What do you think about stalling?

[Zombie]

To me, a game that ends 5-4 is the most boring game ever, and one-turn scoring is the most boring tactic. But 1-0 games and stalling make for very interesting, edge-of-your-seat games. And that's coming from a guy whose main team is wood elves!

[harley_topper]

I voted for valid tactic.
Some teams need this tactic to win games. I can't see that this is unsportsmanlike if you try your best to win the game.
With my zons (5 guards and 12 blodge) I always play this tactic (except against dwarves). It works well and against elves it is one of the best tactics to avoid an equalizer in the last two turns

[Dave]

I voted valid tactic (surprise)

But

I do think it's boring
And I do think there is a difference when you do it against a develloped team, with chances of breaking into the cage / doing something about it or when playing a newly started TR100 team with no leap or any skills (Helf in this case) that contribute to that.

I do think there's a difference in stalling when your opponent tries to get to you even through 5+ dodges, you could reward the attempt that might get his own player injured

If my opponent is not trying to get to my, why should I score

Calling it unsportmanlike was a bit too strong, I had a fun match and no hard feelings about it, but I think the match would have been more fun for both of us if you had scored faster (so spend one turn next to the end zone instead of three) and blitzed by offence away after that

Off course you don't have to give your opponent a chance at winning but a chance at an interesting game (for a rookie team that is SPP) for both should be a fair thing.

Again, no hard feelings, This thread is just a proof of our different approach, what is actually quite nice to have in a league as it would be even more boring than stalling otherwise

(Come to think of it, you mostly play slow / hitting teams and I do the quick, fun ones )

[Longshot]

Please quys, stop answering this eternal question!
there is already 4/5 poll about this one!

Please look at all the pages of topics, there is surely something you want to know, and there is already our opinion on that!

[Perrinbash]

My vote was for unsportsmanlike.

I can in some cases I can see a point to this tactic 1/1 second half stall to get the winning TD. or even in the dwarf versus elf argument but if your playing against a team that Cannot score a one turner...

But my vote reflects that all too often people use it just to eat up the first half of the game.

all it does in that case is delay my tieing the game up 1-1 and then they have no time to try to score to win.

for the record I have never stalled a game and both times I have had it used against me the game ended in a tie. I would rather lose to a late score in the second half than to have some moron waste half the game.

[Cooper]

Please quys, stop answering this eternal question!
there is already 4/5 poll about this one!

Please look at all the pages of topics, there is surely something you want to know, and there is already our opinion on that!

Sorry...i don't have time to check all pages, but i could and probably should have used the "search"-button to check for messages on the subject.
W

[Cooper]

Calling it unsportmanlike was a bit too strong, I had a fun match and no hard feelings about it, but I think the match would have been more fun for both of us if you had scored faster (so spend one turn next to the end zone instead of three) and blitzed by offence away after that

Off course you don't have to give your opponent a chance at winning but a chance at an interesting game (for a rookie team that is SPP) for both should be a fair thing.

Again, no hard feelings, This thread is just a proof of our different approach, what is actually quite nice to have in a league as it would be even more boring than stalling otherwise

(Come to think of it, you mostly play slow / hitting teams and I do the quick, fun ones )

DOn't get me wrong, no hard feelings either, i was just curious about what the community thinks, and if i was alone in my opinion....

(and indeed our playingstyles are very different, which is reflected in our opinions)
W

[noodle]

OK - I just want to make one point - Have any of you guys who voted "unsportsmanlike" ever seen a football (and I mean the proper version ) match?

Have you ever seen a team 1-0 up with a few minutes to go pass the ball to a player who then runs to the corner flag and runs down the clock?

Its perfectly valid and good play!

[roysorlie]

For the record, I am one of the few who voted unsportsmanlike.

I agree it's a valid tacitc. Whatever makes you win the game is valid. Even blatantly abusing get the ref is valid. Anything allowable within the rules is a valid tactic.

Even a chaos team full of PO and RSC, with absolutely no concern for any ball related skills is valid.

Doesn't mean it's very sportsmanlike.

Now, I don't really mind the guys that stall 1 turn to deny you a TD, fair enough.

But I am also of the opinion that 1 turn scorers aren't very sportsmanlike. It takes away almost any offense/defense strategies. All you need is a clear path, and any coach worth his salt should manage to produce that. So It's a TD. Where's the fun? And it's not very fun playing against someone who uses an orge, and 3 blackorcs and a couple of blitzers to keep you from reaching the ballcarrier, while he steps down the field a square at a time.

Hell, even dwarves can score on 2 turns fairly easily, given a little luck. a move increase, a sprint here. sure feet there.

I can see the dwarves might want to protect the ball carrier with a cage, but once the runner has a free path, wasting turns is just boring.

THat said, most opponents I've played quickly learned it was a risky proposition stalling. I've no count of the number of times someone has tried to stall against me, and I find a flaw in their ddefense, and snatch the ball, making a TD myself.

Most matches I play, I only get offence once or twice. 1 time for when I get to start the half, or when I get a blitz.

[MickeX]

And it's not very fun playing against someone who uses an orge, and 3 blackorcs and a couple of blitzers to keep you from reaching the ballcarrier, while he steps down the field a square at a time.

It's not? I'd say those can be among the most interesting games of all. When you start sticking blodgers at his protection in the back, and his cage starts to slowly stretch out, things can get very tactical.

Look at it this way: the tactic is just as much about forcing him to score before turn 8, as about making the actual scoring risky.

Micke

[Zombie]

OK - I just want to make one point - Have any of you guys who voted "unsportsmanlike" ever seen a football (and I mean the proper version ) match?

In proper football, i.e. canadian football, teams rarely run out the clock, because the rules make a pure running game something that seldom works. But in american football, teams run out the clock all the time.

[noodle]

I actually meant football, with a round ball and no armour but hey...

Our current league leader and most successful coach often stalls to win games. It is always very tense and doesn't always work, but it is the best bet with say, an orc team. Some of the most fascinating games have occurred as one team tries to stall while another tries to force them to score...

Take my last game in this year's student Nationals. I needed a draw in my last match to win the event, and with 3 turns to go it was 1-1. I was paying High elves against skaven and he had the ball - and (correctly) tried to score in the last turn

With skaven...

It didn't quite work but it was the most nerve wracking game I have played in - and really exciting. If he'd scored with 2 turns to go I'd have probably equalised anyway and won the tournament. I DID win it, but had to play well to earn that draw...

If my opponent had just scored and not stalled, the game would, to my mind have been a) easier, b) not as tense and c) a bit of a let down...

[green giant]

I agree with Asperon Thorn.

[DoubleSkulls]

Look at it this way: the tactic is just as much about forcing him to score before turn 8, as about making the actual scoring risky.

That's a very good way of putting it.

[Boss]

for the record I have never stalled a game and both times I have had it used against me the game ended in a tie. I would rather lose to a late score in the second half than to have some moron waste half the game.

Well it's not a waste of time if you use it properly. Like knocking over all the Elves, Rats, Humans, Orcs or other fastmoving pansies

Seriously ... you should probably play elfball instead. Play to your own teams' strength ... not your opponents. Whats the point working downfield just to allow you opponent time to score late.


BO