Welcome back to Touchline Tactics – where we get the inside scoop on the playstyles and peccadillos of your favourite Blood Bowl teams. We assess their gameplans, look at which skills to advance, and share our top picks of Star Players to bring to the gridiron.
We’re going a-pillaging in this instalment, as we hop aboard the Norse longships and guide them into the spotlight. Norse teams love fighting and have the tools to hit hard, with a few extra tricks to help secure those winning touchdowns.
Playstyle
The Norse are one of the most reliable starting teams when it comes to bashing your opponents, as the core of the team starts with the Block skill. Frenzy also features in the roster, giving you even more chances to put the hurt on your opponents. Combine these with a reliable ball carrier in a Valkyrie and the extra utility offered by Beer Boars, and Norse teams begin with a plethora of strong options.
For all their love of hitting things, the Norse don’t worry too much about what happens when they get hit back. Most players have low armour, so you can’t afford to just run headfirst into a problem. Instead, the focus should be on precision strikes against key opposition players rather than prolonged conflict. Don’t man-mark other bash teams; have your players form a screen instead, creating a defensive line just beyond enemy Tackle Zones that forces them to come through you with blitzes or risky dodge rolls.
Tactics
Norse Raiders are among the best Linemen in the game. Starting with Block makes it that much safer to risk one-dice hits at the beginning of a league. Their low armour is slightly mitigated by Thick Skull, but losing a Lineman isn’t the end of the world – they only cost 50,000 gold pieces!
Berserkers are your blitzers, bringing Block and Frenzy to the table, with the latter providing more opportunities to put down your target player. Obviously, care must be taken with Frenzy to avoid getting into tricky positions – always make sure you bring back-up. Jump Up helps Berserkers get quickly back into the action, and potentially even throw a punch after being knocked down.
Ulfwereners are your key players who are also Blitzers. With ST4 and Frenzy, plus a whopping (for Norse) AV9+, they are deadly threats. Use them to create gaps in your opponent’s defensive line, and to ward off attempts to run down the wide zones – Frenzy is a great tool for throwing a player into the crowd!
Valkyries are rich in skills – they start with Pass, Catch, Dauntless, and Strip Ball. Your instinct might be to try to pass the ball around, though they make excellent ball carriers for a running game as well. They’re also great for defensive actions, as fast players who can disrupt an opponent’s offence from their first game.
For the low price of 20,000 gold pieces, you’ve got a bargain with the Bear Boar! Pick-me-up is nice to have, but should never be relied upon to solve your problems. Their true strength comes in being able to dodge between opposing players to provide a crucial assist, or to inflict a cheeky foul on a valuable foe!
With Claws and Frenzy, the Yhetee can tear through any other player. Of course, being a Big Guy there’s a measure of unreliability, so make sure you have a back-up plan.
Skilling up
Norse Raiders: Starting with Block means you're free to focus on more specialised skills. One Lineman with Kick is useful, while skills such as Defensive, Fend, Dirty Player, or Tackle can help turn the tide.
Berserkers: Mighty Blow is deadly when combined with Frenzy and Block. Berserkers also benefit from Tackle and Guard – and with reliable mobility from Jump Up, they can often get themselves into advantageous positions.
Ulfwereners: Block should always be your first skill. After that, the standard pain-infliction skills are welcome, such as Mighty Blow and Guard.
Valkyries: It is worth specialising your two Valkyries to fulfil different roles. Block and Dodge are invaluable for a dedicated ball carrier, followed by Sure Hands and/or Side Step. If you want a player to hunt down opposing ball carriers, then look for skills to aid in pinpoint attacks later in a league, such as Defensive, Wrestle (to get past Sure Hands), and Tackle for defensive plays.
Beer Boar: With only Secondary skills, you’re unlikely to get enough SPP on a Beer Boar. If you do, Sneaky Git is the way to go – though it does double the boar’s cost!
Yhetee: For greater reliability when blocking, go for Juggernaut. For lending team support there’s Guard. And for added deadliness, there’s Mighty Blow.
Top 5 Star Players
The Star Players available to a Norse team depend on whether it becomes ‘Favoured of…’ or ‘Old World Classic’, which you choose when drafting your roster. We’ll look at some options below:
5 – Akhorne the Squirrel
With Claws, Frenzy, and Dauntless, at a mere 80,000 gold pieces, Akhorne fits nicely into any Norse team. Maybe he’ll teach the Beer Boars a thing or two!
4 – Barik Farblast
An attractive option costing only 80,000, Barik can team up with your Valkyries to outwit opponents with a long pass – a psychological factor that can be worth it if you’ve got the spare funds.
3 – Kreek ‘the Verminator’ Rustgouger
Available to a ‘Favoured of…’ team, Kreek brings a deadly Ball & Chain that can create the opening you’re looking for. His I’ll Be Back rule also means you don’t have to worry about a lack of Bribes.
2 – Ivar Eriksson
Ivar’s Raiding Party is a great piece of utility that allows you to set up a vital block against an agile team that keeps running away, or a bash team you’re trying to stay away from during their turn. Even without it, a player with Guard, Tackle, and Block is a fantastic addition to any team.
1 – Thorsson Stoutmead
Adding another reliable blocker to your front line is always welcome, but the true advantage Stoutmead brings is his Beer Barrel Bash! – a ranged threat that can take out a ball carrier or the lynchpin of the opponent’s defence, without risking your players.
That’s it for this edition of Touchline Tactics, stay tuned for more next month.
