Okay, but first a few details:
1. All characters were 500 (+ or - 20 AP) Skills included!
2. Epic Alliance characters are PCs played weekly (so the players are very familiar with their character sheets)
3. Epic Alliance characters frequently use teamwork (not just to get bonuses)
4. All players are big fans of the Avengers (so they wanted to play them as well as possible)
5. The players chose their favorite Avengers BEFORE they knew the scenario (so some of the most powerful Avengers were not fielded - Regardless, they were all 500 AP)
6. A quick rundown on Epic Alliances powers (Pics above):
Major Britannia: Barriers... Lots of Barriers - The Shield of the British Empire! 80m Flight/Presence/Tactics/EB. Major Britannia manages the field of battle shielding allies and trapping enemies with his powerful (Variable Advantage) Force Walls.
Phenom: Martian Manhunter homage with Stretching conversely linked to Density Increase (all the way to intangibility) The more dense he becomes the less he can stretch. Phenom is the team powerhouse with the ability to add a 1/4 Advantage to up to a 70 STR at his greatest density. 30m Flight.
Scorch: Classic flying (50m) hothead, alcoholic Scotsman with AoE Line/Explosion Flame-based attacks. The character may sound like a simple build but the player (who does an excellent Scottish accent) does a great job making much from little. Comic relief!
Union: Eternal Warrior (former Buffalo Soldier) with minor mental powers (mind scan) allowing him to cause others to attack for him (Indirect EB w/ Variable Cosmetics) and a psychosomatic shield (limited Barrier). Incredible Tactics/experience/leadership = Field Commander. Gives all of Epic Alliance Telepathy and has a big bonus to communicate (32 Dex to bark orders only).
Volley: A Green Arrow/Hawkeye homage mixed with minor Speedster powers (similar to DC's Captain Boomerang II/Owen Mercer) with a standard quiver of specialty arrows. Running/Swinging ~ 80m.
7. The Avengers that were eventually chosen (@ ~ 500+ AP):
Captain America
Iron Man
Black Panther
The Wasp
Quicksilver
Okay.... This was meant to be a fun, one-time, practice session. The players were surprised to find that they were battling the Avengers and that each of them would be playing the Avenger that they chose as well as their Epic Alliance character. The only rule: Players must avoid confrontation between the 2 characters they are running unless circumstances make it unavoidable or the color of the moment dictates an attack.
The pre-game smack-talk was awesome!!!
The scenario was based on the JLA/Avengers comic (circa 2003/4)... The Collector had acquired a giant Kirbyesque doomsday machine. With it, the Grandmaster had lured each super-team to a neutral realm. Each team firmly believed that the other was determined to set off the doomsday bomb to restart the universe. Disarming the device during a battle was impossible (due to the time it may take and the delicacy of the operation) so the elimination of any position was paramount.
The arena was a standard 40"x30" battlement with the big 3D Kirby-bomb at the center (see pic below). Characters started at opposite ends...
On your mark, get set, GO!
Both teams headed for high ground. Only Quicksilver ran atop walls at high speed at mid level and Wasp dove down to weave her way toward the enemy beneath the superstructure at 1" hight (sneaky!)
Then things went bad for the Avengers...
Iron Man was carrying Captain America. Iron Man's high DEX and large movement allowed him to go before all Epic Alliance members. For some reason they (both Cap and Iron Man) thought it a good idea to fly directly into the midst of Epic Alliance. In the comics, it's definitely something that might happen... But in Champions, they neglected to realize that all of Epic Alliance still had actions due to lower DEXs and it was a Full Move for Iron Man (leaving him a sitting duck). But the deed was done and in swept Iron Man and Captain America...
Well, as expected, Epic Alliance rained down devastating attacks on Cap and Iron Man! Despite his armor, Tony was CON stunned and, though Cap was able to deftly block and dodge multiple attacks, it wasn't enough as Phenom split his massive arms into 4 arms, 2 of which ended in giant spiked maces (AoE 70 STR), and Multiple Power Attacked the hex where Cap was standing... BOOOM!BOOOM! Cap was down and out!!! His shield tumbled off of the structure to the ground below. Remaining Epic Alliance members (Volley) quickly took advantage of a downed Iron Man and loosed a "volley" of arrows at his head! (Called Shot!) HIT/BANG! Iron Man is down and out!!! So, in less than a few seconds its Epic Alliance Vs. Black Panther, Quicksilver and Wasp - The Avengers STILL have a chance...
Black Panther, ever the tactician, moved quickly to the ground and retrieved Captain America's shield!!! In Unison Epic Alliance shouts "OH CRAP!" The Wasp, virtually invisible when considering her minute size and range vs. Perception, flew up from beneath the battle and positioned herself for an attack while Quicksilver ran interference, distracting several Epic Alliance members...
The battle continued and, unfortunately for the Avengers, Quicksilver's ego got the best of him and he sped right into an invisible barrier cleverly placed by Major Britannia: CRASH!!!!! Quicksilver's momentum pushed him through the barrier, but he's CON stunned!!! Volley quickly dispatched the prone speedster at range in the same fashion he eliminated Iron Man. However, Volley's attack cost him as he failed to notice the Wasp! A hail of BioStings (Multiple Attack AVLDs) blasted into Volley bringing him down. At the same time Black Panther, utilizing Captain America's shield, was embroiled in a shield-on-shield-on shield battle with Union and Major Britannia... EPIC!!!!
Unfortunately, though they battled valiantly, the odds were too much for even T'Challa and Janet to overcome and they were beat down by superior numbers.
Epic Alliance wins. Game over.
In retrospect, we all agreed that the Iron Man/Captain America maneuver was a terrible decision and, despite the comic book realism, should have been approached differently. Lesson learned. Great teaching moment!
MUCH fun was had!!!
