[Dwarf] Dwarf formations

[Snap Wilson]

I'll be playing a Dwarf team in the THN league. Having never really spent any time with them, I'm not sure of the most efficient method of setting up on defense. Anyone have any good formations against agility and bash teams?

[Lebe666]

They still allow Dwarfs in tournaments ?

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by Lebe666

They still allow Dwarfs in tournaments ?

League, not tournament, and since I'll be skilling them up according to player personality (including one player I'll be rolling for Bone-Head before every action), they won't be a threat anyone should take seriously. At the same time, I'd rather not start with any obvious position goofs, either.

[Lebe666]

Lol ... just saw your Team posted at THN ! Good luck remembering who is who !!

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by Lebe666

Lol ... just saw your Team posted at THN ! Good luck remembering who is who !!

Us Disney-philes need no help remembering anything Dwarf-related.

[mrpier]

I've been playing a dwarf-team over at the rockpapershotgun-forums, and for defense I've almost always used the "normal" ziggurat formation. With the runners protected in the second line and to act as safeties.

For offense I've used to put both my runners back to cover most of the field for picking up the ball, and put the majority of my players quite far back (three or four squares from the LOS) so I can put up a cage early. However I use to tweak it a little based on of how fast the opponent is and if he has kick.

[Barninho]

One thing that's worth doing against dodgy teams is remembering to spread your blockers around the pitch so you have tackle players available when you need them. With Dwarfs you want your formation tight and you need to make sure you don't rush forwards and leave space behind the defence. Positioning is everything with these guys. The ziggurat is pretty nice. Against stronger teams dauntless on the Troll Slayers can make a huge difference.

Be interesting to see a non-conventional Dwarf team for a change. Good luck with it, nice theme sir, and stay away from my bloody skinks.

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by mrpier

I've been playing a dwarf-team over at the rockpapershotgun-forums, and for defense I've almost always used the "normal" ziggurat formation. With the runners protected in the second line and to act as safeties.

For offense I've used to put both my runners back to cover most of the field for picking up the ball, and put the majority of my players quite far back (three or four squares from the LOS) so I can put up a cage early. However I use to tweak it a little based on of how fast the opponent is and if he has kick.

Thanks, Mrpier. Just out of curiosity, have you ever had trouble with the blitz/short kick playing them back so much? That's the thing that would worry me most about that formation.

I'm also worried of losing pace with faster teams playing in the zig. Do you put it right behind the LOS or a square back?

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by Barninho

One thing that's worth doing against dodgy teams is remembering to spread your blockers around the pitch so you have tackle players available when you need them. With Dwarfs you want your formation tight and you need to make sure you don't rush forwards and leave space behind the defence. Positioning is everything with these guys. The ziggurat is pretty nice. Against stronger teams dauntless on the Troll Slayers can make a huge difference.

Be interesting to see a non-conventional Dwarf team for a change. Good luck with it, nice theme sir, and stay away from my bloody skinks.

Ahahaha, thanks, kind sir. I'm sure your Lizards could give me more than I could ever handle. And yeah, I haven't played Dwarfs up until now because I thought it wouldn't be much fun, so I had to do something a little different. Although I enjoyed my games in MM last night, which were played straight.

This is what I went with last night in two games against Chaos:



I figure I would move it up a square against agility teams. I just don't want to leave too much space behind me.

[Barninho]

I think most teams will aim to kick deep against dwarfs so it's good to have support for the runners in case you need to form up a cage in your own half. It is one of those situations where you are damned if you do and if you don't.

However in scenario 1 he kicks deep, he gets a blitz and you have only your runners deep Against a fast team this can lose you the game.

Scenario 2 he kicks short and he gets a blitz. At least you have players in reserve to crowd whoever picked up the ball on your turn and maybe win it back.

Having said that with three LOS dwarfs and players placed close to the LOS in the wide zones you can set up in a way that it's much harder to capitalise on the blitz.

x x x x x b x b x b x x x x x
x x b x x x x x x x x x b x x
x t x x x x x x x x x x x x t x
x x x x x B x x x B x x x x x
x x x x R x x x x x R x x x x

I'd set up something like this using a blocker and troll slayer. The key thing is that your Blitzers are both protected in the event of a blitz and in a position where they can move to where you need them.