Brettonia for 12 game league + playoffs

[Omalley69]

Hi

I was considdering to bring Brettonia to our next league, but with 6 test games under the belt the simply feel lackluster.
No sure hands, pass. Leads me to think that they should play like dark elfs, the semi bashy running game.
To my understanding brettonia should have an edge over bashy teams.
But so far ive really struggeled with them.
Wrestle seems like a bit of a disadvantage on offence. Your guy goes down but his guy gets up i his turn leaving your guy on the floor.
The same guy (yeomen) that has normal guard access.

Doubles; id take mighty blow, to actually deal some damage. both types of dwarfs and orcs seem near impossible with all the av9 and brettons having so poor access to mighty blow. While the brettonian team easily gets KOed with av 7-8.
Is brettonia supposed to play a dodge handoff running game with out the bashy element?
If that is the case I whould find too much guard as a waste of a skill?

And a yeomen is supposed to take kick? (4 knights 4 yeomen 3 linos)

Am I playing the team in a wrong way?

[plasmoid]

I'll send you a PM over the weekend.
In short, the people I know who have had success with them have played a very stingy defense.
Also, it really helps to know the odds for dauntless. In a nutshell you should never reroll the dauntless roll.
Also - AFAIK - there is no such thing as too much guard

Edit: IMO Brets can beat those teams, but not by taking tons of players off the pitch.
I take one Mighty Blow yeoman, but if I have to do damage, then fouling is probably the more viable method.
I wouldn't take kick on a yeoman. Eventually, on a lineman. But It's not such a high priority (for me at least)

Cheers
Martin

[Omalley69]

So a yeoman goes on the LOS when you have a kick lineo?

[plasmoid]

Much as I like kick, it hasn't been a priority on this particular team of mine.

But if you do want a lino with kick, then yes, I'd occasionally put a yeoman on the line. Or in reserves and put an extra lineman on the field.
More to the point, when I play this team LOS duty is largely decided by what opponent I'm facing. If it is something not too killy, I'll put the blitzers on the LOS and hope to get away with a full team. Peasants go to the LOS against PiOn teams, but against many opponents they may well be expendable, but I don't want to start my first turn with 8 remaining players...

[Omalley69]

Hmm i seem to have a super hard time as soon as I loose 1-2 blitzers.

Whould you put the blitzers on the line without dodge?

[rolo]

The peasants are nearly perfect line fodder - inexpensive, expendable, and Fend is extremely irritating.

And while you have to assume they'll be knocked down, even with AV7, it's pretty unlikely that they'll all be removed from the field.

I wouldn't put Blitzers on the line at all if I can help it though. Losing a peasant or three is irritating, nobody likes playing defense while outnumbered. But losing a Blitzer is a disaster. You have more peasants on the bench. Let them get beat up like the expendable vermin they are!

[plasmoid]

Without Dodge, nope. Peasants or yeomen.
With Dodge, and against the right opponents, I'd absolutely put knights on the line.
Cheers
Martin

[Omalley69]

How whould you goys develop the team?

Peasants: block/wrestle (1 Kick)
Yeomen: Guard, tackle, MB
Blocker Knight: MB(if dobbel on first), Tackle, dodge
Carrier knight: Dodge, sure hands, fend/sidestep?

[rolo]

Peasants: Block/Wrestle, 1-2 Dirty Players, I guess Kick on one if you really want a kicker. Maybe if one ever gets a second skill after Block ...
Guard on doubles.

Yeomen:
1-2 Sackers (Tackle, Strip Ball)
2-3 Supporters (Guard, Stand Firm). Haven't decided if it's worth taking Block.
Dodge on doubles.

Knights:
Irritating Cookie Cutter Blitzers (Dodge, Tackle, Sidestep, 1 takes Leader, Diving Tackle)
1 Ball Hog (Sure Hands, Dodge, Sidestep, Kickoff Return, Fend). Dump Off? no.
The first 1-2 to roll Doubles becomes a Killer (Mighty Blow), after that Tackle, Frenzy
After that, Guard on doubles.
Anyone who rolls +AG is your new ball hog.

Disclaimer: I haven't played many games with the Brettonian roster, this is based more on theory and my plans than experience with Brettonia.

[Omalley69]

Why not the dumb off?

[rolo]

Why not the dumb off?

Personal prejudice on my part, and an irrational hatred stemming from playing Dark Elves.

Dump Off is best when your ball carrier gets sacked, and he completes a pass to someone else. It's worst when you attempt to dump off, fail, but the ball carrier remains standing and you would have kept the ball otherwise.

With Brets, you have access to all the most important skills (Block, Dodge, Sure Hands) to protect your ball carrier - there's a good chance that he remains standing after getting hit with the ball in his hands. And we're talking about AG3 players here, both for the throw and the catch. By definition, you're in at least one tackle zone (usually 2 or more) when you have a chance to dump off - so at best we're talking a 4+ pass, 3+ catch, during your opponent's turn when you can't use team rerolls. One in three chance of that working out, not counting possible interceptions. And that's the best case.

You can make the Dump Off play better, by taking Nerves of Steel, Pass, Accurate on your ball carrier, and Catch, Diving Catch, possibly Nerves of Steel on a target a square or two away. THAT is a real threat to keep the ball, it's two 2+ rolls, each with a built-in skill reroll.
But at the end of the day, you're in a 12 game league with (maybe) a couple more games for playoffs. You're not going to get more than 2-3 skills on your ball carrier. Would you rather those skills be Sure Hands, Dodge, Sidestep? Or Dump Off, Nerves of Steel, Pass? Keeping in mind that you'll also be fielding this guy on defense?

[Omalley69]

Right, and you whouldnt find pass, dumb off as sufficient?

[rolo]

Right, and you whouldnt find pass, dumb off as sufficient?

Like I said, I haven't actually played Bretonnia enough to get to that kind of decision. So this is based on my experience with Humans, Dark Elves, and similar teams ...

I guess if I were picking between a Knight with Blodge, Sure Hands, or that exact same player with those skills, and also Dump Off and Pass? Sure, I'd take the more skilled player.

But assuming that the most skilled player is going to have 2-3 skills at the end of a 12 game season, which 2-3 skills would I prefer? Dump Off (and passing in general) are just way too situational to spend valuable skills on.

I'm not saying you can't take it, only that I wouldn't

[Omalley69]

Hehe right. Got it

[plasmoid]

It is always fun to be adventurous. But from your pist you do also seem interested in winning.
You could see it like this: Your starting team already has a fair few less-than-essential skills, so you need to go to some of the basic skills first if you want to be competitive.

I think blodge is the obvious first step for Blitzers. In a sort season I might take a Leader early on.
The Yeomen need lots of Guard and a little Mighty blow.
Linemen should be Block (or Wrestle, depending on preference). Some like a DP.!Some like a kicker.

Second skill for most players: I prefer a mixed bag of tricks, depending on doubles, stats and personal preference.
Others recommend strengthening your pitch control, recommending side step ans stand firm.

Cheers
Martin