Advice on Skaven Defense

Mad Makz · Post by **Mad Makz** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 4:59 am

Hey everybody, I need advice for my team, the Foul Peak Freaks, in the ACGBBL (http://www.solitudo.com/bloodbowl/).
After three games, my offense has been doing well, being the highest scoring team in the league with the single highest scoring player (who, incidentally, aged after his second increase and gained a niggling Injury!).. Unfortunately, defensively, they aren't doing so well, with the most points scored AGAINST them in the league so far as well.

Fortunately, of the three games played I have won two, lost one, so remain in the top four, but I am afraid if I don't brush up on my defensive tactics it'll be all down hill.

You can find my team roster on the above website, I also have another 70000 in the bank (which I am currently saving)

As you may have seen from a previous post the league is using the kicking rules, so you may need to factor that into the equation.

Cheers,

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 7:23 am

Not much of a Skaven expert, but here goes....

Keep your number6 stormvermin in the middle of your half as a 'sweeper' with the RatOgre just behind him. This should stop anyone forcing you to make a 2dice block with the Wild Animal and causing a quick turn over.

Remember, ROs cannot get assists from team mates, but team mates can prevent the opposition from getting assists!!!!

First chance, give one of your stormvermin Strip Ball and reserve your blitz for him or your RO every turn.

This will help shore up your defence, but at the expense of a weakened LOS. With Skaven, I have tried to set up on the LOS (only when receiving!) with 3 gutter runners, who then get a 2+ dodge back the way with a re-roll (except v Dwarves)..

In short, strong in the backfield, mobile and evasive in midfield, still scary in attack..

At worst, try it in a non-league game and see if you give up points as much. Our league doesn't use Kicking rules, so I have no idea what they are like. I'll worry about that if, and only if, they become official....

Post by **Thadrin** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 8:55 am

Block/Dodge/Sidestep on a couple of Gutter Runners can make them an EXTREME pain in the rear. YOu get 4, so why not build yourself a couple of cornerbacks? You can throw in Shadowing, Tackle and Pass Block as possibilities to make a real irritation, and one that isn't very easy to shift.
Blodge+sidestep is pretty potent on Offence too.

McDeth · Post by **McDeth** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 10:05 am

There is no defence only attack, try and hit the ball carrier with the fast moving players, A GR with block and tackle can be a real pain to the opposition even on a 2die defenders block and if the ball scatters after a successful block, then your one turn scorer which almost every skaven team seems to develop after a handful of games can strike.

Oh yeah. Keep a rat ogre back in defence, cause it won't work very often.

But at least don't be afraid of the opposition scoring. I've yet to see a Skaven team win 1-0

Deathwing · Post by **Deathwing** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 10:12 am

Try and develop one or two Gutter Runners as defensive players. Shadowing, Pass Block, Strip Ball etc are all useful.

longfang · Post by **longfang** » Wed Jun 26, 2002 4:48 pm

Hay guys don't forget about mutations. Foul appearance and pass block is a wicked combination to have, or FA with shadowing. Razor sharp fangs and claws give you some quite leathal attacks if your lucks in. Tentacles or prehensile tail can tie up any recievers until your Rat ogre can sweep across and Bat them back to the dug out. Spikes give you +1 armour so you can toughen up those rat boys. And best of all mutations open up lots of modelling possibilities to creat unique figs. Just get the conversion fielded before the rodent becomes another all to frequent Skaven fatality.

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:28 am

LF has a valid point about mutations, I can see Foul Appearnace and Prehensile Tail being especially nasty, plus +1 Armour is always nice to pick up..

Still though, if you don't roll doubles, go for Strip Ball, one of the most under-rated skills in the game.

I have a Dwarf runner with Strip Ball and Block and he is now a great Blitzer and ball carrier....

Maybe you could give your thrower Strip Ball and Block for the same reason.. keep him in the backfield, wait for a ball carrier to appear and then BAM! come up with the ball and pass it off quickly to a M9 GR....

bj0rn · Post by **bj0rn** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:29 am

I have a Dwarf runner with Strip Ball and Block and he is now a great Blitzer and ball carrier....

after all...dwarfen runner is "nothing but" a super human lineman

bj0rn - ...never underestimate the power of the human lineman!

Ryk · Post by **Ryk** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:34 am

Norse wrote:Maybe you could give your thrower Strip Ball and Block for the same reason.. keep him in the backfield, wait for a ball carrier to appear and then BAM! come up with the ball and pass it off quickly to a M9 GR....

Not the thrower, Norse.

I blitz, strip ball, get ball, run towards Gutter Runner, line up ball, bring arm back to... to... oh.

But I like your thinking.

On the Rat Ogre, or a Storm Vermin in the backfield perhaps?

Deathwing · Post by **Deathwing** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:37 am

Deathwing wrote:Try and develop one or two Gutter Runners as defensive players. Shadowing, Pass Block, Strip Ball etc are all useful.

ON A GUTTER RUNNER!!

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 10:08 am

Why not the thrower? Let's be honest, Skaven are generally fragile, so a good skill to give your thrower is Block anyway (more likely than giving a Stormvermin Sure hands I would have thought!)..

Unless I'm mistaken, throwers come 7 3 3 7 with Pass and Sure Hands, that's plenty of movement to blitz and still pick up the ball, plus it leaves your Stormvermin on the LOS where they are most needed.....

My preferred tactic..

As for using a GR as a defensive player

I'd love to see a GR trying to hassle anyone with Tackle... one Blitz and they're off....

Ryk · Post by **Ryk** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 10:16 am

Why not the thrower? Unless I'm mistaken, throwers come 7 3 3 7 with Pass and Sure Hands, that's plenty of movement to blitz and still pick up the ball

Having taken a blitz action with your thrower, he can't then pass or handoff the ball.

Better to get the ball loose with someone else, and then have the thrower go in and get it.

Deathwing · Post by **Deathwing** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 10:41 am

Norse wrote: As for using a GR as a defensive player I'd love to see a GR trying to hassle anyone with Tackle... one Blitz and they're off....

MA9, AG4 and Dodge makes the GR simply the most mobile Skaven player there is.
Get a pushback with GR with Strip ball and you've got more chance of picking up the loose ball than any other Skaven Player. You pick it up on a 3+ in the Tackle Zone and away on a 2+ with a Dodge reroll.
And who on earth needs 4 offensive GRs anyway?

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 11:38 am

OK, valid point DW...

I'm concerned by Ryk's comments though. Maybe I misunderstand the new rules (nothing new in that

) but since when could a blitz not also include a pick up and end in a throw??

Is this one of those old OSPA nightmares or have I been letting Lucy cheat recently?

Ryk · Post by **Ryk** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 11:58 am

Norse,

It may well just be the folk I play with, but we've always played the actions as being mutually exclusive.

So, for each player I can declare one of block, move, blitz, pass, and now handoff, but not two or more.

I may well be wrong.

Ryk

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Advice on Skaven Defense

Advice on Skaven Defense

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