Last week Several weeks ago, we wrote of a F.U.N. team of characters from April with the word “black” in their names. It worked out, so we tried another version in August:

Black Widow [Avengers Assemble 065] 200
Black Panther [Age of Ultron] 140
Black Knight [Age of Ultron] 115
Black Manta [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes 039] 97
Black Lightning [Batman] 87
Black Canary [Streets of Gotham 003] 62
Black Talon [Deadpool] 60
Black Death [Kick-Ass 2] 35
= 769 points

The basic strat was to use Black Talon to Mind Control a teammate and jumpstart the offense that way, while using Black Death and Canary as timely tie-ups. But I was going to have little time to execute, as I had to go to work in a little over 2.5 hours.

FIRST, I faced Aaron’s DC team of Superman, Batman from Trinity War (Wait, didn’t we DO this already?), New 52 John Constantine, Cosmic Boy [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes 001], Lucius Fox [Batman] and Aquaman [Trinity War 018] at 60 points.

Turning Points

• The Canary in the Mine: Superman immediately used his X-ray eyes to KO Canary in a single shot when I misjudged Batman as the true threat instead of as the TKer of Supes. Oops.
• Aquaman? Doesn’t He Just Talk to Fis—AH, MY SPLEEN!!!!! I got a tad too aggressive with Black Panther, leaving him within Charge range of the 60-point Aquaman, who got double-Perplexed to a 13 AV to rather easily hit BP for 6 after an aces Blades/Claws/Fangs roll. At least I later scored a KO of the sea king myself.
• Carrying the Plague Almost Kills Me: Black Widow taxied Black Death to block one line of fire, but really I should have walked the 35-pointer to base Batman.

Superman escaped to consign me to a 60-62 loss for an 0-1 record.

 

SECOND was Lenny’s themed team of Justice League Dark: Frankenstein, Tim Hunter, John Constantine, I Vampire, Zatanna, Madame Xanadu, Black Orchid and Blue Devil, all from the main Trinity War set. This was exciting; I’d never seen them all played together before!

Turning Points Lessons Learned

• Never overextend Black Panther. You’d think I’d have learned from last game. But his ability to hide from line of fire can lead to overconfidence in his effective 19 DV. He took a first critical hit blow from Black Orchid — after a rerolled crit miss! — and Frank cleaned up for the first score of the game. All because I wanted to Outwit the Vampire’s Charge to protect Black Widow, who’d roundly missed her attack on Blue Devil. I didn’t take into account all the other Charge characters who could and did attack.
• Never gum up line of fire. I had a lot of range on my team. But my overaggressive Panther placement led to enemy melee forces and my own brawler Black Knight blocking my firing lanes. Thus I couldn’t effectively get Black Manta and Lightning into the fray…OR use Black Widow’s “smoke” trait to get cover where I needed.
• Never Leap/Climb the Stealthy gal out in the open… right in the Outwit’s face. While I kinda needed to get Black Canary where she could do some good, I may have chosen a different spot. Speaking of choices:
• Who to hit? Blue Devil? John? Or Xanadu? Canary had based all three. I chose the Devil. And missed. NEVER CHOOSE THE DEVIL.
• Never say die. Things begin to turn around. At last, my shooters got a clear LOF to Zatanna, and thanks to the Outsiders TA, we take her. And then Tim Hunter, as well, followed by Constantine! Victory is at hand.
• …until, at the last minute, Madame Xanadu shifts to successfully reroll a Charging Frankenstein’s miss into a 6 BCF one-shot kill of Black Lightning as time expires. Xanadu haunts me.

Xanadu dies in every game I see her in now.

 

FINALLY, Morrison’s Avengers on the old Cap Helicarrier map: Deadpool [Thunderbolts Fast Forces], Captain America [Avengers Age of Ultron 102], Iron Man [Mutations And Monsters 200], and 100-point versions each of Hank Pym [Age of Ultron], Spider-Man and Thor [Avengers Vs. X-Men], and Hulk and Iron Man [Original Avengers].

Turning Points

A Thor Too Far. Morrison overextended Thor and I took those points early on.

…Failing Even In Undeath. Using Black Talon to revive Thor, I tried to single Pulse Wave Spidey. But…crit miss.

HULK SMA…oh. A potentially Panther-crippling Charge was wasted on a bad attack roll, which left the rest of the game in little doubt. I lost Black Death, Manta and Talon but got Hulk, Iron Man and Pym for the margin of victory. 1-2.

This team suffered for a total lack of Probability Control. Wish I’d remembered Black Cat [Deadpool 023]! I also didn’t realize special objects were allowed; I would have included an Opened Hydrant for Black Manta’s benefit.

By piece:

Canary: Mostly dead weight. Black Cat takes her spot from now on.

Death: Still a superb tie-up blocker. He’s always on this team.

Lightning: Outsiders TA is solid, but he’s soooo soft. I like him too much to leave him off the team, though.

Manta: Another fixture on the team, able to serve as taxi, shooter, wildcard.

Panther: Much more of a finesse fig than I initially appreciated.

Talon: Again, the piece that makes this a surprisingly competitive F.U.N. team.

Widow: A beastick that this team usually lacks. The Smoke Cloud is clutch.

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No promises on the next article. That bit me last time.