The Book of Red Skull

[Hahma]

I updated test sheet with first army test. Boy that took awhile as there was a lot going on with bonding, using Shadow Thief, using and placing the knocked away Cube a lot, getting Master Manipulator to work a lot and getting Doom's MPD to work a few times, but it was a lot of fun but I learned a lot too.

Big lesson learned vs. Red Skull, don't send easy to wound or kill figures near him as he has a good enough attack to get Master Motivator to work and that's a free turn for someone like Hulk or Madame Hydra with the Cube.

The HYDRA Agents, Red Skull and Madame HYDRA are a nasty force to recon with and with BVS on his way, it will be pretty fun and sick.
Madame HYDRA is especially good with him because for as long as she's adjacent to 1 or more HYDRA Agents, she can easily avoid wounds and hang onto the Cube.

Shadow Thief is a natural counter to Red Skull, but unfortunately in this test, his army didn't have enough multiple ranged attacks to help vs. the crazy synergy with RS and HYDRA.

The map X Marks the Spot did lend itself to easier use of Master Motivator because it was pretty wide open and easy to keep other Unique Heroes in clear sight of Red Skull, so I'll try another map for next test.

[IAmBatman]

Great stuff! I was hoping he'd shine a bit more with HYDRA Agents and Madame HYDRA around, and it looks like that was the case. Yeah, Moloids might've helped him get the most out of Master Motivator. We'll have to see if it still holds up against tougher foes. Still, very encouraging and I'm very excited about this guy and what continues to shape up as one of my favorite factions.
I was thinking 180 before this, and now I'm thinking probably 200ish, maybe 210. I bet he feels overpriced at 220.

[Hahma]

Well I was going to try to mix it up a little and have:

Red Skull at 220, Doom 375, Doombots x 3 285, and Magma 170 for 1050 points.

vs.

Madame HYDRA 140, HYDRA Agents x 3 240, Shadow Thief 70, Deathstroke 280, Punisher 180 and Puppet Master 140 for 1050,

Kind of a weird combo on the opponent's side, but I'd like to see how RS does w/o HYDRA faction, but he will still have a Ruler in his army to be able to use the Cube, as well as Magma to hopefully use to place opponents in lava with the Cube. I figure Shadow Thief is a natural counter to RS so I will once again have him in the opponent's army and then see how RS and his army can deal with Madame HYDRA having the Cube and being a pain to knock it off her. Punisher will offer multiple long ranged attacks, Puppet Master (I have never played him yet) might be able to control RS, Magma or a Doombot into lava, and then there's Deathstroke who is just a badass.

I figure that I have access to some units that public testers don't have so I might as well use them to see how it works. I might try a different map with less clear sight. I tend to agree though, that RS might be overpriced in this test, but we'll see and then we can narrow it down.

[IAmBatman]

Should be an interesting one. Ironically, the HYDRA Agents are the best targets for Red Skull there if he wants to get rolling with Master Motivator.

[Hahma]

True enough about the HYDRA Agents, but unlike the Moloids, the Agents have range. Deathstroke and Punisher should help to keep Red Skull at bay somewhat. I wanted to see how RS works when he doesn't have everything going his way like it did in the last test. While the opponents will have a lot of ranged attacks, at least RS will have some powerful flyers with ranged attacks.

I just can't wait to have BVS, Madame Hydra, Red Skull and 3 squads of Hydra Agents for an 800-820 point army, depending on how much BVS and RS come in at. All of them can use the Cube and bond with Hydra Agents. Then, just for kicks, add Mole Man and 8-10 Moloids (depending on where BVS and RS come in at) and you have a nice 1000 point army with Mole Man being able to use the Cube too.

[IAmBatman]

I'd try very hard to kill off Punisher before even getting Red Skull involved in that one. Punisher would likely tear through poor Red Skull. Of course, if you need to heal a wound or anything, you'll want to activate Red Skull for that.

[Hahma]

Added second army test to test sheet.

[IAmBatman]

Things are looking good! It seems that in Red Skull's perfect build against a good match up overall, he felt 210-220, and in a less perfect build, against a match up more tailored to him, he felt 200-210.
I think 210 is a good place to move forward with for now.

[Griffin]

210. Oh man I called that one.

[Hahma]

210 should be good to price him at for further testing.

[IAmBatman]

Here's my preemptive yea for ERB!

[Hahma]

Preemptive YEA for ERB