Is an all-Fend line of scrimmage worth aiming for?

Carnis · Post by **Carnis** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:30 am

Yep, not as a first skill unless you have wrestle/block.

For norse & amazons fend is an obvious choise (amazons after block), making it a huge stealth buff for said teams.

Stand firm is so much better for a ST4/AV9 piece, as is block.

I've got a friend though, who claims only skills worth taking are mb/piling on & guard, and he has won around 80% of his games so it does make one wonder..

stashman · Post by **stashman** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:03 am

FEND is a great defensive skill.

When opponents go with a cage in the widezone, just push them against the crowd and the opponent will have problems to get out of there if you have lots of FEND. Add that with Side Step and Stand Firm and it gives headaches.

Wrestle and Fend on my linerats for skaven.

Baduk · Post by **Baduk** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:31 am

n00b question warning:
where can I find the rule saying you get to choose if you want to use a skill (fend in this case) or not?

because the skill simply says "may not follow-up"

This player is very skilled at holding off would-be attackers. Opposing
players may not follow-up blocks made against this player even if the
Fend player is Knocked Down.

Oxynot · Post by **Oxynot** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:42 am

Baduk wrote:n00b question warning:
where can I find the rule saying you get to choose if you want to use a skill (fend in this case) or not?

All skill use is voluntary unless specifically stated. Rulebook page 14:

Many players have skills such as catch, pass etc. Unless stated
otherwise in the skill description you never have to use a skill just
because the player’s got it, and you can choose to use a skill
that affects a dice roll after rolling the dice. For example, you
could say you were going to use the Catch skill either before or
after making a Catch D6 roll.

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:42 am

page 23

skills section

number 4.

"skill use it not mandatory"

Baduk · Post by **Baduk** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:15 pm

thank you and sorry I asked

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:44 pm

you're welcome

no harm in asking, better than remaining ignorant ;]

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:03 pm

kombat wrote:
mattgslater wrote:If you ever opt not to use Fend, rest assured your opponent will respond by opting not to follow up (unless he has Frenzy).
Dont you only use the skill after your opponent have declared that he wants to follow up?

Can't you see the conversation?

"Of course I'm not following. I can't follow. He has Fend."

"Well, you could follow if I decided not to use it."

"Never mind. I'm not following."

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:56 pm

And the mind games begin....

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:38 pm

same thing happens with stand firm

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:51 pm

True... a Troll Slayer just expected my Golem to SF and I demurred right back into a 1/2d for the Troll Slayer... pity the fool didn't get injured... merely stunned....

bjcantwell · Post by **bjcantwell** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:45 pm

mattgslater wrote:
kombat wrote:
mattgslater wrote:If you ever opt not to use Fend, rest assured your opponent will respond by opting not to follow up (unless he has Frenzy).
Dont you only use the skill after your opponent have declared that he wants to follow up?
Can't you see the conversation?

"Of course I'm not following. I can't follow. He has Fend."

"Well, you could follow if I decided not to use it."

"Never mind. I'm not following."

Which brings up a question? Who has to declare their intent first, the attacker or the Fending defender?

Brian

kombat · Post by **kombat** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:05 pm

bjcantwell wrote:
mattgslater wrote:
kombat wrote: Dont you only use the skill after your opponent have declared that he wants to follow up?
Can't you see the conversation?

"Of course I'm not following. I can't follow. He has Fend."

"Well, you could follow if I decided not to use it."

"Never mind. I'm not following."
Which brings up a question? Who has to declare their intent first, the attacker or the Fending defender?

Brian

The attacker has to declare first because if he/she isn´t following up then you wouldn´t be using the fend skill anyways.

Smeborg · Post by **Smeborg** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:58 pm

There are many skills which you may chose not to use when blocked. The following are real examples from table-top play.

(a) I have chosen not to use Block on a both down result (in order to avoid having a player pushed into the crowd on my opponent's next action).

(b) I have also chosen not to use Dodge on a Pow+! result (for the same reason as above).

(c) I have in the last week chosen not to use Wrestle on a both down result (in order to get a turnover).

The ability to [/i]not use skills is an important part of the rules. While you don't know when such situations will come up, you need to be alert to the possibility. A relatively common one is declining to use Catch (because you want the ball to scatter).

Hope this helps.

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:07 pm

Grumbledook wrote:same thing happens with stand firm

That's different. The opponent need make no positive decision in the case of Stand Firm. It's also different if the opponent has Frenzy, as they don't get to make any decisions (essentially, with Frenzy vs. Fend, the defender makes the follow-up decision for the attacker). Otherwise, it only matters if the attacker forgets the defender has Fend.