Comic Book Battles - Episode 11: Avengers Vs. X-Men #4 pt. 4

This week, on Comic Book Battles, we continue our exploration of the small side-skirmishes that take place during Act 1 of the storyline.  Today, we finally have a battle that takes place in more than just one page!  This skirmish was expanded upon somewhat in AVX: Vs #5, focusing specifically on the Angel vs. Hawkeye portion of the battle.  Let's get to it!

The Comic Book

"Avengers Vs. X-Men (Part Four)"
Writers Jonathan Hickman
Pencilers John Romita Jr.
Inkers Scott Hanna
Colourists Laura Martin
Letterers Chris Eliopoulos
Editors John Denning, Lauren Sankovitch, Nick Lowe, Tom Brevoort

"Hawkeye vs. Angel"
Writers Matt Fraction
Pencilers Leinil Francis Yu
Inkers Gerry Alanguilan, Leinil Francis Yu
Colourists Sunny Gho
Letterers Joe Caramagna
Editors Nick Lowe

This weeks battle takes place on Wundagore Mountain.  Wundagore Mountain is located in the fictional Eastern European country of Transia.  This mountain is most notable for being the home of the High Evolutionary and his artificially-created "New Men.  It is also the prison of the ancient primeval demon Chthon, who was trapped there by Morgan le Fey.  Finally, it's where Puppet Master gets his special magic clay to make his special magic puppets.  And no, I have no idea why the Avengers or the X-Men would ever want to go there, but go there they did.

In the Avengers Vs. X-Men book, we get a one-page overview of the battle, featuring Red Hulk taking on Iceman, Dr. Strange duking it out with Magneto, and Psylocke and Angel double-teaming Hawkeye.  With the exception of the Hawkeye/Angel/Psylocke fight, which we'll get to in a minute, am I wrong in thinking those other match-ups are pretty one-sided?  Red Hulk not only has all of the strength and stamina of normal hulk, he also literally burns things.  I can't imagine any amount of ice winning there.  Doctor Strange going up against Magneto seems a little more fair, until you realize that Doctor Strange could just attack the man's very soul.  Magneto doesn't have much in the magical defense department.

In the AVX book, we rejoin the battle after the skirmish is over, with Hawkeye waiting patiently to shoot Angel full of holes.  This whole book seems to feature a particularly brutal and callous Hawkeye, which is really weird considering Matt Fraction would go on to write the enormously successful and much more endearing version of the character in his self-titled series.  I mean, yes, Hawkeye is an ex-con and a long-time Avenger, but he always struck me as more of the "lovable rogue" type, not the "I-will-puncture-you-with-as-many-arrows as-I-can" type.

Meanwhile, his opponent is Angel.  Now, Angel has been through some real bad times.  Real bad.  He was once happy-go-lucky millionaire and founding member of the X-Men Warren Worthington III.  Then the Marauders, specifically Harpoon, jacked up his wings real bad during the Mutant Massacre, forcing them to be amputated.  He then fell into a deep depression until Apocalypse offered to give him his wings back.  Angel then became Archangel as one of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen.  Eventually he managed to fight his way out of Apocalypse's control and became an X-Man once again.  That is, until he fell back under Apocalypse's control and nearly became the next incarnation of Apocalypse himself.  An X-Force team led by Wolverine managed to stop him, and completely erased his mind in the process.  So we're back to square one I suppose.

Angel's sharp vision spares him from becoming a pincushion, and he sprays Hawkeye with his poisoned razor feather blade things.  Oh, did I forget to mention those?  Part of his Apocalypse-upgrade when he became a horseman.  Well, ol' Hawkeye decides to go full Wolverine and use his arrows like claws, gutting and generally beating the crap out of Hawkeye.  

Psylocke manages to find them, and Hawkeye takes the opportunity to threaten to shoot her unless they both leave.  Angel agrees to retreat, then a mind-boggling thing happens.  Hawkeye calls him a "sucker" and straight shoots him in the chest.  The next page is Angel in the hospital relaying the story to Emma Frost.  I'm not really sure what Fraction was thinking, but it doesn't seem very Avenger-ly to shoot a dude in the chest who agrees to stop fighting you.

Winner:  Hawkeye (I guess)

The Battle

The map for this is Wundagore Mountain from the AvX event.  I am so glad WizKids put out official maps for all the locations in this event.  This map features a lot of elevated and impassable terrain, as one might expect from mountainous terrain.  The terrain elevates towards the center of the map, meaning that's where most of the action is likely to take place.

Now let's take a look at our teams:

Avengers

si033 V Dr. Strange
Team: Spider-Man
Range: 10 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 149
Keywords: Avengers, Defenders, Illuminati, Midnight Sons, Mystical

(Special) Eye of Agamatto: Dr. Strange ignores the effects of characters and hindering terrain (including team abilities that give hindering terrain bonuses) when determining line of fire.

(Speed) Winds of Watoomb: Dr. Strange can use Phasing/Teleport and Quake.

(Damage) Wand of Watoomb: Dr. Strange can use Perplex. When Dr. Strange uses Perplex, you can roll a d6; on a result of 5 or 6, you can modify the target's chosen combat value by up to +2 or -2.

avm208 R Hawkeye
Team: Avengers Initiative
Range: 7 :bolt:
Points: 65
Keywords: Avengers, Martial Artist, S.H.I.E.L.D.

(Special) Put Away the Bow: At the beginning of your turn, you may give Hawkeye a free action. If you do, Hawkeye possesses Combat Reflexes instead of Energy Shield/Deflection and Close Combat Expert instead of Ranged Combat Expert until your next turn.

(Attack) Call the Shot, Fury: Hawkeye ignores friendly characters with action tokens for line of fire purposes.

dp033 V Red Hulk
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 150
Keywords: Avengers, Circle of Four, Hulkbusters, Intelligencia, Offenders, Soldier, Thunderbolts

(Speed) I'll Assassinate Cyclops, If You Won't: Red Hulk can use Running Shot, Improved Targeting: Ignores Hindering Terrain, and has a range value of 6.

(Damage) Soldier On: Red Hulk can use Leadership. When he does and succeeds, each friendly character that shares a keyword with him and is a lower point value can use Willpower this turn.

X-Men

ffgsx006 E Iceman
Team: X-Men
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 75
Keywords: Champions, Defenders, X-Factor, X-Men

(Attack) Chill Vortex: Iceman can use Outwit, but only to counter Hypersonic Speed, Running Shot, or the Flight ability.

(Damage) Trained Together Since the Beginning: Iceman can use Probability Control if no other friendly character has used Probability Control this turn. He can only use it during the attacks of other friendly characters with the X-Men keyword.

gx023 V Psylocke
Team: X-Men
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 74
Keywords: Exiles, Excalibur, Martial Artist, The Hand, X-Club, X-Force, X-Men

(Attack) Psycho-Blast: Psylocke can use Penetrating/Psychic Blast as if she had a range value of 6.

(Damage) Psychic Knife: Psylocke can use Blades/Claws/Fangs and Exploit Weakness. When she rolls a d6 for Blades/Claws/Fangs, on a result of 1 or 2, give her target an action token in addition to the normal effects.

wkM-019 V Angel
Team: X-Men
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 65
Keywords: Celebrity, X-Factor, X-Men

(Special) Same Guy, Different Approach: Angel may be attached to the X-Men: Gold Strike Force Team Base instead of Archangel. While Angel is attached, if X-Men: Gold Strike Force could use Archangel's asset power, it may use Angel's asset power instead.

(Damage) Aerial Recon and Assault: Angel can use Close Combat Expert. Opposing characters within 4 squares of Angel can't use Stealth.

(Black-circle) WXM T002 X-Men: Gold Strike Force: This team character can use Energy Shield/Deflection.

avx014e E Magneto
Team: X-Men
Range: 8 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 150
Keywords: Ruler, X-Men

(Special) Are You Sure About This, Scott?: Magneto can use Energy Shield/Deflection and Telekinesis. During the beginning of your turn, if Magneto has two action tokens, he can use Telekinesis as a free action, but may only use it to place friendly characters.

(Speed) Magnetic Field: Magneto can use Force Blast. When he has no action tokens, he can use it as a free action.

The X-Men win the roll for first turn

Magneto moves from C23 to H17

Angel carries Psylocke from H23 to J16, dropping Psylocke off in J15

Iceman moves from M23 to P14

Red Hulk moves from L2 to M9, picking up a super-heavy object on the way

Hawkeye moves from G2 to J9

Doctor Strange moves from C2 to H9

Magneto uses Running Shot, moving to I13 and attacking Doctor Strange and Hawkeye.  He hits on a 19 for 3 damage to each

Psylocke moves to H10

Iceman uses Running Shot, moving to P10 and shooting Red Hulk, missing on a 13 and taking a push damage

Angel clears

Doctor Strange Outwits Psylocke's Combat Reflexes and attacks, missing on a 16, taking a push damage in the process

Red Hulk Charges to O9 and attacks Iceman, missing on snake eyes, but Hawkeye is in range and has line of fire, and uses Theme Team Probability Control.  Red Hulk rerolls, hitting on a 17 for 6 damage.  Iceman is KO'd in one hit, and Hawkeye takes a push damage from the TTPC use.

Angel moves to J10 

Magneto and Psylocke clear

Doctor Strange Perplexes his defense +1

All Avengers clear

Psylocke attacks Doctor Strange, missing on a 16.  Magneto uses TTPC to allow her to reroll.  She hits on a 20, but then Doctor Strange rolls his Super Senses and succeeds on a 5.  No hit.

Angel uses Close Combat Expert to give himself +2 damage and targets Hawkeye, but misses on a 14

Red Hulk moves to J14, picking up a heavy object along the way

Hawkeye uses Close Combat Expert to give himself +1 attack and +1 damage, targeting Angel hitting for 1 damage

Doctor Strange Teleports to E12

Magneto attempts to use Telekinesis on Red Hulk, but misses on a 14

Angel and Psylocke clear

Red Hulk uses Leadership and succeeds on a 5, giving the rest of his team Willpower for the turn

Red Hulk then attacks Magneto, hitting on an 18, but Magneto's Invincibility reduces the damage to 3, and the heavy object is removed

Doctor Strange Perplexes his attack +1 and shoots at Magneto and Psylocke, but misses on a 15

Hawkeye uses Close Combat Expert to give himself +1 attack and +1 damage, but misses Angel on a 13

Psylocke uses Telekinesis on Doctor Strange, hitting him on a 21 and placing him at J11

Angel attacks Doctor Strange, hitting on a 17.  Doctor Strange makes another Super Senses roll on a 5, so no hit again

Avengers all clear

Magneto attacks Red Hulk but misses on a 14

Angel and Psylocke clear

Hawkeye uses Close Combat Expert to give himself +1 attack and +1 damage, hitting Angel on an 18 and dealing 1 damage thanks to Angel's toughness

Doctor Strange Perplexes his attack +1

Doctor Strange shoots Magneto and Psylocke, hitting on a 19 and dealing 3 damage to each.  (NOTE: this was a mistake on my part.  I didn't realize that Doctor Strange didn't have Sharpshooter, and thus couldn't have made a ranged attack while adjacent to Angel), Magneto is KO'd

Red Hulk Charges to I11 and hits Angel on an 18.  Angel fails his Super Senses roll and takes 4 damage.  He is KO'd

Psylocke attacks Red Hulk but misses on a 16

Red Hulk attacks Psylocke, hitting on a 19 for 4 damage, KO'ing her

Winner: Avengers

I feel bad having made that mistake with Doctor Strange that likely ended the game prematurely.  That said, I don't think the X-Men were having much luck at all this game.  Red Hulk was still untouched by the end, and taking him down would have been no easy feat.  I feel like our Avengers teams have had much more success lately than the X-Men.  I guess we'll see if that holds true in our next battle, deep in the Savage Land!