[Underworld] Starting roster and development discussion

[Hasdrubal]

A team update after the 1st game of the league, which I won 3-0 against dark elves.

The troll and 1 goblin have reached 8 SPP and gained a skill, with 3 more players at 5 SPP. The goblin got a standard skill, I went with 2 Heads. I rolled an 11 for the troll and can take either +AG or a standard skill. I am tempted to go for Tentacles considering 50% of the league teams are elves, yet +1 AG could be tempting... Your recommendation?

The best play of the game: I set up the troll behinf the LoS since I am receiving in H2, and the ball scatters off the pitch. The troll gets the ball, and walks to a TD 4 turns after, carving a path through the opposing elves.

[Coach]

+AG on the Troll isn't that great, if you are just going to take it for throw team mate, then strong arm will give the same benefit for less TV

I also think that with only the one Troll on the team taking skills to increase TTM success hampers him for any other role you want him to do.

Tentacles looks like a good choice if you are in an elf heavy league though.

[Hasdrubal]

That's exactly what I thought... Going from AG& to AG2 isn't a great package when considering MV4 and Really Stupid. The troll's role is, when kicking, to create a magnet that will hopefully swamp in 2 opposing players and strengthen the LoS. When receiving, I actually like to keep in behind the LoS in case the ball scatters

[Hasdrubal]

The 2nd game of my league took place last week-end. I played againstthe orc team of the league. I won 4-0, your got 4 guys injured (3 goblins and a linerat), hopefully nothing critical happened to the injured players.

So far, the skilled players are:
- troll (8 SPP): Tentacles. Worked great when I needed it against a Dark Elf Witch.
- skaven blitzer (6 SPP): Guard
- skaven thrower (7 SPP): Guard (I was lucky and rolled a doubled)
- skaven lineman (8 SPP): Wrestle (we have lots of Blodge players in the league, so this guy will become the dedicated sacker, his next skill will be Strip Ball)
- 2 goblins (6 & 8 SPP): 2 Heads (love dodging my way into the end zone on a 2+, its very annoying for the opposing player).

My other thrower is bound to skill up by the end of next game, he's at 9 SPP by mid-game. He'll get Big Hand to become the ball retriever. I also have my second blitzer at 5 SPP, he'll get a touchdown if possible.

I plan to leave the 2 remaining goblins as free of SPP as possible to turn them into meat sacks for the LoS. So far it's worked well enough.

[Coach]

4-0 is a nice result congrats!

I think I would personally take Extra Arms before Big Hand though, picking up on a 2+ with Sure Hands reroll is going to happen a lot more often than you are going to pick it up in tackle zones. Also Extra Arms and Big Hand will have the same effect if it is in only one tackle zone.

Big hand Might be better on a Goblin that can dodge to and away with the ball after pick it up. Then you can hand off to the Extra Arms Thrower who gets 2+ on the catch due to Extra Arms.

[Snap Wilson]

The best team I ever put together was a Skaven team that was keyed by a Gutter Runner with Big Hand who worked in tandem with my Skaven Blitzer who had Strip Ball and Wrestle. I can't remember how many touchdowns resulted from fishing balls out of a scrum, but it got to the point where those two were being constantly targeted in my league and apo use was strictly reserved for those two and my superstar Gutter Runner (AG5, Block, Catch, Nerves of Steel, the Jerry Rice of Blood Bowl players).

Coach is right, you either need Dodge or Nerves of Steel or your dude is just asking to get clobbered once he does get the ball (and in the case of NoS, he's gonna get clobbered after he pitches it out).

[Hasdrubal]

You've sold me on the Extra Arms, that's what I'll do. Considering my throwers will probably skill up fast (if they stay alive, that is), how should I develop them afterward?

The Guard thrower will most likely get Block, should the Extra Arm one go for Block as well, or another mutation? Having another Big Hand in the team could be interesting, giving the option of a 2+ pick-up no matter what, then handing off the ball to another player for a run or pass. What do you guys think?

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by Hasdrubal

You've sold me on the Extra Arms, that's what I'll do. Considering my throwers will probably skill up fast (if they stay alive, that is), how should I develop them afterward?

The Guard thrower will most likely get Block, should the Extra Arm one go for Block as well, or another mutation? Having another Big Hand in the team could be interesting, giving the option of a 2+ pick-up no matter what, then handing off the ball to another player for a run or pass. What do you guys think?

I'm a big fan of Nerves of Steel on Skaven Throwers (and Gutter Runners when rolling doubles). If he has the ball and your cage collapses, you'll be able to pitch it out of there easily. Take Safe Throw after that and it becomes even a better option. If a teammate has the ball, he makes a pretty damned good receiver with the Extra Arms and the NoS. As a fringe benefit, he'd be a pretty decent interception threat when that opportunity arises.

[Coach]

Not sure I agree, if you take Two Heads, he can run away instead. If a cage collapses then you should still be able to dodge out the other side (though diving tackle would cause problems). Being able to dodge around easily is also a handy option to have on your call carrier.

The other benefits you listed are nice though, using him as a receiver and helps when Diving Tackle comes into play. Usually though you should be able to just push the Diving tackle players away.

But either way yes I'd take Block next on both of them. Not sure I'd have taken Guard on the double, think Dodge might be better for a ball handling player.

[Snap Wilson]

Originally Posted by Coach

Not sure I agree, if you take Two Heads, he can run away instead. If a cage collapses then you should still be able to dodge out the other side (though diving tackle would cause problems). Being able to dodge around easily is also a handy option to have on your call carrier.

The other benefits you listed are nice though, using him as a receiver and helps when Diving Tackle comes into play. Usually though you should be able to just push the Diving tackle players away.

But either way yes I'd take Block next on both of them. Not sure I'd have taken Guard on the double, think Dodge might be better for a ball handling player.

I keep thinking standard Skaven and not Skaven with general access to mutations. Yeah, Two Heads makes more sense in that case, and since their are no Gutter Runners on Underworld teams (and the whole Animosity thing) the passing game is less prevalent.