Deep Defense
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2002 1:03 pm
This is a defensive theory that I have been formalising while playing with my High Elves. I think it may apply perfectly well to any fast team trying to beat a power team that runs a solid cage.
The objective is to sacrifice space for time. The ideal objective is to force a mistake from your opponent, or in the worst case delay him enough so he can't score.
Kick deep - this is to try and delay the cage formation to the second turn, force the cage to start deep in his own half or make him pass the ball. If the pass is pulled off you've lost a big advantage - space.
Form a line of defence a few squares in front of the cage. The distance depends on the average move of the cage - lets assume they have a move of 6. That means the line should be formed at least 2 squares in front of the cage. Now why 2 and not 1? If you are 1 square in front of the cage then the rearmost player has to move 4 squares to be level and 6 squares to get out of your TZ. So if you are 2 squares in front of the cage he has to make a GFI to get "safe". This means the whole cage (assuming equal movement) has to make GFI - if that's 4 players having to make a GFI then you've got a better than 50% chance of one of them failing - and causing a TRR to be burned.
Be careful because canny players will put slow players in the front and then overtake them with faster rear ones. Also watch out for other players joining the cage to make up for 1 or 2 slower ones.
B = ball carrier
O = oppenent
X = your player
Now your opponent has a real dialemma - they can't blitz a single player out of your line and get the cage through to safety. So they either move forward 1 square and stop, leave themselves exposed to the cage being blocked, or make several risky GFIs. If they choose the 1st option then just move back a square and keep going. Otherwise try to exploit the situation to the full.
If you don't have enough players in range to form a solid enough line then don't try, your weakest point will be ruthlessly exposed. Form a weak front line and a secondary instead. The secondary is similar to the first but a couple of squares further back. This needs players place opposite the spaces in your first line.
B = ball carrier
O = oppenent
X = your player
Now they are in a similar dilemma as they can't blitz both lines and so are restricted to moving a shorter distance. Unlike the 1st option this allows much further movement by the cage but hopefully opens up some options next turn.
I hope some of you find this useful.
The objective is to sacrifice space for time. The ideal objective is to force a mistake from your opponent, or in the worst case delay him enough so he can't score.
Kick deep - this is to try and delay the cage formation to the second turn, force the cage to start deep in his own half or make him pass the ball. If the pass is pulled off you've lost a big advantage - space.
Form a line of defence a few squares in front of the cage. The distance depends on the average move of the cage - lets assume they have a move of 6. That means the line should be formed at least 2 squares in front of the cage. Now why 2 and not 1? If you are 1 square in front of the cage then the rearmost player has to move 4 squares to be level and 6 squares to get out of your TZ. So if you are 2 squares in front of the cage he has to make a GFI to get "safe". This means the whole cage (assuming equal movement) has to make GFI - if that's 4 players having to make a GFI then you've got a better than 50% chance of one of them failing - and causing a TRR to be burned.
Be careful because canny players will put slow players in the front and then overtake them with faster rear ones. Also watch out for other players joining the cage to make up for 1 or 2 slower ones.
B = ball carrier
O = oppenent
X = your player
Code: Select all
____|__O_O__|____
____|___B___|____
____|__O_O__|____
____|_______|____
____|_______|____
_X_X|_X_X_X_|X_X_
____|_______|____
____|_______|____ - safety
If you don't have enough players in range to form a solid enough line then don't try, your weakest point will be ruthlessly exposed. Form a weak front line and a secondary instead. The secondary is similar to the first but a couple of squares further back. This needs players place opposite the spaces in your first line.
B = ball carrier
O = oppenent
X = your player
Code: Select all
____|__O_O__|____
____|___B___|____
____|__O_O__|____
____|_______|____
____|_______|____
_X__|X__X__X|__X_
____|_______|____
____|_______|____
___X|__X__X_|_X__
I hope some of you find this useful.