Greetings HeroClix Fans!
We hope you’ve been enjoying our series of previews for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix set. Today, we are pleased to give you a look into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Scenario and Starter Set. Like previously released HeroClix Starter Sets, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Scenario and Starter Set includes the standard (core) HeroClix Rulebook, a Powers & Abilities Card, two dice and a double-sided map. In addition to the aforementioned components, the TMNT Starter also includes rules and game components for multiple scenario games to provide game play experiences beyond the standard HeroClix play— it is essentially a HeroClix Starter Set and Mini-Game all in one!
With the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Scenario and Starter Set, players can choose to play by standard HeroClix rules, train by sparring with friends or try one of the two scenario games:
Turtle vs. Turtle Training Mode:
Turtle vs. Turtle Training Mode can be played with 2-4 players and is a great way for new players to start learning HeroClix. For this mode, each player will place their Turtle in a special training area of the map. If any Turtles move out of the training area or are knocked back out of the area, they are KO’d. The last Turtle standing is the winner!
Save Splinter! Defense Scenario
In the Save Splinter! Defense Scenario, Baxter Stockmen has sent his Mousers after Splinter and the Turtles need to protect him! For this scenario, the Turtles’ Lair Map gets expanded with the use of 10 Sewer Tunnel Tiles and 5 Sewer Room Tiles. Mouser Tokens will continuously spawn from special squares on the map and the game rules instruct how to move towards Splinter (who is represented by a token). If the Turtles get into real trouble, they can call in Casey Jones (also represented by a token) to lend a hand—or a bat. Choose one of the three difficulty levels and protect Splinter for the specified number of rounds; if he survives, all players win but if he is KO’d all players lose in this 1-5 player Cooperate Defense Game Mode.
Rescue April! Search & Rescue Scenario
Baxter Stockman has captured April and it is up to the Turtles to rescue her! In the Rescue April! Search & Rescue Scenario, players must fight through Mousers and explore the sewers by revealing map tiles in search of the entrance to Baxter’s Lab. Once all of the Turtles make it to the entrance, they all move to Baxter’s Lab to defeat Baxter and rescue April. Both sides of the map and all tiles will be used in this scenario along with the Mouser Tokens, Baxter Stockman Token, April O’Neil Token (and the Casey Jones Token can be called in as well). In this Cooperative Exploration & Combat Game, 1-4 players can control the Turtles while a fifth player controls the opposing forces. Players will need to defeat Baxter Stockman to rescue April and win the game!
Now that we have taken a look at the different modes of gameplay in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Starter Set, let’s take a look at each of the Turtle HeroClix included. Up first is the Turtles’ field leader, Leonardo!
Leonardo, along with the rest of the Turtles in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Starter Set, has the Dolphin speed symbol—which allows him to use the Swim ability to move through Water terrain— as well as a shared trait called Shell Shock which lets him use Toughness. All four of the Turtles in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Starter Set are 75 points— so they can be played together to form a 300-point team. Leonardo has three keywords— he shares the Animal and TMNT keywords with his Turtle brothers, but also has the Soldier keyword to represent his role as the team leader.
Leonardo is built solely for close combat, so as we take a look at his dial we see that his powers are laid out appropriately: Charge, Precision Strike and Combat Reflexes all work well together when he’s in close combat early in the game while Leadership allows him to add actions to your pool and remove action tokens from adjacent teammates. Later, Leonardo’s power set shifts to the combination of Sidestep, Blades/Claws/Fangs and Willpower giving him high damage potential on consecutive turns, while Empower allows him to keep aiding the rest of his team’s close attacks.
Leonardo has very consistent speed and attack values, along with solid defense and damage numbers. As the team’s leader, he’ll lead the charge into battle then slide into a supportive role, using either Leadership or Empower, once his teammates have gotten their chance to attack.
Next up is Raphael… Raphael has the Animal and TMNT keywords as well as the same point cost and combat symbols as Leonardo— but also adds the Warrior keyword as well as a 4 range value.
Raphael starts with a pair of standard powers associated with close combat: Flurry and Combat Reflexes. He also has Shape Change to help prevent him from being attacked. Midway through a fight, Raphael’s ranged abilities appear in the form of Running Shot and Penetrating/Psychic Blast. Exploit Weakness keeps him dangerous in case anyone gets too close while Willpower lets him attack on consecutive turns.
Like Leonardo, Raphael has very consistent speed values and solid numbers in his other three slots. Raphael’s damage potential isn’t as high as Leonardo’s so he’s best suited as a secondary attacker; however, Penetrating/Psychic Blast and Exploit Weakness makes sure that any damage he deals punches through defensive reducers like Toughness or Invulnerability.
Raphael isn’t the most mobile close attacker in this starter among his brothers; that honor belongs to Michelangelo.
Michelangelo has the same combat symbols and point value as Raphael and Leonardo and adds the Celebrity keyword to show off his flair for the dramatic. However, like Leonardo, Michelangelo is mainly a close attacker who can’t make ranged attacks.
Michelangelo’s role on your force can be to tie-up and slow down your opponents, thanks to his opening power set of Sidestep, Incapacitate and Willpower. Michelangelo’s Incapacitate will allow him to attempt to give action tokens with his close attacks and his Willpower will let him do so on consecutive turns—which can potentially lock an opponent down for his teammates. The back end of Michelangelo’s dial sees his power set change up to Charge and Super Senses with Perplex thrown in to either boost his own or a teammate’s combat values (or even lower an opponent’s).
Michelangelo has solid combat values that make him a viable choice as a second or third attacker. His greatest assets to his team lie in his Incapacitate and Perplex powers.
But, when it comes to supporting his teammates, Donatello is the go-to guy among the turtles.
Shell Shock trait? Check. Same combat symbols? Check. Same point value? Check. Animal and TMNT keywords? Check (with Scientist rounding things out). Donatello also has a 2 range value to represent the length of his Bo staff. Donatello is a mobile attacker who starts his dial with Leap/Climb to be able to easily move through terrain and around other characters as well as Willpower to let him act two turns in a row without taking pushing damage. Once in position, he can use Quake to potentially hit multiple opponents with his close attacks as well as his Outwit to neutralize an opponent’s power. On the second half of his dial, Donatello gains Sidestep to keep him moving, Energy Shield/Deflection to help protect him form range attacks and Support to heal his teammates.
At a total of 300 points, the Turtles in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix: Mouser Mayhem! Starter Set are a formidable foursome that are easy to play and offer players plenty of individuality in their power sets and play style.
Be sure to visit your Friendly Local Game Store next week to pick up the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix set. Don’t forget to use the WizKids Info Network to find Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles HeroClix Release Day Organized Play events in your area, kicking off next week.
Until next time!
