Why should you play the affiliation?
These are Marvels best characters. This is a definite objective fact and not just my personal feeling.
They also offer a wide variety of play styles and affiliated models.
How to start the affiliation
Your first purchase here is probably still Blade (leader) and Moon Knight but you could also now start with Elsa Bloodstone (leader) and Man-Thing. Both are good value boxes as both come with a leader and a good affiliated 3 threat. So in the end it's probably best to just get both. Next up you'll want to look at getting a high threat model for which you have 3 options that all have their unique strengths and reasons to be picked. The biggest threat investment but also by far and large his best home comes in the Immortal Hulk. Ghost Rider is also a singles box worth it here. And finally the biggest investment but also the most gain comes from the Monsters Unleashed Pack. 3 of 4 characters (N'Kantu, Frankenstein's Monstera and Werewolf by Night) are affiliated and Dracula, who shares the pack with them is a fantastic splash character here (he'll never leave my Sons roster for example).
The first pack that comes with a bit lesser value but one basically necessary to play the affiliation to its full potential is Doctor Voodoo and Hood (unaffiliated). Be sure to use Voodoo's updated card though.
Wong and Doctor Strange are both affiliated but Doctor Strange doesn't quite cut it in that form in today's game as a 5 threat sadly. Wong can be OK here but isn't as much a staple as he is in Defenders or Convocation.
And finally you have three packs that net you a (good to very good) affiliated 3 threat and a decent splash character:
Black Cat and Amazing Spider-Man
Iron Fist and Luke Cage
Black Panther, Chosen of Bast and Namor, the Sub-Mariner
And we also need to talk about a pack where neither member is affiliated but both have strong connections here: Gwenom and Scarlet Spider. Gwenom has by far and away her best home here and is an often used splash. Ben Riley is a big part of the Damnation story line which would've been enough of a reason to affiliate him for me. Hulk is also just interacting with Blade and Doctor Voodoo and sometimes Strange rather than really being a member of the team for example.
What leaderships are available and what is the typical game plan?
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Bump in the Night is rightfully so in the conversation of being the best leadership in the game. It is just super flexible, offensively, defensively and to get onto secures at the end of your turns. It's really a drug that is hard to quit ;-)
Legion of Monsters is a very cool and flexible leadership that is guaranteed which is the big important part here. Auto Root on a stick will be the Web Warriors nightmare for example.
Blades Midnight Sons can be basically what ever you want in terms of game plan, they are fast enough to play Type 2 and killy enough for Type 3 but not extreme enough for type 1 or 4. Elsa is firmly a type 3 leader.
(Type 1: Pure Scenario team, as many VPs on the table as possible and try to win by scoring out as early as possible and with as little engagement
Type 2: Midrange Scenario team. Similar to Type 1 but can fight and chase if necessary
Type 3: Midrange Attrition team. Wants to be the beatdown but can shift to scenario play if the other side is clearly the beatdown.
Type 4: Pure Attrition team. Wants to murder you as quick as possible. Tabling is a possible and achiveable goal here, but not the only way to win (they mostly score their points and deny yours by virute of your models being dazed or KO'ed).)
Who could be added to the affiliation in the future, especially as leaders
With Elsa's leadership being called Legion of Monsters Morbius and Manphibian are the obvious front runners here. Morbius could've been the Legion leader but with Elsa having it I don't think Morbius will end up having a leadership.
Rating every affiliated TTC and character
Team Tactics (3)
Banishment
B-. It's a good effect but rather costly and the trigger is hard to get. It is simply not a card you can plan around using which makes it hard to justify in a, rather contested, 5.
Bats the Ghost Hound
A. An every game card. I often use it to keep a model alive that would've otherwise dated or KO'ed but it can also be used offensively to ensure a critical kill or trigger.
Siege of Darkness
A+. Among the best cards in the game. It is more expensive than Wakanda forever but your 0 power attacks are also more potent on average. You'll absolutely never play a Midnight Sons game without this card.
Characters (15)
Black Cat (3)
A+. Cat is plain and simply too good. And still she sometimes fights for a roster spot here in Sons where she doesn't have as much synergy as in some other places. She's Incredible just per her stat card anyway.
Black Panther, Chosen of Bast (3)
B. Some people are very high on Bast Panther but I have personally not yet been able to have him work properly. He has good attacks and is very fast (Medium Base, Medium Move, Wallcrawler is often faster than a small base Long mover when there's some terrain on the board). Stealth and no rerolls keep him alive and he has an extremely overblown ability to be a bit better at flipping Pay to flips when he has the power, which spoiler alert: he won't. Because he wants to spend the little power he makes on his pounce (the best thing on his card and increasing his speed even further) or his decent spender. He just struggles to stay on his feet once he's in close to fight.
Blade (4)
B. Much maligned but better than his reputation. The key to getting something out of Blade is trying to Spender as often as possible. If the target is Bleeding that's quite a potent attack and always having a M advance included is the real strength there. Against some opponents Blade has to kind of hide in the back to make sure you keep your (top notch) leadership but against some models like Wolverine he'll have an absolute field day.
Doctor Strange (5)
C+. Original Doctor Strange offers control, Shields and Healing. He isn't terrible but also not really pulling the weight of his 5 threat. He might like Elsa's Leadership quite a bit though and might be worth a try there.
Doctor Voodoo (4)
A. Voodoo's popularity dropped after his (incredibly necessary) nerf in 2023 but people have started to come back around on him. Especially under Blade this is his best home and I wouldn't consider a Sons Roster without him.
Elsa Bloodstone (4)
B. Elsa is very much Blade with a different leadership and being able to shoot from a distance and move while shooting if you can afford it. It is really no up or downgrade when you choose her over Blade so it is really about which leadership you want to use. She's probably more worth it to bring her under Blade than the other way around though.
Frankenstein‘s Monster (4)
B-. As much as I personally love Frank and will keep him in my roster over objectively better picks I can't suggest he'd be top of the 4s available here. Frank's kit is great but (per design) he can't really afford to use much of it. And with both Sons leadership costing power on top of it, this is just not his best home. He really likes discount Steve or leaderships that give him power.
Ghost Rider (5)
B+. Johnny Blaze is fast and the Bump under Blade takes that to the next level. He's a damage dealing 5 threat that is really succeptible for having stuff thrown into him and who lacks a bit of displacement. But he can punish the opponent for attacking your models which is great. You kind of want to bring a 2 threat with him to have an easy target for Deal with the Devil however.
Iron Fist (3)
A-. Danny Rand is an affiliated user of Heroes for Hire making him a strong consideration in every Sons Roster. He also brings a unique threat with his Iron Fist Spender.
Man-Thing (3)
A-. Ted looks awesome. He'll struggle to pay for his place but he's going to be very hard to take off the board while adding damage and possible displacement (and incinerates) to the offense. Maybe the first 3 threat you'll grab here once he's out.
Moon Knight (3)
B+. Moon Knight was already decent, if not great, at his job (which is shooting Rapid Fire attacks from Stealth range) and Elsas Leadership, which he has no issue paying for makes him better at that job. He's also my favourite character in Marvel so that also helps him make my roster.
N‘Kantu, the Living Mummy (3)
A. N'Kantu is super flexible and extremely reliable with his Soul mechanic. He's often going to be a back point sitter but few are going to be better suited for that job than him.
The Immortal Hulk (7)
A-. iHulk threat for threat isn't as good as regular Hulk. But having acces to Bump and Siege of Darkness take him over the edge here. He's not an every game model but will often do work when you decide to bring him out. Never leave home without One Below All when you do play him.
Werewolf by Night (5)
B-. Jack Russel hasn't really been great in my games with him so far especially as I haven't healed a single damage with his Healing Factor because he always gets focussed down. He is super fast and has good attcks and superpowers though. He'll stay in for a bit longer but might ultimately loose the spot to Ghost Rider.
Wong (2)
A. Despite me being a terrible Wong player and Sons not being his best home at all, he's still a good 2 threat and being affiliated makes building squads easier, too.
Popular Splashes
This is a new category I'll add to the updated Affiliation Overviews. It highlights commonly used splash characters for the affilation but don't let that discourage you from trying someone else.
Dracula (5)
A. Dracula is in a lot of Sons lists because people liked the Monsters Box and wanted to play all four, and it turns out that Dracula, who is already a top tier 5 threat and maybe my favourite model to play in the game, is even better when Bump can lessen his biggest weakness. Elsas leadership is less exciting for him though.
Abomination (5)
A. Blonky is just a super reliable 5 threat that (fittingly) feels like a lighter version of Hulk. As his base is big enough and he gains 2 Power per Power Phase he can use the leadership Bump to safe grab an Extract from the midline (walk once, Bump up, get the extract, move back).
Gwenom (4)
B+. Gwenom has incredible synergy with Bump as it turns on her Long move for every builder attack she makes. So you always start her turn by Bumping, can then attack twice (moving both times) and maybe build the power to throw a size 3 character or terrain.
Beta Ray Bill (4)
A. Bill is one of the most annoying characters to get and extract off (if you don't have a steal) and with Bump he can still safe grab.
Hela (4)
B-. Just like Bill Hela can still safe grab an Extract from the midline. Her turn 2 will also then be better than Bills but she is way less tanky. It's funny to have both her and Mummy on the field as they'll both gain souls at the same time.
the Wrecking Crew (4)
A. Wrecking Crew isn't good at surviving but they offer a lot of damage and control until they fall over dead. And, maybe you notice a theme here, with the Bump they can safe grab.
Lockjaw (3)
B-. Lockjaw under Blade is the lowest cost safe grab in the game. If he triggers Good Boy (and why wouldn't he after deployment) he can teleport straight forward, Bump, grab the extract and then move back. It's what he does the rest of the game that makes his the biggest question mark. Sons are also swimming in good affiliated 3s making it hard to fit in the big doggy.
Example Rosters:
This is my current Sons roster and the one I used at a local tournament I ran in September:
Characters (10)
* Blade (4)
N‘Kantu, the Living Mummy (3)
Werewolf by Night (5)
Black Cat (3)
Doctor Voodoo (4)
Gwenom (4)
Dracula (5)
Frankenstein‘s Monster (4)
The Immortal Hulk (7)
Moon Knight (3)
Team Tactics (10)
Bats the Ghost Hound
Siege of Darkness
Hideous Monster
Brace for Impact (R)
Fall Back (R)
Survival
Joint Effort
Warpath
One Below All
Instant Recovery
Secure Crisis
Cosmic Invasion! Black Order Descends on Earth (D, 16)
Infinity Formula Goes Missing! (B, 17)
Intrusions Open Across City As Seals Collapse (C, 19)
Extract Crisis
Skrulls Infiltrate World Leadership (J, 20)
Mutant Extremists Target U.S. Senators! (L, 19)
Fear Grips World As “Worthy“ Terrorize Cities (D, 18)
It uses wide secures to take advantage of the overall speed of the affilation and the good 1:1 fighters avaiable, while presenting a threat for down the middle fights with iHulk.
This is obviusly before the relase of Elsa and Man-Thing. I'm currently thinking something like this when I've gotten my hands on them:
Characters (10)
* Blade (4)
Doctor Voodoo (4)
* Elsa Bloodstone (4)
Man-Thing (3)
Moon Knight (3)
N‘Kantu, the Living Mummy (3)
The Immortal Hulk (7)
Werewolf by Night (5)
Frankenstein‘s Monster (4)
Dracula (5)
Team Tactics (10)
Bats the Ghost Hound
Siege of Darkness
Covering Fire
Dimensional Quagmire
One Below All
Brace for Impact (R)
Sacrifice (R)
Recalibration Matrix
Warpath
Instant Recovery
Secure Crisis
Gamma Wave Sweeps Across Midwest (E, 15)
Mayor Fisk Vows To Find Missing Witnesses (H, 16)
Infinity Formula Goes Missing! (B, 17)
Extract Crisis
The Montesi Formula Found (E, 18)
Mutant Extremists Target U.S. Senators! (L, 19)
Struggle For The Cube Continues (F, 17)
With Elsa and Man-Thing in, the team becomes more Type 3 and wants to force more middle of the board engagement.
Comic recommendations
This is another new addition to these articles but one I won't be able to do for every affiliation as I only read about the characters I like. Which correlates to a lot of recommendations today:
First of the 2018 Doctor Strange event Damnation. Sadly there's no reading guide for it on Unlimited but it should be easy enough to find.
I can also not praise Jed MacKays Moon Knight and now Vengeance of the Moon Knight high enough. It, just as the latest Blade and Doctor Strange (also from Jed MacKay) runs are road to Blood Hunt which is an excellent event.
Of course the Immortal Hulk run was good but I want to give a special shout-out to the current ongoing Incredible Hulk run by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, which is straight up pure Horror and absolutely awesome.
That's it for today! Next Up: Guardians of the Galaxy
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Thank you for reading and Cheers from Germany 🍻
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