Noob Woodie coach in a noob league

[Al the Trowel]

I had a +ST Wardancer last time I coached Woodies. They are awesome. Not just because tehy can leap in almost anywhere and throw 2 dice blocks but because of the fear they cause!

There is a real psychological effect where opponents start thinking they can't protect the ball from the ST 4 Wardancer, so don't bother. Or assume that no cage is perfect and make small positioning mistakes because "it doesn't matter where I put that lineman he'll just leap in anyway!"

That sort of thinking really works in favour of the Woodies as the opponent starts to leave gaps you can exploit. Particularly since Leaps are one of the riskiest rolls that you make - unmodified Ag roll 3+ to succeed with no skill reroll - you want to avoid them in favour of dodges through 1 TZ with the dodge reroll.

I agree with Yavatol on +MA I would ignore for a skill as WDs are great with just normal skills. Either Strip Ball, Tackle, Sidestep or Side Step, Shadowing, Diving Tackle.

[OverDose]

Yeah, the league is a short one, only 10 games left so I think I'll just go for the leader.

[Yavatol]

Couldn't agree more. If you're opponent thinks he cannot win from your woodies because they are so very good at getting the ball loose, you're halfway to winning the games.
I have seen similar things with AG 5 WDs (who can go everywhere they like) and with pass blockers. I used to have a team with an awesome pass blocking defence (2 ag5 pass blocking, side stepping, leaping catchers). Some people just didn't knwo how to play against them. I have seen people taking a lot of risk to move the ball quickly in the first turn of their drive, just because the feared I would pass block them in the next turn.
Turn overs are the key to playing wood elves, after all. If you can turn your opponent over you are going to win the game. Unfortunately it is easier said than done, and those opponent that keep a level head are very difficult to play.

[Mirascael]

What to get for the WD?

Why, Frenzy of course!

I'm thinking about Dauntless, (maybe jump up, because there are only 5 enemies that have more than 3 strength) on doubles

Contrary to popular belief, Dautnless on wardancers just sucks (unless your league consists of chaos dwarf teams almost exclusively). Jump Up makes for a decent second but cannot compete with Frenzy.

Sidestep on normal skill.

Excellent pick, but you might also want to consider Tackle.

For the rookie linos block or dodge, and if they manage to get doubles, maybe one with leader and others with guard?

I suggest that you pick Kick next. Doubles on a blocker Guard, doubles on a rookie Leader (if it's a short league as you mentioned)

Throwers with accurate or strong arm, maybe sure hands (I have the only player with strip ball but not for long I think) or safe pass.

In a short term league you might also consider Tackle and/or Block. Sure Hands isn't important against Strip Ball, might want it to save RRs. A pick-up is more likely to fail with AG 4 without RR then with AG 3 and Sure Hands.

Maybe I should get one with passblock? For the blockerlino I'm thinking about Dauntless on doubles, maybe guard and on normal skill roll dodge (maybe tackle, the human catchers and ghouls piss me off)

There is only one wood elf player who wants Dauntless on a double, and that's a catcher. On all others I consider it a waste. Better take Guard.
If those catchers/ghouls annoy you: You'll most likely blitz them with your wardancer anyhow. Tough choice between Tackle and Side Step there. Perhaps SPP-hugging with him wouldn't be that bad after all.

[Jinxed]

I cannot believe people would not take +MA.

I have a wardancer with just that and he is awesome.

[OverDose]

^ Well, I think that's because even a plain wardancer is just awesome.

[Jinxed]

Yes. And with MA9 he is even more awesome.
I cannot count the occasions he could blitz without a gfi because of that one extra square he can move!

[Yavatol]

It's just that I prefer one with tackle, strip ball or side step, or other skills. With move 8 you can go everywhere you want to, and with two carefully positioned WDs you cover the whole pitch. I don't think rolling a gfi is that bad.

[OverDose]

Finally I got to play against the Undead. The game went great early on, but the second half was almost disastrous. I had 5 players left, 2 of them were stunned and 3 of them down. Still I managed to score a TD with my WD :p. I got to kill his werewolf with my dirty player (5 elves giving assists) har har. I won 2-0, got 70k of cash and one SPR for my blocker who scored a touchdown. I threw 5 and a 1, so dodge it was. My kicker got a niggling injury, and my thrower with 0 SPPs got killed. No big loss, I just don't have any reserve players for the tough game against humans. I have 4 players who are a point away from SP roll, it really sucks.

[The Florist]

Sounds like a good opportunity for some backfield passing practice. Just kill his catchers first.

[Yavatol]

well done!
Time for backfield passing practice indeed. Which means that if you can afford the risk, pick up the ball with one of those linemen and pass it to the thrower for the missing SPP.

[OverDose]

Yeah, I would've done that a lot at the last game, but it was raining like hell and I couldn't afford the extra 2+, 3+ rolls for a SPP.

In retrospect I should have done it though, at least once or twice. But a second 2-0 clean victory still tastes sweet.

[OverDose]

I kinda need some advice on defending against humans. They have 5 blitzers (1 lino with a +Ma and block) 2 catchers, other one with block and a thrower and some linos. In the previous games I've used a kind of basic formation, but he just made a break with a blitzer and swarmed my near EZ (6-8 from it). I tried to get to blitz the thrower with my wardancer and glued all his blitzers and catchers but whaddaya know, the blitzers just blitz through (he has 4 RRs too), and the catchers dodge away and score on me like no tomorrow..

I've got some ideas (remember I'm a noob) though.
1) Always blitz the catchers first
2) Kill the !censored!(=catchers) when they fall down
3) try to glue all the blitzers
4) Try to threaten the thrower IF possible

Now, what should my wardancer do? Threaten the thrower doesn't sound too good, but I can't figure out any better roles for him either.

He normally scores in 2 rounds, so obviously I'm doing something wrong.

Now, if I manage to play away his other catcher, and glue the other one with 2, and try to put some tz's on da blitzas also, he's just going to blitz he's way through with one of them and throw a long bomb with he's strong-armed thrower and score (again).

Maybe my formation is all wrong?

I've got 3 men on LOS, 2 on the sides 2 squares away from the scrimmage line, other 2 near the sideys and 2 "backup" players something like 5 squares from my EZ usually my thrower and my kicker. (in the next game prolly my thrower and the dirty player).

[Al the Trowel]

If he keeps his thrower deep out of blitzing range you have two options. Glue markers on his receivers (blitzers and catchers) or swarm through an interception screen between the thrower and the receivers. Normally four or five players can cover most of the field, leaving the rest to mark receivers.

The first play means he has to make dodges and or blocks/blitz to free up a receiver to score. Every dice rolled is a risk of turnover, so make him roll dice.

The second play means he either has to pass over your head and risk interception. If its over a catcher that is 5+ to intercept with the catch reroll. Or he has to blitz a hole in your screen to create a safe passing route. That means he can't use the blitz to free up a receiver. It also means he has to choose whether to free his receiver first or pass to a marked player. If he tries to free up a receiver and fails the Thrower is ready to be sacked by your interception screen. If he throws the pass, the catch is at a -1 for your marker (who may also have a chance to intercept). If he fails the catch you can mop it up and hand off/pass to your interception screen that have now become really useful receivers!

Of course if he scores, score right back to keep it level pegging and keep up the pressure on his next drive.

If the Thrower is not deep enough to avoid your catchers or War Dancers go for the ball. A TZ on a thrower even if you can't blitz him will cause all sorts of problems. Firstly he has to free the thrower up from the marker or risk losing the ball. That means his blitz wasted making it trickier for him to free up receivers. Or he has to make a risky dodge with the Thrower.

If the Thrower has a couple of saftey linemen covering him. Treat it like a cage. Put a couple of line-elves one sqaure in front of it to make it tricky to move the ball forward and then mark or blitz any likely receivers.

If you blitz a reciever try to ensure you are likely to get him down. IE don't bother hitting the blodge catcher unless its with a tackler. Also assess receivers by the threat liklihood. If your are able to force him to make a pass from deeper in his half target receivers closest to the thrower that can reach the EZ (without gfis). If there's a catcher he can longbomb let him try it (so long as you've marked the catcher). 6+ with a reroll is not great odds, fumble on 1,2,or3!

The key is to make him roll dice as the more he rolls the more likely he'll fail. And remember in a tit for tat game of quick scoring the Woodies are better. They are quicker, and more agile therefore less likely to fail than the Humans.

Personally if I were the human coach I would play Orc Bowl (control the ball and the blocking) against Wood Elves. Trying to play Elf Bowl (quick movement of the ball and quick scores) against Wood Elves is a recipe for disaster.

One last thing if he seems to be setting up to play a quick pass followed by a handoff (ie Thrower sits deep quick passes to a catcher or blitzer on the LOS and then the catcher/blitzer runs forward to handoff to a scorer) take out the catcher/blitzer on the line. That forces him to go for longer passes or GFIs which means greater likelihood of failure.

[OverDose]

^ Thanks for the advice! This really can give me an edge for the next match. I don't have any tacklers or catchers, but I'll try to make reasonable blocks (2 dice blocker blocks), so maybe I can get he's speedy ones out.