Slann! League Play! Oh Yeah!

[mattgslater]

I like the 1-Blitzer lineup. Take this fwiw, I'm not a Slann coach. You want to get your Blitzers and skill them up, and starting one really helps. But 4 Catchers and 4 TRRs, that's non-negotiable, and that leaves you room for only one Blitzer. Fortunately, early MVPs are good on anybody, even if the Blitzer gets the best mileage.

Krox is optional, but it's good to have him early. Too bad, huh?

[dr. evil]

I've played a season with slann in my local league (40+ coaches).

I started with:
7 lineman
2 catchers
2 blitzers
3 RR
apothy

If I had to start again I'd probably drop the apothy for a 4th RR, but that would be about it. Yes, 2 catchers to start makes ball handling harder, but with less catchers you can protect them better. This will also force you to score with other pieces (like blitzers) which will help in the long term. The key is to get your blitzers and a couple of lineman to there first skill quickly. Once you get block on you starting blitzers, a couple of lineman with wrestle and a kick lineman the team will really start to roll.

I can also speak on the 4 catcher, 7 lineman, 5RR start as I played that in the Spike! tournament last year. Simply put, the catchers spend to much time in the dugout. The team starts with on block or dodge so you will loss player fast and with four st2, av7 pieces on top of that you end up down a man even faster. The catchers are great pieces but they are also the main targets for your opponents. If you can't support them or replace them WHEN they go down it game over.

Hope that helps.

[Coach_Yriel]

I like that lineup though some people are telling me with only 2 catchers they will get targetted early and often. I disagree though- with 2 blitzers and 7 linemen I can protect them better.

But it doesn't matter anyway since I learned just now that our commisioner is mandating buying at least 1 FF (BOOOO) so the 2 blitz 2 catch 4 reroll option is now unavailable.

So it's between

1 Blitzer
3 Catchers
4 Reroll

or

2 Blitzers
3 Catchers
3 Reroll

[gamesvaultsteve]

I think you ned to take an apoth as your players are expensive and armour 7 and 8.

[TalonBay]

Nah, you can buy an apoth after your first game, starting with him costs you a re-roll and is a non-starter for me when the re-rolls immediately double in cost (and you're going to need re-rolls!).

[betterZthenDeaD]

I think you ned to take an apoth as your players are expensive and armour 7 and 8.

Nah, you can buy an apoth after your first game, starting with him costs you a re-roll and is a non-starter for me when the re-rolls immediately double in cost (and you're going to need re-rolls!).

Sssshhhh... Don't tell anyone at the club but I've been practicing a little on Fumbbl! So far I'd be tempted to agree with TalonBay, you really need that fourth re-roll. In terms of losing players it's been hit and miss. I've had a game where I finished the second half with only six frogs on the pitch (none of which were upright mind you!) and I've had a game where I didn't even suffer a KO. They are a little 'un-predictable' (I played twice tonight and lost 0-3 against a Nurgle team with no skills and won 3-0 against a Skaven Team ).

[Dzerards]

I think you ned to take an apoth as your players are expensive and armour 7 and 8.

Aye, I started without an Apothecary and had both a linefrog and a Catcher killed, and another Linefrog with an move bust in my first two games! But to be honest Journeyfrogs have filled the gap just fine and I actually found it easy with only 2 catcher the next couple of games. So I'm not sure I would change things and start with an apoth in future.

It's funny the difference one skill makes. You wouldn't dream of starting a Skaven team without all 4 Gutter Runners.

[MeatLoafX]

I play Slann - my favorite team, by far.
My current league team is on iowa.bloodbowlleague.com - team name is 21 Jump Street.

To start, look at your league. If you can induce an apoth or two in your first two games, I like to start with the 2 catcher, 2 blitzer, 7 linefrog, 4 RR start with no apoth. If you can't induce any, however, I think the 3 RR/Apoth is a fine choice.

My tournament team is what Smeborg suggests, but having too many catchers to start makes them easier targets. They area already targets - only having 2 helps to protect them initially.

My biggest advice -
If you're leaping two or three pieces in a turn, you're doomed to failure. I average maybe one leap per turn and I don't leap every turn. Having the ability to leap is great - but it's not very reliable and only team RRs and Pro help with it (and I don't support Pro on this team). Strategic leaping is the key. Everything else is asking for problems.

[Coach_Yriel]

Does this mean that Slann are one of the more difficult teams for short season play?

For example- my season is only running for 4 weeks, which doesn't seem to be enough time to get this squad to decent skills, even if I manage to get in 2 games every other week (6 games total).

What do you do then?

Play a whole season for SPP and take the losses, hoping to have a playable squad for the playoffs?

Take your positionals now and live or die (probably die) really, really big?

Take few positionals, skill 'em, and hope you can afford some rookies in the playoffs?

I know the easy answer is "Don't play Slann in short seasons", but what would you do if you were dead set on them?

[MeatLoafX]

While Slann are much better at higher TVs, you can play them at any level. I would concentrate on having fewer positionals - and I would likely forget about the Blitzers at such a short season (unless your league is AG heavy - like Wood Elves and Elf teams, in which case the Diving Tackle may be a benefit for you). If you don't care about the health of your players (i.e. if you're only playing one short season), then I'd load up on catchers and RRs and expect to lose players.

If you'll be playing multiple seasons, I'd work on skilling up 2 catchers to Dodge then Block and a couple of linefrogs to wrestle and/or strip ball. A normal Slann linefrog can serve as a decent piece to take the ball away even with no skills.

[mattgslater]

Does this mean that Slann are one of the more difficult teams for short season play?

Ya think?

[dr. evil]

Meatloafx makes some very good points. The two that jump out for me is the leap and the league make up. If the league is mostly bash the blitzer will be less useful, but a krox would great. The pre tail will slow down the dodger and stand firm as his first skill will work to keep him in place. You'll get a little bit of bash and a marksman all in one.

The leaping is the key though. You can leap as much as you like with the catchers, but everyone else is problem. I general only leap into cages with non-catchers unless there is no other chose.

[MeatLoafX]

My first skill with the catchers is pretty much always dodge because even leaping with them is bound to fail sometimes. If you have 4 catchers and you leap with them every turn, you're looking at a fair number of turnovers. Dodge gets them out of problem spots well, though.

Don't get me wrong - I leap when I need to (almost always when I score for example) but it's a sure-fire way to failure if you do it too much.

[Dzerards]

The pre tail will slow down the dodger and stand firm as his first skill will work to keep him in place.

I would of thought getting some Guard on the team would be a higher priority, no?

SF is a great skill for a Krox, but the overall lack of strength in the team and the Blitzers needing to take either Block or Wrestle at 6SPP usually, Guard on the Krox will be utilised far more often I would have thought.

[dr. evil]

The pre tail will slow down the dodger and stand firm as his first skill will work to keep him in place.

I would of thought getting some Guard on the team would be a higher priority, no?

SF is a great skill for a Krox, but the overall lack of strength in the team and the Blitzers needing to take either Block or Wrestle at 6SPP usually, Guard on the Krox will be utilised far more often I would have thought.

Guard is usually my 2nd skill. I use the krox as marksman so I don't what him moved.

I also like break tackle on him.