So last time we covered the start of an affiliated Hydra list. Here’s what we have to start-
Zola
Strucker
Zemo
Skull2Taskmaster *Record scratch moment* Hello Spider Woman, would you please enter the arena?
Viper
Infinity (17)
Madmen (18)
Scoundrels (20)
Paranoia (16)
Fear Grips (15)
Research Station (18)
Last time I went through this whole deal where I listed out point values and possible teams based on cost and man, when I tried to use it in practice it just wiped me out. I think this time I am going to use each value using my secures and extracts and work on a “best team” and see what I need. i do want to say up front, while I think the Strucker leadership is cool, I’m not going super deep where everyone needs to have a condition.
The characters I am really considering are –
Gwen: She should always be considered. I love her. Do I need another 3? Can we get a 21 crisis so I can go 7 wide 3’s?
VooDoo: He’s just good and should always be considered. I don’t care what the internet says, dude has some game.
Hulk: He’s the big green meanie in the room.
Ghost Rider: He fits with a bunch of threes, has some conditions for use with Strucker, has good mobility for the B’s.
Ant-Man: Has a condition he hands out, loves extra power, super mobile, I have a crush on him….
Beast: Mobile and has displacement which I lack.
X-23: If I want Exceptional Healing, I really need two characters with healing factor or it could just be a dead card. She’s also super mobile especially with power.
Venom: Conditions on your opponents turns are cool
Ronan: See above
Wanda: See above
Shuri: I need some control and does she fit that scoundrels plan? With her on one side and Zola on another can I dominate the middle for the scenario edge through destruction and control?
Proxima: She has weird mobility in a good way and is slightly tanky.
Juggs: He’s good, we all love him.
Dynamo: I don’t own him so he’s probably out but people rage at seeing him.
Panther: mobile, staying power, worth considering.
Malekith: I’ve been enjoying playing him. Do I need a 7? He’s probably just better under his own leadership.
2 Coster?
So lets look at my secures: (assumption that my opponent always chooses their secures so I am only going with priority)
15:This has to be Researcher. I think I stick to my game plan of trying to keep the secures and if I can prevent the researcher from pushing every other turn, I’m probably okay. If I go 5 wide with 3’s I can probably outscore most teams taking researcher. I think my top teams look like Strucker, Zola, Zemo and two 3’s of choice OR Strucker, Skull2, Affiliated 3, unaffiliated 4 of choice (now Spider woman so unaffiliated 3?). These two teams give me some options. I like Skull2 here as the grunts can place within 1 and walk onto the researcher most turns as long as I can keep it in the middle even if they kill them. These two teams give me a good choice of 4 or 5 wide.
16: I don’t have a 16 secure so it’s Paranoia. As I start thinking about 16 it’s weird. I have no even cost characters in my roster yet (I do now, thanks AMG!). I can use my 5 wide 3’s from before Strucker, Zola, Zemo, 3 of choice and 4 of choice. This means I need a 4 (which I now have!). If I want to take Skull2, I need a 2 cost character. So this solidifies my need for an even cost character. At 15 I also discussed needing a 4. Bob would change things up and I could go Bob, Ghost Rider, Strucker, Zemo, 3 of choice. I like Strucker in either scenario to pick up a side Paranoia, take the damage and then heal it with Healing Factor.
17: This is either Infinity or my opponent had a 17. I like the idea of Ghost Rider and 4 different 3’s at 15. Skull2 and four different three’s is fine as well as it makes me “six wide”. Possible extracts are Spider Infected, Cubes and Alien Ship. If it’s my opponents extract I need a centerline grab. I think the Skull2 plan is it here.
18: This is Madmen, Montessi or Hammers. Two of those are centerline grabs… again. I think I need to evaluate the usefulness of some of the other centerline plays or Skull2 quickly becomes an every list guy. He’s not out yet but I think Beta Ray Bill is a solid character. If I took him, I would probably go him, Ghost rider and 3 affiliated 3’s. If I go Skull2 I could go Ghost Rider, Skull2, Bob and Two 3’s. That’s an interesting “6 wide” team. Ghost rider and Skull on the table with people having incentive to attack the Hydra Agents is an interesting concept. What does Ronan with a Gem look like on Hammers under Struckers leadership? Is Ronan with gem my solution to not “needing” to take Skull2? Is he good enough with the gem?
19: Senators or Legacy. A center extract is pretty key on Legacy. I like two 5’s and three 3’s here. It’s sort of interesting, if I have Toad, who is good on both of these extracts, I could go Ghost Rider and 4 three’s. That seems pretty good. Senators is like murderball and you need to protect your own stuff right away or it can get extremely out of hand extremely quickly.
20: Skrulls or Scoundrels. I’ve got a ton of options here. I think something to think about is going six three’s and a two. That means Bob or Toad. It also means I need another 3 pointer.
Secure notes: 15 needs a 4? 16 needs a 4 or 2? 17 Do I need another centerline grab? 18 Beta Ray Bill or Ronan with Gem? Note that any time I say Ghost Rider, it could also be Juggernaut who I think is pretty good. 19 Do I bring Toad strictly for 19? 20 Do I need another 3?
Next week on to Extraction!
Current Goal Status: 12 models painted, 0 battle reports posted, 25 models played.