2022 looks like it’s going to be an interesting year for Atomic Mass Games‘ Marvel: Crisis Protocol. We already have some intriguing releases revealed plus a whole new aspect to the game… Grunts!

Already teased, we now have a good look at the new “Shadowland” Daredevil, Elektra, and the Hand, all coming to the game soon.

But, the bigger news is Grunts and how they’ll work in the game. Grunts are low-level characters, think minions and henchmen, the cannon fodder.

Grunts are described as the “nameless backdrop” by Atomic Mass Games. In the game, Grunts are tied to a Parent character. They can’t enter the battlefield or be used on rosters or squards without their Parent. They’re so tied together Grunts need the Parent to even take actions. If the Parent character goes down, so goes the Grunts. But, Parents can be a part of the team without Grunts, we’ve got a heirarchy here people!

Parents will have superpowers and abilities that call Grunts in and dismiss them as well. Grunts can’t play or be chosen by allied Team Tactic Cards.

Grunts can activate with their Parent. When the Parent goes, so does the Grunts. And, a Parent can only have one Grunt character in play at a time.

Unlike current characters, Grunts don’t have Injured sides and can’t be Dazed, instead if they’re Dazed, they’re immediately KO’d instead.

This new aspect opens up a whole lot of possibilities. We’ve seen the Hand and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents but now maybe we’ll see A.I.M., Hydra agents, or even Doom Bots!

Atomic Mass Games has released a teaser for some upcoming releases for the Marvel: Crisis Protocol miniature game.

The image shows silhouettes of Elektra, a new Daredevil (most likely in his black costume), and Hand Ninjas.

The Hand Ninjas are particularly interesting as their the second low-level “minions” to be teased in the new year. Atomic Mass Games kicked off the year showing off the upcoming Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents.

Shadowland is a storyline released in 2010 involving Daredevil and other “street-level” characters. In it, Daredevil becomes the leader of the Hand and builds a massive temple/prison in Hell’s Kitchen dubbed “Shadowland”. He kills Bullseye and becomes more and more corrupted pitting him against his former allies. We later find out that Daredevil is possessed by the Beast of the Hand which is why he has changed. It takes Daredevil’s former allies, Kingpin, and Lady Bullseye to stop him.