Use of chainsaw stars

[dines]

Hi I was thinking of when and how best to use one of the chainsaw stars. They are not that reliable, but usually pretty cheap and loads of fun.

- Do you use them against high or low AV teams?
- Do you use them for fouling, blocking or blitzing?
- How do you position him, protecting him from counter blitzes?
- Do you allways try to get a bribe to keep him running wild longer?

I had good fun with one with my chaos dwarves against orcs, using him to foul downed black orcs, with a few assists you are certain to get through armor...

[Warpstone]

Chainsaws are mostly mental in various senses.

In terms of raw numbers, they tend not to take out as many opponents as you think. However, they don't have to in order to be effective. A chainsaw's biggest value to you is his ability to intimidate your opponent. He will either try to hit your chainsaw out of the game, score quick to get him ejected or ignore him and risk the AV rolls. Which option he chooses is largely up to his risk aversion and agile/bash abilities. The worst option for you is if a high AV/High ST team simply ignores the chainsaw and forces you to make plays with him (i.e. the bait and hit).

- Do you use them against high or low AV teams?

Both, though in the first case, a chainsaw is better used as a fouler (in fact, chainsaws are almost always best used as a fouler).

- Do you use them for fouling, blocking or blitzing?

Fouling. Don't block or blitz with them unless you have to. Basically, think of the chainsaw act as gravy to a good turn. Secure the ball or shore up your defence first, then start chopping. Don't plan your critical blitz to make a play around your chainsaw.

- How do you position him, protecting him from counter blitzes?

Put him in a half-cage or behind your 2nd line. He doesn't need to be close to the LOS, just within distance to walk up and foul line-fodder.

- Do you allways try to get a bribe to keep him running wild longer?

Yes. It's very hard to justify carrying a chainsaw without the bribe. Two reasons for this: 1) you'll feel free to foul more and actually use the chainsaw 2) you're unlikely to turnover if you foul early in a turn.

Happy hunting!

[Smeborg]

dines - I agree with Warpstone's comments. The psychological value of a Saw can be invaluable. It's normal practice to take a Bribe as well, but not essential (I would rarely take one without). The Bribe has 3 uses: to enable the Saw to be used for 2 drives, to prevent the Saw being sent off when fouling, or (less commonly) to prevent another player (e.g. the team D-Player) from being sent off.

A Saw can be nice as a portfolio of damage-causing inducements, especially against a low AV team. For example, I remember once demolishing a Skaven team with a Wizard, a Stabber (Zara), a Saw and Bribe. Although I put plenty of Skaven into the dugout, the moral impact of the inducements was as great, or greater, than the actual damage. For example, if you use a Saw as a cage corner, a Stabber as another, it offers your opponent a nasty exchange: attack the ball, and I will get "free" Stab and Saw attacks (and still have my Blitz). Some coaches are more vulnerable than others to this kind of psychological warfare.

Against a low AV team, the Saw can be used to Blitz, especially if there are Blodge players around that you have difficulty bringing down (for example, you have no Tackle nor Wrestle). Wardancers and their ilk come to mind. Against a high AV team (Orcs, Dwarfs, etc.), the Saw is best used for fouling, but may also be used for Blocking and even blitzing against targets of opportunity. Since such teams tend to have lots of ST, or Guard, plus damage-causing capabilities, the Saw may not be able to stay on the pitch long. Thus other inducements may be preferable (e.g. the Wizard). However, against any team which relies excessively on a single ueber-player, the Saw is worth considering (largely for psychological reasons). Of course, you also have to consider targetting such players "for the good of the league"...

You need to pay attention to protecting a Saw at the beginning of a drive, but I don't worry unduly about protecting them once the action has started. If your opponent wants to devote resources to the Saw (e.g. a Blitz), it ought to help you elsewhere. I will say, however, that some Saws are better at looking after themselves than others. Ugroth is quite good (AV9 and cheap), but Flint is easily the best - he has AV8/T-Skull (most likely of all to stay on the pitch when the Saw kicks back), and he also has Block - giving added protection in the opponent's turn and meaning he can take a normal Block when it suits the team. Nobbla can be OK, he can survive a while, but will be taken out sooner or later. I have not found Max to be much use (for Nurgle) - despite his ST4, he disappoints (no Block, "only" AV8, expensive). Saws become particularly vulnerable against damage modifiers like M-Blow.

Hope that helps.

[dines]

Thanks guys, really good stuff here.

[spubbbba]

One thing to bear in mind is that kickback can really mess things up for you and that all them bar the rostered goblin have loner.

I’d be hesitant to use the saw for my only blitz unless it was a really important target like a wardancer if your team had no tackle. You even have to roll kickback for fouls so that makes them doubly dangerous so a DP would often be the better choice unless the drive is due to end soon and your saw is going to be sent off anyway.

I agree with the other posters that the saw can often be far better use psychologically than it actually is. If you protect it then that danger of the saw can ruin your opponent’s plans or they will devote disproportionate resources into taking it out leaving more important players free.

In many respects it is like the wizard in that the threat of a fireball or lightning bolt can force your opponent to score early or form a poor cage.

[nazgob]

Personally, I enjoy using them in lieu of tackle. Find a team with lots of blodge and use on defence.terrifies them. Just be wary of getting sent of quickly against fast teams.

[Hitonagashi]

I use the saw for a quick score.

A lot of agile teams will score fast against you if you have a saw, to get it sent off. If you can stall effectively, it can be an easy 2-1 if they do, and 8 turns of sawing up expensive blodgers if they don't.

[klauser]

I use the saw for a quick score.

A lot of agile teams will score fast against you if you have a saw, to get it sent off. If you can stall effectively, it can be an easy 2-1 if they do, and 8 turns of sawing up expensive blodgers if they don't.

Nice, that's some clever thinking right there. I really like the idea of playing to the squishes' natural fear of saws. You will still have to find a good middle ground between protecting the chainsaw guy and piling on sufficient pressure elsewhere. I will try that strat with my Orcs the next time I'm up against Elves. In fact, I never found the Wizard too useful on these occasions, so Ulgroth might be a fine alternative inducement.