Four Weeks In - Orc Team

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 1:03 am

I'm teaching some locals (Nashville, TN, USA) to play BB for the first time (yay me!). Our league is very free form, and the other folks are really just getting a feel for the rules.

Here's how the team has progressed so far:

Blitzer (Stand Firm)
Blitzer (Mighty Blow)
Blitzer (Strip Ball)
Blitzer
BOB
BOB
Thrower (Strong Arm)
Thrower
Lineorc
Lineorc
Lineorc
Lineorc
Goblin
Troll
Apothecary
3 RR
8 TR
TR 138 (no cash)

I've been playing these orcs for the passing game (hence taking doubles on strong arm with the thrower), not the running game. I don't want to use the cage because I think it will be somewhat frustrating for the new players to attack, and I'm not going to stall against new players. I've been trying to take it easy on them without throwing matches so they can learn more quickly.* Also, by using a passing attack, the two human teams, the wood elf team, the skaven team, and the wood elf team will see some tactics that they can apply to their own team.

In retrospect, I should have spent the doubles on the stand firm blitzer on dodge instead. I got mesmerized by traits and forgot about needing to have a look at agility skills.

I'd appreciate any feedback on team composition.

Joemanji · Post by **Joemanji** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 1:19 am

I've often though about playng an passing Orc team, seems like fun!

The element of a passing play that your team currently lacks is catchers! So just add a couple more Goblins to the mix, with Catch as their first skill and ta-da! catchers. With this in mind, I think Guard should have been the first skill for all your blitzers, although I agree with you about taking Dodge on the double.

Personally, I would have been tempted to leave the big guy until later in the team's development. Bashy teams can afford more unreliable types.

Good luck, and go easy on those newbies!

Anuff

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 1:47 am

I agree...definately need more catchers. The one Gobbo I do have did pick up one of the cheap TD's against the Dwarfs, so he's just a TD or a MVP away from getting catch. On the Big Guy issue, I admit there was an element of groupthink to the whole 'Big Guy' arms race...both human teams feature an Ogre, the Skaven have a Rat Ogre, and the Woodies have a Treeman. They all just decided they were 'must haves' -- and no one has played any more than 4 matches!

I felt a need to equalize.

How about the skill choices for the linemen that are coming up soon? In the old days, I used to take block or hope for doubles and take guard -- that's mostly why I specialize Blitzers in other areas.

Bookman

-- edited for spelling

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:09 pm

Another update. We haven't played as much as I'd like (the holidays really bogged us down) but things picked up in January.

Blitzer (Stand Firm, +1AG)
Blitzer (Mighty Blow, Tackle)
Blitzer (Strip Ball, Tackle)
Blitzer (Guard)
BOB (niggle)
BOB x2
Thrower (Strong Arm)
Thrower
Lineorc (Kick)
Lineorc x3
Goblin (+1 AG)
Troll
Apothecary
3 RR
9 TR
TR 165 (70K in treasury)

Now that I have two players with AG4, the Orc passing game is in full swing -- beat Skaven in last match 3-0, but missed two other opportunities for scores at the end of each half (admittedly, a blitz kickoff result was the only realistic way for me to get a third scoring chance in the first half). Blitzer 1 is my rover, always withing striking distance of the goal line. Pop the ball loose and chuck it to him! I'd still rather have dodge on him, but having stand firm is nice too -- he can use the sideline _and_ camp out in the end zone if he needs to (for instance, when I want to dodge away from a mark or blitz him out of trouble before I toss him the ball).

The downside to this approach is that BOB development has gone from "slow" to "reverse". Not sure how to jump-start them. They unfortunately have not picked up any of the team's MVP awards.

Matsu · Post by **Matsu** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:26 pm

Not too much you can do to force BOB development, I'm afraid. That's the problem with STR4, AG 2 guys. They stand around on the line and pray for injuries. You don't even have the speed of a saurus to *maybe* get a TD.

Circular_Logic · Post by **Circular_Logic** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:00 pm

Hey.. it´s easier to feed BoBs a TD than doing this with sauri.. When you have a 2-0 lead in the 2nd half and you have the ball, run with it and try a handoff to a BoB. With a reroll it´s a 75% chance.

joker · Post by **joker** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:15 pm

damn ur blitzer got +AG, would be a real pain with dodge ...

i think kick for ur lineman is too early, would be better to take a blocker or dirty

Zy-Nox · Post by **Zy-Nox** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:26 pm

joker wrote:damn ur blitzer got +AG, would be a real pain with dodge ...

I prefer them with stand firm

Dodge is pretty pointless around tr 200 as everyone has tackle, and you'll be stood there going "i wish i took standfirm"
As for your black orcs.
Fire the niggler, there is really no point him being there, no skills yadda yadda,
You'll need some luck for them to pick up spps now( i prefer to start with 4 due to the slow development). You could always give them the ball when your oppo kicks a touchback and have them steam roller down field for the td

Or just sit there and throw the goblin around with the troll, could be entertaining.

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:32 pm

joker wrote:damn ur blitzer got +AG, would be a real pain with dodge ...

i think kick for ur lineman is too early, would be better to take a blocker or dirty

I'd have ordinarily taken a dirty player, but I'm not fouling against these new players -- no need to discourage them. And while it is always well worth taking block on a couple of these guys, when I set up for kickoff I've always got a player one pace behind the troll who is set up in the middle of the LOS. That guy benefits less from block (not being on the LOS and all) and is in a legal place to use the kick skill. I just hope that I roll doubles for him at 16SPP so he can be my leader too.

You could always give them the ball when your oppo kicks a touchback and have them steam roller down field for the td.

That's a good idea. I'd likely only do it if there were 5 or 4 turns left in the half, though. Enough time for him to score, but not enough time for the team to score twice.

joker · Post by **joker** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:02 pm

i'll not put all my eggs in the same bag

dont take leader on him, any of ur opponent will take twice benefice when they injured him

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:10 pm

joker wrote:i'll not put all my eggs in the same bag
dont take leader on him, any of ur opponent will take twice benefice when they injured him

My thought is to only use the player when the troll is on the field. I don't typically use the troll when I'm receiving now that I have a pretty complete roster and don't have to.

Here's a link to the team.

Zy-Nox · Post by **Zy-Nox** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:49 pm

Bah!... the troll should always be on the pitch

He is a big strength 5 obstacle, besides the more he is on feild more chance for those spps

i will stick up the link for my orc team if you want ideas on development

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:00 pm

Zy-Nox wrote:Bah!... the troll should always be on the pitch
He is a big strength 5 obstacle, besides the more he is on feild more chance for those spps

Differences in style. My orcs think they're dark elves or something. I don't like having an unreliable player on the pitch when I'm on offense.

i will stick up the link for my orc team if you want ideas on development

That would be great. I'd like to see how they developed.

Currently, I have five players still with no SPP's--three BOBs and two Lineorks. One of the BOB has a niggle, so there's a good case to be made that he should go before he soaks up an MVP. Anyone think I should go ahead and dump one of the no SPP lineorks as well to free a roster spot for a second goblin to be purchased later? Looking ahead, it seems my full roster should be something like 4 Blitzers, 4 BOBs, 2 Throwers, 1 Troll, 2 Goblins, and 3 Lineorks -- maybe even just two if (for some reason) I want to hold a roster spot for a star player. (Actually, the reason would be because I have the Nobbla model.)

Zy-Nox · Post by **Zy-Nox** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:06 pm

Here we go link
http://fumbbl.com/teams/Team+Green.html

Defo fire the niggled black orc, and the line orc(to make room for the gobbo, seems you like the passing game so go for it.

Bookman · Post by **Bookman** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:13 pm

You've done a good job picking up SPP's for your BOBs, but Nuffle has sure helped too -- 6 out of 14 MVPs for the big fellas!