AMG is rolling out a lot of re-releases lately for Marvel Crisis Protocol, and as a player who got into the game with the second core set, I'm happy to add these models to my collection, though I will admit that some of the older assemblies are...tricky. Let's dive in.
The Xavier's Students Affiliation pack comes with 4 models, including Magik, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Bishop, along with the character cards and tactics cards we've come to expect with all MCP releases. The sprues are a good mix. Magik and Colossus are hard to find these days, and the Magik model is one that hobbyists see all over instagram, so it's great to have these models. Nightcrawler and Bishop are newer, but I haven't seen either pack at my LGS in a while, so all in all, great lineup of models.
Fun options and beautiful sculpts, just beware of some of the bits!
Assembly can be easy, but there are a few quirks I want to warn you about. Magik can be pretty difficult to assemble. I found her arms fairly difficult, and I had to use sprue glue to do a lot of gap filling. This is a major issue with this strategy from AMG. While I love having a rare model, I wish they would take the time to rework how it comes together. More recent models are incredibly easy to put together, and with push fit models on the horizon, it's time to update.
Other than that, you get some fun variability with these models. Nightcrawler comes with alternate arms, a "BAMF!" that can be placed anywhere, and Bishop comes with a spare head, in case you're one of the minority that doesn't want to rock the mullet.
This whole affiliation is strong!
Diving into the cards, they're fairly cheap, with Magik coming in at 3 threat, and the rest coming in at 4. All of the characters move Medium, which makes them all decent additions to your X-Men rosters. I'll call out some specific powers which I think players will find fun, starting with Magik's Limbo step, which allows her to teleport based on the amount of power spent. This power is replicated with her tactic card, Journey Through Limbo, which allows her to use that power on another character, lighting them on fire in the process. Great if you want to set up an enemy for death or move an ally (preferably one that is immune to incinerate).
Colossus, my favorite big Russian metal man, really shows up as a tank. Big Brother is a power that allows him to redirect attacks to him, and Bozhe Moi allows him to add more defensive dice. Add that to his Organic Steel, and you've got a good blocker. His moveset is what you'd expect, up close fighting and throwing terrain. He has a few tactic cards, but the one we should care about the most is Fastball Special. Grab Wolverine and throw him. Fun times.
Bishop is a weird character. Much like his comic counterpart, he can absorb energy, which results in wilds rolled on the dice turning into power, which then he can use back with the Return With Interest power. However, to balance him, he has Overload, which punishes the player for hording power. If there's 8 or more, Bishop is dazed!
Nightcrawler rules. BAMF! allows him to teleport around the field, Puff of Smoke allows him to punch and then vanish, and Invisible in Shadow utilizes terrain to give him Stealth. I would use Nightcrawler to either deal quick damage or secure across the terrain. Mass Transit, his tactic card, allows him to move three other allies. This alone is worth the cost of including him.
End result models look solid. Cannot wait to paint up Magik!
Are you adding Xavier's Students to your roster? I certainly am. In the future, we'll add in some tutorials, so keep an eye on GamingTrend for all things Marvel Crisis Protocol
Marvel: Crisis Protocol - Xavier’s Students Affiliation Pack
Great
Some awesome models and powers add to X-Men rosters with the Xavier's Students Affiliation pack, but some of the assembly is downright annoying.
Pros
- Excellent powers and tactics
- Some rare models that look great
Cons
- Magik is pretty difficult to build
This review is based on a retail copy provided by the publisher.
