From Panel To Play: Red Guardian

CP89 Red guardian

Today on From Panel to Play, we’re taking our first look at the big, red muscle of the Winter Guard, the man who carries the shield of the Guardian: it is Nikolai Krylenko, the Red Guardian!

Following the appearance of their mutant natures, the Russian government quickly adopted Nikolai Krylenko and his twin sister Laynia Petrovna from their mother and trained them as warriors under the supervision of a scientific research team. Krylenko adopted the Red Guardian’s shield and title after initially going by the moniker Vanguard, carrying on the tradition established by one of Russia’s most steadfast defenders. Though he is not the first man to have the title of the Red Guardian, few others can claim to have worn it with such pride.

Nikolai is a mutant with an energy field that repels nearly all electromagnetic, kinetic, and gravitonic energy forms. He can also return any energy repelled by his natural force barrier to its source. Krylenko uses a modified Vibranium shield to focus his abilities and increase the force of his energy repulsion. Nikolai’s suit’s mesh lining contains circuitry that allows him to channel the impact force aimed against the shield into it, enhancing his innate abilities.

Krylenko is a solid addition to the Winter Guard lineup. He is the hammer of their force, pushing back the tide of the opponent with his ability to redirect energy into his foes and withstand their efforts at retaliation.

Red Guardian puts his mutant power to good use when he’s up close and personal. His basic Strike attack is charged by his energy field, hitting at Strength 5 and pushing his target a Short distance with each impact. For an even more devastating hit, he can channel his power through his shield with a Siberian Shield Slam, which hits a bit harder and transforms that push into a throw on targets of Size 3 or less. One slam, and he can send an opponent flying back into its allies, disrupting their formation and spreading chaos!

Like the other famous shield-wielding national icon, Red Guardian can hurl his shield at range, bouncing the vibranium disk off a few skulls before it returns to his hand. Shield Throw is a Range 4 attack that ignores both LOS and Cover and has the Ricochet special rule to allow him to target a secondary character within Range 3 of his initial target.

Of course, Red Guardian likes to stand at the center of the Unbreakable Red Line of the Winter Guard. His two superpowers help him to fulfill this role. Combining his innate mutant powers and the suit of the Red Guardian, he can be a thorn in the side of your opponent’s offense.

Focused Repulsion Field represents Krylenko’s mutant power being used in defense. When targeted by a physical or energy attack, he can repel the strike for 2 Power as a reaction, adding blanks in his defense rolls to the total success.

The Red Guardian’s Suit innate power kicks in if an attack makes it through this defensive barrier. It allows Red Guardian to convert some of that incoming damage into a resource for his use. Provided an enemy or allied effect doesn’t daze him after it is resolved, he immediately gains 1 Power… setting him up for further Shield Slams or Repulsion Fields.

That’s it for our first look at this red-blooded Guardian!

Be sure to check back for yet another installment of From Panel to Play, the series where we give you your first look at how your favorite characters transition to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Pre-order your own copy of the Ursa Major & Red Guardian Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore today!

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!