MARVEL UNITED RHINO ATTACK

A rhino is on the loose in New York City! He is rampaging through sites ranging from Central Park to Time Square with the goal of stealing technology from OSCORP and Stark Industries labs in Manhattan to sell to the highest bidder.  Stopping this villain's masterplan is our challenge in this Marvel United family game night!

Aleksei Sytsevich, also known by the alias RHINO, was an enforcer with the Russian mob when one of his oligarch bossed "volunteered" him to have an experimental combat suit grafted to his skin. He possesses extraordinary strength and is amazingly fast making him as dangerous as a charging rhino. Aleksei is now an independent contractor providing muscle for mercenary work and burglaries. Rhino charges around the game board with a BAM! that both KOs heroes that oppose this super villain and forces them to waste turns by placing action cards facedown within the storyline. 

In the MARVEL UNITED tabletop game players each assume the role of superheroes cooperating to stop the master plan of a powerful opponent controlled by a deck of cards that serve as artificial intelligence competing against the real-life players. The supervillain's master plan is unveiled as cards are played that trigger different effects and threats are activated that pose challenges across the locations on the game board. Players cultivate their own deck of special effects cards that are placed in a storyline along with the villain's cards to create your Marvel United adventure. Cards placed within the storyline activate superpowers that individual characters can use or can be passed on to teammates for extra powerful combo moves. Build your storyline, unite your powers, save the day!

Who will stand up to Rhino and save New Your City from his crime spree? It appears the Avengers and Spider-Man are tied up dealing with other threats to the world. So, the fate of the city is up to an unlikely trio of heroes: Black Cat, Howard the Duck and the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!

Black Cat

One of the most talented thieves on the planet, Felicia Hardy is an anti-hero who will standup against wrongdoers committing evil acts and hurting the innocent while also picking the pockets of the ultra wealthy to finance her own lavish lifestyle. She will standup to Rhino to protect civilians in his path, but is she out to do good or simply trying to take his score for herself. This cat burglar has feline-type abilities that include enhanced agility and the power to project bad luck onto others.

Howard the Duck

Howard was transported to Earth from another dimension where water fowl are the planet's leading intelligent form of life. Howard has no superpowers but is skilled in the martial art of Quak-Fu which allows him to hold his own against much larger and more powerful opponents. He also carries a big freaking gun that can be used to clear locations on the gameboard of the thugs that are serving as henchmen for the Rhino's masterplan. 

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Squirrel Girl 

Not intimidated by the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl? You should be! Doreen Green has squirrel-like abilities that include super speed, strength and senses. She has the sharp teeth and jaw strength that allows her to chew through almost any material including metal. She can also communicate with and command squirrels to assist her. Plus, she has a big, fluffy tail! Most importantly, in a nut shell Squirrel Girl has some of the best cards available in her deck to provide the final blow for a hero victory in the game.

The heroes in our game were having a rough time with Rhino stampeding theme preventing them from getting any traction against him. In Marvel United, players must unlock two of three objectives involving rescuing civilians, stopping henchmen and eliminating threats before they can combat the villain straight on. Things were looking bleak as the Rhino knocked out Black Cat over and over again with his charge move and the villain's masterplan kept resulting in player's not being able to play their special effects cards.

Black Cat, Squirrel Girl and Howard the Duck remained persistent though. They kept fighting! The team held out long enough that Squirrel Girl was able to play an action card from her deck that squashed Rhino's masterplan. She used her Common Sense ability → If the number of your Special Effects cards in the Storyline is greater than the Villain's current Health, the Heroes win the game.

While our heroes hadn't been able to unlock the accomplishments needed to attack Rhino directly, Squirrel Girl's common sense was his undoing. Rhino had 8 health points, but the team had played 9 special effect cards within the Storyline when Squirrel Girl's turn came up. Luckily, she had been able to hold onto that card in her deck without it being drained during the gameplay. Tossing that tenth special effects card down won the game!

Just in the nick of time too! If a villain, expends all of its A.I. action cards that completes the masterplan and ends the game with a loss for the heroes. Rhino only had 2 cards left when Squirrel Girl made her move! Whew ... that was close! Doreen Green really did earn the name Unbeatable Squirrel Girl with that game winning move.

MARVEL UNITED combines strategy, teamwork and luck in an entertaining combination of board game, RPG and card decking building competitive play. It provides a nice time having players engage in cooperative play where no individual wins the game but rather everyone wins or losses as a team. We've had some great family time playing the Marvel United tabletop game. It has absolutely earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval! 

One last note. Playing pieces come unpainted with the Marvel United MARVEL UNITED game. The characters shown in this post were decorated with my own amateurish skills. Be nice!

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