Strategic Initiative: Extract plays #3
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Welcome back to another edition of Strategic Initiative! Today I'll be going over one of the more convoluted and far reaching extract play available to the Uncanny X-Men. Before we jump into the thick of it, let's go over some of the tools we need to make this work.
For this particular set up, we're looking to gain an advantage on the F shaped extracts (Spider-Infected and Cubes) with help from both Storm's leadership and To Me, My X-Men! Additionally, you need at least a long mover with a 50mm base (which, at the time of writing, limits it to Angela or Amazing Spider-Man) Beast or any model with at least a 50mm base that can, by themselves, generate more than 1 power, with Eyes On the Prize. What are we trying to accomplish that requires all these tools? The idea is to be able to do a «safe» extract grab, meaning that you can, in a single action, move, take an extract, and move back to relative safety on the opposite side of the board.
First, let's go over the play sequence without priority. Starting with deployment, we'll aim for what I think is the most flexible, forgiving and gives the best margin of manoeuvre. The first model is easy to place, you want to put your 50mm base character exactly in the center of the map, to be able to eventually reach either F extracts on the opposing side of the board. Next is Storm, who you want to be relatively centrally deployed to let her play To Me, My X-Men! effectively. Next are the two affiliated models you need to bring, to both get the affiliation bonus and to be able to grab one of your opponent's extracts. A good trick I've found to help with deploying those two models efficiently, is to line them up with the F extracts on the flanks, and put them next to that line towards the center. Since this set up requires Storm, two affiliated models and a 50mm based character, it means you deploy this setup at every threat level. Here's an example of the finished product and what the deployment line looks like, keep in mind that without priority, you get to choose your board edge and leverage it to your advantage to clear terrain that would obstruct you. Another alternative deployment trick you could do, is set a character slightly behind Angela or Storm to get a better angle on To Me, My X-Men.
Once you've deployed, since you don't have priority, maximizing your options is very important to be able to react and adjust to what your opponent is doing. Once your opponent has gone, assuming they safely grab the central extract, you can have Storm use To Me, My X-Men on either of the other affiliated models deployed to the side, while making sure they're within R2 of your 50mm based character. Then, that character uses the X-Men jump over the affiliated model you moved, and, they can, in a single move action, go to the opposing side of the board, grab an extract, and move back to relative safety.
Now let's go over the options when you have priority. The deployment is relatively similar. For the first activation, you want to use To Me, My X-Men on one of the affiliated models, to move them close to the center of the board, to safely grab the center in a single move action, then move back to R2 in front of your medium based character.
Then your opponent goes with their turn, likely grabbing one of the two extracts on their side of the board. On your turn, just like the previous play sequence, you have your 50mm base character jump over the model that's R2 in front of them, angled towards the extract you want to grab then take a single move to the remaining extract on the opposing side of the board and move back to safety. Which means that, unless your opponent dives and takes one of the extracts on your side of the board, leaves you up 4-1 on extracts.
