Arguably most famous from the MCU appearance in Age of Ultron as Tony Stark’s collaboration with Bruce Banner, this massive suit is around to give the Avengers a way to deal with the Hulk if Thor is unavailable. The resulting battle is a highlight of the film.

In the comics, the name has quite a bit more variety. There are a handful of groups, US Army under General Ross, SHIELD, and even Banner’s Hulkbuster who have little to do with the giant armor. Then, there are a series of Buster armors in the comics that Tony Stark builds to fight various specific threats, including the Hulk. The first appearance of Tony Stark’s Hulkbuster Armor is in Iron Man #304 released in 1994. 

The model definitely references the appearance of Hulkbuster in the MCU. Tony and Bruce’s attempt to build something that can keep the Hulk in check is an imposing figure on screen and still holds up as a strong and dynamic sculpt on the table. It looks great, and for some, is a wonderful project to paint.

Hulkbuster

Stat Card

How to Use Him

Hulkbuster sits in an odd spot for 6 threat models. He’s halfway between Hulk, with one side of a card and twenty stamina, and other six threat models that flip and remain largely unchanged.

While his stamina pool of 13 on his ‘healthy’ side is high, it alone, doesn’t compare favorably to other 6 threat models which range from 15 to 18 stamina between their healthy and injured sides.

Hulkbuster is a monstrous size 4, which makes sense as the suit is sized similarly to the Hulk. A defensive stat line of 4 physical, 3 energy, and 3 mystic is on the low end for 6 threat models. With a 65mm base and a medium move, Hulkbuster can get around the table pretty quickly.

His first attack, Heavy Repulsor Blast, is six dice at range 3, which is a solid attack for a high threat model. The attack comes with a guaranteed push, no matter the size of the target, which means that Hulkbuster is able to consistently rearrange the opponent’s models at range. Just like Invincible Iron Man, this attack has the best parts of a builder and a gainer. It guarantees at least one power for Hulkbuster, but if the attack does damage, Hulkbuster gains power equal to the damage dealt.

Meteor Punch is a phenomenal attack to throw into the likes of the Hulk. Eight dice at range 3 for only three power is a good, if a little dated, spender. The effects are very strong: the target doesn’t gain any power for damage dealt, and the attack comes with a guaranteed size four, medium ranged throw. There’s even an explosive trigger on a wild.

Hulkbuster comes with Hit and Run, which is exactly the same as it appears anywhere else: make an attack and then move as one action, for the cost of two power. While a charge, where a model can move and then attack, is generally preferable (because Hulkbuster has a guaranteed push or throw on both attacks) the Hit and Run is strong once Hulkbuster is in the thick of things. It means that if Hulkbuster starts in range of the target, it is always an option to use Hit and Run to make an attack, then move into position after the opposing model is pushed or thrown to make a second attack or get to an objective.

As one would expect from a size 4, 6 threat model, Hulkbuster can throw terrain. Now I’m Mad is a size 4, medium terrain throw that can be used on any terrain within range 2. It costs three power. It’s a very good terrain throw. Coupled with Hit and Run and the ability to push and throw models around, Hulkbuster is fairly likely to be able to make good use of this throw to add some extra damage to any activation.

Built to Take It is Hulkbuster’s damage reduction. It is good, weird, and disappointing all wrapped into one. On the good side: it can reduce damage to zero. Meaning, it can be hard for those rapid fire characters to actually get meaningful damage through. It’s a little weird because it must be used when Hulkbuster is targeted by an attack, so, the power cost is paid before any dice are rolled. It is disappointing because it only applies to attacks. Damage from collisions, superpowers, or anything else cannot be mitigated. I believe that this is because AMG didn’t want Hulkbuster’s damage reduction to stack with his leadership. Still, I am disappointed. It also prevents Hulkbuster from being pushed by the attack.

Finally, with Enhanced Support Systems, Hulkbuster brings a weird card flipping situation. Basically, each side of Hulkbuster is represented by a different model and neither of them are considered injured.

Also, Hulkbuster gains an extra power in the power phase.

Hulkbuster at his core is a model that does displacement very well. He can only displace a maximum of two models per turn, but displacement from range 3, with no size limitations, and a hit and run is unparalleled. Hulkbuster can rearrange enemy models very effectively.

Iron Man Secondary Support Suit

Stat Card

How to Use Him

If the thought, “What would a 2 threat Iron Man look like?” has ever crossed your mind, I imagine the resulting answer would look something like this.

With 2 for both physical and energy defense, 3 mystic defense, and a stamina pool of 5, don’t expect this version of Iron Man to stick around long after he shows up. Size 2 and medium move are both standard.

This version of Iron Man boasts one attack: Rapid Repulsor Blast. At range 4, with four dice, a guaranteed power gained, a guaranteed push, and approximately a 45% chance to Rapid Fire, this is a good attack for a 2 or even 3 threat model. The push coupled with the range are vital for Iron Man and how fragile he is. Keeping enemy models far away is really the only defense he has.

The big kahuna, Always Have a Backup, allows Iron Man (Hulkbuster) to call down Veronica and put another fully operational Hulkbuster on the table for the measly cost of 10 power. How does one go about getting 10 power onto Iron Man? I don’t know. I’ve never heard of this happening in anything but a casual game. It’s phenomenal when it works. Don’t count on it.

New Plan allows Iron Man (Hulkbuster) to spend 2 power to make a medium move after he has taken damage from an attack if (and that can be a big if) he survives the attack. Once again, for a very fragile model, the extra movement to get out of line of sight can be huge.

Secondary Support Suit just means that even though this is the back of the character card, Iron Man (Hulkbuster) counts as a healthy. Still, he is KO’d if he is dazed.

Finally, unlike the big suit, Iron Man (Hulkbuster) has Flight.

Hulkbuster flips to the secondary support suit, which is functionally a 2 threat version of Iron Man. While having this version of Iron Man hit the table is usually less than desirable, there are a couple of things you can do when he does.

First, Iron Man (Hulkbuster) counts as a healthy character, even though the card flips over. This means that (hopefully) late in the game, a healthy character can swing a secure objective at the end of the round to grab a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Other than an objective grab, Iron Man (Hulkbuster) is a good contender for moving to an objective that is as far away from combat as possible. Because he is so very fragile, it is important to keep him out of the scrum as much as possible. 

Conveniently, for both roles of taking objectives and keeping enemy models at a distance, Iron Man (Hulkbuster)’s pushes can help immensely.

Leadership

Hulkbuster’s leadership, Hulkbusters, reduces the damage suffered from all collisions by one. The biggest strike against this leadership is that it is in the same affiliation as Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and another Steve Rogers.

The other strike against Hulkbusters as a leadership is that sometimes the opponent’s crisis team just doesn’t throw anything. In that case, the leadership is entirely useless.

But, when facing down any variety of Hulk, Thor, Malekith, Dracula, Web Warriors, or… really a lot of different models and affiliations, there are likely to be a lot of thrown terrain and models. In that case, Hulkbusters can mitigate a lot of damage.

Think of the times an opponent’s model has thrown one of yours just to get that last point of damage to daze. Suddenly, it doesn’t work.

In the right situation, Hulkbusters might save eight or more damage. Other games, the leadership saves only a couple. It is important to consider what the opponent is bringing to the table. It is also worth bringing another Avengers leader in the crisis team and then deploying with the leadership that seems more useful in the moment.

Cards

There are a handful of cards that can apply to a variety of Tony Starks, and then there is, of course, Avengers Assemble.

Helios Laser Bombardment

Tony Stark, any Tony Stark, can call on a satellite to make a range 5 attack that ignores cover and line of sight with dice equal to two plus the power spent across the entire crisis team. It’s a solid card. It doesn’t synergize particularly well with a leadership that reduces damage, but the ability to throw 20 or more dice at an enemy model can be a huge moment.

Overcharge

This is a rare ‘free attack’ card. Carol Danvers or Thor Odinson may spend five power during their activation to give Tony Stark a free area attack.

With the 65mm base, Hulkbuster is actually a reasonable candidate for this card. The A2 actually has reach with such a large base.

Two significant strikes against this card still apply with Hulkbuster, however. Thor and Carol rarely want to spend the five power on it, and Hulkbuster (like the other Iron Men as well) tends to push and throw models away. So, chances are that he won’t have many nearby enemies.

If it seems hard to get to five good cards and Hulkbuster is on the table with Carol or Thor, it might be worth considering as a way to disincentivize ganging up on Hulkbuster. As he is situationally more fragile than most six threat models, dissuading the opponent from throwing a ton of models at him might be worthwhile.

Ricochet Blast

Technically, this card can be played with Hulkbuster, but only the Iron Man side. It’s probably not worth keeping in the available team tactics cards. It is worth noting that it does give Iron Man a pretty big offensive boost for one attack.

Stark Armory

One of the newish additions to Tony Stark’s arsenal is his armory. Adding one die to all allied attacks is great. It’s best when Tony is surrounded by models with Rapid Fire, Beam, or who can otherwise gain additional attacks. The Avengers have myriad candidates: Vision, War Machine, Black Widow, Agent of SHIELD, any Captain with a shield, just to name a few.

The fact that Hulkbuster comes on a 65mm base means that the area of effect of this card is quite large as well.

Avengers Assemble

Not specific to Hulkbuster, but available if he is the leader, Avengers Assemble is an amazing team tactics card and should probably make it into the five cards that make it to the table any time Avengers is the affiliation.

Hulkbuster benefits particularly from this because he does not have a charge. Early in the game, giving him an extra bit of movement can mean that he can double tap with his attacks for an extra round of the game.

It can also be saved to push him back onto a secure objective if the opponent is able to push or throw size four characters.

Those options coupled with all of the other uses of the card keep it a staple of any Avengers crisis team.

Affiliations

Avengers

Hulkbuster’s only home is the Avengers. While his leadership is situationally strong, he can also do well with any of the Captain America leadership abilities as well.

Steve Rogers still has one of the strongest leadership abilities in the game. Reducing the cost of Hulkbuster’s kit each turn is phenomenal. With the discount, Hulkbuster can use his Terrain Throw and Hit and Run consistently almost every round.

Sam Wilson’s leadership is generally strongest when playing a wide Avengers team, but Hulkbuster can take great advantage of removing a wound and a special condition, and especially loves the extra movement because of his huge base.

Under the First Avenger, Hulkbuster’s damage output is more consistent and his spender can hit the explosive trigger more reliably.

While all of the Captain Americas bring great leadership abilities, Hulkbuster does not synergize spectacularly with any of them. Still, they are all very good and Hulkbuster benefits from all of them.

The Hulkbusters leadership has already been discussed above, but it’s worth reviewing. Damage reduction on the leadership can stack with some native damage reduction on characters. Gwenpool, Luke Cage, and War Machine all have damage reduction that reduces damage from an enemy effect to a minimum of one. Since a collision caused by an opposing model is an enemy effect, damage reduction can reduce the damage by one and then Hulkbusters can reduce that damage by another point, potentially to zero. This means that for models with damage reduction, collisions become even less useful. While this is not always applicable, the number of characters that rely on one or more collisions to deal damage in many cases (Hulk, any Thor, any character with pounce) and mitigating or eliminating that damage can be huge.

Splashes

Splashing Hulkbuster is a little bit of a tougher sell. When putting a non-affiliated six threat model into a roster, Hulkbuster is competing with the likes of Hulk (who has a character throw for two power) and Gladiator, Thor, and Cosmic Ghost Rider who have excellent damage output.

Still, if the goal is a six threat model that has good displacement, reasonably strong attacks, and brings Stark Armory and/or Helios Laser, Hulkbuster is the way to go.

Hulkbuster does tend to be a relatively competent model on his own, but there aren’t many leadership abilities that synergize particularly well with him. Blade’s Bump in the Night is likely the best for Hulkbuster, as the extra movement on a 65mm base is a significant amount of ground covered.

King T’Challa’s Strength of the Ancestors allows a push to deal damage once per turn if the push results in contact with a piece of terrain. Considering that Hulkbuster guarantees a push of any size, it can add some consistency to Hulkbuster’s attacks, which is great.

Final Thoughts

Something that has not been covered yet is the design space behind Hulkbuster. He is actually exceptionally designed to fight the Hulk. A guaranteed push on the builder/gainer and a guaranteed throw on the spender, alongside hit and run means that Hulkbuster is very capable of pushing Hulk off of secure objectives and messing with his action economy. The fact that Hulkbuster can reduce damage from Hulk’s attacks and reduce damage from the many throws that Hulk will likely commit means that Hulkbuster can fight Hulk toe-to-toe sort of. It is definitely an interesting design space and captures the intent behind creating the Hulkbuster armor.

In any case, play Hulkbuster. Put him on the table. He’s fun. He’s less optimized than the monstrous Hulk, but what is the fun in only playing the most optimized rosters? Well, that can be fun too. It’s still worth going outside of your comfort zone and trying to shake up your local meta with an unoptimized pick.

It’s also worth getting together with a friend with the intention of throwing Hulkbuster on the table against an opposing Hulk.

Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.