Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

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Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

So... decided that after 3 (enjoyable) seasons with my Orcs it was time to move onto a more 'sophisticated' style of the brutal game, The High Elves are a team that hasn't been done yet in our League set up and they fit the playbook that id like to try out (the passing game).

We've 9 teams in our League this season (DZ rules), 1 Dwarf and 1 Human team that have redrafted from last season giving them 1460k and 1380k respectively. The other 7 (including me) are all rookie teams (not all rookie coaches tho) with 2 more Humans, HElves, Goblins, Necromancer, Halflings and Slann making up the division.

Like I say its a brand new playing style for me but one I'm looking forward to trying out, though the lack of AV9 and Block everywhere that im used to will be an eye opener.

Im currently proxying the models as im waiting for GW to release the Elven Union team that ill be using as Helves.

1 Thrower
2 Catchers
2 Blitzers
6 Linemen
2 Rerolls
990k

Anyway, lets see how the New Avelorn Saints get on...

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

Game 1

New Avelorn Saints 2 VS 1 Maestro Anthropoids (Human)

Scraped a win... and I mean scraped!

Was really looking forward to my first league game, both teams at 990k, relatively decent match up to get my game on... NUFFLE had other ideas...

The amount of 1s I rolled was ridiculous, they weren't even risky situations, just the simplest of quick passes with my thrower, 2+ with 'pass' easy right? rolled snake eyes twice! Then when I Blitzed opposition catcher knocking him down releasing the ball, just needed a simple 2+ pick up... 1... team reroll... 1 again... :(

Obviously some of my plays did come off, after taking the lead the Humans set up in the centre leaving the flanks open? (don't know why) whatever his tactic was I took advantage, threw my one and only successful pass and ran in a TD in 2 turns after screening my catcher all the way to the endzone.

I lost my thrower to the injury box early on in the 2nd half so I decided to stick to hand offs to my catchers rather than passing, with only 2 rerolls I didn't want to risk it. After 3-4 turns of the ball being fought over in midfield I managed to free the ball up, run in with a catcher and carry the ball away to safety and to a scoring position to win the game on turn 8 in the 2nd half. Though that was after a nervous 2+ pick up with no rerolls left...

A win is a win tho so that's something, levelled up a catcher with the MVP so gave him Dodge plus got enough coins to purchase an apothecary to try and protect those positionals.

Goblins up next with a very good coach in charge of them... will be interesting to say the least.

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by Regash »

LJCA wrote:Im currently proxying the models as im waiting for GW to release the...
I know, this is a bit off topic but you should rather think about converting your own team from other miniatures.
There is plenty of ideas on the www and you'll love the team so much!

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

Regash wrote:
LJCA wrote:Im currently proxying the models as im waiting for GW to release the...
I know, this is a bit off topic but you should rather think about converting your own team from other miniatures.
There is plenty of ideas on the www and you'll love the team so much!
I started putting together a Dark Elf team using 40k DEldar models but then turned away from the dark side (that's the team im using now) but im one for having shiny new teams with good sculpts and matching transfers... im weird like that.

Maybe that's why they performed so badly? They obviously don't like the weird futuristic Dark Elf kit!

Going on the rumours the new Elves should be out late Oct / early Nov so not too long to wait... hopefully.

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

Game 2

Saints 1 VS 2 Orc-Ward (Goblins)

When your catcher who has the DODGE skill cant make a 2+ dodge roll (and then subsequently takes himself out of the game with the dice roll) you know its not gna be your day...

I lost to a better coach, that's the reason, but wow my dice hate me right now.

Started relatively cautious after I received as I knew I was playing a better coach than myself (TVs more or less same) and did manage to take the lead with a 3+ 2+ 2+ 4+ 2+ pick up-dodge-hand off-throw-catch elf style combo that was more or less my only achievement of the first half, my blitzes and blocks resulted in nothing more than stunned gobbos whilst my opponent seemed to take me off the pitch at will (Chainsaw-fanatic-trolls helped there). He equalised with the doom diver on a OTT, with only 6 players left on the pitch I couldn't cover all the space to deny it, he still pulled off the dice rolls tho so fair play to him.

Second half saw me start with only the 6 as my KOd players refused to return to the pitch, outnumbered I conceded ground too easily and the gobbos went 2-1 up.

I did have a chance to draw the game on the last turn with a 3+ 3+ 2+ combo but with no rerolls left I didn't manage it.

Learnt a lot about marking with my players who have no BLOCK skill... don't do it...

Still, my Thrower levelled up and now has ACCURATE in his armoury so he looks pretty good, but the rest of my team are lacking atm, especially with a Blitzer missing for the next game.

Halflings up next!

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

Game 3

Saints 1 VS 1 Shire Bay Packers (Halflings)

Well I cant blame my dice this time, they did ok, but my opponents did alot better than ok...

The opposing coach was last seasons winner (with Lizardmen) and he knows what hes doing, so I knew this would be another tough game despite the Halflings' stats. So when his Master chef took away my two rerolls I did think this was gna be another one of those days...

I did manage to keep the Halflings in check for most of the first half but at the cost of my one and only Blitzer who was fortunately brought back to life by the Apos magic touch. The Halflings did take the lead with a TTM late on landing on a 5+ and dodging away to score. 1-0 at halftime.

The second half I knew what I wanted to achieve but with the Packers miraculously taking down more players than I could in reply (one dice blocks taking me out) I soon found myself well out numbered and again with no rerolls.
With no BLOCK left on my team I decided to boringly play the long game and grind out a 1-1 draw as I wasn't confident of getting the ball back quickly enough to score twice. Using my MV advantage I kept out of the Halflings strike range and scored on turn 8 using the Catch/Throw skills available to me.

Im quickly learning that ive a lot to learn in regard to best using an AG team (get the irony?) and the next game isn't gna be any easier, up against Dwarfs who have Block/Tackle/Guard/MB all over the place.
I do have all my positionals back (and my rerolls) tho and one of my Catchers levelled up so I gave him Block, I need it!
Ive also 410k in inducements so hopefully I can put them to good use.

If you've any ideas on how to spend the inducemnets id love to hear them...

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by rolo »

Dwarves are going to be tough but they ARE beatable.

First, make fun of the cowardly weenie who felt the need to play advanced Dwarves in a league with mostly rookie teams. It won't help tactically but come on.
Second, don't panic! At the end of the day, Dwarves are slow ST3 guys. You have fast ST3 guys.
Don't let them play their game, make them play yours. Dwarves want to line up all in a row with their guards and block you down every turn. Spread out and they won't be able to do that. Don't be scared to dodge away from Tacklers if that improves your position, and also remember that he'll only have 5-6 or so players with Tackle on the field anyway.
If you get a chance to hit back, aim for the Slayers and Runners first. They're AV8, you know how vulnerable that can be. And there's nothing, NOTHING a Dwarf coach hates more than being outnumbered.
If you have players knocked down in a decent position, consider leaving them there. The Dwarves won't be able to move their cage over them, and maybe they'll even throw a foul. Which is fine, they have about the same chance to lose their player as you do, and it's as good a way as any to outnumber them.

The basic game plan:
On Defense: If they manage to get the ball into their cage, just set up the "double rows" in front of the cage. Just keep Frenzy in mind. If they only move one field forward per turn, they'll run out of time before scoring. So at some point, your opponent will panic and try to break out. Do that it takes, dodge as needed, blitz the ball carrier, laugh in his face if you recover the ball.
On Offense: Be patient; keep the ball safe deep in your own half, in the hands of a thrower or catcher. Your opponent WILL send 2-3 slow dwarves after him; this will weaken the rest of the defense. Once you see an opening, get the ball in the hands of a Catcher or Blitzer at midfield, run behind the Dwarves defense, screen them off as best you can, and hold out for as long as possible before running in the score. Laugh in their face when you do.

Inducement:
Does your league allow a Wizard? (150k) Dwarves hate that, because caging up the ball is their plan A on offense, and they don't have a plan B. If you can hit 4-5+ players with a fireball, just smash that cage. Otherwise, lightning bolt right at the ball carrier and hope for a good bounce. Do this late in his offense (turn 6 or 7), make him sweat for a bit and commit to protecting the ball. Every player he uses to reinforce and double-screen his cage is a player not hurting you.
Star Players are always a decent choice. Consider:
Eldril Sidewinder (200k): He isn't optimal against Dwarves, because he doesn't have Block and he's fragile. But his Gaze is almost like having a second Blitz, letting you get through any cage or screen if you're lucky. Try to gaze Blitzers or Slayers (or anyone without Tackle) when possible. Remember that a Gazed player has no tackle zone, so they can't use Guard. Gazed players also can't catch and can therefore not intercept.
Prince Moranion (230k): ST4 Blitzer with Wrestle. A little bit overpriced considering that Dauntless and Tackle are probably not useful this game. Still, with both Block and Wrestle, he can decide to take his attacker down with him on a Both-Down, or remain standing, your choice. And there's nobody on your team better at hitting a Ball Carrier if you do get a shot.
If your league allows the "New" Death Zone star players, the Swift Twins are cool. 390k gets you two players; Lucien is an extra Blitzer with MB and Tackle, Valen is the best thrower in the game (Sure Hands and Pass, AG5, Safe Throw, tosses a Long Pass on 2+, doesn't care about Loner because he has his own Skill rerolls).
Extra Apo/Babes help keep your team alive.
Extra Training (Induced rerolls for 100k) help mitigate having to reroll dodges from Tacklers. Still hurts but it hurts more to not have that reroll when you need it.
Mercenary Linemen cost 100k and give you an extra warm body to put on the line. You can get them a skill for 50k (Block, Kick, Wrestle are all fun options).
Mercenary Thrower with Leader costs 170k and gets you both another body and another reroll.

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"It's 2+ and I have a reroll. Chill out. I've got this!"
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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

The league im in plays DZ rules only (to be fair a lot of us started the game when the 2016 set came out so we're all used to that rule set) and there is no Wizards in there, for now anyway.

The Dwarf coach gets a lot of stick for his second season Dwarfs but its a good group we've got and he takes it well. Though him bringing the Death Roller back didn't go down well :lol:

You were right about AV8 being so much worse than AV9 (in the other thread), im shipping players left right and centre atm, every Blitz I face seems to do some damage, crazy dice!

With the inducements I was thinking of going with 2 extra rerolls (200k) 2 Kegs (100k - so ill be coming back from KOd on a 2+) and a wandering Apo to try and prevent serious casualties to my positionals.

I did want to use Prince Moranion against the high TV teams tho as ive bought the FW Griff Oberwald model to represent him... with his helmet on he can pass for a burly Elf...

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by Lyracian »

LJCA wrote:So... decided that after 3 (enjoyable) seasons with my Orcs it was time to move onto a more 'sophisticated' style of the brutal game, The High Elves are a team that hasn't been done yet in our League set up and they fit the playbook that id like to try out (the passing game).

Anyway, lets see how the New Avelorn Saints get on...
I like writing up by games as well but should this not be in the team blogs - viewforum.php?f=49
LJCA wrote:With the inducements I was thinking of going with 2 extra rerolls (200k) 2 Kegs (100k - so ill be coming back from KOd on a 2+) and a wandering Apo to try and prevent serious casualties to my positionals. I did want to use Prince Moranion against the high TV teams tho as ive bought the FW Griff Oberwald model to represent him... with his helmet on he can pass for a burly Elf...
Babes/Kegs are always good. While 2 Re-rolls is a little light you could take the Prince, Apo and a Keg for 380k.
DZ2 has Haratio X a Wizard. If he is allowed you can have Prince, Haratio X and 2 Kegs for exactly 410k.

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

I like writing up by games as well but should this not be in the team blogs - viewforum.php?f=49

Sorry, my bad, rookie error, didn't see the thread right at the bottom of the page, ill transfer it across.

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

DZ2 has Haratio X a Wizard. If he is allowed you can have Prince, Haratio X and 2 Kegs for exactly 410k.[/quote]


I must have missed that guy in the DZ2 book? Plus ive not seen any rules at all for Wizards in 2016 rules?

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Re: Rookie High Elf season underway (game reviews)

Post by LJCA »

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=44468

Ill carry on the Saints story here, thank for all the advice tho, its paying off!

Cheers.

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