Geeking Out – It’s Crime Time! Win Yourself a BMG Suicide Squad Team Set!

As we run down the clock on Graven’s Great Geek Giveaway, it’s time to check out the August releases from Knight Models ahead of the big 2nd edition relaunch of the Batman Miniature Game.

Admit it, you’d missed the slightly blurry phone pics starring my kitchen table.

For starters, there’s the excellent value for money squad packs, this month bringing us the Teen Titans, Birds of Prey and Suicide Squad, all packaged with brand new cards for the DCUMG game also. As the models have been around a while, I won’t spend ages on each set, but here’s some thoughts, along with a bit more of a look at their new DCUMG cards. What I will stress is that, coming in at around £30, these all represent real value for money and are great jumping on points for either game:

Teen Titans get a bit of tough rap in BMG as they have the reputation as an underpowered team – and to be honest, it’s not entirely underserved. However, all those in this pack are useable as part of Team Batman (or rather, The Brave and the Bold in the new edition). I never liked Ravager anyway* (*this is a lie; see just about every other Geeking Out…) As individual characters, both Starfire and Cyborg are renowned for being expensive but extremely powerful in both games. So I’m going to talk about Kid Flash.

Why? Because I honestly believe he’s the best speedster in BMG. He may only have speed force 4, BUT he does what you want a speedster to do: beat up goons and nab objectives. With every other speedster clocking in at over 100 points, and notoriously pillow-fisted, he’s a well priced alternative in that mid 70s sweet spot. As for DCUMG, as a 5 point speedster he fulfills a similar role of cheap(ish) fast objective grabber. It’s a little bit more of a gamble, as he is pretty squishy, and 5 points can go a long way in this game, but will work in the right list.

The other two packs are chock-full of popular characters.

The fan-favourite Birds of Prey are as excellent in game as you’d hope, but fair warning to novices: these are not the easiest to assemble. Already staples of BMG both in friendly and competitive play, it’ll be interesting to see how the BoP do in DCU. Canary and Batgirl are already (relatively) known quantities, filling the low point gap in many a list (albeit a fairly fragile one). Huntress is the new kid on the multiverse, and she looks like she will function as a punchier, stealthier Green Arrow. Even at 6 points, she is pretty darn nasty.

For the indecisive, there’s the Suicide Squad, with Boomerang, Deadshot and Katana, pretty much the core of any BMG Suicide Squad force, as well as being top flight free agents. It remains to be seen whether Boomerang and Deadshot will end up with specific factions in 2nd but it seems unlikely; access to this version of Katana, however, adds a rare blood damage melee character to The BatSquad (along with Azrael). Given that melee seems likely to be more relevant than ever in 2nd with the movement rules, she is a major asset. In DCUMG, she’s actually cheaper than her other version, sacrificing the admittedly excellent Bodyguard ability for more damage output.

Deadshot, as well as continuing to be one of the scariest characters for board control and ultra violence in DCU, seems to be losing none of his edge in BMG 2nd. Personally, I prefer the cheaper Boomerang from the boxed Suicide Squad Vs Joker movie starter set for BMG: this version feels a little over costed, but we’ll see if that changes in 2nd; DCUwise, however, his single point increases his damage output considerably. And together, they get access to the Squad team ability in DCU, giving more setup choices, so this is a cracking buy and a great way into the game. Which is probably why it’s in the prize pool for the Great Geek Giveaway! So get on the social media, team!

But that’s not all that this month has to offer. We get a tease of things to come with the greatest, or certainly angriest, Red Lantern himself, Atrocitus. Straight out of the gate, I have to comment on the irony of how good he is in a team with Sinestro. Both are at the strong, upper middle points bracket for DCUMG, and between them will do for just about any hero in the game.

He’s a combat monster, naturally – and actually relatively cheap at 12 points. Able to switch damage types, throw for free and the ability to teleport into combat with wounded foes? Utterly brutal. Don’t be fooled, though, he’s no mere blunt instrument and great as a tag team with the likes of Sinestro.

Also, it’s a lovely physical model, and huge – taller even than Superman on his tactical lump of ice. You can debate whether some models truly offer value, but here there’s no argument – it’s a lot of metal for your money.

And then, there’s the other big release for DCUMG: the Crime Syndicate. The survivors of Earth 3 are here as the first, full new DCUMG faction (though they can also be played with Villains) as well as Owlman and Johnny Quick getting BMG versions – which we’ll start with.

Both are seriously expensive, among the most costly in the game, rivaling only Deathstroke and Lobo. So straightaway you need to balance whether they’re worth it.

Johnny Quick has the same issue with all speedsters: expensive and not fantastic in a fight. He’s very similar to the comic Flash (who he’s the same cost as, naturally), and though undoubtedly his Molecular Vibration ability – denying an enemy model movement – is powerful, there’s more efficient, cheaper ways of achieving similar results. However, 2nd may bring changes to speedsters we haven’t anticipated yet.

Owlman, by contrast, is a beast. He’s a blood damage dealing Batman for evil crews that can appear anywhere on the board turn 2. He is a strong contender for one of the best evil free agents in the game. Whilst he lacks Deathstroke’s Soul Armour or Lobo’s general mainmanliness, I think he still has the edge. He’s versatile and basically terrifying.

As for DCUMG, that’s another matter. Well, Owlman is still great, and brings villains the ability to negate a Resistance or Immunity at last , for only 1 point more than Ravager (told ya I was obsessed… ), whilst at 10 points also Johnny Quick is a faster, better, more deadly version of Zoom. Obviously, with the full Crime Syndicate totaling 60, they’re designed to be run together, but that’s not a negative – they’re a coherent force with the range of strengths.

Speaking of which, what of the others? Power Ring, also 10, is a trimmed down version of Green Lantern – marginally less power and will, but still plenty of damage. All things being equal, Atrocitus is more impressive, but it’s cost, after all. And if I’m being honest, I prefer his pose to GL also.

Ultraman is a beast, at 18 points of course, but as he can’t score Victory Points (just kill stuff) he can lack versatility – sure, he’s great against Kryptonians but there are better beat-sticks in the wider game; yes, his 10 power is impressive, but Black Adam comes in 2 points cheaper (granted with 1 strength lower) and magic damage across the board.

And this is where Superwoman shines. 12 points and magic snare attack? She’s more than just an evil wonder woman, she’s got the finesse of Catwoman with the physical strength to back it up. For me, she’s the star of the set. Lovely model, too.

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This is a great month of releases. There’s some serious paralysis of choice for BMG and DCUMG fans alike.

And in that spirit, we’re going to give you that same sense of indecision and give you the chance to win the Suicide Squad Team Pack from this month’s releases!

Now this is part and parcel of our Great Geek Giveaway, so there’s a whole heap of stuff to tempt you to like, comment and share (see below). And if that’s not enough, well, you may have heard me mention that there’s a 2nd Edition of BMG with free downloadable rules coming September, so it seems faintly ridiculous to give away a 1st Edition rulebook (might make a nice cutting mat but that’s about it…)

Also…

When prizes go unclaimed, as remarkably they sometimes do, they go back in the pot for another day, so we’re both saddened and excited to throw the Amazons of Themiscyra Team Pack into the mix as well, along with all the other lovely goodies listed below.

To enter, just like, comment, or share any of our Geeking Out posts since the 25th of July (one entry per social media interaction), and we’ll draw the lucky winner on Saturday the 16th of September!

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Graven’s Great Geeky Giveaway – Prize List

• Suicide Squad Team Pack from Knight Models.
• Amazons of Themiscyra Team Pack from Knight Models
• Batman Miniature Game Hardback Rulebook from Knight Models
• Set of Acrylic Tokens for Walking Dead: All Out War courtesy of Red Beam Designs.
• Lieutenant-level Kickstarter Pledge (rules and a gang of your choice) for Street Wars NYC from Funky Skull Games
• A “ragtag group of survivors” from Studio Miniatures.
• A MASSIVE 28mm Scale Firehouse from Z1 Design.
• and a Supercomputer from those mdf wizards at Multiverse Gaming Terrain.

Crikey, we’re ever so good to you.

Good luck to one and all, and check back next week for another BMG 2nd Edition exclusive!

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The Writer of this piece was: Sam Graven
Article Archive: Geeking Out
You can follow Sam on Twitter

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