Help needed - Woodie tactics against Slann?

[juergen]

Hi,

Tommorrow evening I have to play with my Woodies against Slann in our local league finale. I've never played, played against or even seen someone play against a Slann team - so I am absolutely clueless how to play against that many leapers. So any tips would be highly appreciated.

My team: http://www.bbaa.org/index.php?section=o ... &obj_id=31
- #3 will do his skill roll right before the game
- i probably by another player to compensate my semi-final losses

My opponent: http://www.bbaa.org/index.php?section=o ... &obj_id=40

thanks for any advice you can give

Juergen

[Penwaaagh]

Target the catchers and dont pass over any intervening players unless you have to.
I doubt he will leap every turn, its more for when the opportunity arises, so if you want to keep some cover back...

[mattgslater]

Keep the screen formations, two squares between the front of your formation and your juicy ball-carrier.

Go after Tackle players and Blitzers at every opportunity, as well as any Catchers without Dodge (or without Block, using your Block guys).

[MKL]

I doubt he will leap every turn, its more for when the opportunity arises, so if you want to keep some cover back...

Yeah, don't look an agility team.
He got 5 Guard, 6 Block, only 1 Dodge. Looks like this Slann like to play rough His Krox and Blitzers are nasty, and can hamstring the mobility of the elves.

Target his Guard Catchers (n.3 and 4): they are fairly vulnerable, and look like he uses them to assist the n.2 Catcher attacking the ball carrier. This Blodge-StripBall Catcher got the lion's share of his TD.

Well, just my 2c.

[Smeborg]

This will be a strange and surreal game. Both teams have Strip Ball, but neither has Sure Hands. On the face of it, neither team has the ability to hold the ball, and must score quickly. The result will be determined by (a) each team's ability to attack the ball, and (b) whether key players go into the dugout.

This is an unusual Slann team, with 5 Guards and no Wrestle. Slann usually base their game on repeated leaping attacks on the ball (in this case supported by other leapers with Guard for a 1-die or even 2-dice sack attempt).

I recommend you run the ball with a Wardancer (forget your passing game). Keep the WD out of range of attack until you either run him forward for a hand-off (best), or cage up within scoring range (only if forced). If you have to cage up, expect the ball to be popped lose, and make ball retrieval difficult for the Slann with a layered defense, and, if possible, use of the sideline. A WD makes a better ball carrier as he can leap away from the Diving Tackle Slann Blitzers with relative ease.

On defense, move at least one WD into a central position, to threaten the ball, and to force the Slann coach to take risks as soon as his second turn.

If you are offered a choice of targets, the Slann Catchers are tempting, especially those with S-Ball or Guard (one is AV6 as well).

Hope that helps. Let us know how you get on.

[juck101]

Ooh this game smells like a 4-3 score fest. If its a straight dash for the endzone after 2 turns with practically no safe place for the ball consider this game might be won on the kickoff results.

Probably a blitz is more the winner in such a game so always set up for it in mind, both defensively and offensively. really so many times I had these games and the checky kickoff table swung the game if you ready for the luck in provides.

Playing scrimmage players offset for a perfect defense might help also.

[xxxx111]

This madness is nightmare with a 9 on 9 game and gives you further options on the above blitz should it decide to turn the events.
goodluck

[juergen]

thanks for all the help so far - you really enightended me in some points I haven't thought about so far.

keep it going

[MKL]

(...)
keep it going

Since you are asking ... another 2 cents.

I noticed you got 3 S-Step and a S4 Frenzy.
He got zero positioning skills (no S-Step, S-Firm, Fend, Frenzy).

Maybe you can take advantage of this luring him along the sidelines, to engineer crowd-pushes. Dare him to jump into dangerous ground.

[Smurf]

Good Luck.

On balance I'd say the Slann have it over the Wood Elves here.
Slann have a lots of guard, big guy and tackle plus some diving tackle.

You need at least 2 tacklers in WE game. Plus block vs Wrestle, WE love Wrestle.

Don't worry I have realised I have mismanged a WE team by bravodism. Trying to correct the errors now but it is proving painful to do so.

It looks like you are going to have to out pace him.

Let us know how it goes.

[juergen]

thanks again for all the help - it was a close game but I lost 1-2.

I started on offense in blizzard and used my ST 4 WD to jump over another player and force another one out of bounds (stunned). The screen formation worked well and he tried a 1 die block against my ball carrier - which worked for him and the ball was loose. Beeing on the sidelines I could push another player OOB (stunned). On my opponents 2nd turn misery started. In this turn he ko'd 3 players (including the ST4 wardancer - which came back on the very last turn). I lost a couple of another players to KO and 2 cas. I almost stopped his 1:1 approach but failed. In half 2 I started with 8 players and when he scored I had 3 players left. For my one-turn tie attempt I had 6 players. The Chain push worked but the catch failed.

So I lost the final, but with the TD I was able to get most TD for the season.

So thanks again for all help, which allowed me to keep the game sort of close until the end. /bow

[MKL]

thanks again for all the help - it was a close game but I lost 1-2.

(...) used my ST 4 WD to jump over another player and force another one out of bounds (stunned).
(...)Beeing on the sidelines I could push another player OOB (stunned). On my opponents 2nd turn misery started.
(...)

2 crowd-pushes in 2 turns... Looks like you were outpositioning him in those first moments. Or was a trap on his part to lure you in a big scrum?

Do you think the successive ko-fest was due to some error on your part (too much players in contact?), or simply bad luck? (Well, there is some bad luck for sure: 3 ko in one turn with only 1 m-blow is a lot )
The Slann played a straight bash game? Did he refrained from leaping?

Anyway, you played valiantly: "lacked the luck, not the valour"

[Smurf]

Load line elves up with wrestle. Anything that creates gaps allows the WEs to move through.

Also get some tackle... on the WD

Currently I have been too long with out a Reroll on my team. And it now showing in a long term league. Therefore I conclude that at TV1700 you should have a RR for the WE if not 3 to make it awesome.

I have had too many close games now where the rerolls are needed. And so I try to save for them.

[juergen]

2 crowd-pushes in 2 turns... Looks like you were outpositioning him in those first moments. Or was a trap on his part to lure you in a big scrum?

Do you think the successive ko-fest was due to some error on your part (too much players in contact?), or simply bad luck? (Well, there is some bad luck for sure: 3 ko in one turn with only 1 m-blow is a lot )
The Slann played a straight bash game? Did he refrained from leaping?

Anyway, you played valiantly: "lacked the luck, not the valour"

The first one was a trap, he hoped that I fail the dodge and gang foul the wardancer out. The second one was because I was loosely caging on the left sideline so if he decides to leap in there i can shove him - worked both great, but stunned is not enough.

I don't think there was too many base contact - sure, I had to do some to bind some players but very often his blitzes caused KO's - his magic 8.

[Heff]

Load line elves up with wrestle. Anything that creates gaps allows the WEs to move through.

Also get some tackle... on the WD

Currently I have been too long with out a Reroll on my team. And it now showing in a long term league. Therefore I conclude that at TV1700 you should have a RR for the WE if not 3 to make it awesome.

I have had too many close games now where the rerolls are needed. And so I try to save for them.

So Tao Parkour has value only so far? I was going to try it too. If you start with 0 re-rolls at what TV should you be getting them (one at 1200, one at 1400, and one at 1700?) will you update the playbook?

[Smurf]

There is a new TPS play book. I have updated it.