Hobgoblin 2nd skill on a rather undeveloped CD team

[Punk_in_Drublic]

I've got 3 matches in with my chaos dwarves (http://www.bloodbowl.krokodille.com/tea ... d=201&tid=), and so far it's been the hobgoblins that has done most of the heavy lifting. The development of chaos dwarves and bull centaurs is pretty straight forward (apart from actually getting the SPP's on the dwarves), but I'm uncertain on the hobgobs.

I've got one HG fast approaching his 2nd skill, and I'm unsure about what to chose if he rolls a normal skillup. He's got sure hands (the team has two other HG's with block), so I'm thinking Kick off return and use him as a delivery system to get the ball to my BC's that will, hopefully, score the most touchdowns.

While we're at it, I've got 3 RR's on the team and a full contigent of CD's. I'm really not rating the mino (AKA "The turnover Machine) before I get at least another RR, what do you guys think?

thanks,

-PiD

[Smeborg]

I think Kick-off Return is the best choice, to be followed by Block and Fend. That's what I am planning for next season.

How are you planning to develop your BCs, by the way?

All the best

[Smeborg]

To anser your second question: I don't rate the Mino on this team. As well as being a T/O machine, my experience is that you will normally take your Blitz with one of the BCs. Wild Animals that don't Blitz seem a waste of skin to me.

And without a Mino, the CDs have a lovely lean TV.

[Sizzler]

To be honest I'd just go for block. He can then be a competent ball carrier.

[Punk_in_Drublic]

Block would be a great choice, but I don't think it's sexy enough. I have another HG with 10SPP and block, so I'll guess he'll be the guy with block/sure hands. With KO Return, I'd be able to get the ball in postition faster, and don't have to start in such a deep formation to protect my ball-retriever (I'm planning to get the ball to my BC's for as many TD's as possible to skill them up properly during the upcoming games). Unless there is a better suggestion coming my way

As for the CD's, I plan to go the usual route with a heavy coating of guard and a sprinkling of claw and MB. Just with guard on top of their starting skills, they're awesome anyway.

One thing I'm a little uncertain of is what to use for a safety player in the back on defense. Of course I can use the BC's, but I'd like to use them offensely and in the first line fo defense along with most of the dwarves. I'm thinking of having a designated hobbo with wrestle. Is it worth to have a defensive goblin, or should Chaos Dwarves just deploy in such a way that the tackle pieces does much of the job?

Thanks,

-PiD

[Sizzler]

Interesting thoughts there, Punk. Personally I'd still just go for block, and with the 10spp blocking hobbo, give him frenzy. I don't think there's much need for two sure hands players on the team, especially at this early stage in their development. There are just much better choices out there.

For a defensive player, a blocking/wrestling, tackling hobbo is a good bet for taking down those wardancers/gutter runners that get through. You could even skill up the 10spp hobbo to do this?

KOR could be a good third skill for a ball carrying hobbo, but I can't seeing it outweighing block in terms of effectiveness. Kick off return is only useful if the ball goes in a weird direction, and unless you're facing wood elves or skaven, you can get a pretty good cage formed up with the other hobbos until the chaos dwarfs have time to join in. Grind and burst. Grind and burst. That's a good mentality to take with CDs.

Best regards.

[Thadrin]

Thadrin is a big fan of Kick off Return.

You have plenty of meat to shield your guy with.

[Punk_in_Drublic]

In regards to the placement of the ball - kick is a popular skill around here, I love to use it myself on my High elves, so the KOR would be an answer to that as well. It's easy to put the ball way down in my half and lay the preassure on me far back with kick. that is part of my concern with getting the ball up on my half and meet the attackers head on when I'm the reciever.

incidentally - if I should rolla double - any suggestions for the HG's?

thanks,

-PiD

[Powerhausen]

I play in the same league as PiD, and played Kneebiters United recently, the top Chaos Dwarves team. Of course, not all tactics are the same, because their coach has two obscene Bull Centaurs (which he relies on to such a degree he said he'd probably retire the team if one of them dies, an attitude I don't agree with), but I feel his (and the Chaos Dwarves team in general) biggest asset is the Dwarves (of course, taken into context that he has the Centaurs and to a lesser degree, Hobbos as well).

He deployed his defense with four Guard, Stand Firm Blockers, two on each flank, an approach I'd hearthely encourage, because it made breaking through (with my Humans, on a passing game) an absolute nightmare. So I think I'd priorotize Stand Firm over Mighty Blow on at least four of them.

He also deployed (somewhat because I think he's afraid to lose it) a Bull Centaur in deep defense, meaning I couldn't just run past the defensive line with a couple of catchers without them getting blitzed to oblivion. It took me a little by surprise (I though he'd be playing it more agressivly, but it mostly just hung back acting as a deterrent), and he definitely won the game on solid defense.

Finally, he had his other Bull Centaur, with Strength 5, on the centre front. Of course, he's been lucky with a skillup, but I think that might be a niche for a Minotaur. With Stand Firm Dwarves Guarding each other on the flanks, a Minotaur to get past in the middle, and Bull Centaurs lurking backfield, it's damn hard to come up with a good offense.

Generally speaking, I see what everybody holds against the Minotaur. I play one on my Chaos team, where I feel it's justified, but it causes me a great deal of turnovers. However, when the Minotaur works, it's so much fun I believe I could have taken one on any team, and I can't shake the feeling it should be possible to have one contributing more than the Hob Gob that would take it's place. So my suggestion would, considering the core of your team is either so die hard you're not likely to replace them all that much, or so cheap it doesn't really hurt you, to save up money for a Mino, and try it out for a couple of games, or at least unless it reaches 16 SPP. If you feel its presense hurts you overall, you sack it, and if you like it, it can stay. And if you're lucky, it's gotten Block and turned oh so much more reliable.

Anyway, let me know what you figure out, and I'll play you with Spartak once I get home.

[DoubleSkulls]

If his job is to collect the ball and hand off to a BC then KoR is a good choice IMO.

Otherwise I'd take Block to make him a better runner.