New Khemri

Cervidal · Post by **Cervidal** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 8:17 pm

I think I know what the next team I'm going to play is, and I think I know how I'm going to start them:

4 Mummies
10 Skeletons
4 Rerolls
8 FF

That's the league team I would go with. Were it a tourney, I'd drop 6 FF and max out the skeletons with the intentions of using them as foul-bombers, but that's not the point.

Can anyone think of a better roster? I'd like reasons, too, not just blatant criticism. With the roster above, I think I can depend on the rerolls to help me pick up the ball, so I'm probably going to be fairly resistant to any suggestions on that front.

Dragoonkin · Post by **Dragoonkin** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 10:04 pm

Well, AG2 means you're only a 4+ to pick up the ball, so I would consider a Thro-Ra if you can get away with it. Just one, though. Sure Hands takes it from 50% chance of picking up the ball to 75%, without using a reroll.

Though other than picking up the ball I really have trouble seeing a use for Thro-Ras.

The crippling of them by giving them AG2 has really ruined the Khemri for me as a team with any sort of ball-handling ability. It's nearly impossible to playmake anything that involves picking up the ball THEN doing something...it has to be everything else first, ball last, because your pickups are so unreliable.

Never mind throwing a Short Pass on a 5+ that only gets caught on a 4+...the Khemri have so little Passing game you'd assume they had no arms or something.

Dragoonkin · Post by **Dragoonkin** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 10:06 pm

Anyway...I'd suggest taking at least one Thro-Ra, you need someone to be able to reliably pick up the ball if you want to be able to ever score, just use your Mummies to Cage him whenever he has the ball and play like that until you get some skills.

Pick up a Blitz-Ra or two when you can afford it. The Block and extra MA makes a big difference.

Snew · Post by **Snew** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 1:28 am

I like it. I don't mind having sure hands around either but I can definately do without it. The only problem is once you start getting Skellies ejected. You may have plenty on the bench but, if you can't score or force your opponent to, it may be a while before you get a chance to use them. Once you're down a few players, there'll be precious little you can do., and Skeletons break easily.

MickeX · Post by **MickeX** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 1:42 am

I can see the tactic before me:

First half, recieve and put 7 skellies around the ball. Then maim all opposition around there with the mummies.

Second half, walk the ball down the field once or twice.

Hey, why have that boringly balanced Undead team when we can have team that knows only bashing instead?

Micke

Zergo · Post by **Zergo** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 2:41 am

I'd say to peel back on the mummies. Sure, they're rock hard and a cheap buy, but I think it smacks of cheese. I'd rather see some Blitz-Ras or Thro-Ras in there. It's like when a guy takes 6 Sauruses (Sauri?) in a starting Lizzies team. I don't think it's all that sporting or flavorful.

-Zergo (to be taken with grains of salt)

Post by **GalakStarscraper** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 11:44 am

Zergo wrote:I'd say to peel back on the mummies. Sure, they're rock hard and a cheap buy, but I think it smacks of cheese. I'd rather see some Blitz-Ras or Thro-Ras in there. It's like when a guy takes 6 Sauruses (Sauri?) in a starting Lizzies team. I don't think it's all that sporting or flavorful.

-Zergo (to be taken with grains of salt)

Really ... huh ... I NEVER thought it unsporting to play to the strengths of a team and I play Stunty teams mostly anymore so bashy teams are a feared item.

If a Khemri player starts with 4 Mummies or a Lizardman team with 6 Saurus, no way would I think any less of the sportsmanship of the player. It really does take a lot of skill to play a bashy team correctly.

Galak

Cervidal · Post by **Cervidal** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 3:23 pm

I agree with you wholeheartidly on that, Galak, especially since the primary strength of the Khemri, literally and figuratively, is the Mummy.

I actually didn't design the roster to simply maximize that position, though. I also wanted as many rerolls and FF as possible but still be competitive. 70k rerolls and players that fall apart when you sneeze at them mean cash flow is going to be important.

As for the worry about playing with fewer players on the pitch as the game goes on, you're correct. I will have to exercize caution in not getting too many ejected, especially given the fragile nature of the team.

Against a muscle team, the kind that typically take most of a half to score, I would esepcially use the skeletons to foul and not worry if they get chucked off. Those teams are, usually, going to delay scoring no matter what I do and no matter how many players I have on the pitch!

Snew · Post by **Snew** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:33 pm

Your points are well thought out. I definately agree with your take on the rerolls. Get as many as you can when they're cheap.

Zergo · Post by **Zergo** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 2:38 pm

Cervdial, Galak-

Yeah, I guess I see your points. It's jus tthat when you've had your rookie team decimated in their first game v. one of those bashing teams, it tends to scar you. At least mummies have a move of 3, so they can be avoided.

-Zergo

Rogerg1979 · Post by **Rogerg1979** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 9:34 am

You're bashing, then walking strategy is going to fall over in short order when those woodies score 3 times in the first half...

Protecting the ball if fair enough, but only if they play your game, if I was playing you, I'd let you defend the ball (It would be the quickest half in the history of BB), Score in 7 turns, and let you try and score in 2... Good luck.

Being a bashy team like that only results in Lots of CAS, and few TD's. Fine if it's the CAS that gets you wet, but you won't win many games...

Gk.

Cervidal · Post by **Cervidal** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 1:57 pm

Do you really think a rookie Wood Elf team can easily pick up a ball inside of a five any-player cage?

I think you underestimate the power of expendable tackle zones, especially when you're talking about using an AV 7 team! One thing the basic Skeleton has going for it is that, unless it manages to get two skills, it is a fundamentally disposable player. I don't mind matching my skeletons up against your Wood Elf Linemen because, for the price of two of your Linemen I have purchased five Skeletons, none of whom I fear throwing one dice blocks against your Wood Elves with.

If we're talking of rookie teams here, your Wood Elves are also likely to have no more than two rerolls. That means, for defense, I simply need to put tacklezones on your players. You're going to fail dodges, and you're not going to have skill rerolls to fall back upon. This means you're going to fall, which is where the Khemri team will then shine, through suicide-fouling, again putting tackle zones on all of your players, and a couple of S5 blocks.

And to wrap up the 'My rookie Khemri are better than your rookie Wood Elves' rant, given that your squad is likely to dodge off the line, it'd be sorely tempting to have Mummies sit on the ball rather than Skeletons. Even if you got lucky and picked up the ball in such a mess, you're going to be hard pressed to get the ball to someone else with no rerolls and a few Foul Appearance players messing up your handoffs and throws.

I think it'd be fun to actually play this. Unfortunately, when I finally run the squad, they'll be coming into a fairly mature league.

Agentrock · Post by **Agentrock** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 2:26 pm

That's an interesting approach. I've recently bought the Khemri team and was looking forward to playing with them in the near future...with your idea of tactics it gives me some ideas as well.

Kamikaze Rudy · Post by **Kamikaze Rudy** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 2:32 pm

I like it Cerv...

I'm all for trying different starting teams. My Norse team with 4 Berserkers and a Minotaur to start has been fairly successful. I hate the Skaven thrower, took me 8 games to get my first one.

The only problem I see with that team is the skellies go off the pitch very very fast. I was averaging losing one skeleton per turn and your cage, moving as slowly as it does, can't afford to lose many players before it's not a very effective cage. The Mummies don't provide much protection as they get separated from the cage rather quickly. I couldn't master the team, but I saw the genius of it. Good Luck.

Agentrock · Post by **Agentrock** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 2:34 pm

Yeah, you'll have to let us know how it pans out for you...and if your tactics prove true or if you've had to modify them after game play.