Welcome back to SG Protocol.
Today we take a look at an older tactics card that will probably see much more play now, since the two characters using it got a big upgrade each and will see the table much more.
This card takes a bit of set up and good positioning as you need to be in 2 of eachother and need a good target to be in M of Wolverine. Wolverine also counts as size 3 for collisions so that’s 4 automatic damage the model suffering the collision has to dodge against with two fewer dodge dice.
One important thing to remember is that, unlike with defense rolls, dodge rolls CAN be reduced to 0 dice. So targeting a 2 physical defense model leaves them completely defensless against the incoming 4 damage.
Here is a list of prime targets for the card:
Enchantress: she can’t use her 5 mystic defense against throws like she does against attacks (unless the attacker pays two power).
Ancient One: no dice means no rerolls.
Bob, Agent of Hydra: automatically takes him off the board if he is on his injured side and has an activated token.
Vision in his anti physical defense: he isn’t targeted by an attack so he can’t phase to no collision damage. And his extra dice only work against attacks not when dodging.
Doctor Voodoo when he doesn’t have his Brother Daniel token. It means he most likely will have an extract so he is a very good target. He also can’t recall the token as once again he isn’t targeted.
Armin Zola, Baron Mordo and Clea all don’t have any defensive tech anyway and will take the full 4 damage all the time. Since they also gain Bleed it is effectively a Stagger on 5 health Clea, unless your opponent decides to let her daze (or KO on the back side) from the Bleed.
Bad targets are Cassandra Nova and Emma Frost because they can negate all collision damage when they have the power. Obviously if the don’t have the power to negate the damage they become prime targets.
Preventing brace for impact against Fastball Special:
Play it during Emma Frosts or Mystique’s activation. It is an Active card so it has to be your turn but it doesn’t specify that it had to be either Wolverines or Colossus ‘ turn.
Playing against Fastball special:
Firstly if you have Brace for Impact in your squad you can keep it back to specifically use it to negate the damage from Fastball Special.
The problem you create for yourself with that is that you will suffer other collisions and you have to decide whether those are worth it to keep Fastball in check.
The other way to play against Fastball Special is to focus your control effects and damage on Wolverine and ignoring Colossus as much as possible. The change for Colossuses Big Brother from a “bodyguard” to a “taunt” makes it much harder though. Before he could take an attack on him that targeted a model in range 2 of him. Now he can do it if the attacker is in range 2 of him. And since he also got faster he is much more likely to be right in your face and can protect his feral friend from your incoming damage while also negating all your pushes.
Place effects are useful against both and Mystic is a good attack type to have in your tool belt against the duo. Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme is a good counter to them for example.
So overall I think Fastball special was always a great card that now will see the table much more with the buffs to both its users and you have to be aware of it. I think it will see the most play in X-Force where both are affiliated and who don’t have that many great affiliated tactics cards. It will most definitely be included in the 10 in most Uncanny X-Men rosters including both but will have a harder time making the 5 with the tonnes of fantastic affiliated X-Men cards.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading, see you next time and cheers from Germany 🍻
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