Heroclixin’s photographic record of Super-Strength characters who can hold their own object tokens continues! Today we look at a remake of one of the earliest Token Totin’ figures, Bane!
Despite — or because of — the Bat-breaking sculpt, Bane can hold a token in addition to Mr. Wayne.
Be back Thursday for another edition of Token Totin’!
This is a new feature (replacing “My Custom Mods”) in which I talk a bit on how I selected artwork for feats and battlefield conditions that didn’t come with art, originally.
Last time, I debuted with Madness. I’m sticking with Icons’ Battlefield Conditions for the next installment, INFILTRATION:
There’s no one better suited for the card art than Batman, but I’m not particularly a fan, so I didn’t own many comics starring the hero. Fortunately, I was an occasional reader of JSA. This image came from an issue of JSA in which ol’ Bats is caught sneaking around a crime scene. And honestly, I can’t think of many other images of Batman that better illustrate this BFC!
When guest writer Morrison began his review of characters with the Soldier keyword, the Captain America set was still only half-revealed. Well, there were enough standout military-style pieces to warrant this, his final segment. Enjoy!
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Captain America (Captain America #001)
Few pieces come this good. At under 90 points his combat values are excellent, with 4 clicks of 10 or better attack, an 18 starting defense, and the ability to crack Invulnerability on every click. Oh, and did I mention he has Perplex? A great leader (even without Leadership) or a great solo fighter, the former Bucky has learned well.
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Howling Commando (Captain America #201)
Both versions are good, but for this review look no further than Howling Commando (201b). Here’s how you should use him. Your force moves out. He walks into Stealth and starts Perplexing. 40 pts is a bit much to invest in a 2 trick pony, but positioned well, that Stealth should keep him on the top click for a while. He is also the cheapest source of Perplex for soldier and certainly the most useful for low cost.
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Nick Fury (Captain America #207)
Not quite Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but this guy has what I would call effective dial design. Early high movement and Stealth mean that you should position him in hindering terrain where others can’t see him, then next turn push him to get to the Outwit. Say, that strategy sounds an awful lot like…
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Captain America (Captain America #040)
Another solid Cap. For 83 pts, three clicks of 11 attack and a chance to deal either 3 damage to two hit characters or have a 20 def at range ain’t too shabby. As far as keywords go, this is WWII Cap. Despite a low tail end defense, you might actually get to use that late Outwit. Hit the Hun! Buy Liberty Bonds!
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Crimson Dynamo (Captain America #042)
In Soviet Russia, scientists make power armor-man as good as dirty capitalist American Stark, no. Dimitri deserves a place (like War Machine) on both the Armor and Soldier review. The Indomitable ability makes him truly a powerful primary ranged attacker.
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Darkstar (Captain America #043)
For that free Smoke Cloud trait alone, Darkstar has a place on many teams. A suggested strategy: play her with a squadron of S.H.I.E.L.D. snipers — er, KGB operatives. Push to use Telekinesis in your early turns to set up your force and enjoy the 3 damage Penetrating/Psychic Blast.
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Ursa Major (Captain America #044)
Beast Boy, eat your heart out. Take a look at the offensive potential on this guy. At 102 pts, this beaststick will be found on many teams. I dig the Invulnerability and Shape Change combo. If feats are allowed, Not So Special makes this guy an even bigger threat.
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Captain America (Captain America #060)
For 68 points, I just don’t see how you can argue with indomitable, 12 attack, and 3 damage. Steve here certainly provides a lesson in diplomacy by any means, and patience.
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The Captain (Captain America #062)
A very steady and powerfully consistent brick for a decent cost. Between its placement and the prevalence of Outwit, Cap’n Hammer will only rarely see that 12 attack. But it’s still there.
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Ursa (Superman #044)
Ursa is another great figure to have that treasured combo, Running Shot and Penetrating/Psychic Blast; her unique twist is 4 damage and that she ignores Stealth (while herself having some). As only a rare, we can be sure that she is going to see some major tournament play. She tops it all off with Superman Enemy team ability, which while good, is only good if you have other figures with the ability. Figures like…
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"KNEEL."
Zod (Superman #053)
Zod offers some straitforward offense, and then offers some very tactical options with his special damage and speed powers. This guy will definitely be giving the big blue boy scout some grief, and will only be giving it harder with some friends around.
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Heroclixin’s photographic record of Super-Strength characters who can hold their own object tokens continues! Today we’re looking at how the rest of the candidates from the new Captain America set (having already seen LUKE CAGE, Power Man) tote their tokens:
The Secret Warrior, Stonewall:
You can just barely wedge it between the edge of the base and the rivets on his armbands.
Jack Flag, latest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy:
It wedges under his mask!
The villainous Mister Hyde:
Wedge it between his forearm and left thigh.
The robotic Super-Adaptoid (who doesn’t have Super Strength but can gain it through his SP):
Another one that fits in the stat slot and under chin.
Armadillo:
This one's a tad tricky. It barely wedges, at an angle, under his forearm and on the base.
and last but not least, Winter Guard strongman Ursa Major:
In Soviet Russia, workers are carrying TWO objects for glory of Motherland!!!
Be back Tuesday for another edition of Token Totin’!
Welcome again to my typical Wednesday feature. Along with your new comic reading, check out how my Heroclixin’ went this weekend.
The inspiration of the team: Last week, we learned we’d end up having an NFL season after all, and the scenario required 400 points of no-females. With the latest version of Falcon released in the new Captain America set, my being from Atlanta, and my love for “same-name/character, different figure” teams, it was high time for an all-Falcons team.
The actual build:
Falcon (Captain America #030) 79+ Inside Info 4
Falcon (Avengers #040) 75
Snap Wilson (Sinister #219) 60 + Loner 5
V Falcon (Sinister #057) 57 + Not So Special 3
Sam Wilson (Sinister #207) 53 + Contingency Plan 12
E Falcon (Sinister #056) 46 + Pym Particles 6
=400 points.
My basic strategy: Build Contigency Plan tokens while my Falcons inch close enough to make a bunch of Charge attacks.
ROUND 1. vs. Bill’s Captains America: both Bucky Caps, Wall Cap, Rogers, HoT on Krakoa.
Highlights:
Turning Points:
MVPs: none.
ROUND 2. vs. Paul’s John Stewart with Trick Shot and ICWO, Sgt. Rock + ICWO, Warlord, and three Easy Co. Soldiers on the Bridge.
Highlights: One hit landed all game. UGLY.
Turning Point:
MVPs: none. This game was an unmitigated disaster.
ROUND 3. vs. Oat’s Ulik, Blob, X-Ray, Gharskyght, WS Spidey on Jotunheim.
Highlights: boxing in Ulik on the topmost peak, keeping him from attacking my key team members at first.
Turning Point:
MVPs: CA Falcon nearly did it anyway.
This game went about as well as the last game the real Atlanta Falcons played last season. What could I have done better?
Heroclixin’s photographic record of Super-Strength characters who can hold their own object tokens continues! Today we’re looking at our first candidate from the new Captain America set, LUKE CAGE, Power Man!
Note that you have to wedge it under his arm from behind, or it won’t work.
Although this really ought to be your go-to Luke Cage for any game you ever wanna use the character in from now on, there might be instances when you may wish to field the other versions: LUKE CAGE from Avengers, POWER MAN & IRON FIST from Secret Invasion and POWER MAN from Fantastic Forces:
All three hold tokens fairly easily, though the FF one does so even more tenuously than it looks here.
Be back Thursday for another edition of Token Totin’!
This is a new feature (replacing “My Custom Mods”) in which I talk a bit on how I selected artwork for feats and battlefield conditions that didn’t come with art, originally.
See, back in the early days of feats, both Marvel and DC cards bore art from the comics:
But ever since Icons, DC cards have been bare. That’s apparently because DC has a different license for reusing comic art that makes it more expensive compared with Marvel. Therefore, we’ve not seen actual art on DC cards.
Well, I decided years ago to, as a hobby, add artwork to scans of all the then-extant cards. The project languished for most of those years until, in a whirlwind of scanning and Google-mining, I completed it sometime last year and added the results to the Pix and Downloads page of Heroclixin’.
Enough intro. On with the feature!
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Although I hate using this BFC, one that only hurts and rarely helps, the classic image from the classic 1988 Joker story “The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland was the obvious choice for this mad, mad card.
Heroclixin'...Back from the ice like Cap.
Sorry, readers, for missing so many days of updates! I was unusually busy back in the week when this series started. Then my DSL modem catastrophically failed (turns out it had been recalled years ago, so I got a free replacement). Then I had to scrape up cash to catch up on my internet bill.
When it rains, right?
Let’s get back on track with a double dose of Morrison’s guest Soldier review: Elite Corps and Tactical Commanders!
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In every branch of military, there exists an elite corp: the Navy Seals, Army Green Berets, Air Force Special Forces, SOCOM. HeroClix has one, too. Morrison rouses ’em for inspection.
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Elite Corps
These guys are your shock troops: the boys you call in when you need to lay down some hurt hard and fast.
Noh-Varr (Web of Spider-Man #038)
Very soon after Web of Spider-Man’s release, people felt the power of this guy. He brings solid stats and great powers. He plays well on many keyword themes, or you can give them all away for a permanent attack boost.
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War Machine (Hammer of Thor #200)
V War Machine (Armor Wars #069)
People who read my earlier Armor review remember these two quite well. And what’s not to love? (interestingly enough, the older, lower point figure actually has a higher average defense, 16.5, vs 16.125)
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Ares (Avengers #054)
Honestly, if his sky-high stats and SP Perplex don’t make you drool, I don’t know what will. Just remember to bring a taxi, and kill the medic and the Outwitter first.
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Finally, he finishes off the Soldiers with a look at the Tactical Commanders: These guys may not hit the hardest, but they give you a some phenomenal options and power sets in higher point matches.
Uncle Sam (Crisis #035)
Sure, at times he might be inconsistent, and maybe a bit big for his britches, but Uncle Sam at heart is about one thing: to help the little guy. His stats are ok for his points but he’s a great captain for large point swarm teams with his high-point Leadership. And trust me, “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor” is a phenomenal power. With some good set up, look forward to increasing, not decreasing his attack when using the Move And Attack ability.
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John Stewart (DC 75th Anniversary #046)
Some look at this figure and see only bad dial design: no move and attack and Sharpshooter and Ranged Combat Expert coupled with Super Strength, but such a view is a discredit to John. His “problem” is that he has two roles: taxi and powerful ranged attacker. If played right, your opponent should quake at the presence of an 11 attack, 5 damage, 8 range figure with Indomitable. After he takes a hit, for say 3-4 damage (as most hits are these days) he turns into super-taxi: 11 movement, decent value defend, and he gives everybody he’s carrying ES/D. Think of him as a versatile landing craft.
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Green Lantern (Crisis #023)
Hal also tries to stand firmly in both the attacker and the support camps, with Running Shot and Willpower vs Perplex, Telekinesis and GL TA. With 5 clicks of 10 range double target Energy Explosion, consider giving him Green Lantern Honor Guard to help soften enemies up for you smaller GL figures.
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Kilowog (Green Lantern Gravity Feed #003)
Just like in the comics, Kilowog likes being around others. Charge him to whale on some pesky opponents then next turn, have him in the rear of a wall of low-point soldiers, who are having both their damage and attack raised by 1. The only thing that could have made this figure better would have been GL TA, which would have made Kilowog superb to the highest level.
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And that, readers, wraps up Morrison’s original set of mini-reviews.
“But,” you ask, “we’re there a few more Soldiers released for the Captain America set while you were goofing off these past couple of weeks that should be on the list?”
First, I was NOT goofing off. 
Second, yes, Morrison is already writing an addendum for this series. Look for it next Friday.
Monday, I finally begin a new feature unique to Heroclixin’ to replace the My Custom Mods series that wrapped up late this spring. Tuesday, Token-Totin’ resumes. Wednesday, look for a New Comic Day Battle Report. In the meantime, have fun clixing this weekend!
Heroclixin’ is back, almost. Need a day or two to get back on the saddle. Here’s what to look for soon:
• The conclusion of the “Best of Soldier” guest reviews
• new Token-Totin’ pix from Captain America
• and, perhaps, another of my monthly Top 10 article series. (Or maybe I’ll hold off on the August edition, seeing how the site’s been inactive for so much of this month!)
Aaagh! My modem self-destructed, so I’ve essentially been without internet for the past half-week. I’m just glad I decided to post the Captain America pocket checklist a bit early instead of waiting.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to complete Morrison’s guest Soldier reviews starting next Monday, then return to Token Totin’ with a brand-new Captain America edition. Keep an eye out for it!
EDIT: Unfortunately, technical difficulties persist. It looks like I won’t get back on schedule until next Monday (July 25) at the very earliest. In the meantime, you might want to re-download the Cap pocket checklist, as the original one had a couple of errors (Hydra Agent is called simply “Hydra” and Baron Zemo’s cost is incorrectly listed as 158 instead his actual 150).