Talk Fantasy Football

The Varmints O' Doom got dealt to last night by two orc teams.

The first one ground them down with successive cage manoeuvres and the second managed to lose the game while failing a grand total of three (3) armour rolls.

The roster now has three players missing next game, 11 left to take the pitch.

The burning questions I have are:
1. Should I keep a MA8 gutter runner with Blodge (14SPP)?
2. Should I keep a Blitzrat with no upgrades with a niggle (0SPP)?
3. Should I save another 30k and get a rat ogre?
4. What skill do you give a linerat on its first upgrade with a double roll?

Yours as ever...

landrover wrote: The burning questions I have are:
1. Should I keep a MA8 gutter runner with Blodge (14SPP)?
2. Should I keep a Blitzrat with no upgrades with a niggle (0SPP)?
3. Should I save another 30k and get a rat ogre?
4. What skill do you give a linerat on its first upgrade with a double roll?

Yours as ever...

Get rid of 1 and 2 if they are mngs, and if you don't think you'll face an onslaught for the next 3 games.
If not, keep them until you've replaced them - I'd suggest the gutter runner first, then the storm vermin.

Rat ogre? Depends on your experience. I prefer buying those guys last, but then again it's extra hitting power.

Give the linerat guard - some people may recommend mutations (disturbing presence would be my favourite for a linerat), but I think you never have too many guard players in a team, particularly an agile one.

Guard on Doubles for sure.

I personally don't get rid of players on a low AV team unless...
1. I have money to buy replacements
2. I have a bench

Reasons. I can hide crippled linemen on the bench. Once I have enough money, I can replace them. Position players are tougher. I replace them as soon as possible. If they suffer -1av or -1st, then they are sacked immediately. Otherwise, I try to tough it out until I have the money to replace them.

If I understand you right, you have enough money to replace one of the players, or you are going to buy a rat ogre after the next match.

I would get rid of the vermin (blitzer) and buy a new one. The injured GR has now volunteered to the most dangerous tasks, so he will die sooner or later from itself. If you can replace him before, do it. A rat ogre is nice to have, but not so important.

I would also give guard to the linerat, because you can only have 2 other players with str access (+the rat ogre later on). Disturbing Pressence or Diving Tackle would also be nice skills.

foul appearance is also a good skill for LOS ratburgers. Takes a little longer before they get cooked.

I agree with letting natural wastage take the MA8 Runner.

I agree with replacing the Blitzer & holding off the on the Rat Ogre.

I offer alternative skill choices (although I probably would go with Guard).

Disturbing Presence (I wouldn't take Foul Appearance as a 1st skill, that's to protect the few who get to skill no3).

Sneaky Git (Skaven should foul & you don't want to use your Runner's agility access to get this skill). Next skill: Dirty Player.

Leader (but only if you run a non-thrower team).

OK, Guard it is then.

Given the preponderance of bashies on our league, I'll replace the storm immediately. The GR can wait until enough cash is forthcoming.

The only issue is that it'll leave me with 11 players for the next game. I'm actually tempted to buy another lino to make 12 for the next match....

Nah. I got over that one.

landrover wrote:OK, Guard it is then.

Given the preponderance of bashies on our league, I'll replace the storm immediately. The GR can wait until enough cash is forthcoming.

The only issue is that it'll leave me with 11 players for the next game. I'm actually tempted to buy another lino to make 12 for the next match....

Nah. I got over that one.

You think going into a game with an AV7 team with 11 players is a good idea? I don't. I would buy the Rat Ogre so you can have 12 players and you can bench your weakest player. A bench is key to winning with an AV7 team.

datalorex wrote:You think going into a game with an AV7 team with 11 players is a good idea? I don't. I would buy the Rat Ogre so you can have 12 players and you can bench your weakest player. A bench is key to winning with an AV7 team.

My bad, I didn't perhaps explain that I don't have enough cash for the RO just yet. So if I was going to replace anything, I'd rather make it a blitzrat in preparation for the next game.

landrover wrote:

datalorex wrote:You think going into a game with an AV7 team with 11 players is a good idea? I don't. I would buy the Rat Ogre so you can have 12 players and you can bench your weakest player. A bench is key to winning with an AV7 team.

My bad, I didn't perhaps explain that I don't have enough cash for the RO just yet. So if I was going to replace anything, I'd rather make it a blitzrat in preparation for the next game.

I vote for replacing the blitzer right away and playing the runner without abandon until you can either replace him or he dies.

Hold off on the Rat Ogre in my mind. Replacing damaged players now is best if you can afford it, as once you've gotten up in players to have a bench and you've skilled players up Spiralling expenses will start trimming away from your cash. Then it'll be harder to replace players

I like the sneaky git suggestion, but guard is probably better.

Is a niggle that bad in LRB5? I'd keep the blitzer untill replacement is affordable.

I'd save for the Rat Ogre, but I don't like sacking players anyway

stormmaster1 wrote:Is a niggle that bad in LRB5? I'd keep the blitzer untill replacement is affordable.

1st. The replacement is affordable from what I understand. He is 30k less a Rat Ogre's price at the moment. Which more than covers re-buying a blitzer.

2nd.
Niggles in LRB 5.0 are "bad" in the LRB 5.0 in my opinion. In fact I think they are "worse" in a way on some pieces than they were before.

Skaven Blitzers are one of those cases to me.

A niggle increase the likelyhood that the player will leave the pitch mid drive. Losing players mid drive means you play short of 11. Short of 11 is down men usually which is not good. And the reality is, they will be leaving at the key time / place in a drive where you need the player too.

I'll grant you skaven are one of the better teams at playing short handed, but they use the Runners and Blitzers to do it. This is a blitzer leaving.

I also mentioned in my previous post, that cutting players "later" only leads to spiralling expenses getting into the way. Staying "low" or "lower" now is better.

Plus, the odds there is that possibility that he'll get a good skill and tempt you to keep him. When in reality the same odds apply to the new blitzer who is un-damaged and could use it better.