NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Beetle
Map: Sewer Labyrinth
Units: Beetle (180), Amanda Waller (195), Rick Flag Jr. (105), Vulture (90), Klaw (240), Deadshot (150), Bane (190), Venom (Mac Gargan) (245) (1395) Vs. Luke Cage (190), Wolverine (Laura) (280), Jessica Jones (220), Daredevil II (200), Captain America (NA) (220), Hawkeye (Avengers) (220) Headpool (60) (1390)
Spoiler Alert!
Wolverine partners up with Luke Cage. Avengers Markers on all of red team apart other than Hawkeye and Headpool. Microbombs on all of blue team except Waller and Flag Jr.
Round 1: Blue team start. Luke Cage is the Special Assignment. JJ and Daredevil move.
B1: Headpool moves. Bane and Klaw move forward. SSC has Vulture move, carrying Rick.
R1: Cap, Cage, and Hawkeye move forward.
B2: Headpool moves. Beetle and Venom move. Vulture moves with SSC, moving back and moving Deadshot slightly.
R2: Daredevil and Hawkeye move.
B3: Headpool moves. Bane and Deadshot move forward, Vulture moving with SSC to bring Flag forward. Deadshot takes a shot at Daredevil, failing to wound.
R3: JJ and Hawkeye move.
Round 2: Blue team start. Luke Cage is the SA. JJ, Cap, Luke, and Laura all move.
B1: Headpool moves into sight of Deadshot. Deadshot goes for JJ, dealing a wound. Beetle moves around a pillar to use Diversionary Fire on JJ. Both attacks rolls a skull and JJ takes a wound. Klaw moves after the first attack, Beetle after the second. Vulture is moved with SSC, carrying Flag.
R1: JJ engages Bane and attacks, dealing 3 wounds. She then views the X on Waller, buffing her team. Luke Cage moves forward slightly, and Hawkeye takes a shot at Venom, dealing 2 wounds.
B2: Headpool moves, engaging Bane and Deadshot. Klaw moves to attack Headpool, dealing a wound. Venom moves around to engage Headpool and JJ. CD inflicts a wound on JJ. He then attacks JJ, failing to wound. SSC moves Venom to disengage JJ and Headpool and then reengage, but fails to wound with CD.
R2: Cap engages Venom, subtracts 1 from his defense, deals a wound to him, and then leaves the engagement. Luke Cage then engages Venom, and Hawkeye moves. He uses his Special Arrow, adding an auto skull, and deals 3 wounds to Venom.
B3: Bane gets +2 from VI and attacks JJ, inflicting a wound. Klaw then takes a shot at JJ, destroying her. SSC moves Venom like last turn, but fails to wound.
R3: Cap deals a wound to Bane, and Hawkeye takes Venom out with his special attack.
Round 3: Blue team start. Cap is the SA. Daredevil and Wolverine move.
B1: Bane gets +2 and attacks Headpool, who is punted and placed adjacent to Vulture and Flag. Deadshot takes a shot at Cap, dealing 4 wounds. SCC moves Beetle.
R1: Cap engages Bane and attacks, inflicting a wound, and then moves. Hawkeye moves and takes Bane out with his special attack.
B2: Headpool moves, taking a wound and engaging Flag, Beetle, Klaw and Deadshot. Beetle fails to take him out but rolls skulls both attacks, moving Klaw and Deadshot. SCC then moves Klaw back to his old spot (first move done as Klaw was engaged and in the way). Deadshot then attacks Hawkeye, inflicting a wound. Hawkeye then moves onto high ground.
R2: Cap moves, fails to roll a shield against Deadshot, and then attacks him, dealing 1 wound. Hawkeye takes a shot at Deadshot, dealing 2 wounds.
B3: Beetle uses his special attack on Headpool. Still not destroying him and only getting one skull, only Deadshot moves. SCC moves Deadshot more, hiding behind teammates. Deadshot takes a shot at Luke Cage, failing to wound, but Headpool wisecracks and is destroyed.
R3: Cap moves into shot of Deadshot and rolls a shield, but still fails to wound. Hawkeye moves and takes a shot at Beetle with his special attack, inflicting 1 wound.
Round 4: Red team start. Luke Cage is the SA. Luke Cage, DD, and Wolverine all move.
R1: Cap moves and rolls a shield against Deadshot. He takes him out, and then moves. Hawkeye uses his special attack to disable Klaw’s Body of Sound, but fails to wound.
B1: Beetle takes a shot at Daredevil, inflicting 1 wound thanks to Klaw. Klaw uses his Charged Sonic Cannon, inflicting 1 wound on Daredevil and Hawkeye. SCC moves Vulture to engage Cap.
R2: Daredevil attacks Klaw but fails to wound. Hawkeye uses his special attack to attack Klaw, negating his Body of Sound but failing to wound.
B2: Beetle would inflict 2 wounds on Daredevil, but GtD kicks in. However, he also rolled more shields than skulls, and Klaw receives a wound. Klaw then uses his Sonic Cannon again, but fails to wound.
R3: Daredevil attacks Klaw. First attack fails, and the second attack is ignored by Body of Sound. Klaw then heals 1. Hawkeye then attacks Klaw with his special attack, inflicting a wound.
B3: Beetle attacks Daredevil, but fails to wound. Klaw’s special attack deals a wound to Daredevil. SSC moves Vulture back to Flag.
Round 5: Blue team start. Luke Cage is the SA. Wolverine and Cap move.
B1: Beetle activates DD’s GtD. Klaw uses his Sonic Cannon, this time affecting Luke, Daredevil and Laura, but fails to inflict a wound.
R1: Daredevil attacks Klaw. First attack fails, but Klaw activates BoS and he heals. Hawkeye then attacks Klaw with his SA, failing to wound.
B2: Beetle inflicts 1 wound on Luke Cage. Laura rages. Klaw’s SA fails to wound yet again. SSC has Vulture engage Daredevil.
R2: Daredevil deals 3 wounds to Klaw. Hawkeye fails to wound him.
B3: Beetle deals another wound to Luke Cage, raging Laura. Klaw’s SA deals a wound to Laura.
R3: Daredevil takes out Klaw and then deals 2 to Vulture. Laura moves, and then Hawkeye takes out Vulture.
Round 6: Red team start. Luke Cage is the SA. Wolverine, Cap and Daredevil move.
R1: Daredevil deals a wound to Flag. Hawkeye fails to wound him.
B1: Beetle activates Daredevil’s GtD.
R2: Laura takes out Beetle, moves onto his space, and heals 1. Hawkeye moves and uses his SA on Flag, failing to wound.
B2: Flag takes out Daredevil.
R3: Laura moves for Amanda and takes her out. Hawkeye deals 2 wounds to Flag.
Round 7: Blue team starts. Laura and Luke move.
B1: Flag fails to wound.
R1: Laura fails to wound, but Luke takes Flag out.
Winners: Luke Cage with 2 wounds, Wolverine unwounded, Captain America with 4 wounds, Hawkeye with 2 wounds.
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Map: Sewer Labyrinth
Units: Beetle (180), Doctor Octopus (II) (250), Wizard (140), Klaw (240), Living Laser (190), Killer Croc (200) (1200) Vs. F4 (1000), Jocasta (180), Skrull Infiltrator x2 (20) (1200)
Spoiler Alert!
Round 1: Blue team start.
B1: Wizard moves forward.
R1: Jocasta and Reed move forward.
B2: Killer Croc and Beetle move.
R2: Thing and Sue move.
B3: Doc Oct, Living Laser, and Klaw move.
R3: Johnny, Jocasta, and Reed move.
Round 2: Blue team start.
B1: Wizard stays put.
R1: Thing, Sue, and Reed move forward.
B2: Beetle moves forward and attacks with Diversionary Fire. Targetting Jocasta, he fails to wound. Only roll a skull on the first attack, he only moves 2 spaces. Living Laser then moves in front of Beetle and attacks Jocasta, failing to wound.
R2: Johnny moves and attacks Beetle, dealing 2 wounds. Reed engages Living Laser and attacks, failing to wound.
B3: Klaw moves forward and attacks Johnny, but Jocasta moves adjacent to him and takes the 2 wounds, as well as dealing a wound back. Killer Croc moves around to engage Reed and attacks, failing to wound. Doc Oct moves forward.
R3: Thing engages Living Laser and attacks, using Jocasta for Clobberin’ Time, but fails to wound. Jocasta attacks Killer Croc, failing to wound. Sue moves. Reed attacks Living Laser, failing to wound.
Round 3: Red team start.
R1: Johnny flies to engage Doc Oct and Beetle. He attacks Doc Oct, but fails to wound. Reed attacks Living Laser, dealing 2 wounds.
B1: Wizard attacks Johnny, dealing a total of 4 wounds with Klaw’s help.
R2: Johnny Supernovas, dealing a wound to Beetle, Klaw, and Living Laser. Reed fails to wound Living Laser.
B2: Doc Oct destroys Johnny, but a Skrull appears. Beetle destroys the Skrull.
R3: Thing uses Jocasta to get +2, destroying Living Laser. Jocasta attacks Killer Croc, failing to wound. Reed attacks Killer Croc, failing to wound.
B3: Killer Croc attempts to Death Roll Reed, but fails. Klaw uses his Sonic Cannon but also fails to wound.
Round 4: Blue team start
B1: Killer Croc attacks Reed, dealing 3 wounds.
R1: Thing gets +3 from Reed and attacks Klaw, who blocks it with Sound of Body and then heals. Jocasta attacks Klaw, failing to wound. Reed deals a wound to Killer Croc.
B2: Doc Oct attacks Thing, dealing 2 wounds. Beetle uses Diversionary Fire on Thing. First fails to wound but lets him move out of engagement with Thing. Second also fails to wound but has Klaw move. He rolled more shields on the second attack, and Reed receives a wound.
R2: Thing engages Doc Oct and gets +4 from Reed. Doc takes 3 wounds. Jocasta fails to wound. Reed deals 2 wounds to Killer Croc.
B3: Klaw moves around to engage Sue and attacks her, but Jocasta steps in, taking 2 wounds and dealing 1 back. Wizard also engages Sue and attacks, dealing a wound. Killer Croc attacks Reed, but Jocasta takes the 3 wounds, herself being destroyed, and Killer Croc receives a wound.
R3: Thing destroys Beetle and Doc Oct. Reed destroys Killer Croc.
Round 5: Red team start
R1: Sue and Reed flee.
B1: Wizard engages Reed and destroys him, a Skrull dropping in his place.
R2: OM2 on Reed.
B2: Wizard destroys the Skrull.
R3: Thing attacks Wizard, who blocks it with a Force Field.
B3: Klaw engages Sue and inflicts 3 wounds.
Round 6: Red team start
R1: Thing gets +3 and attacks Wizard, who blocks it with a Force Field.
B1: Wizard inflicts a wound on Thing.
R2: Thing destroys Wizard.
B2: Klaw uses his special attack, inflicting a wound on Sue.
R3: Thing gets +4 from Sue. First attack is blocked by Body of Sound, and destroys Sue. Second attack deals just 1 wound.
B3: Klaw fails to wound.
Round 7: Blue team start
B1: Klaw inflicts a wound.
R1: Thing attacks but Body of Sound is used, but he fails to wound back.
B2: Klaw inflicts another wound.
R2: Thing destroys Klaw.
Winners: Thing with 5 wounds.
Thoughts on the tested unit’s cost, balance, & draftability:
Spoiler Alert!
Beetle is an interesting character that can slot into a lot of teams, providing they have a focus on one of three classes. I imagine he’d be a great partner for Kingpin (II) since they work off of the same units. I couldn’t think of one during testing, but he’d also pair well with someone that capitalises off of an initiative win, which he can almost ensure in the early game. I found him more useful in a Suicide Squad build than a
In the first game Beetle did about 7 wounds to Daredevil and 2 to Luke Cage, as well as moving plenty of figures, and should of activated Faulty Targeting several times, but was forgotten about multiple times (elaborated on below). This would of wounded both allies and enemies evenly though, perhaps more so allies in the Headpool incident. Beetle had good damage output here, but his team beaten pretty hard.
Second game he does considerably less work despite the buffs from Doc Oct and Wizard, and with it being a much closer game, but The Thing was able to get set up and sweep key pieces quickly. It’s worth noting that in both games, a good portion of his wounds were with help from Klaw. You don’t get a lot of offense out of Beetle, he’s more about the utility and occasional auto wounds.
Overall I enjoyed Beetle and I think he’s in a fine spot points wise, maybe even needing a slight point decrease. First game he did well over his points but his team got defeated hard, and the second game he just fell flat and didn’t really get much time to shine, but it was a lot closer. I think he has a lot of potential in the right hands though.
General thoughts on the tested unit:
Spoiler Alert!
I’m not overly keen on Faulty Targeting having an auto skull on his normal attack, but then the second part of the power working on both normal and special attacks. Might just be that he’s a new unit to me, but it took a while for that to sink in, and I frequently had to look back at his card to check that, and as a result it got forgotten now and then when using the SA. Just food for thought, but is there a way the auto-skull aspect can affect his special attack too? Perhaps reducing the SA dice to 2 (matching Star-Lord’s), and wording Faulty Targeting to say when Beetle attacks. Would the auto skull actually be considered a rolled skull here? To me the auto skull is added as opposed to rolled, meaning it’d not trigger the SA’s movement if you don’t roll a skull, but could still streamline the power a bit.
I do like that his special attack does work with the second part of Faulty Targeting though, and I felt it was a bit more useful than his normal attack due to the amount of things it could do and the multi attacks. I can see a fun Suicide Squad build utilising him, Vulture, Rick Flag, and Doctor Octopus, to almost launch Doc Oct at an enemy whilst Faulty Targeting pops now and then to start denting pods.
I’m curious to see how he’ll work alongside Black Tom Cassidy, specifically alongside Blob and Pyro. With Blob, you can run the same build I mentioned above but replacing Doc Oct. With Pyro, his Engulf works on the clause “Before moving”, so that would work here, which could be a potentially strong build with a lot of auto wounds, throwing him in like in the previously mentioned build, perhaps alongside Venom (Mac) for cleanup, though Pyro isn’t the hardest character to take down. There is potential to activate this 3 times on each character per turn though, baring in mind Beetle’s SA and Rick Flag’s SSC don’t provoke LEAs (this also being on a 11+ roll, which can be boosted for cheap with Destiny to 9+), so Pyro can very safely waltz in and out of a group.
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