Undead team looking for advice on a double 6 on a zombie

[El_Jairo]

Hi all, I know that this might seem like a gloating question but I never really played Undead before and I am really interested for your take on this.

We have new team at 1100 kTV + 6 normal skills and 1 double.

So after two games (win and loss) I have the following roster

Mummy Block
Mummy Guard
Wight Guard
Wight Tackle
Ghoul Block, +AG
Ghoul Wrestle
2x Ghoul
4x Zombie (1x -MA and now one rolled double 6's
2x Skeleton (1x DP)

I have 3 TRR and 70k in the bank.

My next game is vs Dark Elves, I don't know their roster but I would imagine something like 2 Witches (both block or one wrestle), 4 Blitzers (3x Dodge and one guard) Runner with Leader, 4x Lino's and an apoth. And they will have gained two skills I imagine.

So I am basically asking advice on the following two decision:

1) Is STR4 on a zombie worth it? I still have to face Dark Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, High Elves, Slann, Dwarves and Nugrle. So 7 more games before eventual play-offs.
That's a lot of bloat as he lacks any real skills. Yet extra strength will be useful vs 2x Dwarves and Nurgle.
Or would guard be a good alternative, half the TV but also very useful in those bash match-ups.
2) Do I replace my -MA zombie. Vs Elves and the faster teams he is a liability. Yet I have just enough cash to replace a ghoul, which is crucial as I think that having the four ghouls is crucial to any Undead team.

Many thanks for your feedback

[mattgslater]

Rookie Zombies are much better at pulling their weight than rookie Ghouls.

I have the same problem on Orcs. The Linos are so good at Lino things, which mostly involve being cheap, so I may end up thinking about the double on 6+6 (Guard if I need Guard, Side Step if I've already got 6 or 7). But really, I always take the +ST. Zombies are like that too. One trick you can do is put him on the line on offense with careful Guard placement, so you get diagonal 3d blocks against every opponent with at most one action spent on movement.

[JetSwan]

Zombies are Weebles, they're there to get knocked down and roll back up, ST4 is just going to make that better.
Zombies, as you know, are great for making your opponent's take risks, throwing a cheap block against a player that's just going to get back up or likely regen is great, making them to dodge is great. Having a Zombie that does the same but will take two Dark Elves to put down is even better. Make them roll more dice, make them dedicate more Elf Power to putting down your chump. It's all about risk reduction and a ST4 Zombie is a big wrench in the machine mucking up their maths.
Also, you know, two dicing a line elf with their long departed grandpa is fun too.

[El_Jairo]

Cheers for the comments. So I understand that ST4 is very much worth it on a Zombie.
I will just need to put in in the middle of the boat defense to not expose him to easy 2dB blocks.

Rookie Zombies are much better at pulling their weight than rookie Ghouls.

Can I understand this comment to read: better a full MA Zombie and the risk of not having a rookie Ghoul against Dwarfs?
Rookie Ghouls don't really look ideal to be pitched against dwarfs, aren't they. Sure they can run twice as fast but there is quite the risk of them ending up next to a Dwarf longbeard eventually.

[mattgslater]

Cheers for the comments. So I understand that ST4 is very much worth it on a Zombie.
I will just need to put in in the middle of the boat defense to not expose him to easy 2dB blocks.

Yah, have you tried the "Battleship" defense? I like it on Undead. It's just like the Boat, except that you move the Mummies up to man the second row, but not on the outside.

Code: Select all

Like this:
- - - -|- - Z Z Z - -|- - - -
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - -
- - - -|W M - Z - M Z|- - - -
- - - -|- G - W - G -|- - - -
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - -

You might flip the Wight and Mummy on the left, use your Guard Wight and Block Mummy.

Can I understand this comment to read: better a full MA Zombie and the risk of not having a rookie Ghoul against Dwarfs?

The Ghoul is a lot more mobile, with AG3, MA7, and Dodge. This is worth 30k and then some. But the Ghoul is fragile and must be protected all the time. I only feel comfortable fielding two at a time. Besides, usually you have a DP and a Guard or +ST Zombie, and with 3 fodder on the line and 2 each Mummies and Wights, that means you can only field 2 Ghouls on defense. A third one makes sense (stuff happens), but the 4th one is strictly for high-TV league play.

[El_Jairo]

The Ghoul is a lot more mobile, with AG3, MA7, and Dodge. This is worth 30k and then some. But the Ghoul is fragile and must be protected all the time. I only feel comfortable fielding two at a time. Besides, usually you have a DP and a Guard or +ST Zombie, and with 3 fodder on the line and 2 each Mummies and Wights, that means you can only field 2 Ghouls on defense. A third one makes sense (stuff happens), but the 4th one is strictly for high-TV league play.

Sweet, thanks for the 'battleship', it looks helpful for a defense set-up vs bash teams.

Yet the part, which I highlighted is why I like to have 4 Ghouls. You are right that they are fragile and need protection. Yet they bring speed to the team and can be used much in a way the skinks are used. They can swarm the ball carrier and really put pressure on fast. They only need Block skill to become effective blitzers.
Especially because they are squishy, I want to have a fourth on my roster, to make sure I have enough for when my offensive drive comes.
But I get it, that it is quite bloaty if your putting the Ghoul a lot on the bench.

That is what has got me worried: with +AG and +ST my TV has ski-rocketed from 1230 to 1400 in two regular games! This might proof detrimental in giving my next opponent the cash for at least a BBabe, which isn't ideal for my game-plan. Which is stomping the elves until they can be easily contained.

[mattgslater]

Getting MB on those Wights will be critical. The first key to Blood Bowl is doing your best thing really well, and Undead are the only team that starts with MB players who don't have negatraits. And two of them, at that! Mighty Blow on both Wights is just awesome. MB on one Ghoul is good too: Mummies are easily pinned down, and having three mobile MB players really helps rack up the hurt.

[El_Jairo]

Getting MB on those Wights will be critical. The first key to Blood Bowl is doing your best thing really well, and Undead are the only team that starts with MB players who don't have negatraits. And two of them, at that! Mighty Blow on both Wights is just awesome. MB on one Ghoul is good too: Mummies are easily pinned down, and having three mobile MB players really helps rack up the hurt.

I did manage to get MB on one of the Wights. My Mummies though, they seem very reluctant at doing much harm. Only the Block Mummy got about 3 CAS in 6 games.

I wasn't really lucky with incoming CAS though: I have a CAS difference of 0 and lost a Wight (-AG on Guard one), Rip Ghoul (Wrestle one) and more of this shit.

Last game vs Norse was especially painful: I decided to receive for once. I had 290k inducements so I decide to go for Ivan (new ST 4 Wight Star) and a BBabe.
I managed to hold of his Blitz, cause one CAS and about 4 KO's and run in the 1-0 in turn 8. He did manage to BH my AG4 Ghoul and KO my DP skellie.
Of course all his KO's came back for the second half.
He pushed hard on the side, I got in the way but the second turn snake eyed my GFI on the Guard Mummy, two surfs was the result and I mentally broke.
I couldn't put any hurt on the Norse and they took the win from me 1-2. Of course my DP skellie wiated until turn 14 to come back on to the pitch.

It made me wonder is Frank-n-Stein just isn't a better inducement but I was afraid of his Block-Claw-MB Yethee, which was very tame: only last turn it killed Ivan.