Orcs without a Thrower

Jeremiah Kool · Post by **Jeremiah Kool** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:21 pm

I was thinking about a TV 110 tournament with Orcs. I want to try a roster without a Thrower (4 x Blitzer, 4 x BOB, Troll, 2 x Line, Goblin, 3 RR, 1 FF, 1 AC, 1 CL).

Reason: A faster ball carrier with Block (Blitzer) and eleven AV 9 players on the pitch, Goblin for TTM.

While playing Undead I seldom missed Sure Hands (or Pass), so I´m curious how this will turn out.

Has anybody tried this?

TuernRedvenom · Post by **TuernRedvenom** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:49 pm

It's been done many, many times. I remember quite a few discussions about it on this board.
Both methods have been used with success, IMO it's a matter of personal taste.

Fondu77 · Post by **Fondu77** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:52 pm

TuernRedvenom wrote:IMO it's a matter of personal taste.

Imo too

besters · Post by **besters** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:40 pm

It's a way to go, having played CD's without sure hands it would be something I would contemplate now.

When I played Orc's regularly couldn't pick the ball up even with the sure hand skill.

The major drawback for me would be the Troll, they can be very very good or.............................

Cramy · Post by **Cramy** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:30 pm

Absolutely it's a sound plan. Especially if you plan to play a bashy game and there is no skill progression at the tournament.

I use the thrower when I know that I will face some Strip Ball. As no roster starts with Strip Ball, you have to judge how much Strip Ball you will face based on the skill progression rules for the tournament.

Even when I play with a Thrower, if my opponent doesn't have any Strip Ball, I'll get a Blitzer to pick-up the ball and carry it. The key here is to make sure that you keep a reroll on hand for the pick-up. Then if you can bash your way through without dropping the ball, you're doing good. The Block skill and the Blitzer's extra movement makes a huge difference.

And if once at the tournament you notice that there is lots of Strip Ball and there is some skill progression, you can always give Sure Hands to a Blitzer if you feel that you need to.

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:01 pm

For me the downside is that you "need" to use a skill on Sure Hands to protect yourself from War Dancers and other strip ball players. That's if you aren't going to give the thrower a G access skill.

If you would have given a thrower block (or another G access skill) then you are looking at a 10k saving for -MA, -Av. Alternatively, if you were going to have 4 blitzers anyway and this is a lineman vs thrower discussion then its 20k more for Sure hands & pass, -Av. You also get access to passing skills (Leader). So its really a question of what you are giving up for 20k.

1 FF & a CL or AC from that roster looks much less valuable to me than the thrower - especially if you take Leader.

Toni · Post by **Toni** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:11 am

Never play in this way, but i can see several negative things in it, and the "positive" things are not so positive:

- You hide in a cage a 6339 block, and use a lineorc into his forward position (-1 MA, - Block)

- You've to spend a skill to avoid Strip Ball

- You've to spend a Reroll if you miss to pick up the ball until blitzer gets SH

- You lose Pass skill, not so important in Orcish playbook, but useful in 3-4 turns TD

+ 11 9 AV player on the field (but if someone arrives to hit my Thrower, normally match is going very bad (i don't play Troll, so i've lineorc for defense and thrower for offence)...)

+ OTTD (Never done

)

If you wanna try i'd like to receive your feedback about it

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:28 am

There are a million ways to build an Orc team. So long as you take 4 Blitzers, it's hard to go too far wrong.

Jural · Post by **Jural** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:12 am

mattgslater wrote:There are a million ways to build an Orc team. So long as you take 4 Blitzers, it's hard to go too far wrong.

Yeah, I think 0 re-rolls, 4 goblins, 4 blitzers, 3 linemen, and 290k in Apoths, cheerleaders, assistant coaches, and inducements would be one way... but the point is you really need to try

Jeremiah Kool · Post by **Jeremiah Kool** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:12 am

I could even give a Blitzer Sure Hands as a skill if there are a lot of Wood Elves (or maybe Slann) teams. Then again I will have two players with Guard to protect the ball carrier.

Skill progression will be all skills at the beginning of the tourny or at another tournament one skill before each game and you know your opponent before you pick the skill.

The suggestion to use only a Thrower to pick up the ball if there are Strip Ballers and otherwise use a Blitzer is interesting. Kind of both of best worlds for me.

Smeborg · Post by **Smeborg** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:39 am

It's perfectly viable to take an Orc roster without a Thrower, provided that you give Sure Hands to a Blitzer. He becomes a better Runner than a Thrower with Block.

I have seen a tournament won with such a roster.

As said above, it's largely a matter of taste. But having 11 AV9 players on the park has a lot going for it, especially in a tournament.

Hope this helps.

Tripleskull · Post by **Tripleskull** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:04 am

The danish championship has bin won 4 years in a row with an orc roster without thrower and sure hands as first skill on a blitzer. Other skills has varied, but sure hands has always bin the first.

besters · Post by **besters** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:08 am

That's interesting, I can't remember whether I have ever been to a tournament won by Orc's.

I tell a lie, I was at Bloodbowl 2007, apparently in the 32 wins they have, that was the only one I attended.

Tripleskull · Post by **Tripleskull** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:13 am

Well we do have a really good orc coach - hope he doesnt read this.

But in my expirience, eurobowl and world cup, we also have a number of other coaches at a high international level, playing at the danish championship. I think the style of play in denmark might vary a bit from some other places, but thats only a feeling I got. And I dont know if it explains it.

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:14 pm

50/50 for me.

I Blocked up my thrower in my one NAF tournie with Orcs but have seen it done the other way many times.

Also seen teams run without a Sure Hands, Block ball carrier.
In fact, most races have to run that in tournies.

How many teams are going to be Strip Balling is the variable, and that varies between tournaments.