Yeah, I largely let the issue slide for a while, but playing against that ginger monster yesterday who was almost as proud of how he didn't know much of anything about the characters as he was with his twin Squirrel Girl team.

I always start with the characters, and try to end there (as a final check), too. If I start to let the stats and powers outweigh the character choices, then the monsters have won.

Well, enjoy.

I wouldn't care about any of it if they just handed out some other prize - even cash - instead of trying to bait it with pieces that I'd want.

IMHO the competitive tournament scene for any game I've looked in on attracts some major ###holes. Certainly far from all and not even close to most, but only one person has to squat over the punch bowl to ruin it for everyone.

Hey! You are right. I swear I think the plant in China where our little men come from has an opium den for a break room.

This is my fear. I figure I can stay positive through it all as long as I prepare for the worst.

Having gotten a little farther in it, while I agree that the writers have populated the place primarily to suit their dramatic needs, I still see it holding up. The evacuation plan was plainly rushed in the late stages, open to corruption, and we know that several whole transport ships didn't make it intact to the new homeworld. Also, many of the people who did make it were likely relatives and loved ones of people who actually were important to the workings of the world (be it Earth or the new beginning on Carpathia) who wanted them safely out of the fire so they could focus on what they needed to finish up.

It's important to keep in mind that as much as the administrators like to pretend otherwise it's not as if the best and the brightest set up a carefully calculated plan for optimum success on Carpathia -- well, sure, some probably did, but such things become distorted in the deal-making of committees and warp beyond all recognition once they start to move down to lower levels into action. Some dutifully followed the plan, I'm sure, but chances are it was the most weaselly people and their relatives who made it. Most of the best probably tried to stick to the plan and a sense of duty and probably ended up being stuck on Earth.

I'm more concerned that the new world appears to be completely made up of former natives of the UK. Do they have to look much farther than Prince Charles to remind them that in-breeding isn't a good thing?

That's why TPChid and I have two different venues that we go to. One has two to three people that regularly "Squat over the punch bowl" and we use that venue to sharpen our skills and if we manage to squeeze out the occasional win then all the better. At the other venue, we have people that have the skills to squat if they wanted to, but they opt to have fun and play good teams but fun teams. The win isn't everything at this other venue.

I still meet some nice, fun, reasonably kindred spirits at most venue events, but it doesn't seem to quite make up for the others. All in all, I prefer sticking to home and friendly play most of the time.

Certainly, one size doesn't fit all, and it's clear that some people truly enjoy the competitive gameplay elements above all else.

My sense continues to be that LE prizes drive play in a bad direction. People who say that sans prizes it's not worth their time and gas money to drive to a venue -- those are the people I don't want to spend any time with.

I'm on Turbo now (thank god). I will stop after "In Space" since I remember enjoying it.

Tuesday we have a 600 pt Silver Age (All figs, no cardboard except ATAs). I'm trying to build theme using some figs from Cap but I'm not set on anything. I have most of the CUR set and the only SR I have is Human Torch. Any suggestions? Also, not looking for a team that is super powerful, more fun-based.

Since you have Torch, you should play the Fantastic Four. Either that or Guardians of the Galaxy! I still haven't played Jack Flag, and my trigger finger is getting itchy.

Not to want to admit anything but I don't know much about the characters I play with either. I have learned over the years and and research online but, to some degree, I still remain in the dark at different times.

I still do ask the occasional question that silences the room though. The last time was when I asked who Weapon X was.

Had to pop out to play local taxi for someone - it's getting hot out there again.

About an hour before I'll be headed out again for some other things, so I' going to try to use the interim to pay some bills and set up some plan for the week.

Putting a little thought into a 500 pt Golden Age team to take to next week's event could work its way in there, too.

I am one of those people that will drive 45 minutes to a venue, pay for gas, toll, and usually a meal just to play. I play every chance I can and go to multiple venues when possible in a week. Prize support is secondary to having fun for me. If I win or get fellowship...great. I would almost rather lose to the cheddar heads and play with the "Fun" people and then just trade for prize pieces.

No worries -- at least you were asking.

Many of these characters go back a long way, and as I came in from that direction with over four decades of travel on that pop cultural trail, much of it is info that comes immediately to mind - the stuff that tends to trip me up is mostly from a dark patch in the '90s and things from just the past few years.

It could be that my view is simply too biased and demanding -- certainly, Wizkids doesn't want to exclude people for not knowing who the characters are. Still, it irritates me to have a system where we're supposed to fight like dogs over scraps and the process favors someone who primarily focuses on the stats, powers and lining up the most favorable paths through the rules rather than someone who knows who the character is and why the LE up for grabs may represent some particular point in a character's history.

Seth was the one who realy started doing it first -- withholding elements that should have been part of the REV so he could bestow them on the LE.

It's an old, stale head of stream for me, though. I'm generally pretty comfortable just letting it go by, ignoring most of the LEs and the scene associated with them. None of it's worth this much space and energy.

That's (well, probably not carving out time to hot multiple venues regularly, but we'll see) what I'm trying to do.

Word that one convenient venue I used to go to Monday nights is shifting to a pay-to-play format has largely crossed that off my list as a possibility. Granted, I appreciate a store opening the space for us, which is why if I'm coming to a venue I don't move to skip the sealed weeks, and even (as with yesterday) it's Constructed I try to make a point of buying a booster before or after some of the events and making sure the owner/manager knows that I appreciate him opening the store to us. I guess I just prefer to do it on my own terms. Whenever I've been to a place that wants us to pay the reflex excuse is that it's for prize support... so they're effectively telling me that I'm paying to provide the very items I find most divisive and destructive..? No thanks.