Tournament 11th September 2005

The full day Heroclix© event on Sunday at Gencon 2005 was the Wizkids™ European Club/Venue Challenge scenario driven Event (rules). Two player teams were constructed using restriction guidelines and had to share the same team ability or be unaffiliated. The teams had to total no more than 500 points and each player had to have at least 200 points. Some of the teams had used different team abilities for the two players which didn't seem to be how I understood the event to work but the Judges were happy with this so the wierd combos were allowed.		The chosen teams, were appropriately adorned in Green Rings (Sean) and Orange Rings (Ste D) and consisted of the following: Kobra™ V 62, Fortitude 25 (on Kobra™), Kobra™ Fanatic V 24 (x 8), Kobra Fanatic E 18 (=297) - nothing but Kobra™ for me they are Kobratastic! Deathstroke™ 50 E , Ravager™ 50 V , Kobra™ Fanatic V 24 (x4) L-Ron (Bystander) 4 (=200) TOTAL 497 points

Ste Date thought I had gone completely mental when I told him I planned to use nothing but a Kobra™ hoard for this event. He was considering not taking part and making me play with Ste H, but I thought that he may be a bit hardcore to enjoy playing the Fanatic hoard. I eventually persuaded Ste D to join me with the Kobra™ Cheese Hunters though he insisted on some mercenary assistance. I agreed to this but only if the hired help would wear orange and so Ravager™ and Deathstroke™ were hired to join Kobra™. The game was advertised as a scenario driven role-playing extravaganza so I wanted to do something special. We agreed that whenever Kobra ™ made a leadership roll all the Fanatics would stop and shout Hail Kobra! Thus the chant was born. We also felt that as the Fanatics had battle fury they should charge in and attack anything that was near so as to play in role. I even made a last trip to the trade hall to but a set of orange and a set of green dice. Kobra™ were ready.		Excellent mercenaries as they both wear orange. I don't think we will be hiring E Deathstroke again as he was rubbish!

In our first game we were paired against an Avengers™ team. We struggled to spot any real cheese and eventually agreed that Hawkeye™ was the most cheese-like and should be hunted to extinction. We began to charge him. At the same time we were aware that Flash Thompson had valuable information for us and sent a squad of Fanatics to slay him too. As the Avengers™ began cutting through the ranks of Kobra™ Fanatics like a hot knife through butter, they got a little carried away and totally left Flash Thompson. The criminal mastermind that is Kobra™ (assisted by the quick thinking of Ste Date) spotted the opportunity and used an action to slash the information out of Flash Thompson. It seems a great evil was coming to earth and four crytals would help us defeat it. A shimmering crystal appeared - YOINK! The Kobra™ Fanatics were give new orders "fetch me that crystal". They obliged with the now patented 'Kobra™ Shuffle' rugby move that saw a push to pick up the crystal, several free move hand offs and a lengthly run get the crystal well away from the pesky interfering Avengers™. Kobra™ managed two attacks all game (both double sixes!) and killed nothing, but the Avengers™ were just too late to recover the crystal and Kobra™ was a happy man.		Kobra™ charge the Pink Peril himself, blancmange-faced Nimrod. (Looks cool on the back of a polo shirt though).

Round two saw Game STUFF face its opposite number (plus a US Cousin called Ben) in a second scenario. Kobra™ this time faced off against the X-Men™ and both teams gained control of a 300 point Sentinel™ that had been sent through time by Forge™ to assist us. After checking with the Judge to see if we could respray the Sentinel Orange and Green and being told no, we sentenced the Sentinel™ to death for crimes against fashion (purple for goodness sake). The ploy worked a treat. The X-Men™ couln't resist the easy 300 points and it gave Kobra™ time to plot. As a LE James Hewitt appeared in the centre of the board, Kobra™ sensed a new victim and charged him! We struck hard and fast and the Wolvering™ merely looked at us with a puzzled expression and sniffed the air - FOOL, we slaughtered him like a dog. A second crystal appeared. With The X-Men™ tied up slaughtering the Sentinel™ the Kobra™ rugby team made a second play, this one even more impressive than the last. As we had mass charged Wolverine™ there were Fanatics with action points left over. The first picked up the crystal and did a free move handoff to another. He in turn ran to a secondary line of fanatics and handed off. The line of three fanatics all made handoff moves accross the line and the crystal was with Ravager™. She sprinted for all she was worth to the far side of the map away from the meddling X-Men™ - TOUCHDOWN! yelled Kobra™. Now he had two crystals and a non player kill to his name Kobra™ was determined to show off his criminal genious.		Kobra™ - criminal mastermind!

The third round saw us face off against more X-Men™ nad these ones were Ultimate! They were also the most unlucky X-Men™ on earth. Obviously we had the worst points record so far and they were second worst due to their atrocious dice rolls. I wont add to Matt Hardy's misery by describing the round in detail but will say the look on his face when he realise he couldn't mind contol any of the Kobra™ Fanatics was a priceless picture. By this time the Kobra™ Leuitenant/Quaterback had been given a happy hat fashioned from purest blue tack and poor Matt couldn't do a lot for laughing. Kobra took out a second LE Wolvine™ for zero points as well as a BeastX-Men™ and some other X-Men™. We still scored least points but got a third crystal with another classic crossfield run making it an excellnt trip to the Shopping Mall. Kobra™ had scored last, but their heads were held high and the main man had three crystals, but no idea why.		The mighty Kobra™ lineup

In a strange turn of events that almost caused Kobra™ to explode into maniacal laughter, we were now informed that teams with the most crystals qualified for the semi-final round and points scored would only be used as a tie breaker. Hail Kobra™! You really are a criminal mastermind (and a damn lucky one as well).		In honor of the triumph of Kobra™, They now have their own dedicated webpage. Check out more of their adventures at Kobra™ Kommand.

The semi final was a four player game with each player starting on an edge. In the centre of the board was Nimrod™ with every feat possible attached to him. There was only one target for Kobra™. The pink fashion travesty must die. Charge! Fully suspecting that the three other teams would smell the easy kills and decimate Kobra™ we played in role and charged Nimrod™ anyway - we did all have battle fury after all. The opponents rather than taking on Kobra™ elected to go for the V Superman with his dumpster companion! Kill the cheese - Kobra™ was pleased. Poor Nimrod™ didn't know where to put himself as he was assaulted by a continuous onslaught of Kobra™ Fanatics who through conserted effort managed to give him a " reet good kickin' ". Alas just as the suped up Nimrod™ was about to face the humiliation of being slain by nothing but a swarming hoard of Kobra™ Fanatics, a half dead dumpster wielding Superman™ ran in to rob us of the kill. The fourth crystal appeared by the Kobra™ force didnt get a look in as it was nowhere near their turn. Instead Marlow's X-Men™/Justice League™ inter-universe hybrid team grabbed it and ran. Grrrrrrrr! As the Superman™ team lost its threat, Kobra™ couldn't help but feel the oppressed minority as the remaining ravenous heros ganged up on them in an attempt to ensure an all Leicester final. There was little time left and the anti-Kobra™ alliance did their best to strip him of his crystals after a very uneventful Earthquake attack from the Crystal Master (ably aided by the dice of fate held by Kobra™ himself). He had one crystal stripped from him as time was called, but remembering the additional free turn granted to anyone with Leadership or Hypersonic Speed he instantly picked it back up in a cunning criminally masterminded move that saw Kobra™ progress to the ultimate showdown in the final. For the second stages of the battle Kobra™ powered up with green and orange plastic swords, Ste D. refused to face paint option offered.		HAIL KOBRA!

Thinking the final would be a straightforward one on one clash Kobra™ wasnt too confident of defeating the inter-universe combo they were to face. However there were variables. In the centre of the board was the fiery Dark Phoenix™ herself and around the edges of the map a slowly shifting wall of fire ensured the game would have a time limit. Whoever killed the Dark Phoenix™ would be proclaimed European Club/Venue Champions for 2005! In the event of a tie a decision would be based on points. Marlow's original plan was to ignore the sleeping Dark Phoenix™ and decimate the Kobra™ hoard, but thankfully his partner talked him out of this idea and they instead manouvered for strong attacking positions against the Dark Phoenix™. Once again Kobra™ had a cunningly thoughtout master plan. CHARGE! Unfortunately the hoard were not fast enough and a couple of minions fried in the engulfing flames. One by one the Fanatics charged the Dark Phoenix and as they were Green Ringed I was rolling without much luck. The worm turned as Steve "Dark Phoenix™ Slayer" Date's Fanatics approached and instantly scored a critical hit. DP failed her impervious role and was duly smited for 5 damage. As he was partial to giving DP a good ass whooping Kobra™ elected to allow Ste D another attack even though this could mean more deep fried Fanatics as the firewall continued its irrepressible progress. Another hit and another failed impervious role and Phoenix was now looking beatable, alas Kobra™ was out of actions. The cross-universe hybrid Heros had decisions to make now. Attempt to take the Dark Phoenix™ kill from the hands of the fanatical Kobra™ followers or wait to see what occured next turn. In order to ensure there was no stalement they bravely (as in Brave Sir Robin) killed a loitering Kobra™ Fanatic to ensure a points win in the event of a tie. There was some deliberation over whether they would be able to kill Dark Phoenix™ or not as the two looked to their buldging hand of Battle Field Conditions to see if the one they could play every turn may help. One of them said that nothing would really make a difference, so I suggested Disbanded may do the trick and allow them to Outwit the fiery gals defence power (not my idea - but something Mr. Date had hatched a few weeks ago, we were surprised by the shock this move made, but this just reinforced the criminal mastermind that is known as Kobra™). This move certainly gave Universe United a big edge and as all of there heros were perfectly lined up they struck with all their might. Once outwitted Dark Phoenix™ proved something of a pussy cat as the big hitters rained in their attacks on her and she fell. Kobra™ were defeated and the Universe-Hoppers had won. It was all over on turn five! The Judges and astonished onlookers couldn't believe how easily she had fallen, although she had fried a couple of fanatics for their impudence. The European Club/Venue Challenge was awarded to Leicester and they were handed a nice organge goodie bag and factory set of Icons© figures. Kobra™ were left to rue their cruel fate as runners up, but in honesty did a darn site better than anyone, especially Kobra™ himself had ever expected. The glory of winning may have gone to Leicester, but honour and valour were also with Kobra™. Many of the crowd joind us as we exhaled a final Hail Kobra™ and impaled ourselves on our swords as we had failed our master. The very least any fanatic could do. There was a very pleasant ending to the day as, thanks to our fellow gamers and Judges, Kobra™ were voted the Fellowship Award for the game and also took home a goodie bag (which they kept as it was orange) and an Icons© Factory set. Photos were taken and the atmosphere was soaked up. It was a good day. HAIL KOBRA™ and HAIL TO HEROCLIX©. Gencon 2005 was at an end. Well done and congratulations to Leicester - but if you can now claim to be officially the best Heroclix© playing venue in Europe, does that mean we can claim to be officially the friendliest and most fun?		Team Kobra™ captured saluting the master in the time honoured tradition. CHARGE!!!