Let's Talk About... Norse!

[ravenpoe121]

This episode is incredibly late in coming, but at least manages to sneak in just before the new year (at least in my timezone). With Norse being the next upcoming race in BB2, let's talk about them!

https://redd.it/3yyzkh

[Snorri Nosebiter]

Great writeup on one of my favourite teams- not that I actually have any success with them. :)

[DarthPhysicist]

Its missing my favorite starting lineup!

2x Ulfs
2x Zerks
2x Runners
1x Thrower
4x Linemen
2 RR

and then bank the rest for an apoth at game 2 (who always just makes your dead player deader anyway, so live on the edge and pray for Valhalla!)

[ravenpoe121]

Originally posted by darthphysicist:

Its missing my favorite starting lineup!

2x Ulfs
2x Zerks
2x Runners
1x Thrower
4x Linemen
2 RR

and then bank the rest for an apoth at game 2 (who always just makes your dead player deader anyway, so live on the edge and pray for Valhalla!)

I didn't include any starting builds with throwers because I don't feel like they really add anything to the team, at least starting out. You can have a thrower, yes, and it can add some depth to your team, but early on he's just going to be a more expensive lineman. You need development in the core of your team to get the most out of a thrower, and by the time that has happened, your thrower is probably dead if you started with one.

[Valcurdra]

Pass is worth having on the team for 2 turn touchdown attempts, I would probably leave the thrower off when defending though unless I am bashed down to less than 11.

I think its a really good point about using ulfs for the crowd pushing.

[DarthPhysicist]

I have great success with a thrower. Last tournament I used one in (and won) his first skill was AG+, and he added a whole new dimension to the team. If he's not on the field, this can't happen. Norse linemen are cheap so adding a passing game for 20k is a drop in the bucket. Even without +ag, they are no worse at throwing the ball than humans if you give the runners catch. Adding this is easy in short leagues and will keep the opponent on his heels.

Edit: even without the thrower, this lineup still wasn't on the list. Its a common team build.

[ravenpoe121]

Originally posted by darthphysicist:

Edit: even without the thrower, this lineup still wasn't on the list. Its a common team build.

In the "shiny and chrome" build, it's mentioned that you can cut the snow troll and have quite a few options of what to add in from there.

Also, these are not meant to represent all possible builds. The goal behind these guides is to give an introduction to the team, and give people not familiar with them a basic skeleton to work from, while hopefully encouraging more interest in diverse teams.

[DarthPhysicist]

Originally posted by ravenpoe121:

Originally posted by darthphysicist:

Edit: even without the thrower, this lineup still wasn't on the list. Its a common team build.

In the "shiny and chrome" build, it's mentioned that you can cut the snow troll and have quite a few options of what to add in from there.

Isn't that kind of like saying, you can build the team any way you want?

I'm not trying to be argumentative; I'm just suggesting that there is a common Norse construction that got missed. Usually the argument is over whether or not to have the Yeti and no runners, or both runners and no yeti. The thrower is a matter of taste that a lot of people get a lot of mileage out of, but usually the beginners don't have the mental bandwidth for. Beginners often find themselves obsessing over frenzy since it takes some serious getting used to. As you advance with Norse, the frenzy gets to be more second nature and expanding into adding a throwing game becomes attractive as people get taken aback by a Norse team with a throwing component. Like real football, if you can establish that both sides of the ball are in play, the opponent starts to have real defensive trouble. With Norse, this is important to compensate for the AV7. If suddenly the opponent can't depend on fighting the war up front, their strategy is forced to change which can take some of the pressure off the injuries. I've never had the thrower get the brunt of the opponents effort; in fact its usually the Zerks that get early injuries, but that doesn't mean not taking them. You have to take them because they are the primary attackers after the Ulfs.

I might add that after getting the hang of Norse, 3 rerolls is not really necessary. 2 is usually sufficient and helps reinforce good play as you will make more careful frenzy blocks and not be tempted into risky play, which with the Norse AV 7 is a real problem. I suspect that after Norse come out for BB2, there will be a ton of people playing them, and then give up because they already have trouble with risk management and think all the block will help them out. It does help of course, but learning to frenzy can't use rerolls as a cruch, otherwise the Norse TV will skyrocket and not really perform well.

I guess I would end by saying that a lot of the lineups listed (just ulfs, all linemen) are way more niche than what I'm suggesting, which is a more mainstream way of building the Norse team for either short or long leagues.