Kick Off Return

Kick-Off Return (General)

A player on the receiving team that is not on the Line of Scrimmage or in an opposing tackle zone may use this skill when the ball has been kicked. It allows the player to move up to 3 squares after the ball has been scattered but before rolling on the Kick-Off table. Only one player may use this skill each kick-off. This skill may not be used for a touchback kick-off and does not allow the player to cross into the opponent’s half of the pitch.

Overview:

Kick Off Return is new to LRB5 and its introduction gives some of the slower teams a way to help combat the problems that the Kick skill can put them in. It is probably of most benefit to the slower teams as it will let them get to the ball and then either out of range of the opposition, or into the safety of a cage. It can also offer some extra protection against Blitz results on the Kick Off Table. You may even be able to move directly under the ball getting a free shot at trying to catch the ball which will skip the need (and therefore risk) of trying to pick the ball up in your first turn. The fact this happens as part of the kick off means there is no turnover risk so is clearly advantageous.

For the faster teams they are probably less inclined to take it (they have the speed already), though it does gives the flexibility of a bit of extra movement (perhaps to safety) whilst still only using one player designated to cover the backfield, instead of using two players. Again perhaps getting the free catch roll instead of doing a pick up would be advantageous, it will also make doing a one turn touchdown easier as well.

There is also the possibility to influence where the opposing coach will elect to kick if they have the Kick skill or risk not just placing it in the centre if they don’t. If you have a preferred side of their defence you want to attack and set up your attacking players towards that side, placing your Kick Off Return player slightly off to the opposite side in the backfield, then they may kick to the side you prefer, making passing the ball up to your team mates easier. I do feel this is very situational though and I certainly see it of most benefit to the slower teams who need to secure the ball in a cage as soon as possible.

The last option is to give it to players who aren’t even likely to be used to pick the ball up with, though it may be a bit of bloat to your team value. If you have it on a player you set up in one of the wide zones, in mind of pushing down the other side of the pitch. After the kick off scatter, you can choose to move him three squares towards the other side of the pitch, meaning during the players actual turn there is more flexibility to moving him somewhere perhaps more useful.

Useful to:

The most likely to take this skill are Dwarf Runners and Orc Throwers. Dwarf Runners aren’t exactly slow but the rest of the team is, so the further up the pitch you can initially form the cage the better. Orc Throwers are fairly slow so being able to cover more squares will let them get into a cage, especially if the ball lands really deep. It still probably isn’t their first skill, I believe Block would be best first, though it can be considered for a second skill.

For any other player likely to take it I can’t see it being taken as an early choice as there are probably far more useful skills to choose instead. If you get a skill increase on a fairly well developed player who you typically set up in the back field and are unsure what to give them, then consider if Kick Off Return will be of any use to them and your strategy.

Summary:

Kick Off Return can give you an extra boost of movement which can either combat tricky situations where the ball lands somewhere nasty, get you a free catch roll on the kick off, negate your players own slowness, get the ball further up the pitch in your first turn. It isn’t necessarily a great choice as it can be somewhat combated by just setting up two players in the backfield as was done in previous editions. I’m yet to be convinced that it is a worthwhile choice on most players as they are forgoing another skill which perhaps will get more uses in more situations.

10 thoughts on “Kick Off Return”

  1. This skill is a definate must for any of the slower teams, Dwarfs, Orcs, Goblins, etc maybe even humans. It means you are almost guaranteed to be able to pick up the ball no matter where it lands or perhaps even catch it as it lands. But I would certainly keep an extra player around to help cover the ball.

    One strat I tried was to have two guys in the back with this skill. Have them on either side of pitch, if the ball scatters left, I move the guy on the right over with Kick Off Return, then that wouls put them within distance of covering the ball when it lands and the guy that was already on the left will be in range to pick it up.

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  2. What do You think of picking this skill for an Amazon Thrower? They aren’t exactly fast, and the team is a weird variant of caging-running type, rather than passing one.

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  3. I can see some merit in that after taking Sure Hands and Block (either order), it is marginal if you would prefer to have Accurate before it or not. Guess it boils down to who does your ball carrying and what skills they take.

    If you had a Thrower built to collect it and then perhaps pass it to a Catcher then you can start the cage further forward more often and it may help with two turn scoring attempts. The other Thrower could then perhaps be designed to pick it up and run with it herself which leaves both Catchers free as scoring threats.

    So it really boils down to how you personally use all your players and each individual teams. Getting certain stat increase on different players can also alter your options. For a more specific analysis feel free to post your whole team roster into a thread on the forum and you can get some tailored advice.

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  4. I’d consider a Lineman with both Kick and Kickoff return. On the offence he can setup three squares back from the LoS, and use KoR to become an extra Wide Zone player. This means he can lend an assist against a player on the end of the LoS without using one of your wide zone slots, or an action.

    It’s still a marginal use case, and fails on a touchback, but gives your kicker a role on offence too.

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    • I’d strongly advice against it @Morgan. Kick only help you on defence and Kickoff Return only works when receiving. I can’t find any synergy at all.

      Good combos for Kickoff Return are Sure Hands, Extra arm or Catch. Protection skills such as Block and Dodge are also good.

      For a Kick player, I’d rather select skills that help me get the ball loose, such as Strip Ball, Tackle or Wrestle. Also, Dirty Player or Leader works, making him more of a utility player.

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  5. 2016: Added ‘(regardless of their MA)’ so even MA1 or 2 players can complete the 3 squares now even trees?
    2016 also removed ‘Only one player may use this skill each kick-off’ suggesting the possibility of any number of players with this skill using it, assuming they are in a legal position to do so. So potentially you could have several players able to move at kick off closer to the ball?

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    • You could have Kick Off Return on every player on your team if you wanted to, then depending on where the kick off is going to land you can choose a player who can perhaps be close enough to get underneath the ball for a free catch attempt.

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  6. True but LRB 6 only allowed 1 player to try rather than 2016 which dies not have the limitation of 1 player so a whole swarm of players could potentially move towards the ball and form an early cage. Not that a whole heap of people would take that skill 🙂

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  7. I have been experimenting using KOR on a Human catcher with the concept of having them in the wide zone as a back up ball handler that has Catch if they can get lucky enough to get under the ball and also be able to place them 3 spaces off the LOS (to avoid blitzes) but move them up to the LOS when there is no blitz for a deep threat.

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