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

[mattgslater]

Mighty Blow would be understandable. It's ranked, every 10k of TV counts against you. Plus you already have a +AG player. If you took the +AG, you could start testing out this idea of a dedicated passer, with Sure Hands next, followed by Strong Arm. I'd say either answer makes sense, depends on whether you'd rather win now or experiment later. I'd probably take +AG, but don't take that for a clear endorsement.

[MattDakka]

Mighty Blow.

[connexion]

+AG

[MKL]

Apparently it's a perpetual environment, and the team is in the first stage of development, so I would take +Ag.

But I don't know the formats of fumbbl (ie the way your opponents are determined), so take it with a grain of salt...

[babass]

I you refuse this great gift from Nuffle, your player (or your other +Ag player... Nuffle is sneaky...) will die soon.
Please: take the +Ag.

[mawph]

I took the +AG

[Necro10c]

Hi guys,

Lord ManHammer here - though I post under my pseudonym. Have been playing Necro for a while and had a blast with them in league and a single tournament as well.

Have just read through the thread and have some comments:

1. Start up:
I normally go with 2 Wights, 2 FG, 1 WW and 1 Ghoul, 5 Zeds and 3 RR - several reasons for this. 2 wights gives you 2 X block. The ghoul has a build in dodge reroll. You need the FGs early to skill up - you can only blitz once, normally you will try to do this with your wolf. My first purchase is another WW.

2. Development:
Now when we talk about Necro I think there are 2 considerations for developing this team:

a. It is one of the teams that has a 'limited' number of positionals and those positionals needs to be able to perform their roles - moreso than for example humans that have 4 blitzers where we only have 2 wights. That means that in my experience you need each of your positionals to fulfill her role. Agreeing with Matt, it is not so much what a wight can do with throwing that is interesting it is what the team loses if you give him throwing skills - simply because he is 1 of only 4 that has strength access on your team.

b. Because of its 'hybridity' you need to have a good look at your league and your next few matches when you are chosing skills and developing your team. In my opinion this consideration overshadows the first consideration. So if you are the mightiest and bashiest team on the green field of Halfling League, then you might be able to spare a wight and give him +ag and strong arm. More likely however, you need to look at your league and decide which order you want to skills to be chosen.

That said this is how I normally skill up my pieces:

My wolves develop a little bit differently:
WW1: Block, Dodge, Sidestep, Shadowing
WW2: Block, Tackle, Dodge, Sidestep
Any doubles: Mighty Blow. Havent had one with 2 doubles yet like the idea of juggernaut and like the idea of piling on.

Wights: Guard, Mighty Blow, Tackle, Stand Firm/Grab
Any doubles: As a fourth skill I might give him dodge - tried it and it was ok but not great.

Flesh Golems: Block, Guard, Mighty Blow, Tackle
Any doubles: After Guard would consider dodge. Depending on league.

Ghoul1: Sure Hands, Block, Sidestep, Fend
I take SH first to save my reroll for failing blocks, but depends on how the rest of the team is developing (did wolfie get block first?)
Ghoul2: Wrestle, Strip Ball/Tackle, JU
SB/Tackle depends on the league.

Zed1: Kick, DP
Zed2 and more: Block, Tackle.
However I am tempted with wrestle, and I like the idea of Dauntless. Problem is that if you have MV4 you only have 1 when you get up and a harder time getting SPP.
Any doubles: Oh! So much fun! I usually take sidestep - again depending on the league. If it is a bash heavy league I would consider guard. I have had a Block, Sidestep Zed holding 2 linemen/blitzers for several games.

Now I believe that there are two different philosophies (probably more) about how to play BB. One is to maximise your teams strengths and minimise its weaknesses. I believe that this is heard most often in various chat rooms and foras around the web. It is probably also the philosophy that is easiest to support using statistics etc. A lot of teams builds well towards this philosophy such as Orcs, Undead, Wood Elves etc. A lot of these teams have 'optimal' skill choices for each position.

Another philosophy is to build your team to maximise your possibilities of plays or possibilities of reacting on teams/plays. This requires versatility and is one of the things I love the most in the game. Humans, Necros, Skaven or the hybrid teams are often best at this. A lot of these teams have to read their opponent or league to chose their skills right.

Cheerio,
Lord ManHammer

[Smeborg]

Good post 10c, thanks.

[squirrelfanatic]

Hey all,

I'm currently about to start a fresh Necromantic team in a small league (Cyanide's BB version) and thought I'd browse through all the good advice provided on these boards. Because, you see, I'm pretty much still a beginner, I've played a couple of short seasons (~4 or 5, 3 matches each) and one longer season (~10 games) some months ago but with different teams, Orcs and Lizardmen. Then I took a break for quite a while after I got beaten up repeatedly by some developed teams in the leagues, I simply got frustrated and felt that I didn't understand the game well enough to compete.

Fast forward some months and here I am, ready to get back into the fray, this time with Ghouls and Wolfies and Golems and Zombies and Wights. Bring it on, I guess...

My first match will be against HElves, in fact a team that has a 580k TV advantage over me. Or should I say inducement disadvantage?

My opponent's team looks like this [injuries in brackets]:

Blitzer 1 Blodge, Tackle, Guard
Blitzer 2 Block
Thrower 1 Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate, NoS
Thrower 2 Pass, Safe Throw, Blodge, Dump-Off, [-1 MV]
Catcher 1 Catch, +AG, Blodge, [Nig.]
Catcher 2 Catch, Blodge, [Nig.]
Catcher 3 Catch
[Catcher 4 Catch, Blodge, +AG] -> misses the game
Lino 1-4 no skills, [some inuries here and there]
Lino 5 Block
[Lino 6 no skills] -> misses the game

My team is freshly created and consists of 1 WW, 1 Ghoul, 2 FG, 2 Wights, 5 Zombies, I took 3 re-rolls.

Looking at the possible inducement choices (580k available) I was thinking either

a) Wizard (150k), Ramtut III (380k), Babes (50k) = 580k, or
b) Wizard (150k), Nekbrekerekh (a Tomb Guardian like Star Player, couldn't find him in the LRB6 rules, skills listed below) (220k), 2 extra Zombies (140k), Babes (50k) = 560k

Star Players available to me in Cyanide's client:
Ramtut III (5 6 1 9), Loner, Break Tackle, Mighty Blow, Regeneration, Wrestle - 380k
Nekbrekerekh (6 4 2 8 ) Loner, Block, Break Tackle, Juggernaut, Regeneration, Strip Ball - 220k [Edit] Just realised that this guy is Setekh from the LRB6...
Count Luthor Von Drakenborg (6 5 4 9), Loner, Block, Hypnotic Gaze, Regeneration, Side Step - 390k

As for my game plan, I was thinking that - if possible - I would kick and try to play the 2-1 grind. The issue is that I miss the skills, my opponent has Blodge spammed throughout his team, while I can only bring Block on my Wights (and possibly Block or Wrestle on Star Players), so that I would have to rely on the Golems (and maybe Ramtut) as road blocks while tying up AG4 Blodgers with my Zombies (:roll:) and making a mad dash to the endzone with my faster players.

I suspect I'll have a very hard time with this game but am determined to give it my best shot. Any tips and helpful comments (and possibly condolences) are welcome!

[Digger Goreman]

Fast forward some months and here I am, ready to get back into the fray, this time with Ghouls and Wolfies and Golems and Zombies and Wights. Bring it on, I guess...

My first match will be against HElves, in fact a team that has a 580k TV advantage over me. Or should I say inducement disadvantage?

My opponent's team looks like this [injuries in brackets]:

Blitzer 1 Blodge, Tackle, Guard Keep him away from your ghoul/your ghoul away from him!
Blitzer 2 Block
Thrower 1 Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate, NoS
Thrower 2 Pass, Safe Throw, Blodge, Dump-Off, [-1 MV]
Catcher 1 Catch, +AG, Blodge, [Nig.]Target with your wights and werewolf
Catcher 2 Catch, Blodge, [Nig.]ditto
Catcher 3 Catch
[Catcher 4 Catch, Blodge, +AG] -> misses the game
Lino 1-4 no skills, [some inuries here and there]
Lino 5 Block
[Lino 6 no skills] -> misses the game

My team is freshly created and consists of 1 WW, 1 Ghoul, 2 FG, 2 Wights, 5 Zombies, I took 3 re-rolls.

Looking at the possible inducement choices (580k available) I was thinking either

a) Wizard (150k), Ramtut III (380k), Babes (50k) = 580k, or
b) Wizard (150k), Nekbrekerekh (a Tomb Guardian like Star Player, couldn't find him in the LRB6 rules, skills listed below) (220k), 2 extra Zombies (140k), Babes (50k) = 560k

Star Players available to me in Cyanide's client:
Ramtut III (5 6 1 9), Loner, Break Tackle, Mighty Blow, Regeneration, Wrestle - 380k
Nekbrekerekh (6 4 2 8 ) Loner, Block, Break Tackle, Juggernaut, Regeneration, Strip Ball - 220k [Edit] Just realised that this guy is Setekh from the LRB6...
Count Luthor Von Drakenborg (6 5 4 9), Loner, Block, Hypnotic Gaze, Regeneration, Side Step - 390k

I think you need people on the field, so suggest Ramtut two babes and an Igor; or the Count, one babe and an Igor.
Ramtut can use either MiB to remove the high cheese, or wrestle to sack the ball carrier or anyone screening the wights/were from a good blitz.... Count Luthor is better in some ways by being able to gaze a hole in the offense/defense and opening up blitz options... though he will cost you a babe....

[squirrelfanatic]

This just in: Rookie Necro team beats HElfi AG-machines 2-1! Yay!

I went with Wizard, Setekh, 1 DP Zombie merc and 1 regular Zombie merc. Right when I had finished punching in the inducement choices I saw that you had responded to my previous post Digger... Looking back I maybe should have gone with your suggestions, as I didn't really use the DP all that much and Setekh never touched a ball carrier. Can't really complain though, most things worked out quite well for me on the pitch.

My computer mouse is acting weird lately and does double clicks when I want singles which made my lone Wolfie hop around in tackle zones like the Easterbunny before lying down, but overall the dice were nice to me. Also, my opponent didn't play as aggressively as he might have could and often refrained from pushing my defenses too hard. The last turn was a bit nerve racking however, 2-1 for me, my opponent had the ball and a Catcher in scoring range. All I could do was cover the Catcher with a Wight and my Ghoul but I had to leave a corner open due to the ongoing Blizzard (I didn't dare GFI). One moment later the Catcher (AG5 too) was standing in the endzone waiting for the pass that would turn the loss into a draw. Luckily, the passing player fumbled the throw.

Overall it went much better than expected. The Necros are fun to play with, I already love the mix of speed play with Wolves and blocking the opposition with Flesh Golems. The Ghoul got a promotion (don't know the roll result yet, will have to wait for all games in the division to be played) and the MVP went to a Zombie without getting eaten by a merc, which is a plus in my books.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated!

[MKL]

Great!

And great timing: I was typing a long post full of bad advices. You saved me from some embarrassment

[squirrelfanatic]

Great!

And great timing: I was typing a long post full of bad advices. You saved me from some embarrassment

Hehe, well, thanks anyway. Right now I can't really tell if I just got lucky or if watching all those FUMBBL replays has left some kind of positive impression on me. Really, positioning is what I feel I have the most trouble with. That, and coming up with a good game plan. Often I find myself looking at the board and just trying to set up as many blocks as possible without having any real idea of how to make things work out.

What I need is more training, I guess. Maybe I'll join a FUMBBL league after all...

[Jimmy Fantastic]

Often I find myself looking at the board and just trying to set up as many blocks as possible without having any real idea of how to make things work out.

This is all I do, there isn't much more to BB to be honest.

[squirrelfanatic]

Well, that's good to hear, I was getting worried that I'm missing something... In other news, my Ghoul advanced one level and rolled doubles. I was thinking Guard as a first skill, since I definitely lack muscles at the moment. My next match will be against a pretty bashy Undead team. Most likely I will come back here and ask for further advice when I've taken a closer look at the roster. By the way, would it be better to start a new thread for repeatedly asking advice or is this the usual place for ongoing Necro discussions?