Animosity in practice (Underworld)

[Smeborg]

I have been playing Underworld for the first time this season, and am thoroughly enjoying them.

In their 21st game, a failed Animosity roll (with Re-roll) cost my team the match (it caused a 2TD swing). This is remarkable, in that I think it is the first time that Animosity has failed in 21 games, and is certainly the first time it has caused a loss (a probable draw on turn 15 was foiled by an interception).

I find in practice that Animosity has relatively little effect on the game, and in so far as it has any, it is mainly indirect (a bit in the same way as Pass Block and Strip Ball generally have an indirect, rather than direct influence on proceedings). Animosity acts as an incentive to pass or hand-off to a Gobbo only when you have a re-roll, or to hand-off or pass only to other Skaven players when you do not have a re-roll. This is quite a slight influence (I was expecting more).

I wonder what is the experience of other coaches with this skill?

All the best.

[Don__Vito]

Played with Underworld a season and once at a tourney, and completely forget about animosity. It has such a small effect on the way I play (I tend to run the ball mainly anyway) that I don't remember a single time it has adversly affected my positioning, decision making or play. Maybe delayed a TD attempt by a turn a couple of times at most once RR's had run out?

Crank it up to a 3+ roll and I'd have paid far more attention to it...

[GalakStarscraper]

Crank it up to a 3+ roll and I'd have paid far more attention to it...

There are no static 3+ rolls in Blood Bowl. Jervis rule.

Galak

[Smeborg]

Crank it up to a 3+ roll and I'd have paid far more attention to it...

There are no static 3+ rolls in Blood Bowl. Jervis rule.

Galak

Or more precisely, there are are just 2+ and 4+ "static" rolls, right? 2+ for Always Hungry, Animosity, Blood Lust, Bonehead, Chainsaw, Foul Appearance, Sweltering Heat, Take Root, and 4+ for Loner, Pro, Regeneration (I may have missed some). Other D6 rolls ("non-static") are (a) most commonly made against a variable characteristic (e.g. AG, ST), or (b) fit the 2+/4+ paradigm but can alternate (Really Stupid, Wild Animal), or (c) derive from the 2+ or 4+ paradigm but can be modified (K.O. Recovery, Pitch Invasion: where 5- = 2+). Does that describe things adequately?

Having only 2+ and 4+ "static" rolls is an area where the influence of Jervis on the game is obvious and large (this is not a complaint).

All the best.

[plasmoid]

I've had it affect me a few times.
More importantly, it affects me every game I play, because I actively have to work around it.
So I rarely pass or hand off to me gobbos if I can avoid it.

Cheers
Martin

[Ullis]

I agree with Plasmoid. I actively try to avoid throwing or handing off to goblins if I can so it does affect the game each offence. Animosity means that I might not have a reroll left to catch the ball which is disastrous with AG3 receivers (and Underworld goblins rarely get Catch). When passing or handing off the ball it's rare that you have the luxury of affording the extra risk of the thrower being left with the ball as I often use the thrower as a screener or a cage corner when making a pass or hand off.

[Digger Goreman]

It's been discussed elsewhere, but do you feel that Diving Catch on a Gobbo mitigates even this (Animosity)?

[Grumbledook]

not really as I tend to prefer doing hand offs over a pass with AG3 throwers unless it is to just get a completion in the backfield

I'm glad it doesn't have a massive effect but like others I look to work around it, especially if I don't have a reroll, prefer to get the SPP on the skaven generally anyway

[Smeborg]

prefer to get the SPP on the skaven generally anyway

That is the key driver, I think.

[Leipziger]

Definitely. Practically all my pass/hand-offs are skaven-skaven (in particular, star thrower to superstar blitzer )