Two of the four seeded players were knocked out of the Top 8 in the quarterfinals, and only Alex Brown and Scott Smith survived. Scott is playing David Helsby in the other semifinal, while I am covering Alex Brown’s match against Andrew Morris.

Game 1

Alex won the die roll and chose the odd initiative. Alex mulliganed to start the game off.

Turn 1
Doctor Decibel was played in the hidden area, and bashed for 2 since Andrew had no play.

Turn 2
Like the previous round, Andrew played Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace. Alex had Haywire in the support row, but soon after, Songbird attacked into Haywire. Doctor Decibel had the last laugh and the final 2 endurance loss for the turn. 43–44 to Alex.

Turn 3
Alex had Lamprey protecting Haywire. Andrew had Inertia behind Songbird. Alex attacked Inertia with Lamprey, which caused a mutual stun. The same happened with Haywire and Songbird. Doctor Decibel had another cheeky beat. Recovery had both players KO’ing their 2-drops. 36–39.

Turn 4
Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird was recruited and formed behind Inertia. Alex had the card advantage engine of Amphibian. Both of his characters were set in the front row. Warbird attacked Amphibian, and Inertia attacked Lamprey. Doctor Decibel again got in for 2, and his endurance loss was creeping up on Andrew. During recovery, Andrew flipped up Supreme Sanction. 28–31 to Alex.

Turn 5
Alex recruited Lady Lark and his own Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace. He put them both in the support row, with Amphibian protecting Lady Lark. Andrew recruited Whizzer and placed him beside Carol in the support row. Lady Lark attacked Carol, and a reinforcement from Andrew made sure that Alex took more endurance loss that attack. Doctor Decibel then teamed up with Amphibian to take out Whizzer before Songbird went straight to Andrew’s face. 11–21 to Alex, and it looked like this game could end on turn 6.

Turn 6
The Doctors were in the house, as Doctor Spectrum came aboard for Andrew. He placed both of his characters in the front row. Alex had a Whizzer of this own, but also had Ogre. Everyone was in the support row for Alex. Left to right, his characters were Ogre, Songbird, Amphibian and Whizzer. Doctor Spectrum attacked Songbird with reinforcement from Ogre. Whizzer then attacked Ogre with a Heroes in Reserve for 5 and a Windstorm, leaving Alex on 4 and Andrew on 11. Alex passed his attack.

Turn 7
Before his resource was laid for the turn, Alex played Hibernaculum and got Skymax. He was played along with Dallas Riordan, Mayoral Aide in the hidden area. Alex set his characters in a “T” formation with Amphibian, Skymax, and Whizzer in the front row, and Songbird behind Skymax. Andrew had Golden Archer and Moonglow in the front row.

Skymax was sent into Doctor Spectrum with a power-up from Alex, reducing him to no cards in hand. Whizzer reinforced, saving Andrew 3 endurance. Alex’s Whizzer was sent into Moonglow, but Hank Pym ◊ Goliath made sure she had reinforcement. Alex paid 2 endurance to ready Whizzer and attack Golden Archer, and the Archer used his ability. A team attack on Whizzer forced a concession from Andrew.
                                                                                                                 
Game 2

Andrew took the odd initiatives this time. Andrew mulliganed, and Game 2 started.

Turn 1
Andrew had Rick Jones, and Alex had Dallas. Rick attacked directly, while Dallas had a look at the top of his deck before putting that card on the bottom.

Turn 2
Dallas had another look at the top, but this time, she liked what she saw. Alex had Joystick and Andrew had Natasha Romanoff ◊ Black Widow, Super Spy. Alex flipped Behavior Modification Device, even though he did not have 2 teams. He used the team-up’s ability once, and then Joystick attacked Romanoff for the mutual stun. Rick Jones had the last attack. 48–47 to Andrew.

Turn 3

Again Alex had Dallas take a look at the top, but this time, he did not like what he saw. Andrew did not have a good turn and recruited only Quagmire. He played his own Behavior Modification Device and used it once. Alex recruited Lamprey in the front row to protect Joystick. Quagmire and Super Spy attacked Lamprey, also stunning Joystick. Rick attacked again for another 1. 46–42 to Andrew.

Turn 4
Dallas had another sniff, but before Alex played a resource, he discarded a card to draw a card from Behavior Modification Device. He recruited Moonglow and Ogre, moving all of his characters to the front row. Mimicking Alex, Andrew used his Behavior Modification Device before a resource was laid. Golden Archer made yet another appearance for Andrew, and he placed him and Romanoff in a reverse L formation, with Quagmire in front of Romanoff.

 
Lamprey zapped Romanoff with a boost from Ogre, and Lamprey grew even larger. Moonglow attacked Golden Archer with some help from Eldritch Power, but a Shrink made Alex sigh. Golden Archer then attacked Alex back—this time at Ogre. Before recovery, Alex had New Identity naming Dallas and Answer the Call to get Whizzer. 44–33 to Andrew.

Turn 5
Andrew recruited Whizzer and placed him in the front row alongside Quagmire. Alex played his Whizzer that he got from Answer the Call, and placed him in the front beside Lamprey. Moonglow hid behind Whizzer.

Andrew team attacked with Romanoff and Golden Archer into Whizzer. This attack also stunned Lamprey, as a result of Natasha’s ability. Whizzer attacked into Moonglow with help from an Airskimmer. Andrew played Answer the Call, and while it was on the chain, readied Whizzer. He got Albert Gaines ◊ Nuke, Atomic Powerhouse with the Call. Everyone else attacked directly to Alex. Alex had the last say, and sent Dallas into Quagmire. 37–3 to Andrew.

Turn 6
Alex got Skymax back with his own ability and recruited him behind Whizzer. Andrew played Albert Gaines and Alex didn’t even bother with the combat phase.


Game 3

Alex chose the odd initiatives for the final game.

Turn 1
Alex had no turn 1 play, but Andrew also had nothing.

Turn 2

Andrew played Natasha Romanoff, and Alex matched with Songbird. Behavior Modification Device was flipped up and used before combat started. Romanoff attacked Songbird for 2 points of endurance loss each. 48–48.

Turn 3
Alex had Lady Lark in the front row protecting Songbird. Andrew went the team attack route with Quicksilver, Mutant Avenger, setting both of his characters in the support row. Songbird attacked Quicksilver, and Romanoff reinforced. Lady Lark attacked Romanoff, but Andrew had the surprise Quagmnire for him. Alex flipped Squadron City to pump up Lady Lark. Both players KO’d their 2-drops. 35–38 to Alex.

Turn 4
Andrew used Behavior Modification Device before his recruit and managed to topdeck Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird; Alex had Amphibian. Warbird into Amphibian and Quicksilver into Lady Lark was a quick combat phase this turn. 28–26 to Andrew.

Turn 5
Alex thought long and hard before even playing a resource, but once he did, he recruited Haywire, Shape and Ogre! Amphibian and Shape took the front row, with Ogre behind Shape and Haywire behind Amphibian. Andrew had a quick recruit—he placed Whizzer in the support row alongside Carol. Haywire and Shape team attacked Carol, but before any character stunned, Andrew flipped Supreme Sanction. Andrew chose to stun Shape. Amphibian attacked Whizzer with the help of Ogre and Squadron City. 19–20 to Alex.

Turn 6
Andrew discarded a card to get Skymax back from the KO’d pile, and placed both of his characters in the front row. Alex repeated what he did and played off-curve, recruiting Power Princess, Zarda and Songbird. Power Princess and Amphibian held the front line, with Haywire behind Zarda and Ogre behind Amphibian. Songbird was off the side by herself. Whizzer was sent into Songbird, and Alex reinforced with Ogre. Skymax attacked into Amphibian without any resistance. 19–8 to Andrew.

Turn 7
The deadly Arcanna was recruited on Alex’s side, and he placed her in front of Ogre. Power Princess was set in front of Haywire, with Amphibian beside Zarda. Andrew recruited Golden Archer and Inertia before forming Whizzer and Golden Archer in the front row, with Inertia behind Whizzer and Skymax behind the Golden Archer. Power Princess flew over Whizzer and attacked Inertia, which prompted an Eldritch Power from Andrew. Alex played Answer the Call, and while it was on the chain, played Supply Line to give Zarda +3 DEF. Inertia stunned, and +3 ATK / +3 DEF was given to Haywire. Haywire then proceeded to use his newfound powers to take on Golden Archer. The Archer shot 5 arrows at Alex before they both stunned. Finally, Arcanna attacked into Skymax. Andrew could do nothing and conceded right there.

Alex Brown wins, and advances to the finals!