Hobgoblins

[Sword of Solkan]

So, has anyone ever run an all-Hobgoblin team? Was it good fun?

I’m tempted to give it a punt (I’ll be playing against the computer for the moment, so this isn’t quite the exercise in masochism it might sound).

I was thinking of going with 16 Hobgoblins and 5 Rerolls to start (TV 990k). (IIRC, the range of Star Players is a bit limited so you don’t lose much by starting with a full roster – and suspect that I’ll be haemorrhaging players.)

Not sure whether a Minotaur should be allowed, or whether I’d even want one. 1 Minotaur, 14 Hobgoblins and 4 Rerolls might be an alternative starting roster.

Developing the Hobgoblins seems fairly straightforward. Wrestle or Block for normal skills. Guard or perhaps Dodge (for a ball-carrier) on a double. Not sure about Dirty Player – it’s thematically fitting, but it feels like there are better options out there.

[Darkson]

If you're playing against the computer take an all-snotling team. It might be a bit of a challenge then.

[Sandwich]

So, has anyone ever run an all-Hobgoblin team?

Yes

Was it good fun?

Um... maybe.

I started a team on FUMBBL with 15 hobgobs and 4 rerolls, coming to a grand total of 880k TV. Unfortunately my first game was against dwarves... so the extra numbers didn't really help. With hindsight, a better start would have had 14 hobgobs, so that at 840k I could get Nobbla or a wizard straight away. The team has got better - I'm 3-1-3 and have rolled a few stat boosts, and we're now at 16 hobgobs. Its fun, but can be a struggle!

I also took them in the RttNAFC resurrection tournament that ran on FUMBBL. For that I took 14 hobgobs, 3 rerolls, Nobbla, and 2 bribes. Now that was a fun roster... but definitely less than optimal... My run of opponents was lizardmen, amazons, wood elf, high elf, dwarf, human. The lizards game was close as Nobbla went on a spree in the first half and I got 3 skinks off, but my team imploded early in the second half and lost 2-0. I drew with the zons, where Nobbla was less useful but at least scared the opponent into a lot of blitzes. I couldn't squish the wood elves quick enough so they beat me fairly easily, the high elves went berserk on my team (1 dead, 3 serious injuries and a badly hurt!), and the dwarves were, well, dwarves... I only lost 2-1 and it was close, but guard + apo meant I was always struggling. The last game against humans was one where both teams seemed desperate to lose it, and neither set of players were hanging around on the pitch for long... and it finished 0-0. All told: I'm glad I hadn't taken them to a proper tournament I'd paid for

[AllyRdr]

Hobnail is playing a hobgoblin team over in OCC on Cyanide (to the extent that he's even had their own racial section added into the coaching section).

[Hobnail]

I am indeed. Well kinda.........Hobgoblins plus a Minotaur. I am further hamstringing myself by taking Dirty Player on all Hobgoblins that roll a normal skill at the first level up.

Am into my fourth season.

[babass]

i run a team of hobgob + 1 troll at LRB4 time.
it was fun, with the hobgob starplayer

[bound for glory]

i have run a hobgoblin team in our league(twice). we use LAUGHING FERRETS quite awsome hobgoblin team. look it up, its worth it.

[Wobert]

I've not done an all hobgoblin team but I have done an all Rotter team - equally as challenging! I give them nothing but mutations or stat increases . . . . wins are rare but a bench of 16 helps.

[Smeborg]

Sword of Solkan - I have twice run all-Hobgoblin teams in tabletop leagues. It was a lot of fun, both teams did better than expected (finishing above the middle). Quite drawish, though, often they would be unable to defend a 2-1 lead. They get a lot of inducements (a Wizard for example).

I ran with 15 Hobgoblins and 4 Re-rolls. I allowed myself only the 1 Hobgoblin Star Player (Rashnak, he is excellent).

For development, I went with 2 generic paths IIRC:

(1) IF FIRST SKILL IS NORMAL
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Wrestle, Tackle (Dodge on doubles)

(2) IF FIRST SKILL IS A DOUBLES
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Guard, Block (Dodge on doubles).

I think it was the ability to have these 2 paths (Wrestle and Block) that made the team quite good (better than you might think, if you compare them notionally to an all-Lineman Norse team).

1 player at the start with Sure Hands. Stat increases are outstanding (especially +AG and +ST, but +MA is not to be sniffed at). These stat increases will come, have patience. I had a player with +AG, +ST, he was a match winner, but the team felt naked if he was consigned to the dugout.

Hope that helps.

[Sword of Solkan]

I’ve generally gone for Block on my Hobgoblins, and only given a couple of them Wrestle.

It’s been interesting to play a team where every player starts out the same, because of the flexibility to experiment with different skill combinations. I’ve been lucky enough to get Agility boosts on a couple of the Hobgoblins – which has made things a bit easier.

[JaM]

'Back in the days' I've considered starting like that with Skaven, as well.

Buy enough FF, rerolls and an apo and skill your linerats. After a while sack them (or let them get killed) and buy your positionals, who will skill up fast enough (well, throwers and runners at least).

Never got around it because LRB 5 (??) with journeyman and the less importance of FF came first.

[babass]

https://fumbbl.com/p/team?op=view&team_id=800271

Someone is playing an full hobgobelin team (13 linemen + Rashnak) at an onligne-naf-tourney.

with 3 wins in 3 rounds, he is on table1 currently.

[LemonheadWallenstein]

Yep, that's me!
Rashnak is the bomb! But I've also been really lucky.
I really like the way I built my team and wouldn't change much (2 dirty, 1 block, 1 kick, 1 accurate for fun, and that's what it's all about).
it was 1150k so I took an apo, it's really not necessary, but it's a nice luxury, I've been using it on KOs most of the time, it's helpful because it's mostly at the end of the drives that I'm outnumbered.

[Barney the Lurker]

I played them with my Lizards + SliBli.

Was really nasty. I started out playing full-contact, but you had a nice mis of skills. With the stabs and fouls really disrupted my game.

I think it is fragile, and in the hands of someone not as good as you they may struggle

[juck101]

My mate did 12 dark elves with 3 rerolls once. He was thinking the extra rr would be great, which however is not the case with a pitch full of junk. Sorry to say, for me the 11man lineman side is very poor and I dont think it much fun.

We have a lineman league once! It was ok but limited fun once everyone gets block.
Just get a normal team of positional and dont handicap yourself if you want 5 or 6 block players.