If you’re intrigued by the MARVEL Crisis Protocol game, our guide today will help you navigate the starting point and determine if this game is the right fit for you. Explore the optimal ways to initiate your journey into the MARVEL universe with the available resources.
List, Threat, and Affiliations
MARVEL Crisis Protocol is a skirmish game in which each player must make a list that includes 10 miniatures of superheroes or villains from the MARVEL universe. Although the list is composed of 10 miniatures, the reality is that you will end up playing with only 3-6 miniatures depending on the missions.
In any given game there are two missions (Crisis) that are active throughout the game. These missions are the ones that set a point limit to play. This point limit is called the “Threat Level”. The Threat Level varies between 15 and 20 points. Each character in the game is assigned a threat cost that is usually between 2 and 8 points. Secretly, once the two missions are known, each player chooses which characters to play in that game.
In this game you can mix and match as you wish. That is to say, you can play in the same team with Spider-Man and the Green Goblin or also with Dormammu and Thanos… The limit is in your imagination! But, there is a point called Affiliations.
The miniatures are organized in groups known as Affiliations. If more than half of the miniatures in your band belong to the same Affiliation, that will be your Affiliation and you will be able to benefit from interesting rules and combos that we will not be able to pass up.
All Affiliations have at least 1 leader who is the one who will grant an Affiliation rule to the whole band. Nowadays, there are quite a few affiliations that have at least 2 leaders to choose from.
In addition to the units, in order to be able to play we must also carry 10 Tactics cards. These cards are events that can be played during the game: special attacks, extra scores, reactions, various abilities… Some of these cards are able to change the course of the game.
Of these 10 cards, we will have to choose only 5 to be able to play.
Finally, to play we must also carry a deck of 6 Crisis cards (missions). There are two types of missions in the game: securing and extraction. The deck must contain 3 of each.
Example List:
- Characters (10): Captain America, Quicksilver, Spider-Woman, Hulk, Black Swan, Doctor Strange, Magik, Daredevil, The Ancient One, Moon Knight.
- Tactical Cards (5): Avengers Assemble, Warpath, Journey Through Limbo, Double Agent, Can I Borrow That?
- Crisis Cards (6): Infinity Formula Goes Missing!, Struggle for the Cube Continues, Piots Spark Over Extremis 3.0, The Montesi Formula Found, Research Station Attacked.
At the start of the game, after a few rolls, we establish which two missions will be played and what the threat level will be (i.e. the maximum number of points that my gang must have). After that, we must choose which of the characters on my list will play. To do this we must take into account the sum of their threat levels (which should never exceed the limit of the mission), the Affiliation that they can form between them and, of course, the objectives of the missions.
From this list, depending on all this, I could play with an Avengers Affiliation, a Summoning Affiliation or even a Defenders Affiliation.
What Material Do I Need?
The main thing is what we have discussed:
- The miniatures.
- Their unit cards.
- The cards of missions (Crisis) and the Tactics cards.
- Scenography. This is something crucial in MCP. The scenery is interactive and the characters take advantage of it to destroy it and smash it against the rivals.
Besides this, it is advisable to have our own pack of dice, rules and tokens needed to play.
Where Do I Start Playing MARVEL Crisis Protocol?
The recommended starting point is the basic game box, though currently sold out, with a new release on the horizon.
Affiliation Packs containing miniatures of the same affiliation are also a great starting point, offering variety and cost-effectiveness.
Available Affiliation Packs:
- Black Order
- Asgard
- Mutant Brotherhood
- X-MEN
- Wakanda
- Web Warriors
This way of starting is highly recommended if you are clear about which affiliation you like the most. The negative point is that you still need the rules and the dice, so you will have to use the expansions that have this loose material.
I don’t see the scenery as a limit either. In this game you can perfectly take advantage of scenery that you may have at home from other games.
Wherever you start, the normal expansions of this game usually come with 1 or 2 miniatures depending on their size. Having a clear list and the Affiliation that you are more familiar with, you can orient your future purchase towards one side or the other.
Conclusions
If you have a problem with plastic and you love the MARVEL universe, don’t read this post. I think I should have put at the beginning of the post….
GAMESOME! That’s my opinion, of course. But it’s the opinion of a miniatures game lover and the opinion of a wargamer who has tried too many games. MARVEL Crisis Protocol is a good game.
It is an agile game, with few miniatures and with changes in the course of the game that are dizzying. Strategy and chance are mixed and within that chaos the games arise and form a very good game dynamic that always makes you want to play more and more games.
The quality of the miniatures and their scale make the artistic side of the game also gain weight if you are looking to enjoy painting your favorite superheroes and villains.
The game is alive and continues to receive expansions almost every month. Today there is plenty of variety to play whatever you want.
MARVEL Crisis Protocol is not just a game; it’s an immersive journey into the MARVEL universe. With its dynamic gameplay, diverse miniatures, and regular expansions, it’s a game that keeps on giving. Whether you’re a seasoned wargamer or new to the hobby, MARVEL Crisis Protocol offers an exciting and visually stunning experience. Start your adventure today with the guidance from Starbrush Studio, and may your MARVEL universe come to life on the gaming table!
