To Tree or not to Tree?

[El Hombre]

Currently I'm playing a Wood Elf Team in our League (League of Rodents, in Belgium), and after 5 of the 14 games I'm in this situation:

2 catchers, both have block, one also guard
2 wardancers, one with tackle, the other has a DOUBLES ROLL
6 linies, two of them with dodge, one has also an 11 ROLL
2 RR, 170.000 gps

I'm in doubt now:
1) what to do with the doubles roll for the wardancer? Guard seems a valuable option, but also Frenzy or Mighty Blow... But so does sidestep... any ideas?
2) what to do with the 11 ROLL? AG5 seems cool, but as he is a linie he doesn't have acces to pass or accurate, he might be on a dead-end that way... also he'll add a lot to TV...
3) with 170.000 banked I'm looking for some newcomers to the team. I'm tempted by taking a treeman as my upcoming adversaries are orcs and undead. But on the other hand, I could buy a third catcher AND a linie, and getting my team back to 12 players that way...

[solarflare]

1. Guard on the WD. Definitely.
2. I would go with +AG on the lino. Then block and leap.
3. I like the tree, but I'm not as certain of this as #1 and 2 above. You can make a good case either way. The tree helps to keep your other players alive longer, but a lot of players do not like him...

[mattgslater]

The +AG lino is a good argument for taking a Tree. The Tree saves Cas, and keeps guys like him off the LOS.

Guard or MB on the WD, can't go wrong.

[Bradders]

I'd take MB over guard.

You don't want your dancers standing next to another player only providing an assist, i presume like most WE players the dancers do most of the hitting and anything adding to armour rolls is a bonus.

[Greyhound]

I'd either take:
Mighty Blow
or
ignore it and take sidestep.

For the tree it's an eternal question where there is no clear right or wrong. It depends of your playstyle.

Some numbers/thoughts to help you
* Buying a woodelf and loosing him on the LOS, then replacing him = 140k
* Buying a tree = 120k

* Woodelf lino with Blodge+Fend = 130k, but it takes a while to get him here

The tree can tie up a bunch of people which is why I like him. I don't like SPPing on him though, and I hate getting MVP on him. I can accept Grab as being useful (he'll keep his ennemies close when rooted).

a Jump Up/Block with Break Tackle and Piling on (just to break root) I can see some use for that, but that's 2 doubles so don't count on it.

[mattgslater]

What's Fend? The noseguard gets either SF (S access) or SS (A access or doubles).

[Greyhound]

Fair enough Blodge + 1 skill for the sake of the argument.

I play a lot with Fend on linos (nearly regardless of team), it's often a dodge I don't have to roll next turn.

I can start the turn with risk free action (no roll) moving my lino where I need him.

I like to roll less, and fend enables me to do this.
It also stops Frenzy, and Piling on, which works for me.

Also with wood elves my ideal scenario has got me starting the turn with no one in base contact.

SideStep on the blitzers/real players

[mattgslater]

I like Side Step on the line, because you only get one bite at the guy, and a push locks out the midfield route. Just in terms of D-lineman value, Block, Wrestle, Fend and other non-A/S skills are merely consolation prizes for those lesser G-only players (okay, Block on ST4 lines is an arguable exception). Side Step and Dodge are the true butt-savers, with Stand Firm and Guard being good on the heavy teams. Block and Wrestle get better at late development.

AFAIC, it's pretty easy to build skills on elf linemen. Just don't start many positionals, retrieve/score based on SPP need, and build your guys like their job is to live another day. But a Tree makes it even easier....

[dines]

Take mb, ag and tree

[Aliboon]

1) Have you considered juggernaut? With strip ball, he'll pop the ball on anything but a skull (unless opo has sure hands). Also combines nicely with frenzy. MB or guard otherwise, I'd probably go MB as I prefer my 'dancers to be hitting rather than supporting.

2) AG all the way, turns him into a nice ball retriever once you've popped it with a 'dancer. 2+ in a TZ, 3+ in two, yes please.

3) I like the tree, but I'm in quite a bashy league. He will save CASs, has ST6 so can bash a hole against even the toughest and most developed of teams so that you can actually get into their backfield without some nasty dodges. Grab also helps with 1-turners.

[Smurf]

Wardancer double... no brainer Mighty blow. You're going to need it.

Treeman? Style of play, speed then forget him.

I've played over 10 games without the treeman, doing fine.

Treeman is a distraction for others but with a MA 2 is a bit arse IMO.

My WD without doubles have:

1. tackle sidestep AV
2. tackle sidestep shadowing

I long for doubles for most of the team. the only 2 to get double are both the throwers

[Drool_bucket]

1.) Mighty Blow without a thought. Guard goes on a Lineelf with doubles.

2.) +1 AG is very nice. I took it once and then Dodge. He was able to get places. If he made it to 31 he would have taken Sure hands, but alas, Nuffle called him to the Great Pitch In the Sky.

3.) Reroll, reroll, reroll. I try to avoid WE teams with less than 3 Reroll, its the reason I start with a Thrower and not a catcher, for the Leader access.

A Tree is a luxury, nice to have but certainly not required by any stretch, kinda like my wife's jewelry. (though she'll tell you she *needs* them) I get the tree after I have 3 catchers, 1 passer, 2 Dancers and 6 Lineelfs. I don't carry more than 13 players on a developed WE team.

I would save the 70K for a Thrower or Catcher next and let a journyelf take the whacks on the LoS for a game.

[Smurf]

I have played 14 games without rerolls. won 13 too.

In built rerolls are awesome1