Red Harvest: A Marvel Universe Heroclix Campaign

The general plot for this campaign is shamelessly stolen from the classic Dashiell Hammett crime novel Red Harvest. This campaign involves Heroes for Hire (Power Man and Iron First) and some of their allies as they work to clean up a corrupt town. One player uses the good guys, the other uses the bad guys. Heretofore, the players will be referred to respectively as the Hero and the Villain.

AVAILABLE CHARACTERS: The Hero must choose one version of Power Man and one version of Iron Fist. He must use the same versions in each scenario. He may use the duo figure if he so chooses. Various friends and allies will around to help—either because they were asked or because they just happen to be nearby when the fighting starts. To finish up his team, the Hero always has the option of using Misty Knight and/or Coleen Wing. In addition, at the beginning of each scenario, he rolls on the following charts to see which other character or characters are available to him for that scenario only. He then repeats the process to select a second guest star. The Hero may use either of these guest stars, or neither of them, or both. The Hero must use the same version of a character each time he has the opportunity to use it.


Roll one die:

1-3: Roll again on Chart A (using 20-sided die)4-6: Roll again on Chart B (using 20-sided die)


CHART A

1: Spider Man

2: Daredevil

3: Human Torch

4: Thing

5. Captain America OR U.S. Agent

6: Moon Knight

7: Black Widow

8: Punisher

9: Hawkeye

10: Black Panther

11: Wolverine

12: Iceman

13: Swordsman

14: Marvel Boy/Justice

15: Machine Man

16: Black Knight

17: Angel

18: Hercules

19: Beast

20: Cyclops


Chart B:

1: Cloak & Dagger (must use both)

2: Scarlet Witch (May not use Ultimates or Brotherhood version)

3. Quicksilver

4. Paladin

5. Valkerie

6. Nighthawk (May not use Sinister Syndicate version)

7. Black Cat

8. Tigra OR Hellcat

9. Shang Chi

10. Silver Sable

11. Wasp

12. Firestar

13: Ant Man OR Giant Man

14: She Hulk

15: Mantis

16: Mockingbird

17: Puck

18: Nightcrawler

19: Falcon

20: Storm

The Villain will have different figures to choose from in each scenario. If a character can be re-used in different scenarios, then the Villain must use the same version each time.Both players may always use duplicates of any allowable generics.

FEAT CARDS: Neither player may use “In Contact with Oracle” or “Lazarus Pit,” but otherwise players may use Feat Cards freely when building their teams.

MAPS: Each scenario in this campaign has a specific map designated for it. If a specific map isn’t available, then the players should be able to agree on a reasonable substitute. Resolve any disputes via a dice roll.

WARNING: This campaign requires owning or borrowing a lot of generics, including some borrowed from the DC Universe.


BACKGROUND: The New York City suburb of Piersonville is more commonly known as Poisonville. It is a town almost openly controlled by three separate mobs, who have divided up the gambling, protection and drug smuggling rackets between them. . The police department and city government both receive payoffs to look the other way—the police, in fact, essentially form a fourth mob in Piersonville.

The owner of a local TV station wants to break the mob hold on Piersonville. He employs Power Man and Iron Fist to do the job. But when Luke and Danny arrive in town to meet with their new employer at the local zoo, they see him gunned down before they can do anything about it. The Heroes for Hire leap into action—it’s too late to save an innocent life, but they can still bring his killers to justice.

SCENARIO #1: “HE’S DEAD, LUKE!”:


Luke, Danny and friends take on an unusual squad of diverse hitmen.

TEAMS: 300 points each. The Villain uses any number of Henchmen, Criminals, Hand Ninjas and/or HDC Troopers.

MAP: The Zoo map from the Icons starter set.

SET-UP: The players roll for first player, who then chooses the Zoo map by default. Otherwise, choose sides and set up normally.

VICTORY: The scenario lasts 10 rounds. Normal victory conditions apply.

CONSEQUENCES: If the Hero wins, Luke and Danny are able to “persuade” a captured hitman to provide him with some information about who employed the squad. If the Villain wins, the hitmen all escape (with KO’d killers being carried off by their companions).

So, if the Hero wins, he learns the identities of the various mob bosses that much quicker. He gets to use 20 points of free Feat Cards when building his next team. (In other words, he can build a 420 point team, as long as at least 20 points of it are in Feat Cards.)

If the Villain wins, the good guys are delayed in their investigations. In this case, it’s the Villain who gets the 20 points of free Feat Cards in Scenario #2.


THE STORY CONTINUES: The Heroes learn that the three gangs are controlled by Green Goblin (smuggling), Kingpin (gambling), and Sidewinder (protection.) Evidence points to Sidewinder as having hired the hit squad.Luke and Danny manage to contact Green Goblin and run a con on him. They fool him into thinking Sidewinder is double crossing him and moving in on his territory. The Heroes team up with Goblin for an attack on Sidewinder’s territory.


SCENARIO #2: UNLIKELY ALLIES


TEAMS: 400 points. The Hero builds a team using Luke, Danny, any guest stars, Green Goblin and any number of Thugs, Criminals, Henchmen and Lackeys. (Remember the 20 free points of Feat cards the winner of Scenario #1 receives.)

The Villain uses Sidewinder, any figures with the Serpent Society TA and any number of Thugs, Criminals, Henchmen and Lackeys.

MAP: Use the Warehouse map from the Marvel Premiere set.

SET UP: The Hero is first player. Otherwise, choose sides and set up normally.

VICTORY: The scenario lasts 12 rounds. Normal victory conditions apply.

CONSEQUENCES: If the Hero wins, he has broken the back of Sidewinder’s Piersonville operation. One mob down, two to go. If the Villain wins, then Sidewinder is still around, though his gang is weakened. This gives the Villain more options when building his team for the last scenario.


THE STORY CONTINUES: Luke and Danny continue to play the gangs (and the corrupt police chief) off against one another. They are able to trick the corrupt police chief into giving away the location of Kingpin’s main gambling casino, then force him into helping them raid the place.

SCENARIO #3: GAMBLE WITH YOUR LIFE

TEAMS: 400 points. The Hero builds a team using Luke, Danny, any guest stars and any number of SWAT cops. The Villain uses Kingpin, any number of Thugs, Criminals, Henchmen and Lackey, and any TWO figures with the Sinister Syndicate keyword.


MAP: Use the Mansion map from the Indoor Adventure kit.


SET UP: The Hero is first player. The Villain sets up his force inside the house or within two squares of any entrance to the house. The Hero then chooses a normal set up area. Place objects normally, with the villain being able to place objects in any clear, unoccupied space.. There is no first turn immunity.

VICTORY: The scenario lasts 12 rounds. Normal victory conditions apply.

CONSEQENCES: If the Hero wins, then Kingpin is forced out of town. Another step towards cleaning up Piersonville is successfully taken.But if the Villain wins, Kingpin hangs on to his operation. This gives the Villain more options when building his team for the last scenario



THE STORY CONCLUDES: By now, Piersonville is a mess. The various mobs, formally living in peace with one another, are hitting each other right and left. Luke and Danny manage to negotiate a truce and bring the remaining gang leaders to a meeting in the local park. But this is a trick—the heroes have gathered all the evidence they need against the remaining crooks and, with the help of a SHIELD task force, move in to clean up the town. But it won’t be as easy as it seems. The mobsters have bought some Dreadnaughts from the Maggia and hired a team of mercenaries to beef up their forces.

SCENARIO #4: FINALE

TEAMS: Use 500 point teams this time. The Hero uses Luke, Danny, any guest stars and may include Nick Fury and any number of SHIELD agents/troopers/snipers on the team. Instead of Nick, he can use Dum Dum Dugan, Clay Quartermain, Gabe Jones or Sharon Carter.

The Villain gets Green Goblin, any number of HDC Troopers, SWAT cops, Dreadnaughts, Criminals, Henchmen, Lackeys and Thugs. If he won Scenario #2, he can include any members of the Serpent Society. If he won Scenario #3, he may include Kingpin and whichever costumed villains he used in that scenario.

MAP: Use the Park map from the Marvel Premiere set.

SET UP: Roll for first player. Otherwise, choose sides and set up normally.

VICTORY: The scenario lasts 12 rounds. Normal victory conditions apply.

CONSEQUENCES: This is it. If the Hero wins, Piersonville is cleaned up and Heroes for Hire take home a big paycheck. If the Villain wins, Piersonville continues to be held in the grip of corruption and despair.