How a rookie plays High Elves

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:21 pm

Hi Guys,

My wife wants to paint up and enter a High Elf team into a tourney in 2 months. Only problem is that she's never really played before (and never played high elves), and I've only ever played one game with rookie high elves.

Anyone mind giving me some basic tips on tactics and skill choices? Ive played wood elves, so I have a vague idea but Im sure you all can do better.

The tourney is 1.1mil with a single normal skill allowed on each player at normal cost. I'm really interested to know what elf blitzers do with that since they cant even take guard.

Brains trust.... Go!

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:02 am

Rookie coach with High Elves: that's masochism. High Elves are a good team, but you really need some skill to do well with them.

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:16 am

Ugh, really?

She really likes the minis. How bad are we talking here?

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:02 am

They're a top-notch team if you know how to use them: they have a few fast players, nobody has a low ST score, their armor is average, and they're all good at handling the ball. But Elves are funny. High Elves in particular are kind of second-rate on the skills front. They have good AG, so anybody can try anything, but they have a hard time building a team with enough positionals and enough TRRs to really make it work.

If she's ok getting her butt kicked for awhile, then fine. It builds character, and lots of people have been successful with High Elves before. Get her to play a few games with them. Either she'll get bored with the game, move to a new team, or figure out how to use High Elves. It can totally be done. But when you're trying to master the more basic arts of chain-blocking and building and attacking cages, one of the easier teams, either a bash team or just a top-shelf job like Wood Elves, will make things simpler.

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:10 am

I'd probably recommend the following for a rookie

2 x Blitzers - Tackle on one, Strip Ball on the other
1 x Thrower - leader
2 x catchers - dodge
6 x line elf
2 rerolls
1 coach or cheerleader.

Alternatively give both blitzers dodge too.

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:11 pm

For a newbie, loading down with Dodge isn't a bad idea. You know you'll get mileage out of it.

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:49 am

Righto, shes been practicing a bit with the following team list:

2x Blitzers
1x Thrower - Accurate
2x Catchers - Dodge
6x Line Elf
3x Rerolls

Just because its simple, and the 3 rerolls give her flexibility to make mistakes while learning. It seems to work well, but she has trouble on defense. I can see now why you suggest tackle/strip ball on the blitzers.

Pitch Invader · Post by **Pitch Invader** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:43 am

if defense is giving her problems- which is understandabe with high elves, consider side step or fend for blitzers. High Elf teams really need to control their board possition and these skills help do that and helps lessen the opposing team from pushing high elves into more blocks and needing to dodge on your turn.

Pass block is also good for blitzers or catchers- gets you free movement and getting in possition to get at the ball.

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:38 pm

Side Step is a great defensive skill, especially on the line of scrimmage, or along the corners. Since it combines well with Block, you might want to give it to a Blitzer; if you do, use him near the sidelines or as a linebacker, aimed to soak up or redirect the blitz action.

Side Step is particularly good in conjunction with a Dodge Catcher and a rookie Catcher or other player who needs protection and does well in wide zones. There are a couple of threads on Side Step in this forum: I'll see if I can dig them up and post links later. SS is one of the most powerful skills in the game, but it presents challenges to the user as well as the opponent.

SillySod · Post by **SillySod** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:18 am

Sidestep isnt a good skill for a rookie. Dodge is:
- dodge is nice and easy to use
- dodge helps people understand how elves work
- dodge is generally pretty powerful which gives you a slight edge vs any non-tackle teams, not a bad thing

Joemanji · Post by **Joemanji** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:27 am

Agree with Silly. Side Step is the worst possible skill for a newbie, since it requires some experience to use well.

I would advocate re-rolls skills or Block. Most forgiving. That is why Humans are a good starting team. So Leader, Dodge, Sure Hands etc.

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:40 am

Ok, good tips guys. So based on the team of

2x Blitzers
1x Thrower - Accurate
2x Catchers - Dodge
6x Line Elf
3x Rerolls

As your starting point, would anyone like to suggest things I could drop to either fit in more dodge/block or reroll skills? I still really like Ians idea of getting a strip ball or tackle blitzer, but I get the feeling she will have the problem of "never in the right place at the right time" with those choices.

One obvious one is to drop a reroll and pick up leader on the thrower (multiple skills are allowed) giving 30k free. Thats a skill choice and a chearleader. Not sure where I can drag 10k from to get a second skill.

Is accurate worth it? Seems to me that HEs need a good passing game. Is it overboard on someone who already gets the pass skill?

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:24 am

Multiple skills are allowed, huh? Maybe drop a TRR and a Blitzer for a Lino with Block, Leader on the Thrower, and 2 more skills to spread around....

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:48 am

Hrm, yes. A Lino with block instead of a blitzer frees up 10k.

So....

Blizter - Strip Ball
Thrower - Accurate, Leader
2x Catcher - Dodge
1x LineElf - Block
6x Lineman
2x Reroll

Plus one more skill of choice.

Im thinking dodge or leap on the strip ball blitzer at the moment?

Post by **DoubleSkulls** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:43 am

Give both blitzers dodge and drop block from the line elf.

That gives her fairly mobile reliable hitters - plus mobile receivers. Its a pretty forgiving lineup for a newbie.