The dark/light future for a 10 MA skink

[Kroq]

We have just started a new league there i have decide to play Lizardmen. In my first match (win) and did end up getting two spp rolls on a skink and and actually getting 6,4 on both(what is the chance for that ). And I did take the MA (believe it or not). I am thinking of give him sprint as next skill ( a OTS in lizardmen, hehe) when do not he will survive long enough to get it if I give him sure feet (skink have an tendency to die). Get him to score should not bee a big problem with his MA.

Ok the next team I will meet is a WE with two WD (I think he had otherwise atleast one) and after that it is a big chance I meet an other WE team with WD. These WD make my little concern about my skinks survival rate (especially the 10 MA skink).

Any ideas? Go at offensive and hope for the best? Should I devolope the OTS as fast possible or spread the TD to my other skinks?
If some wonder I got 6 saurus and 5 skink in my team and apothecary(since last game).In treasure I have 20k and 10FF.

PS. this is my second league, so may lack in experience (but I did learn how to lose with lizardmen ).

/ Kroq

[#crunch]

Ok the next team I will meet is a WE with two WD (I think he had otherwise atleast one) and after that it is a big chance I meet an other WE team with WD. These WD make my little concern about my skinks survival rate (especially the 10 MA skink).

Any ideas? Go at offensive and hope for the best? Should I devolope the OTS as fast possible or spread the TD to my other skinks?
If some wonder I got 6 saurus and 5 skink in my team and apothecary(since last game).In treasure I have 20k and 10FF.

/ Kroq

My knowledge about Lizardmen is from playing against them and from theory. I believe the following should make sense anyway:

One of the general difficulties with Lizzies is that the Sauri don't develop while the fragile Skinks soak up SPP. At higher TRs, the ST advantage of underdeveloped Sauri becomes less valuable, because they are up against opposing players with block, dodge, guard, or dauntless. If you don't manage to develop your Sauri (they need break tackle to become mobile and block to fight better), they will not be able to protect your Skinks in the long run.

Your case is even more extreme. You don't have Skinks in general soaking up SSP, you've got exactly ONE (absolutely fabulous, granted) Skink who's doing all the work.

In think you should use the MA10 Skink as a scoring threat but score with other players. Make as many 2d blocks with your Sauri as possible to get them casualty SPP. If you receive a touchback, give the ball to a Saurus and score with it.

And I would never take Sprint without getting Sure Feet first. Without Sure Feet, it's 89 to 125 (or 41.2%) that you'll need a team RR to go 3 squares. Even with a team RR, you're only 1125 to 171 (or 86.8%) to make 3 squares. This is only marginally better than a 2+ roll with no RR. If you don't make it, your Superskink is going to be all alone. deep in enemy territory, flat on its face. Ouch.

Hope this helps.
#crunch

[The Florist]

Then again, Sauri aren't exactly scorers. So you don't really steal their SPP by scoring too much with one specific skink.
The problem is more that when the little guy makes the acquaintance of some nice gentleman with tackle and mighty blow your other skinks suck.
Apart from that I agree completely.
The problem with using him as a scoring threat is that skinks are so bad at ball handling. So unless you have virtually tons of team rerolls, give him catch next.
He's a more credible threat that way. Then sure feet. Then sprint unless you roll doubles.
Or if you get a + AG on the guy, which would be just sick by the way, give him sure hands on any double and use him as turbo ball recovery, sprint next and you have a defensive OTS on any failed pickup.

[#crunch]

Then again, Sauri aren't exactly scorers. So you don't really steal their SPP by scoring too much with one specific skink.

Oh, darn. Good point. Only way to score with a Saurus is on a touchback or if it catches the ball by accident. I guess what I really wanted to say was that uneven development is such a bad problem with Lizzies that you really shouldn't aggravate it by unevenly developing your Sinks.

The problem is more that when the little guy makes the acquaintance of some nice gentleman with tackle and mighty blow your other skinks suck.
Apart from that I agree completely.
The problem with using him as a scoring threat is that skinks are so bad at ball handling. So unless you have virtually tons of team rerolls, give him catch next.

Very educationary post.

My Elves had a league match against Lizzies tonight, both teams were quite new (3rd match each) and yes, the ball handling problem is one indeed. Thanks to Kick I was 3:1 in front by halftime.

I had a big attrition problem, though. On the one hand, you can't afford to give 5 Sauri and a Krox a free run of the field, and on the other hand, manmarking ST4 players with AV7 linemen sucks.

4:2 TD, 0:3 Cas, 2:6 KOs. Whew. A Skink with Sure Hands and another with Catch would probably have made my opp's day.

[Laerderon]

A Skink with Sure Hands and another with Catch would probably have made my opp's day.

That's exactly the point. Give all your skinks catch and sidestep, sure hands on doubles. At least if you want to win. A MA10 OTS? Sure feet and sprint? Useless if he soaks up not your SPP but your RR instead. Give him catch. On doubles.... Sure Hands or Block. A ma10, blodge skink is annoying like hell. Sidestep next and you'll have lots of fun with guys building cages against u. Well, no fear, your other skinks will do the TDs.

[Brokje]

If you have a Skink with sidestep and you get a double u=yuo can also go for Guard instead of Block. I know that Block improves survivability, but a dodge, sidestepping Guard player can assist where you wat him...

[Markus]

i usually start with sidestep on any skink, later they get diving tackle. First double is kick, second is sure hands, later i mix guard and block on doubles. Kick is the most important skill on skinks as they can easily break through opponents lines and often can prevent a cage from buiding. guard is cool for breaking cages. if you dont get a double by 31 spp, replace the bugger as soon as you can afford a new skink. Thats for long or perpetual leagues like fumbbl. otherwise its good to have rr-skills like catch or sure feetearly on, if you don't have at least 3 rr.

[juck101]

yeah agree with above post.

Essentially sidestep - diving tackle are good skills for mixed tactics. The other ag skills are pretty weak as any skink is toast vs a tackler. Almost every side will need to take out your skinks to win...

consider block a decent choose if you have a fav stunty as he may last longer.

[Juggernaut]

hi,
I agree with almost all Markus and Juck wrote here - Sidestep and diving tackle are obviously best skills for skinks (1 or 2 need catch, too), but:

maybe I'm not the best Lizies coach, but i would never waste a doubles on a skink with the skill like Kick. For me Block (mainly), Sure Hands and even Pass are all better skills for them on the double.
For me rolling a double on a skink is like a blessing from heaven - I can give Kick to Saurus one day as a second skill if I need it so much.

I think the best skill roll to help your team efficiency (except double on Kroxigor of course) is +AG on skink - it really helps your ballhandling, you can make pass from time to time and that makes your team a lot more competitive. But dont forget you have to keep him safe as much as possible - he is your thrower - keep him back.

To the MA10 skink: very funny, maybe a OTS could be great, if you have enough players to keep him in reserves until the right time comes - 8th turn setup is the right time to field him - so try to keep him alive untill you have at least 14-15 players - he can be a star.

[Fronko]

For the MA 10 skink: I would not take sprint. The next two skills would be sure feet and sidestep (in any order you prefer). Here is my reasoning:

With MA 10 and sidestep/surefeet, he is good enough as a one-turn scorer anyway - all you have to do is to "secondary-push" him one square into enemy territory - no big deal with ST4 Sauri and a sidestep skink. Sure Feet helps in making sure, he really gets to the endzone.

In all other situations, you can easily use him to score as well. Again, all you need to do, is build a cage for this guy one or two squartes into oppo half - surround with all available players and next turn you will be able to blitz a safe passage for him to run in for the score.

But I wouldnt really do that. Your other skinks need SPPs as well. Make sure, you let the other skinks score, too. Only score with the fast guy, if it is turn 8 in the half (OTS) or when the game is at stake. Or you will end up with a very one-sided team - as explained by the others.