Its the finals! (Nurgle)

Axtklinge · Post by **Axtklinge** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:07 pm

So I've made it into de finals after a winning last night semi-finals game against an Amazon team.

Hard game, with me scoring on the first half, and my opponent on the second, and as no ties were allowed, we went to 3rd half.
I've menaged to pull off the field some Amazon players, and along with 3 more casualtys I was in numerical advantage for most of the 2nd and 3rd "halfs".
Anyway, the Amazon team was quite advanced (+2000 TR) so it seemed there were always too many of them in the field.

On the other table the other semi-final game was probably the most amasing game I've ever seen.
An über Human team beating the crap out of a very advanced skaven team, that ended up with a score of 6-5 for the skaven (with only 5/6 players on the pitch most of the time)...
So I'm facing a skaven team in the final, with at least 2 very advanced gutter-runners (one of them has +1MA and Sprint, so he can TD in one single turn!!!)

So...my team stansd as this:

4xCWarriors (DPresence, FAppearence, Nurgles Rot, Regen, Blck, Guard)
1 Pestigor (Horns, Nurgles Rot, Regen, Sure Hands, Block, Extra Arms)
1 Pestigor (Horns, Nurgles Rot, Regen, Block, N.Injury)
1 Pestigor (Horns, Nurgles Rot, Regen, Extra Arms, +1MA)
1 Pestigor (Horns, Nurgles Rot, Regen, Block, Takle)
1 Beast of Nurgle (without any extras...)
5 Rotters
1 Rotter (____________?)

5 Rerolls
9 FF
2 Ass.Coach
2 Cheerl
+50k

Well summing all up, I'm quite sure I'll strugle (a lot) to score any TD as I always do, against quick small & dodgy teams, as the box takes forever to get to the endzone.
Running out of the box isnt usualy a very good idea too as the opponents quickly "gang up" and beat the ball carrier.
So I'm planning on beat them as much as I can, and we'll see how it ends up.

I have a skill to give to one rotter.
One any other occasion I wouldnt have any doubt in "block", but as this is an important game I thought about "Kick" to at least make 'em move and pick up the ball...

Any other ideas both on the skill or on tactics vs skaven?

Cheers
Axt

Mootaz · Post by **Mootaz** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:49 pm

Kick is not really effective against Skaven. The only real option is to place the ball short and hope for a failed pickup. I'd rather take Block.

fen · Post by **fen** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:57 pm

I'd personally take Block or Dirty Player. Making sure those Gutter Runners stay down is a pretty nice thing.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:33 pm

You have to play like a true strength team.

So the main objective of the first half will be to kill/injure as many of his people as possible. And stall the game as much as possible. If you receive, make sure that you take as much time of the clock (as many turns) as possible.

It will be a bit tricky, since you only have one guy with tackle, but you should be able to do it with all the S4 and Guard giving you "two dice blocks".

landrover · Post by **landrover** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:55 am

Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!
Tackle!

Axtklinge · Post by **Axtklinge** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:08 am

Its not going to be an easy task, tryng to stall them.
As far as I remember at least 2 or 3 of the GR are Blodgers, so they dont go down that easy.

I've had a game against them far back in the regular season and managed to win by 1-0 (with only 1-0 on Cas too), but back then they didnt had the "1turner" GRunner, so I knew I allways had 1 chance (1 turn) to beat him.

So the bets for the Rotter skill are either on Block or Tackle right?

Cheers
Axt

fen · Post by **fen** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:51 am

Tackle isn't so hot on a Rotter because normally you do not want to throw blocks with him (this is why I take Block or DP instead, one keeps him on his feet, the other lets you perform a good ground block each turn), but it might help win the finals. If your opponent is wise he'll hunt down that Rotter, floor him and makes sure he leaves the pitch with a swift boot.

Skaven win against Nurgle with a combination of opportunity fouls and Gutter Runner fueled TD scoring. If he doesn't start fouling you aggressively you should win with little trouble (barring usual upsets).

If you do give him Tackle don't expect him to skill up again quickly (or ever, he'll probably die first), but it might be worth paying that price if you feel it'll win you the match.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:08 pm

I would agree with fen that the best skill for the rotter is either Block or Dirty Player. Block can give you more confidence to his the skaven and hopefully remove some from the field, and Dirty Player is ensuring that the Gutter Runners do not get up again once they are down.

As for other tactics....

On the defense keep the Beast off the front line - keep it somewhere near the back with a babysitter and then pounce on one of the GRs as they move into a scoring position. Keep the warriors spread out on the front line to ensure that their disturbing presence makes it less likely that he will be attempting any passes or hand offs. Disturbing Presence is going to be a huge thing for you - make sure that you try to ensure that your warriors are all over the pitch to disrupt the skaven passing plays.

By keeping your warriors spread out in this manner you will be reducing the chances that he will be making any moves with his 1-turn scorer as it will mean that he will have to be on the line of "screamage", and consequently in the zone of one or more warriors. He may try to set this up on a later turn so watch out for it.

When the GRS bust through (and they will) get a beast onto one (or more if you are lucky) and then just SIT THERE. DO NOT try to block them with the beast for fear that it will go stupid and then it's tentacles will be of no use. Block with other players (if you can keep the GRS in the beast's tackle zones - certainly not something to do if the GRs have Side Step!)

On offense, hold the warriors off the front line and make them the posts of your cage. move up slowly and methodically, pounding as you go. Use the Beast as little as possible - more in the duty of holding players with his tentacles than trying to inflict any real damage.

One thing to consider is that if you win the coin toss - kick to him. You want him to score quickly (well you don't want him to score at all, but let's be realtistic - properly played skaven can be almost impossible to stop!). He should score on the second or third turn. You then take the whole rest of the half to move up slowly, pound the snot out of him and then score on the last turn. He then kicks again to you in the second half and you move up slowly again taking the whole half to score whiuch should leave you at 2-1 your favour with him only having one turn to score. Ideally his one-turn scorer should be out of the game by this time, but if not - you know what his play will be and just ensure that you are getting the DP as widespread as possible, and make him dodge many times before he can reach the Endzone.

Hope this helps.

whitetiger · Post by **whitetiger** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:55 pm

Craigtw has it exactly. Let him take the ball in the first half and score quickly. He's going to anyway, so get it out of the way. Then take the ball and pound the crap out of his team. Make sure your Pestigor with sure hands has the ball, put up a double cage, then pound his team for the rest of the half. You could even put your cage against a sideline to free up a couple of players to get into the carnage. Chase his gutter runners down. Trap them and kill them. Lay on as many casualties in the first half as you can. Any means necessary. Crowd push, foul, whatever.

If you win the casualty game in the first half, you'll win the scoring game in the second.

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:00 am

I'd take DP on the Rotter.

And if he's any good, he won't be in any hurry to score when he's receiving.

Skaven teams need to stall to maximise their chance against a slow team.

Axtklinge · Post by **Axtklinge** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:23 pm

Thanks for the tips and advice!

I'll probably go for the DP to the Rotter as skave have very low armour, it might be helpfull.
Any other kind of game I would go for Block (I dont usualy build the team for playing a specific opponent), but a final is always a final!

Fell free to add any other tactic or thought.
I'll post how it went, as soon as the game is played.
(The game will probably be next week, as this week we all have work related stuff to do...)

Cheers
Axt

Axtklinge · Post by **Axtklinge** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:21 pm

Hi again!

Here it goes how the the "Final" (was yesterday) went:
My team menaged to get more fans than the skaven team, so +1 FAME for me.
On the other hand, he got to receive the ball, so there I was planning the best defensive setup I could (as much TZ as possible in two different defensive lines).
We roll for kick off (11- throw a rock), I win and menaged to KO one of his linerats.
First Turn
He sets three rats next to one lonely Nurgle warrior, and blocks him down.
The moves inside my picth up to the second defensive line and blitzes a rotter out of the way: there it is, the usual "big avenue" for his GRunner sprint...
He picks up the ball, quick passes it to the lightning quick GR (I'm quite sure I forgot the disturbing presence in this pass), and starts his walk down my field...BUT fails the second Go-For-It (three 1's in a row...).
No TD yet!
In my turn I move 2 pestigors to guard the ball, and with the third pick it up.
Rest of the first half
After making "the cage", I slowly move up in the pitch to score in the last turn, beating as much as I could the damned rats that just would die or get even injured.

Second Half
I receive the ball, and gess what? I do the cage again!
Move upfield for the entire second half, to end my 8th turn with a hand off the a rotter that scored my second TD!

For his last turn (as he was receiving the ball) my opponent tryied to pull the same 1-turn trick (open a gap in my first defensive line, blitz the second, and send the 1turner in), but this time the Nurgle warriors "disturbing presence" really disturbed his thrower that just couldnt find his mates and fumbled the ball.

And so I won (2-0) with no casualys on both sides (the best I could do to get rid of them was to push the off the field...).

Extra thoughts on the game
The "tackle" pestigor was a very nasty surprise for the dodgers in more then one occasion!
The Tentacles of the Beast (which was fielded in the second defensive line to hold GRs) worked great, holding still at least 1 GR during most of the game!

Sorry for the long post, and thank you all for the tips!
Cheers
Axt

robsoma · Post by **robsoma** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:53 pm

congrats on the win!

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:57 pm

Glad that worked out for you! Praise to Father Nurgle!

Remember though, in playing Skaven or other quick teams you wantthem to have the ball first, and that way if they score quickly, you have the rest of the half to score, and then you are kicked to in the second half and then you talk all of that half to score again. You win 2-1!

Congratulations again on the win.

Axtklinge · Post by **Axtklinge** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:59 am

Thank you all again for the tips.

Cheers
Axt.