Advice on Skaven Defense

mrinprophet · Post by **mrinprophet** » Fri Jun 28, 2002 12:27 pm

I completely agree with Ryk. Look at the strengths and weaknesses of the skaven.
Strengths - Speed, low cost lineman, .... others
Weaknesses - Low AV, Limited access to block on starting team,... others

A quick review of just these factors should tell you to avoid a scrum on the LOS and use your speed to attack the ball. At least that's how I play them.

McDeth · Post by **McDeth** » Fri Jun 28, 2002 12:54 pm

Thats exactly how i play them. the oppo cannot score without the ball, i dont overly defend the LOS, just try and blitz the Ball carrier before they score. if i fail and they score, then thats ok, because my skaven teams are always built around attack and the plan is to get down the other end with my GR's and score back, hopefully with a one turn scorer, until he'd singled out for maiming

As you can tell, i tend to lose more than win with Skaven.

Mad Makz · Post by **Mad Makz** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 9:42 am

Well, my using the advice given on this board I managed to beat my latest opponent 9 - 3, the best scoreline I have had in the season and the lowest number of points scored against me, so i would like to thank you all.

It helped that my opponents block dice coudn't work to save him for most of the game, but defensively I did much better.

Unfortunately, a Stormvermin did die (and he wasn't on the line of scrimmage at the time.

) but on the plus side I had heaps of spare cash and he was the one with no spp's, so all up I lost 10,000 gold from the game, but gained some new skills and and another fan factor (now on 11), plus the all important 3 league points for the win keep me in the top 4 (three of us are equal on 3 wins and 1 loss. The Gobbos are top, they have yet to lose a game, with 3 wins and 1 draw!)

Just over halfway through the round robin and it's still all open, with 4 league points seperating the top 5 teams (league is 3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss).

On the plus side next week the two teams equal to me face off, ensuring that I don't get knocked too far back down the table.
Unfortunately, I am up against the unbeaten Snot Gobblas next. As the only other team in the league with any big guys (the Gobbos have the almost mandatory two trolls) I am hoping to knock him off ensuring me equal top spot.

So any advice on how to beat Gobbos?

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 9:49 am

Stay away from the Trolls, it's very tempting to go giant killing, but really stupid guys with AG1 are no real threat from a win/lose point of view..

Stick to your running-dodging game, but make sure you nail a few gobbos as often as possible.. Get your stormvermin and any linerats with block in amongst the gobbos and always follow up (forces them to either gang up on you or try to dodge..). Make the gobbo coach roll a lot of dice, he'll use up RRs and have none left when his AG3 guys try to pick up the ball!

Keep the rat ogre at the back for defence and don't get into a slogging match with 2 trolls, you cannot win that way...

Watch out for secret weapons or fanatics...

McDeth · Post by **McDeth** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 10:16 am

Mad Makz wrote:Well, my using the advice given on this board I managed to beat my latest opponent 9 - 3, the best scoreline I have had in the season and the lowest number of points scored against me, so i would like to thank you all.

9-3

?

is that 3 points per TD?

sean newboy · Post by **sean newboy** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:37 pm

They are prolly using the new kicking rules, where a td is 3 points. Congrats Maks.

McDeth · Post by **McDeth** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:04 pm

Mad Makz wrote: So any advice on how to beat Gobbos?

You scoring shoudn't be a problem, short forays with GR's into enemy territory, 1 st Turn, then clear the way 2nd Turn with your storm vermin, for hopefully a short pass and 9 MA for the TD turn 2, Use any re-rolls on clearing the path if you get a skull result, though with the majority of your blocks at 2 Dice, hopefully this shoudn't happen. use your re-rolls here on attack rather than defence. You can score quickly in only two turns, even if he gets a lucky TTMate.

On defence i suggest taking every opportunity to take out his Goblins. Stay away from the Trolls, don't be too worried about them getting into your territory, if they haven't got block, you might get lucky and end with with an easy turnover, with a both down/skull result.

Put tackle zones on ther Goblins, and if they dont dodge away block them, using your Storm Vermin first thern anything with Block. If you can get a few early casualties then your in good shape.

remember get an early foul in, cause you can be damn sure that his goblins are gonna foul you.

If any Goblin with the ball gets into the latter part of your half then your Rat Ogre can mop him up.

Remember use the Goblins weakness to your advantage, when they go down they get hurt and are more frail than your skaven, so hit em where it hurts. They've only got strength 2, so hit them often and hard, and stay in packs so they can't get assists.

For a Goblin to score he has to spend at least a turn in your half to achieve this, with or without the ball. make sure his next go he ain't on his feet and hoprefully not on the pitch.

If you play it right you'll beat that 9-3 from the last game.

Put yourself in a position where he can only score from a successful TTM.

If he does then hats of because thats a high risk gamble. I'd be very happy to see my opponent use it, as odds are its gonna fail turnover and hand the ball back to me

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 3:33 pm

Ryk's right in as much as Skaven will get scored on. Skaven do not have the resilience to stand to and pummel the opposition in their drive. What they do have is speed, and in a speed game they'll likely win. You want the action fast and loose so you can play to your strengths. Bottling the opposition up will generally just slow the game down to their pace where you movement advantage will be less useful.

I like to set up my storm vermin and gutter runners in the widezones so I have 2 players who can run weakside and rush the quarterback. I favour a deep kick to ensure there is ample space between the LoS and the quarterback to give my GRs room to move.

Reactive skills that work in your opponent's turn are the key for GRs. A lot have people have already mentioned these: blodge/sidestep, diving tackle, shadow, foul appearance, passblock. If you charge down a deep kick with GRs with these skills you will put your opponent's quarterback under serious pressure and usually force a risky play. If you manage to turn them over at this point you should have 2 GRs and a storm vermin in their backfield. At least one should then be in position to score that turn.

If they make the play out of the backfield then it's inadvisable to wade your players in and get into a ruck. Stay back from the front of their drive and try to "encourage" them to roll out to either side. Don't bottle them in or you'll never get the ball out. If you manage to spread them out use strip ball players, dauntless/horns players or your ratogre to hit the ball carrier. Otherwise stay out of their way and pummel vulnerable players of opportunity.

You will get scored on, but so long as you build your team to force errors you should easily outscore your opposition.

Marcus