Chaos Dwarf I'm Too Sexy For My Hat

Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
My Chaos Dwarves play in a 16-team private league. There are two divisions with eight teams each, so the regular season is seven weeks long. Four teams from each division make the single-elimination playoffs.

Last season, my team was 2-4-1 in the regular season (4 draws), placing 3rd in the division. We won our quarterfinal match against Khemri, but lost in the semifinals to a killer Chaos build. We also lost our two ball carriers (+AG/block bull centaur and +AG/sure hands hobgoblin) in the final weeks of the season. I considered trashing the team, but decided to bring them back for another season - and to seek advice on how to win the championship.

Most of my Blood Bowl experience has been with Skaven and Vampires, although I did play an Orc team in a short league at one point, and I've played a number of one-off games with various races.

The team right now is (14 players total, 12 for this game):

Chaos Dwarf 28spp, Guard, Mighty Blow
Chaos Dwarf 17spp, Guard, Claw
Chaos Dwarf 13spp, Guard
Chaos Dwarf 34spp, Guard, Mighty Blow, Dauntless, MISS NEXT GAME
Chaos Dwarf 29spp, Guard, Mighty Blow
Chaos Dwarf, 18spp, Guard, Dauntless
Bull Centaur 0spp
Bull Centaur 16spp, Break Tackle, Wrestle
Hobgoblin 0spp
Hobgoblin 11spp, Kick
Hobgoblin 0spp
Hobgoblin 7spp, +ST
Hobgoblin 10spp, Dirty Player
Hobgoblin 0spp, MISS NEXT GAME
4 rerolls, apothecary, 6 fan factor, 30k in treasury
Team Value: 1520k (not including players missing this game)

There is some history reflected in the skill choices. For example, I chose Dauntless going into the final week of last season and the first playoff game knowing my opponents were Orcs, Khemri, and Chaos. The Bull Centaur with Wrestle is planning to take Tackle or Strip Ball next.

My first game will be against a Wood Elf team that was in the other division last season. Their roster is (13 players total):

Wardancer +AG, Sidestep
Wardancer Mighty Blow
Thrower Sure Hands, Accurate
Lineman Wrestle, Guard
Lineman Wrestle
Lineman Wrestle
Lineman Guard
Lineman Guard
Lineman
Lineman
Lineman
Lineman
Treeman
3 rerolls, apothecary, 4 fan factor, 20k in treasury
Team Value: 1600k

For this game, my thinking is to play the straightforward 2-1 grind. I'm not sure how to handle the tree in this context. My inclination is to try to mark it with a dwarf away from the action, but I assume it will be in the center of the pitch, so this might be tough. I should ultimately have the upper hand in the blocking game, but he has three players with guard, three wrestlers and two blodgers, so that may not be a walk in the park.

For my 80k in inducements, while I love bloodweiser babes, it's hard to not take two agility potions (probably one for the rookie bull centaur and one for the +ST hobgoblin). Because I don't have a block or dodge player who can really carry the ball, I will probably want it in the hands of a 4 strength piece (so the wardancers have to throw blocks at 2 dice against if/when they manage to blitz the ball carrier).

Whenever I can bring down the thrower or the wardancers, I'll look to foul them. My biggest concern is the +AG wardancer (leaps on a 2+). Of course, I only have 12 players for this game, so fouling might be risky.

On defense, I usually set up in a ziggurat formation, but in this case, will probably set up 3-5-3.

Any thoughts or advice on my team, this game, or my thoughts shared above are welcome and appreciated. The game is scheduled for about 24 hours from now.
 
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Boffa

Mega Star Player
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1,400
Location
Perth, Australia
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Nice that his ag5 dancer doesn't have strip ball. Cage the ball with 2 guard escorts should be reasonably safe. Fouling dancers should be automatic anyway. The tree is best ignored when possible attempt to go around him or bring the game away from him. He can't get far and is a waste of resources.
 

Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
I was definitely happy to see no strip ball on the team. I learned the necessity of having a sure hands player at the hands of a strip ball wardancer. That said, I'm not sure who on this team should get sure hands (probably a hobgoblin, but they keep dying).

At first I was really surprised not to see strip ball, but looking at his team, I can understand why he doesn't have it yet. Wardancer 1 rolled +AG; side step next in order to extend his life expectancy is a reasonably choice (strip ball would also have been, but isn't useful against many teams). And Wardancer 2 rolled doubles.
 
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Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
Match 1 Report

Well, that went well.

In the first match of the season, we crushed the wood elves.

I bought two agility potions and both hit. The Elves won the toss and decided to kick. The kick went out of bounds and I handed it to the 4-strength and (for this match) 4-agility hobgoblin and set about attacking elves. The first hit was MNG apoth dead. The second was a stun and the blitz stunned a wardancer. I marked the tree and caged up on the left side.

On the elves' first turn, the tree took root and he set up elves to stall my advance. He stalled fairly successfully for about four turns, but then we got all tied up in a big pile on the left side of the pitch and his elves started falling like flies. The mighty blow wardancer died toward the end of the half and I scored easily on turn 8.

He got some KOs back and was able to start 10 players in the second half. The tree again took root on turn 1, and he pushed the remaining wardancer deep into my half. I KO'd the wardancer with a mighty blow dwarf. I had to play pass defense (cover and beat up the receivers) for a few turns until the aformentioned hobgoblin dodged through a screen and knocked down the thrower (4ST/4AG is an awesome combination). I then managed to get a few tackle zones on the ball, pick it up and walk in for the final score. He had two prone elves and a rooted tree left on the pitch when I scored.

I only had one level up, but it was a MB dwarf who rolled doubles! He will be taking claw.

My next match is against the Khemri team that I beat in quarterfinals last season. They are coached by the league commissioner. He is an excellent player (and is responsible for teaching me Blood Bowl). I'll write up more about his team soon.
 

Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
Preview of Match 2

The Khemri team is

Tomb Guardian, MISS NEXT GAME:powdodge:, Mighty Blow, Stand Firm, Guard
Tomb Guardian, Mighty Blow, Block
Tomb Guardian, Block
Tomb Guardian, Mighty Blow, Block
Blitz-Ra, Mighty Blow, Guard
Blitz-Ra, Tackle, Guard
Skeleton, Block
Skeleton, Block
Skeleton, Dirty Player
Skeleton
Skeleton
Throw-Ra, Block, Tackle, +AG
Throw-Ra, Leader, Block
3 Rerolls, 10 Fan Factor, 380k in treasury
1520 Team Value

My team, as it currently stands:
Chaos Dwarf, 30spp, Guard, Mighty Blow
Chaos Dwarf, 17spp, Guard, Claw
Chaos Dwarf, 13spp, Guard
Chaos Dwarf, 34spp, Guard, Mighty Blow, Dauntless
Chaos Dwarf, 33spp, Guard, Mighty Blow, Claw
Chaos Dwarf, 23spp, Guard, Dauntless
Bull Centaur, 3spp
Bull Centaur, 16spp, Break Tackle, Wrestle
Hobgoblin, 0spp
Hobgoblin, 11spp, Kick
Hobgoblin, 0spp
Hobgoblin, 10spp, +ST
Hobgoblin, 10spp, Dirty Player
Hobgoblin, 0spp
4 Rerolls, 7 Fan Factor, 100k in Treasury
1730 Team Value

The first question is inducements. He has only 12 guys, so might pick up an extra skeleton. I have 14, so could probably get away with dropping a hobgoblin. As things currently stand, he'll be getting 210 in inducements. I'm guessing this will be a wizard and a bloodweiser babe, but honestly, I'm not sure (and if he does have only 12, he may want 2 babes).

I've never played against a wizard before, so that might be interesting. Aside from keeping a slightly looser cage and being a little more willing to score on turn 7, is there anything else I should be looking for?

Should I drop a hobgoblin to try to reduce his inducements? My opponent has three mighty blow guys and will be targeting hobgoblins. He also fouls a lot.

The last time I faced this team, I got two agility potions and one hit on a +AG bull, giving me a 4 agility ball carrier. He dodged a whole lot and was key to my victory. I won't have that option this time. I was also down a dwarf and he had all four guardians. I have more bash power than I had then and a second guy with claw. Despite this, I imagine I am still better off going around rather than over the guardians. This may be slightly easier, since there are only 3 for this game and none of them have stand firm. It is a little scary that all three have block; all the more reason to keep them marked with dwarves.

I will probably set up shallow when kicking - I want to be able to threaten either a short kick or a deep kick. Either way, I assume the goal is to capitalize on any ball handling mistakes and put the ball on the ground whenever possible. The +AG thro-ra is the prime MB/DP target.

I've played two games recently with only 5 of my dwarves. I have to say, I don't miss the sixth a whole lot. It puts an extra hobgoblin on the field, which significantly adds to the mobility of the team and the number of ball handling options. I'm not ready to cut the sixth dwarf just yet, but I'm surprised to even be considering it. Replacing him with a hobgoblin is a big reduction in TV. I do fear I would miss the fifth dwarf any time I had an MNG, though. If I get down a TD, though, I could see benching a dwarf for a drive or two.
 

Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
Match 2 Report

Before the game, the Khemri coach fired his MNG tomb guardian and hired a rookie replacement. So I was facing four guardians again, but none had stand firm. And in terms of inducements, he just got two babes.

He won the kick and elected to receive. I set up in a ziggurat format, with both bulls on the right and a dwarf and 4 ST hobgoblin on the left. He set up to attack the right side and I kicked shallow to the left. My opponent expressed surprise at my kick, since I had the kick skill and he assumed I would kick deep. He pushed my players away, shifted to the left to protect the ball, and picked it up with his thro-ra. I set up staggered columns on my turn and waited for him to come to me.

He switched back to the center on his next turn and engaged with me, using his guardians to try to tie up my players. I did a little hitting and marking, but mostly tried to stay patient.

On his turn, he pushed up into my half and marked/screened as best as he could. I managed a one-die blitz (both down, but we both had block), leaving the thro-ra marked. I marked up the rest of his team. If he blitzed the ball carrier free, he was going to have a hard time protecting him.

He tried to dodge the ball carrier free, and the thro-ra DIED (regenerated successfully). On my turn, I scooped up the ball and then worked my way up the left sideline and scored.

Up 1-0 at the half. So far, so good.

He set up skeletons on the line of scrimmage and the guardians on the wings. I set up the 4 ST hobgoblin to receive the kick (with a bull escort) and a hobgoblin in each wide zone in case he rolled a blitz. Sure enough, he did. He blitzed the hobgoblin on the right and flooded my backfield with players. My opponent was the one who taught me to play the game (both the rules and the strategy). One of the things he taught me is that if you aren't careful, you can end up in worse position after a blitz, perfect defense, etc. than you were before the event. I think that happened to him here. On my turn, I knocked down the skeletons, took control of the midfield, formed the cage, scooped up the ball, and (going for it twice) secured the ball carrier in the cage.

He bashed away at my guys, but he was hopelessly out of position and on my next turn, I ran the ball out of reach and with escorts. The next turn, he surrounded my claw/mighty blow dwarf and fouled with his dirty player. I asked if he was trying to force me to score more quickly. He said he knew the game was lost and he was just trying to make sure he didn't have to see this player again in the playoffs. I scored and figured I'd play for a 3rd touchdown.

On the next kickoff, I again kicked shallow. This time, I rolled a blitz. The kicker ran under the ball. He dropped it, but picked it up on the next turn and headed down the right sideline. I probably would've scored with the kicker, but my opponent pointed out that I had a bull with 3spp standing there, so I handed off and scored with the bull instead.

Final score 3-0.
 

Steve

Rookie
Messages
12
Location
Greensboro, NC
Skill ups

I earned three new levels in this game. Since I am currently in first in the division and four of the eight teams make the playoffs, I can make these decisions for the long-term and not my next game.

My +ST hobgoblin scored two touchdowns, bringing him to 16 spp. He rolled a normal skill. I'm thinking block or sure hands. He has become my default ball carrier, so both skills would make sense. Since I want to keep him alive and he's also useful on defense, I am leaning toward block.

My unskilled bull centaur scored one touchdown, bringing him to 6 spp. He rolled a normal skill. I'm thinking break tackle or wrestle. I really like break tackle for these guys. Without it, they are so easy to mark out of the game. But even with break tackle, you can't reliably dodge without a reroll. And they still can't reliably hit. And they really can't get the ball off a blodger, which is what you often most for them to be able to do, especially once they have break tackle. So that's why I'm thinking wrestle. Coach recommends block for these guys, and I usually follow coach's recommendations, though, so - thoughts? I use them as safeties, ball hunters, and ball carrier bodyguards.

My guard dwarf picked up the MVP, bringing him to 18 spp. He rolled 6+4. I'm thinking mighty blow, but stand firm might also make sense.
 
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