TEAM: Ukomo Avalanchers (Teraton Team)

Ukomo Avalanchers (Teraton Team)
Reviewed during Season 4 for DBO only

Strengths: 
Brutes, the whole lot of them! - Each and every Teraton on the Avalanchers can Slam you with a fantastic Strength. If there is a Teraton near you, you aren't safe, period.

Teleportation - Let's face it, this ability is just cool. Can't hit them in the back, they can move through people--just cool. No one is really an impediment to your movement, just Slam whoever you want, or line up that Score. And removing one of the only ways to remove a Guard from the pitch, Slamming in the back, is GREAT for the Teratons.


Weaknesses:
Turtles are not Speedy - ... by that I literally mean their Speed is atrocious! Stealing, not their thing. Hey, at least Evading is generally irrelevant.

Scoring is not their thing - You might think that a Skill the same as the Corporation team would work pretty well for you. And it would, if you had a Striker on your team. The Teratons have to make-do with only Jacks for Scoring. You what that usually means, especially if your Jacks don't have any special abilities to help them along? You are stuck with a running game and mediocre tries at the goal.


MVP Recommendations:

The Praetorian - I recommend this guy for any team that needs a Striker. He is just fantastic. The Teratons need a Striker like nobody's business. A player that can Score reliably is just what this team needs!

Nightshade - Another great Striker. Nightshade is, just like the Praetorian, a welcome addition to the team. A player that can Score reliably is just what this team needs! ... wait, have I said that before?











Overall: 
The Ukomo Avalanchers are a fun team to play, no doubt. The Teleport ability is unique and can be a great way to catch an opponent, even a knowing opponent, by surprise. The problem is, if you cannot take out the Scoring portion of the opposing team, you are lost. If, on the the other hand, you can put a few points on the board, keep the ball to yourself, and Slam your opponent into oblivion, you CAN win the game.


Grade:
C +

TEAM: Koeputki Kolossals (Zee Team)

Koeputki Kolossals (Zee Team)
Reviewed during early Season 4 for DBO only


Strengths: 
Fouls - Interesting that this would be a strength, but it is. With the Kolossals on the pitch, you may well be Fouling the other team every rush... maybe every play. But, you may not suffer any consequences from it. First, the ref has to roll for you to be out, then you get to try and talk him out of it, or send your buddy out instead.

Speed - Dodge. Steal the ball. Evade. These are the Zees bread and butter. They can do them as well as any team on the circuit today. Speed is their major advantage, use it.

Dice Every Round - How about a few extra dice for a rush? Sounds good yeah? It is, unless it isn't. Don't bank on this, but it is a nice boon when it happens.

Strength in Numbers - Ten dudes. That is a a lot of guys. Use them, use them all. And use them in dirty awful ways. Don't worry about them, don't get attached, use them all the time.

Runaround - Moving two Zees for the price of one is fantastic. Get those guys out and moving all around. Never try a Steal without another Zee (or two) threatening. Never, ever just Run one Zee.

Weaknesses:
Skill - There ability to Score, Pick up the Ball, and Throw are atrocious! They will fail you at some point. Use your dice when you got them on Skill checks.

Inability to Hurt Anyone - There are other teams that don't Slam particularly well, but the Zees excel at not hurting people. I would not even attempt it, unless you absolutely have to do it.

Jacks - The Koeputki Kolossals are all Jacks. This puts another serious damper on being able to Score... or Slam... or whatever. This is a major disadvantage in my opinion.


MVP Recommendations:

Buzzcut - If you are going to try to hurt someone, you need the very best. Buzzcut should be used in conjunction with a couple of Zees to be sure that the other player is taken out! You need some firepower, the heaviest out there is Buzzcut.

The Praetorian - Same thinking as Buzzcut. If you want to Score, go with a sure bet, The Praetorian. You need the best of the best of the MVPs to make the Zees viable.











Overall: 
Koeputki Kolossals are fun, but not very good. I find they will fail you when you need to Score, or Pass, or simply Pick Up the Ball. I am not sure that there is another team that falls as short of decent as the Zees. MAybe someone can make them work... I cannot.


Grade:
D

TEAM: Kalimarin Ancients (Nameless Team)

Kalimarin Ancients (Nameless Team)
Reviewed during early Season 4 for DBO only


Strengths: 
Diversity - The Nameless bring three distinctly different types of individuals to the pitch, all with varying stats and abilities. This gives the Ancients a fantastic flexibility to overcome a variety of obstacles. If used correctly, and in the proper combinations, the Ancients can crush opposing players' spines with ease, or rocket down the pitch and Catch an impossible Throw and Score. The Nameless play both offense and defense with otherworldly skill.

No Jacks - Most coaches tolerate jacks as part of the mix in Dreadball, they are ok at most things, but not good at any really. Well, the Nameless don't even have a jack to worry about. The fact the have only Strikers and Guards allows a coach to focus his energy on letting his players do what they do best.

Guards Combo - Put a Sticky guard on an opposing player, then Slam that player with a Hard guard, and watch the player crumble.  This combo works fantastically, and reliably. They can protect the goals like nobody's business, or slog down the pitch and crush the other team on their home turf.


Weaknesses:
No Cards or Dice - They Nameless begin with no cards or dice.

Sticky Guard's Movement - This bizarre-looking monstrosity can only move along as fast as a dwarf... that is a minor obstacle, but one you do need to keep in mind.


MVP Recommendations:

Save your MC and buy an Offensive Coach! ;-)

Nightshade - Same Skill and Movement as the Nameless Strikers, but better Speed. Nightshade also brings Dirty Tricks a for a nice Foul being called for no reason on the opposing team. Oh, and he is cheap!

Number 88 - This is one of the only players, especially a jack, that can add something to the Ancients. His Speed is awesome, he also has Jump, and then throw in the amazing Mind Like Water, and the best Movement in the game - crazy good!








Overall: 
The Kalimarin Ancients are easily one of the best teams in Dreadball at this time. They can hold their own against any style of team, be it bashy or finese-oriented or balanced. No matter who is on the other side of the game board, it is the Kalimarin's game to lose.


Grade:
A +

TEAM: ShanMeeg Starhawks (Asterian Team)

ShanMeeg Starhawks (Asterian Team)
Reviewed during early Season 4 for DBO only


Strengths: 
Strikers - Speed tests are your friend when playing the Starhawks. Evade with ease. Steal the ball. Dodge. Add to that Movement better than a human, that easily makes these some of the best Strikers in the entire game. Run then Pass, Catch and Score. The strength of the Asterians lie in their master Strikers, oh yeah, and there are four of them!

Foul - What good is a Guard who has the Strength of a Goblin, you might ask? Calling a Foul on someone out of nowhere! And jacks, the position most coaches despise, they can get a Foul called on someone too! Sending people out without them doing anything is so devious, and helpful.

Defensive Coach - Don't forget to roll for some Defensive Coaching Dice every rush! You need these to keep the Fragile Asterians alive. The dice you get might be the difference in making to the next round or not.

Weaknesses:
Brittle - The Jacks and Strikers are both Fragile. This really, really hurts when playing a bashy team. If you cannot Dodge out of the way, you are likely looking at a few rushes out of the game, if you are lucky.

Straight Forward - One potential drawback is the fact that their game plan is usually pretty to predict. Asterians are going to go for the highest possible point value available to them on the board. Rinse. Repeat.


MVP Recommendations:

The Enforcer - Want a Guard that can Slam from a distance further away than even your Asterians can move, and do it fantastically well? Oh, let's add in that he can Dodge just as simply as you can. The Enforcer will be the Starhawks best friend.

The Praetorian - If you want overwhelming potential to score that Strike and pull off that landslide, forgo the Slams and just score! The Praetorian adds a boosted verision of the same amazing Striker (minus one Speed). Use him and win, quickly!









Overall: 
I won our league last year with the Asterians (The Anak-Suna Moons). Not only did I win the league, I had a landslide in every match, except the one I lost to the Corporation. The potential for scoring with the Starhawks is out of this world. Speed and Movement are the most reliable thing they possess. Sometimes, it is better to hold those Fouls, but I almost always used at least one in each rush. These guys are Fragile, but if they weren't they would be too unfair.


Grade:
A