Dark Elves, when is the right time to cut "Busts"?

[mattgslater]

-AV and niggling injuries aren't nearly as bad as they appear. My High Elves are running on a -AV Blitzer (ST4, Mighty Blow, Tackle), a -AV Catcher (Wrodge; he was the first one to 16, but now I have two guys over 40 and he just cracked 20), and a -AV lino (Dodge, about to skill again), plus a -MA lino (Dodge, Guard). It's only annoying once in awhile, and the skills more than make up for it. Collectively, the three -AV guys have suffered two casualties in a combined 17 games since losing the AV point and returning. -AV led to one of them, but not the other. In the seven matches since I've been running two of those injuries (one guy came back with -AV 9 games ago, one 8 games ago), I've taken 15 casualties. So, nah, don't sweat it.

[stashman]

My Dark Elfs last season (7 games - 2 orc, chaos, skaven, necromantic, khemri (old lrb5 mummies with 76+ spps) and stinking dwarfs Most teams around 220-250 TV). 4 win, 1 tie, 1 loss and 1 loss on overtime.

TD skillnad: 13 - 8 = +5

Cas Skillnad: 4 - 28 = -24

4 players left the team and anotherone has got himself an niggling. Elfs in any form are pansy

[someone2040]

I think the two stat decreases that matter a lot are -str and -agi for Elves.
-ma is notable on a positional, but on a lineman I would just stick it on the line.
-AV and Niggling are alright, especially on an Elf team that has the luxuory of 2+ you can only blitz me.

-STR on a positional I would fire. On a line-elf, depends what they have. I fed my original one to big guys/strength 4 guys until I got the cash to replace her. I now have a -STR kicker who I'm going to keep for now (But it is the end of the season into the finals, I would probably replace her next time a Line Elf got a skill up next season).

-AGI, depends what skills they have. Usually a firing offense. I do have a -AGI Pro Elf catcher though, but that's only because she also has Strength 4 and now Block. So I generally use her for blitzing, or if covered, give the opponent a smack. I think if the player can still be useful without being to much of a burden on TV (or you dont have the cash to replace the player) then you may wish to keep them. But -AGI on an elf team is a problem that has to be taken care of eventually.

So yeah, agree with MattGSlater. -AG and Niggling on most teams and players you can generally keep the player (Of course, there are some exceptions). Other stat decreases it varies from player to player.

[DiddleySquat]

Ok cool, thanks for the feedback all. I have too little experience with long term team management, so your points of view are very useful. It took 15 games for the team to receive their first permanent scar, so I can't complain at all.

[stashman]

My High Elf Lineman is a perfect LOS player
6338 Block, Dodge, fend

I don't care that his AG is 3. He is standing on LOS and with Fend he become mobile if not marked by a new player (grabber).

[mattgslater]

Doesn't he just get blocked on the diagonal? My standard line-blocking against 101 line formations is to open with the center on the off-side end, pushing horizontally or knocking down diagonally and not following. That way, the DL migrates to the off-side and there's a maximum chance of knockdown. I don't see how Fend is much good against that. I like the skill, but it's no Side Step. It's great for fronting on cages, but AG3 is not, because you have to get him in position.

[Carnis]

Doesn't he just get blocked on the diagonal? My standard line-blocking against 101 line formations is to open with the center on the off-side end, pushing horizontally or knocking down diagonally and not following. That way, the DL migrates to the off-side and there's a maximum chance of knockdown. I don't see how Fend is much good against that. I like the skill, but it's no Side Step. It's great for fronting on cages, but AG3 is not, because you have to get him in position.

Fend prevents frenzy & piling on on the LOS. That's enough. Just getting blocks against Blodge is pretty meaningless (need 1-3 actions on your first turn to get that AV8 armor check), you need to put the hurt in as well.

[mattgslater]

Ah. I agree about the Frenzy part; that's the cheap (non-Grab) way to chain. But still, it's three skills to stop one skill. I like to hunt with my PO guy, so I'm not likely to use him against the LOS.

[Smeborg]

My current strategy for dealing with DE cripples seems to be working OK.

I can live with -MA or -AG on skilled Blitzers and Linos. I currently have a Blitzer with Dodge, Guard, -1AG and a Lino with Kick, -1MA. I have no intention of retiring them, but will consider doing so if they get a second permanent injury.

If any player has no SPPs and gets a permanent injury, I will seek to retire them as soon as I can. I have done this with a Runner (-1MA) and a Lino (-1AG) so far (after 12 games).

I have little tolerance for injuries on the Witches and Runners, as they need all their MA and AG to be effective. I also have little or zero tolerance for -AV, -ST and Niggles on anybody.

Note that this strategy simply treats DE Blitzers as improved Linos, which is what I think they are at heart.

[mattgslater]

Funny. I ignore the first niggle or -AV.

[Smeborg]

Matt - my experience with -1AV or Niggles is that the player will go into the dugout on average once every 2 games as a sole result of his limp. That is a consistent average, regardless of what team and what position. That's too much for me, unless the player is some kind of star.

[Carnis]

Matt - my experience with -1AV or Niggles is that the player will go into the dugout on average once every 2 games as a sole result of his limp. That is a consistent average, regardless of what team and what position. That's too much for me, unless the player is some kind of star.

Interesting, I frequently put out all my opponent's niggles&-AVs because it just makes so much sense if you're wielding MB/PIon killers.

That being said, a Blodge/SS/AV8 (pro elf blitzer after 1 skill) niggler is REALLY hard to nail down to a situation, where the niggle has any game significance at all - even in the course of multiple games.

[mattgslater]

See, I love it when my opponent sells out his game to get a +1 on a peripheral roll.

[Carnis]

See, I love it when my opponent sells out his game to get a +1 on a peripheral roll.

Yet it works so many times and your team just gets smashed due to that. Just taking niggles into account while playing does not lower your IQ per se.. Or force you to do any silly stunts either..

[Joemanji]

The problem with nigglers is that they become less valuable to the team, which means you invest less effort trying to protect them, which means they end up more exposed and so your opponent doesn't have to go out of his way to target them.