Stalling, What if...

[Smurf]

I know some coaches are adverse to throwing.

I know the MO appears to be the running game.

I know I ignore the above.

So we have a grind team, it's mauling the opposition, it wants to score on turn 7.

Let's rewind.

First half 2 turns in and some elf (or skaven) has scored that touch down. Now the bash team sets to work thumping the misery out of the elf (or skaven).

Turn 4 arrives and the opponent's players are eating dirt. The coach refuses to get any of the players up, they are playing possum.

Turn 5 A TD could be scored.

Would you stall for 4 turns?

[Viajero]

Indeed. Plus I ll also foul big time those GR or WD if my bench or eventual bribes allowed it.

[Magictobe]

The coach refuses to get any of the players up, they are playing possum.

That bit could convince me to stall. When you don't try to fight for a chance , you do not disserve a chance. That is the most beautifull thing (apart from scoring by throwing a player) is getting that ball loose from a staller.

[nazgob]

Incorrect.

The most beautiful thing is to kill the stalling ball handler with a thrown player. THAT is comedy gold.

I don't tend to stall, but in that circumstance, I probably would. And foul like crazy too.

[Hitonagashi]

Yep. End turn repeatedly, 8 turn stall next half, win 2-1.

I've done it as the elf coach, when I've had 6-7 KO's and I have a babe/wizard. Much better to try and turnover with a full team, and you might persuade him to foul. Very situational though.

[Jimmy Fantastic]

Yes stalling is nearly always the correct play. 99/100 you should stall if getting the win is the most important thing to you.

[swilhelm73]

The object of the game is to win.

Stalling is a tactic that can often help in that regard.

If you don't want to be stalled on - stop laying on the pitch and try to get the ball.

In a recent game, my opponent was winning the numbers war in the first half and then stalling...but instead of giving up, I moved my players into position to at least threaten the ball carrier. He made a small mistake in positioning, I made some good rolls, and on T7 I knocked the ball lose and got it where he could not score.

Second half I got my KOs back and would end up winning 1-0.

[Mootaz]

I would stall.

[Ullis]

If the opposing team has suffered multiple injuries, including gutter runners etc., then I might score. If the opposing team was intact, I'd certainly stall.

But really, Smurf, you're almost painting the scenario like it's the bash player's fault. If you play any team at all and are happy to leave your guys down, then you're the one sucking out all the fun from the game.

[Smurf]

No.

I'm saying is there is a fierce cage, the thumping machine is just doing that. Your guys are flattened all over the place. The cage moves forwards about 2-3 squares a turn whilst every thing else is thumping.

So the defender has a choice, try and get away, slow the cage down and blitz a player but recognising the dude is going to blitz back.

It won't take long for AV7/8 to find players off the pitch with a couple of MBers on the team. So what, that's how it is.

Putting pressure on is one thing, being suicidal is another. You have a few players off, the cage is strong... now if you keep standing up they keep hitting you down, with the eventual being removed.

The stall is going to happen either way, even if the team was complete the bash is going to rough players up. So when it has gone a bit pete tong then you try to get away.

BTW I'm always trying to get the bloody ball and heaven help those who leave the ball carrier unprotected.

I said before my pride is holding off a developed Nurgle team for 15 turns... they shall not pass. I targeted his good players and prevented him from squishing the elves. He does not pass because of the fear of interceptions. So it ended 1-0 but this player stalls all the time. Even in Over Time he stalls... which cost him a win last time.

[swilhelm73]

Putting pressure on is one thing, being suicidal is another. You have a few players off, the cage is strong... now if you keep standing up they keep hitting you down, with the eventual being removed.

Well, that is a strategic consideration, no? If you determine you can't stop you opponent, stay down and expect he will run out the clock and you will lose...and minimize your injuries.

But you shouldn't expect him to score quickly while you stay down so you get a shot at winning - that's completely contrary to the spirit of the game.

[Smeborg]

I said before my pride is holding off a developed Nurgle team for 15 turns... they shall not pass. I targeted his good players and prevented him from squishing the elves. He does not pass because of the fear of interceptions. So it ended 1-0 but this player stalls all the time. Even in Over Time he stalls... which cost him a win last time.

Smurf - in my experience, Nurgle are a poor stalling team. Like any team, they will stall when they can, but their ability to hold the ball is not as good as (for example) Orcs or Dwarfs (mainly because of lack of starting Block, but also the lack of ball moving skills on the starting roster, such as Sure Hands). So I find it often pays not to stall with Nurgle, but to trust to their defense instead. In this respect, Nurgle are not a typical bash team.

Hope that helps.

[Smurf]

This one had an AG4 ball handler and a ST4 pestigor with all the trimmings of squashing anything. Not forgetting the buckets of block and mighty blow.

[Aliboon]

Yeah, I would stall for 4 turns if it meant getting the win, no qualms.

And good job too that he doesn't pass, Nurgle should only pass as an absolute desperation play and only then if it is unlikely that the other team will be able to score from the likely fumble/missed pass/dropped catch. Had he passed, then the elves would be more likely to score and go into/further into the lead.

[burgun824]

Stall...yes.

However, what the opposition should have been doing though is strategically picking off the outlying players and fouling mercilessly. I have been in the situation of the bashee and I start trying to work over the opponents exsposed players. I know that I'll have to play good defense in the second half to go for the win anyway and trying to get some of their guys off the pitch is only going to help in that. Plus it also starts making them think that maybe they need to go ahead and score if I start knocking some of their guys out to get the extra rolls on their knocked out players.

I've found that attacking the ball carrier in these situations is usually futile. Attacking their players like an angry honey badger usually wakes them up a bit.