The Book of Blockbuster

[Ronin]

You could mitigate some of the stacking concern by requiring an OM on Blockbuster. Might not be a bad idea for his power to require some investment anyway.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Ronin

You could mitigate some of the stacking concern by requiring an OM on Blockbuster. Might not be a bad idea for his power to require some investment anyway.

Yeah, I think I want both that and a space restriction for the clear sight. Either 6 spaces or 4 spaces.

[IAmBatman]

How's this look?

BLACKMAIL
At the start of the game, you may choose one opponent’s Unique Hero with a Secret Identity. If you win initiative with at least one Order Marker on this card and the chosen hero is within 6 clear sight spaces of Blockbuster, the player controlling the chosen hero must reveal and remove one Order Marker from the chosen hero’s Army Card, if possible, or two Order Markers from the chosen hero’s Army Card if the chosen hero is a Vigilante.

[Lord Pyre]

Nothing wrong with that.

[Lazy Orang]

Cool to see another Crime Lord that the Street Thugs actually want to play with - those were in short supply for a while there, but after Hun, Hobgoblin and the prospect of Owl and this guy I'm feeling happier about that area of synergy.
Chap looks cool. Blackmail is pretty brutal.

[dok]

I'd suggest requiring an OM (or two) on Blockbuster for Blackmail to work, so that it can't be stacked with other OM manipulators like Joker without a painful OM investment.

[IAmBatman]

SP updated with the version I posted a few posts back. Hopefully that takes care of the concerns.

[IAmBatman]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: BLOCKBUSTER

Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Beast (170), Green Lantern (John Stewart) (340), Speedy (90), Blockbuster (200), Ozymandias (200) vs Fantastic Four (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

Blockbuster chooses Mister Fantastic to Blackmail.
Round 1: Ozymandias takes OM1 from Mister Fantastic and gives it to Speedy. Initiative Team Genius. Green Lantern uses his OM1 and carries Blockbuster, Speedy, and Beast to the center of the battlefield.
Team Genius goes again, with Green Lantern carrying his team right to the doorstep of the Fantastic Four and engaging Thing from height. Green Lantern barely avoids a Rock Wall Defense, but fails to wound Thing.
Mister Fantastic leads terribly. He goes it alone and fails an attack on Speedy from height.
Ozy advances from the back of the start zone.
Mister Fantastic finishes things out. He and Invisible Woman each hit Speedy for a wound. Green Lantern burns an Order Marker to save Beast from a wound.

Round 2: Ozymandias steals OM2 and gives it to Beast. Initiative Team Genius. Blockbuster Blackmails the “X” OM from Mister Fantastic.
Beast leads it off, leaping into engagement with Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman and hitting her for one wound (failing an attack on him).
Mister Fantastic chooses Thing and they combine to crush Beast (who was about to Negotiate OM3 off of Mister Fantastic!).
Team Genius originally had OM2 on Blockbuster, so he goes. Mister Fantastic rolls one shield on ten defense dice and Blockbuster puts three wounds on him!
Mister Fantastic lost his OM2 to Ozy.
Ozy goes, moving up from the back.
Mister Fantastic leads super well. The team combines forces to assault the geniuses, causing Green Lantern to burn his remaining OMs without wounding back and take one wound himself, and KOing Speedy.
Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and Thing all take lava field wounds.

Round 3: Ozy steals OM2 and gives it to Green Lantern. Initiative Team Genius. Blockbuster Blackmails the “X” OM from Mister Fantastic.
Green Lantern flies up and punches Invisible Woman for a second wound.
Mister Fantastic directs Thing to KO Green Lantern, then whiffs an attack on Blockbuster from height.
Blockbuster (who originally had OM2) breaks away from Mister Fantastic (he’s Large!) and fails to KO Invisible Woman.
Ozymandias advances.
Mister Fantastic leads well and Thing goes full Clobberin’ Time on Blockbuster, taking him down to one life. Human Torch takes a swipe from Blockbuster, but finishes the Crime Lord with Flame On 4, then goes and assaults Ozy from height for a wound. Mister Fantastic fails an attack on Ozy from engagement.
Invisible Woman takes a lava field wound.

Round 4: Ozy steals OM1 from Mister Fantastic. Initiative Fan Four. Ozy goes first but can’t do a thing. Mister Fantastic goes on OM2. Human Torch takes a swipe, then hits Ozy for a Flame On 4 wound and a regular wound. Mister Fantastic hits Ozy for a fourth wound.
Ozy sneaks a final wound on Mister Fantastic, KOing him and taking OM3 from him.
Ozy fails to hit Human Torch.
Thing and Invisible Woman both take lava field wounds. She’s KOed.

Round 5: Ozy gets the “X” from Human Torch. Initiative Fan Four. Human Torch avoids a swipe and uses Flame On 4 to KO Ozy.

Unit Summary: Blockbuster’s big attack and Tough were useful here. I didn’t quite pull off the Order Marker coupe I wanted as Beast and Speedy never managed to get going before getting swarmed and KOed. Blockbuster + Ozy put me in position to really dominate Order Markers but the Fantastic Four managed to fight back effectively. I realized after playing that I cheated by letting Green Lantern carry Blockbuster even though Blockbuster was Large. I also kept Blockbuster Rubber Wrapped for a turn or two before realizing, though, so it should largely balance out.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): 3 Wounds on Mister Fantastic.
• BLACKMAIL: OMs stolen: Rounds 2 (X), 3 (X)
• TOUGH: Blocked two wounds.
• Damage Taken: KOed by the end of Round 3.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Thing with 4/6 Life and Human Torch with 2/5 Life win.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Beast (170), Martian Manhunter (300), Hired Guns (130), Blockbuster (200), Ozymandias (200) vs Oracle (110), Black Canary (190), Green Arrow (Oliver) (150), Red Arrow (150), Batman (I) (200), Robin (Dick Grayson) (100) (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

Blockbuster chooses to Blackmail Black Canary.
Round 1: Ozy steals OM2 from Batman and puts it on the Hired Guns. Initiative Gotham Knights. Green Arrow advances.
Hired Guns advance.
Martian Manhunter goes, moving forward, then failing to summon any allies with his Telepathic Dispatch.
Batman and Robin advance.
Ozymandias moves up behind the Hired Guns.

Round 2: Ozy steals OM3 from Batman and gives it to Blockbuster. Initiative Gotham Knights. Black Canary advances.
Hired Guns advance but lack a target.
Green Arrow blows up two Hired Guns with an explosive arrow.
Martian Manhunter attacks Green Arrow from height disadvantage (due to lava field) and fails to score a wound. He dispatches Ozy, Beast, and Blockbuster forward.
Blockbuster advances, but neither he nor the Hired Guns have targets.
Green Arrow and Blockbuster both take lava field wounds.

Round 3: Ozy steals OM3 from Black Canary and gives it to Martian Manhunter. Initiative Gotham Knights. Black Canary goes, engaging Martian Manhunter, but she can’t hit him (even following the Secret Attack Plan) and Green Arrow can’t see him for Cupid’s Arrow. Robin engages Martian Manhunter and also fails to hit.
Hired Guns go (the two left). They KO Green Arrow from height disadvantage and put a wound on Black Canary (ouch).
Batman goes, failing to hit a Hired Gun or Martian Manhunter with his batarangs. Robin can’t do anything against Martian Manhunter either.
Martian Manhunter goes twice in a row. He KOs Red Arrow in two attacks from height and advances Blockbuster (once) into engagement with Black Canary and Beast (twice).

Round 4: Black Canary doesn’t take any OMs for fear of Blackmail. Ozy steals OM1 and gives it to Beast. Initiative Gotham Knights, who have no OM1.
Beast goes, engaging Batman, but only taking a wound from Evasive Strike.
Batman goes, KOing a Hired Gun. Then Robin hits Beast for three wounds (following the Secret Attack Plan).
Beast Negotiates OM3 off of Batman, then hits Black Canary for a wound.
Ozymandias advances, but isn’t in attack range.

Round 5: Ozy steals OM2 for Blockbuster. Initiative Team Genius. Beast goes first, Negotiating OM3 off of Batman, then whiffing an attack from height on Black Canary.
Batman goes, following the Secret Attack Plan, and KOs Beast. Robin engages Blockbuster, the last Hired Gun, and Ozy, but whiffs his attack roll.
Martian Manhunter goes, but fails an attack on Oracle. His directive lets both Blockbuster and Ozymandias disengage from Robin.
Ozymandias takes an Evasive Strike wound. Then he and Batman both take lava field wounds.

Round 6: Black Canary is still too close to Blockbuster to bother with Order Markers. Ozymandias steals OM3 from Batman and puts it on Blockbuster. Initiative Gotham Knights.
Batman follows the Secret Attack Plan and KOs Ozymandias, costing his team OM2. Robin KOs the last Hired Gun.
Martian Manhunter puts one wound on Oracle. (His attack rolls have been terrible). He moves himself and Blockbuster with dispatch.
Batman and Robin each put a wound on Blockbuster, who they wish to see fall before Black Canary is left on her own with him.
Martian Manhunter can’t hit Black Canary, but does move Blockbuster off of lava field with his dispatch. Robin takes a lava field wound.

Round 7: Initiative Gotham Knights. Batman and Robin both fail to hit Blockbuster.
Martian Manhunter can’t hit Batman, but does dispatch himself and Blockbuster.
Batman puts one wound on Blockbuster and Robin can’t hit.
Martian Manhunter puts a wound on Oracle.
Batman and Robin can’t get past Tough.
Martian Manhunter KOs Oracle.

Round 8: Initiative Team Genius. Martian Manhunter hits Batman for two wounds (no clear sight means no Evasive Strike worries).
Batman can’t hit Blockbuster from height and Robin, though he engages both foes, can’t hit Martian Manhunter.
Martian Manhunter floats away and KOs Batman, stealing OMs 2, 3, and X. He dispatches Blockbuster away from Robin.
Martian Manhunter KOs Black Canary.

Round 9: Initiative Robin. He fails to hit Martian Manhunter. Blockbuster fails to hit Robin. Robin can’t hit Blockbuster. Martian Manhunter can’t hit Robin. Robin can’t hit Martian Manhunter. Martian Manhunter can’t hit Robin.

Round 10: Initiative Robin. He KOs Blockbuster and hits Martian Manhunter for one wound. The rest of the round was misses.

Round 11: Martian Manhunter finally catches Robin whiffing and KOs him.

Unit Summary: He was a big damage soak here and the mere threat of him (despite lack of initiative wins) kept Black Canary on the sidelines. Martian Manhunter was probably the bigger hero here, with Black Canary gone and the Hired Guns doing damage early, the Order Marker inefficiency created by Ozymandias allowed Martian Manhunter to run rampant. Only terrible dice rolls early held him back.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): None.
• BLACKMAIL: Totally denied Black Canary usefulness for several rounds. Even though he rarely won initiative, the threat of it was enough to go with Batman instead.
• TOUGH: Blocked (7) wounds.
• Damage Taken: KOed in Round 9.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Martian Manhunter with 5/6 Life.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Blockbuster (200), Black Mask (II) (150), Penguin (II) (140), Oracle (110), Hired Guns (130), Body Guard (x4) (60), Ozymandias (200) (990) vs Original X-Men (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

Blockbuster chooses to Blackmail Professor X. The goal here is to use Oracle for initiative and Ozymandias for Smartest Man in the World each round, then use Order Marker 1 on Black Mask and Underworld Connections to move Ozy’s OM2 and 3 to Penguin or Blockbuster and using them and Black Mask to activate Bodyguards and Hired Guns.
The goal is also to move Blockbuster close to Professor X to make the Mutant leader vulnerable with Blackmail.
Round 1: Ozymandias steals OM1 and puts it on Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask goes first, moving up three Bodyguards instead of him. Then he puts OM2 on Hired Guns and OM3 on Blockbuster.
Hired Guns go, advancing slowly.
Professor X has Angel zoom Cyclops to the middle of the map. Then Cyclops runs forward and Optic Blasts a line of four targets, KOing one Hired Gun and one Bodyguard and putting two wounds on Blockbuster.
Blockbuster goes, sending three Bodyguards up (two of whom engage Cyclops). The three remaining Hired Guns all use Cyke for target practice, with strong attack rolls and the Secret Attack Plan helping them make short work of Scott Summers.
Professor X has Jean and Iceman advance to the middle of the map. Each of them KOs a Bodyguard.

Round 2: Ozy steals OM3 for Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate. Black Mask has a Bodyguard advance and the only Hired Gun in range shoot Jean. The first shot misses and Angel carries her out of range for the second. Black Mask moves OM2 and OM3 to the Hired Guns and the other OM3 to Blockbuster.
Professor X has Jean and Iceman go. She KOs two Hired Guns (Telekinesis/attack from height) and Iceman takes out the last Bodyguard.
The sole remaining Hired Gun gets past Psionic Grip to engage Jean and follows the Secret Attack Plan to hit her for two wounds. Angel moves her, then the Hired Gun fails an attack on Iceman. Angel flies back a bit so he’s in range of Professor X as well.
Professor X has Jean and Iceman go. It takes their combined efforts to finish off the last Hired Gun.
Blockbuster goes. He simply moves forward. Jean and Iceman both take lava field wounds.

Round 3: Ozy steals OM2 and gives it to Blockbuster. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask goes, opting to move instead of rearrange markers, and he shoots and kills Jean Grey. Angel flies back and advances Beast a space.
Professor X has Iceman and Beast go. Beast is still too far away. Iceman hits Blockbuster for two wounds with his special attack but fails to remove an Order Marker.
Blockbuster follows the Secret Attack Plan and KOs Iceman.
Ozymandias advances.
Professor X has Angel and Beast go. Beast engages, but can’t hit Blockbuster.

Round 4: Ozy steals OM1 and gives it to Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Blockbuster goes, hitting Beast for a wound.
Black Mask engages Beast, but can’t hit him.
Professor X has Angel and Beast go. Beast starts to go Whirlwind Assault on Blockbuster and Black Mask, but Penguin cancels it with a political investment. Angel hits Black Mask for a wound.
Ozymandias hits Angel for three wounds. Angel moves Beast adjacent to Ozy and himself off lava field.
Beast hits Ozymandias for two wounds, then as soon as he targets Blockbuster, Penguin sheds a second investment to cancel it. Angel catches Blockbuster whiffing from height and finishes him.
Beast and Ozymandias both take lava field wounds.

Round 5: Ozymandias steals the X from Professor X and gives it to Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask follows a Secret Attack Plan and hits Beast for two wounds.
Professor X has Beast and Angel go. Beast whiffs an attack on Ozy and Penguin cancels the attack on Black Mask. Angel can’t hit Black Mask.
Ozymandias follows another Secret Attack Plan and KOs Beast.
Professor X has Angel whiff an attack on Ozy. Ozy fails an attack on Angel and Angel flies off.
Angel moves adjacent to Professor X.
Black Mask takes a lava field wound.

Round 6: Ozymandias steals OM2 and gives it to Black Mask. Initiative X-Men.
Angel carries Professor X out.
Black Mask follows the Secret Attack Plan but fails an attack on Angel from height disadvantage. Angel carries Prof X adjacent to Ozymandias.
Black Mask engages and attacks Professor X, but Psychic Defense X cancels it.
Professor X fails an attack on Ozy.
Ozymandias whiffs an attack on Professor X.

Round 7: Ozymandias steals OM2 for Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask follows the Secret Attack Plan and rolls all skulls, so Professor X uses Psychic Defense X to end his turn.
Professor X fails to hit Ozymandias.
Ozymandias hits Prof X for two wounds, then Angel repositions him.
Ozymandias hunts down Prof X and fails to inflict another wound.
Professor X hits Ozy for one wound.
No lava field wounds.

Round 8: Ozymandias steals OM1 from Professor X and gives it to Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Ozymandias follows the Secret Attack Plan and has his turn ended by Psychic Defense X.
Ozymandias hits Professor X for one wound.
Professor X can’t KO Ozy.
Ozymandias can’t KO Professor X.
Professor X KOs a whiffing Ozy.
Lava Field KOs Professor X.

Round 9: Initiative Angel. He hits Black Mask for a wound from height.
Black Mask follows the Secret Attack Plan and finishes Angel.

Unit Summary: This was more about the potent combination of Oracle and Ozymandias, with Penguin and Black Mask each having their time. Cyclops probably got a little too bold and outran his coverage as well. Blockbuster acquitted himself fine, but didn’t feel overpowered here, despite the healthy victory margin.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Iceman (3) Wounds; Beast (1) Wounds
• BLACKMAIL: Professor X hid in his start zone here to avoid Blackmail but this severely dampened the effect of Psychic Defense X, which was a win for the criminals.
• TOUGH: Lots of special attacks weakened this early on.
• Damage Taken: KOed by the end of Round 4.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Black Mask with 1/4 Life, and Penguin (II) and Oracle each with Full Life win.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Custom
Units: Blockbuster (200), Street Thugs (x2) (150), Penguin (II) (140), Oracle (110), Hired Guns (130), Body Guard (x4) (60), Ozymandias (200) (990) vs Superman (I) (400), Batman (I) (200), Robin (Dick Grayson) (100), Wonder Woman (300) (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

Blockbuster chooses to Blackmail Batman.
Round 1: Ozymandias steals OM “X” from Superman and gives it to Oracle. Initiative JLA Trinity.
Batman and Robin advance.
Black Mask has three Bodyguards advance instead of moving, then moves OM2 and OM3 from Ozymandias to the Hired Guns.
Wonder Woman advances. The Hired Guns advance. Superman advances.
Two Hired Guns move into range to fire at Superman from height. Despite four attacks and two Secret Attack Plans, they can’t hit the Man of Steel.
At the end of the round, one Hired Gun is KOed by lava field.

Round 2: Ozymandias steals OM “X” from Superman and gives it to Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask has three Bodyguards advance, limiting access to the Hired Guns. The one Hired Gun who can follows both Secret Attack Plans from height, getting two four skull attacks on Superman, and netting two wounds. Black Mask then moves OM2 and OM3 from Ozymandias to the Hired Guns.
Superman rolls terribly, but still KOs a Hired Gun. Four attacks from the Hired Guns net one more wound on Superman.
Superman KOs a Bodyguard.
Hired Guns swarm Wonder Woman to nullify her bracelets, but roll terribly and fail to hit her on four attacks.
Superman hits Ozymandias for three wounds.
Two Bodyguards fall to lava field.

Round 3: Ozymandias steals OM “X” off of Superman and gives it to Oracle. Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask has one Bodyguard engage Superman, has the Hired Guns follow two Secret Attack Plans to hit Wonder Woman for two wounds, then moves Order Marker 2 to himself and Order Marker 3 to Blockbuster.
Superman annihilates Ozymandias.
Black Mask has the Hired Guns attempt four attacks on Wonder Woman. They land one wound.
Superman is blocked by the last Bodyguard (four shields vs. four skulls!). He must have some sort of lead armor?
Blockbuster advances. The Hired Guns fail to hit Wonder Woman on four attempts.
Wonder Woman KOs a Hired Gun.

Round 4: Initiative Crime Syndicate. Blockbuster advances and the lone Hired Gun fails both attacks on Wonder Woman.
Superman still can’t best that Bodyguard!
Blockbuster follows the Secret Attack Plan and KOs Wonder Woman.
Superman KOs that Bodyguard.
Blockbuster moves within 5 spaces of Batman. The lone Hired Gun catches Robin whiffing and KOs him on his second attack!

Round 5: Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask follows the Secret Attack Plan and hits Superman for a wound from height.
Superman hits Oracle for three wounds.
Black Mask engages Superman but can’t hit him.
Superman KOs Oracle.
Black Mask can’t hit Superman.
Superman hits Black Mask for two wounds.

Round 6: Initiative Crime Syndicate.
Black Mask fails to hit Superman.
Superman hits Black Mask for a wound.
Blockbuster hits Batman for two wounds from height.
Superman targets Black Mask, but Penguin uses some political allies to stop the Man of Steel in his tracks.
Blockbuster fails an attack on Batman.
Superman is once more stymied by politics.

Round 7: Initiative Crime Syndicate. Black Mask can’t hit Superman for a wound.
Superman falls prey to the political situation a third and final time.
Blockbuster whiffs an attack on Batman.
Superman KOs Black Mask.
Blockbuster KOs Batman.
Superman hits Penguin for two wounds.

Round 8: Initiative Crime Syndicate. Blockbuster advances.
Superman KOs Penguin.
Blockbuster advances.
Superman advances.
Blockbuster and Superman trade blows, but neither hits.
Blockbuster is wounded by lava field, but Superman is not.

Round 9: Initiative Blockbuster. He rolls 4 skulls and Superman only blocks one. Blockbuster KOs Superman and emerges victorious.

Unit Summary: Blockbuster was an opportunist here. While the threat of his Blackmail kept squad killers Batman and Robin on the sideline, the squads gummed up the works and kept Superman and Wonder Woman busy long enough for him to jump around and sneak in his wounds. His six attack was an asset here.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Wonder Woman (3) Wounds; Batman (4) Wounds; Superman (3) Wounds
• BLACKMAIL: This so disincentivized placing Order Markers on Batman that the Dark Knight ended up being an inactive sitting duck.
• TOUGH: Useful, though he wasn’t attacked often.
• Damage Taken: 1 Wound.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Blockbuster with 4/5 Life and 1 Hired Gun win.

___________________________________________________________

[IAmBatman]

Despite the 3-1 record here, he really felt solid at 200 to me. I also messed up a little bit with Penguin (II) not putting Order Markers on him or making myself lose from my initiative roll as a result, so that's my bad! I doubt it would've swung the tests, but it might've made them a bit closer.

I probably also played a bit too much in fear with Black Canary when she had Oracle on her team. She probably could've risked some more Order Markers and helped keep her match closer.

I'm ready to see him in someone else's hands, though! If they have enough success, I'm cool with raising his price (I like the design as is). For now, I propose we move to Public Playtesting at 200 points.

[Ronin]

yea

[tcglkn]

Yea.

[Tornado]

Yea