Tactics Articles

FewFew

Would anybody like to write a one-off article about certain aspects of tactics for the tactics&advice section of the zine?

I'm looking at some of the following...

1. What positions require what skills and how these skills affect the players.

2. The different defence settings. What the three different types actually mean, what they're strong against, what their weaknesses are and how do you notice them in match reports.

3. How to effectively use discipline settings in tactics. How aggression and discipline affects the way your players play the game.

4. How to build your first team from scratch

Gelio

Whoever is doing it will find plenty of help from the sticky at the top of the page

Orizio

I nominate JP.

daveharnett

I'll put together a few paragraphs on defensive systems this evening/tomorrow.

FewFew

daveharnett wrote: »

I'll put together a few paragraphs on defensive systems this evening/tomorrow.

Thanks Dave!

Scrummage

Fewcifur wrote: »

Would anybody like to write a one-off article about certain aspects of tactics for the tactics&advice section of the zine?

I'm looking at some of the following...

1. What positions require what skills and how these skills affect the players.

2. The different defence settings. What the three different types actually mean, what they're strong against, what their weaknesses are and how do you notice them in match reports.

3. How to effectively use discipline settings in tactics. How aggression and discipline affects the way your players play the game.

4. How to build your first team from scratch

Some usefull information here http://brcentrum.99k.org/tactics1.html that will help with tactics

daveharnett

What are defensive systems?
For any fixture, your team may employ any one of the three defensive system: Rush, Man-on-man, or Drift.

• Man-on-man: This is the 'neutral' defensive system. It is not particularly strong or weak against any type of attack.
• Rush: This is strong against pick-and-go and driving type attacks, but weak against creative and expansive attacks.
• Drift: Strong against creative and expansive attacks, weak against pick-and-go and driving attacks.

What are the ratings?
You will notice that each defensive system has it's own 'rating' for your team, indicating how effectively they can execute that system. For a new team, they will all begin at 'Non-Existent'. All you need to do to improve your team's rating for a particular system is to use it for a number of fixtures. If a defensive system is not used for a period of time, it's rating will slowly decline. It is possible to reach and maintain an 'Impressive' rating for two defensive system, just by using both every week.

Which defense should I pick?
This should be a "horses for courses" decision. The 'best' system to use depends on your opposition's strengths and the attacking tactics they employ. If your opponent's best players are forwards, they are more likely to play p&g/driving attacks, so rush will work best. If their star players are in the backline, then drift is the way to go. Of course, your opponent may alter their tactics to exploit perceived weaknesses in your squad too!

What defense is my opponent using?
The match commentary provides some hints here. If you find that a lot of your p&g/driving attacks are being stopped at (or behind) the gain-line, then a rush defense is more likely. On the other hand, if you find your wingers constantly being pushed into touch on expansive plays, think drift.

Orizio

Drift is strong against high creative attacks?

Just to add that Rush should be the default defense, as high P'n'G/DRI is invariably the default attack. As a general rule.

daveharnett

Orizio wrote: »

Drift is strong against high creative attacks?

As far as I know. Some friendlies are definitely called for to make sure of our facts though.

johnnysmack

i thought man on man was supposed to be the best for creative attacks?

FewFew

man-on-man is neutral? I always thought man-on-man was pointless except for really good teams? Thought I read somewhere that MOM was more of a national team/div 1 kinda thang?

daveharnett

Fewcifur wrote: »

man-on-man is neutral? I always thought man-on-man was pointless except for really good teams? Thought I read somewhere that MOM was more of a national team/div 1 kinda thang?

I have no direct experience of MoM, so i'm entirely open to correction. I'm just repeating what I thought to be the consensus on it.

Orizio

Fewcifur wrote: »

man-on-man is neutral? I always thought man-on-man was pointless except for really good teams? Thought I read somewhere that MOM was more of a national team/div 1 kinda thang?

My understanding is MOM works if you have superior defence (in comparison to their opposite number) from 1-15. That doesn't make it pointless, but it isn't nuetral, its something you should use if you have relatively high defence levels.

jprender

Rush is best against driving

Drift is best against Expansive

MOM is best against Creative


Rush is probably the best defense against PNG also, but PNG does not result in any linebreaks so no worries there.

Wylie Luke

Still a bit new to all of this so bear with me, I've used Rush extensivley in the last season and I've found it reasonably good against most attacks but I think it helps to have a Fullback with a high defense rating cos Rush does lead to linebreaks and my FB and quick Winger were the ones to haul down the attacker everytime it happened!

Scrummage

I find if I play drift that its best to have a no9 with good defense as well as the core skills for the no9 position also no10,no12 no15 with good kicking. Playing rush, for the no9 position defense does not seem to too important. Just my throughts what do you think?

FewFew

Orizio wrote: »

My understanding is MOM works if you have superior defence (in comparison to their opposite number) from 1-15. That doesn't make it pointless, but it isn't nuetral, its something you should use if you have relatively high defence levels.

Cheers man, I knew there was some aspect like that.