(Un-)Living NecroTacticum: Necros vs the world of Blood Bowl

[swilhelm73]

Golems work great with Block Guard, those two skills and anything else is icing on the cake, (possibly grab to make the OTS easier but thats more situational)

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I never actually managed a OTS with my Necro team, even after 7 seasons. I would think grab is more useful for setting up surfs.

However, if I had block/guard and rolled a regular skill I'd probably take MB - you'll likely get more use out of it.

[mattgslater]

OTS with Necro requires a decent Ghoul, an AG4 Were, even better if he has Side Step and/or Dodge, and another Frenzy (as in, a second Were). This is a good team for OTS.

[MKL]

I´m playing a necro team in our tabletop league and they are doing quite well (W/L/D : 3/4/4). We are playing random MVP, but I´ve been kind of lucky. Atm my team is

Golem, Block, <new skill, rolled a double>
Golem, Block
Wight (brand new replacement for his killed predecessor)
Wight, +ST
Wolf, Block, Dodge, Mighty Blow
Wolf, Block, +Ag
Ghoul, Sure Hands
Ghoul, Guard
Zed, Block
Zed, Block
Zed
Zed
Zed

The general agreement seems to be Guard for the Golem, although I quite like the idea of Dodge to make him a really reliable cage corner. ST4 Wight wll get Mighty Blow next, the other Wight probably Tackle, both Ghouls are waiting for Block. AG4 Wolf will probably get Dodge.

This thread was and is very helpful, thanks a lot !

I would take Guard for the Golem. Taking a double before block & guard can be problematic for the team as a whole.
Got a S4 Wight in the past. Took Stand Firm as 3rd skill and I don't regret it. 3 x S4 Stand Firm is great for defense: push the opponents on the sidelines where you can set up some nice surf. Guard or Mb are both kosher but, from personal experience*, with Mb Wolves the Wights are relegated to support duty (my Mb Wights are under-used and under-performing)

* and "personal experience" can be read as "according to a limited statistical sample"

[Gobdomino]

I know this thread is old, but I love Necro and love to chat about Necro. As a player of Necro teams for two years now and playing them at tournaments here's how I try to set them up:

If in a league-
1- WW (I use him as a back up ballcarrier and try to set him up to take out other players on the sidelines (Frenzy) or to scare the crap out of AV 9 players (Claws))
1- Ghoul (main ball carrier and first skill is sure hands, then block- yes, he's weak, but he's still hard to mash around if you screen well)
2- Wights (love them and give them both guard at first)
2- Flesh Golems (I give them block and then guard next)
5- Zombies (I always give them block first and then debate on Kick or Dauntless)
3- Rerolls (since a reroll later costs more than a werewolf, I try to buy them as cheap as I can)

If in a tournament-
I have had much success in tournaments with this basic setup (assuming it's the usual tournament that has 1.1 million and a skills package-
1- Ghoul (with sure hands)
2- WW (with block)
2- FG (with guard)
2- Wights (one with Mighty Blow)
4- Zombies
2- Rerolls

if the tournament has more money to start with, I give a zombie Leader, then Kick on another, then Mighty Blow on the other Wight

I have followed Digger's great tacticum and tried to find what works with my play style (especially since I can never seem to cause many casualties)

[stashman]

Dodge on the Golem!!!

Two good things:

1. Hard to take him out!!!
Block, Dodge, Thick Skull, AV9

2. If opponent "waste" a Tackleplayer on golem, one less hunting your ghouls and wolfs

[Fassbinder75]

I know this thread is old, but I love Necro and love to chat about Necro.

I'm playing Necro in my league, and after ten games (3-4-3) I will admit I am still baffled by them sometimes. This thread has been excellent reading though.

I have found it difficult to adjust to the two-speed nature of the side, half the team at MA4 and the other half MA6-8. I've been guilty of over-pursuing on defence, getting wolves and ghouls out of position and then finding myself in a hopeless state when the opponent breaks through the zeds and golems, although I've tightened that up.

The side is at a point where the lack of basic skills that plagued my first seven or so games is now largely past, but I'm still finding it a challenge to score.

Is it wiser to stack a side with most of your fast players when receiving?

Does anyone pass? I have a Blodge Guard Wight that I'm thinking of giving Strong Arm at 31. Given how useful defensively and as a ball carrier he is I thought the threat of passing might be a nice wrinkle, and the team has plenty of eligible receivers.

[Digger Goreman]

Giving a blodge/guard wight pass is not synergistic as the passer will not often wind up next to an opposing player, limiting guard....

[Gobdomino]

I agree again with Digger. No Strong Arm. I would generally be using the blodge/guard wight as a setup for my werewolf to destroy the side players after receiving the ball. If the other team sets up poorly, you might even frenzy one of them out. I always keep a ghoul to hold the ball. If you can, I would run that ghoul to the side that you're pushing down with the aforementioned wight and werewolf. The ghoul also has enough movement

The discrepancy in movement is tricky but this is why the first skills I give to Flesh Golems is Guard and then Block. This strengthens your front line and can free up some zombies to either mark or screen anyone coming to take out your ball-carrier. I always make sure the Flesh Golems are in the thick of the action. Plus, with guard, they can help to protect a weak ghoul who needs to hide from a dodgy fast team like the elves.

And remember, on defense, unless the playing field dictates it, I generally always have a werewolf in each half. One to press behind the ball-carrier (and if he is free, he becomes a last ditch pass option), and one playing "safety" to deal with any catchers who have penetrated the back field.

As for stacking on one side of the field, I personally do not play that way because the Necro has no reliable dodge to pull it off like an elven team does. Plus, it seems to get you bogged down. One of the beautiful things about playing Necro is you can adjust your playing style at any time during the game far easier than other teams and getting bogged down can hinder that.

Just my two cents. Hope some of this helped!

[Fassbinder75]

Keeping Golems in the action has not been a problem, falling down Golems has been - even if it is in the same square! I've probably been a bit unlucky with them but both of them have produced a single CAS each over ten games, so I'm afraid I couldn't pass up Block at the first opportunity. I'm playing in an eight team division where I'm the 3rd heaviest side (behind Orcs and Chaos) and I've really not found the Golems very useful at all - there's been very few cages to stand in front of.

You've convinced me about the Strong Arm Wight, its clear that what I really need is a ball carrier Ghoul. I only started with one and he advanced more quickly that the wolves but I was so desperate for Block and Tackle (given all the AG teams) I passed up Sure Hands. He then took a -MA and is relegated to a safety role. My second Ghoul is a rookie, two TD's for him in the next game is the goal.

[Gobdomino]

The first skill I give all of my ghouls are sure hands. I tend to roll an obscene amount of twos so this has saved me many a time. Plus, you can always use the ghoul to hand off to a werewolf so he doesn't soak up all of the SPPs. A lot of people talk about ghouls becoming targets for many a player, but it is the Flesh Golems and Zombies that have always seemed to screen and protect them. Besides, if he is a target- so what? His next skill is block and so he is a blodger. Then this leaves two wights and werewolves more free to tear crap up. Mighty Blow on a Wight is no joke. This season I used a Flesh Golem with Guard, and one with Block. You can definitely choose either option but I do prefer to split the skills between the two golems. If you get unlucky with MVP rolls (I had four zombies that had three skills because they soaked up MVP points), it can be really hard to level up the Flesh Golem. Also, don't forget that you don't have to activate the Stand Firm Skill so you can have the opposition push your flesh Golem around if you want him to be re-positioned or take one of them out of position (since they are used to the Stand Firm skill, they may not expect this tactic).

[swilhelm73]

I disagree with SH as a first skill for a ghoul.

You will generally only use it once a half at most. OTOH block to make him a blodger will improve his survivability and the ability to play as a safety.

Also, if you run two ghouls, either could get a stat bump making him your running back. It would be annoying to have, for example, a SH and +AG ghoul.

[Gaixo]

I don't know that the chance of making one fairly unlikely advance roll should keep you from taking a useful skill. Any other stat increase goes pretty well with SH (I had a ST4, Sure Hands ghoul myself).

[swilhelm73]

I don't know that the chance of making one fairly unlikely advance roll should keep you from taking a useful skill. Any other stat increase goes pretty well with SH (I had a ST4, Sure Hands ghoul myself).

Why not? Bloodbowl is often about maximizing your players' effectiveness and making sure that the skills you pick synergize is a big part of that. I agree SH goes well with +ST...but that is my point. If you take SH first you are locking in that player as your ball carrier (well if you want to get the most out of the skill) and you don't know what the other ghoul will get ahead of time.

[Gobdomino]

I agree with everything you guys said with some caveats. I use sure hands because I am notorious for rolling twos. Second, sure hands defends against other players who have strip ball and there's a lot of them in my league. Even an AG 4 won't minimize sure hands (still reroll a one or better able to pick up a ball in someone else's tackle zone). The great thing about Necro is someone doesn't have to be consigned to be a ballcarrier. Choosing Block on ghoul first is an excellent way to go but I personally am not effective without someone on my team who can pick up the stupid ball.

[Kikurasis]

I am notorious for rolling twos.

Sounds like you'd make a great elf coach....