Lizards beyond TR 175?

Vargtass · Post by **Vargtass** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:46 pm

How do a win with lizards above TR 175, against equally rated opponents?

I like playing Lizards, and normally use s a strong rookie roster, i e 5 skinks, 6 sauri. I buy a apo and a krox asap, and begin collecting/replacing skinks. An occasional RR may also find its place.

Skill development is normally block on sauri, with Break tackle or Mighty Blow as second skill. Skinks use Sidestep and Diving tackle, with some also receiving catch.

Doubles: Stand firm or frenzy for sauri, and block (and 1 sure hands) for skinks.

The occasional ST 5 saurus and AG 4 skink is always welcome!

I usually play the running game, with a boxed skink, or a fan of skinks (3) within scoring distance that can all receive a handoff. With sidestep, the sidelines are also mine, allowing for slimmer cages. The movable sauri (break tackle) come to good use in changing or blitzing the opponent's ball-carrier. In defense, I try to slow the opponent down, pinning his cage, putting diving tackle skinks on his potential scorers, using the krox's prehensile tail for the same purpose, and blitzing the most probable scorer.

However, these teams do well up to approximately TR 175, where other teams tend to get a winning streak, be it bashing teams, running teams, or agile teams.

I do not play very frequently, and would really appreciate some tips on how to progress a Lizard team beyond TR 175, in order to build my new teams perhaps more efficiently, aiming for winning even against highly skilled teams.

Perhaps it's not the team, but the coach. In that case, please tell me so (that's what the brief playbook above was for)!

Thanks in advance,

Vargtass

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 3:55 pm

Basically the key to getting effective Lizards into high TRs is largely dependent on getting skilled Saurus.

The combos I'd look for on Saurus are either:

Block & Guard (2~3)
Break Tackle & Tackle (1 with strip ball) (3~4)

The Krox I'll normally try to give Block & Guard although Tackle is very tempting.

Skinks die quickly once your opponents have got Block, Tackle and Mighty Blow - so don't expect them to do much in the long term.

In general Lizzies don't work too well until you've got most of the Saurus onto 2-3 skills. Then you can start using your strength advantage again.

Tactically you have to save the skinks. That means forget about sending 3+ into the opponent's half to "score next turn" as they'll get systematically wiped out. Leaving you only with Saurus - and no chance of handling the ball. So the skinks have to remain protected within the cage - or in awkward positions to get blitzed. Every time your opponent blitzes a Saurus over a Skink you've won a small victory.

MickeX · Post by **MickeX** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:12 pm

ianwilliams wrote:Tactically you have to save the skinks. That means forget about sending 3+ into the opponent's half to "score next turn" as they'll get systematically wiped out.

That's a large part of it. In higher TRs you'll have to use the fast Saurus cage a lot more - when the opponent backs off to avoid those ST4 Blocks, all the sauris rush around them and form a cage three squares further ahead. Break Tackle will really help you here.

An AG2 Saurus is not a bad thing - he's almost a Bull Centaur. Give him Sure Hands and you've got 75% to pick the ball up, which is good enough in many situations. Just make sure you've swarmed the ball with skinks for those other 25%. He'll develop a lot faster, and can get Block and eventually Break Tackle (or Dodge at best).

A Break Tackle & Frenzy Saurus is very handy too.

Vargtass · Post by **Vargtass** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:32 pm

Thanks!

seems I've been missing the importance of Guard ...

The Break tackle/ tackle combo (without block?!) was an eye-opener. Would Block be third skill? or do you take BT and Tackle as 2nd and 3rd respectively?

I like the Sauri fast cage option - should play well against cowardly elves and rats. I do recognize that the three skinks in the opponent's half tend to suffer (at least one each turn).

Vargtass

Vargtass · Post by **Vargtass** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:38 pm

Forgot a comment: The AG 2 saurus. I really like this idea, but have never had the chance to test it. Does it really play well? I had lots of people tell me it would be a wasted skill development with sure hands on a AG 2 saurus, even though the figures say otherwise. I agree it should be playable, and think this may be part of the edge you need beyond TR 175.

Thanks again!

Vargtass

Skummy · Post by **Skummy** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:45 pm

An AG 2 Saurus is really only useful if he either already has Break Takle or it is only his first skill. They're going to need to get Sure Hands and Block as well to be reliable, and that will take some time. The importance of BT can't be stressed enough. Lizards are too easy to pin down with throwaway players until they get about 3 players with Break Tackle. Plus, it gives you someone to give the ball to when your opponent kicks the ball out of bounds.

Skinks should be devleloped to be as annoying as possible while they're on the field. Get one or two catch, but make the majority of them Sidestep/Diving Tackle. Two skills isn't so hard to get with these little guys, and you can really frustrate an offence with a few of these guys. Doubles should be Dirty Player, Sure Hands, or Block.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:06 am

i completely agree with Skummy's analysis

MickeX · Post by **MickeX** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 3:16 am

Skummy wrote:An AG 2 Saurus is really only useful if he either already has Break Takle or it is only his first skill. They're going to need to get Sure Hands and Block as well to be reliable, and that will take some time.

I've played the AG2 way a lot on FUMBBL, and my experience is that it works just fine even without BT - at least if you've got some Guard sauri. The sauri running cage is normally strong enough to block away any TZ:s on the ballcarrier - and if you keep a skink nearby it's easy to make a hand-off. That's why I take Sure Hands before BT on an AG2 Saurus.

Vargtass · Post by **Vargtass** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:51 am

Thanks a lot, everybody!

I have some things to mull over during next league, making sure to get guard, lots of BT, and a skink DP.

I think the most valuable lesson was to get skilled sauri (particularly with guard and BT); now the only problem is to make this happen "in real life" so to speak. When your left to CAS for SPPs, this is not an easy matter, so I feel that I have to focus on blocks and hitting where it hurts (low AV) and focus less on the ball and scoring TDs.

Does anyone have any further specific advise on how to maximize your blocks with Sauri (beyond the excellent article by Ian in Fanatic's Magazine)?

Vargtass

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 10:12 am

Vargtass wrote:The Break tackle/ tackle combo (without block?!) was an eye-opener. Would Block be third skill? or do you take BT and Tackle as 2nd and 3rd respectively?

Block would be possibly be third - and then its mainly for self defence and saving RRs. I may be more tempted by Mighty Blow or hope for doubles (Stand Firm or Frenzy).

I'd also suggest getting a lot of RRs - ideally 6.

juck101 · Post by **juck101** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:02 pm

a mate in my league had two frenzy saurus and they were awesome trashing players from the sidelines.