STRENGTHS:
Uncle Sam is a transporter, so whenever he doesn't
begin a move adjacent to an enemy, he can attack
while moving. With his 10 AV, the -2 penalty for the
transporter attack isn't too debilitating. But note
that he can only do close combat attacks; there'll
be no moving & Quaking because Quake is a close
combat ACTION.
In fact, powers of any sort are banned during the
transporter attack, so the thought of offsetting the
transporter penalty with his Attack Special Power,
"Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor," is out. Still, the
+1 bonus for each tokened friendly within 4 squares
of him at the time of a close combat attack is a
pretty solid situational power to have. And his
other Special, "As Big As My Country," makes him a
Giant (but only when he wants to be, per the
optional nature of most special powers). Combined
with Quake and Flurry on many of those clicks, Uncle
Sam could beat down a cluster of enemies.
Defensively, he has good numbers and damage reducers
for 7 clicks of his 9-click dial, making him a boon
to JSA teammates and wildcards. His end clicks are
soft, though, thanks to Regeneration. Luckily, he's
got Phasing/Teleport and great Speed to get out of
harm's way, maybe with a passenger so he can use his
Support to try a heal. But if he's got to stand and
fight, the return of his Attack Special ensures that
he can give it a go.
WEAKNESSES:
Quake and Flurry don't work together on the 3 clicks
they share, and none of his powers work with the
transporter attack. Lacking Super Strength, Sam may
not have the sheer damage potential expected from a
brick in his point cost. His Attack Special may be a
little hard to benefit from. And, of course, he's a
no-range brick in a game that favors range.
CARDS?
Despite only working on his first click, CONTINGENCY
PLAN isn't a terrible choice for the right team.
Just remember that he can't be the one leading the
charge if you use it. Same for INSPIRING COMMAND,
which may be the better fit on big JSA teams who can
really benefit from the quasi-Willpower the feat
offers.
ARMOR PIERCING helps his Quake clicks. TRIAGE is OK
for any medic. AUTOMATIC REGENERATION could help him
a lot in Unrestricted games. ATLANTIS RISING is a
good BFC choice since most of his dial he can move
freely through most terrain. Try using the
DYNAMOSTAT to hide behind during his giant clicks.
IN SUM:
Not unlike our country, Uncle Sam is full of
strengths. Also like our country, he can't be the
battlefield's policeman all alone. He needs the
efforts of all his friends to get the best out of
his Attack Special and Support clicks.
