There are 6 pieces in a game of chess, and the following team was built keeping that in mind. I tried to pick the figures that I felt represented a certain chess piece in one way or another and ended up with the following build:
Inhumans Royal Family
150 GOTG036 Black Bolt
75 GOTG039 Medusa
75 GOTG027 Gorgon
100 FFGOTG004 Karnak
75 GOTG038 Maximus
25 FFGOTG006R Lockjaw
500 Total
Black Bolt = King
While one could make a case for the Fast Forces version being superior, I felt this one represented what the King stands for. Two clicks of Leadership help keep inspiring his family to keep fighting for him and his Inhumanity trait works on his entire team if they're close enough, so protect the king! Pulse Wave throughout his dial will make opponents weary about engaging him, so protecting the King shouldn't be a problem.
Medusa = Queen
A King can't be complete without his Queen by his side. In chess the Queen is the most powerful piece in the game, but this is not the reason Medusa was chosen. The reason I felt this one represented the Queen (besides the obvious) is that she has Charge throughout her dial, so much like the Queen in chess that can move as much (or as little) as she wants Medusa here can keep the pressure with her Charge. Her Empower and Inhumanity trait make add to her characteristics of being a leader on the battlefield.
Gorgon = Rook
The Rook can move as much as it wants, but it's restricted to moving in a straight line only. Gorgon has a similar restriction on his Bull Rush trait where he gets stronger if he charges in a direct line. According to Chess Strategies the Rooks are most effective in the middle of the board which is where Gorgon and his Quake Stomp shines. He can also serve as a counter-attacker by staying close to Black Bolt keeping him safe which can represent the "castling" move in chess.
Karnak = Bishop
Karnak needs is to get in the face of the enemies to inflict a lot of damage. In chess a pair of Bishops can be one of the deadliest pairings, and having 7 clicks of life, 5 of those with Super Senses can make it seem like Karnak himself has a second life. Add Flurry that allows him to get two attacks a turn and it adds to the illusion that he is working as a pair.
Maximus = Knight
Maximus is the oddest contribution to this team. Everyone seems to have a very narrow role in wanting to attack, but Maximus seems to want to do the opposite and instead hang back and strike in opportune times. I use the word odd because in chess the Knight has by far the oddest movement in the game which can catch many opponents off guard if they're not ready. This is exactly what I feel Maximus embodies. Beginning with Sidestep, Telekinesis, Barrier, and Outwit means he starts off as a support character, but then he switches gear quickly by gaining Mind Control, Mastermind, and a couple clicks of Pulse Wave which change his role completely.
Lockjaw & Alpha Primitive's = Pawns
Pawns are meant to die for the greater good, which is why Lockjaw is set at 25 points. Although, for those 25 points you're still getting a bargain with his 6 clicks of life. Use him to get the Aplha Primitive's, Karnak, and/or Medusa into position. The Alpha Primitive's can be spawned from Maximus, which just adds to Maximus's utility. It makes you wonder if he should be King instead of Black Bolt. These guys can pack a punch as they have Super Strength and Charge for 30 points. They can knock out characters 5 times their size easily, so they're versatile in that they can be used as meat shields to block line of fire/movement, as a lure as they threaten to make short work of weaker characters, or to put the beat-down on an unsuspecting figure.
Tactics:
Oh, the Inhumanity!: 4 of the characters in this team have this trait, so use it! In the first few turns use it to keep defenses high, but as the game progresses use it offensively to bring up attack to increase your chances of hitting, increase speed to catch an opponent off guard with a Charge, or increase range to keep Black Bolt or Maximus safe.
In Your Face: Notice the little and lacking range on this team. A team with range can cut you down quickly if you don't fight on a map with some block terrain. Don't be afraid to use Lockjaw as a shield once he's brought the team in close enough to wreak havoc. This team needs to get close to do maximum damage as Quake, Flurry, Empower, and Super Strength show up regularly on this team.
But it's a 500 point game!?!: This team is actually 560 points if you're able to spawn both Alpha Primitive's (why shouldn't you?). That in itself should give you an upper-hand when playing this team, but keep in mind that also means your opponents are getting points from those Alpha Primitive's they knock out so be careful. Starting with 6 characters means you're getting +6 when determining first player/map choice. Pick a map that has some amount of blocking terrain to make sure your team makes it across safely.
As always feel free to put up your suggestions, or send me a message if you have any ideas or comments. Until then, protect the King!
