Greed and Gold--A Marvel Universe campaign

BACKGROUND: The infamous Lost Treasure of the Incas has never been found—but all the same it has claimed many lives. For centuries, many men have marched into the jungles and mountains of Central America, searching for the rumored hiding place of Inca gold, but no one has ever found it.


But now new information has come to light. Archeologists at Empire State University have uncovered the first of a series of ancient clues that just might lead to the priceless treasure. Unfortunately, the two men most determined to find the treasure are numbered amongst the most ruthless criminals known to man.


Both the career gangster Kingpin and the murderous Baron Zemo are determined to acquire the treasure for themselves.


Both evil-doers use blackmail and bribery to get hold of the clue to the treasure. They discover that there are two separate routes (each involving finding and interpreting a series of subtle clues) that eventually lead to the treasure. Kingpin and Zemo each put together a team of super-villains and set out along different paths in a race to find the gold.


But those accursed heroes are always interfering!!! In order to get to the gold first, both Kingpin and Zemo must fight there way past hordes of superheroes.


One player on this team will operate Kingpin and a team made up of Sinister Syndicate characters. The other player will take Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil. From now on, the two players will be respectively referred to as Kingpin and Zemo.


TEAM BUILDING: Each player makes up a pool of available characters: Kingpin can use any characters with the Sinister Syndicate team ability, while Zemo has the Masters of Evil TA. Neither player may use duplicates of any characters and they MUST use the same version of any character every time that character is used. For instance, if Kingpin uses the Experienced Mysterio in Scenario #1, then that is the only Mysterio he is allowed to use for the remainder of the campaign.


For characters who come in different versions representing both teams, players can roll dice to decide who gets whom. No super villain can appear on both teams.



Players MUST include Kingpin and Zemo on their team whenever they are not playing the good guys. Otherwise, they may use their available pool of characters however they wish in each scenario. They are NOT required to play the exact same team each time.


FEAT CARDS: Neither player may use ICWO or Lazarus Pit. Otherwise, feat cards may be freely assigned.


MAPS: Each scenario requires a specific map. If a particular map is not available, the players should be able to agree on a reasonable substitute. Roll dice to resolve any disputes.


THE GOOD GUYS: For the initial scenarios, the players will take turns using a team of heroes to do battle with his opponent. This represents a group of heroes who, in the best tradition of Marvel Team-Up, have come together by chance to do battle for Truth and Justice.


When a player is using the good guys, he’s forming a 400 point team. He rolls dice (1 6-sided, then 1 12-sided) on the charts below. He picks whatever version of the hero or heroes that he rolls. Then he continues to do so until he chooses to stop, re-rolling any duplicate results. If a die roll takes him over 400 points, he may drop any character of his choosing to get pack below 400. Once he chooses to stop rolling dice, he then assigns feat cards.

1-2: Roll on Chart A
3-4: Roll on Chart B
5-6: Roll on Chart C


Chart A
1. Spider Man
2. Captain America and/or the Falcon
3. Power Man and/or Iron Fist
4. Thing and/or Human Torch
5. Paladin OR Silver Sable
6. Iron Man OR War Machine
7. Black Widow
8. Black Cat
9. Black Panther
10. Daredevil
11. Firestar
12. Iceman and/or Beast


Chart B

1. Submariner
2. Ghost Rider
3. Angel/Archangel
4. 4 Shield Agents/Troopers/Snipers
5. Ant Man (or Giant Man) and/or Wasp
6. Black Knight
7. Hawkeye and/or Mockingbird
8. Scarlet Witch and/or Visionr
9. Hercules OR Thor
10. Doctor Strange
11. Cyclops and/or Jean Gray
12. Sunfire OR Wolverine


Chart C
1. Nighthawk
2. Valkerie
3. Hellcat or Tigra
4. Shang Chi
5. Storm
6. Quicksilver and/or Crystal
7. Lockjaw
8. Beast
9. Colossus
10.Nightcrawler
11. Shaman and/or Aurora
12. Hulk


FINAL VICTORY: In this campaign, it all comes down to the last battle between Kingpin and Zemo. But whichever player is ahead on points in that last scenario will get an advantage, so players should be keeping a cumulative point total throughout the campaign.


SCENARIO #1: SHOPPING MALL MADNESS


Kingpin tries to acquire an ancient piece of Inca pottery—inside which is hidden the next clue—from its current owner. The owner runs an antique shot in a New York shopping mall, where he keeps the pottery (his prize possession) on display. He refuses to sell, but Kingpin won’t be stopped. He and his cronies attempt to steal the pottery.


MAP: Use the Shopping Mall map.


TEAMS: Kingpin forms a 400 point team out of his available pool (remembering that he must include Kingpin himself on the team). Zemo uses the heroes this turn.


SET-UP: Roll for 1st player and set-up normally. After placing objects, each player should place four pogs apiece on the board. Pogs must be at least three squares away from each other and may not be placed in or adjacent to a player’s starting area. Players should use “innocent bystander” types such as the Deli Worker, Paper Boy, Mary Jane, etc. The pogs are not given actions during the battle. But they affect line-of-fire and require breakaways for both players normally. Zemo (who is playing the hero this time around) must show concern for innocent bystanders. He may not target a pog, nor may he use Pulse Wave or Energy Explosion if there is a chance of hitting a pog. Kingpin, of course, is free to whack pogs right and left to get them out of his way.


LENGTH: The battle lasts for 10 rounds.


VICTORY: Calculate victory points normally. Kingpin gets no points for taking out pogs—just heroes.


SCENARIO #2: WHERE’S YOUR GREEN CARD?


The next clue (a slab painted with hieroglyphics) is buried beneath the ground on what is now a construction site located outside Mexico City. Zemo rushes to obtain it, but encounters a team of heroes before he can begin digging for it.


MAP: Use the Construction Site map from the Outdoor Adventure kit.


TEAMS: Zemo forms a 400 point team from his available pool (remembering that Zemo himself must be on the team). Kingpin is playing the heroes this time.


SET-UP: Choose sides and set up normally.


SPECIAL RULE: The heroes rushed to Mexico to intercept Zemo without first arranging for the proper documentation. They are technically illegal aliens. Because of the bureaucratic mess this causes, Zemo has a slight advantage. Twice during the scenario, at any point just before Kingpin begins his move, Zemo may declare that Kingpin loses one of his actions. Instead of a base 4 actions per turn, he will only have three actions for that turn only. Extra moves from Team Abilities or Leadership are still applicable.


LENGTH: 10 rounds.


VICTORY: Calculate victory points normally.


SCENARIO #3: NINJAS! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE NINJAS?


Kingpin attacks the mansion of a rich antique collector in Japan in order to get a scrap of ancient parchment upon which is written the next clue. He must fight not only the heroes, but the ninjas that the collector has hired to guard his estate.


MAP: Use the Japanese Gardens map that came with the Indy Starter Set.


TEAMS: Kingpin has his regular pool of characters to choose from to form his 400 point team, remembering that Kingpin himself must be on the team. Zemo is playing the good guys, but MUST also include at least three Hand Ninja on his team.


SET-UP: Roll for 1st player and set up normally.


LENGTH: 10 rounds.


VICTORY CONDITIONS: Calculate victory points normally.


SCENARIO #4: I SEE THE BAD MOON ARISING


Through circumstances lost to history, one of the clues to the treasure (a small Incan idol) has ended up on the Moon, in the ancient Kree city known as the Blue Area, where Earth-like temperature and atmosphere are maintained. Zemo and his crew travel to the Moon, where they stumble across a small Kree recon party spying on Earth at the same time Earth’s heroes arrive.


MAP: Use the Four Corners map. The swing set is actually a Kree military-training device. (It is. Really.)


TEAMS: Zemo forms his 400 point team out of his regular pool of characters, remembering that Zemo himself must be on the team. Kingpin is the good guys, but MUST also include at least two Kree warriors on the team.


SET-UP: Roll for 1st player and set up normally.


BFC: The Low Gravity BFC is in effect. This card may not be cancelled.


LENGTH: 10 rounds


VICTORY CONDITIONS: Calculate victory points normally.


INTERLUDE: Whichever player is ahead on victory points is the one who has most quickly and effectively followed up the clues to locate the treasure—buried in a remote valley deep in the Andes Mountains.The leading player gets an advantage going into the final battle. He may pick ONE of the three advantages listed below:


1. An extra action per turn for his first 6 turns.
2. A 10 point build advantage (He may make a 510 point team for the last battle—though he still gets only the base 5 actions per turn.)
3. A starting area that is 3 rows deep rather than 2 rows.


SCENARIO #5: GREED MAKES THE WORLD GO ‘ROUND


Zemo and Kingpin finally clash—with the winner of the fight coming away with the fortune in ancient Inca gold. But the gold comes with a curse…


MAP: Use the Park map OR the Swamp map from the Hellboy starter set. First player chooses which. This is a small valley (or swamp) in the Andes mountains.


TEAMS: Both players form 500 point teams out of their regular pools of characters. Remember that Kingpin and Zemo must be included on their respective teams. Remember that the player currently ahead on points gets one of the advantages listed above.


SET-UP: Roll for 1st player and set up normally.


THE CURSE: The curse on the gold causes an individual’s natural greed to be suddenly increased to the point where he will even attack his own teammate in order to keep everything for himself. Starting with the second round, follow this procedure:

1. At the beginning of your opponent’s turn, before he takes any actions, roll one die.

2. On a 5 or 6, one of your opponent’s figures is consumed by the curse for an instant. You may pick any one of your opponent’s figures and have it perform a close-combat OR ranged combat attack on another of your opponent’s figures. In other words, you get a free mind control, except that you may only use the action to perform an attack.


EXAMPLE: Say Kingpin is first player. At the beginning of his 2nd round, Zemo gets to roll 1 die. On a 5 or 6, he gets a free mind control result against any of Kingpin’s figures he chooses. He picks Sandman and has Sandy whack Vulture.

Kingpin gets his regular turn. Then, at the beginning of Zemo’s turn, he gets to roll 1 die.

On a 5 or 6, he gets the free mind control result. He chooses to have Enchantress Incapcitate Executioner.

And so on, following the same procedure at the beginning of each player’s turn.


LENGTH: This battle will last 12 rounds.


“THE GOLD IS MINE!!! MINE, I SAY!!!!”: This is it. The winner of this battle wins the campaign and gets the gold. Will he later be consumed by the curse and his own greed? Only time will tell.