3rd skill for Hobgoblins...

[Axtklinge]

Hi!
Last night league game I've menaged to score a TD with both of mine "Sure Hands+Block" Hobgoblins, earning each their third skill (lowsy skill roll, so its gota be a General skill).

[Note: These two are the most skilled players on the team and apart from them I have another hob with Block and two more without skills, but both are a comp away from the first skill.
Most CDwarfs have Guard, a couple have Stand Firm too, and a couple have MB. Oh, one of the MB has Claw too.]

Back to the 3rd skills... I'm missing Kick but I was hoping one of the other 3 Hobbos would get one, so I wouldnt have to give it to "the stars"...
Other than that what, Fend or Kick-Off return?

Any tips on what would be nice combos for these guys?
Thanks!
A.


PS: By the way, I've had another skill for my Mino (only had guard), and I rolled a double 6...
Wouldnt that be a great roll for one of the hobbs?!?
Block for the wild guy it is.

[Grumbledook]

fend or KOR...

prefer fend myself

I'd have got a block and kick one rather than sure hands on a second

sure hands i tend to avoid earlyish, unless i know for certain i'm going to be playing wood elves

start the team with 4 rerolls so its just to negate strip ball, not having sure hands also encourages you to spread the SPP around the hobbos more initially

so i tend to have block+fend on mine

Mino I would have taken the strength personally, though its close between that and Block, but with horns he blitzes ST7 by himself

[Joemanji]

I have found one guy with KOR is great. Stops your drive getting stalled by a deep kick, which can be priceless. You only need one of these though.

Kick is another great suggestion.

Fend is okay once you have these. But is a marginal skill IMO. Wrestle is good on a Hob but you have already given them Block so that's out. Tackle is alright, having a mobile Block/Tackle is useful to cover the backfield, as sometimes your CDs will get out of position.

But there are no really great picks here IMO.

[Axtklinge]

(...)

But there are no really great picks here IMO.

My thoughts exactly.
"Doubles" would give a lot more interesting choices.

@Grumbledook:
I can see your point with the 2 guys with Sure Hands, but during the early games in the league, while the CD were not as competent as they are now (with guard and other skills), I've seen myself several times without my SH hobo for the receiving drive (either KO or even MNG).
As the handling (the ball) capabilities of the other players are not that great, I've felt I needed another SH, after all with AV7, I didnt expected they would survive to get the 3rd skill.

Its a though call, but its similar to the one in the mino:
I'd rather had Stand Firm instead of Guard as the first skill, but when he got it, only one of the CD had a skill (guard) and the team was being smacked realy hard by other teams (we play perpetual league and there are several 3rd season teams), so I've felt he needed to give a hand in the LOS instead of riding the wide zones...

[bungo_underhill]

If you've not develpoed a BC sacker yet then Strip ball might be an interesting choice that way yu've got someone who can have a good crack at the carrier and picking up the ball if it pops loose...

[mattgslater]

1x KOR is a no-brainer. For the other, Fend or Pro. Pro is good for blocks and also for receiving QPs, as it decreases the chance of failure by 1/3 (from 1/3 to 2/9). Pro combos ok with Sure Hands and Block too: not only can he Pro pushes/nothings on a 2d block, but he can pick up 8/9 and QP 7/9, for a total 56/81, or about 70%. If you have a TRR and are just trying to get the ball into the area, then you can Pro inaccurates and TRR fumbles on a Short Pass. Not sure I'd take it over Fend, but it's not a bad idea.

[SunDevil]

KOR on one to grab the kicks. Fend on the other to run the ball.

And I think Block was 100% the right choice on the Mino. It cleans up so many of his turnovers that 6-ST would not.

If not Fend on the 2nd Hob, then I second the Tackle suggestion. Make him a Safety!

[Smeborg]

Axtklinge - I believe you are correct that the choice is between KoR and Fend. Both skills are obviously very good on either or both of these players.

Since your 2 leading Hobgobs have no stat increases and have both skilled up at the same time, I would be inclined to give them both KoR. I do not believe this represents redundancy on a relatively slow team. It enables you to cover practically all of the backfield, so that you can reliably form your first cage well upfield. This is invaluable when you need to score relatively quickly, or when you need to secure the ball against a fast and agile opponent. You are also more likely to reach your last offensive drive with at least one of these guys intact.

Fend would be their 4th skill.

As a general comment, I guess KoR would improve the team's ability on offense, Fend would improve it on defense. Whatever your choice, I would be inclined to give the same skill to both players (for ease of play).

Hope that helps.

[mattgslater]

DON'T TAKE TWO PLAYERS WITH KICK-OFF RETURN!

If I were you, I'd build a different Hob as a safety. Get a Wrackle type, follow with Frenzy. But not these guys: they have Sure Hands, so one is a returner and one is a utility player. The great thing about Hobs is you get five of them, so you can build one strictly for offense, with no problems. Me, I start out planning to build into Block/SH, SH/KOR, Wrestle/Frenzy, Kick/Block and DP/Block. Of course, that always gets derailed eventually....

[Axtklinge]

I guess we all agree on one KOR hobo, so it will to be my offensive drive guy.

Now, the other one could be developed as a more defensive/catcher-hunter for the drives I kick-off the ball.
With that in mind I'm not sure if I'd rather go with Fend, Tackle (as in anti-dodge-out) or Strip Ball...
What would you guy belive could to be more efective?

[mattgslater]

Strip Ball/Sure Hands is a poor combo on an AG3, because picking up with your blitzer after a strip always involves a -1, and often involves dodges or GFIs (always a dodge if you follow).

For my money, Fend or Pro.

[Blammaham]

I like fend on these guys too really help keep the positioning, alot more than I thought that it would, I'm surprised how good this skill is on Hobbos.S.