Fortress Tactics defense intro

Defense is also relatively simple. There are currently two defensive models in use. The dominant one is the inner/outer defense model. Put simply, one person follows his tail immediately inside his team's fortress, creating a barrier to entering the zone. The other person will create a similar barrier farther out, usually touching the rim wall in his circuit. The inside player, the goalie, is the inner defense. The outside player's position has no name, other than outer defense.

The second model is a goalie/guard model like that used in soccer. It has some advantages over the inner/outer defense model, but some disadvantages as well. In this model, you have a goalie that plays just like the inner defense already mentioned. The second player takes up a guard position in front of the goalie and works his area like a zone defense. In this model he will hunt anyone who comes to his side of the grid.

The tradeoffs are huge. In the inner/outer defense model, the inner player doesn't have to be particularly strong if the outer player is strong. The converse is also true. So if you have new players, or just players who are new to fortress play, the inner/outer defense model is very effective. The goalie/guard model requires both players to be strong players, and the guard has to be a strong dueling player. The advantage to the goalie/guard model is that the guard can switch easily to offense if his offensive players should crumble. He can also easily switch to take a winzone, should one appear. He can also switch to outer defense on the fly if need be. Obviously this requires a lot more skill and experience on the part of the guard. In the end, let the goalie make the call on which he prefers. The best defense he can set up is the one he can play best, regardless of what the tradeoffs are.

The other defensive players will deploy early in the round and take up what are essentially zone defenses. If the offense deploys well, the defensive line will only receive 2 or 3 players, but it needs to be ready to take 5, and there's only 4 defensive players at the most. The mission of the defense, combined, is to deny the rear part of the grid to the other team. This is a larger area than the fortress itself, and it makes sense. If an opposing player can get into the area of denial, he can prevent defensive players from coming to peel him out. But if the defense can deny the whole area to him, they keep him off the goalie's back.

Depending on the strength of the defense and the skills and experience of each player, as a defensive player you may be able to let 1 or 2 opposing players get by in order to get 1 or 2 others.