When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

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Smeborg
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When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by Smeborg »

I have no league experience with Ulfwereners, and I am thinking of playing Norse next year in our friendly tabletop league (say 20 games).

I believe Break Tackle is a good skill for them, but I have no good idea when to give it to them. Block is the obvious first skill, and I am tempted by M-Blow as second skill, but that means B-Tackle would be bumped to 3rd place. Should I be thinking of Block followed by B-Tackle instead? [Note: I do not expect to take a Snow Troll (SnoT) on the roster.]

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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by babass »

Norses do need guard. A lot.
But very few players could get guard on simple... and all 5 are frenzy (frenzy+guard on the same player is not the best combo...)
The SnoT do need MightyBlow first, but if you build it with PO, you will never give him guard....
Same story for berseker(s). If you would one of them as killer (POMB with jump up could be nice), no guard on him...

For me: block and guard are the most obious choices on ulf. But you could add MightyBlow between them, to tried to get these 3 skills asap.
so, i would choose break tackle only on 4th simple skill... (or on 3rd, if the league will be too short to reach the 4rd skill, even with mighty blow)

If i have already +Ag blitzers or runners (more or less build as ball carrier hunter), break tackle could be delay...

If the Ulf has already Blodge or Wrestle/dodge, in these case, i would go for break tackle on 3rd skill. (so before guard)

Please note, i like Standfirm on Ulf as well (after block, and guard)... To use them as golem. Or as pusher... (it's hard to push out a standfirm-pusher...)

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neverworking
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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by neverworking »

The problem with the question I think is that there are too many other variables unknowns, and the choices you take have to be reactive to the league, your other players skills and the timing of the skill up for the Ulf.

While guard isn't ideal on a frenzy player, your team is going to need some combination of guard, dauntless, +st added to the roster, but how much is determined by what other rosters you're facing. Unless you get lucky elsewhere on skill rolls or the league is lighter on strength/guard than I'd expect I think you will need to take guard on the Ulfs before you can take break tackle.

It will take a long time for a rookie Ulf to reach 31 SPPs normally. You can get there faster if you take mighty blow at 16spps, but then you'll still probably need the guard more than break tackle when you get to 31. I think you can take break tackle at 31, but I think you'd also need to examine your roster at that point and see if that's really going to be the best move for your team. Break tackle will add a threat, and allow easier re-positioning of the Ulfs, but at that stage in team developement several of your other players may better fill the roles that BT would open up. Mighty Blow or Stand Firm might help the team more depending on what other players you've developed.

I don't think its critical for them to have break tackle, and I think guard, even with frenzy is more important. If you ever find yourself with a significant upper hand on an opponent, give the ball to an Ulf to score so that they progress as fast as possible. Ordinarily I would probably go block-guard-mighty blow followed by either stand firm/break tackle/tackle.

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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by Smeborg »

Thanks, babass and neverworking, good posts, lots of food for thought.

Environment and mix of opponents play quite a big role in Norse development, to be sure.

I find that the Ulfs are often isolated, typically marked by an opposing player as well. Thus I am unsure of the value of Guard on them. The 2 skills that suggest themselves to overcome this isolation are M-Blow (take out the marker) and B-Tackle (get away from him).

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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by Smeborg »

It looks like fidius may well have answered my question on the other Norse thread.

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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by innerdemon »

I often take it first as the increased mobility of that piece is important. In my last tourney I went 4-2. It caught people off guard and made the Ulfs even stronger a presence.

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Re: When to give Break Tackle to Ulfs?

Post by Smeborg »

innerdemon wrote:I often take it first as the increased mobility of that piece is important. In my last tourney I went 4-2. It caught people off guard and made the Ulfs even stronger a presence.
Well, I would give Block first, for sure.

Break Tackle is a good skill on the Ulfs, I agree. The question is whether it is optimal. I don't pretend to know the answer.

I note, however, that Ulfs without B-Tackle can still dodge on a 4+, that's a 75% chance if you have a Re-roll in hand. That sort of manoeuvre will tend to be even less expected by opponents.

All the best.

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