[Dwarf] Dwarf Vs Skaven (or Wood Elf)

[Netsmurf]

Option 2 gives the skaven a free crowdsurf possibility. A blitz with the ogre or another with frenzy and you are down a blocker, and it is easy for him to protect the blitzer and avoid the push in your turn.

S1nner's setup; I would move the back corners 1 square closer to the sideline, just to avoid the no dodge run around the defence

[Thick Skull]

Thanks guys, this is helpful!

I've taken your advice on board and come up with this:



I toyed with swapping one Troll slayer out for a blocker so that I can keep the front and flanks of my formation as (more durable) blockers as well as having tackle skills.

But TS' are so much better for getting into the other team and potentially surfing gutter runners that I think I'll keep the two in.

I'm still unsure as to how useful tackle is against gutter runners, who i think have dodge and AG4. If it's really useful, I'd consider putting blocker to cover the sidelines. Also i guess it depends on how far the gutter runners will get into my half in one turn. I'd ideally like to blitz one of them each turn, and mark the other.

My team has only 1 runner, 2 blitzers, 2 troll slayers and 8 blockers (yes, that does inflate my TV).

[sunnyside]

What skills do you have? If you have some stand firm that changes things. Similarly if you have a number of guys with guard you can try to set up a hard to knock down line. Not that they can't push it down anyway, but rather it forces their hand a bit on setup, increases the chances for something going wrong, and increases the chances you'll be able to get a bunch of their players tangled up in a ruck.

I'm still on the fence about handling teams like that. However I have had some success with "all or nothing" type defenses. The idea here is rushing the passer who is probalby hanging back and favoring marking players over really setting up proper screens.

What I'm trying to do is force them to roll some dice, and either fail or score or to score fast, giving you plenty of time to make it into the end zone.

[Murkglow]

Tackle is of course very useful on Gutter Runners since taking away their rerolls will just make it more likely for them to fail a dodge and end the turn (which is excellent for you). Heck even if you don't have tackle on a guy I would still mark GRs as screening them is tough (they have so much movement they can afford to go around screens like you wouldn't believe, plus it costs you more guys to effectively screen then it does for him to penetrate the screen). The chance of a double dodge failure is there so make him roll those dice.

With all that said, be careful about putting Blockers near the side of the field. Skaven are perhaps the best team at shifting from one half of the field to the other and if that happens blockers on the far side will be effectively out of the game for as much as two turns.

[otzenpunk]

Originally Posted by Thick Skull

Thanks guys, this is helpful!

I've taken your advice on board and come up with this:

I would move the Runner and Blocker in the backfield one square to side, too. Otherwise your opponent could blitz one of the corner blockers out of the way, getting easy assists and needing only a push, to get a free running lane to your backfield. Another Gutter Runner could easyly get into your backfield on the other side of the pitch, dodging around your blitzer needing just a 3 and a 2 with full skill use (no tackle).

[Thick Skull]

Well, I played the match and it ended in a 1-1 draw -although I just missed out scoring with a blocker in turn 16 (he naturaly failed the first of his 2 necessary go-for-its).

In the end, I won the toss and recevied, enabling me to play the grind and incapacitate two of my oponent's players. After all your careful and considered advice, I'm afraid I slipped up on my deployment in the second half, putting the front blockers on the wing only 1 sqaure from the edge (exactly as you warned against)... Obviously, the rat ogre made the most of this and surfed the unfortunate Dwarf into the crowd. I shall endaevour not to make the same mistake again!

[Coach]

I would have kicked rather than received, gives them less chances to get KO players back for the second half. Kicking or Receiving | Blood Bowl Tactics

[Netsmurf]

Amen to Coach. I have startet kicking in most my games and it is so nice to start 2nd half with the ball, knowing what is needed.

[Thick Skull]

Fair point. A cage does suck in a lot of doughty players who would otherwise be focussed on incapacitating the opposition. Receiving also focusses me (at least) on scoring, rather than fighting.