Talk Fantasy Football

I want to play Skaven at the Dungeonbowl and I'm not sure on exactly what team I want to bring. I have played some test games with them and even won a mini-tourney where we all tried new teams and could switch around our roster from game to game, so I have played different setups with them.

I have reduced the possibilities to these two:
1)
2 Blitzers
4 Gutter Runners
6 Linerats
3 RR
2 FF

2)
1 Blitzer
4 Gutter Runners
7 Linerats
4 RR
0 FF

I don't want to play with a Ratogre and I don't consider the Apo worth it in tourneys.

So these two rosters are the only possibilities, which would you take?
And what skills would you give (1 skill after every game, no doubles)?

I would take:
1) Kick on a Linerat
2) Sidestep on a Gutter
3) Tackle on a Blitzer
4) Sidestep (or Block) on a Gutter
5) Sidestep on a Gutter

I don't like Strip Ball on a Gutter (almost all bashers have Sure Handers) but I'd like to hear your opinion.

i am toying with option 1 for the bloodbowl but making a linerat into a thrower and having 0 FF

or doing that dropping a RR for an extra body then taking leader on the thrower

I am playing a very agressive, risk-taking style with my skaven. I need all the RR I can get and I don't like to trust Leaders for that. And I like to have at least a little FF as I have been on the receiving end of -2 FAME.
But the Thrower is of course very good when you have lost a Gutter to acts as pick-up guy.

Mootaz wrote: I would take:
1) Kick on a Linerat
2) Sidestep on a Gutter
3) Tackle on a Blitzer
4) Sidestep (or Block) on a Gutter
5) Sidestep on a Gutter

I don't like Strip Ball on a Gutter (almost all bashers have Sure Handers) but I'd like to hear your opinion.

Even though you don't like it strip ball is a must have skill for Skaven!!! Consider the following:
* strip ball forces your opponent to run the ball with the sure hands player instead of a faster, stronger or harder to block down player
* sure hands is a skill that often will only be present once on a team, when you have kick you can possibly make it very difficult for that sure hands player to get to the ball in the first
* on offence when you don't succeed in scoring your strip ball player should always be closest to your backfield preventing a quick counterbreak (I use my strip ball gutter to pick up and pass/hand off the ball after kickoff) -> your opponent will often not have the option to get the ball to his surehander when he is defending vs you (this has saved my ass more then once)
* dark elves and wood elves are very, very popular in lrb 5. Without strip ball or a Rat Ogre your defence is rubbish against such teams (and this is the main reason IMO to always take strip ball)

I also would take frenzy instead of tackle on a storm vermin, it's almost as good vs blodgers, but better vs bashy teams and gives you a whole lot more tactical options like easier one-turners.

I would take:
Gr: Strip Ball
LR: Kick
Gr: Block
SV: Frenzy
Gr: Side Step

I would only take Frenzy on a Vermin if I have 2 of them, because Frenzy is also a liability and I want to have the option of a Blocker without Frenzy to open holes with 1D blocks if necessary.

The thing with Strip Ball against counter-TDs is correct, didn't think of that. I still would take Kick first, though. And the best player I had in all my games was the Sidestepper, so I would take him at least as 3rd skill.

So it would be
1) Kick on Linerat
2) Strip Ball on Gutter
3) Sidestep on Gutter
4) Tackle or Frenzy on Blitzer
5) Sidestep on Gutter

Better?

Sure hands is good on a GR that way you get a ball thief who walks into a tz steals the ball and dodges away

Maybe a 13 player lineup would be better in that bashy enviroment (like the last DB were).

So what about
1 Blitzer
4 GR
8 Linerats
3 RR

kithor2002 wrote:Maybe a 13 player lineup would be better in that bashy enviroment (like the last DB were).

So what about
1 Blitzer
4 GR
8 Linerats
3 RR

There is one problem with it: I don't have 8 Linerats
Otherwise I'd love to take that roster.

Mootaz wrote:I would only take Frenzy on a Vermin if I have 2 of them, because Frenzy is also a liability and I want to have the option of a Blocker without Frenzy to open holes with 1D blocks if necessary.

The thing with Strip Ball against counter-TDs is correct, didn't think of that. I still would take Kick first, though. And the best player I had in all my games was the Sidestepper, so I would take him at least as 3rd skill.

So it would be
1) Kick on Linerat
2) Strip Ball on Gutter
3) Sidestep on Gutter
4) Tackle or Frenzy on Blitzer
5) Sidestep on Gutter

Better?

seems fine, as for kick or strip ball first I would just look around at the teams present there. If a lot of bashy (even though against Undead strip ball is often better then kick as well) take kick first. At the dutch open and the brassbowl there were tons of elf teams though (and they did really well).
You are right about frenzy on the storm vermin, if you only have one then it's better to take tackle. I would take 2 storm vermin though.

I've never played Skaven, but why not go with option 1 but change a linerat for a Passer and lose the 2 FF? Certainly Pass and Surehands is worth 20 thou.

datalorex wrote:I've never played Skaven, but why not go with option 1 but change a linerat for a Passer and lose the 2 FF? Certainly Pass and Surehands is worth 20 thou.

Because in a "normal" Skaven offense the Thrower will never see the ball
Gutter Runners do the pickup (AG4). Then in the next turn you run forward and handoff to another waiting Gutter Runner who then runs in for the score. With a Thrower you have less movement and so this is not so easy.

correct but when if lose some gr's you still have viable options to you with a pass/sure hands player saving those rr's

IMO, the thrower is good for two things. 1) getting Leader skill, if you wish. 2) backup for injured GRs.

I had a thrower at my last trourney, with Leader. It worked OK, but all he was used for in all 6 games is use his leader skill.

I would go with two Blitzers. And as kick is an extremely important skill to Skaven, I'd consider giving it to a Blitzer if you don't have any other skill plans for him. That's what I plan to do in my next tourney. AV8 and block means that he'll stay on the pitch longer. And I can use the rest of my linerats for LoS duty, even when my number dwindle. Got into a scenario where I had to put a Blitzer on the LoS on defence because I only had 3 Linerats left, and one of them had the kick skill so couldn't put him on the LoS.

Not a huge fan of the RO either, unless it is a 110TV or more tourney. I plan to give him Juggernaught and crowd pusher and use him as a cage breaker if possible. Just having him there with Juggernaught should leave the whole wides zones open for my GRs to setup.

I agree with Tuern, Strip Ball is very important. Get one.

If there are almost no dodgy teams in the tourney, forget about tackle on the Blitzer, and try to get other turnover/ball stealing/cage breaking skills on the GRs. You already had a Strip Ball GR and at least one block GR, so Wrestle on another GR can be an option for those pesky block, sure hands dwarf runners or other players with those two skills.

And at tourneys, high risk plays is the way to go with Skaven IMO. Not only does it often provide good results, is loads of fun

And a note, not applicable to your tourney I think. If you can get a Big Hand and Two Heads GR, man what a blast. See the terror in your opponent's eyes when the fail a pick-up ...

A Thrower can also protect against Strip Ball.

I played them at the Dungeonbowl and, wow, have I learned a lot.
I played 3 wins 3 losses and ended 34th of 80 in pure game ranking.

I will never again doubt Strip Ball. Against Elves you have no chance without Strip Ball as you are just f*cked against Blodgers that carry the ball.

Thanks for all your help.