And the first skill is ...

Borg · Post by **Borg** » Sat May 26, 2007 1:47 pm

Yesterday, I played my first game of BB since LRB5 became official.
(been out of BB for some time)

I'm playing a new Amazon team (Birds of Paradise) and took on an (equally new) Dark Elf Team for Starters.

For 1 Mega I bought :

4 Blitzers
2 Catchers
5 Linewomen
1 Apo
4 RR
0 FF

I doubted for a while between taking a 6th linewoman instead of the fourth RR but finally decided on the RR because I would probably be able to buy another player if need be within 1 or 2 games.

The 4 RR's on the other hand set me up OK for quite a while and allow me to play maybe a little more "daring".

Having an Apo on board from the start was another argument in favour of the RR.

If you notice any glaring mistakes so far, feel free to point them out.
Help is appreciated.

My intent is to build a rather "mean" , rather "bashy" running team.

Therefore I started out with 2 Catchers which I intend to give Sneaky Git as their first or second skill.

No Thrower in the starting line up.

Skills of choice for the Linewomen are going to be Wrestle/Dirty Player/Block.

And then come ... the Blitzers.
A casualty and MVP honors means one of them can already upgrade.

I'm heavily leaning towards taking Grab for her as it seems to me (in theory anyway) that this is a nice skill to put an opposing player in a position where my other Birds can have a go at them and maybe knock them off the pitch without coming too close to opposing players.

Other option would be to take Mighty Blow.

Looking forward to hear comments on the Grab skill though.
Anybody else think this might be a good first skill or am I reaching here ?
Other suggestions ?

Thanks for your input.

Edit : almost forgot.
The game ended in a 1-0 victory
4 casualties for me
4 pseudo-casualties for the DE's (no SPP's) (that assassin stabbing two of them, one of my Linewomen killing herself after a failed Dodge and one LW being sent off for fouling.)
Dodged only twice all game and failed both

For some reason I couldn't roll anything else but pushbacks against the Assassin, though I finally got him off the pitch in turn 14.
My linewoman got killed in turn 12, I didn't use the apo on her because that Assassin was still on the pitch and she hadn't gotten any SPP's yet anyway.
The game ended with 3 DE linewoman and 4 Amazons left on the pitch

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:33 pm

You're eventually gonna need sure hands on someone I would think... are your blitzers back for ball carrying or up near the line for mayhem?

I can't fault Guard.... You'll get many more knock downs if you're ahead on dice....

Take Guard....

Garnak · Post by **Garnak** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:21 pm

Your Blitzers need Guard first, plain and simple.

The slow speed and low AV means IMO the Amazons need to get as many opponents off the pitch as quickly as possible. To do this, you need to take advantage of the superior mobility and resistance (Blodging) of the blitzers by giving them Guard to get you as many two die blocks as possible.

Plus if you want to be a bashy running team, a ball carrier protected by several bloding Guard blitzers is quite annoying. (And wait til you roll doubles and take Side Step.)

Urb · Post by **Urb** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:48 pm

I'm with everyone else. Gaurd.

I don't think you'll want all your linewomen with wrestle. Build a little versatility in the team. Block there, wrestle there. Fend is a good skill.

Yup some sure hands, some tackle, and sooner or later kick. Dauntless on a few blitzers would be nice depending on the composition of your league. Oh dirty player. A good skill for any team imo.

I think apoth was a great choice. Linewomen come back for free so to speak but losing a key positional would suck. I don't find zons need that many rr's cause they top out fast on skills since everyone already starts with one of the best skills and have ag3.

sturmjarl · Post by **sturmjarl** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:21 pm

Absolutely Guard first on Blitzers, then you can play around a little with the 2nd skill considering you get 4 blitzers. Linewomen are the ones you can certainly play around with skill choices. I hardly ever give my linewomen Block until a second skill roll. Catchers should almost always get Block first, then whatever your playing style is. My second catcher skill is usually sprint. Always need extra movement and 4 rerolls will make you really gutsy when "going for it."

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:08 pm

Guard or Sure Hands.

Guard is golden but aren't fast and with Blodge tend to be hunted by Strip Ballers. Thus Sure Hands should be a sooner rather than later skill.

Oh and I wouldn't give Sneaky Git to your catchers, too valuable and an Amazon team goes through players anyway.

Meradanis · Post by **Meradanis** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:54 pm

PubBowler wrote:Oh and I wouldn't give Sneaky Git to your catchers, too valuable and an Amazon team goes through players anyway.

I second this. Fouling is generally a bad idea with positionals, you'll loose valuable skills because of the occasionally double.

If you do want to foul (which could be a good idea with amazons) develop a Linewomen with Dirty Player. Even if she's spotted by the ref, there's a high chance she'll take the opposing player with her. One Linewomen more or less won't hurt your team as much as a missing Runner.

datalorex · Post by **datalorex** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:12 am

Guard for sure on the Blitzer. Amazons don't make for a good running team since they are all so slow, so I would get a thrower as soon as possible.

Kheldar · Post by **Kheldar** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:40 am

I played amazons a lot and quite succesful in a leage. They are a very good running team. Give guard and mighty blow combinned with tackle to the blitzer. I love having one blitzer with frenzy.

Cather get Block, Sidestep, Fend. Guard on doubles.

One lino kick then block. All others block. One of them dirty player after block. Then give tackle, pro. Doubles again guard.

In a tournament I would not take a thrower (just give SH to a blitzer). In your case, I would buy a thrower and give Sure Hands first, then Block. This gives you a reliable ball handler, freeing blitzers up, for the main job.

Take every Stat increase you get. Amas need them. AG+ are Golden. On a 10, its a hard choice between +MA and +AV. Amazons need both of them.

stormmaster1 · Post by **stormmaster1** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:56 pm

Other good skill for catchers is diving tackle, to combine with pass block and side step.

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:42 am

datalorex wrote: Amazons don't make for a good running team since they are all so slow, so I would get a thrower as soon as possible.

Amazons are a great running team.
You don't need throwers or catchers, just get a Blitzer with Sure Hands and surround her with Blitzers with Guard.

Aliboon · Post by **Aliboon** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:58 pm

Amazons are a great running team.
You don't need throwers or catchers, just get a Blitzer with Sure Hands and surround her with Blitzers with Guard.

Seconded, although personally I would have another player with the ball in the cage as you've just the 4 players with ST access and personally I think that this is wasted if one of them has the ball.

By all means develop a thrower who can throw when you need to, but your primary game should be a running game. MA6 isn't slow, it's just not fast. You can occasionally dodge to get into a better position if you can't bash your way out, but with AG3, it will fail, so don't count on it.

PubBowler wrote:
Oh and I wouldn't give Sneaky Git to your catchers, too valuable and an Amazon team goes through players anyway.

I second this. Fouling is generally a bad idea with positionals, you'll loose valuable skills because of the occasionally double.

Can't say I agree with this, depends what skills your catcher has got, but you shouldn't be throwing the ball unless you can help it and even then a linewoman with a reroll is just as good at catching as a catcher.

Grogmir · Post by **Grogmir** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 3:12 pm

Quote:
PubBowler wrote:
Oh and I wouldn't give Sneaky Git to your catchers, too valuable and an Amazon team goes through players anyway.

I second this. Fouling is generally a bad idea with positionals, you'll loose valuable skills because of the occasionally double.

Can't say I agree with this, depends what skills your catcher has got, but you shouldn't be throwing the ball unless you can help it and even then a linewoman with a reroll is just as good at catching as a catcher.

Iâ€™m sorry I disagree Aliboon (and agree with PubBowler)

A linemen with a RR costs you more than a Catcher â€“ gotta add on the cost of that RR. And whoâ€™s to say if youâ€™ll have that RR whereas the catcher always has catch.

Your positionals add value to your team due to their cheaper skills â€“ to give them SG and foul with them is just bad play.

Linesmen do the fouling â€“ your positional play the game.

My 4p
Grogmir

Aliboon · Post by **Aliboon** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 3:24 pm

Fair enough, but the way I see is that 'Zons should play a running game, therefore the catcher shouldn't ever have to catch, even though they are a positional, their extra skill doesn't "matter" in the context of a running game.

I would rather use their AG access to get Sneaky Git and DP (in that order) so that even if they are sent off for fouling, you've got a injury roll with +1.

Under LRB5 it may not be worth the extra TV to even have the catchers and throwers, but that's a whole other can of worms.

But then that's the great thing about Bloodbowl, you can develop teams in different ways, who's to say what is right?

Grogmir · Post by **Grogmir** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 3:41 pm

[quote]â€œUnder LRB5 it may not be worth the extra TV to even have the catchers and throwers, but that's a whole other can of wormsâ€