Norse team for league: advice please!

Fairbane · Post by **Fairbane** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 11:45 am

Hi,

I'm entering a league at my local club with the vast experience of one whole game (which I lost) under my belt. I played humans that game, but I've picked a Norse team to play because I love the figures and I love the fact they're fairly hard but still have positional players.

So first I need to think of a team. This is what I'm thinking of so far:

2 Blitzers
2 Catchers
1 Thrower
7 Linemen
Coach: 8 Fan Factor, 3 ReRolls

I'm wondering whether to swap out one lineman and one fan factor for an extra re-roll but I don't think so: with AV7 I probably need a substitute and extra FF is always handy. It's just that those re-rolls are so expensive after you start! But is four excessive? I'd also consider loosing one catcher and two FF for another blitzer ... does that sound a good idea?

I'm also thinking about big guys and star players. Can Norse teams hire Zara and is she worth it? I've got a great female Viking figure that I could convert for the purpose. Is it worth thinking about starting with Zara or an Ogre? Are they worth it down the line?

Finally I'm a little confused about skills progression for Norse catchers. Most of the others look fairly obvious:
Lineman: Kick (for one), Pro, Tackle, (Leader (for one), Guard)
Blitzer: Pile On, Pro, Tackle, Mighty Blow, (Dodge, Stand Firm)
Thrower: Sure hands, Accurate, Dump Off, (NOS, Strong Arm)

Am I on the right track here?

Anyway with catchers, I came across an article advising you to take diving tackle for norse catchers, but I can't really see that it's that much use. However, with MV6 they don't look like great sprint scorers either, so how are they best developed? I presumed some sort of vaguely hard player that can catch and then survive blocks while plodding for the end zone was best, something along the lines of:

Catcher: Dodge, Side Step, Diving Catch (Jump Up, NOS)

Either that or a pass blocker:

Catcher: Dodge, Shadowing, Pass Block, Diving Tackle (looks handy with shadowing), (Jump Up, NOS)

But with only two, which way do you play it? One of each? Both the same? Totally different skills?

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:00 pm

You can hire Zara - but like all Star Players only as a freebooter.

I'd start with the Ogre - getting someone who can absorb punishment is very handy.

Pro is now a trait - so I'd be looking for Guard or Dodge instead.

Skummy · Post by **Skummy** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:04 pm

You're very much on the right track for a 1 game vet!

The roster looks very good, though you may want to change one lineman out for an apothecary, just to protect the blitzer investment. If you want to risk it, then just make sure you pick up an apoth ASAP.

A couple of rules things real quickly - star players are only on the roster for one game, and Pro is now a trait, so picking it on your blitzers would require doubles.

With the new MB change, I'd seriously think about getting a Minotaur for the big guy slot. Unless there is a lot of strength in your league he's just a better player.

Your lineman skills are spot on, except for the pro bit. Tackle and Strip Ball are good on norse lineman, but the tackle/shadowing combo also helps a bit once you've developed a bit.

I'd take Strong Arm way before NOS for the thrower. IMO, NOS is a skill for catchers, not for throwers.

Catcher skill progression would probably look like the following for me:

Dodge, Sidestep, Diving Tackle, Sure Feet (NOS, Dauntless)

Fairbane · Post by **Fairbane** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:24 pm

Skummy wrote: A couple of rules things real quickly - star players are only on the roster for one game, and Pro is now a trait, so picking it on your blitzers would require doubles.

With the new MB change, I'd seriously think about getting a Minotaur for the big guy slot. Unless there is a lot of strength in your league he's just a better player.

Aargh, not a rules change! Where can I find the update, and will it eventually be part of the living rule book? What does MB stand for anyway?

*edit*

Ah, I found some stuff on the specialist games site. Does MB stand for mighty blow or multiple block. Either way I find it hard to see why that makes a Minotaur better than an Ogre: lower AV and the big disadvantage of Wild Animal. Plus I don't like the idea of having a Chaos beastie in my human team. I guess I could always use the old Thrud model or somesuch to represent a massive Norse warrior with horns on his helmet instead!

Skummy · Post by **Skummy** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:34 pm

MB is Mighty Blow - but I meant to type Wild Animal...

The new (reformatted) LRB will be coming out very soon, and will have the new stuff in it. The most recent rules review will have all the other info you're looking for.

Wild Animal now works like this: 2+ to blitz or block, 4+ for everything else, and rolls over for free. Note that they don't have to go first any more (yay!)

Fairbane · Post by **Fairbane** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:45 pm

Skummy wrote: MB is Mighty Blow - but I meant to type Wild Animal...

The new (reformatted) LRB will be coming out very soon, and will have the new stuff in it. The most recent rules review will have all the other info you're looking for.

Wild Animal now works like this: 2+ to blitz or block, 4+ for everything else, and rolls over for free. Note that they don't have to go first any more (yay!)

Looks like the entry in the rules update is a bit incomplete then, since it just say about needing 4+ to do anything other than block. I presume that now includes blitz, then.

By "roll over for free" ... is this effectively the same as "jump up"?

Where can I find this update?