The Book of Nova

[Yodaking]

I might as well, can check later. I know I picked up more than one Nova figure.

[Arkham]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE TEST UNIT Nova

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Army Test 1
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
Units:
Nova(200), Luke Cage(190), Iron Fist(260) (650)
vs.
Star-Lord(250), Swordsman(160), Nebula(240) (650)

Spoiler Alert!

Normal Attack Damage:
R2T2: 1 wound on Nebula. (+2 from Nova markers, +1 auto skull from HR)
R2T3: 3 wounds on Nebula. (+2 from Nova markers)
R3T1: 2 wounds on Nebula. (+2 from Nova markers)
R3T3: 1 wound on Nebula, kills her. (+2 from Nova markers)

Forced to the Limits:
R1T2: puts 1 marker on his card.
R2T2: puts 1 marker on his card.

Notes:
R1T2: Nebula puts 1 wound on Luke Cage.
R1T3: Iron Fist puts 1 wound on Nebula, then heals 1 wound off Luke Cage. Luke Cage puts 2 wounds on Star-Lord.
R1T3: Swordsman puts 3 wounds on Luke Cage in 6 attacks.
R1end: Nebula heals 1 wound.
R2T1: Iron Fist puts 3 wounds on Swordsman, then heals 1 wound off Luke Cage. Cage kills Star-Lord.
R2T2: Cage kills Swordsman.
R2T3: Nebula puts 1 wound on Luke Cage with VS, then kills him with an attack.
R2end: Nebula heals 1 wound.
R3T1: Nebula puts 2 wounds on Iron Fist with VS, then 1 more wound with an attack.


Iron Fist with 3/5 wounds, and Nova unwounded with 2 markers.

Nova did well here, and it was a solid win for his team. Didn't feel unwinnable for the enemy team, but it felt like Nova's team had to edge raw power wise.

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Army Test 2
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
Units:
Nova(200), Cap(240), Ms. Marvel(350), Angel(90) (880)
vs.
Cyclops(240), Nightcrawler(210), Silver Samurai(240), Sage(190) (880)

Spoiler Alert!

Normal Attack Damage:
R2T2: 2 wounds on Cyclops(+1). (+1 from Nova marker, +1 from Cap, +1 auto skull from HR)
R2T3: 2 wounds on Cyclops, kills him. (+1 from Nova marker, +1 from Cap, +1 auto skull from HR)
R3T2: 3 wounds on Sage(botch). (+1 from Nova marker, +1 from Cap)
R3T3: 2 wounds on Nightcrawler. (+1 from Nova marker, +1 from Cap)

Forced to the Limits:
R2T2: puts 1 marker on.
R4T1: would be destroyed by Nightcrawler, removes 1 marker instead.
R4T2: puts 1 marker on.

Notes:
R1T1: Cyclops(+1 height) puts 1 wound on Cap(botch + 1 auto). Sage enhances Cyclops.
R1T3: Cyclops uses his SA to put 1 wound on Cap.
R2T1: Cap puts 2 wounds on Silver Samurai.
R2T1: Cyclops(+1) puts 2 wounds on Angel(+2). Sage enhances Silver Samurai.
R2T2: Ms. Marvel puts 1 wound on Cyclops.
R2T2: Cyclops(+2) puts 3 wounds on Nova.
R2T3: Ms. Marvel puts 2 wounds on Silver Samurai.
R2T3: Silver Samurai kills Angel(+1).
R3T1: Sage enhances Nightcrawler.
R3T1: Cap puts 1 wound on Sage. Nightcrawler moves himself and Sage, engaging Nova.
R3T2: Silver Samurai puts 2 wounds on Cap in 2 attacks.
R3T2: Ms. Marvel(+2) kills Silver Samurai(+1).
R3T3: Nightcrawler(+1) puts 1 wound on Nova(+1).
R4T1: Cap puts 1 wound on Nightcrawler.
R4T1: Nightcrawler kills Cap.
R4T2: Ms. Marvel kills Nightcrawler.


Nova with 4/5 wounds and 1 marker. Ms. Marvel unwounded.

Somewhat close match with Nova almost dropping. Angel was put in there to try and keep Nova unengaged to setup Human Rocket, but it only helped him out once as the enemy started to target Angel.

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THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY:
I like the design and it's nice to have another Crime Fighter to use as the Fighters/Crime Fighters led by Luke Cage are a go to for testing for me. Also a fan of the character, and I like the strategy at play here with his markers. Very cool concept. 200 feels a little low, as he's got decent mobility, attack power, survivability, and synergy offerings. I'd say 220-230 is more likely a landing point, but perhaps a bump to 210 to start.

[MrNobody]

Awesome, thanks Ark! Going back up to 210 sounds fair to me.

Just a thought, might be cool for one of the next testers to try him with a Weather Wizard or Storm type who hands out disengage.

[Yodaking]

Good thought about WW.

[Ronin]

Any requests for testing, besides free disengages?

[MrNobody]

Testing out some of the other Crime Fighter synergies (not Luke) could be nice. Thanks!

[Ronin]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Nova @210 points

Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Nova @210, Songbird, MACH-I, Oracle (700) vs Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Iron Man (Mk IV) (700)

Spoiler Alert!

Nova charged out and just pummeled Iron Fist at the first opportunity, dropping him in a couple attacks. Admittedly, those attacks were non-consecutive. MACH-I took a turn in between and used Diversionary Fire to disengage him from Iron Fist and tee him up for an auto-skull.

So that was nice, but while he was doing that, Iron Man and Luke Cage managed to bring down Songbird and heavily wound MACH-I. MACH-I at least managed to take out Luke to bring himself a little respectability, but couldn't stand up to Iron Man.

Unit Summary:

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): 6 wounds to Iron Fist in 2 attacks (2 from Oracle) (destroyed)
• Forced to the Limits: juiced up on markers at first available opportunity
• Human Rocket: added 2 auto-skulls to attacks against Iron Fist
• Damage Taken: 3 wounds from Iron Man in 3 special attacks (destroyed) (1 ignored by removing Nova Force markers), 0 wounds from Luke Cage in 1 attack, 1 wound from an LEA, 2 wounds from Iron Fist in 2 attacks

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Iron Man with 3 Life

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Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Nova @210, Weather Wizard, Angel (Warren), Shredder, Baron Zemo (Heinrich) (815) vs Cyclops (I), Mirage, Angel (Warren), Rover, Jubilee, Wild Child (815)

Spoiler Alert!

Nova got off to a pretty good start by flying out and OHKOing Wild Child on a botched defense roll. He kept the momentum rolling with the free disengages here, bouncing from soft mutant target to soft mutant target. Also helped Mirage was able to slow him down a couple times to give the mutants a fighting chance, though.

Between Rover, Angel and Mirage, Cyclops was able to keep himself alive long enough to eventually bring down Nova, and from there he was able to use his SA to do some real damage to Zemo's pod and make the game close. Shredder was too much of a clean-up beast to bring down, though.

Unit Summary:

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): 4 wounds to Wild Child in 1 attack (destroyed), destroyed Greatest Fear DO twice in 2 attacks, 2 wounds to Angel in 1 attack, 0 wounds to Rover in 1 attack, 3 wounds to Cyclops in 1 attack (absorbed by Rover, destroyed him), 2 wounds to Mirage in 1 attack
• Forced to the Limits: juiced up on markers ASAP
• Human Rocket: added a redundant auto-skulls on most attacks (all except attacks against Greatest Fear)
• Damage Taken: 0 wounds from Rover in 1 attack, 1 wound from Jubilee in 1 attack, 1 wound from Rover's Destroy!, 6 wounds from Cyclops in 2 special attacks (3 ignored by removing Nova Force Markers) (destroyed)

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Angel with 1 Life, Shredder with 2 Life

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY: Big cannon, and he's fun to boost up and let run rampant. Definitely likes free disengages. Stronger against low/mid level guys, natch, since he's a glass cannon. Enjoyed him in the first build, but they were up against an army that had good tools to fight back, so that one didn't look as impressive for him. Still not a bad showing by any means though.

[MrNobody]

Thanks Ronin! It’s cool to see how you and Ark played the Nova Markers differently, and how each strategy was useful.

A win and a loss, but he also looks like he was a primary damage dealer in both games. Do you think he’s good at 210 or would you feel safer at 220?

[Ronin]

I think he's okay at 210. 220 might be a little safer with more hard synergy on the way.

[MrNobody]

I think I’ll hold out for one more set of tests at 210 and decide from there. I’m not too worried about Night Thrasher’s synergy offerings, and it’ll be nice to have some point flex to fit the rest of the New Warriors into a 1,000 point build. (Nova (@210)+Speedball+Firestar is 480.)

[Ronin]

I was thinking about Nova Force stuff too, not just Night Thrasher. Seems like he's gonna be a building block for a couple new factions.

[MrNobody]

Clarified the Nova Markers are removed from the game again, that part got lost somewhere in the shuffle.