We attended Realms Open Championship States tournament for Georgia this year instead of running one like in 2015. After testing a number of teams, we settled on one whose majority of pieces were due to rotate out of Modern Age by July. If we were going to see how this force was going to fare in top-flight competition, this was the time.
INHUMANS
Thane [Guardians of the Galaxy 060] 115
Maximus [Guardians of the Galaxy 038] 75
Ms. Marvel [Avengers Assemble 055] 66
Lockjaw [ Inhumans Fast Forces 006] 25
Triathlon ID card 5
Nova ID card 5
SHIELD Level 1 ID card 5
Pym Particles 2
Sideline: Alpha Primitive [Guardians of the Galaxy 018], Hydra Agent H [Nick Fury:Agent of SHIELD 014b] 30 or SHIELD Recruit [Nick Fury:Agent of SHIELD 007a], Nova [Guardians of the Galaxy 031], Triathlon [AvAs 013a]
= 298 points. The point of this team was to play Ms. Marvel on a competitive team. Thane is the obvious threat, but she’s the hidden weapon that’ll surprise and score. And though the team lost in a play test vs. friend Rob’s vicious force, it only did so due to missing nearly every attack. Considering another team I tried got utterly obliterated even with better dice rolls, I felt OK about this one’s chances of meeting my personal goal: To win at least twice in four rounds.
ROUND ONE
WHO + WHAT: The super-nice player Chase brought a not-so-nice team: Brainiac Skull Ship, Adam Strange and Solaris with Pandora’s Box.
WHERE: My United Nations.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: I gave the Ship a very wide berth, opting to maybe take on the weaker figs on Chase’s force.
He came with Adam Strange and missed, leaving me a huge opportunity — one that I ruined the turn before thanks to the Avalanche Effect I’ve talked about in earlier posts. Here’s how I essentially lost:
- Using the Alpha Primitive’s free action movement, I moved within Solaris’ line of fire, planning to close in on Chase’s starting area hidey-hole. At his cheapest point cost, Solaris couldn’t attack my guy.
- But Solaris was able to Outwit all Alpha Primitive’s powers.
- That meant I had to burn an action to bring in the other Alpha Primitive. [I needed the Empower, I thought].
- I also had to use an action to Call In ID character Triathlon, whose 2nd Flurry attack failed thanks to Shape Change.
- And then I was out of actions, unable to finish off Strange before he was able to teleport to safety. All because I moved that Alpha Primitive.
0-1.
ROUND TWO
WHO + WHAT: Lindy again, whom I face in the second round of WizKids Open just a few weeks ago. She ran Mr. Mxyzptlk, Freddy Freeman, and Yondu with Pandora’s Box.
WHERE: My Jean Grey Grounds.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: Early on, I lost an Alpha but forced Lindy to waste an ultra heavy in the process and overextend a little. But then it was pretty much miss, miss, miss and miss AGAIN, either outright or thanks to Mxyzptlk.
Seriously, I was on the verge of quitting this whole game for good during this round. [Nah, not really.] Especially when Freddy, who’d been hit once to mid-dial, healed to full while Pulse Waving my whole force. I’m done.
Or I was until Thane one-shot the two-tokened Freddy for 6 penetrating damage and an unlikely win. 1-1.
ROUND THREE
WHO + WHAT: Derek Cook Jr. fielded Nick Fury [Nick Fury:Agent of SHIELD 056], Engineer, and astral Professor X [Uncanny X-Men LE]
WHERE: UN.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: I holed up and took an early lead when Derek based me with Professor X, who died easy. He then used a savvy ID Call In to bust down my door, forcing me to split my team. But scored Engineer with Thane as Alphas tied up Nick long enough for the bell. 2-1.
ROUND FOUR
WHO + WHAT: Grant used Nick Fury, Gluttony, SHIELD Space Rig, Shazam lite
WHERE: His Danny the Street
HOW IT WENT DOWN: He was all set to shoot with impunity for turns after turn before I could get to him on this restrictive map. I saw one chance: Perplex Thane’s range, TK him to roof, Running Shot in zigzag motion to Pulse Wave Nick. Crit hit for a one-shot! Wiped the rest eventually. 3-1! I made the cut to Top 8!
ROUND FIVE
WHO + WHAT: Jennifer used chase Sunfire, Nick Fury and Mercury with Pandora’s Box.
WHERE: UN.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: As is my usual game plan on this map, I crept around to her side to hole up in the room as Jenn got Fury positioned. My called-in Nova missed him, but Thane didn’t, landing Fury on another good click. But his Shape Change thwarted Triathlon’s potentially winning Flurry, allowing Jenn to slip away again! This girl seems to have my number, and not in the good way.
3-2 with a Top 8 finish was way better than I hoped. But……
I don’t think Ms. Marvel landed a single attack all tournament long, despite her being my supposed secret weapon. Instead she called in ID cards or just whiffed her many tries.
