Slann guide

Ullis · Post by **Ullis** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:50 am

How do you think blitzers manage against different types of teams, as in fast vs. bashy?

Generally, against bashy teams the blitzers aren't as useful except as providing Guard unless you have a killer that can help in the injury game. Bashy teams tend to suffer a lot from having less players on the pitch. The blitzers break as easily as the linos so they don't help in that sense. Their move 7 is an asset here as it's probably faster than most bashy players.

Against fast and agile teams the blitzers look great with ST3 and Diving Tackle as their TZ's actually stop AG4 players. Moreover, a killer build works here as well as his job is easier against AV7 and AV8. Against fast teams the slann probably won't have a cage to break into so having more players helps a lot as they're still strong against passing games.

Hmm. I'm going to buy more blitzers. Unfortunately my kroxigor just died so he'd have to be replaced first.

Carnis · Post by **Carnis** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:05 am

I feel they excel vs fast players. Guard access, means you may try a running game (Block/Surehands runner). DT means AG4 players will need to think twice. MB&PO access kills AV7 twice as often as it kills AV9 and killerteams usually employ DPs and no juicier target exists than a MB&PO "counter-killer".

Slann would have been so much more interesting with 0-2 blitzers at Wrestle/JU 7338 GS 100k. They already suffer for having 0 dodge on the catchers (what with, ALL the other 2str catchers getting dodge), combined with -1 MA on the catchers (compared to other catchers) and a surprisingly rare (Humans, Woodies, Slann, Skaven) -1 ST on the catchers.

But ofc, the team was never intended to be tier1..

Post by **GalakStarscraper** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:21 pm

Carnis wrote:But ofc, the team was never intended to be tier1..

Just keep remembering that ... they are supposed to win bottom of Tier 1 and top of Tier 2. (50% to 40%).

The reason they have the stats that they do is its as close to a translation of the 2nd edition roster for the team as I could come up with stat wise. For skills ... we went with skills that all related to jumping. If you look at the Slann skill set you'll see the words Leap, Dive and Jump in all their skills. That was on purpose.

Galak

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:51 pm

GalakStarscraper wrote:I've also found that they live longer on the ground

That's cos LRB5 fouling sucks.

I like the skill set on the Blitzer. Yeah, it's not optimal, but that's a plus point in my mind - the more underused skills we see, the better imo (which is why I think it's a shame Shadow and Tentacles got a nerfed that can't be "fixed" for years to come). Personally, I think the Blitzers should be 10k cheaper, but I wouldn't want to see their skills changed.

Ikterus · Post by **Ikterus** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:51 pm

GalakStarscraper wrote:I'm glad the Slann team comes with underused skills so that some players get the chance to experience skills they seldom use.

I completely agree!

I've been real busy IRL last couple of days but I'm soon posting a updated verison of the play book.

What Galak says above is a thing I've thought about. We have a multitude of skill in BB and it would be really boring if the teams only came with the basic ones.

I find Slann to be one of the advanced teams (not the best to start with for a noob) and the fact that it comes with less than obvious combos is fun and gives the team an extra flavour.

The Blitzers are the controversial pieces of the roster but they certainly have a place in the team and can be really annoying for the opposition if used correctly (rookie team with DT = surpise shut down). In my opinion thay are mostly defensive and supportive players and that is the most effective and fun way to use them. Still I think that using all four almost always will be a mistake due the cost/effectiveness...

Ikterus · Post by **Ikterus** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:53 pm

Original post updated. Changes in red,

Fire away!

SillySod · Post by **SillySod** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:05 pm

GalakStarscraper wrote:Personally ... I'm sick of new idea teams needing to have core skills to be "okay"

I'm glad the Slann team comes with underused skills so that some players get the chance to experience skills they seldom use.

Sure, I quite like the fact that they come with different skills too..... but why price them as if they were core skills?

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:02 pm

SillySod wrote:
GalakStarscraper wrote:Personally ... I'm sick of new idea teams needing to have core skills to be "okay"

I'm glad the Slann team comes with underused skills so that some players get the chance to experience skills they seldom use.
Sure, I quite like the fact that they come with different skills too..... but why price them as if they were core skills?

I also like the opportunity to use some of the lesser chosen skills.

As for pricing them as core skills I think it has something to do with the combinations that are availbel to that particular team where they are better suited than they would be on another. Given to a starting chaos warrior, Diving Tackle would be a pretty useless skill, but if that warrior was also given Jump Up, then it is a far more useful combo. But even with Diving Tackle and Jump Up, the Slann blitzer is far more suited to using those skills than most other teams.

Besides, if you priced those skills any less then it would open up a whole can of worms about which skills should be worth how much on what teams, etc.

Personally I like the slann blitzer - all the skills are jumping related and I look forward the challenge of the player, and to trying them out today for their first full game in our league.

Jural · Post by **Jural** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:52 pm

Here's my feeling on Slann prices- Blitzers overcosted by 10-20k. Catchers undercost by 10k, maybe 20k (VLL and AG 4 is hard to quantify, like Blodge.)

So the team is OK overall, and maybe you lean more towards catchers than blitzers at low TV- but I'd use them both.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:11 pm

As I do want to try out the blitzers for myself, I am going to have two of them on the team (I do not feel that one is sufficient to do the job they are intended for).

So, having looked at your starting rosters, I am going to be going with something different. I will either use:

A
1 x kroxigor
5 x linemen
3 x catcher
2 x blitzer
2 x RR

or....

B
6 x lineman
3 x catcher
2 x Blitzer
3 x RR
30K banked for the apothecary

I think I am leaning towards the first one with a hope that I can afford the apothecary after the first game, then I will start saving up for a RR or two before filling out the last catcher and the rest with linemen. I like that roster because it gives me the strength (and fear factor) of the krox, and a taste of all the team has to offer.

Mad Banker · Post by **Mad Banker** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:24 pm

IMHO, 3 RR are a minimum for starting Slanns (ideally 4). With 2 RR you are going to turnover a lot.

Carnis · Post by **Carnis** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:33 pm

Craigtw wrote:Given to a starting chaos warrior, Diving Tackle would be a pretty useless skill.

REALLY?

Imaginge 4x ST4/AV9 DT menaces in the starting roster.. Certainly wouldn't be 'useless'.

Find it much more useless in the fragile & poor blocker slann blitzers though, and jump up though fluffy is no biggie at all without some ballhandling or killing skill combination to capitalize on the free move/block..

I feel the slann catchers are overpriced, the linemen are fine (10k for leap on 1-3 players would be cheap, but you gotta take it on 12++), and the blitzers are seriously overpriced. The catchers are nice, but MA7 and no dodge means they die over and over again. They'll never oneturn either, unlike their gutter running cousins, who come with dodge.. too.

SillySod · Post by **SillySod** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:20 pm

Craigtw wrote:As for pricing them as core skills I think it has something to do with the combinations that are availbel to that particular team where they are better suited than they would be on another. Given to a starting chaos warrior, Diving Tackle would be a pretty useless skill, but if that warrior was also given Jump Up, then it is a far more useful combo. But even with Diving Tackle and Jump Up, the Slann blitzer is far more suited to using those skills than most other teams.

Actually I disagree quite strongly. Diving tackle is strongest when its on sturdy players who are difficult/undesirable to block or stand next to. Equally I find that jump up is best on slow, well armoured players. It gives them a significantly bigger boost in comparison.

Diving tackle and jump up dont combo either. If they were either core skills or worked together as a neat combo then they would be well costed, sadly they just arent worth their price.

Bear in mind that lacking core skills is already a big handicap. You dont need to over-charge for their other skills to make it a weakness.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:46 pm

SillySod wrote:Diving tackle and jump up dont combo either. If they were either core skills or worked together as a neat combo then they would be well costed, sadly they just arent worth their price.

Bear in mind that lacking core skills is already a big handicap. You dont need to over-charge for their other skills to make it a weakness.

How can you say that Diving Tackle and Jump Up do not comine? Don't get that one at all.

From what I have sen everyone says that the linemen are well priced, even a bargain. But the blitzers are 50K more with a +MA and to extra skills. The +MA is a 30K bonus, and the Jump Up is very useful. True, lacking core skills (on the WHOLE team) is harsh, but I don't understand the overpriced argument.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:10 am

Mad Banker wrote:IMHO, 3 RR are a minimum for starting Slanns (ideally 4). With 2 RR you are going to turnover a lot.

Well I just played my first game with them, against orcs. I got raped in the first half (even after winning a Cheering Fans result) which I can relate directly to a failed block by the Kroxigor. After he rolled a double chop-block against a black orc with Block, the same black orc managed to get free and knock out a catcher, my blitzer got knocked out the same turn and on my next turn one of my catchers, who was trying to get back to retrieve the ball tripped and was Badly Hurt. Somehow I managed to stop them from scoring.

At the start of the second half I managed to get the catcher and lineman who had been knocked out back, and was only one man down with the casualtied I had caused against him.

The second half I was far more agrerssive and I found this to be the key. I managed to get the ball off of the orcs and score early in the second half. By this time I had casualtied another black orc and the sides were even. I pressed again, and managed to get the ball off of him again. Funny thing was I only used one RR in the second half!

Final score 2-0 for the slann

As for the blitzers the Jump Up was great, as I kept getting knocked down and this still allowed me to get where I needed to go. The Diving Tackle never came into play directly, but I know there were a couple of plays that my opponent had to refigure to avoid doding from the Blitzers' TZs.

All in all I liked the team - my blitzer really saved my ass a couple of times (not the other one, he was KOd the whole game). Jump Up combined with the leaping was very useful.