team playstyles

[Shadowdragon]

Recently I've been toying with the idea of putting together a little superhero miniatures game. One of the things I really like in miniature games is how each team/faction/army has a different playstyle and/or gimmick. I'm just not certain how this would work in a superhero game where members tend to be varied in powers and utility. I can't just say "this team is all ranged and that team is all tanks", etc. So, I was hoping to get some suggestions on how to make super teams that look like traditional super teams, but somehow give each a unique gimmick that makes them play different from each other, if such a thing is even possible.

[DS615]

Themes would be the only thing I can think of off hand.
One team is all element based (fire, water, etc.), another is all tech based, and so on.
That would let you keep the variable powers among members, but unite them in a common way.

[Hat Guy]

Depends on what system you're using, but I've managed a couple of thematically linked teams with SS4 (and SS3).

The character "Benefits" are great for adding flavour. I have a team of killer robots who all have the Souless benefit, making them super tough, but with little willingness to fight to the bitter end ("This conflict is no longer logical"). Aquatic would work well for an Atlantean team, Lone Wolf for something like the Suicide Squad or Thunderbolts or Boon for characters with inherent powers, the the X-Men or Doom Patrol.

Hope that helps.

[leonmallett]

I think Pulp City players will notice certain themes in the game, variously around Movement Types (one teams has a lot of Bounding moves; another a lot of Flight), Elements; base sizes; typical Levels etc.

[Hobby Services]

Supersystem/Superfigs also has an entire team of Shrinkers with a "particle physics" theme.  Each has some other tricks as well to differentiate them from zappers to super-dense bricks to "the Fission" who splits in two when shrunk, etc.  They're a pretty good example of what you're after, I think.