A Drunk Chef's Guide to Orc Teams

In this guide I will ramble incoherently about the Orc Team; getting into the details of its players, how to use them, and some roster build ideas

Introduction

Welcome back everyone to another rambling tyraid from this drunk chef. Today we will be discussing Green Skin teams, more commonly known as Orcs or “the Green *&$!% that just wont die!”

Orcs are the second of classic starter box teams, and is one of the most commonly played teams in Blood Bowl as well as being tournament fixtures. Orcs are so loved because they can field just as much raw muscle as Chaos or Nurgle with up to four ST 4 Black Orcs and a ST 5 troll, but also have (for the most part) the same AV as Dwarves. In fact Orcs are second to only Dwarves when it comes to just how hard they are to remove from play, and that is only due to the bearded bastards having thick skull!

Orcs are are also second only to Humans when it comes to just how versatile they are, with most of their players having AG 3, an okay thrower, and enough movement to keep up with all but the fastest teams. It is no surprise that to many a coach Orcs are the perfect Bash team, being able to consistently bring the pain and still score without too much trouble if the injuries just don't happen.

All good things do have their downsides and for the Orcs this is true as well. For the Orcs this weakness comes in relative roster complexity. Orcs have the largest roster in the game with three positionals with caps of 4 of each, a big guy (Troll,) Thrower (with a cap of 2) and linemen. That is 15 players before you add in any linemen! This means it is impossible to ever have everything this team has to offer without having a prohibitive amount of money just sitting on the bench. This further forces the Orcs to adopt curtain play styles as you just will not have some players available thanks to only being able to field 11 on the pitch during play. Thus you have to know what to leave behind to get the most out of your team.

They also have a minor weakness in the movement category, which averages at 5 for most of the team and caps at 6 with the Blitzers and the Goblins. The slowest players you have also are your strongest stat wise, with the Troll and Black Orc having only a MV of 4. This isn't too big of a deal vs bash teams as they will be standing nearby anyway because they want to be getting in your players faces and trying to smash them in. This is often a good thing, as I said before, Orcs can take a beating and a punching Orc is a happy Orc. But against faster and/or agility based teams your low MV could be a problem. They will try to avoid contact with you when they can and just screen you out or just run around you. Thus you need to need to focus on positioning and not letting the other team to get behind you, especially their Catchers who are often the fastest players any team has.

Orc reroll are also slightly more expensive when compared to other teams at 60k at creation but while this is a minor set back, it does ensure that team creation will have some sacrifices, as that extra 10k adds up. And at 120k after creation, rerolls cost more then your troll; making them the most expensive thing to add to your team.

With all that out of the way let us move on to the Orc roster itself

Roster - Blitzer

Note: No Orc player can gain Mutations, double skills are in Italics, and skill suggestions are listed in no particular order

Blitzer
Cost: 80k (Roster Limit: 4)
Stats: MV 6 ST 3 AG 3 AV 9
Starting Skills: Block
Skill Access: GS PA
Recommended skills: Guard, Tackle, Mighty Blow, Dauntless, Stand Firm, Grab, Frenzy, Strip Ball, Sure Hands, Pile on, Dodge Jump up, Diving Tackle

Everything I said regarding the Human Blitzer applies here, They are the backbone of your team and you will want all four of them and they are even slightly cheaper! The Bltizer is also the fastest player you can have on a Orc team and many coaches will give one Sure Hands and use it as a replacement to the Thrower. Thus being the defacto ball handler. This is not a bad way to go, however this insures that most of your spp will go to him and should he be hurt, you will be missing a key part of you team and they are a bit pricey to replace.

The roles they can fill are the same as Humans:
Support where they help other team mates assists and help to control the pitch (Guard, Stand Firm, Tackle, Diving Tackle)

Ball Hawk where they try to get to the player with the ball and knock it loose directly or just tying them down, (Strip Ball, Tackle, Diving Tackle).

And finally Killer who specializes in removing players (Mighty Blow, Tackle, Piling on, Frenzy.)

I find having two Support and two Killer/Ball Hawk are a good balanced mix. Get Dodge when you get your first double with these guys as Block and Dodge is just too powerful a combo do not take. Guard works well on any role of Blitzer as Guard can give you an edge vs other Bash heavy teams. However when you should take it depends on what you are going to be up against, vs what you already have. If you have two Guard Blitzers already then it may be a good idea to focus on a ball hawk or killer skills Blitzer at this time unless you are in a bash heavy league.

Roster - -Black Orc

Black Orc Blocker
Cost 80 (Roster Limit: 4)
Stats: MV 4 ST 4 AG 2 AV 9
Skill Access: GS PA
Starting Skills: None
Suggested Skills: Block, Guard, Tackle, Mighty Blow, Stand Firm, Break Tackle, Grab, Frenzy, Pile on, Dodge, Jump up, Diving Tackle

Black Orcs are the raw muscle of the Orc teams and act as both a wall limiting the opposition's advancement and as a blunt instrument to rip holes in the other team's line. Only a handful of players even match the shear strength of the Black Orc and only big guys surpass them, so the other team must either run around them or dedicate two or three of their own players to deal with just a single Black Orc. With a full run of four of these brutes manning your cage, going through them is only an option for the bashiest of teams teams.

The Black Orc does have two major weakness, they are both clumsy (Ag 2) and slow (MV 4.) This means that they have trouble keeping up with the action against faster teams or they find themselves in a less then ideal position; and they are easily locked down with a lineman to ensure that they will be. These shortcomings also ensure that they rarely get the ball and are able to score. Thus they must rely solely on casualties and MVPs to level up, a process that can take several games just to get your FIRST skill on them.

To use the Black Orc effectively a smart coach will have to be careful of when to follow up their blocks and to know when back away from the fighting to be a road block. Should a Black Orc ever get a dodge upgrade, the player will become much more mobile and make a good player to hold the ball when you wish to stall.

Common roles for a Black Orc are:
Support/Wall: is the most common role. Even if the Black Orc is slow slapping guard on one forces your opposition to play close attention to any scrum that forms anywhere near them. And due to this player's high strength and armor, any attempt to out right remove it is not likely to work without the other team opening themselves to an even bigger scrum. The only real way for many teams to deal with a line of Black Orcs with Block, Guard, and Stand Firm is to go around them. But if you position well that may not be possible; allowing you to keep on punching

Murder Line: Given how hard it is to level a Black Orc it is not uncommon to see them given killer skills such as Mighty Blow and Piling On in an attempt to help them grow faster. A murder line is used similarly to the wall role above but will require a bit more support from the rest of your team as there is less guard to help your line in holding back the other team. This may leave a hole for faster teams to exploit so don't press too hard and remember to read the pitch every turn.

Roster - Thrower

Thrower
MV 5 ST 3 AG 3 AV 8
Cost: 70k
Hire Limit: 2
Skills: Pass and Sure Hands
Skill Access: General and Passing
Suggested Skills: Block, Accurate, Safe Pass, Leader, Kick Off Return, Nerves of Steel, Dump Off, Fend, Dodge, Strong Arm, Side Step, Guard

This is probably the most debated position on the Orc Team and it is not to hard to see why. For the full price of a Human thrower you are getting a movement busted version of one. The Orc Thrower is also less armored then a lineman, breaking the trend of the thrower being a complete linemen variant all other teams have. Thus many coaches feel it is better just to put sure hands on a Blitzer and save the 70k. Often these coaches justify it with the old Dwarf criticism "If you pass and are not Elves, you are playing wrong! And even then it is a desperation play!" While I disagree with that adage, on Orcs I can see the argument given their low speed and lack of any true catcher, making throwing less effective. I still fell having a Thrower is a net positive for any team, (especially as it keeps a Blitzer free,) but this is one position that could be skipped if you want to save some cash.

There are two primary roles throwers have and they are traditional Quarterback and Runner.
Quarterback's role is to get the ball and wait for a good opportunity to throw it to an open catcher before they can be hit. Quarterback skills are the obvious candidates of Accurate, Safe Throw, and Strong Arm. In fact once the Thrower has Accurate and Strong Arm they can throw long bombs on a 4+ and will only fumble the ball on a natural 1. Only elves can hope to do better then that! Also so if a Strong Arm Thrower gets an AG up, thank Nuffle and Pass your way to victory! However, the rarity of Strong Arm and AG+ often means Orc passing should rarely be no further then a short pass.

Runners on the other hand are about running the ball up the pitch themselves, with the support of cages and offensive screens. Skills like Block, Dodge, Fend, Side Step, and Dump Off help them do this job. The Sure Hands skill a Thrower naturally has makes them immune to Strip Ball too. However at only MV 5 they will take a few turns to get down the pitch, leaving him vulnerable to elf screen tactics and possible attrition from blocks.

Given Orcs low speed, Runner is by far the most often seen. But always remember a Quarterback can run, and a Runner can throw. Orc coaches become losing coaches if they are too rigid in their tactics and play.

Roster - Goblin

Goblin Runner
MV 6 ST 2 AG 3 AV 7
Cost 40k
Hire Limit: 4
Skills: Dodge, Stunty, and Right Stuff
Skill Access: Agility
Recommended Skills: Side Step, Sneaky Git, Jump Up, Sprint, Sure Feet, Diving Tackle, Catch, Block, Dirty Player, Wrestle

Goblins are your cheapest, most fragile, and weakest player, so why have a goblin? They are tied with Blitzers for being your fastest players, can never be completely screened (if you know how to work Stunty,) are ideal foulers, and can be thrown by trolls for fun and profit.

Stunty allows Goblin's to dodge everywhere on a 3+ no matter how many TZ's are on that square. That means sideline cages are extremely vulnerable to any team with stunty players as the most common result of a 2 die up hill block is a push into the crowd and a both down is often worth it to stop the ball from moving forward. Elf screens are also a mere inconvenience as well as you only need to make two 3+ rolls (with a dodge skill reroll if needed) to charge through it.

Goblins can also be thrown to attempt one turn touchdowns or as a way to attack a cage without blitzing. Should the goblin crash upon landing but not stun themselves (or die) they can still move afterword giving you a potential catcher or support player in your opponent's half in the upcoming turns. Should a goblin ever get + AG praise Nuffle and enjoy it until he dies. The stat boost not only make all dodges 2+ everywhere it aids with landing a thrown player safely. Just try to keep them away from tackle or mighty blow players, goblins tend to die fast thanks to the down side of stunty and low armor.

Common Roles for Goblins are:

Catcher: Goblins are the only player on Orc teams that have natural Agility access, and thanks to their relatively high speed (for an Orc player) they make for natural receivers. The dodge skill also acts as a minor protection from blocks and blitzes as unless the attacker has tackle, it offers as much protection as the block skill. Naturally the Catch and Diving catch skills help with this role

Fouler: A goblin's low cost, high movement, stunty and dodge skills means that they should always be able to get the boot into downed opponents. Even more so if they roll doubles and pick up Dirty Player to make fouls more likely to hurt, or have Sneaky Git for less risk of being caught should it fail to do so.

Ammo: Many Orc coaches only buy goblins to be thrown. And having done so myself many a time I can say it is great fun. As long as the goblin doesn't have the ball it doesn't matter it they actually land as no turnover will happen. This makes offensive throws an effective (if unreliable) way to take out cage corners or even the ball carrier themselves! Thrown Goblins offer you a (somewhat) simple way to score one turn touchdowns as well. It is even possible to catch your own kick off for a touchdown using throw teammate. The Sure Feet and Sprint skills help with this as it will help negate some of the randomness of the scattering a thrown player has. But be sure to only ever hand off to the goblin if attempting to thrown teammate touchdown or a break away throw that same turn, as throwing a teammate also counts as your pass action that turn. On that note, it should bring us too..

Roster - Troll

Troll
MV 4 ST 5 AG 1 AV9
Cost: 110k
Hire Limit: 1
Skills: Mighty Blow, Very Stupid, Loner, Throw Teammate, Very Hungry, Regenerate
Skill Access: Strength
Recommended Skills: Guard, Stand Firm, Strong Arm, Break Tackle, Juggernaut, Block, Tackle, Pro

Trolls are the cheapest and arguably the worst of the big guys. This comes down to Very Stupid, the worst negative trait. What stupid does is that whenever you attempt to use this player you must roll to see if will obey or just drool, just like bonehead. Also like Bonehead when it fires the troll will lose all tackle zones and lose use of most skills. Unlike bonehead, you need to roll 4+ to pass unless you have a teammate next to them who is able to slap them (making the needed roll a 2+.) Should the troll ever become completely isolated... good luck doing anything with it. This need to be babysat makes them much less versatile and useful then other big guys but Regenerate makes them even harder to remove from the game.

Trolls are often used in the same manner as Black Orcs only being able to hit harder due to natural mighty blow and higher strength. Troll are also launch pads for goblins, but this has it own extra risk due to Always Hungry. After Stupid is rolled, but before the throw itself is made, you roll for hunger. If the roll is a 1 the troll will attempt to eat the Goblin! The Goblin will then make its own squirm save, but if the roll is 1 again it is eaten and dies. No apothecary is allowed to stop it but it is not a turnover unless the goblin had the ball. Due to how Loaner works it is best to reroll the squirm save on the goblin then the hungry check.

Trolls do have their uses but they do require care and thought or you may find that your heaviest hitter is you biggest liability.

Roster - Lineman

Lineman
MV 5 ST 3 AG 3 AV 9
Cost 50k
Hire Limit: None
Skills: None
Skill Access: General
Suggested Skills: Block, Wrestle, Dirty Player, Tackle, Kick, Dauntless, Frenzy, Dodge, Guard, Mighty Blow

Lastly we have the humble Lineman. Orc Linemen are often considered the best lineman in the game, because they are in many ways the perfect speed bump. Strong enough to punch. Agile and fast enough to dodge and reposition, while being sturdy enough to rarely be removed from play. Orc Linemen can fill out any role in a pinch, their low cost make them good foulers, and as they level they become even more versatile. I find having two Block Tackle Linemen and Three Wrestle Linemen and a Kick Dirty Player Lineman a good mix.

Starting Rosters and Draft Ideas

Starting Rosters
Orcs have long been one of the most popular teams in Blood Bowl and there are many different rosters one can choose. As I said before it can be tricky to know what to take and what to leave, but I will list the most common starting rosters I have seen.

Clobbering Time
4 Blitzers
4 Black Orks
3 Linemen
3 Reroll
Total TV 970
This build gets you a solid line of Black Orcs with linemen in support, while your blisters harass and work the ball. A solid and versatile build that is only one game away from an apothecary. A common variant of this trades a lineman for a thrower, but may mean an extra game is needed before an apothecary is purchased.

Nasty Gits
4 Blitzers
4 Black Orks
Troll
2 Goblins
2 Reroll
Total TV 950
One of the few no linemen builds in the game, this will allow you to throw and foul with goblins while still having the full power of your Black Orcs and Blitzers. The low amount of rerolls will mean some care is needed to reduce the risk of bad dice. There is also 50 left over here for an apothecary, lineman or third goblin if you choose to use it.

We'z Gobbos
4 Blitzer
4 Goblin
1 Thrower
Troll
3 Linemen
3 Reroll
Total TV 990
This is as fast as you can make an Orc team but you are sacrificing a lot of hitting power by dropping your black orcs You do have bench to make ejections or injuries less of a problem. Not a bad build but I can't say I'd recommend it to new players.

Smasha
4 Blitzers
4 Black Orks
Troll
2 Linemen
2 Reroll
Total 970
This is as bashy as you can make an Orc team out the gate, but the low amount of rerolls and low speed coupled with the unreliably of the troll makes this a hard build to recommend.

Da Boyz
15 Linemen
4 Reroll
Total TV 990
No skills. No special tricks. Just raw numbers and a solid number of rerolls. A good roster for those that want a challenge and don't have the balls to play stunties, or those want to help a friend learn the game without handicapping yourself too hard.

[necross.san]

Thank you for your feedback Dodger. I will be updating this guide for Blood Bowl three, so look forward to it

[Dodger]

Couple other thoughts, Hardest opponents are fast teams. Kick the ball if at all possible on the first turn. It does not matter if they score fast, hell, let them.

Then just hog the ball and kill them an try to score on turn 7 or 8, so they can't score again.

Then get the ball back on Turn 9 and repeat. Just deny them the chance to touch the ball at all.

[Dodger]

Part 2
And all of that is just the bluff. Your Black Orcs and Troll will be working the enemy over that entire time. The two throwers offer some ball movement when used together. Hand off and pass and you can put the ball anywhere the opponent is weak. You just keep moving a single orc up field. If anyone orc gets a strength boost, then they are the perfect receiver. You just trigger Blitz, push 1 guarding enemy player, Then you can often step away from a second, and you have a totally open receiver. Strong arm, accurate and handing off will make it easy to get them the ball.
Get Block and Guard on everyone but the throwers as soon as possible.
Just by being able to threaten the throwing game, the opponent will have all kinds of defensive problems.

[Dodger]

I really like this Guide, but I want to include some alternative thoughts.
I have played orcs in Blood Bowl for 2 decades (since table top in the 6th Grade)
I have an Orc Team with 15 wins in a Row, Here is my Starting Build.
4 Black Orcs,
2 Blitzers
2 Throwers
2 Line Man
1 Troll
2 Rerolls
1 Apothecary
You have all the sheer power necessary to protect the throwers.
You have one sit far back and get the ball to the second thrower who can hunker down behind the line of strong boys.
Use the 2 blitzers on offense to bust a hole into the backfield, and have at least one down field,. The opponent will feel compelled to deal with the Blitzers.. And that basically means your box of strong orcs can get the line pushing up field.
The throwers don't need rerolls at all, pass and Sure hands cover that. and the strong line should let you run the ball into relatively easy pass distance, so Catching is covered by the team re roll. Pick up Accurate as your first skill and this gets even easier.