Inducement and Tactics against high TV Dwarves

[Piousman]

Two more games left in the league before the play-offs. One is against the strongest and highest casualty causing league team, a high TV Dwarf team (1,980) with Deathroller, a lot of Guard and Dauntless (rosters below). My current TV is 1,400, so I get 590k of Inducements.

The previous game I have lost a Black Orc and a skilled Blitzer, and have a S5, Block, Guard, -MA, BoB (180k) miss the next game.

My game goals are, in this order:
* not lose any more skilled players
* win the game
* cause maximum damage

My options for pre-game purchases and inducement are:

Next game is against Dwarves:
1a) buy back Blitzer (80), Black Orc (80), take Ripper (270) and Wizard (150) (or Apoth + BWBabe)
1b) buy back Blitzer (80), buy Re-roll #4 (60), take Varagh (290), Apothecary (100), BW Babe (50)

Play another game first, so my S5 BoB is back:
2a) buy back Blitzer (80), take Ripper (270) and a BW Babe (50) (for 2 S4, and 3 S5 players, 4 Blitzers, 3RR)
2b) buy Re-roll #4 (60), take Varagh (290), and a BW Babe (50) (3 S4, and 2 S5 Players, 3 Blitzers, 4 RR)

* Ripper (Troll) comes with Grab, and is not Stupid
* Varagh (Orc Blitzer) comes with S4, Jump Up and Mighty Blow

I have a feeling that getting the extra Apoth may be important, as is the extra reroll. Any other suggestions are also welcome.

My team: (TV 1400)
Thrower - Dodge, Step Aside[/i]
Troll - Grab
Goblin - Catch
BoB - Block, Guard
BoB - Block
BoB - S5, Block, Guard (-1MA, MNG)
Blitzer - Guard, SKILL (probably Mighty Blow)
Blitzer - Strip Ball, Tackle
Blitzer - Stand Firm, Mighty Blow
Lineorc - Block, Kick
Lineorc - Dirty Player
11 FF
3 RR

Dwarf team: (TV 1980)
Runner - +1MA, +1AV, Pass
Runner - Pass
Blitzer - Dauntless
Blitzer - Dauntless, Grab
5x Blockers - Guard
3x Blockers (Rookie)
2x Troll Slayers - Juggernaut
Deathroller - Block, Multiple Block
11 FF
4 RR

[plasmoid]

Against a slow, stalling, 2-1 grinder team, you gotta take the wizard.

[Aliboon]

I wouldn't worry overmuch, his team looks TV bloated and only has 1 MB, which will only play a drive anyway, so I don't reckon he'll cause you much damage.

He has a fair bit of guard, but you've a bit also and with your ST advantage, you should be ok. Just use that to your advantage and you should win the bash war, if not use your greater speed to pull him out of position/break away. Don't use the gobbo unless you have to.

Also, I think you've calculated your 2nd option wrong-if you buy a reroll after creating your team, it costs double.

If I were you I would get the BoB and blitzer if you have the cash in your treasury (gets you up to 13 rostered players) and then the rest in your 1st option (wizard and Ripper). If you are really worried about getting hurt, then go for the APO & BB Babe.

A wizard should help you break the cage, Ripper adds extra strength and rostered players are better TV value than non-rostered ones.

Good luck!

[PubBowler]

I wouldn't worry overmuch, his team looks TV bloated

Agreed, 15 players even with a DR is too many.

[Piousman]

A Clarification: One of the TS also has MB and the cost of the ReRoll posted is what it adds to the TV.
Gold is not an issue ($590k banked).

- Piousman

[Piousman]

Would it be a good idea to try to get both Ripper and Varagh? I would use up the entire inducement for that, so no rerolls, BW Babes, Apoth, etc.

It would get me 4x Players with MB, 2x S5 Players, 3x S4 Players (all with Block, one with Jump Up), 3 Blitzers, 3 RR (plus the other stuff).

- Piousman

[Digger Goreman]

Fill out the rest, but I'm up for the Wizard... since common wisdom seems to be that it will prevent one TD by the Dwarves... and they are slow!

[Welshy]

My game goals are, in this order:
* not lose any more skilled players
* win the game
* cause maximum damage

I'd suggest that 'causing maximum damage' is likely to be mutually exclusive to winning the game. The Dwarves are probably the only team who is slower and tougher than you are, so keep that in mind. i.e.

1. SPEED/AGILITY is you're advantage: A Blitzer handing off to a blitzer means you can move the ball 12squares, far in excess of the Dwarf players. Keep the ball deep and go for a Throw/hand-off option play once a gap opens up or use the 'suck and switch' play if you get bogged down onto a side-line. This means that TRR's (for dodging etc) and Wizards (for gap creating) are your friend.
2. TOUGHNESS is their advantage: They are tougher than you, the AV/Thick skull not to mention BLOCK et al all conspire against you. This means BABES, APOTH etc are your friend.

I'd certainly take 2x Babs and the Wizard (350k total) which leaves you plenty to play with, so aim for either an extra RR (or two) and/or Bribes to foul the beards into oblivion! Alternatively they're fully loaded with 4xRR so a MASTER CHEF could always be a nasty surprise and limit their ball-moving even more!

I wouldn't recommend waiting for your ST5 Black Orc. That'll boost your TV significantly and versus all that GUARD and DAUNTLESS I suggest it's unlikely to make that much difference. i.e. DON'T TRY TO OUT BASH A SUPER BASH TEAM!

[Ullis]

As others have mentioned, I'd take the wizard first and then see what else you can afford. You can use it to prevent attempts to stall out a drive for having the Death Roller out as long as possible by hitting the cage with a fireball.

I don't think that Ripper or the other orc star players would add enough ST or hitting power to give you a clear advantage. Even thinking about inducing an extra apo is opening a door to a losing mentality.

[Fat_Emrys]

I'd hire Ugroth and a bribe or two or is there a good reason why nobody else has suggested his chainsaw v AV9 being a good mix?

If you can avoid his cutting his own head off (which happens more likely than a 2+ would suggest in my experience*) then the dwarves' slow speed should mean he get plenty of time to cut a few down to size.


* may have answered my own question there ...

[Ullis]

I'd hire Ugroth and a bribe or two or is there a good reason why nobody else has suggested his chainsaw v AV9 being a good mix?

You still need a 7 (only around 60% of rolls) to break armor and that's not good enough. I think a saw is much better against AV7 and AV8. Plus AV7 and AV8 teams often have juicier targets whereas all dwarves are alike.

[Grumbledook]

Unless I am misunderstanding your original post, you can't buy players back using inducement money. You can hire merc blitzers and black orcs but they aren't the same cost as buying a new one using your treasury.

[DoubleSkulls]

I'd play another game first and take a wizard. Try to use it at such a point that you guarantee he doesn't score and gives you a chance of scoring.

Any spare cash put into apoths and babes to keep your team intact (Goal #1).

[Piousman]

To Grumbledook: Yes, team repurchases would have to be before the game. Since I have a hefty treasury, that is not an issue. However, any team repurchases (with gold) will decrease the amount of the inducements by the same amount.

To All: Looks like there is a fair amount of agreement that the Wizard is a must. However it is the use of Fireball that makes me nervous: you need a 4+ to knock them down. The odds say that 2.5 guys should be knocked down in a standard cage.

Would it not be better used to knock down the DR, then to fould him?

I am slowly being dissuaded from the extra Apoth and Babe, and inclined towards a variation of option 1b): Buy Blitzer back and Reroll #4, then use inducements to get Varagh, and Wizard. I think Varagh would be usefull with his S4, MA6, Block and MB, more so than buying a stock BoB.

Is having 13 Roster players + Star Player so much more important than having 12 Roster Players + Star Player? For this one game (after that I am back to 13 roster players).

Piousman

[Mootaz]

The fireball is what makes the Wizard so great against Dwarves. You have a 4+ to knock the ball carrier down and in addition you have a 4+ for the other players as well. Even if you don't knock down the ball carrier, you almost have a guarantee that one or more of the corners of his cage opens up and you get a shot at his ball carrier.