[Scapemage]

Here we are! I decided to test once with Stryker and an all-out Civilians army, which, if you haven't tried it, is a whole ton of fun. Torq's army definitely had the advantage against Mutants here, and they did well. For the other game, I tried using a version of the Solomon Kane power army you suggested, but pitted them against nearly all humans. They lost, but still kept it close.

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Torquemada

Army Test
Map: Kaltengeist.
Units: Torquemada (205), Anarky, Reverend Stryker, Green Lantern (John Stewart), J. Jonah Jameson, and Civilians x4 (990) vs. Professor X, Deadpool, Silver Samurai, and Psylocke (995).

Spoiler Alert!

Silver Samurai is chosen as Jameson’s menace, and the game is afoot. All of the mutants advance, but get no attacks in. Many Civilians move up and Green Lantern carries Stryker and Torq, wounding Psylocke 3 times as well.

Silver Samurai and Deadpool take out some Civilians and wound Stryker along the way, then Civilians move out and manage to wound Psylocke with no casualties. Silver Samurai and Deadpool slice through more Civilians and hit Stryker for one more wound, then it’s time to Incite a Riot. 7 Civilians get to move and attack, killing off Pyslocke and wounding Silver Samurai twice, although 2 end up dead from Counter Strike and Master Martial Artist. Silver takes out 2 more Civilians and Deadpool gets another plus Stryker. Torquemada moves up to Silver and attacks with height but is met with 1 wound in return.

In the beginning of the next round, Torq takes another wound from SS, and is swiftly ended (for now) by Silver. Deadpool moves around the glacier and takes out JJJ with one shot, also killing a Civilian. Torq revives in place of the Civilian, then engages Deadpool. The Mutant combine their forces to end Torq again. John Stewart takes out SS, crippling the Mutant army for now. Deadpool approaches GL and begins attacking, but fails to get anywhere.

Deadpool gets a battery off GL and still wounds him, and the two go at it for a bit, even getting a Civilian involved for engagement, but Deadpool loses to a half-health John. This, of course, brings Torquemada back from the dead. Professor X kills a Civilian, then Anarky moves.

X moves and attacks, but misses, then John attacks and puts Torq into engagement. The X OM comes off for defense, and Professor X wounds Torq. Some more blows are exchanged, then Troq finishes the game early the following round.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Torquemada w/ 3 wounds and 2 Face Markers, Green Lantern w/ 2 wounds and 1 Battery Marker, Anarky unwounded, and 3/16 Civilians.

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Army Test
Map: Kaltengeist.
Units: Torquemada (205), Solomon Kane, Meggan, Oracle, 5th Precinct Beat Cops x3 (875) vs. Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Pied Piper, Trickster I and II, Captain Boomerang I and II, Weather Wizard, and Mirror Master (870).

Spoiler Alert!

Meggan becomes a Fanatic to begin the game. Round one has some excitement as Torq and buddies advance into quick combat with Mirror Master, who teleported nearby. Lots of set up happens from both sides, but no wounds are dealt.

Pied Piper advances. Some cops advance and wound Captain Cold from a distance. Trickster II moves and chucks 2 wounds at Meggan. More Cops shoot and miss, then Heat Wave moves. Further Cops advance to end the round.

Torquemada moves but is slowed by Captain Cold’s snow. Trickster II moves slightly ahead and lobs a bomb into a cluster of figures, killing 3 Cops, 1 of which was protecting Solomon. Solomon slogs through the snow and shoots, with Restribution, Trickster II for 3 wounds thanks to Oracle’s help. Captain Cold whiffs a Cold Gun, then Meggan copies Solomon and kills Trickster, but not before taking a Sharpened Jacks wound for positioning. Cold whiffs again, and the round ends.

Torq moves and misses Cold, who also misses. Torq moves upwards to height and rolls 5 skulls, promptly ending the existence of Captain Cold, since Fog Cover is no use in melee. Solomon runs up to Heat Wave and Weather Wizard, but misses.

Torq wounds Mirror Master, then Captain Boomerang II engages Solomon, misses, runs to a better spot, and misses again. Torquemada sees an opportunity and takes a disengage hit from Mirror Master to get engaged with Boomerang, the only non-human in the army. He slashes him for 3 wounds. Captain Boomerang II moves back thanks to Blinding Rain and wounds Torq, welcoming Solomon’s marker. Solomon is otherwise occupied and uses Master Swordplay to take out Weather Wizard in two attacks. Heat Wave closes out the round with a good roll putting Solomon down to 1 life.

Boomerang II whiffs both his attacks, and Solomon goes all in on Heat Wave with Oracle’s help. 2 wounds are dealt, and Heat Wave brings Solomon down. Heat Wave’s next targets are Meggan and a Cop, who both die to a well-placed Flamethrower. Torquemada cherishes his final auto-skull and kills Boomerang II.

Torq misses Pied Piper, then Trickster I moves up and throws the Itching Powder Bomb onto Torq for a wound. Torq is itchy but deals 2 wounds to Piper anyways. Trickster engages and does another wound, and Cops miss some shots. Heat Wave takes out another Cop.

Torq accepts Oracle’s help and kills Piper, then dies to Trickster’s Sticky Gum. A Cop dies to Heat Wave and Torquemada suddenly is alive again. Heat Wave slays another Cop.

Tactical Surveillance helps Oracle win initiative by 1, then Torquemada moves. Mirror Master kills the final Cop. Torq engages Heat Wave but misses. Heat Wave hits back for 2 wounds. Oracle moves, and Heat Wave brings Torq down again.

Oracle and Heat Wave go at it but Oracle wins, and then moves on to hit Trickster I. Trickster is taken out in the next round, and Mirror Master taken low. After a few more turns, Captain Boomerang I takes out Oracle.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Mirror Master w/ 3 wounds, Captain Boomerang I unharmed.

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY: Both games were reasonably close. Although Torquemada’s team got countered by humans in the second game, they still put up a good fight and kept it close, losing to roughly 100 or so points of life remaining on the enemy’s side. When Torquemada had the upper hand against Mutants, his team did really well, so I feel like 205 is working right now. Perhaps a small buff to either 210 or 215 would be appropriate, but we should compare to other tests to conclude that.

GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT: The strategy when playing Torquemada is really interesting. You want to send him recklessly out into the fray to die, since he can just come back later. Keeping the other attackers close by to gain the bonuses of Pure Vigilance is also essential, so he encourages lots of thoughts about positioning. My Terminators are Watching didn’t yield a lot of results in these games, mostly because the other figures were targeted over Torquemada whenever was reasonably possible/convenient.

EDIT: Looks like my paragraph breaks didn't copy over properly. Sorry!