by Patrick Yapjoco
It’s been almost a year since I played in a competitive event (ROC California States 2017). I thought that would be a good time to stop and focus on my business and messing around with casual games at the store since I did win that State Championship. However, the urge never really goes away (boy do I sound like an addict), and I have to eventually get my fix of competition. Also, it would be a good challenge for myself to see if I can still compete at high levels of play. Since the rotation of Modern, the format has been pretty diverse and wide open, so I figure this would be a good time. The summer WKO season is about to start and I find the closest event, which is in Las Vegas. It is about a 3.5hr drive, and Kristian (you will be hearing about this guy soon enough… he is one of my up and coming guys) iss down to go. So I spend the better part of a week preparing, with a bunch of the guys coming and throughout the week to help us test. I talk to the great PJ Bolin and ask for advice on the Blackbird team he runs, as we have similar lists. After some discussion (more like him teaching me), I make a couple of changes to the team, as well as a tweak on my play strategy. The main difference between our lists is that I play Doop at 35pts instead of Moira + Thug. This means I have one less ID Card, but since I don’t plan on “burning” an ID Card in the early game (as was his strategy), it’s fine. I also opt for student Beast ID instead of student Jean Grey because I feel that if the Blackbird goes down early and you can’t “real-girl” Jean, you will never be able to call her in, and you just wasted an ID Card slot. Oh, as you’ll see, Beast is a… beast (sorry for that). With the preparation out of the way and everything in order, we make the drive at 5:30am Saturday morning to reach the 9:00am registration time. The turnout is great as we have 26 players in attendance. The field looks diverse, with many colossals and some X-Men teams, but only 3 Blackbirds. The anticipation is always the worst (ha), and as Round 1 starts, a familiar feeling of calmness takes over.
(X-Men Theme)
60 Blackbird + Resource Dial
50 SR Wolverine
50 SR Wolverine
50 SR Cyclops
35 Doop
25 Moira MacTaggert
8 Pym Pocket Tank
5 Boxing Ring
15 ID Cards:
-Professor X
-Wolverine
-Cyclops
-Cyclops (student)
-Beast (student)
-Leech (student)
-Jubilee (student)
Sideline: 052 Cyclops 50 x2, 053 Wolverine 50, 037b Professor X, Jubilee, Leech, UC Beast, Pym Particle Tank
Maps: Amok Time, Underground Caverns
Round 1 – Eric Jackson
049 Green Arrow, Bat-Knight, Mangog, Unseen, Night Nurse, Mudman, Pym Pocket Tank, Boxing Ring, ID Cards
Eric is one of the top players in all of Arizona and he makes the drive to these WKO often and I have played him a couple of times before. His team is interesting, to say the least. I am trying to figure out what my initial targets should be and how to go about this. I win map (as I do most of the day) and we go to Amok Time. I set up the Boxing Ring in the middle towards his side of the map. I move up into the ring, use Perplexes on defenses and shell up, hoping the combined effects of the ring and my Perplexes are enough to deter attacks. He moves to a corner with his team, leaving Unseen and Mangog behind.
I open up the game by deciding on tanking the corner with my called-in Cyclops. I go for the big hit and connect. Mudman, Night Nurse, Green Arrow and Bat-Knight are all hit. I displace Bat-Knight in front of the big tank, a bit closer to me. I real-boy in a Wolverine, Perplex Attack up, then Charge/Flurry his Bat-Knight to oblivion. On his turn, he shoots back with Green Arrow to hit Wolverine, but since the new real-boy rules mean you don’t score points off them, he just poofs. He re-positions Unseen, uses his Outwit on one of my guys, then Mudman KO’s the big tank. He can’t retaliate with Mangog because Wolverine and the Tank are gone.
My next turn I call-in Professor X and KO Mangog then move my entire team with the Blackbird next to Mudman, Green Arrow, and Night Nurse. After a couple of more turns, I take out Green Arrow and Night Nurse, and isolate Mudman next to both Wolverines. He concedes shortly thereafter. Win, 300-93.
Round 2 – Patrick Booth
Avengers Theme; Starfox, TMTFF Hulk 50, Captain America, Principled, Black Panther 30, Doctor Voodoo 40, Giant-Girl 10, FF Giant-Girl 10, Mjolnir 10, Iceman ID
Interesting fact, Patrick (besides having a cool name), won the first Majestix ROC Regional back in the day. So, I know he is a great player. We face each other in the 1-0 bracket, and he has a nice Avengers team. It has a little bit of everything. I win map and we are back at Amok Time. I do my normal move of Cyclops piloting the Blackbird, then moving my team into the ring and Perplexing up my Defenses. He moves his team up, with Starfox being carried onto Mjolnir. Captain America does his 8-square Barrier, completely, blocking me off. I call-in Professor X, and KO the 2 Giant-Girls in the back. He then prepares his counterattack. He picks up Mojlnir with Starfox, then has Hulk Leap into combat (sorry again) and try for the 1-hit KO on my Blackbird (after a Perplexed up Damage). He goes behind the bird, inside the ring to get the +1 Attack… then proceeds to Crit Miss! Since he moved to far, he has no LoF or range for any Theme Team PCs. That’s a break for me, for sure.
The next turn, I tank his team with a called-in Cyclops, hitting Starfox, Black Panther, Voodoo, and Captain America. After some displacing, I KO Panther and Captain America with a Flurry from Wolverine. With the other Wolverine, I deal with Hulk. His next turn he attacks Wolverine with Starfox, but only gets 1 hit off, putting Wolverine on the STOP click. I counter with a called-in Beast to Quake Starfox and Voodoo, then real-boy in Cyclops for the free attack on Starfox and putting him on his STOP click after all is said and done. Eventually they all go down and I get the victory. Win, 300-13.
Round 3 – Jacob Yamagata
Shredder Clone, Sam Cap, Pip the Troll, Mangog, Hellion, Symbiote, Bloodaxe, ID Cards
Jake, besides being on the Heroclix all-body first team, is one of the top guys in Vegas. He Top 8’d the first stop of the Majestix Open Series a few months ago, too. He is running a variation of Matty G’s Nationals team. I win map and we do it all over again. After I go in the ring, he does his opening move by TK’ing his team up equips the Symbiote on Shredder, then gets Sam Cap and Shredder in position with Pip. He parks them just outside the ring, next to the Blackbird, then calls-in Chamber for the Poison on the Blackbird, then Shredder Sidesteps in for another ping.
My next turn I Call-in Professor X, KO Mangog and Hellion, and get 1 damage on Sam Cap. After some Sidesteps, the Pocket Tank is next to a Wolverine, who with a Perplex up Attack, Charges into Chamber for a Flurry, using the Tank for the first one. I connect, hitting Chamber, Sam Cap, Shredder, and Pip. I displace his team away from Pip and put Sam Cap next to Wolverine for the second attack of the Flurry, I connect that one and it’s down to a 3rd click Shredder and Pip. After some maneuvering on both sides, my big tank goes down. He retreats with his team to my starting area. I track him down quite easily, with the help of the Royal Hatchlings carrying my Wolverines into position. A Wolverine call-in later and Clone goes down. Shark is forced to fight against Combat Reflexes now, and next turn the other 2 Wolverines finish him off. Win, 299-63.
Round 4 – Edward Guzman
Living Tribunal, chase Starfox 80, Unseen, Magneto ID
Ed has the coolest and most unexpected team of the day. He and I are both undefeated and Living Tribunal has been wrecking team all day. As I am not sure what his strategy is, I just do my normal opening move on Amok Time. He Perplexs up Tribunal’s Attack to 13, Outwits Doop’s Invincible and the bird’s ESD, then Energy Explosions the team (11 vs my 18s at the highest). He rolls high and everything gets hit… ouch. Doop and the tank go down, the jet is basically stuck, Moira is on the last click, and both Wolverines are down a click. As devastating as that was I feel that I still have a good shot. I start by calling in Cyclops and roll well on the resource Dial for a real-boy Cyclops, too. I put Tribunal to the last click with dual Cyclops. His next turn, Starfox isn’t in position to attack yet, so he just Regens with Tribunal.
My next turn, I call-in Wolverine and heal both my Wolverines, Blackbird, and Moira. I send 2 Wolverines to attack and I take out Tribunal with some Flurries. His next turn, he calls in Magneto and between him and Starfox a Wolverine goes down. That was a doubl-edged sword as my next turn I have the real-boy Cylcops ready to attack and I call-in another Cyclops. Between their free attacks and high values, I take out Starfox and Magneto. He concedes as Unseen can’t really do anything at that point. Win, 350-111.
Top 8 – Saul Gonzalez
Cosmic Theme; chase Starfox, Cosmo, Unseen, Groot, Groot, Flora Colossus, ID Cards
I finally get to play against one of the vaunted Cosmic teams. I win the map (for the last time!) and we go Amok Time (for the last time!). I do my opening move. I am a little worried as the 4 Walking Woods could be scary. He just moves the Walking Woods closer and passes. I call-in Professor X and KO all 3 of the colossals to generate 3 Royal Hatchlings. He moves Starfox, carrying Cosmo just outside the ring and the Walking Woods get ever closer to the ring. He tries for a Mind Control with a called-in Professor X by Unseen, but roll 3 Shape Changes, and he doesn’t roll high enough to Mind Control my Wolverine in the ring. My next turn, I toss the Tank on Starfox and Cosmo with Cyclops. Both Wolverines go in and finish off the job on the two cosmic beings.
By this time, the Walking Woods are in my face and a Wolverine eventually goes down. He moves Unseen into the ring, Smoke Clouds to keep my values low and give defensive boosts. Luckily for me, I still have a lot of Perplexes and after I call-in Leech to Outwit all the Shape Changes, I real-girl in Jubilee for an Energy Explosion on his team and hit everyone except Unseen. He has one last chance with a call-in, but after that, he concedes as Unseen cannot do much anymore. Win, 294-127.
Top 4 – Jay Solomon
Jay isn’t going to be playing at Nationals, so he does me a solid by conceding this match to me (he was also hungry).
Finals – Edward Guzman
It’s a rematch! This time Ed gets the map (much to his joy!) and we go to the WK Office. I quickly realize that this isn’t that bad for me since he cannot Energy Explosion me on this map if I place correctly. I make sure there are always 2 walls between Tribunal and my team so just can’t bust a wall, then attack my team. I place the Boxing Ring close to his starting area. He moves his team into the ring, while I slowly creep up. After he clears, I decide to go for it. After some Sidesteps and Perplex, I get a Wolverine into combat with Tribunal in the ring, and after some PCs on both sides, Tribunal takes a whopping 2-damage. The rest of my team is just outside the ring, ready for next round.
Starfox isn’t in position yet again for any attacks since he is behind Tribunal so he has to spend an action calling in Magneto to TK Starfox and have both Tribunal and Starfox double-team Wolverine. Lucky for me, he only connects once(!) and Wolverine is on his STOP click. My next turn, I release the hounds as the combined efforts of a called-in Cyclops and the second Wolverine (both have free attacks!) come in and take down Tribunal. From then on, a called-in Wolverine the following turn puts even more pressure and even with Starfox’s 20-Defense isn’t enough as the Boxing Ring bonus and my Perplexes, combined with Flurries is too much for Edward. Starfox goes down, and it is Unseen against the team once again. After a concession, I take my first win of the year at a WKO.
Afterthoughts
The team is amazing, and I am glad that there is a competitive X-Men team in this game. It only took 4 X-Men sets to get it right (better late than never)! The team has enough survivability to handle alpha strikes; and has efficient cheap figures to make the team less fragile when pieces go down. There is enough customizability and versatility on the team to be able to cater to the evolving metagame (that’s what the various ID Cards can do). I expect X-Men to be a staple in the Modern Age format for the foreseeable future. Thanks for reading, and remember, when in doubt, Perpex the Attack.
