Necromancer with a lot of strength. Where to go now?

[MKL]

Hello people!

I got a team with an unusual development, and I can use some advice.

My starting plan was to go blodge-sidestep for Ghouls and Wolves, Block-Guard-Stand Firm for Wights and Golems. Nuffle took offense at my boring way and gifted me with a lot of early double and stat increase, throwing my development plan out of the window.

1-Werewolf 56 +1MA; Block; Dodge; 4+6 (I'm leaning toward Sidestep)
2-Werewolf 26 M-Blow; Block
3-F. Golem 19 Block; Guard
4-F. Golem 5
5-Wight 22 Pass; S-Arm
6-Wight 11 +1ST
7-Ghoul 1
8-Ghoul 19 +1ST; Block
9- Zombie 34 Block; Kick; +1ST
10-Zombie 12 Block
11-Zombie 0
12-Zombie 0

4 RR
TV 1750
8 win, 3 ties, 3 losses.

I got a team of great potential, but sorely lacking in basic skills (Sure Hands, Guard, Tackle, etc).
This is a problem that need to be adressed.
On the other hand, all 3 defeats happened when I got outnumbered against more mobile teams (Dark Elves x2, Lizardmen). This make me lean toward some M-Blows to even out the terms...

I'm better sticking to the original plan (a lot of Side Step and Stand Firm), or should I try something different?
My main doubt is how to develop the S4 Wight and the rookie Golem: Guard for immediate benefit? M-Blow for long term development (and short term slaughter)?

[mattgslater]

You've got the Pass/SA Wight. Get him SH if he gets a normal skill next. That's all you need. The rest of your guys can focus on positioning skills. Once you've got SF/SS on the two ST4 bashers, you'll have a very tough front to crack.

After the first one, +ST can be thought of as an alternative to Guard. So being relatively Guard-poor doesn't suck so bad for this team. You could use some more Block; it's not easy to engineer TDs with Zombies or FGs, but if you find enough breathing room to score or QP with the rookie Fleshie in garbage time, that will help.

[sunnyside]

Do you really find yourself needing that pass/strong arm wight? That's a lot of development that's nearly worthless on defense.

And, in my experience playing them, defense is where Necro have trouble. Offensively they seem to be pretty darn impressive. So long as they can put 11 on the field, their early positing skills and high speed make for an impressive running game.

I've got a good record against necro. But that usually revolves around being able to grind them when I've got the ball.

[mattgslater]

That's what the heavy focus on positioning skills is for. Without that, Necro can't really build an offensive specialist. So yeah, you definitely have to play defense first, with a good quantity of SS and SF. Fortunately, you get a two-skill head start and have six more guys who are easy to improve into those kinds of skills, so a third or half are free to pursue other tracks.

But having a delivery mechanism makes your team a lot more consistent in the phase of the game that you can't afford to fail with. For one thing, being able to deliver a short pass means you can get the ball to the cage from the backfield, so the opponent has to pressure you without knowing where the ball will be. If you deliver the ball properly, your opponent can't stall you out in the backfield, which is how you end up in a hole. On top of that, if you do give up a TD with just a few turns left over, throwing the ball is a great way to equalize. If you have your Thrower, your opponent really needs to stall down until before your T8; otherwise, he can score before your turn 6 or 7 without much fear.

I'm not at all convinced I'd have taken Pass over Dodge, but I totally understand it. That is the major edge that makes Orcs so fearsome: not only can they front up on you and whup your behind, but they can chuck the dang ball, too!

[Jimmy Fantastic]

You HAVE to take MA 10 on the wolf !

[mattgslater]

Why? MA10 is cool, but there's critical stuff on the table.

[Jimmy Fantastic]

Because half the reason for taking +1 move on a MA8 piece is the potential to get another increase later.
Tackle on the M.B. wolf solves your lack of tackle problem, surehands on the passing wight and guard on everything else, simples.
If you get another double on the MB wolf, obv take piling on, then take tackle and MB on the st4 wight.

[mattgslater]

Because half the reason for taking +1 move on a MA8 piece is the potential to get another increase later.

Circular. Why is 10 so much better than 9? MA9, 2-back from scrimmage as an inverted winger, he can get up to 9 squares deep in the backfield. If that's not enough, 10 isn't enough, either. The same is true on most turns; MA10 decreases by some slight margin the cost of your flub. With MA9 and one Grab player (presumably the B/G Golem or the ST4 Wight at 31), he can 1TTD with ease. MA10 saves a GFI, which doesn't strike me as worthwhile.

Tackle on the M.B. wolf solves your lack of tackle problem, surehands on the passing wight and guard on everything else, simples.

Two points of departure here:
1) Claws/Tackle is suboptimal. This is minor. More important is ...
2) Frenzy/Blodge/SS basically includes Tackle, especially if you load up on SF/SS with others. Even if you block from an upfield edge, you can turn the defender up and front him with Frenzy, and because of Blodge/SS, he can't blitz you off, even at 2d (assuming you don't let him blitz you with a Tackler or Wrestler).
I'd build a Wrackle Ghoul, and/or take Tackle at 31 or 51 with the ST4 Ghoul (before or after SS), or at 76 with the Blodge/SS/+MA Were, because then you'll want to stop scoring with him (on a normal roll @ 176: Shadowing, just so you can say you found the best place to put it).

If you get another double on the MB wolf, obv take piling on, then take tackle on the st4 ghoul.

Ah, a point of agreement.

[SunDevil]

When that Wight rolled doubles, I would have jumped on Jump Up for Pile On later.

All that +ST means this team could really develop into a bash side. That's where I'd go. That 4-ST Ghoul should be scoring many, many TDs on his way to Dodge, Side Step.

The only 'problem' if you can cal it that is that you might need to put Kick on a second Zombie. That 4-ST Zombie needs to be on the line with his Flesh Golem mates.

AND a MiB Wolf? Jeebus, I love this team!

Cut/rebuy the passing Wight and start hurting people!

[MKL]

You've got the Pass/SA Wight. Get him SH if he gets a normal skill next. That's all you need. The rest of your guys can focus on positioning skills. Once you've got SF/SS on the two ST4 bashers, you'll have a very tough front to crack.

After the first one, +ST can be thought of as an alternative to Guard. So being relatively Guard-poor doesn't suck so bad for this team (...)

The team does not need Guard... just the wolves! St3/Frenzy could use a lot of Guard
Still, you are right. The team as a whole need positioning skills to bolster defense: back to the “old plan”.

[MKL]

Do you really find yourself needing that pass/strong arm wight? That's a lot of development that's nearly worthless on defense.
(...)

Good question.
When I choose the Pass route (after the first game of this team), I did not expect it to be overly effective, but maybe more "interesting": I was tired of playing running games, and was searching for some more “option”.
Had I foreseen that lot of stats increase (and the lack of basic skill), surely my choice would have been different (ie, something more useful on defense).
That said, this Wight was far more effective than expected, and saved my butt in some of the most difficult games.

To answer your original question: I don't really need it and I cannot recommend it as a safe choice... still, in this team the Pass/StrongArm paid off.

[mattgslater]

Throwers on bash sides are underrated. I totally see why you did it.

[inkpwn]

Wow it seams everyone has a strength 4 whight O.O!
Those things are steriod popping quicksters for sure.

[mattgslater]

There's actually a good reason for that. They skill fast and suffer a lot of turnover.

[MKL]

Because half the reason for taking +1 move on a MA8 piece is the potential to get another increase later.

Hi Jimmy. There is no “too much MA”, but the main problem I got with my Wolf is that it's easy to “neutralize” his mobility by pushing him in awkward position/markings: with AG3 i'm not too keen to dodge at -1, and with frenzy it's not always easy to blitz his way out. Hence i choose SideStep.

If you get another double on the MB wolf, obv take piling on...

Agreed