Strategy: The On-Side Trick.

  I've been thinking about catching an inaccurate pass and the chance of actually doubling it for the free action.  While doing so I came up with this rather risky play I call "The On-Side trick"

  This play will work best with a team that has numerous Strikers, preferably with some spare coaching dice, or "safe pair of hands" skill.  This will work best with the Veer-myn, though some MVP's are ideal for this trick.

  It is your rush and you are about to score, with a few of actions still in hand.  How to best take advantage of those actions. Move those spare strikers to the launch hexes, and be sure that they are facing the direction the ball will from launch after you score (Your right).  Turn their backs to the direction your ball launches from so should they be standing later turns when the ball launches from your hex, they will not be forced to attempt a catch the ball.  Line up multiple Strikers if you have enough actions.

  Then attempt your strike.  If you score, the ball will relaunch, and your striker will be in position to attempt the catch.  Using the coaching die here would be helpful, as you are looking for the double.  If you manage the double your free action will be a "Throw" and move your guy into one of the one point strike hexes, or two point if you are really feeling lucky and shoot.  I say the one point hex, because you will be moving with this shot attempt and down 1 die.  May as well make the most of it and try for the easy shot...unless you're a two point strike from winning.

  Best part is if you have multiple Strikers lined up before your first attempt, you can keep this going, so long as your dice hold.

Good Luck...you will need it to pull this one off.

Golem Painting Studios, Potential Corporation team colors

Too neat an image not to share for those of you just getting your teams and thinking about colors.

These folks do nice work...you can read the full article here (and see the full size image)....

http://golempaintingstudio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/mike-newman-speaks_13.html

Rules for Wildcard MVP posted.

With the early release for the Wildcard Mini...we get an early release of her rules as well!  Thanks Jake!
You can fund the rule at the following link.

http://quirkworthy.com/2012/12/05/wildcard/

This will bring the total MVP's for season 1 up to 9...though the Humans will have a little advantage as having the most available willing to play for them.

While we are on the topic may as well break down the list of which MVP's will play for which teams.

Corporation (6 total):  Lucky Logan, Wildcard, John Doe, Enforcer, Buzzcut, Number 88

Forge Fathers (5 total): Gorim Ironfist, John Doe, Enforcer, Buzzcut, Number 88

Veer Myn (5 total): Reek "Payback" Rolat, John Doe, Enforcer, Buzzcut, Number 88

Orx & Goblins (4 total): Slippery Joe, Enforcer, Buzzcut, Number 88

Remember just because they won't play for you does not mean you can't bid on them to keep them out of your opponents hands.

Alternative poses and Kickstarter Shipments

This whole post  is speculation on my part...

Just pulled this tid bit of information from the kickstarter comments section.

I got an answer from Mantic : "As for the alternate poses, they will indeed ship next year. The Human and Marauder teams will be getting 10 players this year and 4 next year, and the Veer-myn and Forge Fathers will be getting 8 this year and 6 next year."

So for those with the Kickstarter Striker package.
Looks like the the 2nd part of your Season 1 teams will ship with the Season 2 teams in the spring ./ early summer.

EDIT: Shipment counts confirmed by Mantic.

The 8 man contents of the team boxes are set:

FF - 3 Guards, 3 Jacks, 2 Strikers
VM - 6 Strikers, 2 Guards
Marauders - 5 Jacks, 3 Guards
Corp - 2 Guards, 3 Jacks, 3 Strikers.

The 10-player teams in the main box add-on 1 Jack and 1 Guard to the Marauders, as well as 1 Jack and 1 Striker to the Corporation.

The remaining figures in Jack/Striker will be random (though never exceeding the maximum number of player positions.)

Also from the "Asterisks" next to the MVP minis.  Looks as if there will be 4 MVP's that are part of the pre-Christmas shipment.  Rest will come with Season 2.

Lucky Logan - ???
Reek Rolat - Veer-Myn Only
The Enforcer - ???
Slippery Joe - ???

Looks like the Forge Fathers miss out on the early MVP's...unless one of the "Corporation" leaning guys will play for them.

As much as I am looking forward to all the great loot that comes with the Striker package.  I think the roll out with 8 to 10 starting players, and limited MVP's will make for stronger leagues down the road.  Baby steps...start small and work your way up.

The only downside I can see to getting two shipments of the Season 1 teams is a very minor one.  Painters, be sure to remember  (Or take notes) of the brand and color paints that you use.  I dislike painting units in separate waves as I usually get one shade wrong when I go back to paint the second batch.  "Did I use the GW Blue or the Vajillo Blue on these guys?".  Then the group does not look the uniformly painted.  I'll be sure to keep notes on my Orx...and probably set those pots of paint aside while they wait for the second shipment of minis.

Player Stats for first 4 teams...

From the Devs webblog...

So that you can see the detail and so that you have the info if you fancy proxying some models and running through a Rush or two, I thought I’d list the stats for the initial 4 teams.

Trontek 29ers
The archetypical human team as they were when they were just rookies. Forms the datum for other teams.
Start with 2 Guards, 3 Jacks and 3 Strikers.

• Move: 5
• Strength: 4+
• Speed: 4+
• Skill: 4+
• Abilities: None

Greenmoon Smackers
Naughty ex-pirates.
Start with 3 Orx Guards…

• Move: 5
• Strength: 3+
• Speed: 4+
• Skill: 5+
• Abilities: None

… and 5 Goblin Jacks.

• Move: 5
• Strength: 5+
• Speed: 3+
• Skill: 4+
• Abilities: None

Skittersneak Stealers
Experimental hybrids, cunning prosthetics or scheming aliens?
Start with 2 Guards and 6 Strikers.

• Move: 6
• Strength: 4+
• Speed: 3+
• Skill: 5+
• Abilities: None

Midgard Delvers
Probably own the concession stands too.
Start with 3 Guards, 3 Jacks and 2 Strikers.

• Move: 4
• Strength: 3+
• Speed: 5+
• Skill: 4+
• Abilities: Guards have Steady (cannot be knocked down as a result of a Slam).

Teams Starting Lineups

Did a little research...here is what I discovered so far.

There are four types of player, but only three types that can be on a starting team...

• Guards (Blockers and tough guys)
• Strikers (Those that Score)
• Jacks (Jack of all trades...can do almost everything.)
• Keepers (Actually are Guard upgrades..can not start with a Keeper)

Each team starting out will have 8 players.
Each race has a predetermined selection of player types that they will start with.

Season 1 Teams
Corporation: 2 Guards, 3 Jacks, 3 Strikers (Human men)
Forge Fathers: 3 Guards, 3 Jacks, 2 Strikers  (Dwarves)
Orxs:  3 Guards, 5 Jacks, 0 Strikers  (Orcs and Goblins)
Veer-myn:  2 Guards, 6 Strikers   (Ratmen)

Season 2 Teams
Female Corporation: ? Possibly same as the men. (Human Females)
Robots: 8 Jacks (though they can transform mid game...details to come)
Z'Zor: ? Guards, ? Jacks, ? Strikers (Insects, All three models have been made)
Judwan: 8 Strikers...no other options. (Protoss / Star Wars cloner looking dudes)

Season 3 Teams
Asterians: ? Guards, ? Jacks, ? Strikers (Space elves)
Nameless: ? Guards (2 types), 0 Jacks, ? Strikers (Seafood Cthulhu)
Zees: 8 Jacks  (Chimp Clones, Planet of the Apes)
Teratons: ? Guards, ? Jacks, ? Strikers  (Teleporting Dinosaurs)