The first Heroclix event of Gencon 2005 was the Dark Phoenix Clash (rules). My preplanned theme team was the Avengers™ plus an Avengers™ wannabe (a SWAT Specialist) but the initial rounds went so badly that the team was renamed S.H.I.E.L.D.™ with S.H.I.E.L.D.™ wannabes (the entire Avengers™) as the SWAT Specialist was the one with a hit in round one and the most kills in the first two rounds. Sad, but true as Metallica may have said.

The chosen team adorned in lovely Cyan Rings were:

Black Panther™ (IC E) 36, Hawkeye™ (FF V) 84, Black Knight™ (FF E) 54, Tigra™ (FF V) 54, Songbird™ (FF R) 44, SWAT Specialist (XPL E) 14.

TOTAL 300 points

True to form, I had travelled 400 miles to be drawn against my best friend that had travelled with me for the first round tie, a theme which has developed for the Game Stuff venue's few outings. In heroic fashion the Avengers™ got into position to charge the opposition and went for it against the universe invading Batman™ and friends hoard. Unfortunately to a man they all missed with their first attack making us easy pickings. Green Arrow™, Batman™ and Deathstroke™ didnt need asking twice and with a sucession of hits the Avengers started to look like a bunch of school girls battling against the mob. The secret weapon was still safe so Tigra™ was TK'ed into the fray by Songbird™. She too was an Avenger and thus missed with her attack too. It didnt take long for the team to die horribly at the hands of well constructed opposition and the dice rolls from hell. Just to add insult to injury as I was leaning accross a table I lent onto Black Knight™ and broke him. To say this wasnt a great event for me is something of an understatement. Still, things couldnt get any worse - could they? 

The first Heroclix casualty of Gencon05.

I tried to hide from Lady Luck by proceeding to the trade hall to buy new dice. The impecable plan of buying glow in the dark dice in preparation for the Astral Plane adventure as the second game went pretty much the way of the first in a game memorable to me only for the two critical misses I achieved. Oh how I do so love dice games. I can't even remember who hammered me, I think it may have been Lord Recluse and the Arachnoids, not the last time they would smite me at Gencon 2005 if it were. Apologies to whoever beat me, but I am going to use another picture of S.H.I.E.L.D™ versus Avengers™ because I really enjoyed that game and can even remember it.

Craig's S.H.I.E.L.D™ team close in as Hawkeye™ hides under a nearby table and picks them off.

HEROCLIX® The Game of Heros!

I actually really enjoyed mt last game in the Dark Phoenix clash and not just because I hit something and won the game. I took on Craig's S.H.I.E.L.D™ team, which gave the opportunity for the Avengers™ to show they were good enough to join. I took it that this was their entrance exam and they passed with flying colours. The game was played out on the bottom table. A place I was to become very familiar with during the next few games.

I sickened myself a little in this game by hiding the heroic Hawkeye™ under a table and taking potshots at passing S.H.I.E.L.D™ agents. So much so in fact that my self declared cheese allergy kicked in and I felt the need to allow S.H.I.E.L.D™ to deliver justice at the end of the game. Hawkeye™ and Black Knight™ were my survivors and they flanked the last remaining Mandroid™ Armor unit, but in an act designed to allow the delivery of justice both Avengers™ refused to attack the Veteran Mandroid™. There truly is no justice in some games of Heroclix as the Mandroid™ managed to miss about fifteen consecutive attack rolls against the cowardly Avenger™ until time was called. They had even called on the dice rolling assistance of other players and judges, but to no avail, The game ended and the Avengers™ had won leaving S.H.I.E.L.D™ doomed to last place. They deserved better. Well done Craig for fielding a quality team! Good man.

With about ten minutes left to play this was how the bottom table looked. As the Judge called time, this was still how the bottom table looked with the exception of the tokens on Hawkeye™ and Black Knight™ and one being on the Mandroid™.

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