At my local comic shop, when I teach new players how to play Heroclix I try to impress upon them that there is a difference between "learning to play" and "learning to win."

Understanding powers, abilities, rules, ATAs, and so much more takes a while. It is so easy to lose your first 20 games, and you shouldn't be discouraged by that.

I'll even help out and build them effective teams from the pieces they own. Here are two examples:

This person had some decent options.
S.H.I.E.L.D.- 399pts
98 CW039 Hawkeye
37 CA004 S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialist
109 CA023 Nick Fury
99 CA031 Steve Rogers
41 CW011 Tony Stark
5x3 ATA065 Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division

and this person had scarcer options:
Silver Surfer Team- 400pts
236 GG036 Silver Surfer
89 CA001 Captain America
75 GG022 Xavin

Both teams are effective in their own ways, even though they are radically different. They have their own strategies and flaws.

I'll start with the Silver Surfer team, since it is quicker to explain.

I let the new player set up his team, and he went second against another teacher, as I coached. Before he did anything, I said to him that he'd impress me if he figures out the strategy I set up for him. First thing he does is Perplex up the Silver Surfer's attack twice, then uses Xavin to TK the Silver Surfer out to attack the enemies that have moved. That's where I stopped the game.

I said: Good job. That's not a bad idea, but here's the problem with it. Your Silver Surfer is now alone, out in the open, and any sort of back up is out of reach in your starting area. Everything up to the TK was fine. Let me show you what you should have done.

The Silver Surfer has a Running Shot of 12, with a range of 8. Count out how far the enemy you want to shoot is.

The enemy was within 15 squares.

I said to the new player: You don't need to TK. Have the Surfer Running Shot for 8, then when it is over TK him back to safety to your starting area. There he'll be out of range. Make your enemy come to you, while pinging him for damage.

The new player took the idea to heart, and still lost because of bad rolls. I said: Sh** happens, dude.

The Shield team is a bit more complex. The ATA alone gives Nick and Tony's Outwit a range of 15. I told her to always keep those two together. Mostly, for Nick's Mastermind. Give Tony that damage and then AE him into a S.H.I.E.L.D. Iron Man.

Then I made it clear to keep the Specialist and Hawkeye close to Rogers for the Leadership benefits, and as much as possible put them all in hindering for its various benefits.

Then I explained the regular S.H.I.E.L.D. TA. Done right she could pump up Rogers or Hamkeye's damage to a 5, and cripple heavy hitters.

There were a lot of things to remember, but she took to the strategy well, and with a little reminding every once in a while she managed to defeat her opponent... Me. I do remember what I was using:

Perplex Team: 399pts
173 AN032 Superman (Soldier keyword)
125 FFGGA001 Nova (Soldier Keyword)
75 FFCW006 Scarlet Witch (TK, Perplex, and Prob.)
26 WS035 J. Jonah Jameson (Perplex)

I used this Superman, not just for the keyword, but because I modded the character to look like Justice Lord Superman. I used Molten Man, and Justice League Black Hand's cape. Came out great.

Anyways... Strategy is hard to pick up for new players. But as you gain experience by winning or losing... you learn to play the game. Little tricks will help, but good luck is sometimes all you need.

Here are three 300pt teams I am especially proud of:

Mystical- 297pt
153 SM029 Silver Banshee
50 JL52016R Enchantress
94 D10A009 Blue Beetle

Shutdown- 299pt
116 GX041 Stryfe
93 GX040 Sabretooth
49 LOTR205 Captain Lurtz
35 GX026 Leech

Anti-Nightcrawler- 300pt
26 WS035 J. Jonah Jameson
99 GX052 Wolverine
75 IH021 Daredevil
100 IH014 The Leader

I'd love to see 300pt teams by you guys. All I ask is it have a good strategy.

Two rules though:
1. No Gauntlet.
2. No Nightcrawler.

We've all seen enough teams with those two on them.

68 DKR021 Lt. Gordon
45 DKR018 Rachel Dawes
125 FFJL005 The Flash
40 DKR005 GCPD Officer
4 ATA036 Justice League (Silver Age) (on flash)
8 UI022 Paramedic
10 UI023 Paramedic

= 300 points

The basic strategy of this team is to abuse the power of LT Gordan. I have played many teams using him and they usually do quite well, but this one is my favorite thus far.

I have had good results with 10th anniversary superman, batman, and wonder women. It is a very straight forward team and great for teaching beginners. Had my cousin use it with good results.

125 M10A009E Iron Man
100 M10A005R Thor
75 AVM001 Captain America

Even 300 theme team, that can if needed merge into Avengers Prime.

So aside from the Prime option you have that I would only use if I needed to heal, You have ironman who is your Gauntlet counter, with the added bonus of having perplex, PB, and Running shot to make him a great offence from afar. Then you have Cap who can't use his leadership, but does that that plus one to his attack when he attacks first. 3 base damage so he can always do some form of damage and a good counter to a stealth opponent. Hopefully opening them up to being shot by Thor or Stark. Then you have Thor who I feel is more of a tie up peice. Need a second attack and want to move? Running shot. Need a close combat fighter to get around that energy shield? he has quake and gets charge on his second click. Thor has options, which makes him nice. All while your whole team can move together as Cap can be carried. Truthfully I enjoy this team.

I love The Captain with the Asgardian ATA.

CA The Captain 170 + Asgardian ATA 5
CWFF Scarlet Witch 75
CW Sharon Carter 45
CA Scorpio Key 4
= 299, Avengers.

Stealth and Willpower for The Captain is pretty nasty. Add TK and two perplexes and it's really really good.

I played a 300 point S.H.I.E.L.D. team a couple of weeks ago that was a blast.

M10 009e Iron Man 125
CW 022 Sharon Carter 45
AVM 206 Agent Coulson 50
AVS 005 Sharpshooting Avenger 75
Total: 295

The thing this team really had going for it was a lot of Perplex. Iron Man and Coulson both lead with it and Carter gets it on her second click. All the Perplex and ranged combat makes line of fire very important for this team, which could be a good teaching tool.

Iron Man served as my main hitter with Sharpshooting Avenger as my secondary. I usually had Iron Man carry Carter around from hindering to hindering in order to get the Stealth bonus from her as well as take advantage of her S.H.I.E.L.D TA. Sharpshooting Avenger also had a great combination between Incapacitate and his Multiple Arrows trait. The drawback of the trait, which reduces attack by 1 when targeting three people, was more than compensated for by the plethora of Perplex.

It was nothing earth shattering, but it was a fun team that worked well together and used some pieces that I had not gotten to use yet.

All-Star Squadron:

AN 050 Superman 120
AN Johnny Quick 50
AN Mr. Terrific 59
AN Sargon the Sorcerer 57
All-Star Squadron ATA x4 8

I can't take credit for this team, I saw it on the forums.

But I can vouch for it, as I piloted it to victory against a team of Skrull Black Bolt, Skrull Spider-Man and Replica. It has good synergy and it's a blast to play! I'd also guess it's a good teaching tool, since the pieces are versatile and showcase a lot of different powers and game concepts, but aren't very complicated.

I wish I had a Captain.

Played this the other night


Professor X 75
Angel 50
Storm 59
Wolverine 103+ vampirism 12
299

I'd been playing a team with alot of perplex before so went for somthing that could counter high attack values. Nearly everyone has super senses and shape change. Even managed to get wolverine from his last click to his first in 2 turn thanks to the feat

BB 43 Kid Zoom 87
SI 13 Lightspeed 25
AA 26 Nightshade 50
WS 55 Sandman 101
AA 04 The Question 37

Objects
Standard Light
Standard Heavy
Busted Hydrant (3 spaces out are all water)


Finess team. Nightshade drops The Question on the Hydrant (slows non-fliers to get to her).
Lightspeed carries Sandman around. Don't be afraid to let sandman push or get hit as he copies mystics. If you wanna heal him take Fantastic Four and get Lightspeed KOed. Kid Zoom is clean up and nerfs stinking Hypersonic Speed.

Here's an interesting team which showcases the effectiveness of synergy between pieces. Not legal anymore but still a good example:

All from Avengers set:

Gargoyle
US Agent
Toro
Black Panther
=289pts

Each of the pieces on this team offer both offensive, defensive and supporting abilities which will likely come into play in every game. The real key here is positioning and strategically pushing to take full advantage of the support powers. Each fig can also use the Defenders TA in some fashion so the overall team DV should stay consistently 17. There's 11pts leftover so feel free to use a POG or artifact for even more support.

Interesting trivia tidbit: I pulled this team in sealed during the Coming of Galactus event and went on to win the first round 4-0.

that is just nasty