by Kaleb Redick
The Team: 
Sakaarian Iron Man (Cloak of Levitation)
Iron Inquisitor
Demon in Armor (Captain Carter Shield)
Watcher (OG pumpkin bombs)
Ch’p (Emotional Modifier)
Flash
Green Lantern Legacy (Green Lantern ring FREE)
Sideline:
King Killmonger
Dark Phoenix
Doom Supreme
Kid Thanos
War Machine
The Destroyer prime
Tarot Cards:
The Tower
The High Priestess
Three of Cups
Five of Pentacles
Six of Swords
Queen of Wands
Maps:
Wakanda
Daily Bugle Press Room
Negative Zone
I have been running a defensive shell team for a while and I believe it is very strong against the current meta of prime Spider-Man, Tyrant, World’s Finest, and Carnage Silver Surfer. Demon in Armor keeps the 12-14 Attack value at bay with the Emotional Modifier typically keeping their attacks at a 10. Sakaarian Iron Man gets to swing with a 9 granted he isn’t using Pulse Wave. I recently took this team to win the Texas State championship 2023 and it went undefeated there, so I figured I would give it a go in Canada. This is my first time flying international to play heroclix and I was so excited. I flew up with my buddy Mike Eskew from Texas who travels frequently to play. We got there the Friday before the tournament and did not do any play testing. I only had a few days to practice the team but recently used it in Texas so felt confident with it. It basically works like this: opponent either lets you pick map (which Negative Zone is my go to) or they pick map and I go first. If I go second, I equip Sakky and use Flash to carry the team up and then reposition Flash, swap to King Killmonger, and he then Sidesteps into the middle. I always start the game with Watcher on click 9 which gives 8-Range Outwit, 19-Defend, and TK. He is equipped with the OG Pumpkin Bombs because those give you the ability to power action destroy any terrain regardless of damage value. This is important because prime Spider-Man loves to drop an elevated under part of the team and make Killmonger not adjacent, preventing his glorious 4-6 rollouts when attacked by equipped figures. Ch’p nearly always sticks with -1 Attack on the Emotional Modifier. I usually drop two Stop Signs and double Barrier for my last two actions. This makes it tough for opponents who have to chew threw the Barrier, can’t use improved movement, and then maybe get a couple attacks off. Legacy Lantern has the sweet defensive roll trait where once per turn I can roll a D6 and add half the result to the defense of a fig being attacked, but it is only for one attack unfortunately. Demon with Carter Shield gives a blanket +1 to Defense and Watcher defends a 19 so most of my figures base defense is 20. Demon gets Perplexed up from Sakki so he is also a 20 next to Watcher. The tarot selection give me Defend +1, all misses are crit misses, +1 to single D6 rolls, rerolling a single D6 roll, side step +3, and Incap that deals printed damage value. The last two cards are my wiggle room. I never used Sidestep 3 and never used the Incap damage all tournament. Now, let’s get into the games!
There were 4 rounds of Swiss with cut to top 16. So, if you lose two games you have to have enough points. All 3-x get in.
Round 1:
Opponent – Logan Shaw
Score – 205-70
Record – 1-0
He chose map and I went first. He was playing X-Men theme but no swap with Sky Tyrant and Scarab with prime Absorbing Man on the sideline. I was able to snipe Tyrant on my first turn and then Scarab on my next turn. He brought in Absorbing Man eventually and got Sakki with Poison on last click along with Green Lantern. I managed to KO everything except Grand prize Apoc and Genesis both with Soulswords.
Round 2:
Opponent – Christopher Osorio
Score – 25-35
Record – 1-1
He let me pick map so I went to Negative Zone. It was back and forth on attacks and misses. He ended up running me and used Switch to KO Ch’p. I brought in Destroyer and placed on his side of the map with all his support. He tried hitting with Surfer but he missed. I used Flash to carry everyone over to his side, Destroyer killed Commissioner, but then time was called. Losing by 10 gave me a bad feeling that this was not the right team to play.
Round 3:
Opponent – Matthew Ryan
Score – 300-50
Record – 2-1
He was playing non-theme Tyrant, Sakki, Commish, Hulk prime, Ch’p, and Maggot. I can’t remember who picked map I think I took him to Wakanda. I was able to KO his whole team with Hulk only healing 4ish clicks and he KOed Flash and Legacy Lantern. This boosted my confidence up. I got max points. So next game strategy – win and get in or lose and score lots of points.
Round 4:
Opponent – Benjamin Roderick
Score – 130-140
Record – 2-2
He was playing Batman Catwoman LE, St Walker, Commissioner, WF, Carnage retal, Polaris, and Prime Spider-Man. I win roll and decide to let him pick map and I can’t remember which map he brings me to. He moves up most of his team and keeps Spider-Man prime in the back. I use my first turn to KO his Polaris and outwit Spiderman’s super strength so he has to drop the elevated. I flipped the D6 +1 tarot and he came in with WF and Spider-man and I missed 3/5 Killmonger rolls losing Demon and Ch’p. I KO Carnage, Batman, and a green ring. Now he gets to have the big attack values. I place everyone next to Killmonger and he comes in with WF and Spider-man killing Watcher. My next turn I KO his cloak. Time was called and he was up 130-140 because he KO’d my modifier.
At this point I knew I was out. 2-2 with only 660 points. We all wait for Top 16 to be listed and luckily my name was called! We get a nice lunch break and I was so excited to hear my name that I forgot who my opponent was in top 16. To my dismay, it was a rematch with Benjamin.
Top 16:
Opponent – Benjamin Roderick
Score – 140-135
Record – 3-2
I win map roll and choose to go second and take him to Negative Zone to make his Batman Catwoman trait but basically useless. His first turn he moves everyone out and leaves me a shot on his Batman, which would then leave my whole team in his face. I run over with Flash and drop a chainsaw. Hit first attack and roll a 2 on blades. Whiffed the next attack. I try and re-coop and outwit Spiderman’s super strength and I can’t remember what else. That next turn he used WF and Spidey to KO Demon and Ch’p. Next I was able to KO Carnage, Polaris, and St Walker. He KOs Green Lantern and Flash. I KO Carnage and Batman. Time was called and I was in the lead 140-135. YIKES.
Top 8:
Opponent – Emily Roet
Score – 300-145
Record – 4-2
Emily is the reigning Canadian National champion from 2022 and is both a phenomenal player and a super nice person. Regardless of what happens, I knew this would be a fun game. She was using Sakki, Commish, prime Spidey, Venom Mag, MoE, and Mephisto. She wins map roll and decides to take us to Dockyard. My first turn I equip Sakky and pass. She moves up defensively. I move up and go all in on punching Sakki…miss 2/3 attacks. FFFFF. She killed both Watcher and Demon on that turn. Both my defends AND my anti-big attackers are gone. Immediately on tilt. I use Flash and Sakki to widdle her Sakki, KO some support, but did not touch Spidey. I was able to kill her Inquisitor which made her de-tokening Spider-Man a little more difficult. I pulse wave force blast her team killing Venom Mag, 2 clicks on Spidey, KO Rookie, and hit Mephisto to last click. She comes in and misses thanks to good ole Killmonger. I clean house next turn and win. Killmonger pulled me out of the grave.
Top 4:
Opponent – Ed Arnold-Berkovits
Score – 95-65
Record – 5-2
He was using non-theme good stuff Surfer, Sakki, Tyrant, Molecule Man, Star Sapphire, Mad Jim, Venom Mag. I win roll and decide to go to Negative Zone. He does some defensive positioning and leaves Tyrant unequipped. I then move up into the side room and Barrier, Outwitting Pulse Wave I think on Sakki? He uses his next turn to bring ALL his attackers, and misses them all. I then kill Tyrant and neuter Sakki. He brings in Surfer and KOs a construct. I then use Ch’p to choose battle fury with modifier, Sakki picks Flurry Precision, TK him up next to Surfer, and I got him to last click. He misses more. I kill Venom Mag and the Darkhold he was holding. Time is called as he declares HSS with Surfer, but with my Stop Sign there was no way for him to get around to Support and could only target Sakki who had both his tokens. So, got the win.
Finals:
Opponent – Giodano Chiello
Score – 175-50
Record – 6-2
He was using non-theme Spidey prime, Sakki, MoE, Mephisto, Venom Mags, Carnage Retal, Star Sapphyre, Mad Jim. Interestingly enough, we were both 2-2 going into the Top 16. I win map roll and decide to go to Negative Zone. Turn one he defensive Barrier. I decide to pull back even though the Tower was flipped and Barrier in. He then does the same. I then decide to run over into the room but can’t Barrier because my Stop Signs were already out. I Outwit Spidey prime Super Strength. He uses Sakki and Rookie maybe? To destroy two walls and them MoE Doom Supreme to Pulse Wave Force Blast my whole team (except Watcher who he missed) and KO’d Flash, legacy Green Lantern, and hurting most everyone else. My next turn I kill Doom and reposition defensively. I Outwit Spidey Super Strength and he comes in and misses a lot. It ended up coming down to Spidey prime and Mephisto vs Watcher, Killmonger, Sakki, Ch’p, and Demon. Time was called. I WOOONNNN!
This was my first time both for a Nationals level tournament and to visit Canada. It was such a neat experience. Canada is a wonderful place to visit. The Canadian National title gets to come back to the states this year!
Shout out to Marc-Andre and his store where Canadian Nationals was held – La Boutique Tabletop. Great venue. Super friendly people. Highly recommend if you are in the area.
