On Tuesday, playing City of Heroes, I unusually agreed to an unsolicited team-up offer. Though the team leader managed to turn up late for two of the three missions (once due to a crash, once due to a phone call) and had a name that screamed "I wanted this name so badly I stuck an almost un-noticable full stop on the end when I found it was already taken" I still managed to make more XP than I lost to debt.

On Wednesday, I chanced teaming up again. It was an adventure I've come to think of as:

The crazy-go-nuts blaster gets me killed several times

I responded to a request to help out a four-hero team who needed a meat-shield... er Scrapper. They were doing the defuse-two-bombs-at-once mission in the Hollows. On the Tuesday this was the mission the team leader (who was the healer) had failed to enter because he got a phone call just as we all entered. We died, but, frankly, given everything in there was five levels above us, I doubt he'd have helped much anyway.

This time though, everything was only +1. Not impossible. Except we had in our midst the most evil of villains: the crazy-as-fuck assault rifle blaster who takes no notice of his fellow team members.

It started off innocently enough - he "pulled" the first pod of Trolls with an M30 grenade and scattered caltrops on the ground as he ran back. This almost seemed like a plan as they ran slowly around and we were able to defeat them eventually. So we moved on.

Round two doesn't go so well. The CAFB tries the M30/caltrops again, but a couple of well-aimed rocks from an Ogre arrive and I'm taking a dirt nap. The CAFB also bites the big one, so our compadres pull back. This splits the pack, and they manage to whittle down the ones that stay to fight. Returning to our corpses, the CAFB and I are eventually revived and we take down the remaining trolls.

Around the corner was a "fight" where various outcasts and trolls were waiting. As we waited for our endurance to return, he amused himself by shouting at them. Then, suddenly bored with this, launched another M30 at them. Fortunately, everyone was back to full endurance, and there weren't as many this time.

We rest up and move further into the cave - around a corner is a veritable mosh-pit of trolls. With, just beyond them, a further batch. "I'll pull" says the CAFB. "NO!" and "Jesus... no!" come the replies.

We carefully pull at the edge of the pack and with a little luck make it through the first lot. At the end I have no endurance left, but as I'm looking along the cave I see the CAFB regarding the next group. Before I'm finished typing "don't pull..." he launches another M30 grenade and the whole lot charge us. Somehow we survive though, and move on. Though not before the CAFB complains I told him not to pull too late.

Something odd happens, and three of us make it to the end of the cave withoug spotting or aggroing the trolls who engage the other two. Not realising that they're fighting, the CAFB, myself and the other team member find a large room full of Trolls. I pause, waiting for the others to catch up, but the CAFB fires his M30 into the nearest crowd. His last words as they swarm him are, "see... I can pull". In trying to disengage from the mob the CAFB started, we get caught up with the Trolls we missed on the way and, double-teamed, I take my second dirt-nap.

Revived again, we clear the big room out and defeat the two gang leaders. Now we just need to defuse both bombs simultaneously. We've already found one, but where's the other. The CAFB suggests restarting the mission because of the good XP - but I have to head off soon to feed the cat. I explain: "I'm going to have to go soon I'm afraid".

"You're scared of what?" says the CAFB. Ignoring such gross stupidity, I suggest the second bomb is in the branch of the cave we haven't explored, but the CAFB says he's seen both bombs. This though, turns out to be incorrect and it is indeed at the end of the other branch, with about 10 or so orange Trolls in front of it. The CAFB and I regard them. I know what he's going to do. He's going to fire another fucking M30 grenade at them. I vainly start typing... "don..." but... boom. He dies pretty swiftly and I mount a valiant retreat which gets me down to about 1 hp. One of the other team members heals me a few times, but I'm overwhelmed, exhausted and soon into my third dirt-nap.

Fortunately, the number of Trolls following me has let my remaining compadres near the second bomb. They manage to defuse them both and the mission is completed. I let myself be teleported back to the hospital where, having bid my fond farewells to the team I head off.