Dwarf Strategy

celetaur · Post by **celetaur** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 12:35 am

Hi i am intersted in star to play a dwarf team, whit the custom 1m GP.

I am really new at blood bowl, and i will be really happy if some one can give me some tips, in the roster build and in-game strategy.

Thx

Jonny Deth · Post by **Jonny Deth** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:48 am

Hi there

Try www.bbpb.de

There are some really good tactics articles on most of the teams.

Team build:
2 Blitzers
2 Trollslayers
2 Runners
6 Long beards.

howlett · Post by **howlett** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:59 am

Do you know Simon & Garfunkels "59th street bridge song" ?

The first 2 lines of the text, are actually the dwarfen strategy:

"Slow down, you move too fast. You've got to make [this drive] last.
Just [heading off] a [couple of guys], looking for fun and feeling groovy!"

The song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya1Xx-lD-fw

Solarhaphaeriom · Post by **Solarhaphaeriom** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:27 am

My dwarf team did rather well, on two simple ideas:
Defense: Don't forget your low movement, set up deep. Bash their heads in.
Offense: Bash their heads in.

The way this was accomplished was mixed Guard and Mighty Blow on linemen and blitzers, which let me beat the crap out of mostly everyoneby having more Block, AV and/or ST (via guard). I only took a single runner, and gave him Kickoff return ASAP. Keep him in backfield to take the ball alone, Blitzers a bit back in case someone gets through, then cage and win 2-1. Hurt the other guy bad if he tries to stall, and try some handoffs to let different people score (but only when you are REALLY secure).

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 12:30 pm

I start with:

160 2 Runners
160 2 Blitzers
180 2 Troll Slayers
350 5 Blockers
120 3 Rerolls
20 Fanfactor 2
10 Bank

Buy an apoth, Blocker, Reroll and then look to the DeathRoller if you want one (many don't).

I never take Mighty Blow. I don't like the feel of it. The only skill you NEED to take with Dwarfs is Guard.

That's all I'm giving you here.
Do a search and find loads more...

dendron · Post by **dendron** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:38 pm

Jonny Deth wrote:Hi there

Try www.bbpb.de

There are some really good tactics articles on most of the teams.

Team build:
2 Blitzers
2 Trollslayers
2 Runners
6 Long beards.

But up to now I couldn't find an article with LRB5. All is described with LRB4 or older.

Dendron

Tante Kaethe · Post by **Tante Kaethe** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:26 pm

OK,

I have never played Dwarves before, but I know how to play bashy teams and Dwarves will be my next team in our tabletop league. So take my advice with a grain of salt

:

I'll start with the team proposed by PubBowler.

First skills (in the order in which they will be taken, doubles choices in [])

Slayers: Mighty Blow, Stand Firm [Jump up or Side Step]
Blitzer 1: Mighty Blow, Piling On [Jump up]
Blitzer 2: Guard, Stand Firm [Dodge]
Blockers (first 3 to skill up): Guard, Stand Firm [Diving Tackle]
Blockers (the rest): Guard, Mighty Blow [Diving Tackle or Jump up]
Runner 1: Block, KOR [Dodge]
Runner 2: Wrestle, Strip Ball [Dodge orSure Feet]

So that's what I'm planning to although I must add that I'm not sure whether I'll really develop Runner 2 this way

.

As for the strategy, go for the cheesy 2:1 slow grind, try to use the sidelines, esp. later on when you have some Stand Firm your Slayers will a have a field day crowd-surfing your opponents.

Cheers

Tante Käthe

P.S. I don't thin I'll ever buy a Deathroller, I'd rather keep my TV low and induce him together with a Bribe or two when I have to play a much higher ranked team

Edit: Changed "Fend" to "Wrestle" on Runner 2.

celetaur · Post by **celetaur** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:19 pm

thx guys, and what is KOR and "fend"???

Tante Kaethe · Post by **Tante Kaethe** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:40 pm

KOR = "Kick Off Return":

LRB5 wrote:Kick-Off Return (General)
A player on the receiving team that is not on the Line of Scrimmage or in
an opposing tackle zone may use this skill when the ball has been
kicked. It allows the player to move up to 3 squares after the ball has
been scattered but before rolling on the Kick-Off table. Only one player
may use this skill each kick-off. This skill may not be used for a
touchback kick-off and does not allow the player to cross into the
opponent’s half of the pitch.

Fend:

LRB5 wrote:Fend (General)
This player is very skilled at holding off would-be attackers. Opposing
players may not follow-up blocks made against this player even if the
Fend player is Knocked Down. The opposing player may still continue
moving after blocking if he had declared a Blitz Action.

Please not that I've edited my above post, I meant to take Wrestle not Fend.

Wrestle:

LRB5 wrote:Wrestle (General)
The player is specially trained in grappling techniques. This player may
use Wrestle when he blocks or is blocked and a ‘Both Down’ result on
the Block dice is chosen by either coach. Instead of applying the 'Both
Down' result, both players are wrestled to the ground. Both players are
Placed Prone in their respective squares even if one or both have the
Block skill. Do not make Armour rolls for either player. Use of this skill
does not cause a turnover unless the active player was holding the ball.

Cheers

Tante Käthe

Banelord · Post by **Banelord** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:21 pm

Dwarfs are my favoured team, and yes, i like the boring playing style. Because dwarfs are a challenge! Bashing is not a problem, but winning is! One mistake or bad blocking-dices and a good opponent gets an easy draw.

First note: Setting up and a good positional play is everything for dwarfs!

Second note: BASH!!!

Mighty blow for the slayers is a no-brainer.

I recommend mighty blow over guard for the blockers (Not against an Ork-heavy league). But this will lead to a very bloody game style and won't make you friends.

But it will fasten your Ssp for the blockers

and with 11 against 9 or less you won't need guard that often.

Leave guard for the blitzers (your real blitzers are the slayers) or as the second skill for the blockers.

I recommend one runner with block and tackle (against the fast catchers, no blocker will reach them ever) and the other one with Kick-Off Return and Block (because you WANT the ball as soon as possible inside a cage). Than the next skill is kick, because it gives you time to organise the defence.

General (and IMO only) tactic: Kick first against every no-basher-team and bash every player you can in order to get the ball or force the opponent to score fast. Than bash and score in the last turn. Then get the ball again, bash and score again in the last turn. If you play against an other basher-team, receive first and bash. Use the slayers to push the opposing blitzers out of bounds.

Again, this is a very destructive playingstyle, but it will win you games. No exciting moments or actions, but enough thrill for you, because a skilled opponent will punish every mistake.

lerchey · Post by **lerchey** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:36 pm

I'm not an experienced BB player, but recently started a Dwarf team and have played 4 games with them. Current record is 3 wins and 1 loss.

Like most, I started with the "hitting" special players - 2 blitzers and 2 slayers. I took 1 runner, and the rest blockers.

The key to doing well with the dwarves, though I'm simply repeating what others have said throughout BB history, is to grind the opposing team to dust.

Always try to set up 2 die blocks. With nearly everyone (and likely everyone after a few games) having block, you will win most block contests, or at least not lose anything if you get a both down result. And since the blockers all have Tackle, those "defender stumbles" results turn into knock downs!

Don't be afraid of taking 1 die blocks when the situation calls for it. In every game I've been in the situation of having to have a blitzer or slayer GFI (go for it) on a blitz to hit the runner who was 1 move from scoring. In every case my 1 die block worked out took them down. The only loss my team has had so far was when a human runner dodged like a maniac and my dwarf blockers, even with GFIs could NOT catch up!

When you get the ball, form a cage to protect the carrier and slowly push your way to the opposing end zone.

If you're doing your blocking right (and have even moderate die rolls), your opponent is going to be short on players by the end of the first half. This makes it much easier for you to keep his players tied up in tackle zones while you have guys free to move the ball and protect you carrier.

As stated earlier, set up defenses with some depth. If they get past your dwarves, you will NOT catch up to them in a running game. I usually leave 2 blockers about 3 spaces back near the middle, and both blitzers behind my line 'cause they move faster.

Once you start getting guard for you blockers intersperse them in your line.

B G B G B

This way, unless you are facing another dwarf team, it's hard for the opponent to get 2 die blocks against you.

I also have to agree with folks that say to spread your SPPs around between players by letting more than one player score if you can. I have 5 players with new skills and 5 within 2-3 points of getting new skills.

Unlike others, I don't overly worry about keeping my TV low and the opponent getting endorsements. It's a personal thing, not something that should be considered a tactic. I just like having all of my team minis available. :)

In 4 games my dwarves have racked up 21 casualties. Granted, I have not played against "hitty" teams - humans and goblins so far, but still, the tactics (as written for LRB4) seem to work pretty well. My next match will be against another dwarf team, so that should be interesting. :)

Have your dwarves drink heavily, eat heaartily, and SMASH everything in front of them. :)

Grogmir · Post by **Grogmir** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:14 pm

2-1 to the Dwarves... 2 - 1 to the Dwarves is all you want to here.

All the above is good dwarf advice, mine would be...
Don't overlook KOR
Learn to use your Frenzy guys together to push people off, Crowd pushes are one of the most underused tactics in BB.
Finally, add 1 dice blocks into your turn routine, you have everything going for you - don't be afraid to hit.
Obviously they should come after your more safe plays but you should do them regually.

Grog.

darren woodward · Post by **darren woodward** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:57 pm

i thought i'd bump this up as my new Dwarves are on their way

Xeterog · Post by **Xeterog** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:52 pm

Start:
2x Blitzer
2x Slayer
2x Runner
5x Blocker
3x RR
1x FF
1xAC
1xCL
--Your high AV will protect you thru the 1st game or so--no need for more than 11 players. (and if you lose some, you can hire journeyment blockers)

Generally, you'll get the ball with your runner, form some sort of cage and bash your way to a TD. On defense, you pressure the ball as much as possible hoping to get to the ball carrier directly or force a turnover in some way.

Aim to score more than 2 TD's a game. If you aim for 2-1 every time, you will fail to get there at least occasionally.

Skills: normal [doubles]
Blitzers: Mighty Blow, Guard [Dodge, Side Step, jump up]
Slayer: Juggernaut, Mighty Blow, [side step, jump up]
Runners: Block, Fend, 1xKOR [dodge]
Blockers: Guard, mighty blow, Grab

Some skill thoughts:
Wrestle is the worst skill you can give any dwarf--even runners. Your main weakness is speed (everyone but Khemri is faster than a dwarf team), and voluntarily placing your player prone, even when bringing the other guy down as well, is just not worth the loss in speed 90% of time.

Grab is good for setting up blocks

Juggernaut helps slayers get that 2nd Frenzied block in if the 1st doesn't knock someone down, plus it cancels some annoying skills.

Stand firm or Side step--both are good skills...a sidesteping player with guard can be very annoying

Diving Tackle is good to have...kinda goes against the advice above about not voluntarily placing your player prone--but 95% of the time that you use this skill, you not only knock the other guy down--but you cause a Turnover! (wrestle does not unless they had the ball)

Piling on is good, but I only take it on a guy with Jump-Up

You should only need one runner with kick-off return

Dodge is good even on low Agility players. It affects the block dice, making them harder to knock down. Tackle cancels this, but few other teams have as much tackle as you do, so the skill will not get canceled as much. Plus I find myself needing to dodge with blockers more often than I really want to..having dodge would save on RR's a little

Leader for one of the runners is not a bad idea--saves you 20 TV

(20k for a skill vs 40k for a RR)

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:04 pm

GorTex wrote: Dodge is good even on low Agility players. It affects the block dice, making them harder to knock down. Tackle cancels this, but few other teams have as much tackle as you do, so the skill will not get canceled as much. Plus I find myself needing to dodge with blockers more often than I really want to..having dodge would save on RR's a little

I think there are better double choices for players which aren't going to be dodging very much on a team which doesn't have a lot of Dodge making it easy for even a small number of players with Tackle to cancel the advantage.

I prefer:

Side Step (Slayers)
Diving Tackle (Blockers)
Jump Up (Blitzers)
Sure Feet/Sprint (Runners).

GorTex wrote: Leader for one of the runners is not a bad idea--saves you 20 TV

(20k for a skill vs 40k for a RR)

I think a saving of 20k is too small to deny a primary ball carrier on a team with cheap rerolls and no shortage of money a on-pitch skill.

Especially when there are so many good skill options.

Now on an Orc team, saving 40k & being a less useful player, absolutely.