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neoliminal
Last seen 40 weeks ago
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Archive

2013

2013-03-14 17:43:54
rating 4
2013-03-12 04:31:34
rating 2.2
2013-03-07 08:41:32
rating 4.5
2013-02-16 19:18:37
rating 5.1
2013-02-07 15:04:06
rating 3.1
2013-01-29 19:46:39
rating 1.7
2013-01-27 18:30:16
rating 2.4

2012

2012-12-23 19:51:33
rating 4.5
2012-12-17 23:47:55
rating 3.4
2012-12-17 17:08:09
rating 2.6
2012-11-30 03:49:51
rating 3.4
2012-11-30 23:31:45
16 votes, rating 3
Three steps to instantly improve your game.
These are the three practical steps to playing better Blood Bowl, regardless of your team's race or your coaching experience.

1. Eliminate risk.

At the start of every turn there will almost always be players who can move with absolutely no risk. This might be standing up a player who who was prone. It might be a lineman who can assist with a block that will come later. Always start with the no risk moves first.

Then slowly increase the risk level of moves. If you have 2+ moves that require a dodge with the dodge skill, that should happen before a 1 die block. The odds are out there to look up, but you get to know them fast enough. You should be moving from least risky to most risky. Why? Because a turnover ends your turn and that means you miss the opportunity to make those "riskless" moves if you try something crazy first.

2. Always be hitting the ball on defense.

On every turn your plan should include an attempt to either pick up the ball or hit the ball carrier. It doesn't matter how outrageous the plan is, the constant pressure of attacking the ball is absolutely the number one way to improve your defense. How outrageous can the plan be? How does a blitz with two dodges, two go for its, and a single die block sound? It sounds great! Why? Because your opponent can never rest. They know you will do absolutely anything to hit the ball carrier. Often failed attempts leave your player face down smack in the middle of the opposing offense. How annoying is that? Very annoying.

3. Predict the location the ball will be next turn.

This is the most important rule. On offense and defense, make a prediction where the ball will be next turn. If you can predict a square where the ball will be, then everything you plan for that turn can be about that space. On offense, you can start sending free players around that location to create a cage. On defense you can put your toughest players right in the middle of where the action is going to be.

Remember to count the number of squares the ball carrier can move. Where will they end up? Can they go very far? Can you arrange your blockers to sit right outside his blockers range so they give you first block advantage next turn? Predicting the balls location next turn is a skill that develops over time and with affinity to the different races, but once you get a feel for where the ball will be (or might be) next turn you have a definite advantage over those who don't.

I hope these tips have been helpful.
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Comments
Posted by freak_in_a_frock on 2012-11-30 23:45:55
Point No.2 is wrong. Often you do not want to get the ball or hit the carrier, sometimes it is just about pressurizing the ball carrier into the area of the field you want (see point 3)
Posted by blader4411 on 2012-11-30 23:45:59
#2 is very risky: if always hitting the ball comes at the cost of never-ending man-marking, you may find yourself out of players by the end of the drive. That, or have your best player gang-fouled.
Posted by Rabe on 2012-12-01 00:30:53
I agree on the sentiments concerning #2. I tend to play like this and often got myself out of positions since it's hard to attack the ball AND cover vast areas of the pitch at the same time. I also postpone moving certain players to after the attack on the ball, since I don't know if the ball will still be in my opponent's possession (in which case I'll most likely have to cover more space in my half) or if I'll have a chance to at least make it hard for him to recover it. If the attack on the BC ends with a turnover though, several of my players are rather out of position.

While #1 is generally right, there are very often situations where it's simply not true and you really should (or have to) so a risky move first (for example trying to make a whole into the opponent's defense and move your players through afterwards). Depends very much on the amount of both, risk and reward of certain actions.
Posted by fly on 2012-12-01 01:04:53
also see:
https://fumbbl.com/help:The+Taoch!+of+Blood+Bowl%3A+A+Condensed+Guide+for+Newbies
-most of your advice is covered there.
#2 doesn't work with all races equally, comparing WE to dorfs.
Posted by Wreckage on 2012-12-01 01:23:30
I'd not even do #2 every turn if I had a leaper. Gotta take it easy sometimes or I gonna lose him.
Posted by Niebling on 2012-12-01 02:44:39
#1 is wrong as Well, you cant just work upwards in risk management sometimes some Rolls are so imprtant to Make that you have to dó Them first.
Its stupid to dó 2+ Dodge if you have a game winning 4+ move somewhere else:)
Posted by latulike on 2012-12-01 04:00:05
says the coach with 38 win %...
Posted by Lorebass on 2012-12-01 06:41:10
hehehe, dont be mean, its a former NAF Prez.

Honestly when you can play 1-20 games a day on fumbbl you realize different ways to play. instead of making MORE rolls in #2 force the opponent with the ball to make all the rolls. a one is rolled one in six times and if you force the player to roll 12+ dice then more often than not they fail
Posted by Garion on 2012-12-01 10:36:15
Made this a little neater - http://fumbbl.com/help:The+Taoch%21+of+Blood+Bowl%3A+A+Condensed+Guide+for+Newbies

still the best newbie guide about imo for anyone that is interested.
Posted by Reisender on 2012-12-01 12:22:57
rule 1) good as a rule fo thumb, althoguh the taoch rightly says metarules are made to nbe broekn
rule 2) wrong. decision when to attack the ball and when to pressure the ball and when to screen the pitch is the most difficult. if it where: hit the ball when you if risk is below xy...ok
rule 3)generally an ok rule for new guys. sure it can be worked out more precisely and sometimes you cant make a prediciton (because your moves if you predict a) will lead to the ball being in b) ... still okm as a a rule, esp. counting ma squares should help.
Posted by Kam on 2012-12-01 14:50:05
I agree with the other comments. But there's also two more crucial advices:

1) BB isn't about not taking or minimazing risks all the time. It's about thinking what's gonna happen next if the risk you took didn't pay off (and caused a tournover, the death of your star, etc), and be prepared. Yeah, my GFI to blitz the ball carrier failed, but that's cool, because I positionned my players thinking about this eventuallity before that. Most of th people complaining about bad luck during a game don't get this point.

2) Rules are meant to be broken.
Posted by PigStar-69 on 2012-12-02 10:39:28
bollocks ;-)