“Tactical Takeaways-

1. Goblin Cage Corner

Tricky when you get into the tight scrums, but you should do everything you can to avoid a goblin cage corner - especially against Dwarves - and when it is you're one leveled goblin. As I think through a turn there are so many things to consider, but the security of the cage takes top priority. Don't get too caught up about getting assists and finding the blitz. Tricky skill because often the cage is forming as you make the blitz to free someone or progress, but that's what makes the game great.

2. Protecting Goblins

Protecting goblins is tough, but the key element to me is that you make sure the opponent doesn't have a corner to hit them on. If they hit them it has to be flat edge to flat edge, and if at all possible with two players on either side. This means that even if they take the hit it's likely a 1D, and you likely get to hit them back. Goblin screeners do play a role, but this is only in desperate situations.

On the same topic this is why St 4 L-shaped corners are so difficult to blitz. Most teams being strength 3 means they need 2 assists for a 2D block. Against an L Corner short of a fair bit of guard there's very few ways to get a 2D block.

3. Order of Actions, Offensive Drive

We hung around for the bash scrum until turn 5 where we made the push. To make this push was going to require some rushes at some point. We had 2 re-rolls to start the turn. To clear the lane we needed to blitz and we 1/9'd. Blorc had Block so, we could've opted to take it. My mindset though was that the scoring position was open if we could clear the lane. Re-rolled, and was able to open it up, and mark a possible sacker. At this point I should've moved the carrier, but before we actually started the run I threw a 2D block with a Blorc that was marking a single random beard. 1/9. If we don't re-roll we can't take advantage of the scoring opportunity. I could've taken the Brawler re-roll, but again if this block fails the entire drive is done. Had to re-roll it to a push. This left me to make the push without any re-rolls. The block didn't have to be made at all. I could've made the block after the carrier had already gotten into scoring range, and confidently used the brawler re-roll. This second block was a very straightforward example of poor order of actions.

4. Troll Re-Roll

Being that Re-Roll management really became the name of our offensive drive: the Troll Re-Roll. A few mistakes here. One, I thought it was a 3D block. It was not, that alone would've been reason enough for me not to make the block at all, but I didn't see it correctly and I made the block. Failed. Now should you re-roll this? The opponent was set to get 3 pretty easy blocks on the cage wall/corner. Two goblins most likely down. The Black Orc possible chain pushing the body of the troll out. Swarming in on the carrier to follow - Blitz on the ball likely. Most likely the drive is ruined. There is a chance that in the defensive rush for the ball we end up with a lane to escape. Is this failure going to end the drive to the point that the loner re-roll should be attempted? I believe yes. At it's core though, this is a block that never should've been thrown. I did not have 3D and should've seen that. The block on it's own did not serve a crucial purpose to progressing the cage. As I look at the positioning, even it were 3D I don't know that I would've attempted it. ”