Slann - Tlaqua Titans (Blog)

[one_second_of_insanity]

Well after a disastrous last season with my Slann I decided to take a new team this time around and apply a few things that I had learnt last season.

Starting Lineup:

2 Blitzers
2 Catchers
1 Kroxigor
6 Linemen

2 Rerolls 20K banked

This was a lot more risky than my previous starting lineup starting with only 2 rerolls but in the few practice games I had it performed a little better out of the box and could start wearing the opposition down (well against lightly armoured teams anyway)

Previous season my starting lineup was:
2 Blitzers
2 Catchers
7 Linemen

4 Rerolls

I really felt this team was a little wish-washy and lacked any defining element, it wasn't skilled, it couldn't bash it really was frustrating. I think with the addition of a Kroxigor a lot more plays open up and he can be a magnet while my other more fragile players are ignored.

Here is the draw for this season:
Round 1 vs Goblins
Round 2 vs Lizardmen (team carried over from last season)
Round 3 vs Dark Elves
Round 4 vs Skaven (team carried over from last season)
Round 5 vs Goblins
Round 6 vs Pro Elves
Round 7 vs Undead
Round 8 vs Amazons
Round 9 vs Nurgles Rotters
Round 10 vs Halflings

I am pretty happy with the draw and generally see my blitzers and Krox as invaluable players where all bar 2 teams this season are going to want to try and dodge away from me, plus there are only 2 carry over teams that I am facing with neither being too brutal and only having TVs of around 160.

I will update this as the season progresses.

the team can be found here:http://brawl.bloodbowlleague.com/default.asp?p=ro&t=tla

[s031720]

Yes looks interesting, I enjoy reading other peoples thoughts about diffrent teams. Ill definately follow this blog.

[one_second_of_insanity]

GAME 1 WIN!!!

Well I was pretty confident in winning this game but was afraid of how much of a team I would have left at the end with chainsaws, fanatics and trolls lumbering around.

The result was 3-0 and CAS was 7-3 in my favour too! I started on defense and turned him over turn 3 for one of my blitzers to stroll in with the TD (the first blitz of the game involved his chainsaw hugging the sideline to hit one of my catchers, both ended up in the CAS bin after but fortunately it was a MNG for his chainsaw and only Badly Hurt for my catcher.

His primary objective after I scored the first TD seemed to be focus all the attention on hurting the Kroxigor and positionals which was fine as my linemen really shined through and scored CAS and one even managed to score a 2nd defensive touchdown at the end of the half and managed a skillup. I was 2-0 up at half time and then when I received it was just a slow grind down the pitch with my only remaining blitzer (my 3 CAS against were both my catchers and my second blitzer, one catcher was Badly hurt and one had -1AV, the blitzer got -1 AG, I think I can live with both these players and dont see the point in sacking them at this stage) when I scored the TD he didnt have any players left on the pitch but for his final drive managed to get 3 on the LoS but did nothing.

As a result of all the TD and carnage that game I ended up with a few SPP's and got 3 skill ups ... one of them was on the Kroxigor!

I took:
Kroxigor (normal roll) Break Tackle
Lineman (normal roll) Wrestle
Blitzer (double - pretty uselesss really) Block

I am now against this Lizardmen team and get 430k inducements, at this stage I am looking at Lottabotl and a Merc Blitzer with a skill (maybe guard or tackle, not too sure about this)
http://brawl.bloodbowlleague.com/default.asp?p=ro&t=two

[SillySod]

*cugh* Strip Ball *cough*

take it

[one_second_of_insanity]

*cugh* Strip Ball *cough*

take it

Yeah I cant believe I didnt think about that

I cant think of any more solid options to use for inducements that would serve me better, if I can cut down on his skinks maneuverability then the game should be mine.

[one_second_of_insanity]

Game 2 Loss 2-1 (4-4 CAS)

This was a tricky game, mainly because my dice abandoned me after the hot streak last game (oh well I suppose they have to even themselves out).

I won the kick off and elected to receive and promptly rolled 2x skulls reroll 2x skulls on my first block, it did not set things up well. On the plus side the team only suffered one permanent injury with Kroxigor losing -1M (so not too bad -1AG would have been better though).

The game was a scramble from the beginning, I only once had the numerical advantage (and that was for one turn) and was down to only 6 players on the pitch for most of the second half, Slann are just a great team at extracting the ball it isnt funny, I should have won the game with the amount of times I dispossessed my opponent of the ball but I just did not have enough players on the pitch to either support my ball carrier or tie up enough of his players, had he not constantly rolled 10+ on all his armour rolls I dare say the scoreline would have been a bit different (plus me only breaking armour a handful of times, but when I did it counted).

One special note has to got out to the Merc and Lottabotl, they both performed great and thwarted no less than 6 TD passes or running plays between them, they were the perfect inducement choice for the game, I was a little scared about Lottabotl lasting the distance (in turn 16 he was CAS'd out by an angry Saurus) but he held his own and really managed to shut the Liazrds game down. As a sidenote both players also managed to get a casualty too.

Once again my catchers were targeted early and fortunately both got out without suffering permanent injury, one thing I have notice with my catchers being taken out of the plays the Blitzers are proving real work horses (I am including Lottabottl and my Merc blitzer here) they can step up and pull most plays off and really shine against more agile opponents, the linemen are also developing well after 2 games and pulling their weight.

I got 2 skill ups, one on a lineman who rolled doubles so I took guard and then my blitzer rolled for his second improvement and rolled double 5's and took the +1 AV I figure with his eventual skill loadout (block, dodge, guard) plus the starting skills being that little more durable and make him up to the task of shutting down areas of the pitch. I also rolled enough for winnings to afford an apothecary, it was nerve wracking not playing with one for 2 games and he could have saved my Krox from a turn 2 departure but now with 12 players including the Krox who is sitting next game out) I feel that I have a little breathing room to get the team moving.

Next game is against a chewed up Dark Elf team who I am looking at giving 120k of inducements to (so very happy that the Krox TV of 16 isnt counting this game). It should be interesting but I think I have the maneuverability advantage and hopefully will be able to tie him up and get on with round 4.

[PubBowler]

my blitzer rolled for his second improvement and rolled double 5's and took the +1 AV I figure with his eventual skill loadout (block, dodge, guard) plus the starting skills being that little more durable and make him up to the task of shutting down areas of the pitch.

I'd have taken +1MA.

[SillySod]

I can see why you'd want +Av especially, once you have skilled up a slann blitzer you want it to be staying on the pitch. Also you dont want an investment that expensive to be dying. I think I'd have ignored both the +Av and the +Ma and gone for a normal skill though, just because they need skills to be remotely worth buying in the first place (although leader would have tempted me with so few RRs).

Out of interest how useful have the blitzers been compared to normal linefrogs? To be honest I'm looking at that starting roster and thinking that the RRs would have been a better initial investment?

[one_second_of_insanity]

Out of interest how useful have the blitzers been compared to normal linefrogs? To be honest I'm looking at that starting roster and thinking that the RRs would have been a better initial investment?

To be honest I thought I would buy the blitzers early just so they had a greater chance of getting skill ups earlier in the teams career. The fact both my first two games were against teams that had a lot S2 and dodge in them meant I completely shut their players down, diving tackle has been a godsend.

Jump Up has also helped immensely, blitzing from prone has caught both my opponents so far completely off guard with the extended reach of movement, I do believe they are worth the extra TV just not against bashy teams where I see them as far more a liability than an asset.

The funny thing with this blitzer is both his SPP rolls have been doubles, I was really tempted to ignore the +1M/AV and pick either leader or dodge but the way he has been playing I really preferred the additional protection, if he goes down having jump up makes it much less of a worry than it normally would be. I think with 12 players including 3 catchers my next purchase will either be another lino or the reroll. The lack or rerolls hasnt hurt me too badly ... yet and last season when I started with 4 I often found I still had 1 left at the end of each half (because I have an uncanny knack to make all my leap rolls or the ones that I do make dont crack the armour)

My biggest change in thinking this season compared to last is 'Just because every player has Leap doesn't mean I have to use it'. Any player on my team has the ability to extract a ball from a cage at the same success rate so I see it more as tactically leaping and not just doing it because I can.

[one_second_of_insanity]

Okay I have played my Round 3 and 4 games with mixed results

Round 3 vs Dark Elves (LOSS 3-1)

This was not a good game for me it started badly against a rookie coach who had 2 assassins in his team and both our TV were the same with my Krox missing this game. He won the toss and then elected to stab 2 of my LoS fodder and managed to CAS both of them off! He then blitzed with against a catcher and I was 3 players down for the game before I had a chance to do anything. That opening turn set the tone for the game and he took all of the first half to score 1 TD (I kept dispossessing him of the ball but didnt have the numbers to back it up)

The second half started nicely with me being down to 7 players on the pitch (3 CAS and 1 KO) to his 10. I scored in 3 turns in typical Slann style down the sidelines. I was feeling better and becuase of my quick(ish) score he scored his 2nd TD quickly (I started beating on his team scoring a CAS and a couple of KO) I then had 2 turns left to score the equaliser with 7 players to his 9 ... Nuffle was not with me, I had my 3 catchers all set up perfectly for the handoff and pass but the catcher picking the ball up deep backfield failed the pickup twice even when using a reroll, I dropped the ball in the end zone and he had a blitzer run in and score.

On the plus side I skilled up a catcher and lino with dodge and wrestle respectively and even in the 2 games I've lost the team is still picking up enough SPP's to skill one or two players up a game.

Round 4 vs Skaven (WIN 2-1)

I knew this was going to be a tough game, the Skaven player has several unholy gutter runners and a Rat Ogre with AG3 and Claw! (this team was carried over from last season). I knew I could win if I played smart and picked my 380k of inducements well. In the end I decided to go with Hemlock (Blodging Stabber with M8 was a godsend) and a Chainsaw with a bribe. This took me to 14 players in total against his 12 (he went up against a Norse team the previous round and had 2 linerats killed).

I won the toss and elected to receive, I thought if I can manage the clock well I should be able to take out a couple of players (gutter runners and the pesky Rat Ogre ideally) and have a man advantage ... well it almost worked I took 4 turns to score (although I was in position to score after 2) and had half his team eating dirt with a fair few stunned (I was rolling 10+ for armour only to roll snake eyes or other pathetic results for injury) The stab and then foul with chainsaw combo worked out nicely and I would seriously recommend it to anyone facing a lot of Blodgers when you dont have a team developed enough to combat it.

I managed to keep the skaven from scoring with good positioning of my Blitzers and keeping up a lot of pressure. Half-time 1-0 up.

Start of the second half was a little brutal and I suffered 3 CAS in as many turns (I ended up with 6 CAS suffered 3 of them MNG) the skaven scored but it wasnt easy for them. I then brought back my dynamic Chainsaw stabbing duo who werent as successful as they were in the first 4 turns of the first half but still they held up the skaven and put a lot of pressure on, I scored in turn 6 leaving him 2 turns to score the equaliser (I couldnt advance cautiously for this TD and needed to dodge a catcher out ASAP to avoid being a squashed frog). Turn 7 I had 5 in the CAS bin and he was only 2 players down, I managed to shut him out but only just (he was in scoring range but needed to make 5 3+ dodges with no TRR left).

So I was esctatic and he was one of the best games of BB I have played, we both agreed it was a great game and couldnt have been more closely matched.

So now I have 110k in the bank, only 9 players who are going to front up for the next game (the 3 missing are my 2 wrestle linos and my guard lino) and I am facing a rookie Chaos Dwarf team next. Do I get my 3rd RR or a 3rd Blitzer or something else entirely?

My Team:
http://brawl.bloodbowlleague.com/default.asp?p=ro&t=tla
(The match result hasn't been confirmed by the commish yet)

[one_second_of_insanity]

Round 5 - WIN! (1-0) and 3-2 on CAS

It was a pretty tight game for the two of us this one I was a little worried because I was going in with only 11 players including 1 journeyman and only 1 of my guard linos and he had a full 16 player roster including and induced star (I gave 150k inducements and he bough Zharg and a babe), this was one game where I could not fight the war of attrition.

My main concern going into the game was the only player on his team that gained a skill ... his minotaur who had claws. This fear was unjustified in the end when he received first blitzed my krox and rolled two sets of consecutive pushes, my Krox then hit him back and put him in the KO bin for the rest of the half).

Despite not thinking that I could win the war of attrition I pulled some risky blocks that paid off and KO'd both the minotaur and bull centaur by turn 3 and he had suffered 2 CAS by turn 4 and had a player sent off for a foul later in the half as well. Tying up his Hobgoblins won me the game they spent most of the half on their backs rolling over from prone to stunned only to be knocked back down when they stood up.

Zharg held onto the ball deep in his own half with 2 dwarf bodyguards who finally felt threatened when my Krox lumbered up to them and Zharg let lose a hail mary deep in my half where none of our players could get it in turn 4 (one of my blitzers was a square short). I picked up and proceeded to run the ball downfield not worrying about any fancy stuff (although one of my catchers got too close to Zharg and he CAS'd him). I went to score the TD in turn 8 only to fail the GFI and fall over with no rerolls left.

The second half I received and decided to take it slowly even though both the mino and centaur were back on the field, he set up three deep safeties and I thought I could go with the classic slann half cage down the sideline but just take a little longer, i scored in turn 4 with no passes or hand offs. It was relatively incident free with myself suffering 1 KO and another CAS but fortunately it was nothing serious. The crowd then rioted and the Choas Dwarves only had 3 turns to score but still had 2 RR, fortunately I shut then down mainly by refusing to stand players up and tying up the Centaur.

In the end it was a pretty conservative game on my part but I came out with a win which was important, didnt suffer any lasting injuries and will have a full strength squad facing some pro elves that just keep dying next game (but the ones that are alive a re skilling up nicely).

I got 60k winnings from the game (I think I will save it for the 3rd RR)
And have a first skill for a rookie blitzer (not sure what to get but was thinking tackle or mighty blow)
And have a second skill for one of my catchers ( was thinking sure hands, he already has dodge)