For those who have kept up with me on my journey to London, you'll have seen my list evolve and change over the past 10 weeks. Following the Store Championship at Duke's Gaming and some advice taken from the guys at "Over The Bifrost" (great podcast series with some awesome top tips), I've changed my roster, Crisis, and Tactics. Crazy right? But the list really needed the overhaul to take it to the next level.
Roster:
Kingpin, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Lizard, Mysterio, Black Cat, Kraven, Venom, Bullseye, Juggernaut
Tactics Cards:
Advanced R&D, Well-Laid Plans, Brace For Impact, Med Pack, The Grand Illusion, Sinister Traps, Neogenetic Recombinator, Monkey Brain is Lizard Home, Blind Obsession, Recalibration Matrix
Extract Crisis Cards:
Mutant Extremists Target U.S. Senators! (14), Deadly Legacy Virus (19), Spider-Infected Invade Manhattan (17)
Secure Crisis Cards:
S.W.O.R.D. Establishes Base on Moon (14), Mayor Fisk Vows to Find Missing Witnesses (16), Mutant Madman Turns City Centre into Lethal Amusement Park (18).
I'll continue to play around with the Crisis Cards in the background, so stay tuned for that as it changes regularly. The first person to have a crack at the new and improved Sinister Six (& Friends) was Dan...
Game 18 - 5th April 2022
VS - Dan (Midnight Sons)
Deadly Legacy Virus (19) / Demons Downtown! (19)
Blade, Doctor Voodoo, Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, Black Cat
Green Goblin, Kingpin, Kraven, Black Cat, Juggernaut
"Dan, Dan, the moustacheo man", whispers haunted every shadow downtown as flaming portals ignited in the crashed-transport area. If Kingpin wanted the legacy virus samples then he would have them, come hell or high water. Not even rumours of the Daywalker would dampen Fisk's mood as he exited the cool interior of the Limousine. Eyeing up his most distrusted allies-of-convenience, his gaze lingered on Osbourne and Hardy. One needed to keep their sanity in-line to get the job done, the other to be kept on a short leash and not run off with his spoils, again. As howls began to fill the air, a shiver ran up the crime lord's spine. The Midnight Sons had arrived...
It's becoming a real stable-match between Dan and I, a friendly rivalry if you will. His Midnight Sons vs my Spider-Foes are writing a bloody history together so what better opponent to try out the new team!
With a double "E" map on the field (makes a change from "C" hey Scott?) I set up my power houses in the centre field and Black Cat out on the flank. Legacy is a dirty extraction that can give a player a healthy advantage or even the win very early on in game, all for the cost of K/O'ing a friendly character holding 3 Legacy Virus'. With that in mind, the secures will probably be the real lynchpin as Brother Daniel will ensure whoever is carrying Legacy will drop it before getting the 3rd.
Juggernaut had eyes for Ghost Rider from the start, pumped and ready to do some real damage against the spirit of vengeance. Goblin and Kingpin were sent to secure the middle, while Kraven hovered at the home portal. Black Cat went wide on the left to cause a distraction and lure someone's attention from the battering that was going to happen centre-field. Fisk and Goblin had a Legacy each, as did Doctor Voodoo.
Turn 1 had resulted in the opening gambits of both teams being revealed; Ghost Rider and Voodoo picked on Osbourne quite successfully, Blade had a go at Kingpin with little effect, and Iron Fist had flying kicked his way right into the midst of the turmoil. Juggernaut was untouched and Black Cat lurked just out of reach of combat.
Turn 2 began with a flare of fire, Kingpin, Kraven, Goblin, Blade, and Iron Fist received an Incinerate token for securing portals. Black Cat and Goblin duked it out, but Midnight Cat couldn't take the punishment and got dazed. Ghost Rider activated and laid the smackdown on the flame-grilled Goblin, dazing Osbourne and stealing away his Legacy. Juggernaut saw red and after playing Obsession went in with as big a hit as he could... which he promptly missed with every dice. A quick Matrix later to reset the dice and the swing went even wider! My first real piloting of the big guy and he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.
Kingpin had much better luck, seeing off Iron Fist's attacks with ease before dazing him in response and threw in Doctor Voodoo for good measure! Fisk used the Legacy extract to remove Blade's bleed token from himself but didn't have enough power to grab Voodoo's dropped Legacy. The Midnight Sons' Black Cat had plenty of power to grab it however, and promptly swung in to steal it.
Felicia and Blade had a minor cat-fight but nothing really came of it, and the Daywalker retreated back to the rear portal. All while Kraven looked on in awe at the brawl kicking off in the centre. Cracking his knuckles, he readied himself at the flaming motorbike rider coming straight for him.
Everything was to play for in Turn 3. Voodoo and Iron Fist shook themselves back into the game overflowing with power, and Goblin had a far-off, maniacal look in his eyes as his glider rose off the floor. Ghost Rider seized the initiative again, going after Kraven before the rampaging Juggernaut could gain any momentum. Amazingly Kraven survived the onslaught (1 health remaining) to contest the portal for one more turn! Osbourne, feeling his time was nearly up, let loose some pent up aggression and managed to one-shot Voodoo with an especially vicious Night of the Goblin! Laughing hysterically, he threw himself at Iron Fist before one-shotting him too! Incredible activation and I was very lucky with the dice rolls.
Blade stared down the rampaging lunatic, promptly doing significant damage to Goblin and forced him off the field. Kingpin strode further up the middle, keeping the portal and Legacy firmly in his grasp, and stung Blade with a cheeky cane laser.
Midnight Cat threw herself onto a neighbouring Size 4 building to get out of the way of any incoming hits, and was closely followed by my Criminal Cat who relocated over to the right (incredible movement), just under her opposite.
Kraven had a pop at Ghost Rider, doing a bit of damage before locking down the home portal, leaving the ever delightful Juggernaut with an open field of play! Marko looked up at the Midnight Cat, high up on the Size 4 and grinned. Stomping over to the building, he promptly threw it at the impostor K/Oing her completely and scattering the 2 last secures on the ground. Annoyingly Juggernaut didn't have enough power to grab the Legacy Cures so it would have to move on to Turn 4 for the win!
Dan is getting better and better, and bringing Voodoo to the game was a great idea. He is such a great counter to extraction games, specifically an amazing anti-Legacy player. I enjoyed the game mode, the race and subsequent struggle for control over the Legacy cures makes for a aggressive game style that I think my team can enjoy. It's a real fight for who gets to go in the 3 point spot at the moment though as I love Kraven, Lizard, and Mysterio for very different reasons. I love the synergy between Kraven, Mysterio and Goblin, but Lizard has such durability and can put out some great damage when he wants to.
Recalibration Matrix and Obsession are great cards for an aggressive strike and I'm gutted it didn't work with Juggernaut vs Ghost Rider. I spent a lot of energy to rid me of that pesky biker and it did not pay off in the slightest. There's always next time...
Final Score 16-8 to Criminal Syndicate.
Getting one game a week is good at the moment, but it would be nice to maybe get a 2nd in where I can. At this stage I would really like to get out to another tournament before Duke's Gaming holds their Store Championship in June.
That being said, there is plenty more playtesting to be done, especially now I have some new characters coming in to play... what devilish schemes could be up my sleeve?
On a side note, Spring in to Marvel looked amazing and I am so happy to see so many players enjoying the game! Fingers crossed I get to make it to the next one but I imagine London GT will be the first opportunity I get for a big 'un.
Stay tuned for next week where I go up against a newcomer to TRLGT22, Selly and his Guardians of the Galaxy!
Comments