Discuss Fantasy football-style board games - GW's Blood Bowl, Impact!'s Elfball, Privateer Press' Grind, Heresy's Deathball, etc. THIS IS NOT AN NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL SITE!
I have a fairly well developed (TV 166) Dwarf team (6 Blockers, 2 Runners, 2 Blitzers and 2 TS) heavy on Guard (3 players) and Mighty Blow (5). I have a MA 5 Blocker (with a Niggle) who has proven surprisingly useful with the extra MA. He finally skilled up another level (Blockers without MB just don't progress that fast), and I rolled doubles.
Other Blockers have MB/Guard (x2); MB (x1) and Guard (x1) and one Rookie.
Dodge would be the obvious choice, but a bit dull. Many posters suggest Diving Tackle, but I just don't get that skill - but I haven't used it. I'm thinking Side Step - a skill I don't have, and one that will be quite unexpected on a Dwarf team.
Diving Tackle is a great choice on this dwarf - and it combines nicely with the +MA too since he's got better pitch coverage.
With DT all you need to do is walk over to an opponent's receiver and mark them. Then to dodge away they need a 4+ (AG4) or 5+ (AG3) without the benefit of the dodge skill (you've got tackle already). That is pretty high risk so many won't bother until late in the turn. So as a pinning skill its great. The other thing that is nice is that it can attract blitzes - and you'd rather have your blockers being blitzed than your runners or troll slayers!
Against other bash teams its not so useful, but most of your skills seem to be aimed at that sort of opposition anyway.
Agree with the diving tackle fluff above, I would consider side step though, I played a dwarf team with a side stepping blocker the other night and let me tell you he was a nightmare on the defensive line, I could not get this guy out of the way (very bad dice karma that evening) and spent an entire half moving my cage in lateral zig-zags accross the pitch
When a team has 4 or 5 players with Stand Firm, Side Step on a single player isn't as useful- although a Troll Slayer may prefer it over Stand Firm no matter what.
For the early team though, Side Step is a great skill, but only if the player also has Guard. I would not choose Dodge on a lineman ever, personally.
However, with all of that said, I'd choose Diving Tackle in a heartbeat. If you have Skaven, Wood Elves, Lizardmen, or Amazons in your league, you'll put it to great use! Oh, and it's not bad against Undead, Necro, Vampires or Humans either.
Your timely and thoughtful advice is greatly appreciated - Diving Tackle it is!
While I am it, can I pose another Dwarf skill question? An MA7 Runner with Block and Catch has just skilled up - Normal skill, though. Everyone says take Kick Off Return, but if all goes well in a game I should only receive once, and with MA7 I can get to the ball in any square in my half. I am tempted to take Kick (my runner is always on the field off the LOS in the middle) and that seems like a more aggressive move - I should always kick at least twice in a game. Am also very tempted to take Strip Ball - with MA7 he is usually my last line of defence. Again, any and all suggestions gratefully received.
I would suggest strip ball if he is supposed to be your last line of defense.
On the other hand kick can be a very valuable skill. You can force your opponents hands a bit with it by kicking deep against the strength teams or by kicking short against the agility teams.
The questions is only if that guy is the right guy for the kick skill (because of his role in your defense). If you don't give the kick skill to him, you might want to give it to someone else sooner rather than later.
You might only use KOR once per game, but kick reception is where dwarves are most vulnerable to a takeaway score. Those extra 3 squares make it easier to protect the ball.
What happens if the ball ends up in the endzone on the kick? You will be able to get to it on turn 1, but you won't get it back to midfield until turn 3. With KOR you can play 3 squares farther back, still get to short kicks, and now have given yourself 6 squares of movement on deep kicks so that you can get the ball back to midfield on turn 2. Its not just 3 squares of movement once per game, it is potentially one less turn of a non caged ball.
Kick Off Return is great on a runner, but I would leave it for your second runner (it's a great first skill on a runner.) Especially as your MA 7 guys has catch already.
With the MA 7, Block, and Catch, you make a great last line of defense. Strip Ball seems like a good choice, especially given how much tackle you have. I'd also consider Pass Block, just so you can fork two players (sometimes my deep safeties are covering two gutter runners at once... and it's great to be able to get a tackle zone on either one!)
I wouldn't get him Strip Ball. That's what Slayers are for. Nerves? He does have MA7+Catch... but you don't really have anyone to throw to him.
Reason:''
What is Nuffle's view? Through a window, two-by-three. He peers through snake eyes.
What is Nuffle's lawn? Inches, squares, and tackle zones: Reddened blades of grass.
What is Nuffle's tree? Risk its trunk, space the branches. Touchdowns are its fruit.
