Avengers League 09/25/2007 PM Game 4: Joe Acro vs. Flâneur & Dagger

[mattbib]

Greetings, fight fans! Welcome to the second fight of the day!

In the first corner we have Joe Acro's Forces of Nature...with Flatman (Crystal, Sandman, Major Victory, Living Lightning, Texas Twister, Martinex, Doorman, Flatman)

vs

In the other corner is Flâneur & Dagger's Avenging Rump Rangers (Firebird, Trauma, Doctor Druid, Sub-Mariner, Komodo, Yellowjacket II, Zero G, Marrina)

Both participants have submitted strategies:

Please do not post or vote until both strategies have been posted and read.

[mattbib]

This is what happens at start:

Crystal starts everything off by instantly causing a wind storm aimed at the opposing team.
Texas Twister joins in by summoning a tornado to engulf them.
Living Lightning assumes his true guise as a being of pure energy and rushes into the windstorm. He targets Zero-G, who may be using his abilities to counteract some of the effects.This is what everyone does after start:

Major Victory calls off the windstorm as Lightning barrages Zero-G. Doorman, using his skis, flies into battle carrying Major Victory, who locates Doctor Druid. While they charge forward, Major Victory strikes him with a few mental blasts to keep him off-balance. He is aware that opponents may try ranged combat and, thus, guards himself closely with his shield. Halfway there, Doorman has to drop his ally to assist against Firebird. Major Victory charges forward, still firing blasts when needed. When he reaches Dr. Druid, he will engage him in physical combat, something he is better at than Druid.
Sandman charges after Namor. Sandman is at least as strong as Thing. More importantly, though, Namor's power and stamina decrease as his water levels do. Knowing this, Sandman will work to clog Namor's gills and choke him, if necessary. Also, Namor's flight is dependent upon the use of his wings. It has been shown in the past that if someone grabs the wings, Namor can no longer fly. Sandman will hold Namor's feet as much as he can.
Doorman flies around Firebird simply as a diversionary tactic. Crystal works with the hydrogen and oxygen molecules of the surrounding area to create a powerful rainstorm over Firebird, which she'll control to counteract Firebird's movements. If needed, she'll manipulate the ground to block fire strikes.
Martinex charges after Komodo. Komodo has the properties of a lizard. Lizards, in their very nature, cannot live in climates of extreme cold or heat. Martinex can create both. The plan is simple. Keep changing the immediate climate until Komodo is forced to resort to returning to her human form or risk death. If she refuses to transform, Martinex will remain aware of her health and knock her unconscious when she's weak enough.
Flatman curls into a ball and Texas Twister tosses him at Marrina using wind. Flatman unfolds as he goes in order to wrap around Marrina as soon as he's near her. Now, she might dodge, but Flatman will readjust. His main goal is restrain her until some assistance arrives.
As soon as Living Lightning finishes with Zero-G, who should prove fairly easy to handle given that Lightning himself isn't affected by gravity, he knows to deal with Trauma. By now, Trauma is likely feeding off someone's fears and is heading their direction. Although Trauma may feed off his fears, Lightning only has to act for a brief span of time, while Texas Twister gets into position.This is what happens next:

Doorman, no longer needed against Firebird, flies off making thundering noises to match the rain and Living Lightning. He searches for Yellowjacket. He knows she's probably tiny and hard to find, but he'll keep looking anyway.
Texas Twister unloads on Trauma. He creates a low-level tornado around Trauma (low-level so as to not cause severe harm) and approaches quickly. His goal is to pluck Trauma out of the tornado when he's close enough and use his fists to take his opponent out.
Living Lightning heads to help Crystal with Firebird. Since Firebird is being barraged with water, she should serve as a nice conductor to electricity. All Living Lightning has to do is zap her and the intensity of his blast increases. However, that effect won't last long, so it will become a battle between fire and lightning.
Flatman and Sandman work to get their opponents together. Doorman would, too, once he finds Yellowjacket. The idea is that once those opponents (Namor and Marrina) are near each other, the two can better work to defeat them. Flatman could hold Namor's ankles while Sandman engulfs Marrina and uses her as a projectile against Namor, to name one item.
Crystal, although probably fairly exerted as this point, will help where needed.This might be what happens toward the end:
If everything works in my favor and everything goes as planned or close to planned, the last to fall will probably be Yellowjacket and Trauma or Namor. At that point, Crystal, Flatman, and probably Doorman (he's bound to fall sometime amidst this chaos). That would leave Martinex, Sandman, Texas Twister, and Living Lightning for Major Victory to rally for, well, victory.

[mattbib]

The most dangerous of our opponents is Crystal of the Inhumans, as such she is the highest priority in our actions:

Doctor Druid mentally assaults Crystal while making himself invisible to the opposing team, dominating her mind before she can act (the speed of thought yo) and force her to create a wall of air which shields those of our team who are still at a distance from projectiles, while the following happens simultaneously;
Yellowjacket (Rita) shrinks and takes to the air and moves toward the enemy team (but not near Sandman) - as she can fly at high speeds this will not take long. As she is moving at high speeds and is near invisible due to her size (not to mention capable of dodging) she cannot be hit with accuracy by Martinex' projectiles, Major Victory (Vance Astro's) psyche blasts/shield throwing or Living Lightning's electricity. Texas Twister will be unable to assault her with a hurricane/twister as she will soon be in the midst of the enemy team and if he did raise a hurricane/twister in response, he would either:
A) include her in the 'eye' of the hurricane along with team mates by accident or
B) hit the rest of his team with a hurricane along with her, again by accident.
Firebird likewise takes to the air and flies to as high a vantage and sends a stream of intense focused heat toward Sandman's feet. She feels free to do this as Sandman cannot be killed in the conventional sense. This will begin to impede Sandman's movement as his feet begin to turn to glass. Should Sandman move, the fragility of the glass as opposed to the weight of a dense sand body will cause his feet to shatter so he's grounded temporarily.
Namor flies high into the air.
The rest of our team remain behind the air shield for the moment.
Dr. Druid instructs Crystal to douse Living Lightning with a steady stream of water, shorting him out.
Yellowjacket zaps Texas Twister full blast repeatedly which hopefully knocks him out and if not it at least prevents him from acting for long enough that our other flyers can get in closer while:
Firebird sends precise bursts of flame near Major Victory, Living Lightning (if he's still in human form), Doorman and Flatman. As Bonita is not willing to use lethal force these are mainly used as distractions, even if they are very potent ones.
Namor flies toward Martinex - due to his durability and ability to withstand low temperatures (e.g bottom of the ocean) he should be able to get to Martinex relatively intact should he get hit however there is a good likelihood he will not get hit since Namor flies pretty fast so it'd be hard to hit a moving target when it is moving that fast. Once he's in range he pelts Martinex as hard as he can, which should knock him out and if not, it will at least send him a great enough distance that he isn't an immediate worry.
Dr. Druid lets Crystal drop the air shield and commands her to start a localised earthquake around the rest of her team (our enemy) and to cook Sandman with some heat. Additionally she blocks Major Victory's ear drums with a small pocket of air. This will keep any ground based units our enemy has off balance and will keep Sandman occupied briefly.
Marrina picks up Trauma and runs to wherever Living Lightning currently is and insulates his body with hers. She possesses a degree of superhuman speed so it won't take long. Once in range for Trauma, she sets him down as Trauma begins to use his power on Living Lightning. While this is happening:
Firebird once again concentrates on Sandman, hitting him with her full power in conjunction with the dominated Crystal's cooking of him. Sandman should be close to completely glass now.
Yellowjacket blasts Major Victory which should cause him to fall at the very least, if not pwn him and take him out. Once he's on the ground he won't be able to get back up because of the balance issues. Same applies to Twister.
Namor flies toward Sandman and gives him a huge punch, shattering him. While this is happening:
Dr. Druid makes Crystal cease the earthquake and the Sandman cooking and create pockets of air disrupting the balance of any enemy team member still active apart from herself.
Komodo carries Zero – G as he makes himself and Komodo low gravity. She makes a running jump toward the enemy.
Trauma uses his power to confront Living Lightning with his greatest fear – the loss and destruction of self and one's own relationships with others by becoming nothing but energy for eternity. Such a confrontation will cause him to power down and very briefly immobilise him.
Yellowjacket goes around zapping any of the ground based opponents (excepting Crystal) who look like they're going to get up.
Firebird watches out for sin.
Zero-G eases off the low gravity once he and Komodo have safely arrived behind enemy lines. Additionally Zero-G increases the gravity upon Sandman's fragments so that they cannot move and thus reform. Sandman is out. Simultaneously:
Komodo runs and grabs Flatman and uses his body to garrote Doorman (who can't really do anything since there is no next door to teleport to). Once Doorman is unconscious she ties Flatman in a knot around Doorman. In the process she accidentally kills Doorman by using too much force, which is to be expected since he's GLA. They're out.
Marrina sucker punches Living Lightning. He's out.
Yellowjacket keeps with hall monitor zapping thing.
Firebird still watches out for sin.
Namor thinks of committing bestiality with Marrina while acting as back up for either Komodo or Marrina should they fai in their tasks.
Zero-G goes around and massively increases the gravity upon the remainder, bar Crystal, so that they can't get up or aim their blasts. If there is any sign of trouble then Yellowjacket will zap them or Komodo will kick them in the balls. Major Victory, Martinex and Texas Twister are out. Meanwhile:
Dr. Druid commands Crystal to sleep. She's out. He then does a CC dance to commemorate his domination of Crystal.
Massive pwnage yo

[Fatguy]

Yeesh, IMHO this one is by FAR the toughest one to judge I have read yet. I have to give it to Joe though, as the Avenging Rump Rangers' (giggle) plan seems to rely a little too heavily on Crystal being basically on their team. I would think it wouldnt be long before Druid's hold over her was disrupted by somebody on the Forces of Nature team.

This one was super fun to read though, well done guys :)

[Brian M.]

Great strategies on both sides. Again...I know about half of these characters so I'll be voting and asking questions later tonight.

[Joe Acro]

I would think it wouldnt be long before Druid's hold over her was disrupted by somebody on the Forces of Nature team.
That opening Texas Twister move comes to mind.

[Mike Smash!]

Rags and I need to consult on our vote, but I just want to say how thrilled I am to see so many cool second tier characters (and two Great Lakes Avengers and a flying cowboy!) in this.

Awesome strats, both of you!

[w00tmaster93]

Both great stargeties but I think Joe's fight is a little more believable. It was a tough call though.

[Dagger]

That opening Texas Twister move comes to mind.
How's he going to hone in on Druid, if he can't even see where he's at? Dr. Druid has the ability to be amongst people and not even know he's there. He's gotten by even Wolverine's enhanced senses, plus our opening move was to mentally take over Crystal, which thwarts your beginning move of having her use her powers against us.

[Joe Acro]

How's he going to hone in on Druid, if he can't even see where he's at? Dr. Druid has the ability to be amongst people and not even know he's there. He's gotten by even Wolverine's enhanced senses, plus our opening move was to mentally take over Crystal, which thwarts your beginning move of having her use her powers against us.
Essentially, Texas Twister would just aim at the opposing team as a whole (or the largest cluster, as it were). You don't have him move away from the team, so my assumption would be that he'd still get wrapped up in it and become distracted and disoriented.

[TotalWorldDomination]

Flâneur & Dagger's stragiegy, while good, relys a little too much on Dr. Druid being able to matain controll of Crystal. And While TT and Major V are creating problems for him I can't see him maintaining that level of controll.

Kudos to Joe on the Kemodo strategy as well.

[Dagger]

Flâneur & Dagger's stragiegy, while good, relys a little too much on Dr. Druid being able to matain controll of Crystal. And While TT and Major V are creating problems for him I can't see him maintaining that level of controll.

Kudos to Joe on the Kemodo strategy as well.
The thing is Dr. Druid is a major league psi, taking control of groups of Avengers several times over including Thor at one point in time. Our opening move is to have him take control of Crystal, (which really shouldn't be a problem what with her having zero psi-blocks) and create a wall of air to deflect projectiles, like the ones that Texas Twister is shooting at him. Then he makes himself invisible, so they don't really know where he's at at any given time.

[Joe Acro]

The thing is Dr. Druid is a major league psi, taking control of groups of Avengers several times over including Thor at one point in time. Our opening move is to have him take control of Crystal, (which really shouldn't be a problem what with her having zero psi-blocks) and create a wall of air to deflect projectiles, like the ones that Texas Twister is shooting at him.Twister isn't really shooting at them. Like I say in the strategy, he is "summoning a tornado", making it not really projectile.

What exactly is a "wall of air"? Is it hard?

[Dagger]

Twister isn't really shooting at them. Like I say in the strategy, he is "summoning a tornado", making it not really projectile.

What exactly is a "wall of air"? Is it hard?
Yes, it's technically, a swift wind blowing in front of our team, deflecting oncoming projectiles. Much like if you were to throw a tennis ball into a tornado, it wouldn't go right through it, but be deflected and and shoot another way. She did it back in Avengers #365, I believe when they were fighting the Kree sentry's down in Antartica.

[unkiedev]

People seem to have a problem with Dr. Druid controlling Crystal or maintaining control over crystal. I think Flâneur & Dagger allotted for this nicely.

I'm giving it to the Rump Rangers. :p

[Will.S]

This is definitely a tough one, I'll get back to you guys as soon as I re-read some of these strats. There's so much going on, it's hard to keep track for me sometimes.

[Bob-el]

This is definitely a tough one, I'll get back to you guys as soon as I re-read some of these strats. There's so much going on, it's hard to keep track for me sometimes.

I'd agree. I've got to read it all one more time to see where I think it will go when certain strategies breakdown.

Both sides seem to ignore people at various times. it didn't seem that Flatman and Doorman are mentioned in Flaneur and Dagger's strategy for a long time and Joe's plan for dealing with Yellowjacket seemed half-hearted.

I'm still thinking about this but so far I haven't found a problem with Major Victory taking on Druid and if that happens early then F&D get a lot less Crystal time to work with. By the way, isn't all this heat that is being generated against Sandman going to be a problem for Namor and Marrina?

I liked F&D's glass strategy against Sandman and the amount of detail. Good use of Yellowjacket. I'm glad that the strategy didn't lean on Namor too much as a heavy hitter.

All in all, I'm leaning toward Joe's strategy because that Crystal thing looks to me like it will break down due to Major Victory.

By the way, you can't accidentally kill Doorman because he's already dead!

[Joe Acro]

Both sides seem to ignore people at various times. it didn't seem that Flatman and Doorman are mentioned in Flaneur and Dagger's strategy for a long time and Joe's plan for dealing with Yellowjacket seemed half-hearted.I thought since I had two Great Lakes Avengers characters, I needed to do something funny with one of them. Given the actions Flâneur & Dagger have Yellowjacket do, it seems likely that Doorman wouldn't have too much trouble finding her.

I liked F&D's glass strategy against Sandman and the amount of detail.I'm not sure if Sandman is really affected by glass anymore. In a Spider-Man annual, he was able to turn small parts of himself into mirror while moving forward.

By the way, you can't accidentally kill Doorman because he's already dead!Plus, they wouldn't be able to strangle him (as planned) because Flatman would just go through him.

[Dagger]

He was transformed into glass in a issue of Thunderbolts, so yes, he can be turned into glass.

And as soon as we possess Crystal, she simultaneously protects us while attacking her own team, so they have to compensate for being attacked by one of their own team members.

[Joe Acro]

He was transformed into glass in a issue of Thunderbolts, so yes, he can be turned into glass.
How long ago?

[Dagger]

How long ago?
It was a few years ago. After he had went back to being a bad guy, right around 2000, I believe, maybe later.

[Cthulhudrew]

In an issue of Spider-Man (one of the Return of the Sinister Six issues- Larsen), even after being turned into glass and being shattered, Sandman was able to reform himself and keep himself together (although with difficulty) in glass form, to the point he was able to later surprise Doc Ock and attack him (shredding the guy badly).

Admittedly, he was in pieces rather than in one piece, though... so maybe I don't have a point. :confused:

[Bob-el]

Okay, I've gone back over the strategies and here's how I see it.

Joe's going to lose Lightning, Sandman and Martinex. F&D are going to lose Druid, Komodo and Trauma.

Both are counting on zapping people - Zero G, Firebird, Twister. This would a problem for Joe since I figure on him losing Lightning but since F&D aren't doing anything to Crystal till the end it is less of a problem.

Joe has a strategy for using Flatman on Marrina. F&D rely on Komodo for that and didn't present an alternative strategy if that doesn't work out.

That leaves Joe with Flat, Door, MV and Crystal to handle Namor and YJ. I can assess strategies that I won't go into for how the rest of the fight might go but the numbers stack up in Joe's favor.

I give it to Joe in a really close fight. Good job on both sides.

[Flâneur]

When considering Dr. Druid's capabilities you must remember that he is not only a gifted psi but that these abilities are augmented by his mystical skills and that Crystal has never been shown with any mental blocks. So it is completely plausible that he could retain control over her, especially when you remember that this fight doesn't really last that long when you look at the actions involved. He also isn't doing many things at once so this shouldn't be at all hard for him.

Also, even if Crystal manages to start her air based attack (which is quite debatable), it would be stopped by the fact that she's being controlled by Dr. Druid. This possession also forces her to create a wall which also completely blocks Texas Twister's twister from hitting our team.

So Dr. Druid's action takes out most of the opponent's initial attack.



After:

*Victory cannot directly approach Dr. Druid because of the wall of air, nor can he detect him because of invisibility. So he can't engage him.

*Sandman is grounded by Crystal (thanks to Druid) + blocked by the air wall (esp. since he's sand)+ Namor is in the air already. So his attack on Namor fails.

*Namor flies faster than Martinex can run (it is flight after all and Martinex has no super speed). So he'd hit Martinex way before he'd get to Komodo.

*Texas Twister cannot throw Flatman because of A) the wall of air and B) he's being zapped by Yellowjacket. He cannot hit Trauma with the twister either for the same reason.

What exactly is a "wall of air"? Is it hard?
Something vaguely similar is the type of things Windshear does if that helps you wrap your head around it. Or if you're more the bookish type, Polgara in the belgariad/malloreon (IIRC).


By the way, isn't all this heat that is being generated against Sandman going to be a problem for Namor and Marrina?
Marrina is never near Sandman so it shouldn't prove an immediate problem and we don't have Namor do anything taxing after he's shattered Sandman.

By the way, you can't accidentally kill Doorman because he's already dead!GLA always find a way!:p

[Brian M.]

Flanuer's points right there are why I'm going to throw my vote their way. I agree that Dr. Druid would be able to keep control over Crystal. I think the mind control happens quicker than Crystal's attack and even if it is a little after, still should stop her.

Still, good match.

[Nyssane]

As much as I LOVE Joe Acro and the fact that he used Flatman, I'mma have to go with Dagger and Flaneur. Both were written EXTREMELY well, GREAT JOB TO ALL OF YOU. <3

[Karl H]

It narrowly goes to Acro.

Had to read both strats about 4 times and go into full research mode on it though. Top bout guys.

[mattbib]

Still time to get your votes in for this match!

[Flâneur]

Oh well, I guess it's the loser bracket for us. *anti-thor planning*

[Brian M.]

Congrats to both sides. Time to start writing a strategy for the possible match w/ Joe. "Anti-Crystal Planning".

[Joe Acro]

Great job, you two! Such a great match. Unfortunately, one side had to lose.

I wish you luck in your future matches.

[Flâneur]

Great job, you two! Such a great match. Unfortunately, one side had to lose.

I wish you luck in your future matches.

Thanks! Good luck to you too! :)

[Dagger]

When is the next match and who are we facing off against? I gotsta do my research:p

[Flâneur]

When is the next match and who are we facing off against? I gotsta do my research:p

It is Bob-El I believe and next week, so far I have accounted for all of his team but I'm a tad unsure about how to tackle Thor.

[mattbib]

Congratulations, Joe Acro. You move on in the upper bracket, facing Cthulhudrew next Tuesday morning, October 2, in Game 10.

Flâneur & Dagger, good job. You continue in the lower bracket, facing Bob-el next Tuesday afternoon in Game L3/L4.

[Fatguy]

Grats Joe ;)

Very nice job by both of you.