Defensive plays

[mattgslater]

Yeah. I think the only time you should set up two back to avoid QS is when you're up against a very bashy team.

I like to bunch my players together if there's anything remotely resembling equivalence in terms of ST. With a high-ST team against a low-ST team, you can spread them out a little and cover more territory, forcing your opponent to stack up and fight. The problem with three men in the middle for, say, Orcs or Khemri, is that the opponent can set up along the wide zone and cede the line with only a single block. Spreading out makes the opponent get confrontational.

[mattgslater]

the clumping up on the LOS is more effective, undoubtedly. the only reason for spreading them out is to try and draw opposition into a bashing game, or to tie up more players in the centre: less recievers threatening the endzone.

Clumping up means you yield one less assist at all stages compared to setting up one apart, but you don't threaten the squares against the WZ. Setting up one apart lets your players pull off/Guard and forces your opponent to cover your Nose in order to block your End from the diagonal. Setting up two squares apart yields the center, but with two Stand Firm ends it can be great, because it doesn't allow any diagonal dodges to the outside, and the end lineman can be used to assist the linebacker.