Spiderman Miniature Game

 

Yeah, that's right. Marvel has made their way to the tabletop at last with introduction of the Spiderman Minature Game (SMG?). Base rules use the BMG rule set, but with some slight changes, as shown here, along with increased reputation limits to account for more powerful characters.

Currently, there are only a few models out. Of course, Spiderman, as seen above. But also Superior Spiderman (i.e. Doc Oct in Peter Parker's body?). Combined with the Green Goblin they make up the leaders for their respective factions. But Daredevil and the Punisher also make an appearance as a sidekick and free agent respectively. On the Goblin's side, he has the Goblin Knight as a sidekick along with a host of goblin minions.

What does this mean for the game? Well, for starters, the classic DC vs Marvel face off is evident. But this could also mean more powerful superheroes on either side of the game. I doubt we'll see unstoppable juggernaughts like Superman, Shazaam, Hulk, or....the Juggernaught, but we may see some other superpowered heroes/villians like Wolverine or Hawkgirl, and we should definitely see Marvel's non-powered heroes like Black Widow and Hawkeye.

The Minis

Every miniature game has one thing in common: the miniatures (duh!). Just about every game you can think of has it's own line of minis, and is part of what draws people to get into their game. Usually, the cooler the models look, the more people it bring into the game.

Speaking of which, The BMG mini line is probably one of the best sculpt designs I have ever seen, and I've been planing miniature games for almost 20 years. If you haven't seen the minis yet, check out Knight Models' web site (link on the right). But since we're all lazy, i'll show a few here to wet your appetite.

This is the most recent Batman model, and man he looks bad-ass! This is based off of the Arkham Knight video game, so he's a little more heavily armored than usual. 

If your more into the traditional look, I suggest this version:

More retro-style, the Frank Miller Batman is still an awesome sculpt. I've never been a fan of the "outerwear" briefs on super heroes, even when it was in style, but this sculpt is still pretty awesome nonetheless.

For something different, lets look at Batman's on-again, off-again squeeze, Catwoman.



This version is again based off of the Arkham series games. Man, they do it justice. Just look at the detail in this sculpt. The line, the curves, the.......

Wait, where was I going with this? Nevermind. I'm sure you get the point. Moving on....

Now let's take a look at Batman's arch-rival, the Joker.



This is the latest sculpt of the Joker that just recently released, based off the Killing Joke story arc. This one gives me chills. He just projects the "I'm a psychotic murderer" vibe.

I could go on and on, but you get the jist. I don't think I've seen a single model in the BMG lineup that didn't look good, and most look outstanding.

So, the models looks awesome, right? Definitely better than some games I've seen and played. But there is one draw back to these awesome sculpts that you need to be made aware of.

With awesome sculpts, comes great frustration.

The assembly skill of these models definitely ranks up in the "expert" level difficulty. Some models get up into the "nightmare" levels. The main issue is the metal quality being used in the minis. The metal is very soft, softer that typical miniatures lines than what I'm used to at least (Reaper, Privateer Press, GW). This causes the model of have terrible mold lines, flash, and mis-molds. And most of this happens on the joints, making it extremely difficult to assemble. Now, this is nothing new to metal miniatures, but these models are some of the worst I've seen. I'm talking big chucks of flash that you better be good with an hobby knife to remove. Remember how I said the metal is soft? Well, it cuts very easy. And if you're not careful, you'll end up ruining the model. The bad part is that some of the older production runs actually used a stronger metal. I purchased a Gotham PD II blister on eBay, and the minis were very solid, sturdy, and little to no issues. But I could tell they were older productions, as the stat cards were an older design and didn't come with the new textured bases. They did have a little less detail, but nothing I could notice unless I had a magnifying glass.

Speaking of bases, I also have an issue with the newer bases the models come with. The more recent production runs come with a textured base. At first that seems pretty cool. It's not much, just some broken rocks/rubble. But this alone cause some minis not to fit on the base. Fortunately, I had some Warmachine bases I could use at the time, and will continue to use for another reason. These textured bases had a bunch of mold lines and flash. And I'm not talking the small nubs you get when your get bases from a sprue. I'm talking flash all the way around the base bottom and inside the base slot. That plus the models just not fighting properly made me give up and grab a different base. So unless you just can't afford it, save yourself some trouble and order some 30mm bases from Privateer Press and use those instead.

Anyway, that's my rant after cussing up a storm that would make a sailor blush while trying to assemble my Catwoman model last night. However, this shouldn't stop anyone from playing the game, as it is pretty awesome, but everyone should be aware of the challenges ahead.

Crew Review: Batman

On occasion, I'll review the various crews of BMG and describe what I perceive as their strengths, weaknesses, general play styles, and perhaps some crew building ideas. This, of course, will be a massive generalization, as the crews vary drastically depending on who your boss is. Also, this is just my humble opinion, so it may not count for much. Constructive comments are always welcome.

Starting off this series: the Batman Crew

Strengths
Versatility - A Batman crew probably has the most varied access to leaders, sidekicks, and free agents. To begin with, there are 6 versions of Batman (7 if you count the Batpod), 3 Robins, and a whole rogues gallery of others. Even Arkham Bane and Mr. Freeze can be included in this crew as a free agent due to the affinity rule.

Mobility - All of the leaders, and most of the sidekicks, bring along their own Batclaw. These things are freakin' awesome! They allow the character 30cm of movement, so long as they can change elevation. All versions of Batman have this rule, as well as all Robins, Nightwing, and Batgirl/woman. In theory, you could have 3-4 cable-swinging heroes beating up your opponents, and that's nothing to sneeze at.

Iconic - Not really a "Strength", but definitely a reason to collect a Batman crew. The game is called "Batman Miniature Game" for a reason.

Weaknesses
Glass Cannons - Unfortunately, all that mobility means very little staying power. Even Arkham Knight Batman, which weighs in at 150 rep, can find himself overwhelmed if he's not too careful, especially when outnumbered. Some free agents, like Bane and Swamp Thing, can shore up these weakness. But this seems to be the exception, not the norm.

Elites - While the selection of leaders, sidekicks, and free agents is pretty diverse, the selection for Henchmen is actually pretty slack compared to other crews. This tends to make Batman crews run fewer, but better skilled, models. Theoretically, you could run Gordan as your boss, then take a bunch of GCPD. But if you're going to do that, you might as well play into the Law Forces crew, where Gordon is a Leader and not a Sidekick. That's a discussion for another time, however.

Forming a Crew
This is the hardest part of any crew, but it's especially hard in a Batman crew since you have so many options to choose from. Not only do you have 6 Batmans to choose from, you have a nice selection of sidekicks to lead as well. So, instead of going through each one, I'll put together a 300 rep crew and explain my reasons for it.

Leader - Arkham City Batman - 130 rep
I think this Batman is the most Batman for your money. No combo strikes, but he does have Total Vision, remote-control Batarangs, attack and defense of 5, and the MKI Bat-armor. Arkham Origins Batman seems to be better overall, but at 144 rep, he seems too much.

Sidekick - Commissioner Gordon - 70 rep/$200
The more I looked at good ole Jim, the more I liked him. Although his base stats are pretty lousy, his Kevlar vest makes him fairly durable, plus he brings a slew of rules like Veteran, Take Cover!, Elite Boss: SWAT, and Air Support, and that makes him very valuable. Gordon's job is in a support role, not as an ass-beater. It also gives us a second model with Detective, leaving Batman to do what he does best.

Henchmen
SWAT: Alpha - 38/$500
SWAT: Delta - 33/$300
Agent O'Connel

I REALLY wish Alpha had an assault rifle, but the automatic rifle will have to do. This will give you a descent medium-range shooter, but he doesn't have much ammo, so bring along an ammo crate. Delta is along to protect Gordan and the the other cops, and O'Connel is there to fill out the points, and gives you a reach attack with 2 stun damage and Crt:Shock. Plus, he doesn't have a $ cost, and we're out of money at this point

This crew comes in at exactly 300 rep and all cash spent. It's kind of iconic, with Batman leading a group of overwhelmed GCPD officer along Gordon. Everyone has the Arrest rule, you have 2 detectives, some ranged fire, some defensive utility, and, of course, the Bat. It is kind of light on model count, but that's to be expected in a Batman crew unless you field nothing but standard cops.

Conclusion
If you're looking for an iconic crew that favors elite heroes over swarms of cannon fodder, than the Batman crew just might be up your alley. Plus, what better way to get others interested in the game than fielding the god d*%& Batman!