War Machine Joins S.H.I.EL.D to increase his Firepower

Scenario tested: Mansion Attack (Expert I/Standard I)

Modular Set: MODOK

Introduction

Where do I even start with this one… This scenario was brutal. Another mix from the randomizer that ended up cranking Mansion Attack’s difficulty up to eleven. The MODOK modular pairs perfectly with what The Brotherhood already wants to do; Flood the board with tough minions and boost their survivability through Homo Superior.

Well, MODOK brings even more of that. He’s another tough minion himself, and his set adds a bunch of upgrades that further enhance minion durability through Biomechanical Upgrades.

In several runs, I’d regularly see a minion (usually 4–6 HP) end up boosted by both Homo Superior and Biomechanical Upgrades. For example, take Avalanche with 5 health: suddenly, he’s rocking 10 HP and needs to be defeated twice. That’s more than Avalanche has as a villain in Mansion Attack true solo! (Which is how I was testing, by the way.)

So yeah, it was rough… especially for a hero like War Machine, who needs time to set up. I wanted to give that context, because it shaped several iterations of this deck. Anyway, enough introductions, let’s break down how the deck works.

Deck Concept

Firepower is the star here. It’s amazing in War Machine. He needs ammo to fire off his incredible events, and you also need to draw those events in the first place. In true solo, you can’t flip to alter-ego very often, so ammo management and event recursion become real problems (though this deck absolutely works in multiplayer too, I’ll cover adjustments later).

Firepower gives you three extra events that consistently hit for 9 damage. It’s perfect for those moments when Gauntlet Gun, Shoulder Cannon and Missile Launcher are just sitting there unusable. Now, they have a purpose, extra burst damage even when you’re out of ammo. That’s the core concept; everything else in the deck is built around supporting that plan.

Core Strategy

1. Setup, setup setup! - Start by getting Gauntlet Gun and your resource generators into play, then move on to Shoulder Cannon, Missile Launcher and finally Upgraded Chassis

2. Use allies to buy time. - Let your allies take hits while you build up. Psylocke and Professor X are especially important for keeping enemies confused, giving you safe turns in alter-ego to recover ammo.

3. Burst the villain down - Once you’re set up, unleash your events and Firepower to wipe out the villain in one or two massive turns.

Card Highlights

Firepower - Essential for War Machine. It lets you use your weapons even when you’re out of ammo or events, and it hits hard, up to 9 damage that can even be spread across three targets.

Psylocke and Professor X - Consistent confuse effects are key. They buy you critical breathing room to flip down and restock your ammo.

Optional Cards and Adjustments

This deck can shift a lot depending on the scenario. If you’re facing few minions, cards like Hall of Heroes, Moment of Triumph and Man on the Wall aren’t as impactful. They still synergize well with Looking for Trouble letting you fetch minions, heal, draw, or generate resources, but in minion-light scenarios you could easily swap them for more damage-focused options like Fusillade or Mean Swing.

Multiplayer Adjustments

In multiplayer, you won’t need as many allies, especially not multiple that focus on confusing. You’ll have more freedom to flip to alter-ego, since teammates can cover for you. You’ll also take less direct damage, making Endurance less necessary.

Remember that flipping down more often also means more chances to trigger Upgraded Chassis for that sweet Tough status.

For multiplayer, I’d lean toward faster setup and more damage output:

• Add more draw power (e.g: Assess the Situation)

• Slot in more burst options like Mean Swing and Fusillade

• Consider extra weapons such as Bambino and S.H.I.E.L.D. Sidearm

Final Considerations

I suspect War Machine might perform better in Justice for true solo, but his synergy with Firepower is undeniable. It’s incredibly satisfying to combo off with him, especially when your Gauntlet Gun finally feels like it’s pulling its weight every turn.

Summary

Strengths:

1. Great synergy.

2. Huge damage potential

3. Great reuse of War Machine’s Weapons

Weaknesses:

1. Slow setup - really slow
2. Weak thwarting
3. Difficult to keep the scenario under control early on