Brand new player looking for advice

[Digger Goreman]

Basic Tactics and have a look around my website....

"Welcome to the party pal!"
Bruise Killus, Arkham Asylum Zombie

[DoubleSkulls]

http://bbtactics.com/ is a very good resource too

[nazgob]

dboerne - it could have been either privateer or spartan games - I used to hand around on both.

As for handicapping - I feel that the experienced player should take a stunty team. Preferably halfling or goblins with no secret weapons, as these are the easiest to understand from the perspective of a new player. On the other hand, the newer plaers should be sure to take the better tier 1 teams as they tend to be more forgiving. (these are the teams that have been outlined in this thread)

[Pug]

Don't Listen to Pug. Gobbos are where it's at!

You must excuse Gerard...he's dribbling again...

Halflings for fun, Ogres for the soul satisfying ground and pound...and pound...and pound...and oh dear no snots left...and pound...and pound.
Or alternatively the imaginative Halfling team.

But an a final note, Halflings would be a better alternative.
Gobos are for the clinically deranged...since they do just as much damage to themselves as other!

[Pug]

... Absolutely nothing wrong with getting the tar beat out of you for a while when you start playing a new game, you learn faster when your opponent doesn't pull their punches in my experience

My experience as well...

[dboeren]

I managed to get in a face to face game today at the game store against someone with a bit more experience (although as it turns out NOT with the team he was playing today).

I tried the Norse (8xLinemen, 2xWerewolves, Yehti, Apothecary) against the Skaven. It was pretty much a slaughter. Not so much on the scoreboard, but in the sense of rats dropping with injuries all over the place. Yes, the Apothecary really makes little sense in a one-off game but I wanted to build it as if it was for league play.

First half I kicked off, blitzed their ball carrier, and scored. Almost did it a second time but had a couple of bad ball handling rolls. One more turn would have done it. At the halftime, two rats were permanently out, two KO'd and one recovered. He had one extra reserve player so that made 8 rats playing in the second half (Norse hadn't lost anyone).

In the second half the beating continued, we took out a couple more rats and were about to run in for another TD when my opponent decided to call it there as there was no way he could make up a 2-0 lead with only 6 rats to my 11 guys (and likely less than 6 given a little more time too). I can see in a certain point in a league where you might want to just throw in the towel to keep the number of injuries down so you won't be too hampered in your next game.

So, very successful test drive for the Norse I'd say. I'm thinking of dropping the Yehti to pick up some Blitzers next time though, what do you guys think of that? I actually could fit some in with this setup if I dropped the Apothecary swapping them for Linemen and go that route too.

[Digger Goreman]

Congrats....

Norse should win their early games (which a straight up "one-off" will always be) all dice being even (which they never are), due to spamilicious block skill.... The Skaven coach got what was coming to him if he closed with you... Skaven should never willingly give more than the initial 3 linemen and a blitz a turn to their opposition... everything else is asking for gratuitous violence to be visited upon them....

Having said this much, I do the same thing against the cheesers: pound them senseless in the hopes their elves... errr, "gutter runners"... will occasionally throw a "1" and eventually have to set up on the line....

Eh, keep it all in mind and keep playing.... Many people do things differently and still win... you just have to reach the post-game....

[dboeren]

Norse should win their early games (which a straight up "one-off" will always be) all dice being even (which they never are), due to spamilicious block skill....

They certainly weren't equal. Honestly, he probably should have injured one of my players at SOME point in the game. I've got the same armor value as the Skaven do on most of my team but he just never rolled well on injuries. Well, to be fair there were two factors tilting things in my favor.
1. I had Block on most of my team (not the werewolves) and he didn't
2. I was throwing Blocks and Blitzes as often as possible and he didn't (rightly so really)

The Skaven coach got what was coming to him if he closed with you... Skaven should never willingly give more than the initial 3 linemen and a blitz a turn to their opposition... everything else is asking for gratuitous violence to be visited upon them....

They did at times leave me with Blocks, although there's not always anything you can do about it, if I tie you up (which I was doing a lot) you've got to either leave me a Block or risk a Dodge and if you don't have Dodge skill that's a significant risk and you can get hurt on a failed Dodge just as easily.


So, I've narrowed it down to either Chaos or Norse. I've noticed that I enjoy playing the bashier teams more and letting my opponent take more of the risks when he has to dodge. With higher strength players I can tie him up and leave him with tough choices.

Good points for Chaos:
1. Lots of strength 4, I can put a strong blitz anywhere I need it every turn and force enemies to mob me if they don't want weak Blocks
2. Good armor across the board, so I won't take as many injuries as Norse and an Apothecary is less important
3. Everyone can handle the ball if I need them to (so can most of the Norse, just not the werewolves)
4. Access to almost any sort of skill I want so I can diversify them later (although Norse already have some extra diversity)

Good points for Norse:
1. Plenty of starting skills, Block is all over the place and I've got some Frenzy too which is fun
2. Wider variety of players for specialized tasks such as Frenzy guys on both flanks, Pass if I want one guy with that, etc...

I guess it mostly comes down to the Norse coming with a boatload of skills versus Chaos coming with strength, armor, and versatility (not having to worry which guy is where so much and being able to develop them into anything).

[Digger Goreman]

Sounds like you have your head well wrapped around it.... Norse will flower and wither as other teams gain block; Chaos will wither and flower as they start with little ball skills, then gain them....

Necros are the most challenging and rewarding.... Vive la différence

[dboeren]

Well, I ended up ordering a Chaos team. Or rather, minis that I will convert INTO my Chaos team. What I'm actually using are the Wendigo models from Crocodile Games:
https://www.crocodilegames.com/store/it ... ort=prodID

The Hunters & Warriors will be my Beastmen, the Ice Warriors will be my Chaos Warriors, and War Chief #3 is going to be my Minotaur (once I can afford to hire him). I can actually reuse the War Chief to be the Yeti if I decide to build a Norse team later on as well.

I'm considering picking up Dark Elves as a second time now that I've found what I think may be some suitable minis. I'm thinking this will give a lot more variety in playstyle than Chaos + Norse will, but it may be a while before I can get to this project.

[Digger Goreman]

Ugh! Elves.... You won't respect yourself in the morning....

[Urb]

Ugh! Elves.... You won't respect yourself in the morning....

Don't listen to him. Elves are fun. Besides the more you know about playing with elves the more you know about how to beat elves.

[Digger Goreman]

*Sigh*

Elves are "fun" for power-gamers ("I only fail routine plays on a 1!"), boring as hell for everyone else (*sigh*, "waiting for a one"), and the only answer in 20+ years of BB, from those who say they know, is to destroy them through casualties and fouls.... And, then, their bloody freakin "journeymen" are just as Ag as they are....

No, not fun....

[Urb]

I can see your point of view Digger. Same could be said of dwarves and I think it's all legitimate. From personal experience I've never had problems playing with or against elves. Win some lose some but overall I felt all my results were more to do with my descisions rather than the team makeup.

Still valid point of view. Some power gaming going on but I think you limit yourself if you don't try all different teams.

[Digger Goreman]

Well said, Urb.... I sincerely wish it were otherwise as I do tend to play a solid game, nevertheless it comes down to a) Kill 'em all, b) Grind 'em, or c) Pray (s)he throws lots of ones....