So You Just Missed a Shot

UPDATED WITH SEASON 2 RULES!!!

You have planned the perfect shot. Moved your model and rolled the dice… 3,3,2… Now what.

After you scream, yell things, and get laughed at by your opponent the game must go on. What happens next is one of the most common mistakes in GuildBall.

 Obulus has just missed his shot. You do a Kick Scatter (p. 26) from the center of the goal.

 Place the ball-token in the final landing-spot after the scatter. Then the ball-token travels along the path between the original kicking model and the final landing-spot.  If the ball touches any part of the goal, you must use the rule of least disturbance and place the ball-token in base-contact with the goal along the original line of travel (p. 26 and p.39 Barrier)
 The ball-token would be placed here. Obulus would resume his turn as normal, as you only end your activation if you score a goal.

 Using the above rules, if Obulus made the kick(shot) attempt from this position then the ball-token would almost always be placed where he could perform a snap-to action if he missed the shot. If he was base-to-base with the goal then he would be able to snap-to on any missed shot.

Ester’s Eight

It is my normal policy not to dojo until I have a model in hand.  Fortunately by some miracle, I have Ester and may start the dojo. I am also trying to start thinking of teams of eight as oppose to six because that is generally how you play competitively, so it is a good habit to start.

There has been a lot of discussion about what her lists should look like.  Most of these discuss the merits of Stoker over Hooper or vice versa.  In my opinion, Ester brings a very different game then Tapper and plays a completely different role on he field.  So lets look at her eight and a few contenders for positions as well.

Core 6

Ester- Of course she is in the list, so what can she do.  She is actually very flexible, much more so than Tapper.  I believe her main position in the game will be center field so that ultimately Mash can be in position to score and still in range for his ARM buff.  She is one of the most survivable captains to date so she should be safe.  I believe the core of her team will want to remain pretty close to he and only venture out when needed to get the ball.  I think she is more of a 2-2 captain than 1-4.  Her role is control and she is very flexible at how she can do that.  She can activate early or late in the turn and use as much or as little INF as needed.  The trick to her will be figuring out when what is best.

Scum- Until something better comes along, he’s your cat. Here’s hoping for a better mascot for her.  I might recommend leaving him to tend goal.

Mash- Mash will be an auto-include with Ester considering she can single handedly get him up to 4+/2 defensively or give him the speed boost he needs.  I believe Esters game is all about positioning him to Snap Shot.

Stoker- IMO he is another staple in the list.  His ONLY downfall with her is lack of reach.  He can equally be 4+/2 if needed.  He can potentially get +3 to damage with Ester and Spigot. With 5 INF on him, that cold be a minimum of 20 points of damage.  50 if you hit everything!!

Stave-  I almost forgot to add Stave originally.  We all know his value, that doesn’t change.  Stoker will make it really hard to drop him in most situations.

Spigot- He does so much for so little.  He speeds people up and makes them kick better for  little cost.  Very important with all the 4″ jogs around.  He can also Tool Up and fetch the ball when needed.  Probably the MVP of this team.

Subs

Hooper- Don’t even try to argue that he can cause more damage than Stoker but he does have value.  Of course if you absolutely need more reach, he’s your man.  Let’s also not forget that being able to take Mash or Stoker to 3 Arm is insane.

Friday- Buffed correctly, she can have a 24″ threat to the goal.  That makes Flint blush.  I always say that if you want to really play a scoring game, have more strikers.  she fills that role well.

Contenders

Gutter- She cannot be buffed by Empowered Voice.  She still has reach and the ability to move enemies around.  I am not a huge fan of her personally, but she may find a role in this list.

Hemlocke- My first though was she is not needed because Ester deals with conditions just fine.  She does have Blind though, and Poison really ups the condition game here.  She may be worth some considering, I am just not sure who I would replace her with.

 

Season 1 Big Balls Awards

 

Welcome to the first annual Big Balls Awards or Ballsies.  Since it is that time of year, we here at Parting Blow have decided to give out our own awards to the season 1 models.  Here is how it works.

All models will be split int category by position. Captains will be in there own category, not their position category.  Each category will then be awarded the following awards:

BALLER AWARD- The player with the best overall ball skills

BALL BUSTER AWARD- The player that is the biggest beater

SLICK BALLS AWARD- The player that is hardest to take out

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- The player that gives you the stink face, the most tilting

BALL HOG AWARD- The player that want to use the most resources on a regular basis

BALL COZY AWARD- The team player who gives more than they take on a regular basis

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- The player that just doesn’t quite make the cut yet

CENTRE BACKS

These guys are the backbone of your team that can do a good deal of the heavy lifting and break your back if you try to lift them.  The candidates are Avarisse, Brick, Casket, Fangtooth, Ghast, Kraken, And Stave

BALLER AWARD- None of these guys are particularly great the ball.  Due to being the only one with 2/6″ instead of 1/6″ Kick, the award goes to Casket

BALL BUSTER AWARD- All of these guys are bruisers. The ability to self buff gives this one to Fangtooth

SLICK BALLS AWARD- There are lots of arguments to be made here.  Most boxes, Gluttonous Mass and Foul Odour once again gives the edge to Fangtooth

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- There is nothing more irritating than realizing everyone on your team is 1 INF short of doing what needs to be done.  Ghast

BALL HOG AWARD- This guy requires at least 2 INF every turn. Stave

BALL COZY AWARD- By good positioning alone this guy protects your team. Brick

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- While his star is rising, it is mostly due to his other half. Avarisse

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

These are the guys that help protect your balls.  Candidates include Hemlocke, Jac, Mallet, Ratchet, Spigot, Stoker, and Tower.

BALLER AWARD- This one has mad ball skills whether kicking or retrieving it.  Spigot

BALL BUSTER AWARD- No one likes to take a charge from Mallet

SLICK BALLS AWARD- Tough call, but with the Knockback allowing a 2″ push on one hit with counter attack, the edge goes to Tower

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Blind is all that needs to be said.  Hemlocke

BALL HOG AWARD- Because it is very easy to put 3 on her every turn. Hemlocke

BALL COZY AWARD- For zero INF, he can still help the whole team quite a bit.  Spigot

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- Here is hoping Ester changes your luck. Stoker

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

A small group with the exclusion of Captains, Calculus, Colossus, Gutter, Mercury, and Silence.

BALLER AWARD- Although Silence can have a better kick rating, overall Colossus does more with the ball

BALL BUSTER AWARD- This is the only person in this group that does not have 3 gamage in her playbook, yet she manages to get work done.  Gutter

SLICK BALLS AWARD- Highest DEF and generally in the rear.   Silence

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Another tough call, but Blind wins.  Calculus

BALL HOG AWARD- Although there is a lot of desire to load all these up, Mercury really does nothing for less than 2 INF.

BALL COZY AWARD- Again, they all like INF, but only one brings 3 to the table.  Silence

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- He doesn’t fail to underwhelm. Mercury

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

These guys take the fight to you.  Boar, Hooper, Katalyst, Meathook, and Rage.

BALLER AWARD- What ball?  Meathook wins by Kick stat alone.

BALL BUSTER AWARD- Even if someone else deserved it, I wouldn’t say so in front of him. Boar

SLICK BALLS AWARD- Seriously, you try to take him out.  Hooper

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Tough call.  It could go to Meathook, but you just don’t see her as much.  Hooper is just that irritating.

BALL HOG AWARD- Another toss up between her and Hooper.  Since Meathook generates less, she wins this one.

BALL COZY AWARD- Rage. He’s efficient.

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- Even with what we see in Season 2 so far, he still doesn’t do enough to make him worth while.  Katalyst.

WINGERS

This may be the biggest group. Boiler, Cosset, Decimate, Graves, Greyscales, Harmony, Minx, Salvo, Shank, Siren, Snakeskin.

BALLER AWARD- Toss up between Shank and Greyscales.  Momentous Tackle and slightly longer threat range gives it to Shank

BALL BUSTER AWARD- Boiler just beats out Cosset due to other team buffs available.

SLICK BALLS AWARD- Potential DEF 6 and Clone. Snakeskin

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Two activations in a row.  It may be a trap, but it can also ruin your day. Harmony

BALL HOG AWARD- Decimate was a close second.  Salvo.

BALL COZY AWARD- There is not a clear winner here, but Cosset has the most game on no INF.

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- Only because she is seen the least. Minx

STRIKERS

The stars of the team, even if they are not named Flint.  Angel, Brisket, Flint, Friday, Greede, Mist, Velocity, Vitriol

BALLER AWARD- If you have to ask, shame on you.  Flint

BALL BUSTER AWARD- She has anger issues. Vitriol

SLICK BALLS AWARD- As much as you would like to touch her, you can’t.  Brisket

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Rage much? Flint will make you.

BALL HOG AWARD- All of these guys want to be fully loaded.  Mist almost requires it post nerf.

BALL COZY AWARD- A good beer is all she needs. Friday

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- Since Greede generally plays Goalie more than Striker

MASCOTS

Everyone’s lovable little buddies. Coin, Dirge, Flask, Mainspring, Marbles, Princess, Salt, Scum.

BALLER AWARD- Super Shot gives him a chance. Mainspring

BALL BUSTER AWARD- Allowed to have 1 more INF puts Scum over Princess

SLICK BALLS AWARD- 2 ARM is for real.  Flask

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Get that damn thing away from me! Dirge

BALL HOG AWARD- Because he actually has useful Character Plays. Marbles

BALL COZY AWARD- He just keeps on giving.  Coin

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- He’s cute at least.  Salt

CAPTAINS

Our final category for our biggest stars. Ballista, Blackheart, Honour, Midas, Obulus, Ox, Shark, and Tapper.

BALLER AWARD- No doubt. Shark

BALL BUSTER AWARD- While others may contest this, Tapper puts out the most damage on a regular basis.

SLICK BALLS AWARD- With Clone and Unpredictable Movement, no one can really hit Midas.

CHEESY BALLS AWARD- Obulus.  Any other argument is invalid.

BALL HOG AWARD- Obulus. Do Morticians even have other players?

BALL COZY AWARD- Ox. He doesn’t put the hurt on as much as others on his team do.  He likes to sit back and watch them work.

DEFLATED BALL AWARD- When they win something, we will accept arguments otherwise.  Ballista

Zen and the Art of Mainspring Maintenance: Getting Started

With an upcoming event I have decided to buckle down on my Engineers a bit. I figure my odds of winning a big event with them are better than winning a billion dollar Powerball or Cincinnati winning a playoff game, so here we go.

I have got a few games under my belt and they are starting to feel a lot less clunky.  The Engineers definitely have a different feel than any other team.  Most of my games have been all guild players, I don’t yet see much reason to go to Union with them.

Last night I had a pretty fun game with Corey, one of our local WM players, who is about 3 games in with his Masons.  Despite his noobish status, he is a quick learner and he does have Flint. He had Honor, Marbles, Harmony, Flint, Brick, and Mallet. I had Ballista, Mainspring, Compound, Ratchet, Salvo, Velocity.

He won initiative so I had to kick.  I went with Velocity and kicked it as far away from Flint as I could.  it ended up right by the center line about 8 1/2″ from Velocity.  This is where he made his first noob mistake, he didn’t go after the ball.  We talked about this after.  I know there MAY be times when getting the ball should not be priority, but this is not one.  Since I can easily generate momentum without it, he needs to start getting his own.

He moved models around pretty conservatively.  Honor and Flint were  in the middle of his line carrying most the INF.  Ratchet got them with Blast Earth to hold them back.  He moved up Brick to contest the ball with Counter Charge.  Ballista knocked him down and Second Winded Velocity.  My goal with he kicking was that maybe she could steal the ball and score, but with no one grabbing it I was working on plan B.  I believe he ended up Super Strating Mallet who only had 2 INF after that.

Velocity then Ran to grab the ball.  Passed it to Salvo.  Second winded to withing 8″ of the goal by cover and Mallet near by, not engaged.  He moved the monkey and tooled up Mallet.   Salvo ran forward, shot someone, then Snap Shot of Velocity for a SCREAMER!!!  Mallet then charged Salvo, who took a Defensive Stance and went unhit. Flint recovered the ball and positioned for turn 2

I got the initiative turn 2 and looking at the field I was excited.  If things worked out, Salvo could KD Honor, Harmony, and Flint 1st act.  Mallet and Brick were down, already (I forgot he charged Salvo first then Salvo shot him above) so that would start things of on a good foot.  Unfortunately, I was just out of 4″ from Ballista and only KDd Flint who had the ball. Honor and Harmony then ganged up on him knocking him down to 3 pts and generating plenty of Momentum.  I positioned Compound and used Horrific Odor.  Unfortunately, Flint found the sweet spot and completely ignored him to score (gave him Vengeance).

The ball went back to Ballista who KDd Flint, sprinted forward, pinged the Girls, used Mine Field (Flint just out), then make another Snap Shot to Velocity for a goal.  The monkey tooled up Brick.  Ratchet hit Brick with Blast Earth and Overclocked the bug. The bug then charged Flint and scored 9 hits, shaking him like a rag doll in and out of the Mine Field until his head exploded. Then he blew up catching the girls on fire and finishing off Salvo.  The turn ended with Mallet and Brick trying to get to Velocity and realizing how tough 5+ Def can be.

I won initiative again and it should have been easy to finish off Harmony at this point, But the dice gods were not with me.  3 shots total between Ballista and Ratchet (all using Bonus Time) failed to hit her.  This gave Flint the time to have Momentum built and get him back to his sweet spot for the win.  I hate Flint.

Overall a good game.  I think I need to practice a little more patience with this team.  I had solid control of things but ended up giving my opponent 4 VPs from self take downs.  If I would have kept my cool I probably could have controlled things enough to win at a leisurely pace.  This was the first time I really had Snap Shot pay off.  My big thing is that I really want to use Hoist, I just don’t think this was the match up for it.

-edit- I have since learned that the whole Mainspring/Flint thing was wrong on many levels which explains the dice gods denying me the victory. The main lesson is, “learn your rules noob!”