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Blood Bowl Defensive Setup I: Principles
Defensive Setup in Blood Bowl
Part I: Principles of Defense
by JackassRampant
As a defensive team, you have to set up in ignorance of what the offense will do, and then they’ll get to act before you do. For this reason, it’s best to think of defense as consisting of a “front 3” and a “back 8” players. (See Parts IX and X for some exceptions.) Your front 3 are your line of scrimmage players, while the back 8 make use of Blood Bowl screening pinciples to control space and/or protect key players.
Pitch Terminology
From one team’s perspective, the pitch is symmetrical from side to side, but not from front to back, in that one half is yours and the other is theirs, but nobody owns the left or right side. As such, I’ve found it most convenient to talk about horizontal positioning in terms of distance from the center column. The center column, thus, is labeled “0” and the columns on each side are “left 1” and “right 1”, respectively. The wide zone markers are between the 3 and 4 columns, and the sideline is outside the 7 column at the far end. For vertical alignment, the offense is on top, and the defense is on bottom: since this series is about defensive setup, assume the line of scrimmage is at the top of each diagram.
The Line of Scrimmage
The default philosophy for how to manage the Line of Scrimmage can be summed up as: “Your opponent will knock over anything you put up, so put up the three cheapest players unless there is a much tougher player who doesn’t cost a lot more.” The most important caveat is that if you can put up a defensive line so tough that your opponent can’t (or shouldn’t) knock it over, that's nice.
As far as setting up the line of scrimmage, there are several possible lines, each indicated by lateral notation from left to right. Use a comma if you cross over the zero column to avoid confusion.
101 Line
303 Line
321 Line
123 Line
1,23 Line
Generally, the 101 line is the best way to concentrate strength in the center and avoid offensive shenanigans, but there are good reasons to use a 303 line or a 321 or 123 line sometimes. I often see novice coaches playing 202 lines, and in my experience this is usually a mistake, as it allows maximum support for all offensive line blocks without controlling extra territory.
The Back Eight
There are several ways to skin this cat (otherwise I wouldn’t have written all this), but generally your back eight are trying to establish some cocktail of spatial control, player protection, and responsiveness. Each defense offers a different mix of these traits, and in different ways: the chevron, described in Part III, is a combination of the three objectives, while its cousin the ziggurat forfeits some player protection in exchange for stronger midfield control. The boat, AKA, the “rule of five,” “castle,” or “anchor” defense, it’s great for protecting key players and putting them in position to respond, but it forfeits wide zone control entirely.
The core principle behind 99% of all defensive backfields is the screen. A screen is formed when two teammates on the same or adjacent planes are standing with no more than two empty squares between them, such that their tackle-zones intersect or overlap.
Generally, players in contact with enemy players can't be considered part of a screen, as they can be knocked down or pushed away. There are some exceptions, such as double-coverage, positioning skills, or prone or stunned players in the way ("trash"), but in general, unless you know better, marked players aren't part of a proper screen.
A double-screen is a pair of overlapping screens, where removing one player doesn’t necessarily infringe on the integrity of the screen as a whole. There are three types of double-screen: the line, the trap, and the stack or column. Each of these presents a different set of strengths and weaknesses:
Line screens consist of players on the same plane. A line screen is strong because the players can all assist or prevent assists when the others are blocked. Line screens are a great way to control midfield. Unfortunately, in the wide zones, line screens extending beyond the 5 column are risky, unless the outermost player in the screen can’t effectively or profitably be pushed.
Line Screen
Trap screens have two players adjacent and diagonal with respect to each other. They provide the same width as line screens, and can protect players inside the screen, but unlike a line screen, each of the forward players is on its own and can’t rely on support if blitzed.
Trap Screen
Stack screens, otherwise known as columns, are made of players back to back. They provide the strongest redundancy against attempts to push them aside, but are one square narrower than the equivalent line or trap screen, and like with the trap screen, the rear player can’t protect or avenge the forward player.
Stack Screen
The Spine
It's possible to control the whole width of the pitch using five players, one in the 0 column, and one each in the 3 and 6 columns on either side. This is the "spine" of the pitch, and many of these defenses either create or imply a "spine screen" with players in all five squares. Sometimes the realities of the situation will prevent a team from accessing the three squares covered by one of the "vertebrae" of the spine, so not all screens that cover the spine have players in all 5 positions.
The Spine
Frequently you'll see the spine covered with a 2-5 screen forming a trap, to prevent blitzes from opening too large a hole or in too convenient a place. This is the basis of the Chevron defense, and is used in the wide zone in most (but not all) sideline and full-width defenses.
Trap Spine Screen (left side)
The Buddy System
You should generally observe a "buddy system" when you set up, and as you play, trying to keep a friendly zone on any open player who might get blitzed. Okay, maybe you don't have to give every player a buddy, but what this really means is that no player should be entirely on their own, unless they're out of the action, behind a good screen, or cheap and peripheral.
Back in LRB6 days you wanted a friendly zone on every player, because of Piling On, but today I'd say the strength of thinking of the game in terms of a "buddy system" is that any exposed player could be blitzed and removed, and what then? Having a buddy with a zone on your "blitz-me" players, or maybe having an intact screen behind or beside them, denies a lot of opportunity to your opponent, and often leads to return blocks or helps you set up Frenzy traps. It's a guideline, not a rule, but if you observe the relationships between your own players and their zones, you'll start to see the patterns.
~~~
Keep these principles in mind when reading these articles, you’ll see they’re the basis not only of all defensive setup, but of all “Cult of Position” Blood Bowl theory, and even the loosest gambler uses these formations liberally. Enjoy reading about defenses: we’re going to start with the interior defenses that ruled the roost in the LRB5/6 era, and we’ll go from there. In all your endeavors, have fun and good luck!
— JR
Back to table of contents
Part I: Principles of Defense
by JackassRampant
As a defensive team, you have to set up in ignorance of what the offense will do, and then they’ll get to act before you do. For this reason, it’s best to think of defense as consisting of a “front 3” and a “back 8” players. (See Parts IX and X for some exceptions.) Your front 3 are your line of scrimmage players, while the back 8 make use of Blood Bowl screening pinciples to control space and/or protect key players.
Pitch Terminology
From one team’s perspective, the pitch is symmetrical from side to side, but not from front to back, in that one half is yours and the other is theirs, but nobody owns the left or right side. As such, I’ve found it most convenient to talk about horizontal positioning in terms of distance from the center column. The center column, thus, is labeled “0” and the columns on each side are “left 1” and “right 1”, respectively. The wide zone markers are between the 3 and 4 columns, and the sideline is outside the 7 column at the far end. For vertical alignment, the offense is on top, and the defense is on bottom: since this series is about defensive setup, assume the line of scrimmage is at the top of each diagram.
Pitch Geography
7 6 5 4|3 2 1 0 1 2 3|4 5 6 7 column
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - - Line
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - - -1
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - - -2
- - - -|- - - - - - -|- - - - -3The Line of Scrimmage
The default philosophy for how to manage the Line of Scrimmage can be summed up as: “Your opponent will knock over anything you put up, so put up the three cheapest players unless there is a much tougher player who doesn’t cost a lot more.” The most important caveat is that if you can put up a defensive line so tough that your opponent can’t (or shouldn’t) knock it over, that's nice.
As far as setting up the line of scrimmage, there are several possible lines, each indicated by lateral notation from left to right. Use a comma if you cross over the zero column to avoid confusion.
101 Line
- - - -|- - x x x - -|- - - -303 Line
- - - -|x - - x - - x|- - - -321 Line
- - - -|x x x - - - -|- - - -123 Line
- - - -|- - - - x x x|- - - -1,23 Line
- - - -|- - x - - x x|- - - -Generally, the 101 line is the best way to concentrate strength in the center and avoid offensive shenanigans, but there are good reasons to use a 303 line or a 321 or 123 line sometimes. I often see novice coaches playing 202 lines, and in my experience this is usually a mistake, as it allows maximum support for all offensive line blocks without controlling extra territory.
The Back Eight
There are several ways to skin this cat (otherwise I wouldn’t have written all this), but generally your back eight are trying to establish some cocktail of spatial control, player protection, and responsiveness. Each defense offers a different mix of these traits, and in different ways: the chevron, described in Part III, is a combination of the three objectives, while its cousin the ziggurat forfeits some player protection in exchange for stronger midfield control. The boat, AKA, the “rule of five,” “castle,” or “anchor” defense, it’s great for protecting key players and putting them in position to respond, but it forfeits wide zone control entirely.
The core principle behind 99% of all defensive backfields is the screen. A screen is formed when two teammates on the same or adjacent planes are standing with no more than two empty squares between them, such that their tackle-zones intersect or overlap.
Generally, players in contact with enemy players can't be considered part of a screen, as they can be knocked down or pushed away. There are some exceptions, such as double-coverage, positioning skills, or prone or stunned players in the way ("trash"), but in general, unless you know better, marked players aren't part of a proper screen.
A double-screen is a pair of overlapping screens, where removing one player doesn’t necessarily infringe on the integrity of the screen as a whole. There are three types of double-screen: the line, the trap, and the stack or column. Each of these presents a different set of strengths and weaknesses:
Line screens consist of players on the same plane. A line screen is strong because the players can all assist or prevent assists when the others are blocked. Line screens are a great way to control midfield. Unfortunately, in the wide zones, line screens extending beyond the 5 column are risky, unless the outermost player in the screen can’t effectively or profitably be pushed.
Line Screen
- x x - x x - x x -Trap screens have two players adjacent and diagonal with respect to each other. They provide the same width as line screens, and can protect players inside the screen, but unlike a line screen, each of the forward players is on its own and can’t rely on support if blitzed.
Trap Screen
- - x - - x - - x -
- x - - x - - x - -Stack screens, otherwise known as columns, are made of players back to back. They provide the strongest redundancy against attempts to push them aside, but are one square narrower than the equivalent line or trap screen, and like with the trap screen, the rear player can’t protect or avenge the forward player.
Stack Screen
- x - - x - - x -
- x - - x - - x -The Spine
It's possible to control the whole width of the pitch using five players, one in the 0 column, and one each in the 3 and 6 columns on either side. This is the "spine" of the pitch, and many of these defenses either create or imply a "spine screen" with players in all five squares. Sometimes the realities of the situation will prevent a team from accessing the three squares covered by one of the "vertebrae" of the spine, so not all screens that cover the spine have players in all 5 positions.
The Spine
7 6 5 4|3 2 1 0 1 2 3|4 5 6 7
- x - -|x - - x - - x|- - x -Frequently you'll see the spine covered with a 2-5 screen forming a trap, to prevent blitzes from opening too large a hole or in too convenient a place. This is the basis of the Chevron defense, and is used in the wide zone in most (but not all) sideline and full-width defenses.
Trap Spine Screen (left side)
7 6 5 4|3 2 1
- - x -|- x -
- x - -|x - -The Buddy System
You should generally observe a "buddy system" when you set up, and as you play, trying to keep a friendly zone on any open player who might get blitzed. Okay, maybe you don't have to give every player a buddy, but what this really means is that no player should be entirely on their own, unless they're out of the action, behind a good screen, or cheap and peripheral.
Back in LRB6 days you wanted a friendly zone on every player, because of Piling On, but today I'd say the strength of thinking of the game in terms of a "buddy system" is that any exposed player could be blitzed and removed, and what then? Having a buddy with a zone on your "blitz-me" players, or maybe having an intact screen behind or beside them, denies a lot of opportunity to your opponent, and often leads to return blocks or helps you set up Frenzy traps. It's a guideline, not a rule, but if you observe the relationships between your own players and their zones, you'll start to see the patterns.
~~~
Keep these principles in mind when reading these articles, you’ll see they’re the basis not only of all defensive setup, but of all “Cult of Position” Blood Bowl theory, and even the loosest gambler uses these formations liberally. Enjoy reading about defenses: we’re going to start with the interior defenses that ruled the roost in the LRB5/6 era, and we’ll go from there. In all your endeavors, have fun and good luck!
— JR
Back to table of contents