TACTICS: Dealing with difficult teams... the Rebs

The Rebs

or "The Unincorporated" 

Following in the specialization trend that started with the Nameless, the Rebs are a a dream team of sorts. With pretty much the best Striker in the game, a Jack actually is a reliable receiver, a different Jack who doubles as a Guard, and a Guard who double as a double of himself, this team is dynamite. Looking at their stat line alone can make most coaches start down a losing path before ever putting a player on the Pitch. What is to be done?

1. Let's look at this logically. The most dangerous player on the team is the Striker. Why? Because he can VERY reliably score very Rush. He needs to be your first target. A smart coach will only begin with one on the board, as not to lose both super-stars super quick. So, this is a background stratagem that should become a laser-focused-must if a Reb Striker is on the board. 
2. Don't freakout too much over the damage potential of the Rebs. The best Strength on the team is 4+. A Gaelian Jack might hit you from downtown, or a Rin Guard might try to Pummel you, but you aren't up against a Hobgoblin Hulk here. Your odds on surviving are pretty good, depending on who you
   
   are of course.
3. Remember, there is only 2 of each position. This can be used to your advantage if you watch the opposing coach closely. He will probably lean harder on some players than others-take them out. Make your opponent play a game he is not comfortable with.
4. As far as the Gaelian goes, get in his face. If you are adjacent to him, he hits like a regular old Jack. This takes away his distance and momentum advantages. If he wants to go somewhere, at least he has to make a 2 Dice Evade test on a 4+.
5. Guard the 3-4 point zone by clogging it up. Make your opponent have to clear this zone to score, because clearing it will be harder than scoring for him.
6. Do not underestimate the Sorak Jack. If he gets in your strike zone, he has a good chance of scoring too. Normally, he won't be going for extra points, but I have seen coaches ignore him and regret it later.

My ragtag group of Rebels!

Hopefully, these few little tidbits helped alleviate some of the terror you might feel when you see the Rebs on the other side of the Pitch. Next installment, the Convicts, the newest "big bads" and deservedly so.

TACTICS: Gaelian Get-Around

Here is a simple tactic that demonstrates just how amazing the Gaelian Jack is. It also shows how as a defender, you have to have very careful planning to avoid the Rebel charge.

Often, when a coach is on the defending side the Pitch, he will set up in a heavily defensive posture. This is a good idea usually, especially since the defending coach has to take it on the chin for the first Rush. A normal defensive setup is having players defending the Center Strike Lanes on each of the Strike Zones (especially the 4 Point lane of the furthest Strike Zone). When I say the Center Strike Lane, I am referring to the following:

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to clear up that center lane, and have a chance for your Ralarat Striker to throw in for that 4 Point score? Especially considering the Ralarat Striker is the best in the game at doing that... Of course, that would be nice. Well, with the Gaelian Jack, you have a solid chance of doing just that. Let's start with the players involved...

Orange - Gaelian Jack, Blue - Defender

 

So, the two players involved here as Gaelian Jack and your average Defender. Ok, usually the side of the Pitch in-front of the Gaelian Jack is clear. So, here is what you do, numerals are movement, the 10/11 Hex is a slight pivot to the left...

This sets you up for a pretty straight-forward Slam, and with Charge!, you are hitting like a Guard!

 

Now, the defender might not make this super-easy. The defender may well be a player with Speed 3+. The defender may be a Hobgoblin, or a Sphyr. But, more often than not, in what I have seen on the table, the player in that spot is a Guard (or a Jack). If they are a Guard, usually there Speed is less than their Strength, which means this rear Slam have a good chance of knocking them down. Which means, you have a good chance of getting that 4 point score.

BTW, don't follow-up on the Slam. :-)

This tactic might need to be altered slightly depending on the defender's setup. But with a Gaelian Jack with Charge!, you can probably figure out how to execute this maneuver regardless of what you opponent has done on his/her side of the Pitch. 

PAINTING: Challenging Myself to Paint!

I made a promise to myself when I received my Kickstarter shipment earlier this year. I promised that before the next Wave arrived, I would have my Season 4 teams painted. Now, this promise was made easier by the fact that one of my friends had paid for the Brokkr team and one of my friends had paid for the Sphyr team. But that still left me with three teams to get painted before the next shipment, and for me, that is a big deal. I felt determined it should happen.

Team One Martians

The first team I completed was the Martians! They were a lot of fun to paint, even though it took me a long time to do it. I went with a pretty traditional scheme for their colors. When I play them, I say, "Ack ack!" every time I shoot someone. 

Team Two Rebs

The second team I finished up was the Rebs! I went with a blue on blue scheme for them. It went well with most of the other color choices that I was thrilled! My wife particularly liked the Sorak Jack painted in turquoise. I actually was pushed to finish these guys because I "oathed" to do it on the MANTIC MADNESS Facebook group - I was an Oath Keeper! 

Team Three Hobgoblins

The third and final team I completed, and thereby fulfilled my promise to myself, was the Hobgoblins. I started them a long time ago, and finally completed them right after I finished up the Rebs. My idea was to do a Dark Brown on top of a Light Brown for a team, then do the inverse for another team of Hobgoblins (which would give them close enough colors to use in a league). The original team turned out pretty good, but the secondary team did not. The Light Brown on top of Dark Brown just doesn't work. Oh well, at least one team is painted! I did vary some from the original scheme thanks to a comment from RavensaursRex, and I like the result.

ALSO, I finished another team in the time period!

Team Four Orx and Goblins

AND, I repainted a team too!

Team Five Asterians

  

So, when I receive my Season 5 and Season 6 Kickstarter teams soon, I challenge myself to paint at least three of the teams before the end of the year!

TACTICS: Rebel Yell! (Unincorporated / Rebs)

Rebel Yell! (Home)*

Red - Rin Guard, Gaelian Jack, Sorak Jack, Ralarat Striker

I was playing the Rebs the other night and thinking pretty hard on what the best setup was for them being the Home team. I came up with this one after playing a slight variation on it on the table. I think this is better than the one I was using though.

First off, you want to score, of course, so you are going to need your Ralarat Striker out there. While he is on the Pitch, I feel pretty certain that scoring is going to happen. Now, I am not a proponent of having both Strikers on the Pitch, as they should be you opponent's first target. Only even have one on the Pitch, unless it is near the end of the game and you can grab a victory with both on the board.

Next, I want both my Rin Guards out there. I want one up front, to hopefully bash some heads. Then, I want one a little further back, for that 3rd Rush retaliation! 

Now, for the Gaellian Jacks, They are too good not to have on the Pitch. I set one up protecting the 4 point line. And then, I set one up on the 2 point line on one side. They are there to get in some good Slams from downtown. These guys can show up where you least expect them.

Finally, I always want one Sorak Jack up front. I will send him into on of the open Strike Zones, just in case the frogman doesn't double something. He is GREAT for catching and he does a decent job of scoring. Plus, should he end up with the ball at the end of the Rush, he is the most difficult player on your team to Steal from. 

The setup that inspired my thought process.

*A special 'thank you' to English poet William Idol for the inspiration for the name, because with the Rebs, you want 'more, more, more...'.

COACH'S CORNER: These are a few of my (least) favorite things... Team Edition

And now, for the teams I like the least from each season and why...

Season 1

Midgard Delvers

Do I like the look of the Forge Fathers? Yes. Do I like their flavor and history? Yes. Do I enjoy playing them? Nope. They are not my play style at all. Their Speed is awful, their Movement is ridiculously slow, and the only successful way I have ever seen them played has to do with scoring quickly and them hoarding the ball. Totally viable strategy mind you, I just find it boring. And besides, why play the original Forge Fathers, when you can play the Brokkrs! Seriously, why?
Be part of the Solution: I think that there could be a number of things that could help out the Forge Fathers. First, I think that it should be racial trait across the board that they have Steady. Then maybe something new, like... Low to the Ground - +1 on attempts to Pick Up the Ball. That could be on both Jacks and Strikers.

Season 2 

Chromium Chargers

What a cool concept for a team! What cool models! What a disappointment in action. I have seen so many people struggle with the robots. Quick Change Artist is great... in theory. In practice, you end up wasting actions trying to turn your players into something every other team already has. And don't get me started on failing to change... ugh!
Be Part of the Solution: I think that they should allow a double on Quick Change Artist to give you a free action, that would change the entire play style of the team and make them a LOT more interesting.

Season 3

Koeputki Kolossals

I own the Zees. I have played the Zees. I just don't like the Zees (except in DBX, where I LOVE them!). All Jack teams are hard enough as it is without making them so bad at scoring too. If you want to have a few fun Exhibition Games with them, they can be a hoot. But trying to play them as your "everyday team" or league team is going to be challenging.
Be Part of the Solution: I would do something like... Supported - For every Zee in the same scoring zone as the Zee trying to score, you get +1 dice (to a max of +2). Too much?

Season 4

The Unincorporated

Ok, I have the Rebs on here for a totally different reason than the others. The Rebs are too good! It is ok to have a Jack that can move 7 and still Slam? Sure it is. Is it ok to have a Guard that double Slams? Yeah. Is it ok to have a Jack that can reliably catch the ball? Yes. Is it ok to have a Movement 6 Striker with a Skill of 3+? No. I do not like a regular player having a 3+ Skill. But, I could live with it if the rest of the team were not amazing too! I think that the Unincorporated are just plain Overpowered.
Be Part of the Solution: Make the Striker Skill 4+.

TEAM: The Unincorporated (Rebs Team)

The Unincorporated (Rebs Team)
Reviewed during early Season 4 for DBO only


Strengths: 
Specialization - I suppose that should be Specialization in Spades! The Rebs team is made up of a number of different races from the Warpath universe's Rebel faction. And because they are made up of such different races, they have different strengths, and boy what strengths they are! How about a Centaur jack that can Slam your opponent from further away than almost any guard in the game, and hit with just as many dice! Oh yeah, and then catch a ball! Or what about a jack that has A Safe Pair of Hands? Just sit him in the extra point hex somewhere and toss him the ball. Or maybe a guard that can lay the double smackdown on someone! What about a Striker that has the best Skill in the game, MVPs included! There is a player for any and every occasion on this team.


Weaknesses:
Starting Dice and Cards - Zero on the cards and zero on the starting dice... yep, that is the only real drawback on this team as I see it right now.


MVP Recommendations:
Not that you need any... :-)

Galdo - If you want a little more specialization, I think this jack is a nice addition. Galdo has 360 Vision for starters, so he is always prepared for that ball headed at him. And having an average Skill and above average Movement, he is a versatile jack indeed.

The Excavator - This guy is slow, but you got speed already. This mining robot excells at sending people off the pitch and staying on himself. He is the guy you want in your backfield to annihilate that Striker that came down to try to score. He is an amazing guard that would fit a niche in this team of specialized players.




Overall: 
The Unincorporated team is just amazing. In the right hands, or even just competent hands, this team has a major advantage over most teams in Dreadball. The Rebs are crafted to Slam well, move fast, Catch the ball, Score, Steal... pretty much everything. If you could design team in Dreadball that is near-perfect, you would be hard-pressed to make up one much better than the Rebs team here.


Grade:
A +