AdeptiCon 2026 Marvel: Crisis Protocol Stream Game & Hobby Showcase

There is nothing like a bit of friendly competition to get the creative juices flowing and get some new minis painted for your collection.

When I was challenged by Aaron Lovejoy, Matt DiPietro, and Anthony Wang to a game of Marvel: Crisis Protocol at AdeptiCon 2026, I knew I wanted to lean into the narrative storytelling side of the game and really push the hobby aspect to keep up with three incredible painters.

Aaron, Anthony, and Matt were going to chronicle their journey, and I knew they were going to do a killer job with their rosters. So, I started brainstorming what I wanted out of the game and what kind of story I wanted to tell. I landed on Magneto taking the weapons of his enemies and turning them back against anyone who would stand in his way.

I took two Sentinel Prime miniatures and started cutting them apart and rebuilding them to show Sentinels that had been destroyed and then twisted back together under Magneto’s control. I added brass rods to suggest exposed hydraulics, along with tires and other bits to push the silhouette into something more aggressive and a little more unsettling. Magneto himself was mounted on an MCP base with a ton of debris built around him to sell the idea that he’s at the center of all this chaos.

All of this was kept secret from the three players, though they knew Sentinels would be involved. I sent them each a Sentinel kit to do whatever they wanted with, so their forces could reflect that ongoing fight. You could really see that come through in their basing and conversions, like the battle had been going on for a while, and we were just stepping into the final moments.

The game itself… what a game! Ben Ransom put together a completely over the top scenario so we could tell a wild story with it, and it absolutely delivered. Matt, Anthony, and Aaron had no idea what was coming, so they had to adjust in real time to whatever nonsense I threw at them.

We had a tornado of debris moving across the table that could straight up eat characters, including Matt’s Loki, who had to burn resources just to escape it. We pulled in rules from chat, made things up as we went, and just kept building the story as the heroes tried to hold the city together against Magneto. Watching Aaron’s Carnage and Venom team up to take down the tornado was one of those moments you don’t forget.

Looking at the challengers’ rosters, everyone brought something different.

Anthony really delivered with his Guardians of the Galaxy. The colors were bold, the basing popped, and Phoenix as the centerpiece just pulled everything together in a way that felt very MCP.

Matt went in the opposite direction with the Black Order, leaning into a darker, moodier style. The rich tones and lighting gave the whole force a heavy presence on the table. I knew early on I had to deal with that.

Aaron went all in with Sandman ripping apart a Sentinel as his centerpiece. It felt like he was trying to intimidate my Sentinels, which I appreciated. His comic style rendering and those bright green effects made the whole force impossible to ignore.

Overall, the game was fast, chaotic, and full of those big hero moments! Everyone had a chance to shine, even as Magneto started to take over the board. In the end, the heroes managed to pull out a win, just barely, bringing Magneto down and dismantling his Sentinels right at the finish.

I am already looking forward to the next challenge. This kind of setup gives everyone a reason to push their hobby, set a goal, and show up with something they are proud of. And honestly, that is what makes it so fun.

Til next time,

Dallas