Chaos Pact loading up

[Funksultan]

I'm deep in conversions / painting for the next BB season (early next year) and have decided to try a dicey team to give myself a little bit of a challenge. Chaos Pact won the nod, so now it's off to pick a starting lineup...

1. Troll, Ogre, 8 Marauders, Dark Elf, Goblin, 3 TRR, 30k banked or FF/CL/AC.
- I get the dark elf for ball handling/passing, and the goblin as the 12th man, and a possible foul-monkey, or projectile scorer if things get desperate. 2/3 big guys is the hurter.

2. Troll, Ogre, Mino, 7 Marauders, 3 TRR.
- Pretty vanilla, looking to bash, and get lucky while saving cash.

3. Troll, Ogre, Mino, 7 Marauders, Dark Elf, Gobbo, 2 TRR.
- 12th man, 3 big guys, AND dark elf, at expense of that important 3rd TRR.

Looking for people's suggestions, and play advice.

I'm not terrified of 2 TRR, since all the linemen have Passing access, I'll probably skip block as a first skill so someone can pick up leader for the 20k TV reroll (plus, because TRR are a whopping 140k!).

I have some practice matches coming up, and I'm kinda planning on a human-esque play style. Bashy if I can to whittle away the opponent's numbers, with passing (TTM) plays as an afterthought, while against primer bashy teams (orc/dwarf) I'll probably try to out maneuver em, and hopefully I'll get lucky with my big guys and cost them a couple players that they likely don't have backups for.

TRRs are crucial, since I have no skills to start, but with a little luck, I'll be able to get some level ups without having to try to form myself into a scoring-machine.

(yeah, I know some things were discussed in a post 8 months ago, but didn't wanna wake the dead....post)

[Craigtw]

Troll, Ogre, Mino, 7 Marauders, Dark Elf, Gobbo, 2 TRR.
- 12th man, 3 big guys, AND dark elf, at expense of that important 3rd TRR.

I did this roster a couple of times during the start of our league, and then again when we reset the league.

In the first incarnation of the league, the team did beautifully. We were kicking butt, and there was a nice spread of points going around, with skills on all the BGs.

When we reset the league, sombody forgot to reboot the brains on most of my team. After many games the minotaur racked up about a dozen casulaties, and had Block, Stand Firm, Tentacles. I had one marauder who was a SPP sink, and the rest of the team was pretty vanilla. Overall the team was doing poorly, and before the league went into the playoofs, I was done with the team!

Part of this was mainly due to my frustration with the BGs. they are massive psychological threats and can be devatstaing when they are switched on. But that is the problem - that they are prone to going stupid at the worst times.

If I were to do this again, I may go with the #1 roster and focus on the incredible skill choices of the marauders.

[Joemanji]

Ogre, Troll, 8 Marauders, Dark Elf, 4 re-rolls

I started with this and didn't regret it. You'll need the re-rolls on a team with no starting skills, even after they develop. 3 big guys is a liability until your Linemen are skilled enough to take up the slack.

[Funksultan]

Ogre, Troll, 8 Marauders, Dark Elf, 4 re-rolls

I like the thought of that 4th RR, but IMHO, you should ALWAYS take leader as your first skill, as you're getting 70k of TV for 20k.

Craig is also leaning towards ditching the Mino early, and that was my original thought too, since the Mino is the most questionable in value. However, only 2 big guys kinda makes me wonder what my team is bringing to the table. I know they aren't reliable, but if things went well, a line of 3 big guys could swing the numbers game in my favor and really let me inflict some damage and gain some SPP.

The big guys are a little more of a threat early, when even the bashy teams will have a hard time dealing with them. Bringing the Mino later is tough, both from the cost, and because if he shows up too late, he's just an AV8 model that some teams will already have a counter for.

Tough call... Joe's lineup is obviously the most solid, but with leader, that's 5 TRR, and if things are going your way there could be some waste there.

[Storch]

I'm with Joemanji.
I started there, bought an Apo, added a Mino, Mino died, Added a nother a bit later, he died too.

I'm thinking the goblin will be fun and plan on adding him soon, but the bread and butter really are the Marauders. I really see the big guys as being enough of a distraction to let them all get the skills they need and maybe get a few SPPs themselves along the way.

[Funksultan]

I'm loving the sound of 4 TRR to start, but with leader OTW, that's 5.

This is gonna be my first time on either side of the ball with Chaos Pact. I'm assuming the play is going to be similar to playing a Chaos team (kinda bashy, and hanging around waiting for interesting skill ups).

You coaches that have tried it... what's the play like? Is 5 RR too many? Not enough? *grin* Do you find yourself trying to muscle a lot of the other teams?

Troll, Ogre, 8 Mar, DE and 4 TRR is sounding better the more I think about it, but ugh... having the 3 bigs just sounds like so much fun... hope the cash rolls in fast.

[bjorn9486]

Ogre, Mino, 8 Marauders, Dark Elf, 3 Re-Rolls, banked 30k

That is the setup I took with my Chaos Pact, and even though they have only played one game, I have found them to be very effective. I played against a Rookie Norse team and even with them taking out the Dark Elf early, I controlled the bash game. The Ogre was the biggest disappointment and I would have gladly taken another Mino if I had the ability.

[Funksultan]

The Ogre was the biggest disappointment and I would have gladly taken another Mino if I had the ability.

Interesting... usually the Ogre is considered one of the best big men, and the mino one of the worst...

[MeatLoafX]

I hate the mino on my Chaos Pact team. The guy typically just sits there and crys like a baby. Or else people hit him and KO him.

Hate that piece. May even cut him to shave down my TV.

[quozl]

Yeah, I'm this --> <-- close to cutting the minotaur from my 3 big-guy team.

He's a liability! I don't want to blitz on a 2+, which means walking on a 4+! I think it may be because I'm a bit risk averse.

I just can't justify his team-value. If only I hadn't paid the gold for him

[cyagen]

Get 3 big guys early. Got them, never regretted it.

The Mino turned out to be a casualty machine for me and now has Block/guard/Stand Firm.

3 Big guys is one of the most fun aspect of that team so take them early as they take a long time to develop.

I started with 11 players and no Delf and would do it again.

[Funksultan]

Cy, as the team progressed, what was the order of your purchases?

Did you pick up the Delf, and then maybe the goblin for the TTM possibility if things went badly?

D

[MeatLoafX]

I hate the mino on my Chaos Pact team. The guy typically just sits there and crys like a baby. Or else people hit him and KO him.

Hate that piece. May even cut him to shave down my TV.

He must have seen my post because in the next game, he had 2 CAS and got his first skill.

He's earned a temporary reprieve.

I like starting with the Elf, but it will hog a lot of SPPS. It will also skill up fast, though, and it's something you need on the Pact. I cut my original one and am skilling up my new one to be a wrestle/strip ball/leap cage-breaker. Then my two-headed Goblin (and maybe soon to be big handed) runs in and snatches the ball. At least in theory.

[Joemanji]

I like starting with the Elf, but it will hog a lot of SPPS. It will also skill up fast, though, and it's something you need on the Pact. I cut my original one and am skilling up my new one to be a wrestle/strip ball/leap cage-breaker.

My prefered development would be Horns > Leap > Wrestle > Tackle/Strip Ball

[MeatLoafX]

I went wrestle first, just for protection (she seems to have a target on her head. Anti-elf bias I can only assume). She hasn't skilled up again. Can't really argue with your suggestion.