What would winning two million gold Norse teams look like?

[sunnyside]

I’m a new player who bought a Norse team (converted Marauders), and now that I’m on the forum I’ve been going through the archives for Norse advice. I can find a fair bit of commentary on suggested team development, or threads helping people with specific questions. And that does make sense, as having a st4 berserker or an ag4 Ulfwerener is going to change things.

However, what I haven’t been able to find is a full picture of what a winning developed Norse team could look like. The fundamental issues seem to me to be:

-While all that block is nice at first, after enough time every team except halflings and gobos has loads of it as well. But their players also have other stuff Norse players don’t have easy access to, especially when comparing linemen.

-The team doesn’t have the agility for the finesse passing game, the MA for focusing on breakaway running plays, nor does it seem to have the ability to engage in a prolonged mash up with a proper bashy team due to fewer high St players or less access to guard, but mostly the low AV which will eventually see your players in the dugout while theirs just stand up from being prone. For now I’m winning by using a running game where I make their players come to me and than can make progress by knocking them over, zipping though a gap, and forming a cage once I’m on their half, this generally minimizing the number of blocks they can throw at me. But once they have a pile of re-rolls and bloggers I figure that funs over.

Anyway, to make things a bit more specific to answer, what would a winning Norse team look like later in a league? Let’s say at 2 million gold. Of course exact rolls can make a big difference, but let’s say that the dice have been fairly moderate. You’ve gotten 4+6s on a runner, a lineman, and a berserker, and one doubles roll for every five singles, but only one doubles per player, and no doubles on the snow troll (I think we all know what to take than anyway).

For comparison here are a couple teams put together like that, based on teams that have done fairly well in my league.

Chaos 2 million
Minotaur Claw, Tentacles, Stand Firm
Beastman Block, Dodge
Beastman Block, Guard, Stand Firm
Beastman Wrestle
Beastman Block
Beastman Block, Tackle, +1 MA
Beastman Two Heads, Extra Arms, +1 MA, Block, Big Hand
Beastman Block, Tackle,
Beastman Extra Arms, Two Heads, Block, Big Hand, +1 MA
Chaos Warrior Block, Dodge
Chaos Warrior Block, Guard , Stand Firm
Chaos Warrior Block, Jump Up, Mighty Blow
Chaos warrior Claw, Block, Mighty Blow, Tackle, Guard
4 RR
6 FF
Apo

Wood Elves 2 million
Treeman Grab, guard
Linaman Dodge Block, +1 AV
Lineman Block, Dodge
Lineman Block, Dodge, +1 AV
Lineman Wrestle, Dodge
Catcher Sure Hands, Block, Sure Feet
Catcher Sure Feet, Side Step, Nerves of steel, Leap, Block,
Catcher Wrestle, Strip Ball, +1AV
Catcher Side Step, Block, Sure Feet
Thrower Sure Hands, Accurate
War Dancer Strip Ball, Tackle, Juggernaut, Frenzy
War Dancer Strip Ball Tackle, Dauntless
4 RR
6 FF
Apo

[Grumbledook]

lots of fend

mighty blow + piling on

some guard and tackle dotted about

runners built to suit your play style

[steveq]

This is what my Norse team looks like at TV 1650K after 14 games:

Thrower: AG5 30SPP
Thrower: 4SPP
Runner: Sure Hands, Sure Feet, Dodge 31SPP
Runner: Dodge 14SPP
Berserker: Guard, Stand Firm 27SPP
Berserker: 0SPP
Ulfwerner: Block, 11SPP
Lineman: 2SPP
Lineman: Kick, 7SPP
Lineman: Tackle, 10SPP
Lineman: Block, 0SPP
Lineman: Tackle, Niggling Injury, 8SPP
Snow Troll: AV9 7SPP

Now I don't claim to be an expert and some of my skill choices may have not been great early. My troll had a very pacifist nature and did not cause any casualties until his last game when he took out a Krox BH and got the MVP and with a 6+4 roll I grabbed that extra AV

The plan is to get three lineman with Fend for the LOS (after lloking at the advice on here in other threads, and save for the second Ulf. I was thinking of putting DP on the Lino with the Niggle.

The Thrower is about to skill up again and I am thinking Leader, Dodge on a double.

Steve

[Grogmir]

14 Players - IMO would look like.

6 x Line - Tackle/Fend - I with Kick Guard on doubles (D)
1 x Thrower - Leader if early, Sure Hands if not. D:???
2 x Runners - Dodge, Fend, Sure Feet - D
2 x Berserker - MB, Guard, D:Dodge?SS?
2 x Ulf - Block, MB, Guard - Ignore Ds
1 x MB, Guard, SF, - Ds = Block
4 x ReRolls.

Keeping adding them skills until you get to 2000k

Grogmir

[Carnis]

Mine looks like this currently:

Berserker Dodge
Berserker Mighty Blow, Piling On, Tackle
Ulfwerener Mighty Blow, Piling On
Ulfwerener Wrestle
Lineman
Thrower Leader, Sure Hands
Lineman
Lineman Tackle, Dauntless
Lineman Dirty Player, -AV
Lineman Dirty Player
Lineman
Lineman Guard, Fend
Lineman
Snow Troll Mighty Blow
3 RR, apoth, 1coach&cheer

1690k or so.

[sunnyside]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Though one thing.

Keeping adding them skills until you get to 2000k

Grogmir

Methings six three-four skill linemen and little on anyone else isn't going to cut it. I imagine that some control of who gets spps will be called for. Also I have a vhunch it might actually be a better choice to cut skilled up linemen after a point. The fifh multi skilled linemen is probably not worth his cost in inducements.

[mattgslater]

14 players

1x ST. Middle LB/Safety on D, lines up next to weakside D-end on O to generate a chainpush without reducing prospects for taking out Dline if he goes WA. First skill is Mighty Blow, then Stand Firm, then Break Tackle. Doubles is Block, then Pro. Ignore 10 or 11.

2x Ulf. Backers protecting inside routes on D, blitzers/cagers or chain-generators on O. Skills go Block, then MB or SF, then other or Break Tackle. Doubles is ignored on 1st roll, and otherwise Side Step (no SF), or Dodge (with SF). 10 is MA on guys with just Block, AV on guys with anything else except Break Tackle. Ignore 11.

2x Berserker. One is a wingman/nose, depending on opposition, playing the cage on offense. He gets Guard first, then Stand Firm. The other is a hunter, either from a safety or wing position on D, or as an o-lineman or a blitzing TE/FB. He goes for MB, then PO. Doubles is Dodge or SS, as per Ulf. 10 is AV.

2x Runner. One is a Corner, one is a Receiver. Both start with Dodge. Corner follows with SS, then DT. Receiver follows with Catch, then DC. What's a double? You bought this guy for MA and A access. 10 turns into AV on corner, MA on receiver.

1x Thrower. Pure passer. SH, Acc, Dodge or Sure Feet or ignore doubles, except Strong Arm on #3. MA on 10.

6x Linemen. 1 Kicker, 3 Linemen, 1 Corner, 1 Reserve. Keep the Reserve a rookie, and keep churning through skilled guys if you must, until you get an unusual skill. The 3 Linemen are lowest-priority and should be sacked on 31 if they have all normal skills, after Fend and some utility skill in case you need to rotate (Pro or Tackle is good). Kicker is a kicker, Corner is your best Lineman, follows the same build. Guard on doubles unless the guy has +MA, +AG or Kick, then take Dodge. 10 is judgment call: first "10" guy (MA or AV) becomes corner.

[Mad Banker]

Interesting exercice...

Let's try:

1. Snow Troll - Mighty Blow, Pilling On, Juggernaut
2. Berzerker - Mighty Blow, Pilling On, Side Step
3. Berzerker - Mighty Blow, Pilling On, Side Step
4. Ulfwerner - Block, Stand Firm, Guard
5. Ulfwerner - Block, Stand Firm, Guard
6. Runner - Dodge, Side Step
7. Runner - Dodge, Side Step
8. Thrower - Sure Hands, Leader
9. Lineman - Kick, Tackle
10. Lineman - Fend
11. Lineman - Fend
12. Lineman - Guard, Fend
13. Lineman - Dauntless
14. Lineman - Dauntless

3 RR
7 FF
Apo
2 million TV

[purdindas]

ST - 28 spp's - Block, Dodge (2 doubles! )
Beserker - 4SPP's
Beserker - 4SPP's
Runner - Rookie
Lino - rookie
Lino - 11spp's - Tackle
lino - 12spp's - Kick
Lino 15spp's - Guard
Lino - 7 spp's - Strip Ball
Lino - 3spp's
Lino - 6 Spp's - Tackle
Runner - 21 spp's Sure Hands, Dodge
Lino - Rookie
Lino - Rookie

3rr's
ff 7
TV 146
Played 13 games
W/L/D - 6/3/4

Players lost - 2 runners, 1 Ulf, 1 Beserker and a lino

I'd like to get some more guard in their and I'm just about to give fend to some lino's for the LOS. I'm in quite a bashy league and casualties have been high. A thrower is next on my list to buy provided no-one dies so I can get leader.

Most of the opoints you have made are right. Long bashy drives against Orc's or Dwarves are not a good idea with Norse and should be avaoided at all costs. Against everyone else you can bash and win. Generally it is easy to secure a numerical advantage by casualties or crowd pushes early on.

[PubBowler]

ST - 28 spp's - Block, Dodge (2 doubles! )

And -MA if i recall correctly...

[GreedySmurf]

My guys are a bit beyond 2M, about 2.3M at the moment, and Player attrition I find is my biggest problem.

I've played ~70 games and have 2 players from my original roster.

But my line up looks like this.
Snow Troll - Mighty Blow, Guard
Ulf - Block, Mighty Blow, Guard
Ulf - Block, Mighty Blow, Guard, Break Tackle
Zerk - +AG, Mighty Blow, Piling On
Zerk - Mighty Blow
Runner - +MA, Dodge, Side Step, Sure Hands, Catch, Diving Tackle
Runner - 0 spp
Thrower - Accurate, +AG, Kick-Off Return, Sure Hands, Nerves of Steel
Liney - Fend
Liney - Sneaky Git, Dirty Player
Liney
Liney
Liney - Tackle, +AG, Strip Ball, Dauntless
Liney - Fend, +AV, Dodge

Before my Snow Troll recently died, he was a star (without a double though), with M Blow, Guard, Juggernaut, Multiple Block and Stand Firm. personally I hate Piling On on a Wild Animal.

[sunnyside]

First, thanks for the feedback, some good stuff in there.

@GreedySmurf, how do you find things play out at that points total? Do you have a hard time maintinging a good win/loss ratio? Do you have a harder time with bashy or agile teams?

[GreedySmurf]

First, thanks for the feedback, some good stuff in there.

@GreedySmurf, how do you find things play out at that points total? Do you have a hard time maintinging a good win/loss ratio? Do you have a harder time with bashy or agile teams?

My overall win ratio (assuming the old 1/2 a point for a tie) is at 55%. So pretty good IMO. The key to that to some extent is a deep bench. The harder games are definitely versus the Bash teams.

The Agile teams you can grind against pretty effectively if need be, but I tend to be able to inflict some pretty heavy damage on them anyway and so tend to be able to get turnovers against them. Even with being currently light on for Tackle (due to recent player turnover) the double block from Frenzy makes up for that quite a bit. I might flatter myself to say that I now have Frenzy down to a fine art, and love having five frenzy players on the pitch. With Norse team built like mine with plenty of Mighty Blow, you'll do some damage to elves/skaven/etc

The Bash teams are where the troubles lie for Norse, a well coached bash team can inflict some serious damage at this TV. Although I tend to hold my own in the majority of those games, but you strike the occasional game, where a bit of even moderate good luck by the opponent can send you into a spiral which sees a lot of your players off the pitch. As soon as you get down on numbers you start to suffer and the situation can just get worse.

Having said that in five games where I was out casualtied this season, I got 2 wins, a draw and 2 losses. (of course the two losses were against two of the better coaches in the league - one with Orcs and the other with Gobbo's of all things )