Just how good is Stab?

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:11 pm

Wow! 2 stabs, 2 Cas!

I want your dice. I made 10 stabs with Horkon against a Skaven team, and managed 3 AV breaks, and 1 KO.
Then he was killed by a Storm Vermin.

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:57 pm

Add secret weapon to stabbers and I'm fine....

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:17 am

Smeborg wrote:... his first two stabs of the game. They were a permanent injury on a skilled Thrower (modified to MNG by the Apothecary) and a Dead skilled Linerat ...

Both of which are 8+ followed by 10+ so 15/36 * 6/36 * 15/36 * 6/36 = so about once in 200 - so compared to the interception & blitz (1/72) that was the lucky bit. I haven't even counted that the apoth failed too.

Smeborg · Post by **Smeborg** » Mon May 11, 2009 2:16 am

I agree, very lucky.

However, what struck me was that both Stabs were from positions that a normal ST3 player without block would not have made. That's quite interesting to me, and further suggests confirm that Sidestep/Jump Up might be among the top skill picks for Assassins.

All the best.

Glowworm · Post by **Glowworm** » Mon May 11, 2009 5:31 am

Smeborg wrote:I agree, very lucky.

However, what struck me was that both Stabs were from positions that a normal ST3 player without block would not have made. That's quite interesting to me, and further suggests confirm that Sidestep/Jump Up might be among the top skill picks for Assassins.

All the best.

considering he has shadowing would you consider Tackle as a 3rd skill?
(not that any of my assassins has evergot to 3 (additional) skills!

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon May 11, 2009 10:15 am

glowworm wrote: considering he has shadowing would you consider Tackle as a 3rd skill?
(not that any of my assassins has evergot to 3 (additional) skills!

I'd take Diving Tackle over Tackle.

You don't Block and you have Shadowing to use as an alternative to going prone.

And I reckon Side Step first on Assassins.
Unless you get a double for Multi Stab

Smeborg · Post by **Smeborg** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:38 pm

Well, Rashnak Backstabber's run of "luck" continues...

Playing their 5th game, against Skaven, he made relatively few stabs in the game (he spent a third of it in the dugout). But the few stabs that he did make included 2 deaths (a rookie Linerat and a rookie Thrower).

Of course, this is indicative of more "luck", however, what struck me again was that at least one of the killing stabs (perhaps both, I can't remember clearly) occurred in a situation where a normal ST3 player was not in position to make a reasonable block. So a stabber gets to make a straight AV roll where another player would not even get to block. And you can do it right at the beginning of a turn, before moving anybody, a bit like using a Wizard. That's all exceedingly powerful IMO.

All the best.

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:49 pm

when you gonna stop playing av7 teams ;]

Carnis · Post by **Carnis** » Tue May 19, 2009 6:16 pm

Hemlock is a top player against teams with AV7 catchers, or all av7 players.

Block, Dodge, Jump up & Sidestep.. He has it all AND he's stunty making him a viable cage threat. My opponent regularily passed up a free st2 LOS block just to avoid being stabbed back after the block succeeds (& he jumps up on a 2+) or fails (& he sidesteps for the free stab).

He's a great pick, but very situational. I would go dodge/sidestep on a DE assassin, but I wouldn't buy one until I'm set up with 4 blitzer, 2 witches and 1-2 runners. Stab seems fine, infact I like it very much given that it tones down Wardancers & the like.

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 11:06 am

right got my assassin 3 games ago

did 2 successful stabs against the amazons failed 4 iirc, both were stuns
didn't attempt any against orcs for obvious reasons
failed every single stab attempt against skaven I did 7 iirc

guess I'm countering the success of Smeborg!

Smeborg · Post by **Smeborg** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:16 pm

I think if you have Stabbers on the pitch, you have to use them in a fairly gung-ho manner, stabbing at pretty much every opportunity. That's when the seemingly "miracle" results start to appear.

I'm surprised you didn't use your Assassins against Orcs. Not even on the first turn of your offense??? When it's "free"???

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:06 pm

against armour 9?

that game went in a rather odd way, I needed him else where as I was players down to screen off the ball carrier

thought scoring was more important than trying to stab an orc who would thump me back the next turn with my massive AV7 ;]

I used him a lot more against the skaven but again I was short players on the pitch, was just bad luck I failed every single attempt with him that game

khudzlin · Post by **khudzlin** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:39 am

like Dook said, the orc is just gonna hit right back (maybe even getting a 2d block) if he's still standing (5/6 probability) unless the drive ends after your turn

TuernRedvenom · Post by **TuernRedvenom** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:06 am

khudzlin wrote:like Dook said, the orc is just gonna hit right back (maybe even getting a 2d block) if he's still standing (5/6 probability) unless the drive ends after your turn

Well, normally at kickoff you first try to stab a guy, if that fails you have another guy next to the stab target to block and push the target away from the assassin.

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:56 am

wouldn't say normally

orcs can have a nasty front row of two black orcs and a troll all with guard

i've got no doubles (ergo no guard) or st increases on my team, even if I did you still have to move in a few players to assist as well to get a decent block on them

this hinders your movement on the pitch and can get you embroiled in a brawl which the orcs would prefer

not to mention that in this game I had 5 players in the dead an injured box, I was already out numbered on the pitch

just cause you have stab doesn't mean it is best to use it every time, even just pushing a player away could be preferable, knocking them over is more of an option as well, which also gives the same chance of breaking armour and possibly SPP as well which assassins don't get many of if you are stabbing all the time