Turtle team - comments?

lerchey · Post by **lerchey** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:29 pm

Hi All,

Once more, I am requesting some feedback on one of our leagues "home brew" teams. I'm mostly responsible for this one, so I'll take the hits, though our league commissioner worked out points and appropriateness.

I started this team on a whim because I liked Eureka Miniatures turtles and terrapins. I then found the big turtle at Impact, and bought one as a big guy. I wasn't super impressed with the big guy model, so I hacked it apart (my GF walked into the room and said, "What are you doing? You just got that mini!" as I used a pair of nipper to hack off a leg...) and rebuilt it.

As usual with our teams, the modes can be seen on our league website:

http://okapi.andrew.cmu.edu/TRAVL
click on the "1167 season" link, then on "Mighty Snappers". Some day I'll get around to updating the main page to add links to the teams. :)

Turtle Team
Num Pos Cost Stats Skills SPP
0-16 Terrapin 30,000 4 2 3 10 Right Stuff, Stunty, Thick Skull A/GSP
0-6 Tortoise 100,000 3 4 2 10 Stand Firm, Thick Skull, TTM GS/AP
0-1 Terrorpin 140,000 4 5 1 10 Loner, Mighty Blow, Prehensile Tail, Stand Firm, Thick Skull, Wild Animal S/GAP
Rerolls 60,000

The team has played 9 games. 4-0-5, including a playoff game which they lost against elves.

Current roster:
6 Terrapins 4 2 3 10 TS, RS, Stunty SPPs 1, 0, 5, 0, 0, 3
2 Terrapins 4 3 3 10 TS, RS, Stunty, +1 ST, Dodge SPPs 16, 21
1 Tortoise 3 4 2 10 TS, SF, TTM SPPs 2
1 Tortoise 3 4 2 10 TS, SF, TTM, Block, Tackle SPPs 17
2 Tortoise 3 4 2 10 TS, SF, TTM, Block SPPs 8, 9
1 Tortoise 3 4 2 10 TS, SF, TTM, Accurate SPPs 7
1 Tortoise 3 4 2 10 TS, SF, TTM , Block, Guard SPPs 21
1 Terrorpin 4 5 2 10 Loner, MB, PT, SF, TS, WA, Jugger, Guard SPPs 20
4 re-rolls
FF 4
2 cheerleaders
1 Apothecary

To give an idea of their capabilities.... the team, after 9 games has:

1 CMP
10 TDs (terrapins - 4, 3, 2, 1 each)
2 INTs (one 'pin, one tortoise)
29 CAS (2 and 1 by 'pins, tortoises at 7, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1, and 5 by the terrorpin)

Things that I question myself - the little guys likely should drop a bit of armor - maybe to 8 (remember that they have shells!).

From playing them for a while, this is NOT a ball moving team. They're worse than dwarves in that regard. The bonus is that the tortoises can throw the little guys. The downside to that is (as I have proven again and again in play) that they tend to fumble the throws a LOT. One of them head-planted two terrapins in one game, CASing both of them (luckily only BH)! I found it odd that for both "star" terrapins, I rolled +1 ST. Dodge was kind of obvious for ball carriers as they tend to get attacked a lot after a throw. They likely would have been better with +1 AG, but you takes what you gets on improvement rolls.

I learned after I had purchased a bunch of minis and started adding pads that they are laid out almost exactly like a Lizardman team, trading movement for armor.

Ok, fire away!

Jural · Post by **Jural** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:43 pm

Lokks like a fun, balanced team to me! Probably tier 2, or maybe 1.5 as they accumulate skills. The AV 10 means that you can eventually build up a strong side, I would imagine.

To make the team more competitive, add G access to the terrapins. I suspect the team won't improve too much.

lerchey · Post by **lerchey** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:33 pm

Jural,

They are a lot of fun to play. :) Given that they currently have a 44% win rate, I'm not really worried about making them more competitive. The 'pins are decent at moving the ball - so long as you throw them first to get the close to the end zone! Given that they typically survive being thrown (with AV 10!), they make pretty good bombs too. While it's pretty easy for an elf to run past the line and think that he's going to get a 2 turn TD, the ability for any of the Torts to grab a pin and toss him over usually puts a TZ on the elf, or provides a blitz opportunity - unless, of course, the 'pin lands badly. I've also thrown 'pins downfield to get into the opposing teams back zone to help to prevent them from getting or passing the ball.

Thanks!

JaM · Post by **JaM** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:40 pm

I'm a tad sceptic about AV 10... looks a bit too much to me.
But it seems they play decent enough with it, so meh.

Nice idea though.

sumbloke · Post by **sumbloke** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:16 pm

A big guy without TTM?

lerchey · Post by **lerchey** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:07 am

JaM, no argument about all players having AV 10. I've often discussed dropping the 'pins to 9 with the commish. He says stick with it as is. And, while I haven't lost any of them yet, their armor does break.

sumbloke, yeah. Well, not all big guys get TMM, AND the torts have it. 6 players with TMM is pushing it (yes, I know that the Ogres have it), and since the Terrorpin is a wild animal, it didn't seem to fit.

And again, thank you all for the commentary. :)

Ogre Marauder · Post by **Ogre Marauder** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:36 am

I could imagine many turns starting with 'fling a pin' and develop the turn from the result...

Looks a fun team to have a go with

BFN

Paul