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Pojo's HeroClix "Click of the Day"
WildWill |
Name: Sgt. Rock
Set: Cosmic Justice
Number: 19-21, 207
Rarities: 1-3, LE
Cost: 28, 35, 40, 32
Health: 6, 7, 7, 6
SSADD: 7/9/15/2, 7/9/15/2, 8/10/15/2, 6/8/15/2
Powers: Mastermind, Toughness, Leadership
Exp adds Energy Explosion, Vet adds no new powers. LE does not have Energy
Explosion
Ranged Attacks: 1 Range 6, 1 Range 8, 1 Range 8, 1 Range 6
Team: Police (all versions)
Seargent Frank Rock has been around in the DCU for years, having first
appeared in the landmark “Our Army at War” #81 published in April, 1959
(though there is some controversy about that, seems like there was a
prototype for the hard-as-nails gunny published a few months earlier). Rock
was so popular the book eventually became “Sgt. Rock” with issue #302, and
lasted for another 120 issues, ending in 1988 finally. Since then the Sarge
has made sporadic appearances through the DCU, finally becoming “General
Rock” in President Luthor’s cabinet! Sgt. Rock is the prototype for all
great comic book war stories, and has been drawn these past decades by the
greatest comic book artists, most notably by Joe Kubert, whom many younger
fans may only know as Adam and Andy Kubert’s dad. Older fans know Joe is a
fantastic artist who runs his own art school. Rock is the leader of Easy
Company, a band of brothers during WWII which was racially balanced in an
age of racism. More on the Sarge can be found here: http://www.toonopedia.com/sgt_rock.htm
Unfortunately, as we’ve often seen, great comics characters don’t translate
well to the game (the reverse is often true as well, isn’t it Taskmaster?).
The Sarge is a great “cheap” leadership piece, if you need an extra action,
but really, most of the time you won’t. Mastermind is a nifty power to use,
but I’ve never done so. The Veteran is by and far the most playable version,
with that 10 attack and Energy Explosion, but it’s still not spectacular.
Rock should have gotten more due than this! And I’m not even going to
mention the LE, since it’s not worth mentioning!
Since Sgt. Rock’s REV set is a 1-2-3 set (meaning his rarity levels range
from 1 common to 3 uncommon), he’s plentiful and available for cheap,
usually under two bucks for a set of REVs. The LE Version goes for SLIGHTLY
higher, though only 5 auctions have sold recently for the single…the highest
was $11.10 and the lowest was $4.25 with an average of $6.26. Too bad, the
Sarge should be worth more.
My Ratings (Playability First, then Collectability)
Rookie 1,1
Exp 1,1
Vet 2,1
LE 2,2
Next time – the man who broke the Bat.
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Shooter |
Sgt. Rock
40 points
Range 8; 1 Targets
6 clix of life
Police
Energy Explosion (2 clix); Mastermind (2 clix); Toughness (2 clix);
Leadership (2 click)
Let me start out by saying that I’m not a fan of Rock’s sculpt. I mean, sure
it looks like he’s brave and tough, but who really holds a gun like that
while throwing a grenade? I mean, come on. And the whole ripped pant
leg…it’s just not necessary and hardly noticed.
Anyway, statwise, this guy’s alright. He’s got a nice range of 8 and a very
nice starting attack of 10 with Energy Explosion, and his attack stays
around 9 for the rest of the dial, dropping to 7 only once. His defense
offsets his nice attack values, starting at 15 and only staying there for
that opening click, ending up a meager 12. But he does have Mastermind,
which means that even if he gets hit, you can avoid him taking the damage.
His damage is a nice 2 for the first 4 clix, and then drops to 1 for the
last 2. He has Leadership on those first 2 clix however, which makes him a
cheap and versatile Leadership piece. His stats seem to give you a “second
wind” kind of jump at the end, when he picks up Toughness for his last 2
clix and his attack bumps back up to 9 on his last click. But in my opinion,
it’s too little too late. That toughness will only protect him from so much,
and seeing as how his neither defense nor damage goes back up, it would
probably just be a matter of time before he’s taken down, regardless of
toughness. Maybe if he gained Energy Explosion back, which could represent
him going absolutely nuts and mowing down your opponent, it would be fine,
but the way it is, just run him to a Medic if he gets knocked past click 3.
Primarily, I would say to use him in a 100 point game as your primary
attacker, and be sure to give him a couple of his army buddies as cannon
fodder. The best generic fodder I’ve found is actually the V Gotham
Policeman and I’ll explain why. His 5 clix of life let him take a hard
attack of 4 damage and remain standing, something that usually doesn’t
happen with normal fodder pieces. He can then be easily healed up by your
medic and reused again and again. And at 15 points, even if you lose him,
it’s not a big deal. But anyway, back to Rock. If you team him up with some
Easy Company guys, not only are you creating a theme team, but you’re giving
Rock some Police buddies to bump up his attack even more, and his Leadership
will ensure that your other troops aren’t just sitting back doing nothing.
He can also be used in higher point games as a clean up attacker, and an
extra action from cheap leadership is always helpful. And don’t forget that
he also sports the Police TA to bump up his friends.
So he’s good in low, and decent in high, but just doesn’t cut it in the
middle ranges.
Ratings:
100 points: 4 out of 5
200 points: 2 out of 5
300 points: 1 out of 5
400+ points: 3.5 out of 5 (You have to know how to play him just right at
this level for him to merit this rating)
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