Note to all - the imminent return of the eminent WoF means we'll pick the battle back up soon, hopefully this evening.

And one more bump for my buddy WoF - hopefully his domestic situation has improved, and we'll see him again soon.

To hand me another ignominious defeat.

Well, that was fun.

Drat. I would really have preferred it if you would have been kind enough to miss one of those two attacks. I really needed that Outwit. I really did. Also, it seems that the medium of typing has bollixed things up a bit again.

I have the R Moloid as moving to J4, but describe him as entering stealth. Clearly, I meant J3, since that's the closest unoccupied hindering terrain, and J4 is open space ... but this is hard to prove. Rather than you have you relocate the Storms and Thing to make the thus-newly-positioned attack viable, can we just take it as read that R Moloid didn't do anything that round, and thus has no action tokens? That way, you still get to flame Diablo, but I'm not forced to push Winkie, the Littlest Moloid.

If that's acceptable:

Diablo pushes to move to H7, taking no damage due to Willpower.
R Moloid moves to H6.
E Moloid #2 moves to J10.
V Moloid runs screaming like a wounded duck to Q8.

Everyone else clears.
---

"BY MY HALIDOM!" roared Diablo, beating at the flames on his dangling costume as the Torch's volley burst vials and phials and bottles from his belt into sparkling clouds. Diablo coughed and heaved. "That ... impudent little WRETCH! I'll have his sister in my pleasure palace for this!" He broke from the smoking shrubbery and dashed behind a nearby building, yanking a tiny moloid with him by the ear.

Rupert observed the field of battle through a scope from his cape pocket and nodded thoughtfully, then blew two quick inaudible blasts on a twisted whistle. Two moloids immediately sprang into action, scampering around and whimpering.

---

Rupert - I11 (stealth)
E Moloid #1 - I10
E Moloid #2 - J10
Sauron - E10 [5 clicks]
R Moloid - H6 @
R Ulik - E11 [1 click]
Abomination - J11 [1 click]
E Diablo - H7 @@ [3 clicks]
V Moloid - Q8 (stealth) @ [1 click]

WoF, my good man. Glad to see you're back. I hope all is well with you - there are more important things than Heroclix, after all.

Settle down, guys... I didn't really mean that.
-----
"Nice shot, matchstick," grunted Ben Grimm. Johnny Storm smirked, and impishly blew out the flame on his right hand.

"You, you great brute - exactly what were you planning on doing with that trash can?" Medusa eyed the hulking beast next to her coolly. "I suppose you're planning on hurting poor Jennifer. I can't allow that." The lovely Inhuman's red tresses flowed around her, entangling the giant bruiser, who roared in dismay.
-----

Medusa vs. Ulik for Incapacitate - 9 AV vs. 15 DV, needs a 6. The roll is a 10. One token to Ulik, and Medusa is pushed.

Everyone else clears.

Invisible Girl - P3
Thing - P2 (1 click)
Human Torch - O3 (1 click)
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - G17 (4 clicks)
Medusa - D12 @@ (1 click)

Correction - of course Ulik doesn't[ still have a trash can, since he missed his attack on She-Hulk and lost the LO. He's still in CCE, though, so he does more damage than he would with the LO.

*sigh*

Oh, as a point of order, R Moloid is actually in I6, not H6. Bah. Lousy CreationMatrix. I hate it so much ...

Oy, gevalt. What do the dice have against me?

Rupert rolls a 2 for Leadership.

Sauron tries to break away and rolls a $*@!in' one.

Ulik, for the hell of it, pushes to attack She-Hulk. And rolls a twelve. Yee-ferkin'-ha. And he hits She-Hulk hard enough to kill her and all her ancestors. Great. And all her irritating friends snork up points of free healing like hogs at the trough. I hate them all so much. And Ulik clicks himself right off of Invulnerability because he's a big orange tool.

And, what the heck, Abomination hops over to G7, grabbing the LO in H9 as he skips along.

Rupert scampers from hindering in I11 to hindering in G15.
E Moloid #1 loyally follows along to G16.

---

Rupert - G15 (stealth) @
E Moloid #1 - G16 @
E Moloid #2 - J10
Sauron - E10 [5 clicks] @
R Moloid - I6
R Ulik - E11 [2 clicks] @@
Abomination - G7 [1 click] @
E Diablo - H7
V Moloid - Q8 (stealth) [1 click]

---

And, frankly, I'm too irritable right now to write a good story post. What a bloody lousy day. I need to murder a wealthy dowager and take her money so I can stop this workaday existence. It really gets me down.

Sorry you had such a bum day, man. Mine was not much better. Let's drown out sorrows, eh?
-----
"NNNNGH! Putting on a little weight, Benjy?" The Human Torch struggles to lift the ponderous Thing into the air.

"Shut yer trap, Johnny - my metabolism is slowin' down in my old age." At the end of their short flight, Johhny Storm's jet of flames smokes through one of the ugly little creatures of the Moleman.

"Those things were giving me the creeps, anyway." muttered Sue Storm, as she ran up to join her teammates.

-----
Human Torch uses Running Shot - moves to L6. Attacks R Moloid (Winkie?), 10 AV vs. 13 DV, needs a 3. Rolls a 5. 3 clicks to the moloid for the KO.

Torch deposits The Thing at K7.

Invisible Girl runs behind them to L7.

Medusa clears.

Invisible Girl - L7 @
Thing - K7
Human Torch - L6 @
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - KO
Medusa - D12

Say, I'll drink to that.

---

The orange ogre, furious at being entangled by the Inhuman witch, snapped free of her strands with a roar of exertion and slammed his fist into She-Hulk, sending her arcing across the park, tumbling to the grass in a heap. The beast howled and snarled as its barrel chest heaved.

The winged saurian, still battered from the shattering blow from She-Hulk, started to flap away and then sank to the ground, blood bubbling from the corners of its beak. Exhausted, its chest heaved as it took off again, snatching the ogre's shoulders in its talons and gliding away.

"This ... could be going better," muttered Rupert as he broke from one set of bushes to another under the deepening night, one of his loyal moloids loping along beside him. The ogre and the saurian landed nearby shortly thereafter.

Diablo, crouched behind the building, shrieked involuntarily as a wash of flame incinerated the wee little moloid affectionately called Winkie. "Dear GODS! What kind of heroes are these that annihilate such helpless beasts? Well, we shall see. We shall see." He ducked around the building, readying a pair of tiny flasks of vitriol.

By the shores of the pond, the other two moloids scented the barbequed tang of their little brother on the air, and contrary to form, became enraged, rushing at the trio of erstwhile heroes with a piercing duet of screams.

Rupert wept.

---

Sauron pushes to move to move to F17, dropping Ulik in F16. Another click to ol' Greenjeans.

E Moloid #2 moves 3 squares out of hindering to K8.

V Moloid moves out of hindering to N6.

E Diablo comes around the building to L8.


V Abomination, LE Rupert, and E Moloid #1 all clear.

---

Rupert - G15 (stealth)
E Moloid #1 - G16 (stealth)
E Moloid #2 - K8 @
Sauron - F17 [6 clicks] @@
R Moloid - KO
R Ulik - F16 [2 clicks]
V Abomination - G7 [1 click]
E Diablo - L8 @ [3 clicks]
V Moloid - N6 @ [1 click]

Winkie! NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!!

Diablo's in L8? OK...
-----
"Hey - I been lookin' all over for you! And I been dyin' to say it... IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME!" With that witty rejoinder, the redoubtable rocky Thing slams his lamp post into Diablo, knocking the motley alchemist senseless.

The Human Torch shrugged. "Fine, Ben - leave the big ones to me. Flame on!" Surging to his left, and firing a gout of flame at the green monstrosity on the far side of the building, Johnny Storm pulled Sue along with him. Unfortunately, his fiery missile did not find their target. "Ah, nuts!"

Medusa maneuvered into position. "Jonathan Storm - I shall hold this beast until we are better able to dispose of it."

"Thanks, Red. Er, I mean, Medusa," said Johnny. Turning to his sister, he muttered, "Like 'Medusa' sounds any more regal than 'Red.'"
-----
Thing vs. Diablo with HO - 9 AV vs. 15 DV, needs a 6. Rolls a 10. 4 clicks + 2 clicks = 6 clicks for the KO.

Human Torch Pushes to Running Shot on Abomination - 10 AV vs. 16 DV, needs a 6. Rolls a a 5. Darn. One click to Torch. He ends up in I5, deposits IG in J4.

Medusa moves to F6.

IG clears.

Invisible Girl - J4
Thing - K7 @
Human Torch - I5 @@ (1 click)
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - KO
Medusa - F6 @

You know what I just realized? Back in post #37, I had the Human Torch carry The Thing - that move was illegal, as Ben Grimm was carrying an object at the time.

But The Thing still has enough movement to go from P2 (his position prior to that turn) to K7 under his own power. So let's say Johnny once again carried his sister, not Ben.

That means The Thing had to Push to whallop Diablo - below are the adjusted positions, token, and damage for my figs.

Invisible Girl - J4
Thing - K7 @@ (1 click)
Human Torch - I5 @@ (1 click)
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - KO
Medusa - F6 @

There - I shall sleep with a light conscience tonight.

Wow. I never, ever would have caught that. Especially as I forgot Ben was carrying anything.

Yeah, Diablo. I really needed that moloid to go one extra square, but since Diablo was past the point of real usefulness anyway, I figured I'd run the risk to get a chance to Flurry at Sue. Man, she's a nasty piece of toffee. Ehn. Diablo's kind of a jerk, anyway.

Hmm. I was just considering whether it was worth the effort to have A-bomb attack Medusa or if I should just futilely roll to break away ... but then I realized once again that ol' Finhead can just Leap/Climb away any time he wants, soooo ...

---

"I want them crushed, you hear me? CRUSHED!" Rupert shouted, lunging from the shrubs, batting branches aside with his power staff, trailed by a gibbering moloid. "I should've brought Blastaar," he muttered darkly, watching the unconscious form of Diablo land with a thump at the far edge of the pond.

The green behemoth suddenly leapt into the air with a mighty burst of its thews, crashing to earth in a clatter between the Torch and his erstwhile sister. Leaning up against the Invisible Girl's shield, the scaly thing grinned with needle-sharp teeth, drooling sizzling acid, clutching a trash can in one meaty paw.

Moog, the oldest and wisest moloid, heaved foaming breaths as it considered the situation in whatever vestigial brain it had, and then picked up a small stick and approached Sue Storm from behind, his tiny ribs heaving.

---

V Moloid pushes to move to K5, and takes a click.

V Abomination Leap/Climbs to I4.

Rupert moves from hindering to E12.
E Moloid #1 loyally follows to E13.

The rest of the world clears.

---


Rupert - E12 @
E Moloid #1 - E13 @
E Moloid #2 - K8
Sauron - F17 [6 clicks]
R Moloid - KO
R Ulik - F16 [2 clicks]
V Abomination - I4 @ [1 click]
E Diablo - KO
V Moloid - K5 @ [2 clicks]

Hm. Darn that Moloid...

Not much of a story, this time.

IG vs. V Moloid. 6 AV vs. 11 DV, needs a 5. Rolls a 4. Oh, well.

Medusa Pushes to move to J5.

Torch & Thing clear.

Invisible Girl - J4 @
Thing - K7 (1 click)
Human Torch - I5 (1 click)
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - KO
Medusa - F6 @@ (1 click)

Now, the question is... who will Abomination swat next turn? I'll be praying you don't roll that 8.

Allll...righty, then.

---
As the winged monster took flight from the east, dragging the orange ogre with it towards the Mole Man and his faithful moloid assistant Blb, the green finned beast looked at the foes ringed around him with a strange grin ... and then suddenly uncoiled, leaping like a spring and slamming the trash can down over the surprised Human Torch!

The hotshot, startled, kicked up his flame to try to melt free, but as he was momentarily pinned, the abominable monster struck with a blow like thunder that sent the Torch hurtling into the side of the ranger tower, where he struck heavily and fell to the ground, bouncing back along the grass, finally melting free, but shaken by the blow.

The monster hissed with delight even as it licked singed knuckles.

---

Abomination pushes to attack the Human Torch, needing an 8 or better ... and rolls a 9! Sweet merciful woohoo! That's 5 damage with the LO, taking Torchy down to his last click. Abomination clicks once for the push.

Meanwhile, Sauron taxis Ulik to F13, dropping Ulik in F12.

Rupert and his Amazing Singing Moloids clear.

---

Rupert - E12
E Moloid #1 - E13
E Moloid #2 - K8
Sauron - F13 @ [6 clicks]
R Moloid - KO
R Ulik - F12 [2 clicks]
V Abomination - I4 @@ [2 clicks]
E Diablo - KO
V Moloid - K5 [2 clicks]


Man, it was pure-D luck that that hit, because I had no plans beyond that. Now that Torch no longer has that darnable Running Shot, it's a LITTLE easier to move around ... of course, now I have to be careful about KO'ing anyone else and putting Torch on his Nova Flame click. And Medusa still has her loathsome high Incapacitate. And the wretched Thing still Charges. Bloody Fantastic Four.

Thing rolls to breakaway. A 3.

Torch rolls to breakaway. A 3.

I guess that's the dice paying me back for rolling that 9 to hit Diablo.

Medusa and IG clear.

And I do believe that's the game. Once Rupert blasts the Torch next turn, the only damage-inducing fig I'll have left is The Thing, versus moderately healthy Ulik & Abomination, and an unhurt Moleman.

Invisible Girl - J4
Thing - K7 @ (1 click)
Human Torch - I5 @ (6 clicks - ouch)
Mr. Fantastic - KO
She-Hulk - KO
Medusa - J5 (1 click)

Hmmm. That IS a hard cheese. Yeah, Torch is going to be real difficult to sustain, and to get him useful again, even momentarily, you'd have to somehow persuade me to whack Medusa or push her four times.

But I dunno. You've still got I-Girl's ridiculously high defense, and Rupert isn't actually in range just yet. The Thing's still lethal for another four clicks or so. And there's always the guarantee of my intermittently excellent and horrible rolling.

Tough one, man-o-chevitz. Tell you what ... I've been suckered into working the night shift to cover a friend of mine, so I won't be back until after midnight. If you still really think it's over, tell me and we'll wrap it up. If not, we'll see what other moves can be busted.

Either way, spiffy game.

- Wheel