Marvel Knockout Round 6: Convocation vs Web Warriors

The webheads have arrvived!

Convocation vs Web Warriors

Spiderman is a criminal. 

Property destruction, vandalism, assault, loitering, jaywalking, identity theft, trespassing, fraud, tax evasion, kidnap, libel and assault with a deadly weapon. Is there nothing that menace won't stop at? 

Spiderman is a thug. 

You might say criminals deserve a black eye or a blow to the ribs for what they've done. Maybe they do - but to be trussed up like so much pork and left to hang perilously over the hard concrete of Manhattan? Is that really their just desserts, or the actions of a deranged madman who gets off on being judge, jury and near-executioner? Aren't those petty pocket-pickers and hooligans entitled to a full trial in a genuine court of law, instead of a very literal suspended sentence?

Spiderman is a Satanist!

Yes, he's taken to hanging out with the lowest of lowlifes, goth-style facepaint wearers who chalk pentacles on the floor, invoke the name of pagan gods and display the sort of cheap laughable theatrics and non-Christian values that might give teenage junkies a laugh in a back-street metal dive, but which the rest of us grew out of before we even went to college. Not Spiderman, though. Every time I think he can't get any lower, he surprises me. 

Proof of his depravity? Of course - the Bugle always has the best pics!

J. Jonah Jameson

--- 

Convocation 

I, Stylus, will be in my happy place among this magic circle. Baron Mordo, Dr Strange (with the Soul Gem), Wong and the Ancient One. From having nothing but physical attacks last week, I'm looking at a whole lotta mystical ones now.

A note about the Convocation - it's not a leadership trait on a characters' card, but one can be applied to any character via a tactics card: The Bar with No Doors (also my favourite Irish theme pub). Naturally I gave it to strange and naturally, it's a odd trait that flips between two different effects (and naturally, I forgot to make use of it - but still worth knowing).

Tactics are: The Bar with No Doors, Pentagram of Farallah, Orb of Agamotto, Plane of Pohldahk, Astral Ring

Web Warriors

Until that Spider-Ham model gets released, these are all my Web Warriors, under the command of jhnlk, who is also making his Crisis Protocol debut: Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ghost-Spider and Spider-Man Noir (a proxy Agent Venom).

Amazing Spider-Man gets put upon a pedestal, because this version of Peter Parker (he has three) comes on a larger base (which adds up to quite a lot of movement).

Tactics are: Aunt May’s Wheat Cakes, Spider-Tracker, Go Get 'em Tiger, Clean Up, All Webbed Up

Deployment

It's time to return those library books, as we play The Montesi Formula Found, which involved picking up three spellbooks (which can shoot out a handy spell too).

The other crisis is S.W.O.R.D. Establishes Base on Moon‘s Blue Area, which has four consoles to secure. If an enemy character is contesting the objective, you have a 50/50 dice roll to secure them, but the good news is: the objectives remain under your control even after you've moved on. There is also an additional bonus if you control the majority of consoles, letting you push an enemy character.

The Web Warriors set up centrally, looking to grab objectives early.

The exception being Ghost-Spider, who is either lying-in-wait or going for that 90s' gothic Batman look.

With an alarming lack of guile, the Convocation arrange themselves straight down the centre, ready to make an early push.

The Convocation win priority and we're off!

Round 1

The Convocation begins briskly with Wong and Baron Mordo both grabbing consoles, then each using their power-generating abilities to stock up.

Dr Strange grabs one of the spellbooks, while the Ancient One uses the Mists of Hoggath to grab the second and throw an unsuccessful Shards of the Seraphim attack on Spider-Man Noir.

The Web Warriors reply in kind, with Miles Morales taking one console, and Amazing Spider-Man taking the other.

After picking up the final spellbook, Spider-Man Noir lobs an Incendiary Grenade at Ancient One, who quickly discovers that all her defensive abilities to reroll dice are cancelled by his Symbiotic Instincts. The Ancient One takes a few points of damage an Incinerate for her troubles.

It's a tight start, with the VPs shared fairly evenly to start with.

Convocation 4 : 3 Web Warriors

Round 2

As Spider-Man Noir throws Klyntar Firepower at Dr Strange, the Ancient One targets Miles Morales with an Astral Strike. He manages to cling onto his final point of damage, but gains Stagger, so will only have one action this turn.

One action proves to be all that Miles needs, as he dazes Ancient One with his Venom Blast, scooping up the dropped spellbook at the same time.

Amazing Spider-Man attempts to sneak around the flank to grab one of the Convocation's consoles, but Baron Mordo is having none of it. He thumps Peter Parker with the Staff of the Living Tribual, then dazes him with the Rains of Raggador - that was unexpected!

Wong and Ghost-Spider dance around each other, with Wong removing Bleed from Dr Strange, then taking a couple of thumps from Gwen.

The VP tally is reversed this round, so the scores are even.

Convocation 7 : 7 Web Warriors

Round 3

Barely back on her feet, and Ancient One is subjected to another roughing-up from Spider-Man. Dr Strange is frantically casting Hoggath's Hoary Wisdom to bolster defences, and Ancient One is left on a  single point of damage - and then gets thrown into Dr Strange.

Ancient One is KO (that was sudden!) and Dr Strange takes three points of damage (that's the thanks he gets!)

Wong sneaks past the carnage to take the console and heal up his damage. Spider-Man Noir swings across to re-take the console and put that damage back on again.

Baron Mordo flails at the Amazing Spider-Man on the far flank, while Peter secures the console and flings Mordo away.

Back in the centre, Dr Strange rolls up his sleeves and targets the Web Warriors. A couple of Bolts of Bedevilment later and both Miles Morales and Spider-Man Noir are dazed, both dropping their spellbooks.

That just leaves Ghost-Spider to pirouette past Strange, knocking off a few more wounds, and securing the last console!

The Web Warriors now have all the consoles, with the Convocation holding just one spellbook (and if not for Dr Strange, the VP difference could have been even more dramatic!)

Convocation 8 : 11 Web Warriors

Round 4

The turn begins with Baron Mordo getting pushed even further to the sidelines (due to the Web Warriors controlling all the consoles), then Wong picks up a spellbook and advances to heal up Dr Strange.

Strange then hits Amazing Spider-Man with the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and triggers the bonus effect of Mystic Binding - effectively Spidey misses this turn!

Dr Strange finishes up by moving onto the console that Amazing Spider-Man was securing and takes it off him.

Baron Mordo skips over to the far objective, securing it. Spider-Man Noir tries to push him off, but the Vaulting Boots of Valtorr pushes him right back onto it.

Miles Morales heads directly for Dr Strange, using his Venom Blast to force him to drop the spellbook, and then picking it up himself. What an awesome ability - that might prove decisive.

Ghost-Spider is the last to activate, using her Web Line to draw Dr Strange off the console, before running past him and securing it herself.

I've just about to concoct my plans for Round 5 when jhnlk points out that he's got enough objectives (three consoles and two spellbooks) to his the VP target - game over!

Convocation 11 : 16 Web Warriors

Back at the Bullpen

Well, after the carnage of the last game, this was an entirely different prospect! The Web Warriors really can move (and more importantly, move you) which they clearly demonstrated in this game. I was feeling good about the Convocation winning an attrition game, but it never got that far.

I felt bad for the poor wizards (especially the Ancient One, which I'm sure I mishandled) and I think they would all do better in a more balanced list - having someone really physical in the team (like Hulk, or less dramatically, Luke Cage) might go a long way to protect them. Nonetheless, it was fun to play them. Strange and Wong are a good double-act, and Baron Mordo was quite impressive.

It's definitely a team that requires lots of practice and familiarity to play well - I didn't use any tactics cards or exploit the leadership ability - but things were happening very fast!

For all that, I'm not sorry to see the Web Warriors go through to the quarter-finals. It was a delight to see them in action and I'm looking forward to more. Ghost-Spider was great and positioning and scoring, but never enough of a threat to justify targeting. Spider-Man Noir made an impressive debut, and adds a certain amount of heft that Venom normally provides. I think Miles Morales was the team MVP - some great takedowns and solid leadership trait. Thanks jhnlk for leaping in!

---

Spiderman is a pest, a freak, a yobbo, an antisocial advertisement for military camps and relaxing the laws on corporal punishment at home. Spiderman is why the USA isn't as great as it once was. Spiderman is a pyjama-wearing psychotic, the kind of idiot pipe-dream toted by bong-crazed hippies at the dog-end of the sixties, a living embodiment of every left-wing loser's unhinged anti-establishment rantings, a radioactive danger to our health and morals left to scuttle free on the face of Lady Liberty. 

Brush him away, America! Sleep sound in your beds once more, safe from the venomous bug dangling over our vulnerable, oblivious, open mouths! 

END THE SPIDERMENACE!

J. Jonah Jameson