Blood Bowl: Star Players you need to know about.

[Kalle]

With the second season of the Old World Cup almost upon us I thought I'd do a write-up on the best mercenaries of the game, the legendary Star Players.

The second season will see experienced teams face off against brand new teams and some teams have to give up over 500k worth of inducements. It is in this sort of environment that Star Players come in to help the underprivileged coach win the game against the odds. If you have been playing Matchmaking games in the public leagues or if you simply don't have that much experience with blood bowl then it's possible you've never seen a Star Player on the pitch before. This is what you should know.

If you have read the Competition Rules PDF you might have noticed that there are quite a lot of Star Players listed there. Most of them are not in the Cyanide game. I believe the reason is because Cyanide hasn't had the resources to make models for each star player but all teams have atleast one available. I'll ignore those that are not present in the Cyanide version of the game we are all playing for now.

When I mention player stat lines they will be in a 4-digit format. Like 7438. The first digit is the players MV, the second his ST, the third his AG, and the fourth his AV. Simple.

I'll do this on a team by team basis but before that I'll talk about Morg n' Thorg as he can be hired by almost everyone. The only teams he won't work for are those with undead players.

Morg n' Thorgis an amazing player. No doubt about that. He's a 6-6-3-10 Ogre with block(!). And he doesn't have Bonehead so you can always count on him to do what you ask. And agility 3, so you could even have him dodge if you really needed him to. But he's not cheap. 430k to be precise. At that price you have to consider what else you could get for your inducements. You could buy another star player and a reroll, or a wizard, and still have change left. A cheaper star player and a wizard can often make as much of an impact while costing less.

Amazons:

Amazons only get access to two star players. Zara the Slayer and Morg N' Thorg

Zara the Slayer costs 270k to induce and for that you get a 6438 cross between a troll slayer and an assassin. Her unique skill is a +1 to injury rolls when stabbing undead players but even if you don't happen to face the vitally challenged she is well worth the money. Block, dodge, , jump up, and dauntless on a ST4 player makes for an amazing blitzer. And she can stab people too. She will almost certainly be a better player than anyone else on the Amazon team. If you have the money, take her.

Morg N' Thorgwould be very useful on an Amazon team as they have no big guy of their own and if you had the money then I'd probably take him over Zara. Amazons have blodging blitzers like Zara already. Morg fills a vacant niche on the team.

Chaos:

Chaos gets access to three star players. Grashnak Blackhoof, Lord Borak the Despoiler, and Morg N' Thorg

Grashnak Blackhoof is a Minotaur. He's 6628 and doesn't suffer from Wild animal but has no extra skills. At 310k he's among the more expensive star players and frankly I don't feel he's worth it. Even with ST6 a frenzying minotaur with no block or juggernaught is going to roll skulls or both down and cause turnovers. He does nothing a regular minotaur couldn't do and the lack of Wild animal isn't enough to justify his cost. Loner will still make him fail re-rolls.

Lord Borak the Despoiler is a much more attractive option. With 5539 stats, block and mighty blow he is a big guy without the drawbacks. at 300k he's cheaper than Grashnak and for a starting Chaos team that is going to be short on players with block he is an excellent choice.

Morg N' Thorg is probably not worth 130k over Lord Borak. If you have that much extra inducements to spare Chaos would most likely be better served by purchasing an extra re-roll

Dark Elf:

Dark Elfs get access to three star players. Eldril Sidewinder, Horkon Heartripper, and Morg N' Thorg.

Eldril Sidewinder is the only player besides a Vampire with the Hypnotic Gaze skill. If you've ever played Vampires you'll know how potentially useful that is. He is also farily cheap at 200k. Eldril is an excellent receiver. With nerves of steel, catch, dodge and 8347 it's very hard to stop him from scoring. The obvious downside to that is that you usually don't want your star players to score. It hurts your team development and takes away SPP from your regular players. On the other hand, if the choice is between scoring with a star player or losing the game then scoring is always preferable.

Since the Dark Elves don't have any throwers and usually don't go for the long passing game Eldril is not a good fit for the team. He does offer a new scoring option and nerves of steel is something your opponents will have a hard time dealing. Hypnotic Gaze can also work wonders, but using that skill will mean Eldril ends his move next to an opponent, open for a return block. I think dark elves would be better off just hiring a blitzer or a witch elf with an extra skill instead of Eldril for the money as that would play more to their strengths.

Horkon Heartripper is an assassin extraordinaire. At 210k he has a standard 7347 statline but comes with both leap, shadowing, and multiple block. Leap is an extremely useful skill that can be used to get into cages or other tough spots where a dodge is unlikely to succeed. In combination with stab and multiple block you could conceivably leap into the middle of a cage and stab both the ball carrier and a player guarding him with no concern for assists. This is a very useful player and someone who is extremely hard for your opponent to stop before he strikes. The one danger with him is that leap is a 3+ roll with no skills to grant you rerolls and as a merc he has the loner skill making team rerolls unrealiable. Recommended, but don't be too surprised if he fails a leap and breaks something in the fall.

Morg N' Thorg is useful but you really need to consider your opposition. If you are facing a bashy team then Morg will give you cover on offense and provide a constant threat to pressure the opposing cage on defense as he'll outmuscle even the biggest opponents. This is vital to prevent stronger opponents from just stalling you for eight turns. If you are short on skills then Morg might be the only option you have for dealing with ST4+ players. On the other hand, if you are facing an agile team such as other elves or skaven (even with a rat ogre) then ST3 will be enough to threaten the ball carrier or blitz open running lanes and you are probably better off spending your inducements on something else.

[Kalle]

Dwarfs:

Dwarfs get three star players. Grim Ironjaw, Zara the Slayer, and Morg N' Thorg

Grim Ironjaw is a ST4 troll slayer. He comes with multiple block which is of questionable use as it doesn't combine with frenzy. The higher strength isn't worth as much when a regular troll slayer already has dauntless. Probably not worth an inducement at 210k.

Zara the Slayer is available and while she costs 270k she will do everything Grim Ironjaw does and do it better. at MV6 she's actually one of the most mobile players available on a dwarven team and her skills make her an excellent addition to a dwarf team.

Morg N' Thorg. A starting dwarf team with little or no Guard skills might have use for a ST6 player but realistically Dauntless on your troll slayers will see you through most scraps. Get Zara and use the change for something else. A wizard perhaps, or some beer.

Elfs:

The Pro Elfs get three star players. Eldril Sidewinder, Jordell Freshbreeze, and Morg N' Thorg.

Eldril Sidewinder works just like your catchers. A starting Elf team is usually short on positional players and Eldril has all the skills needed to work as a receiver deep in the opposing team's half. His hypnotic gaze will also open up routes in the opposition defence where your elfs might otherwise be hard pressed to break through. A very good choice at a relatively cheap cost.

Jordell Freshbreeze is one of the best players in the game. He's a cross between a pro elf blitzer and a wood elf wardancer, and he comes with AG5. For 260K you get an 8357 player with block, dodge, leap, sidestep and diving catch. He'll do anything your blitzers will do and do it better. He can also leap into cages to hit the ball carrier. With AG5 leap is a 2+ roll but Jordell is still a Loner so team rerolls can't be relied on. If you can afford either Jordell or Eldril I would take Jordell. The 60k difference in inducements would buy a bloodweiser babe but Jordell is a player that will win games for you.

Morg N' Thorg is a good choice. But he costs a lot more. Use him against bashy sides, against agile sides Jordell is a better choice.

Goblins:

The gobbos get three players. Ripper, Scrappa Sorehead, and Morg

Ripper is a non-stupid troll. With ST6 and grab he's not amazing but a goblin team with Ripper can put three trolls on the LOS. This will help you take out opposing players and it will save your poor gobbos from getting hit, and unlike your secret weapons he'll stay for the entire game. At 270K Ripper is almost a steal for what he offers the team. Hire him. Even if it means you can't afford any bribes.

Scrappa Sorehead is a pogoer. He comes with Right Stuff which lets him get tossed by your trolls, unlike a regular pogoer and he's got both sprint and sure feet. You might think tossing a pogoer sounds like a great idea but Scrappa has no skills to help him handle the ball and as a loner with average agility you can't trust team rerolls to help you. Scrappa isn't worth 150k. If you have that much left after hiring Ripper I suggest using it on bribes and babes.

Morg N' Thorg. Ripper is good enough nine times out of ten.

Halflings:

Halflings get three players. Deeproot Strongbranch, Zara the Slayer, and Morg.

Deeproot Strongbranch is the only ST7 player in the game. He also comes with block, strong arm for tossing halflings, and he doesn't take root like a regular treeman. Halflings suck. If you have the inducements you have to take Deeproot. No ifs and buts. Ideally this will give you three treemen to put on the LOS. It's the best 300k you'll ever spend. And it might even give you a slight chance of not losing.

Zara the Slayer would be an amazing player on a halfling team. If you can afford her. She has mobility unlike Deeproot but I'd still pick Deeproot over her. And if you have money lefter after hiring Deeproot you want to get a Halfling master chef. And if you have 270k left after that, well, get Zara. You'll need all the help you can get.

Morg N' Thorg. Too expensive for what he brings to the team. Halflings need Deeproot and a Chef. If you have 430k left after that for Morg then by all means, get him.

[Kalle]

High Elfs:

High Elfs have three star players available. Eldril Sidewinder, Zara the Slayer, and Morg.

Eldril Sidewinder can be played just like on a pro elf team. If you don't have any catchers yet take him. If you do have catchers of your own let them score and get Zara instead

Zara is still a great player. MV6 is a bit low on an elven team but she brings hitting power to the team. If you need someone to punch the opposing side while you set up your passes Zara is your girl. And when don't you need that?

Morg. See Dark Elfs. Sometimes you need muscle and Morg is what you have available.

Humans:

Humans have three star players available. Griff Oberwald, Zara the Slayer, and Morg.

Griff Oberwald is a beast. Statted out at 7448 with block, dodge, fend, sprint and sure feet he can do it all. 320k is expensive but he's a player that wins games. The downside is that he can steal a lot of SPP's from your team. Nevertheless, highly recommended.

Zara isn't quite as impressive on the roster next to Griff and the fact that she has Dauntless doesn't matter as much on a human team as they should hopefully have an ogre at hand. But she's 50k cheaper than Griff and that buys you a bloodweiser babe. If you just need a player to bash the opposition then she's your girl.

Morg. You should already have an Ogre. If you don't, for whatever reason, then Morg is a good replacement. A Human team needs a big guy and Morg does it better than anyone.

Khemri:

Khemri get access to two star players. Ramtut III and Nekbrekerekh.

Ramtut III is a ST6 mummy. He comes with break tackle, wrestle and MV5. This makes him both more mobile than your tomb guardians and less likely to cause a turnover in case the dice roll "both down". Unfortunately he's expensive at 380k and on a team that can start with four ST5 players already I don't see that much value in him. Wrestle is good for preventing turnovers but not good enough. If he came with block I would have considered him to be worth his cost. Without it I'd say spend your money on something else. If you find yourself short on tomb guardians then Ramtut is a good replacement and he can make a good roadblock as ST6 is really hard to take down.

Nekbrekerekh on the other hand is a very useful player for Khemri. A 6428 player with block, juggernaut and break tackle he is perfect for blitzing as break tackle means he's unlikely to get tied up. Juggernaught isn't that useful but on occasion you can surprise players with Stand Firm. For 220k he's a good investment.

Lizardmen:

The Lizardmen get two star players. Slibli and Morg.

Slibli is a 7419 Saurus with a bevy of useful skills. Block, guard, grab and stand firm make him very tough for the opposition to deal with. He is especially useful early in a Lizardmen team's career when your regular Saurus still don't have block. A very useful player for 250k.

Morg is probaly not worth it. Lizardmen are rarely outmuscled on the pitch and a ST6 player is most likely overkill. Unless you're Lizard King and get your Kroxigor killed, in which case Morg is your only hope.

[Jasper Phillips]

Dark Elf:

Dark Elfs get access to three star players. Eldril Sidewinder, Horkon Heartripper, and Morg N' Thorg.

Eldril Sidewinder is the only player besides a Vampire with the Hypnotic Gaze skill. If you've ever played Vampires you'll know how potentially useful that is. He is also farily cheap at 200k. Eldril is an excellent receiver. With nerves of steel, catch, dodge and 8347 it's very hard to stop him from scoring. The obvious downside to that is that you usually don't want your star players to score. It hurts your team development and takes away SPP from your regular players. On the other hand, if the choice is between scoring with a star player or losing the game then scoring is always preferable.

Since the Dark Elves don't have any throwers and usually don't go for the long passing game Eldril is not a good fit for the team. He does offer a new scoring option and nerves of steel is something your opponents will have a hard time dealing. Hypnotic Gaze can also work wonders, but using that skill will mean Eldril ends his move next to an opponent, open for a return block. I think dark elves would be better off just hiring a blitzer or a witch elf with an extra skill instead of Eldril for the money as that would play more to their strengths.

Throughly disagree here - Eldril kicks ass. Hypnotism is great for mezmerizing a cage corner and getting a direct blitz or stab on the ball carrier. On offense you can use hypnotize and then follow with a blitz to clear out the standard 2 deep columns that defenses use, and as a result easily plow straight down field. He's also an outstanding target for Dump Off, and an impossible to ignore receiving threat.

Outstanding deal for the price.

Horkon Heartripper is an assassin extraordinaire. At 210k he has a standard 7347 statline but comes with both leap, shadowing, and multiple block. Leap is an extremely useful skill that can be used to get into cages or other tough spots where a dodge is unlikely to succeed. In combination with stab and multiple block you could conceivably leap into the middle of a cage and stab both the ball carrier and a player guarding him with no concern for assists. This is a very useful player and someone who is extremely hard for your opponent to stop before he strikes. The one danger with him is that leap is a 3+ roll with no skills to grant you rerolls and as a merc he has the loner skill making team rerolls unrealiable. Recommended, but don't be too surprised if he fails a leap and breaks something in the fall.

I don't like him. Leap is great on an assassin, but I think Loner makes it too risky. Plus he's missing Block, which I think is a key skill for an assassin. Maybe against an AV 7 team like Amazons or Norse.

Also, I thought you couldn't Multi-block on a Blitz?

Morg N' Thorg would be useful but for his cost the DE could hire Horkon and get two rerolls and as DE tend to be light on rerolls this would probably be a better use of their money.

I think it'd depend on who you were facing. I'd love to have him vs. Undead.

[Kalle]

I'll get into Jasper's comments when I'm done with the teams.

Now, onto the next batch.

Necromantic:

The Necromantic team gets access to three star players. Nekbrekerekh, Ramtut III, and Count Luther Von Drakenborg

Nekbrekerekh is a 210k blitzer and a Necromantic team early on is going to be lacking good blitzers before your wolves can pick up block. He's also S4 and a lot more mobile than your flesh golems are going to be. A good choice while you're short on skills.

Ramtut III is more attractive on the Necromantic team because there are no ST5+ players on the roster normally. If you're up against an opponent that looks to outmuscle you on the pitch Ramtut can keep his big guys busy and keep the pressure off your ghouls. As he has wrestle instead of block it is often to your advantage not to block with him unless you can get a 3d block because wrestle will take him down and deprive you of his tackle zones. Aim to keep him upright and in base contact with your opponent, forcing them to block him or dodge away. He's a lot more useful as a threat if he stays on his feet.

Count Luther Von Drakenborg costs 390k. That's 30k more than Ramtut but as far as I'm concerned there is no question that Luther is the superior player. He's a 6549 vampire with block and side step that doesn't suffer from bloodlust. He lacks mighty blow making him less reliable at taking players off the pitch compared to Ramtut but he has block instead of wrestle and his ST5 means he can still go toe to toe with your opponents big guys. He also comes with the ever-useful hypnotic gaze and with AG4 he can handle the ball too.

Norse:

The Norse get three star players. Icepelt Hammerblow, Zara the Slayer and Morg N' Thorg.

Icepelt Hammerblow is a ST6 Yeti without Wild Animal. Nothing special about him. The lack of block hurts him as it does most big guys and 330k isn't the cheapest player out there but with claws and frenzy he is a threat to every player on the pitch. If he came with might blow I'd definitely recommend him as that's a skill every Yeti should pick on their very first level up but he's still not bad without it. Norse are fragile and having Icepelt help remove players from the pitch as well as take hits will help the team a lot. Just make sure to try to give him the assists he needs to make 3d blocks to make up for the lack of block.

Zara is good as always. She fits in well on a norse team.

Morg N' Thorg is better than Icepelt but if you're going up against a heavily armored side Icepelt's claws will probably be of more use.

Nurgle:

See Chaos.

Ogres:

Ogre teams get two star players. Scrappa Sorehead and Morg N' Thorg.

Scrappa Sorehead, goblin pogoer extraordinaire, is a much better hire on an Ogre team than he is on a goblin team. Scrappa is more mobile than anyone on the Ogre team and makes for a very good ball carrier and scoring threat. Snotlings are weak while Ogres have low AG and are prone to standing around and doing nothing at the worst possible moment. Scrappa can move the ball around and when the time is right he can either leap over the defenders or he can have an Ogre toss him for extra distance.

Morg, well, you want as many Ogres on the pitch as possible to minimize the number of snotlings. Morg is well worth it if you can afford him.

[Kalle]

Onwards.

Orcs:

Orcs get access to four different star players. Scrappa Sorehead, Ripper, Varag Ghoulchewer, and Morg N' Thorg.

Scrappa Sorehead is not worth the inducements. He's too unreliable on an Orc team where you have better options for handling the ball.

Ripper is a very cheap player for what he does at 270k for a 4619 troll. If you're up against a team with a big guy on the roster then Ripper will help you keep a strength advantage. If you're already the stronger team then I think a wizard and a reroll would be more reliable. Or if you have an extra 20k, get Varag.

Varag Ghoulchewer is a 6439 blitzer. He comes with block, jump up, and mighty blow for 290k and if you're not going to face ST5+ opponents then I would advice that you take him instead of Ripper. Mighty blow works just as well regardless of if it's used by a troll or a goblin as long as you knock your opponent down and with ST4 he should be able to get 2d blocks on most opponents. Block makes him a more reliable player.

Morg N' Thorg isn't that good of a choice for orcs. If you're facing big guys Ripper already gives you a ST6 option and if you want a strong blitzer then you can get Varag.


Skaven:

Skaven get access to two players. Headsplitter and Morg N' Thorg.

Headsplitter is a 6638 rat ogre who doesn't suffer from Wild animal. With no extra skills he costs 340k to hire. I don't like Headsplitter at all, I'll say that up front. A frenzy player with neither block nor juggernaught is likely to cause turnovers. He has AG3 so you could conceivably give him the ball but with neither block nor dodge even a 1d block from your opponent, should they manage it, is likely to see him drop like a sack of potatoes. If I had a blitzer with block and a spare reroll I'd even risk going for a 1/2d block against him if he had the ball. And I'd have decent odds too. If you must have a big guy then hire a plain rat ogre mercenary, that should set you back 190k. Or step up and hire Morg.

Morg N' Thorg. Unless you've managed to develop a rat ogre of your own with a few lucky skill rolls Morg is the best big guy you'll see. He's worth his fee simply because Skaven have so few good options.

Undead:

Most of it is already covered under the Necromantic team listings.

The Undead team gets access to three star players. Nekbrekerekh, Ramtut III, and Count Luther Von Drakenborg

Nekbrekerekh is a better blitzer than your wights. Worth his fee.

Ramtut III would give you an extra big guy but you already have two mummies. Ramtut doesn't add that much to the team.

Count Luther Von Drakenborg. If you can afford him, get him. He's that good.


Vampires:

The Vampire team gets access to two star players. Count Luther Von Drakenborg and Morg N' Thorg.

Count Luther Von Drakenborg is a better choice than Morg. You're not going to be able to afford both so just pick Luther and rejoice in being able to play with a vampire who won't try to snack on your thralls.

Wood Elfs:

The Wood Elf team gets access to four star players. Jordell Freshbreeze, Eldril Sidewinder, Zara the Slayer, and Morg N' Thorg. According to the rulebook, that is. Cyanide has, for some unfathomable reason, not included Zara on the Wood Elf roster.

For the other players see High Elfs and Pro Elfs. Really, there's very little to add.

[Jarmo]

Thank you very much for the guide, Kalle! You've clearly put in a lot of effort to produce such a clear, concise and thorough manual. This will be useful for a long time. I especially like your recommendations which cut to the chase and get the job done. I never got around to researching the star players to understand their different uses but now none of us need to, you already did all the heavy lifting.

I wouldn't be surprised to find outside links on the Internet to your work after a while. You rock!

[ShivaX]

I found that any Star Player without block tends to be a liability.

Most of the big guys fall into this category. They just become Turn Over machines and more often than not they can't even tie up opponents very well. A -2D block against a guy without block or wrestle is actually not that bad of odds, especially if your have block or wrestle yourself.

Sometimes the extra ST from a big guy can be huge, but more often than not they just get knocked down/tied up by crazed linemen and then gang fouled once they go down. If you can manage ST7 that changes the dynamic as well since a -3D block is practically suicide even with Block or Wrestle, but most Big Guy Stars are ST 6 without those key skills.

[Reldan]

Yeah, if the other guy spent a mint on a star player it's likely that my team is so much higher that I've got blocking skills even on my linemen. It wouldn't be my first action of a turn, but as a last action I'd certainly chance a 1/2 block against a star. The benefit of disabling them for a turn or even KOing them would be huge compared to the risk.

[Kalle]

ST6 star players without block are not reliable, no, But they're no more of a liability than running a standard ST5 big guy and unlike regular big guys they don't suffer from bonehead/wild animal/etc. A ST6 star player is on the pitch to give you a 2d blitz in nearly any situation, force opposing big guys to target him instead of your weaker regular players, and tie up opposing linemen.

If your opponent makes a 1/2d block against the ST6 big guy as his last action of the turn then that's a good thing. It means the player is doing what he's supposed to. Soaking up hits and keeping your regular team players safe. They have better armor than the rest of your team so they can take the hits and if your opponent rolls a skull then they usually have mighty blow so they can end up taking an opposing lineman off the pitch.

They have their drawbacks, sure, and I wouldn't recommend them for everyone but they have their use on the pitch and I've tried my best to indicate when they are a good choice for their respective team.

[Kalle]

Throughly disagree here - Eldril kicks ass. Hypnotism is great for mezmerizing a cage corner and getting a direct blitz or stab on the ball carrier. On offense you can use hypnotize and then follow with a blitz to clear out the standard 2 deep columns that defenses use, and as a result easily plow straight down field. He's also an outstanding target for Dump Off, and an impossible to ignore receiving threat.

Outstanding deal for the price.

I agree that he's an outstanding target for dump off but the lack of throwing skills on the DE team mean's he's a smaller receiving threat than on any of the other elf teams. AG4 covers a multitude of sins and DE can certainly make long passing plays if they need to but it's riskier and takes the team out of their comfort zone.

As for hypnotic gaze, yes, it's an excellent skill but it has one significant drawback. It forces Eldril to end his turn next to his opponent. Eldril is not a ST4 vampire, he's an AV7 elf with dodge. Ending a turn next to an opponent is just asking for a punch to the face. Sometimes hypnotic gaze can set up amazing plays and it's a real asset to the team. But every time you use it you risk seeing your expensive star player getcarried out on a stretcher.

I don't like [Horkon]. Leap is great on an assassin, but I think Loner makes it too risky. Plus he's missing Block, which I think is a key skill for an assassin. Maybe against an AV 7 team like Amazons or Norse.

Also, I thought you couldn't Multi-block on a Blitz?

Yes, he is risky. Riskier than Eldril really, and on second thought I think I would go with Eldril over Horkon. But I just love a leaping assassin. It can open up so many new options for you. And no, you're right, you can't use multiple block on a blitz.

I think it'd depend on who you were facing. I'd love to have [Morg] vs. Undead.

Fair point.

[Jasper Phillips]

Yeah, I do have to admit Eldril is a bit soft. I've faced him a couple times, and done a good job of pasting him. Even if he stays outside any tackle zones he's likely to get targeted with a Blitz, especially if your opponent has any Tackle at all.

Still I like him, largely due to the $200 price tag. The trick is to protect him until you can bust him out for a crippling play. I'd happily risk leaving him next to an opposing player if it let me blitz the ball carrier inside a cage I otherwise couldn't touch for example. Moreso if I could Strip Ball or bring Wrestle + Tackle combo to bear.

Hopefully your opponent will then be too busy to setup a 2 die block on him, or at least can't do so with Tackle or Mighty Blow. The odds of him being hurt are relatively low if you don't do it frequently, and at least it's him getting pasted rather than someone on your roster!

[Janster]

Eldril is an awesome starplayer, his combo of nerves of steel and pass block can be vital against many teams.
He is not ment to be on the frontlines, nor used in a combat situation, but keep him safe, and watch him intercept like nothing else.

I play in the Orca Cola, a great championship for anyone who wants an intense and fun league to play in.
I have clawed myself up from 6 division to now 2nd, and then there is the prized 1st division, that works like this, there are 4 x 2nd divs, but only 1 first division, only the two top teams get to stay...the rest goes to 2nd.
Awesome way to keep the challenge up in the top ranks.

[Jasper Phillips]

Quick note: Wood Elves don't actually have access to Zara the Slayer, that's only in tabletop. Reldan got burned by this in Hepcats vs. Unicorn Apocalypse.

[Lizard_King]

In view of the coming differentials in TV in the Old World Season 3, bumping this thread.

[Kalle]

Updated some of the entries. My game last season against Sten where my minty fresh Unicorns faced off against his brutal veteran Sackers really showed me how an elf team facing a 500+ TV differential against a bashy team needs Morg to stand a chance.

On offense I could hide my ball carrier behind him while trying to get runners in place for a pass. On defense he could constantly pressure even the strongest cage to force the opponent to score instead of stall out until the last turn. His mighty blow helped remove opponents from the pitch, and he took blocks that otherwise would have been aimed at my fragile AV7 unskilled players. He made all the difference.

[Lizard_King]

Morg is probaly not worth it. Lizardmen are rarely outmuscled on the pitch and a ST6 player is most likely overkill. Unless you're Lizard King and get your Kroxigor killed, in which case Morg is your only hope.

>:(

>:(

[John Many Jars]

OMG I JUST REALIZED WHY LIZARD KING PLAYS LIZARDS!

IT'S BECAUSE HE'S LIZARD KING!

GET IT?

[notatiger]

OMG I JUST REALIZED WHY LIZARD KING PLAYS LIZARDS!

IT'S BECAUSE HE'S LIZARD KING!

GET IT?

Not quite. Could you expand on that?

[maxle]

So, uh, anyone wanna talk about inducements in general? Lazy keeps telling me I should get a halfling chef vs Jasper, but Lazy's most notable trait is that when given a choice between an optimal course of action and a course of action that permits greater opportunities for trolling, he goes with the latter every time. So I don't believe him. OTOH, If I'm able to afford Morg, Lord Whoever the hell, and a chef--which is entirely possible--then it gets more appealing.

More general advice would be great, of course. People keep saying wizards are essential, and I believe them, but I've no idea how/when to employ one, so I'm reluctant to spend my inducement money there.

[MrCoffee]

Or it happens like me that i forget that i had bought the wizard so i used it in the last turn against Reldan (sorry :P)

[Reldan]

Here's the inducements in a nutshell.

1) Wizard - Best 150k you can spend period. This is the inducement that the team with the higher TV might pay 150k out of pocket just to buy in a finals match. A wizard at its best will prevent a score from your opponent and give a score to you - a potential 2 point swing that could win a game outright. You either lightning bolt the ball carrier if you think you can swoop in and steal the ball away, or drop a fireball on the ball carrier if you can catch 3-4 other guys with it.

2*) Star Players - see guide above

3) Master Chef - For Halfling teams that can get this for 100k this is an absolute no-brainer. For everyone else, at 300k this is worth it I think only if you're going up against a team that has only 2-3 rerolls as the possibility of leaving them with no rerolls for an entire half can be devastating. Now, if you already have a wizard and two star players and still have 300k leftover, I'd probably get this next.

4) Babes - Filler. This is what you buy if you have only 50k leftover to spend. If you have 100k it's a choice between 2 of these or a reroll, which really depends on whether you're a low AV team that might get a lot of KOs or a high AV team that probably won't.

5) Rerolls - Filler, see Babes above.

6) Bribes - Goblins get a 50k discount on these and can really use them for their secret weapons. Possibly worth it at 100k for a dwarf team with a deathroller. Not worth it for anyone else.


*The really questionable situations come up where you could either buy a wizard and some filler OR a star player. This is where the star player guide comes in handy, as some stars are worth their cost more than others. I'd generally say get the wizard, but my rule of thumb is that if you have no bench then go with the star player, because the star player has the added benefit of providing a critical 12th man you'll probably need if you're facing a higher TV opponent. However, if you've already got a bench I'd get a wizard first every time.

Generally if you could afford to induce Morg you probably could grab a star like Zara instead plus a wizard. Zara is no Morg, but I think her plus a wizard is scarier. If you can buy Morg AND a wizard, then opponents beware. That's a scary combination.

[maxle]

Thanks, Reldan

[Jasper Phillips]

At present you'd have 1150k inducements, although that'll likely be a bit less since Hepcats vs. Persuaders is in week 3. Presumably you'll have picked up a Minotaur by then, so let's go with an even 1000k inducements.

Here's what I'd pick:
150k : Wizard
300k : Borak
430k : Morg
Leaving you ~120k in change for beer, a reroll, or maybe a bribe.

If it was 300k change I'd consider a Chef, but I think the extra Muscle from Morg and Borak takes priority (7 guys with 4+ ST!), and the Wizard is a must. All that team strength is a real pain for a ST 3 only team like the Dark Elves to deal with (e.g. checkout Nighthawks vs. Imperialism in the OWC Quaterfinals on BBManager).

Personally, I don't think Halfling Chefs are really worth it, unless you're playing Halflings and get the discount price, have a huge inducement difference and already bought all the good things, or perhaps if your opponent only has 2 rerolls.

If you haven't picked up your Minotaur, I'd also induce a Merc Minotaur for 180k, perhaps even going 230k to give him a skill.


As for Wizards, the usage is pretty simple -- hold onto it so you opponent is afraid to bunch up, and Fireball him if he does. Sometimes Bolting a runaway ballcarrier is a good play too. Oh, and put a post-it note on your monitor so you don't forget to cast your spell. ;-)

I think Wizards are perhaps a bit less useful against Dark Elves than many other teams, as Dump Off makes it easier for them to spread out, but it's still definitely worth it.

I'd only consider not taking a Wizard if I had just enough for a strong player like Morg and felt I really needed the extra muscle. Generally I'd still prefer a Wizard, but it'd depend on the matchup.

[Lazy Shiftless Bastard]

The only problem I have with wizards is that I've literally never seen one actually work.

On the other hand I have used chefs before for some great (and not quite as great) results. And Jasper only had 4 rerolls last time I checked, so losing any could be painful.

I would put star players as the #1 priority if you have to choose, since I think outmuscling (is that a word?) someone for an entire game is more useful than having 2 or 3 people knocked down by someone with mighty blow. Naturally if you've ever seen a wizard do something actually useful you might disagree.

[Kalle]

My experience these past couple of seasons has been this. Morg is a fucking beast and if it's the choice between Morg and a wizard+change I'll take Morg any day of the week and twice on sundays.

A wizard works once. Sometimes in a spectacular fashion that snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Other times with less spectacular results. Morg will stand on your side the entire game. You simply can't argue with ST6 and block. The thing about wizards is that you really can't defend against them so it's little use planning for it. Morg on the other hand forces your opponent to react as soon as he's placed on the pitch. He's the guy you hide behind on offense and the guy you send to blitz a cage corner and mark the ball carrier on defense.

If you can't afford Morg, and he is an expensive beast, then a wizard should be your first priority. Other star players can be useful if you simply don't have the skills you need on a starting team but you need to be a fairly experienced coach to make that choice. Wizards are much easier to deal with.

[Jasper Phillips]

On the other hand I have used chefs before for some great (and not quite as great) results. And Jasper only had 4 rerolls last time I checked, so losing any could be painful.

Hey, take the Chef! No skin of my back, I'd prefer it that way. :-)

I started the Hepcats with 1 reroll, so losing ~1.5 rerolls out of 4 just doesn't bother me that much -- if it did I'd spend some of my cash boosting the team up to 5 or even 6 rerolls. I have enough cash on hand -- but I'd rather save the money to induce Wizards myself in the playoffs, despite it giving my opponents 150k more inducements.

I would put star players as the #1 priority if you have to choose, since I think outmuscling (is that a word?) someone for an entire game is more useful than having 2 or 3 people knocked down by someone with mighty blow. Naturally if you've ever seen a wizard do something actually useful you might disagree.

I think you're underestimating how potent the threat of having the wizard is, even if it's never used. And when it does get used, occasionally it does nothing. More often it nets you a point, or even two. Most of the games I've lost when I've yielded inducements have been due to wizards I believe.

As for it never doing anything, the odds of a Fireball knocking down players in a typical 5 man cage are only slightly behind the chef's odds on 6 tries. Yet the Fireball has more impact and costs half as much.

Moreover, while only a relatively few players are typically dropped, this can often be plied into 2d blocks elsewhere you wouldn't have had, with the effect continuing into subsequent rounds as you take advantage of placing your players next to prone opponents so you can Block or Tackle them when they rise.

It is the only inducement I'd actually pay cash out of pocket for. Well, except perhaps for Beer or an extra Apothecary in an exceptional circumstance.

[Jasper Phillips]

The thing about wizards is that you really can't defend against them so it's little use planning for it.

You defend against them by spreading out, and running a different style of offense. It prevents you from bunching up into a tight cage, can really hose you after a scrum, and turns a normally safe deep run past the defense by a single player into a substantial risk of being Bolted and at least Stunned so that your opponent recovers the ball.

The threat of it can also force you to score where you'd otherwise run the clock out, giving the team with a wizard a chance for an answering TD where they would otherwise have none -- without the wizard even being used.

I change my play substantially when my opponent has a wizard, and often attempt to bait (at substantial risk!) a Fireball or Bolt that I think I can likely recover from so that I don't have to worry about it later.

[Kalle]

Caging exists because it's the best way to protect the ball carrier with the smallest amount of players. If you don't cage up then you simply trade the threat of a wizard against the threat of the opposing team. My point stands. The wizard can get you wherever and whenever. You can't prevent it so it's usually best not to worry too much about it. Keep a player or two near the ball out of fireball range, sure, but that's it.

[Jasper Phillips]

My experience these past couple of seasons has been this. Morg is a fucking beast and if it's the choice between Morg and a wizard+change I'll take Morg any day of the week and twice on sundays.

Yeah, I'm coming around to this view too, though it depends on the teams involved.

I hope to get a chance to test this out in the OWC Finals, but I'll have to get through these damned Lizards first!