OCC / SSC - Sturmwald Strongholds

[Citizen Nev]

a disconnection and lack of time sees him forfeit this week to Chris's Norse.

Yeah, just in time for my game which sees me facing a fully fit Norse side

Unlucky Gallows, close game it seems. That battle for 3rd is turning epic. I really need a win or at the absolute worst a draw vs Lebe now.

 

[Gallows Bait]

Yeah, sadly its no longer a battle for 2nd as G20 pulls in front. I'll be interested to see how Remora gets on this week, but in all honesty I can't see Chakkal's Elves stopping him without some serious Elf-ball to create a shoot out.

For me now, my chances lie with Reverendo's High Elves - analysis of his team coming soon, but like Chris's Norse, the team is back to full strength by default.

I'd also note it does still look like Chris will be retiring the Norse, so he has little if anything to lose.

 

[Gallows Bait]

Mine:

Ogre - 32spp - Mighty Blow, Thick Skull, Throw Teammate, Bonehead, Loner, Block, Guard, Stand Firm
Blitzer - 0spp - Block
Blitzer - 43spp - Block, Guard, Dodge, Mighty Blow
Blitzer - 26spp - Block, Guard, Mighty Blow
Blitzer - 25spp - Block, Guard, Dodge
Thrower - 49spp - Pass, Sure Hands, Block, +1 MA, Tackle
Thrower - 6spp - Pass, Sure Hands, Strong Arm
Lineman - 46spp - +1 ST, Block, Tackle
Lineman - 16spp - Wrestle, Fend
Lineman - 6spp - Dirty Player
Lineman - 38spp - Wrestle, Tackle, Fend
Lineman - 23spp - Guard, Block
Lineman - 0spp -
Catcher - 48spp - Dodge, Catch, Block, Sidestep, Guard, Smashed Hip (-1MV)
Catcher - 9spp - Dodge, Catch, Wrestle *MNG*

9 Fan Factor
4 Re-rolls
1 Apothecary
1 Cheerleader
1 Assistant Coach

TV 2120 (2030)

Treasury 360,000

His:
Blitzer - Block, Dodge
Blitzer - Block, Mighty Blow, Tackle, Jump Up, Damaged Back (Niggle), Smashed Knee (Niggle)
Thrower - Pass, Safe Throw, Sure Hands, Block, Dodge
Thrower - Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate, Dodge, Sure Feet
Lineman - +1 ST, Guard, Block, Broken Neck (-AG)
Lineman - Block, Jump Up, Dauntless, Damaged Back (Niggle)
Lineman - Guard, Block, Dodge
Lineman - Block, Dodge
Lineman - Mighty Blow, Guard
Catcher - Catch, Block
Catcher - Catch, Wrestle, Leap, Strip Ball, Dodge, Smashed Ankle (-MV)
Catcher - Catch, Block, Sidestep, Serious Concussion (-AV)
Catcher - Catch

7 Fan Factor
3 Re-rolls
1 Apothecary
0 Cheerleader
0 Assistant Coach

TV 2040

Treasury 20,000

 

[Gallows Bait]

So looking at Reverendo's team, I'm going with with 14 players vs 13, I'm not really wanting to purchase any others right now. Ideally I would like to buy a replacement catcher to start skilling, but with my second MNG and already slow to skill, and Dwarves in MD9 it's not the best idea.

He has a fair amount of Dodge, which could make things a little difficult, having only 3 tacklers now with the loss of my star. But there's still 7 non-dodge players on his team, importantly including 3 of his catchers.

Its also a bit of a "target rich" environment - he has a dangerous blitzer, but he's carrying 2 Niggling injuries, he also has a Niggle lineman and a -AV catcher. Importantly removing the Blitzer would remove one of his 3 Guards and give me more of a strength advantage.

His other guards are the +ST lineman, who could prove awkward to deal with, but with -AG he's more markable. His Mighty Blow/Guard lineman also noticably has no defensive skills, so again he should be able to be marked or handled.

With a player advantage and some vulnerable targets, its very tempting to aim for Dirty Player on my newly skilled lineman, the Ogre will probably get Stand Firm, as coming out of my match with G20 I've got a lot more respect for it as a defensive skill. If he doubles I'd probably take Tackle over Pro in order to make him a better killer, though Dodge would also be tempting for a really annoying roadblock.

 

[Mico Selva]

3 tackle is plenty against 6 dodge, so You should be fine there. Target his weak spots and hope to get a numbers advantage. All these -AVs and niggles look promising. Good luck.

Stand firm is a good skill for the Ogre, btw. You could also consider Grab or Multiple Block.

 

[Boffa]

+1 for Stand firm.

 

[Gallows Bait]

Nuffle has heard your cries. Look forward to the blessed sight of a 6 and 5... the next time your Ogre levels.

Prophet, thy name is John McGuirk!

Yes, indeed, with his skill up my Ogre has indeed rolled the blessed 6+5 AG roll.

So that'll be a normal skill then...

My Lineman rolled a normal too, so I'm torn between my 3rd Wrestle for LOS duty, which is the long term plan, or Dirty Player as soon as possible to take advantage of the fragile injured elves.

 

[Gallows Bait]

Taken Stand Firm on the Ogre and Dirty Player on the lineman, both should be useful for the next game and hopefully long term too. My other rookie lineman will fill in on LOS and hope he gets Wrestle soon to keep himself alive.

The Dirty Player should be handy against the AV6 catcher and the 2 niggled players next week.

 

[Lebe666]

Reverendo lost to Chris... wow...

 

[jrpeart]

Looks like the right choice in each case. You do realise you're never getting a useful AG now though since you've turned this one down.

 

[G20]

Reverendo didn't particularly try to protect that blitzer with the double niggle. Try to save your DP for that guy and it'll really protect your blodge players.

 

[Gallows Bait]

MD8 vs Reverendo plays tonight at 20.00 GMT and with the way the table stands (I'm 5th now) this game will pretty much determine the fate of my season. A poor result could put me behind quite significantly and battling against relegation (or at least non-promotion) while a win puts me back in range of the top in case anyone above me slips up.

I don't think I'll be able to catch Remora/G20, but I can certainly try my best.

Edit: Looking at this MD and the next one, Remora has to play Lebe and G20 and Lebe has to play Chakkal, so there's a chance of picking up a bit as that means not all 4 of the teams above me can pick up maximum points.

If that's the case though, then I really do need things to go well tonight to move up the ladder.

 

[SorroW]

Good luck!

 

[G20]

Be sure to score two with your new blitzer. I'd drop him back to receive both kicks for just this purpose. You'll want that MV7, tackle thrower up front to pound dodgers.

 

[Gallows Bait]

Yes, focus on my blitzers is key if I'm going to develop the team, I have two stuck on Level 3 as well that really could benefit from TDs, but the rookie is vital at first to try and get some more mobile tackle and then build into a killer. The others will probably go for tackle/stand firm alternately, rather than another killer, but that will depend how quickly the new one skills up.

I'd love for some more doubles for dodge as well, but we shall have to wait and see. Certainly I can't afford to keep scoring with my Thrower and Catcher, but I'll have to be careful against Strip Ball.

 

[G20]

You already have enough tackle. Not that I'm some shining example, but I've got one tackler and I'm doing ok. I'd like to get to two, but having too much tackle is going to hurt vs. bash teams (aka, most of the league). I would absolutely not take tackle as a first skill on the new blitzer. I'd recommend MB, then PO so you can start putting the hurt on people. You're going to lose some players on each drive, and you have to have some way to keep parity in numbers if not gain an advantage. I might put tackle on the mb/dodge/guard player to have one MB tackler and you'll want tackle on him eventually when he's got stand firm since that'll make a great marker. Strip ball means fuck all if he can't get to your carrier.

 

[Gallows Bait]

That's a fair point, I guess I'm just used to the fact that my Tackle Blitzer was the one that so outstripped his colleagues right from the beginning, but I have had a relatively charmed life in terms of Agility vs Bash teams so far, heading upward is going to change that balance I suppose.

MB, PO, Tackle is certainly workable.

 

[Lebe666]

Tough oppo... Good Luck ! Recent upsets have been quite curious... King Gordy and Chakkal seemed beaten up...

 

[Gallows Bait]

Not least my terrifyingly bad failure against Chris's Titanium skinned Norse in MD6.

Edit: Though King Gordy's win is admin due to Bloodcurse's lack of availability. Similarly Chris's win over Reverendo came as a result of Net Sync and lack of availability from Reverendo for a replay I believe.

As for Chakkal, conceding against me seems to have been the turning point, oddly.

 

[Nikolai II]

I have three tacklers (MB wight, Wrestle Ghoul, Wrestle Zombie) and it seems to be enough most of the time.

I am considering tackle on the MB ghoul, or on the plain wrestle ghoul, but the latter might get strip ball if the other wrackle ghoul is still alive at that time (and it looks as if opponents of the rest of that season has little sure hands)

As for the MB ghoul.. it's a hard call. Fend might also make sense to make him less of a target / easy kill, up in T2.