Good ways to beat Vampires

[klauser]

I lost to Vampires with my Orcs in online TV-based match-making yesterday and it really felt like an uphill struggle.

Here is my team:
BL - Guard, MB, Tackle, Stand Firm
BL - Guard, MB, Tackle, +MV
BL - Guard, MB, Tackle, +AG
BL - MB, PO

BO - Block, Guard, Stand Firm
BO - Block, Guard, Stand Firm
BO - Block, Guard
BO - Block, +ST

Troll - Block
Lino - Wrestle
Lino - Guard

3 RR
Apo
TV: ~2050

current record in TV-based MM: 24-4-4

The Vamps had a bunch of Level 6 Vampires (including a MV 8 Vamp), an AG 5 Pass Thrall and a ton of fodder thralls (15 or 16 total roster). He had a 90% success rate on Hypno rolls and totally destroyed me on my offensive drive. I didn't feel close though, in fact it never seemed I had a chance. I tried gunning for the Thralls, but I couldn't de-pitch a sufficient number of them in time. I'd really like some advice on how to beat them, in case we meet again.

[odinsgrandson]

I think most of the advice I've found against Vampires relies on the Vampire coach making some mistakes.

For example, if he has no bench, or not enough thralls for his vampires, then kicking thralls off of the field will work great. But if he's got a good bench, then I haven't found that tactic to work.

If he has a small team with too many vampires, then waiting for him to implode will work well also.

But I've found that most of the time, a box might as well be made from paper against a Vampire team, and they're extremely good at recovering the ball.

So I'm not sure what people are supposed to do against a well played vampire team. Because their win/lose record for me sure doesn't look like they're as bad as stunties. I picked them up thinking they were supposed to be a pretty terrible team, but I have found them their advantages can off set blood lust if you play them right.

[txapo]

For example, if he has no bench, or not enough thralls for his vampires, then kicking thralls off of the field will work great. But if he's got a good bench, then I haven't found that tactic to work.

If such is the case give them the ball to start, and aim at his vamps if such is the case, if you maim or KO a couple of them youll be plaing agasinst just a team of human linos armorless,...

If he gives you the ball,...hope he has no kick,....

[Coach Grievous]

To win against vampires you should interrupt their "thrall logistics." Think of the vampires as the army and a really bad ass army at that. That fighting force needs supplies and food (drinks) to march, to really do anything useful. So you attack and disrupt the baggage train and camp followers!

You take them out, push them out, and man mark 'em. However that in itself isn't going to do it. Screen the vampires away from them by using your team/lines as a wedge. Always think where the vampires want to go and remove the thralls from that area (or remove yourselves from that area, requiring the vampires to follow) and tar pit them. You do that and the vampires' failed Blood Lust rolls will gimp his plays.

That's what I did just in my last game with my dark elves and secured a relatively easy 2-1 win.

[Ullis]

You also only have 11 players so you're missing out on fouling.

Vamps are a team that is superb when the dice are hot and really frustrating when the first roll of every turn is a 1. Pretty much like the slann. Nothing you as the opponent can do about it. Sometimes things work and then sometimes hypno gaze always comes up 1's and 2's and even if it works you can only get pushes on the ball carrier. Blood lust fails on the most critical rolls and always KO's or injures a thrall. On top of that the opponent is removing thralls 1 or 2 a turn and your first thrall dodge at the end of a turn to get away from a MB player always comes up as 2. There's a lot that can go wrong with a vamp team and as the opponent you can make him roll as much dice as possible.

[DoubleSkulls]

Probably you'll need to work out how to do a multi-layered cage to stop him gazing a corner and just blitzing the ball carrier.

[Magictobe]

How to beat vampires?

My opponents had no worries with it. I played three games now and EVERY game I ended with only my vamps on the pitch and my opponents with an easy win. Starting roster was 4 vamps and 4RR's.

First game against Necro. 4 - 0 loss. Ended the game with two vamps on the pitch.

Second game against norse. 2 - 0 loss. Ended the game with four vamps on the pitch.

Third game against necro. 3 - 1 loss. YESS!!!!! Scored my first touchdown. Ended with four vamps on the pitch.

Damn, this team is hard to play. I pick halflings every day above vamps.

The tripple ones on winnings were not very helpfull to develop the team.

[Smurf]

Remove the Thralls
or failing that
Prevent the Vampires getting to the Thralls

IMO there is a 4 vampire rule, any more spells problems. Hence Thrall removal = more vampires on pitch.

How do they survive:

Thralls need either block or wrestle.

Remember to move a Thrall to where a vampire needs to be. So when activated the vamp can go to the position and nibble on the Thrall.

[swilhelm73]

Damn, this team is hard to play. I pick halflings every day above vamps.

The tripple ones on winnings were not very helpfull to develop the team.

Well...Vampires are a much better team then Flings. They essentially become a tier one team around TV1500 or so, and a good one at that above TV2000.

But at low TV they are tough.

I've played against some top Vamp coaches, so some suggestions:

Vamps need block+dodge. You can't afford to spend RRs on double downs or 1s on dodges.

Before you move a player decide what you are going to do with every player. Move expendable thralls to where your vamps are going to do.

Don't take an action with a vampire if you don't need to - and really think about positioning when you do move them.

Hyp Gaze is your primary tool against cages. Gaze two corners and you can then get a 2D block on a ball carrier.

[Magictobe]

Block and dodge on vamps is good but after three games I got two vamps with 1spp from a completion and 1 TD in third game.

Sooo long way from skills.

I think I have played it like you said I should but after a few turns I often am at 7 or 8 players and then it goes quickly.

[TheDoc]

Why oh why oh why is this thread up here? It will kill me my league where I am taking the 3 vamp 5 RR team... lets hope my opponents don't use TFF to it's full potential!

Odinsgrandson: how'd you start with the rookie team? Any play hints you can give me?

[dines]

Why oh why oh why is this thread up here? It will kill me my league where I am taking the 3 vamp 5 RR team... lets hope my opponents don't use TFF to it's full potential!

Odinsgrandson: how'd you start with the rookie team? Any play hints you can give me?

Lol, why did you make that necro then? Would make a lot more sense to just make a new thread about how to win with vamps...

[juck101]

Remove the Thralls

Yup. Foul a thrall every turn and watch the bloodsuckers explode.
No team plays as well with only 6 players

[TheDoc]

Remove the Thralls

Yup. Foul a thrall every turn and watch the bloodsuckers explode.
No team plays as well with only 6 players

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