The Book of M.R.D. Trooper

[Yodaking]

Considering you also need to roll a 16+, and they return to the card at the end of each round, I'd go with a lower number of markers.

With their 'squad' size doubling when a mutant is around, it seems as though they will be overpriced anytime a mutant isn't on the board. While having them face an all mutant team is clearly the ideal situation, I wouldn't mind having them a filler option when just facing an army with 2 or 3 mutants out of 6-8 figures. So maybe have the standard a 2 figure 'squad' with mutants turning it into a 3 figure squad instead of 4.

[quozl]

I agree. I do not like extra activations with a Mutant around and I also see no need for these to be common heroes.

[japes]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

Considering you also need to roll a 16+, and they return to the card at the end of each round, I'd go with a lower number of markers.

With their 'squad' size doubling when a mutant is around, it seems as though they will be overpriced anytime a mutant isn't on the board. While having them face an all mutant team is clearly the ideal situation, I wouldn't mind having them a filler option when just facing an army with 2 or 3 mutants out of 6-8 figures. So maybe have the standard a 2 figure 'squad' with mutants turning it into a 3 figure squad instead of 4.

They should be overpriced if you draft them and a mutant isn't on the board regardless of the activations. The Anti-Mutant Technology power only works against Mutants. As a 120 point squad of 4 doesn't seem overpriced and is actually different in the squad of 2 vs 4. If you want the regular always 4 you have the hired guns and other squads.

Originally Posted by quozl

I agree. I do not like extra activations with a Mutant around and I also see no need for these to be common heroes.

This has been discussed lengthily when this was in the Public...and I am sure Dok will be posting at sometime with his anti common hero stance but as far as I know there is no official stance in C3G for partial squads which is what makes these guys fit into thematic builds. It's no different to the Kree faction designs that are currently being discussed. If I had these guys as always activating four figures then I'd probably have more understanding to the argument but slow roll out of two to the full push of four figures works for a common hero approach.

I mean they are called MUTANT Response Division Troopers and there special ability is Anti-MUTANT Technology.

[quozl]

Originally Posted by japes

I mean they are called MUTANT Response Division Troopers and there special ability is Anti-MUTANT Technology.

Exactly. Since nobody will be taking these without mutants, why not just assume they will and make them a squad of 4?

[Yodaking]

I'm okay with them being common heroes.

I think their anti-mutant technology 16 power is enough to clearly get the theme across and make you want to draft them to counter mutants. They are still guys trained to deal with the stresses related to combating superpowered people while running around with guns and armor on though and thus should be at least draftable when no mutants are on the board. Yeah, their anti-mutant tech might not technically work on metahumans and mutates but that doesn't mean they forgot how to fight. They should be universally useful while being at their best when taking on mutants. Not only good at taking down mutants and useless in all other situations.

[johnny139]

They're the mutant response division. They get called in when there's mutants. When they see a mutant they spring into action. I don't see an issue with them never showing up against non-mutants because, thematically, they have no REASON to show up if there's no mutants.

[Yodaking]

Something like this. It makes them a 2 figure 'squad' of soldiers that becomes a 3 figure 'squad' as soon as they encounter any enemy figure, while lowering the anti-mutant roll to 14 to make them more effective when fighting mutants. I also bumped their defense up to 4 since they are well trained and armored guys expected to take on the likes of Wolverine and Sabertooth. It will give them a little more staying power.

NAME = M.R.D. TROOPER
SECRET IDENTITY = NONE

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = COMMON HERO
CLASS = SOLDIER
PERSONALITY = DEDICATED

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 1

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 5
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 4

POINTS = 30

OUT ON PATROL
After revealing an Order Marker on this card, you may move and attack with up to two M.R.D. Troopers you control. If there is at least one figure an opponent controls within 6 clear sight spaces of at least one M.R.D. Trooper you control, you may move and attack with one additional M.R.D. Troopers you control.

ANTI-MUTANT TECHNOLOGY 14
At the start of the game, place 1 gray Neutralizer marker on MRD Troopers Army Card for each MRD Trooper figure in your Army, up to a maximum of 6 markers. If a Mutant hero receives one or more wounds from a M.R.D. Troopers normal attack and is not destroyed, you may immediately roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 14 or higher, place Neutralizer Marker on the chosen hero’s card. A figure with a Neutralizer Marker on its card cannot use any special powers for the remainder of the round. At the end of each round, return all Neutralizer Markers to this card.

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by johnny139

They're the mutant response division. They get called in when there's mutants. When they see a mutant they spring into action. I don't see an issue with them never showing up against non-mutants because, thematically, they have no REASON to show up if there's no mutants.

Except this is a game where mutants are only a small slice of the pie. A game who's backstory involves some great interdenominational crisis that connects different worlds as well as different timelines, where all available hands are called up to help deal with the crisis.

"Hey MDU soldiers, it's true the world is burning right now, all life might end in the next few hours, or we could be conquered and enslaved. I also know you all have undergone intense combat training, have been issued advanced weapons and armor, and want to help but we need you guys to return to your beds and sit this one out as no one has called 911 talking about mutants today. We are getting reports about something called Metahumans, Mutates, the Undead, Demons, the Kree, Skrulls, as well as mass looting by human criminals, but your not officially qualified to do anything about them so sit on your hands and just watch what happens. Thanks!"

[japes]

Originally Posted by quozl

Exactly. Since nobody will be taking these without mutants, why not just assume they will and make them a squad of 4?

because at the beginning of the round there may not be any mutants within 6 spaces. I apologize for misinterpreting your question and not answering it but the theme is that there are a pair of troopers patrolling and until they find a mutant that's it just two guys moving up. I purposely didn't want a swarming squad that just moves up in hoards until the battle was underway. Also the partial squad issues I mentioned above...

[quozl]

I'm not going to address partial squads. If you're going to create a unit that acts like a squad then you should make it a squad.

It sounds like you want this to be a squad of 2 that can call in reinforcements when they're in range of a mutant.

[japes]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

Except this is a game where mutants are only a small slice of the pie. A game who's backstory involves some great interdenominational crisis that connects different worlds as well as different timelines, where all available hands are called up to help deal with the crisis.

"Hey MDU soldiers, it's true the world is burning right now, all life might end in the next few hours, or we could be conquered and enslaved. I also know you all have undergone intense combat training, have been issued advanced weapons and armor, and want to help but we need you guys to return to your beds and sit this one out as no one has called 911 talking about mutants today. We are getting reports about something called Metahumans, Mutates, the Undead, Demons, the Kree, Skrulls, as well as mass looting by human criminals, but your not officially qualified to do anything about them so sit on your hands and just watch what happens. Thanks!"

Between released, On Deck, and currently in design figures I wouldn't call Mutants a small slice. I think mutants are the largest "faction" here. We have Hulkbuster Soldiers that only receive a boost vs Creatures with SS...that's a small slice I'd imagine. Would you draft Professor X without mutants?

[japes]

Originally Posted by quozl

I'm not going to address partial squads. If you're going to create a unit that acts like a squad then you should make it a squad.

It sounds like you want this to be a squad of 2 that can call in reinforcements when they're in range of a mutant.

Basically...yes.