Cleveland Children: Underworld advice welcome!

[mattgslater]

K, I have had the opportunity to seize one of only two Underworld Pact slots in the NWFL on FUMBBL, with the Cleveland Children! This is particularly a great opportunity because the NWFL uses a special house rule: Right Stuff negates Tackle on blocks (not dodges).

Here's the format. First, I played a Swiss tourney against the other expansion teams, as a "training camp": I did alright, beating Skaven, the other Underworld, and Chaos Dwarfs and getting a lot of SPP with only manageable team damage. But that was the easy part. Up ahead I have a four-game Swiss tourney against the whole league, which includes numerous heavy-hitting developed teams. I'll be paired against one team randomly, and then if I win I'll get a winner from the previous round, etc. This is the "preseason" but don't be fooled, it's really the main event. See, the eight divisions of four teams each are established in Rochester format based on preseason Swiss results. This means that if I place 5th, my opponents will be the ones who place 12th, 21st, and 28th, while if I place 28th my division opponents will be the ones who place 5th, 12th, and 21st: I know which I'd rather have. Then we play the main show of 14 games, with 6 games against my own division and one series each against two other divisions.

Here's the plan, as I have it. The Blitzers I'm clear on, the Linemen are situational and I know their next track. Ditto Goblins on early normals. But the Troll, Throwers, and special/developed Goblins I'm not so sure about.

Troll: Has Claw, getting Tentacles, Break Tackle, Guard, Stand Firm on normals; Block, Pro on doubles. Ignoring stats except +ST @ 31+ SPP, after either Block or Tentacles. Do I have the skill order right? The only one I was really sure about was the can-opener. (mmmm… Bull Centaur!)
Blitzers: Both have MB. Next one gets Claw, other gets Tackle. PO third, then Horns, then Claw/Tackle (whichever wasn't 2nd). No doubles until after Claw/Tackle, then Jump Up. No 10 until after PO, but 11 or 12 replaces PO.
Linos: Wrestle, then depending on what my division looks like either DP, Kick, Tackle, or Claw. Doubles is MB, stats welcome. Anybody got experience with DP Linos? Or do you need all the ST3 on the pitch? Vs maulers, do I want Fend or Claw? Two different approaches, you know? Guard doubles?
Throwers: Block first for both, then one gets Two Heads, Extra Arms, Fend (Dodge doubles) while the other gets Leader, Tackle? Not in love with this plan.
Goblins: Two Heads, Big Hand, Extra Arms, Sure Feet is one normal track. I'm interested to see if these guys live a lot longer than most coaches are used to, and if they do I might go more the Diving Tackle/Side Step route after Two Heads. Block or Wrestle doubles is tempting for that reason (maybe Guard after Two Heads), but the power of Dirty Player and Strip Ball are hard to deny. What say y'all?

[SunDevil]

I think your thoughts mirror mine almost completely for the most part.

For Goblin doubles, I like to use it to make him a cagebreaking blitzer. Doubles could be Dauntless or Wrestle or Strip Ball and singles are Two Heads and Horns.

I've built my TT Linerats as Wrestle/Dodge and Wrestle/Fend. I want Tackle on the Wrodger, but the Fender has me at a loss as he is pokay but not really good at anything. I may cut him and try again to go for Block/Claw and hope for a doubles in the first 2/3 skill to make him a mini-Blitzer.

I don't like Guard on the team at all until the Troll's 4th skill (after Claw/Tents/StF or doubles) because I prefer to play the team spread out. They just get murdered in a scrum, Guard or no Guard, so I find them a much better hit-and-run team. I prefer to chip away at a team, make them score early (or stall while I whittle away at them more) then score back or take the 2ns half to do so. Play it close and score again against half a team or hold out for OT and take your chances with the team's good overall speed.

[Smeborg]

Matt - I have had success with the following plan:

Troll: Claw, Guard, S-Firm, Tents

S-Vermin: Guard, M-Blow, Claw etc. Ignore doubles and 6+4.

Throwers: I generally give Block as 1st or 2nd skill. One takes K-Ret early, the other Leader. Stat increases are great on them, especially +MA. So is X-Arms.

Linos: First goes: Wrestle, Horns, Tackle, 2-Heads (the ball-hunting Blitzer). Second takes Kick first, then the same. +MA very good.

Gobbos: 2-Heads, Horns (on all of them). I take Wrestle as doubles, but it is relatively weak as first skill (without the mobility of 2-Heads, the Gobbos will either get squished, or cause turnovers, or consume re-rolls against Tackle).

This plan differs from others in that I take 3 early Guard. This allows the killer skills of the team to be deployed on the offensive LoS (without Guard they are outgunned). It also allows you to cage when required. I normally run with 16 players, the only way to get to the last drive, or sometimes the second half, with 11 players. The Gobbos are all built to be mobile and to attack the ball in case of need. I do not like "specialised" Gobbos, they die. Note the prevalence of "team" skills: Kick, Leader, K-Ret, Guard.

Hope that helps.

[burgun824]

Advice: roll your gobbos in peanut butter before the game...

...the Honey Badger's line-zombies really enjoy the extra flavor.

[mattgslater]

Bring 'em on. You'll find we're the extra chewy variety!

In FUMBBList Cleveland, baby takes candy from YOU!

[mattgslater]

Yay, I drew the defending Superb Owl champions.

670k inducements, baby! What do I want?

[mattgslater]

K, here are the inducements I'm considering, in descending order of cost. Being a really young team, it's only one Star: don't like losing MVPs.
* Glart (210k). ST4 Claw Juggernaut will be very welcome against these guys.
* Skitter (160k). Underworld with a Gutter Runner! Stabbing and Shadowing Hobgoblins is just an added bennie. But oppo is Dorfy, and Skitter would be the only guy who can't negate Tackle.
* Wizard (150k). Almost a no-brainer, huh? He's got a Blodgefirmin' BC and a ton of Guard, and I have no Tackle or Wrestle.
* Nobbla (130k). I'm no fan of Chainsaws, but un-negatable Blodge sounds nice.
* Fezglitch (100k). The ultimate boom-bust prospect. Really costs 200k 'cause I'd want at least one Bribe.
* Extra Training (100k). 4 TRR would be nice….
* Bribe (100k). I only really want one if I take Bommer or Fezglitch, huh? Fouling Thick Skull without DP is silly, and while I might nick a Hob he's got a great bench.
* WApo (100k): Free rostered reserves, KO saver, etc.
* Merc Goblin (70k): Only if I don't take a Star.
* Bommer (60k): This is tempting. Unlike Skitter, he has Right Stuff.
* Babe(s) (50/100k): Only if I take a Star or go with all WApos. WApo > 2 Babes if no Stars, but Stars change the equation because at least on the FUMBBL client they're not subject to Apothecary.

So, it's 670k, less a Wizard = 520k.
Wiz + Merc +450k
Wiz + Skitter +360k
Wiz + Fezglitch + Bribe + 320k
Wiz + Glart + 310k

What to do with the rest of the cash? I don't like the idea of taking two Stars, but I could totally afford to go with a Wizard, Glart, Fezglitch, a Bribe, and two Babes. Or a Wizard, Glart, Skitter, Extra Training, and a Babe. Or a Wizard, Glart, Bommer, Extra Training, a Bribe, and a Babe. Hmmm… that last one sounds really good. Bommer is a horrid crapshoot, but I can't think of anything dramatically more plausible, can you?

[mawph]

Having been playing underworld with inducements on TT recently, I'd be tempted by Wizard, Glart, Fezglitch, then either 2 bribes, or 1 bribe and extra training (but potentially more towards 2 bribes to keep fezglitch in the game, or for fouls if you end up losing him to injury).

[SunDevil]

My vote goes to Wizard, Glart, Skitter, Extra Training, and a Babe.

Glart to help stun a few CDs - each turn he has one less of those to use is great for you. Don't forge the Juggs for moving Stand Firm out of the way.

Skitter to stab Hobgoblins and to help you score and then turn turnovers into scores. If you don' t mind him hogging SPPs and you just want to win, Skitter is your guy.

Plus, that is two guys he can kill that do not set your team back.

Wizard, score, get kick, score again or score, Wizard, score again, play defense - something like that.

[mattgslater]

Skitter to stab Hobgoblins and to help you score and then turn turnovers into scores. If you don' t mind him hogging SPPs and you just want to win, Skitter is your guy.

What if I do? It's a developed league, and these guys need Two Heads to reduce attrition. This game doesn't "count": a win would be awesome (taking out the Superior Bowl champions in the first preseason game!), but developing is a close second priority.

I'm a big Fezglitch fan. I'm not in love with him here: too much Block/Guard/SF and a team that doesn't take ball actions. Glart + Wizard seems a no-brainer, but I could drop the Wizard and assorted bennies for Morg….

Along with Glart + Wizard, Nobbla and Bommer are both able to keep their feet on Pow/Pushes, and both can be game-changers for better or worse. Bommer is effectively 100k cheaper, the way inducements work out: I can have him, one Babe, one Bribe, and Extra Training, or forgo the Bribe and just use him on defense, to get a second Babe and a Magic Item (the only cards supported on FUMBBL at the moment).

[Smeborg]

My vote goes to Wizard, Glart, Skitter, Extra Training, and a Babe.

I like these inducements, except that I would take a Wandering Apoth instead of the Extra Training.

Glart and Skitter are both outstanding against a team of this type.

All the best.

[mattgslater]

K, so here's where I am. Vote A, B, C, or D.

A: Glart, Skitter, Wizard, 2 Babes, Magic Item;
B: Glart, Nobbla, Wizard, Bribe, Babe;
C: Glart, Bomma, Wizard, Extra Training, 2 Babes, Magic Item;
D: Glart, Bomma, Wizard, Bribe, Extra Training, Babe.

[burgun824]

E. Roll Gobbos in peanut butter.

[mattgslater]

Does that give +1 on all dodge rolls? 'Cause if so, it mirrors my long-term plan.

[mattgslater]

Lost 2-0, but took no horrid damage, got a skill up on a Blitzer, and it felt like I had a great chance to tie but for a key pickup fail with my Thrower that would have put the ball in a safe-ish position. Bommer was awesome, almost enough to make up for my miss with the Lightning Bolt (I'm right around .500 with Lightning Bolts, absolutely disgusting). Both Bommer and Fezglitch got hurt, but I did at least use one Bribe… the other was lost. The Babes were killer, but my Apo failed and I got -MA on an MVP Goblin. Don't know who's next, but if that was the champion and we're at the bottom of our curve, the Cleveland Children are feeling pretty confident.

I'll let you know what I took on the Blitzer when I see who my round 2 opponent is. I rolled a double, but I'm going to ignore it in favor of either Claw or Tackle. Smart money says Claw, but it kind of depends on what I draw. Troll is close to advancing, and I settled on Guard on normals after that Chaos Dwarf game.