get in your opponents way."

[Unasoda]

"How much space does it take to write...

"Use a Thug to get in your opponents way.""



Yeah, but then it wouldn't be as fun, would it? ;)

[CPUX]

3-way game

I beat down one opponent's v Ultron with Cheeselord (w/ a SHIELD medic) down to his last click (a miracle in itself). In comes the third guy's E Thug. He moves up to him, pushes to attack next turn, and picks up a cold hard 188 points. Only one thing crossed my mind: BAHHHHHHH! HULK PISSED! HULK SMASH PUNY THUG!

[Valandar]

Well, do Hydra Agents count as Thugs?

My Rookie H Agent (9 pv, that's a lot!) laid the smack down on two firelords... Honest!

Okay, what happened was he managed to base them, then Avalanche put up a barrier (indoor map, BTW). They cleared, then made the breakaway roll to get away... correction. The Rookie failed, then the Experienced succeeded. So they really couldn't retaliate that turn. And since he was so far from his medic, he let them rest rather than pushing them. Nightcrawler, I dun' remember if his damage was perplexed, ran up and punched E Firelord, then popped back So my Hydra Agent ran up, and punched E Firelord. Boxcars. 2 Damage... into a wall. 3 damage. Rather than risk losing his hardest figure, the guy used the Rookie to snag the Experienced, and high-tailed it out of there.

Gotta love crit hits in the hands of unexpected characters... and if that game had lasted just two rounds longer, it would have been a completely different outcome. When time was called, I had a nearly perfectly healthy Nightcrawler, standing in front of a Vet mandarin with one click left, and the E Firelord (R had already fallen) with 2 clicks left, and his medic had lost support. Oh, and I had a Black Cat in LOS for reroll potential... stupid time limit... of course, his two wasps and his own Black Cat were being tied up at the time...

I promptly named the guy in green the "Green Spandexed Lunatic", and would recklessly charge the foe with him as soon as possible (he got a bit of a swelled head)...

Anyway, if Hydra Agents count as thugs, then I for one am glad I put the Green Spandexed Lunatic on my team last weekend.

[Skarn]

I had an Exp Thug tie down Vet Steel for 5 turns. I based Steel to keep him from hauling Darkseid off (he was on the opposite side of Steel). Steel had an action so he passed. Next turn, snake eyes for Steel (1 click). Next turn, pass. Next turn, rolls for breakaway and fails. Turn 5, pushes and whacks the Thug with RCE, killin him and clearing LOS for my Thor to blast a crater in Steel with Mjolnir.

For 8 points I tied down Steel for 5 turns, inflicted 2 clicks (critical miss and push), AND kept Darkseid out of my hair.

I have also played in a 300 pt Marvel tournie, where the only figure I lost all 3 rounds was my Rookie Thug. He based Torch and Thing, buying me a couple turns to shift my team in round 1. He killed Spiral in Round 2 before getting killed by Pyro. In Round 3 he based a Vet. Vampire Lackey to save my medic. Then Bullseye swung around and toasted the vampire when the Thug died.

All that being said...if I can fit the 6-8 points into upgrading my team, I will. Barring that however, give me a Thug. You never know what will happen.

[the itsy bit]

well..

wait for some fig with Superstrenght picks up an object, then base him !
barring a ranged attack he has to break away (so you can base him again) or hit you WITH the object and thereby destroying it.
not to mention a great mastermind fig !:classic:

If you have enough actions and don't really need that upgrade Thugs can be very usefull.

[Valandar]

BTW, I personally think said article was for April Fools, but hey, the thug types are still highly useful for their points as movable terrain, taking one for the team, etc... and the Green Spandexed Lunatic rules ALL!!! Firelord and Mandarin ain't got NUTIN' on him! 3 clix of life, 1 damage, woo-hoo!

[Unasoda]

Originally posted by Valandar
BTW, I personally think said article was for April Fools, but hey, the thug types are still highly useful for their points as movable terrain, taking one for the team, etc...

April Fools? Nah. The author wrote that back in January, when he was bored at work.

Although WK may have posted it on April 1st as a joke... ;)

[ChromeWeasel]

Thugs are actually useful figures. For 6 points you get mobile terrain and potential to base opposing figures. I think it was one of the better articles that's been posted on Wizkids in a while.

Now maybe everyone on this thread already knew that thugs were useful for all these things (LOF blocking, mastermind, potential breakaway tieups, etc...) but there are a lot of kids out there who wont think of all that on their own. They just see a 6 point figure with no range and lousy attack and damage. To them the thug is totally useless. An article like that points out how a figure's point value matters as much as it's combat dial.

Personally I put a Thug into almost every army I field. Tying up other figures with a 6 or 8 point Thug is very handy and has won me several games.

[napa]

The ultimate Thug team.

www.hcrealms.com/cgi-bin/quickviewteam.cgi?teamname=Thedoomtangclan&username=napa&action=graphic

you'll never kill Doom!

[Unasoda]

Originally posted by napa
The ultimate Thug team.

www.hcrealms.com/cgi-bin/quickviewteam.cgi?teamname=Thedoomtangclan&username=napa&action=graphic

you'll never kill Doom!

Nah, a little bit of Outwit and he's mine. ;)

That or a little bit of mind control:

"Hey, Doom, come hop in that Sentinal's hand!"

"Uhh... that sounds like a good idea!" *drools on self*

[mercer]

THUG CLUB! THUG CLUB! THUG CLUB! I still remember, even if no one else does.....And I'd love to read an article hawking the benefits of the Thugs....