Necromantic Advise

[Digger Goreman]

There's always more than one way to create free zombies....

If my opponent places a player within two of the sideline, without a guard assist, then I'll cancel the assist tackle zone and block you directly to the sideline with a follow up... next turn you're crowd surfing....

Can't do that to a Golem....

[Lictor]

HIJACK!!!

My Development

WW - Block Tackle*
WW - Block Dodge
FG - Guard Block
FG - +1 St MB
Wi - Tackle MB
Wi - Tackle MB
Gh - Block SH
Gh - +1 Ag*
Z - Block*
Z - Guard*
4x Z - Yet to prove useful
5x RR
3x AC
3x CL
320K in the bank

12 Games played.

*= MVP or less away from next Skill.

Ok. Yes, I have 3 Tacklers, but the league these boys play in have every race playing but Halfings, Nurgle and Vampire, there is substantial dodge to deal with (2x Orges, Amazon, Goblins, All 4 Elven races some multiple, Human and pesky blodging Ghouls)

I need to Guard up my Wights to better deal with Bashy sides, as much as I have been able to outrun them I would like to control the bash a little more too. I have not had any injuries sustained yet and more money then I actually know what to do with. 3 Zombies came free thanks to opposition.

Down to business - I am praying for a double on the 1st WW for MB, otherwise is Strip Ball or Dodge the next best skill?

The St 5 Golem is getting Block next. As awesome as he has been I can't see my luck lasting forever with his smack power (Only got MB in last game)

Both Wights are getting Guard next (PO is tempting as I have never had the opportunity to use it yet but I like skills that help the team as whole) Or is there a better path to take from here?

I've been told I have the slowest developing Ghouls ever seen in a league I just always find them in the right position for support play then a striking TD. +1 Ag of course gets Block, is Pass/Acc/Strong Arm worth it on a double?

Block Z gets Dauntless
Guard Z gets Block
Next Z gets Kick (I can't believe I have gone so long without it)
Would like to develop a DP one as soon as I am able.

Am I going down the right development path with these fellas? I always tend to feel like I should be doing more with this side somehow even though I have been having great success with them (if winning rolls are anything to go by lol, I've rolled 50K once, everything else has been greater then, inluding 3 90K rolls). I only play once a month with the guys and tend to lose track (and notes) with how I could develop them.

I need to stop writing mini novels

[Lictor]

And any advice on how to deal with Dwarfs would be great. I really do suck against a good coach with any Dwarf side.

[Digger Goreman]

WW - Block Tackle*
WW - Block Dodge

Actually, I'm thinking you have the slowest developing Werewolves in the history of BB... can't fault the skill choices, given your reasons....

FG - Guard Block
FG - +1 St MB

Solid FGs... nice rolls....

Wi - Tackle MB
Wi - Tackle MB

Again, I understand your reasoning for Tackle... but guard is best for supporting werewolves....

Gh - Block SH
Gh - +1 Ag*

Actually solid looking ghouls.... The Ag4 would benefit from Block/KOR/Strong Arm on doubles/any stat increase

Z - Block*
Z - Guard*
4x Z - Yet to prove useful

That's A LOT of personnel that will suck down MVPs.... I'd fire two or three zombies....

5x RR
3x AC
3x CL

You could work this team on 3 RR... 4 at most.... And, unless everyone else is bloated with support personnel, fire one or two of each....

Down to business - I am praying for a double on the 1st WW for MB, otherwise is Strip Ball or Dodge the next best skill?

Safety-wise: Dodge.... "Kiss my behind, I'm gonna make you cry": Strip Ball... though the league will no doubt respond with Sure Hands....

Both Wights are getting Guard... is there a better path to take from here?

No....

Block Z gets Dauntless
Guard Z gets Block
Next Z gets Kick (I can't believe I have gone so long without it)

Good plans... I cant' believe you've gone this long w/o kick....

And any advice on how to deal with Dwarfs would be great.

High Cheese is difficult to deal with.... Get Kick asap and make them work for a score.... Shred their Troll Slayers before they surf you! Selectively engage only when absolutely necessary... scrumming them is rarely to your advantage....

[Lictor]

Cheers mate.

About my WW's. I started with one and in my first few games he was Cas'd pretty early. Ghoul was also Cas'd MNG 1st game and because of finances purchased another Ghoul to make up positionals, which delayed getting my 2nd WW.

Because of MNG's I don't think I had both WW playing at the same time until game 5 or 6 and after that happened the target on their backs shrunk significantly.

So I think they are on track considering the circumstances lol.

Thank you for your advice. I am impressed with your Necro-site as well, it is good to read while I am waiting for work at work

[Digger Goreman]

Ah, you're too kind.... If you ever get the "want-to", I could open a "Coaches Corner" page for articles and opinions....(?)

Glad you liked the site....

[Lictor]

Monseur DG,

My basic set up for Necro doesn't allow for Kick to be used...

I usually have all Zombies on the line, FG and Wi in the wing and the rest filling the middle.

I found I had more control of the pitch when using this set up and don't feel inclined to change it.

Any advice?

[Carnis]

Both Wights are getting Guard next (PO is tempting as I have never had the opportunity to use it yet but I like skills that help the team as whole)

PO is seriously worth considering, as you already took tackle & MB (the skills that complement PO).

[Digger Goreman]

Monseur DG,

My basic set up for Necro doesn't allow for Kick to be used...

I usually have all Zombies on the line, FG and Wi in the wing and the rest filling the middle.

I found I had more control of the pitch when using this set up and don't feel inclined to change it.

Any advice?

I may be of limited help, then, as I don't believe in putting more than 3 on the LOS unless I get Perfect Defense or am playing against a predictable opponent.

[mattgslater]

He is talking about 3 on the LOS, with 8 positionals.

Solution A: Ghoul with Kick. I've found that on positional-heavy elf teams Kick makes sense on a positional at safety. I've never tried it with a positional-heavy AG2 team and would be leery of doing so.

Solution B: Were with SS replacing a Golem in the WZ, invert backfield on that side, put Golem on the line as the end on the inverted side. Leaves you an extra protected position for Ghoul in WZ, lets you run a Wight and a Zombie on the inside on that side.

[Digger Goreman]

Ah, he had listed more than three zeds in his list... or, as likely, I just missed that....

I would carry 4 zombies just to have kick... a very worthwhile skill....

Or, place both Golems on line with one/two zombies and kick with third... put Wights and Weres in wide zones....

[Lictor]

I use to run 2x FG with a Z between them on the LoS (as that seemed to be the thing to do with most coaches) but always found it inadequate on D.

I'm thankful my Z's skilled up slowly because it allowed me to evolve my D into something that creates a headache against the best coaches in my league.

I can't see my using Kick on any of the positionals, Kick is awesome and I want it and if i had to, it would be best on my Ghouls as they are set furthest back but one is already set to be a carrier (Block, SH <- SS and Fend to come barring better rolls) and the other is Ag 4 which makes giving him Kick a valid reason to Kick me in some back alley.

Next normal skill on a skill-less Z will get Kick, but I don't know where I am to put him

[mattgslater]

The Half-Slater, for teams with one durable Side Stepper.

Code: Select all

C2 should be SS/Block Were.  L3 should have Stand Firm, L1 should have Stand Firm or Fend.  So should B1 if you're facing Frenzy without Juggernaut.  B2 is a good place to put a Were; S2 and C3 are optimal for Ghouls, as they're blitz-proof.
-- -- -- --|-- -- L1 L2 L3 -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- B1 --|-- B2 -- -- -- -- B3|-- -- C2 --
-- C1 -- --|S1 -- -- -- -- S2 --|-- C3 -- --

For Frenzy/Juggernaut, move B2 outside one and S1 inside one, especially if B2 has Guard.
-- -- -- --|-- -- L1 L2 L3 -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- B1 --|B2 -- -- -- -- -- B3|-- -- C2 --
-- C1 -- --|-- S1 -- -- -- -- S2 --|-- C3 -- --

If you're facing Frenzy or Grab and haven't yet picked up Fend or Stand Firm on L1, you'll want to interpose an empty row between your line and your backfield, or you'll get chained.

-- -- -- --|-- -- L1 L2 L3 -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- B1 --|-- B2 -- -- -- -- B3|-- -- C2 --
-- C1 -- --|S1 -- -- -- -- S2 --|-- C3 -- --

If you're up against Mummies, ST5 non-big-guys, or big guys you think might be used to blitz (rarer than you'd guess, as many coaches are afraid of trusting a Blitz to a 2+ roll without a good reason), line C3 up next to C2, essentially turning him back into linebacker #4, like in a standard BB 3-4.  Do this out of habit if you don't care about protecting C3, especially if he has Stand Firm or Guard.
-- -- -- --|-- -- L1 L2 L3 -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- B1 --|-- B2 -- -- -- -- B3|-- B4 C2 --
-- C1 -- --|S1 -- -- -- -- S2 --|-- -- -- --

This is how you field all 8 positionals on defense without a) going suboptimal, b) putting Kick on a positional, or c) forgoing Kick entirely. You need three skills to make it happen. When your Block Zombie skills, give him Fend, and get Side Step next for both Weres, except on a double or +stat. Then you're a kicker away. Chuck to the AG4 Ghoul with rookie Zombies, in the hopes that they follow up with an MVP or 2x cas (in the latter case, chuck again). With a TRR, it's (1/2 x 5/6) 5/12 with no TRR use, ([1/4 x 5/6] + [1/2 x 5/36]) 5/18 with a TRR, which totals out to 25/36, close to 70%, or thought of another way, .7 SPP, or about 14 blocks vs. AV8. If you can do it somewhere an inaccurate pass or dropped ball isn't a huge deal, as 2/9 of all rolls (8/11 of all failures) will be one of the two, and only 1/12 will be fumbles.

[Lictor]

Code: Select all

-- -- -- --|-- Z1 -- Z2 -- Z3 --|-- -- -- --
-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --
-- FG Wi --|-- -- -- -- -- -- --|-- Wi FG --
-- -- -- --|WW -- -- -- -- -- WW|-- -- -- --
-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --
-- -- -- --|-- Gh -- -- -- Gh --|-- -- -- --

I started using this set up the day I had all available positionals and I started absolutely flogging coaches.

There is 1 Juggernaut in the WHOLE league (that I am aware of) ATM so I have had little to fear of this set up. And everyone who comes across it has so far tried to break me down the centre to begin their first drive and ALL have failed miserably except 2 drives.

1st time was simply crap dice results. I outmaneouvered this coach the entire drive to shut down his offence but when ever it came to the blitz I kept failing 2 & 3 rolls with RR's and when I got to the exposed ball carrier rolled double skulls twice!! This was one ridiculous drive that Nuffle just wanted him to succeed with.

2nd time I was outnumbered. 3 KO's in 2 turns and a CAS in the 4th (But I did kill his Star Catcher in my 5th turn on his impressive Human Team) and he didn't have much trouble blitzing through to the EZ after that.

When it comes to the flanks/wings again, only one coach (same Human Coach but with Dwarf) managed to break it to score as intended as his Deathroller eventually lived up to it's name.

My defensive record since full positionals and this set up is I think spectacular for a newb Necro coach. Next time I am here from home (instead of perusing this fine web site from work) I should show off the stats. The few other times people have scored have been from mad scrambling and unlikely pass/catch/dodge attempts. If someone scores requiring 4x 5+ rolls then hell, I personally think I have done my job, it was the dice that came up trumps.

Some of those set ups are incredibly interesting though, thank you for sharing my good man! I am interested to know how you came up with these? And I won't mind employing them for the sake of a different set up. As much as I like to win, winning with variety be better!

[mattgslater]

Unless you're facing a 1TTD or a team with ST4/Block/some move and an instance of Guard, that defense would be hard to beat. It is subject to one-turners up the gut... a GR, a Rat Ogre and a Storm Vermin with Grab can actually hit you pretty reliably with a 1TTD, but most teams can't do that. Those FGs can be beat with 75% probability if they don't have Block and the offense can get two dice with Block.

If you recover and score, it's going to take you a few turns, so if you think you have the game in hand and are setting up after Turn 4, you might want to go a little shallower.

Those defenses I posted are actually based on Ds I developed for Orcs. While I've found that they work for a lot of teams, and key Necro players are easy to develop for the defense, the idea that the Half-Slater is great for Necro is really theorybowl.