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Strategy and Tactics - norse tactics?!?!
loki_924 - Jan 02, 2006 - 11:53 PM
Post subject: norse tactics?!?!
i am kinda new to bloodbowl(played a few games) and am wondering if any of you have tips for the norse team. i converted the team and haven't finished painting it, but want some general tips.
thanks
leo
Tim - Jan 03, 2006 - 03:02 AM
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Playing Norse, you will have to realize that you play a team with a crap statline (6 3 3 7) and great starting skills, esp. Block all around and 4-5 players with Frenzy. If you play in a league setting, you will first greatly benefit from the skills and then start to suffer from the statline the more your and your oppenents' teams develop.
Game Strategy:
- Minimize risky plays, otherwise AG3 will hurt you, eat up Rerolls and cause turnovers. This means you will usually run a cage and only use passes and handovers in a secured position or as a emergency tactic. This will get more and more difficult if your leagues average TR advances, because your mediocre speed will force you to play relatively slow while your low durability will force you to play relatively quick in order to get the replacements in.
- If you have the ball, keep it safe! If you lose the ball, most other teams will either outrun you and score or outbash you in the battle for the ball.
- Unless you have the advantage on numbers on the pitch, block and don't follow up on defence to avoid getting hurt too much. Although your players have block, they only have AV7.
- Do everything to get and keep the advantage on numbers on the pitch, including sticking the boot in if the odds are in your favour.
- Own the sidelines. Your biggest advantage is frenzy. If you are on offence, run along one of the sidezone lines (the one 4 squares of the sideline). Your opponent will be forced to put players in the sidezone to stop your drive. Try to push them off the pitch. On defence. keep your players concentrated in the middle to force your opponent into a sidezone again.
League Strategy:
- up to TR 150 you have one of the strongest lineups around. Make use of your all-block advantage, make use of frenzy, score alot, and gather as many SPP as possible.
- Your linemen are awesome, use lots of them and develop them. They come with block, so they'll always have a one-skill advantage on most other lineman.
- Get an Ogre as soon as possible and give him guard on the first regular skill roll. The Ogre will bind a lot of players or the opponent's big guy and absorb hits that will otherwise take out your more vulnerable players. I would not suggest to get a Minotaur, unless you have a very AG-heavy league.
- after TR 150 your opponents will have a lot of block players, they'll have some sideline players with Standfirm or Sidestep, so your starting advantage will disapear. From now on, you'll have to play with what you gained as skills in the first games. If you were lucky, you'll get a few stat increases. +MV is nice on most players but a thrower. +AG is a blessing, even on a blitzer (2+ dodges). +ST is plain awesome. Get it on a blitzer and you'll have a player to scare the league.
- Skillwise, focus on survivability first: Dodge, Sidestep is great for the catchers, guard goes well on the blitzers if they operate in pairs. Unfortunately, Linemen need a double for the important skills: Guard esp. and maybe Dodge. With regular rolls, make sure you get at least 2-3 dirty players and 2-3 tacklers, one early pick of strip ball will help as well. The throwers should get Surehands as a first skill to minimize pickup problems and protection against strip ball, then focus on passing skills, you will be forced to pass more with a higher TR, so increase your range. On doubles, dodge is a great option for protection, but strong arm is nice as well.
There's more to say, but i think this is enough for the start 
loki_924 - Jan 03, 2006 - 08:38 AM
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what is the cage? i have heard about it, but never seen it
Xeterog - Jan 03, 2006 - 11:28 AM
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putting your Ball Carrier in the middle of 4 (or more) players that make it next to impossible for your opponent to get a 2db (or even a 1db) blitz on your ball carrier.
a Simple cage will look something like an X You can make a looser cage if you want. putting more players in tho, makes it easier for the opponent to chain push your ball carrier out of the cage.
You can also use the side line if you are brave and make a cage with only 3 players.
loki_924 - Jan 04, 2006 - 10:31 PM
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any other tatics you would like to share?
Ahmrik - Jan 07, 2006 - 06:01 AM
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Hi,
I've been using Norse for about a year now.
My main opponents have been High Elves, Ogres, Orcs and Dwarfs.
Against High Elves:
have your Blitzers following Catchers around
put 4 linemen on the LOS
be wary that although they are elves they are faster AND have better armour than you
Against Ogres:
NEVER end a turn in an ogres tackle zone
Not sure on the odds but it's not too bad to do a two dice block (Opponents favour) on ogres if you have block (Thats how i killed two ogres in one match 
)
Don't be afraid to foul an ogre if you manage to knock one down
Goblins are there to die 
Against Orcs:
Beware the Blitzers, They are the best scorers, have block and are just as fast as you.
Against a cage make sure your opponent will need to blitz/make a dodge each turn. I often sacrifice a lineman by standing him in front of an oncoming cage
Against Dwarves
Runners don't have block. Slayers have less armour. These are your targets.
Dodge away from them where ever possible. Don't fight them.
That's all for now.
My last games against these teams were:
Norse vs High Elves 3-2 win
Norse vs Dwarfs 4-0 win
Norse vs Ogres 3-0 win 4 people (2 from each) sent off
Norse vs Orcs 2-1 win
loki_924 - Jan 09, 2006 - 09:11 PM
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any other advice?
Tim - Jan 10, 2006 - 04:28 AM
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Try it out yourself. Blood Bowl is a game that has many tactical principles that are hard to explain, but mastering those makes the difference between an excellent and a good coach
Tecumseh - Mar 16, 2006 - 01:46 PM
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Thanks for the information. I am also a NOOB playing Norse and this has been a help. I am playing a lot more "Bashy" teams though.
voyagers_uk - Jun 09, 2006 - 06:50 AM
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How do people think this will change with the LRB 5.0 rules
Ulfwereners and a Snow Troll. Runners with Dauntless?
SuM - Jun 09, 2006 - 09:41 AM
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Gortex wrote:
putting your Ball Carrier in the middle of 4 (or more) players that make it next to impossible for your opponent to get a 2db (or even a 1db) blitz on your ball carrier.
a Simple cage will look something like an X You can make a looser cage if you want. putting more players in tho, makes it easier for the opponent to chain push your ball carrier out of the cage.
You can also use the side line if you are brave and make a cage with only 3 players.
To Illustrate the Cage for ya.
GreedySmurf - Jun 12, 2006 - 06:54 PM
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voyagers_uk wrote:
How do people think this will change with the LRB 5.0 rules
Ulfwereners and a Snow Troll. Runners with Dauntless?
Admittedly I only played a half dozen games with the old roster before changing to the new, but I like the new, it has more possibilities.
I don't like losing two Beserkers, even though the Ulf's are stronger, that lack of Block really make me wary of getting them into the thick of it.
The Snow Troll is good, but has a huge target on his front because of those Claws he starts with.
The Runners, are a bit odd for mind. They are the Norses' most effective Offensive weapons and as such are big targets, but to make full use of Dauntless you need to be sending them against big guys, which for me is unnecessairly risky for the two guys earning the bulk of the SPP's in the team. With that extra bit of movement, agaisnt bashy teams I use them put pressure on the ball while it's still in the oppositon half, or agaisnt agility teams I use them for backfield coverage. In either case Dauntless rarely comes into play.
Office_Clone - Jun 13, 2006 - 08:07 AM
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I guess you could think of it as in the open field with the ball laying a big hit on someone and bowling them over at the goal line. I think that if you shoot the gap in the LOS with one of the runners you could take out a big guy or BOB and let your lineman clean up the mess, then drop him back into coverage with the other runner. Just me as I am an NFL Nut. Berzerkers= Line Backers where Runners= Safteys/Corner Backs on Defense.
voyagers_uk - Jul 05, 2006 - 07:33 AM
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I am excited to give this a try now.
My starting roster is as follows
5 Linemen
1 Thrower
2 Runners
2 Beserkers
1 Ulfwerener
&
Snowi The White (My Snow Troll)
1 reroll and
1 Fan factor
I decided to go 12 men and position heavy at the expense of rerolls because of the way I play and given who my opponents are.
First match is against a High Elf team with team value 1.14m so I start with inducements. I may go for
1) a reroll
2) an apoth
3) a chainsaw star and a bloodweiser babe.
the deeper roster should protect me for the first game and then cash can go towards an apoth and rerolls before I buy the 2nd Ulf and the remaining thrower.
I intend to use the runners as deep cover in the back field and use the linemen to score.
Our league has decided to allow the coach to choose the MVP winner so the Ulf or the Troll will probably get my first one. with their first skill choices being Block and Mighty Blow respectively
Seannewboy - Jul 07, 2006 - 09:21 AM
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Wow i didnt realize Norse had so many strategies, i thot he just painted and went for the ball.
voyagers_uk - Jul 14, 2006 - 07:46 AM
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voyagers_uk wrote:
I am excited to give this a try now.
My starting roster is as follows
5 Linemen
1 Thrower
2 Runners
2 Beserkers
1 Ulfwerener
&
Snowi The White (My Snow Troll)
1 reroll and
1 Fan factor
I decided to go 12 men and position heavy at the expense of rerolls because of the way I play and given who my opponents are.
the deeper roster should protect me for the first game and then cash can go towards an apoth and rerolls before I buy the 2nd Ulf and the remaining thrower.
I intend to use the runners as deep cover in the back field and use the linemen to score.
Our league has decided to allow the coach to choose the MVP winner so the Troll will probably get my first one. with their first skill choices being Block and Mighty Blow respectively
my first match was delayed, it gave me time to doubt my set-upo and the inconsistancy of Frenzy on a player without Block. I have now chosen instead to drop the Ulf and take a 6th lineman ( the fabulous "Iceberg Dedahed" ) the remaining 50k will either go on an apoth or a 2nd reroll.
leaning towards the reroll.
Tecumseh - Aug 13, 2006 - 09:16 PM
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Norse are a great team early on in a league. Having a lot of players with Block really gives you an advantage.
voyagers_uk - Oct 13, 2006 - 06:33 AM
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first game out of the way midway through second (league has a Pbem participant)
first game won 1-0 versus Necro. concentrated on wights, weres and ghouls. took them out. Runners and Troll tied up the golems in the middle and thrower sneaked downfield with a lineman back-up.
Runners + Dauntless is great
Troll, Wild Animal is good too now if only Blocking/Blitzing which is what he tends to do.
rest of the team hasn't changed much from 4.0 so still good at low TV/TR
Second game versus Lizards 1-0 at half time. Lizards only fielding 9 for second half (I still have 12) I am due to kick, I can see a lot of knock downs happening, as of his 9, 5 are ST2.
My Stunty hunter (Lineman with tackle) is making a nuiscance of himself and one beserker is fouling every other turn. 2 SI's to his name.
Buggrit - Oct 16, 2006 - 11:10 AM
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+ Snow Trolls have Disturbing Presence, great for blitzing down the pitch and f'ing with the other players throwers.
kano - Nov 04, 2006 - 08:21 AM
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Plus the Mighty Blow/Claw is probably the most lethal combo in LRB5......
DarkDancer17 - Nov 04, 2006 - 05:51 PM
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Thankfully they don't have Mighty Blow and Claw to start. 
Rammstein_DK - Oct 30, 2007 - 04:57 PM
Post subject: Also newbe Norse coach
How does this lineup look to you ?
1 Thrower
1 Berserker
1 Ulfwerner
1 Snow troll
7 Linemen
3 RR
1 Apo
1 FF
Its going to play in an open leauge, with teams with a TR between 1.000.000 - 1.800.000
The opponents are ;2xDwarfs, Darkelfs, Amazons, Lizards, Humans, Woodelfs, Norse, Orc, goblin, Chaos and Nurgle...