Team of the week

[Raveen]

To keep chat moving in this forum I'm starting up this new thread.

Every Friday I will spin the wheel of destiny and select a random team to discuss for the week. Pure theorybowl for the most part but it's a fun way to learn the different teams and come up with strategies and ideas.

[Raveen]

And Spinning the Wheel this week brings up....

Norse.

Big, hairy, blokes from the North.

Here's the stats:

Code: Select all

Norse   Line, Norse   50000   6   3   3   7   Block   G   ASP
Norse   Thrower, Norse   70000   6   3   3   7   Block, Pass   GP   AS
Norse   Runner, Norse   90000   7   3   3   7   Block, Dauntless   GA   SP
Norse   Berserker   90000   6   3   3   7   Block, Frenzy, Jump Up   GS   AP
Norse   Ulfwerener   110000   6   4   2   8   Frenzy   GS   AP
Norse   Snow Troll   140000   5   5   1   8   Loner, Claws, Disturbing Presence, Frenzy, Wild Animal   S   GAP


What do you think of the Norse? Ideal starting builds, tactics or just abuse is all welcome.

[Wyld Karde]

My first thought; glass cannons.

AV of 7 for much of the team, lots of block and it's generous with the frenzy, too.  They're bashy as all heck, but easily injured and that Frenzy can work against you if you're not clever about it.  Of course, if you are clever about it you can open up gaping holes in the enemy line and send opposing players crowdsurfing on a regular basis.

Not a team I'd recommend to a beginner on account of all that hard-to-manage Frenzy, but someone who can manage it could do a lot of damage.  For a starting lineup I'd say skip the big guy and be generous with the re-rolls.  At least three, four if you can stretch to it.  Don't let the option of having a Thrower distract you, they're much more suited to a running game.

[Raveen]

I'm not sure the thrower's worth it personally. If he got sure hands instead of pass I'd be all over him, but pass with no obvious receiver is a waste of a skill IMO. Although give him Leader and he's a reroll. I'd use the runners as ball handlers exclusively though left to my own devices.

They're an odd team as I see it, bash without the strength or durability of Orcs or Chaos, quick but nothing like Elves or Skaven. A bit like the regular Human team but with more specific weaknesses.

Got to love that all round block though. A starting Norse team stands an excellent chance against any other fresh team just because of all that block.

[notjarvis]

Haven't actually played norse, think the AV7 makes me too nervous.

The rest of the stats make them look like a harder/better Orc Team, (Tough without sacrificing too much in agility etc.), the AV7 means you are very likely to lose players I guess.

I'd be interested in giving them a try sometime.

[Raveen]

AV7 is bad, but block makes you less likely to go down in the first place...

[Raveen]

It's Friday so it's time to spin the Wheel of Destiny again...

and the team of the week is... Pro Elves

Code: Select all

0-16   Line, Elf   60000   6   3   4   7      GA   SP
0-2   Thrower, Elf   70000   6   3   4   7   Pass   GAP   S
0-4   Catcher, Elf   100000   8   3   4   7   Catch, Nerves of Steel   GA   SP
0-2   Blitzer, Elf   110000   7   3   4   8   Block, Side Step   GA   SP


[Raveen]

Popular this week then!

A few of my thoughts before I start a new team tomorrow (yes, sheer bloody mindedness is going to keep me going on this. get over it).

Firstly, there's the issue of why there's such a thing as pro elves when the High, wood and Dark elves should surely have it covered? Basically in 2nd edition there were just elves and Dark elves, matching the Warhammer situation of the time. That then morphed into the High/Wood split in WH which was carried over into BB 3rd edition. Lots of people complained that a) the old punk elves were cool and the new minis for both high and wood elves sucked, and b) the new teams weren't a replacement for the old one so why not keep the lot?

The BB rules committee I suspect reintroduced the Pro Elves to fill the gap.

Stats wise you're looking at lots of Ag 4 which is cheating (just roll 2s kids) although the 7 armour makes you vulnerable you should be able to dodge away easily meaning that you're really only at risk of 1 hit per turn from the opponents blitz.

Notable positionals are the catcher, who gets nerves of steel and catch making them excellent downfield receivers even in a cluster of defenders, and the blitzers who start with block.

With 8 move I'd look to make at least a couple of the catchers into safeties, wrestle, strip ball, leap being good skills to take and will enable you to jump into a cage and pop the ball loose as often as not. The other 2 I'd make into more traditional catchers with dodge, diving catch and maybe sidestep.

[Raveen]

I'm not stopping...

This week it's the Orcs (and note the c, this isn't bloomin' 40K alright?)

Code: Select all

0-16   Line   50000   5   3   3   9      G   ASP
0-4   Goblin   40000   6   2   3   7   Dodge, Right Stuff, Stunty   A   GSP
0-2   Thrower, Orc   70000   5   3   3   8   Sure Hands, Pass   GP   AS
0-4   Black Orc   80000   4   4   2   9      GS   AP
0-4   Blitzer, Orc   80000   6   3   3   9   Block   GS   AP
0-1   Troll   110000   4   5   1   9   Loner, Always Hungry, Mighty Blow, Really Stupid, Regeneration, Throw Team-Mate   S   GAP


[Wyld Karde]

Orcs can be a surprising team in the right hands.  One glance at the stat block and you're rightly thinking they're an archetypal bashy team, and they are.  But look again.  They've got a bit of ball handling there.  The throwers come with sure hands and pass, and goblins can work as catchers if you want to play a bit of elfballing.  Dodge and Stunty can get 'em past the opposing line and into a receiving position, or you can use the troll to just hurl a ball carrying goblin down the pitch for a score that way.
Not that I'm advocating playing a passing game as orcs.  They're bashers and you'll get more reliable results by caging up and beating your way down the pitch, but you have the option for a passing game available if your opponent manages to shut down your cage-and-grind play.

[notjarvis]

I'm with Wyld.

When I've played Orc teams it's always having a Goblin (or even two) further up the pitch to receive a pass if Da Kage gets slowed or even broken.
The goblin is the chance to mix up your style of play. An AG3 player with stunty and dodge is quite difficult to completely stop.

Last time I  I played a single player campaign my star player was one of my goblins as he harvested up a surprising number of touchdowns in this way.


Think a troll is probably over-priced for the effectiveness he gives you - as he's spend too much time being stupid, and is a waste of rerolls due to Loner.

I find Black Orcs give you the strength but can struggle without Block to be really effective.

The blitzers are pretty much the heart of your Orc team IMO, and they can more easily be developed to be star players.

[Raveen]

I'd personally advocate splitting this roster into and Orc team without the Goblin or Troll and a greenskins team which keeps them but cuts down the blitzers and BOBs.

To help the BOBs skill up it's always worth giving one of them the ball when you get a touchback and caging up round him like there's no tomorrow and just grind down the pitch. The TD SPPs are well worth it.

[Gandalf]

I hate stunty & dodge! Grrrr. I did injure a fair few gobbos last time I played against them though. :p

Dem black orcs are dead slow though.

[Raveen]

Says the skaven coach...

[Raveen]

So I just remembered that it's Friday!

This week's team of the week, returning after a bit of a break, is...

Underworld Pact!

Code: Select all

0-12 Underworld Goblin   40000   6   2   3   7   Right Stuff, Dodge, Stunty   AM   GSP
0-2 Underworld Skaven Lineman   50000   7   3   3   7   Animosity   GM   ASP
0-2 Underworld Skaven Thrower   70000   7   3   3   7   Animosity, Pass, Sure Hands   GPM   AS
0-2 Underworld Skaven Blitzer   90000   7   3   3   8   Animosity, Block   GSM   AP
0-1 Underworld Warpstone Troll   110000   4   5   1   9   Loner, Always Hungry, Mighty Blow, Really Stupid, Regeneration, Throw Team-Mate   SM   GAP


Goblins and Skaven in an unholy warpstone fuelled mutating alliance.

Seriously, goblins with mutations is a recipe for disaster and skaven are horrible  little buggers at the best of times. Don't trust any of them says Coach Rav.