The Vehicles of DC HeroClix: Batman - Haunted Tank!

Greetings HeroClix Fans!

On this All Hallows’ Eve, we bring you a bonus previews of one of the vehicles from the upcoming DC HeroClix: Batman set! And what could be more appropriate than a vehicle with a supernatural connection? Fall in, soldiers, as we take a ride with the ghost of Confederate General J.E.B Stuart and the crew of the Haunted Tank!

The Haunted Tank rests on a 2 x 4 base and, like the other vehicles found in DC HeroClix: Batman, can be played in Autopilot and Piloted modes. Regardless of the way you play the Haunted Tank, it hits the battle map with an Improved Movement ability, Unstoppable, which allows it to ignore blocking terrain and destroy blocking terrain as it moves through it. The Haunted Tank also has the Soldier and Vehicle keywords.

When used on your force on Autopilot, the Haunted Tank comes in at 90 points and has a trait, Piloted By General J.E.B. Stuart, which represents the vehicle being controlled by Stuart’s ghost. Normally, a vehicle in Autopilot mode is dealt 1 unavoidable damage if it makes an attack during its action. With Piloted By General J.E.B. Stuart, the Haunted Tank is not dealt 1 unavoidable damage after it resolves an action with an attack.

The Haunted Tank’s Autopilot dial begins with two clicks of a special power, Clankety-Clankety-Clankety, which lets it use Running Shot and the Ram ability. To use the Ram ability, the Haunted Tank is given a move action and may only move along a straight horizontal or vertical path. It may not change its orientation during the move action. After actions resolve, the Haunted Tank makes a close combat action as a free action and targets all opposing characters that it moved through. Each character hit is dealt the Haunted Tank’s damage value, and the Haunted Tank is dealt 1 unavoidable damage for each 100 points of characters that were dealt damage during the movement.

The rest of the Haunted Tank’s speed slot has no powers until the last three clicks, when it keeps moving forward with Charge.

In its attack slot, the Haunted Tank’s Autopilot dial starts its dial with a six-click run of Energy Explosion as gunner Rick Rawlins takes aim with the vehicle’s Browning machine gun. That’s followed by four clicks of Penetrating/Psychic Blast as Arch Asher loads the Haunted Tank with anti-tank rounds. The Autopilot version of the Haunted Tank has a range of 6 and can carry up to four characters.

Defensively, the Haunted Tank’s Autopilot dial starts with three clicks of Invulnerability to represent its sloped frontal hull armor. That’s followed by four clicks of Toughness. For the remainder of its dial, the Haunted Tank gains a special ability, Stuka Patrol! Take Cover! This special power allows friendly characters adjacent to the Haunted Tank to use Toughness. When they are dealt damage, roll a d6 and on a result of 1 deal the Haunted Tank 1 damage.

Now let’s take a look at the Piloted version of the Haunted Tank!

The Piloted Haunted Tank comes into play at 136 points, has a range of 8, and can carry up to three characters. It also has a trait, Nice Shot, Gus! Direct Hit! With this trait, when the Haunted Tank uses Energy Explosion, damage dealt to the target of the attack is penetrating damage.

Like other Piloted vehicles, the Haunted Tank has a pair of Pilot Abilities. The first Pilot Ability, General Stuart’s Counsel, requires that the pilot have the Soldier keyword. General Stuart’s Counsel let’s the Haunted Tank use Outwit. In addition, give the Haunted Tank a power action and place a hindering terrain marker 6 or fewer squares from the Haunted Tank; all friendly characters occupying or adjacent to the marker modify their attack value by +1. The hindering terrain marker is removed from the battlefield at the beginning of your next turn.

“Jigsaw Tank” Mechanics” is the second Pilot Ability and recalls a time when the Haunted Tank’s crew had to scavenge parts from a “tank graveyard” to build a new tank. “Jigsaw Tank” Mechanics requires that the pilot have the Warrior keyword and allows the Haunted Tank to use Support, but only on characters with the Vehicle keyword. When it does, the result of the attack roll or the amount healed is modified by +1 for each object adjacent to it. In addition, when the Haunted Tank’s printed damage value is 1, it can use Regeneration.

The Haunted Tank Piloted dial begins its dial with three clicks of the Clankety-Clankety-Clankety special power. Clankety-Clankety-Clankety makes another three-click appearance mid-dial.

In its attack slot, the Haunted Tank Piloted dial starts with a click of Penetrating/Psychic Blast. On its third click, the Haunted Tank switches to a short run of Energy Explosion before following up with another click of Penetrating/Psychic Blast. This pattern repeats itself starting on click 8.

Defensively, the Haunted Tank’s Piloted dial closely mimics the Autopilot version with three clicks of Invulnerability chased by three clicks of Toughness. It then switches to the Stuka Patrol! special power for three clicks. The Haunted Tank closes out its dial defensively with Willpower to show that it’s Army strong!

Finally, the Haunted Tank Piloted dial can lob high-explosive anti-tank shells (represented on the dial as Ranged Combat Expert) at opposing characters on its first two clicks, and again on clicks 7 and 9.

Thanks for reading! Please join us next time as we reveal more secrets from upcoming HeroClix releases. Until then, keep your clix off their KOs and listen when ol’ General Stuart gives you advice!

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