Wood Elf play book (go on tear it apart :P)

[mattgslater]

I'd be happy to proofread it when it's done.

FWIW, one Grab Treeman and a rookie Catcher gets you a pretty good shot at 1TTD. With a Sprint WD, it's actually fairly reliable, even against a full squad of 10+ men.

[Smurf]

I'll give this thread a few days to die off. And when all comments have been made I'll compile.

I'm going to need read the other play books to see the style. Unless they are all types of styles.

[sunnyside]

As with many things I think a number of factors depend on league length.

In a longer one, you need block/wrestle on the catchers to keep them alive. Not losing those SPPs means you aren't chosing between a skill and block, it means you get that skill too because you've got three instead of two skills on them Also I've found them knocking down a lot of opponents after they get block/wrestle, I attribute this to the ease with which dodgy wood elves can sneak around and provide assists. 2D blocks from blockers/wrestlers is better than dodging in many cases.

Also while sidestep is just a good choice on catchers, you don't need it to manage the 1TTD, nor do you need to roll a quick snap. Try and work that out yourself, but I'm sure some of the others can make up some nice drawings for you if you ask nice enough.

As for defense I think kicking deep and swarming or using stacks ot impeed their forward motion and force some hard rolls work fairly well. I like having the leap threat, but it's plan b unless their ball carrier and cage lack the skills to make it risky(but they usually do).

[plasmoid]

Right. Random comments:

Survival is key. In the short term your team has an advantage when it comes to winning. Don't underestimate the need to protect your players, or you'll be struggling soon enough.

So don't always score just because you can. Scoring just means suffering more blocks on the LOS. Survival is more important than the extra SPPs from a 3+ TD win.

Also, don't pressure your opponent every single turn. The body count could be substantial. Keep an eye on the turn count, just like a bash team, and mount your attack, when a succesful score from you will leave your opponent with too short a drive to equalize.

And speak of eyeing the clock: Stalling a bit on your own offense can be quite useful. You're the classic chump for an opposing 2-1 grind.

Regarding catchers: Block rocks. Without it, Blacklers will kill you. Sure Feet also rocks. IMO - sidestep is also a useful skill for many reasons - the bonus to OTS just makes it even more useful. No need to invest in more than one pass blocker. Most opponents will just grind you anyway, rather than pass.

Remember: If you get caught in a 2-1 grind, and OTS player and a reroll can get you the tie. Just have a realistic sense of how good or poor your team is at OTS'ing. If you're not good at it, a desparate cagebreak attempt may be better.

Speaking of OTS: Perhaps a small instruction or graphics to explain the basics?

Finally, wardancers. IMO they're a rock-paper-scissors proposition, so your wardancers need to cover the possibilities of opposing ball carriers. One wardancer has to have strip ball. This will force the ball onto a sure hands player (if your opponent has any). Odds are that the sure hands guy won't be a blodger. Never the less wrestle, tackle and dauntless will be very useful on the other. Eventually, the opposing cage will have guards - so I do think that a good doubles on a catcher with leap is guard. To leap in and assist the wardancer. Besides - mobile guard is always nice.

As an aside, I'm not sure I'd take AG+ on a lineelf. You've got plenty of stars: You need lower TV and durable linemen. I would take ST though. And then combine with leap.

Oh yeah: Doubles for the tree is block.
Or jump up, because it negates the stand-up problem!
Cheers
Martin

[Smurf]

I have a question.

Are the team members used individually, that is player X goes and scores etc?

or

All players need to safe guard against individual attack?

[plasmoid]

Sorry - not sure I understood that (?)

[Smurf]

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Cyder City Press Release: Sponsored by Slaneeshenger Sport

[TuernRedvenom]

I have to say there are a lot of points in this article I do not agree with.

Most importantly the catchers build. They need, need, need, absolutely need Block or Wrestle (I personally go 3 x Block, 1 x Wrestle). I also don't see the need to build offensive Catchers. They have dodge, catch, ma 8 and AG 4. They're already great at scoring touchdowns! But you need them on defence as well so skills like side step and diving tackle are must-haves IMO. Don't believe the myth that DT players get fouled often, they won't. They will get blitzed often though...
I'm also not a big fan of NoS and Pass Block: its uses are limited compared to DT. On offence you don't need it. First catcher doubles = guard for me, other doubles are ignored. For me there's no doubt at all when a catcher rolls +STR: take it and thank nuffle!

IMO one of the wardancers absolutely needs frenzy.
I would also strongly advise against leaping into opposing cages from turn 1. A more patient approach is probably a better idea at first, untill later in the half and you need resort to more risky moves like leaping into cages.

[Smurf]

Good... like it

Pretty much a standard feature now. Catchers must have block, a wardancer should have frenzy...

Currently I am considering the 'Standard Playbook' and the 'Left field out of the box Playbook'.

BTW getting nerves for my Cyder City to take down the Norse's Odin's Oddballs. They have inducements, a bucket full of block and a few AG4s. Me, I have speed, some wrestle and dauntless. Other than that I think it's going to be a tough game, but so they should be when we have played 14-15 games each. This part of the league I do not mind, victories now are skillful and defending the CC's honour!

[Drool_bucket]

I have to say there are a lot of points in this article I do not agree with.

I am in agreement. I actually considered writing up a long, counter-argument post, but I have decided to just do my own Wood Elf Playbook, since Plasmoid said he'd take more than one.

Not that's its a bad playbook, by any stretch. I just think Smurf's take of WE are not "norm" and it definitely goes against how I play, and win, with them.

[Smurf]

Brilliant... the 2 styles of WE play. Sort of Ying Yang or the Wood and the Elf...

I'm going to be Northern Style or The Tao Method.

[Smeborg]

I think BB has reached the point of sophistication where there are few teams, if any, for which one could write a playbook which all good coaches of that team would agree with.

Better, I feel, to have a clear and concise playbook for each successful style of play (based on the writer's experience), than one long rambling playbook which tries to capture all the styles.

All the best.

[Warpstone]

Better, I feel, to have a clear and concise playbook for each successful style of play (based on the writer's experience), than one long rambling playbook which tries to capture all the styles.

Well said. Although Smurf, maybe it would help if you could attach a note that your balls to the wall Northern Style may not be newbie friendly.

[mattgslater]

Better, I feel, to have a clear and concise playbook for each successful style of play (based on the writer's experience), than one long rambling playbook which tries to capture all the styles.

Well said. Although Smurf, maybe it would help if you could attach a note that your balls to the wall Northern Style may not be newbie friendly.

Hey... I may just write one on how to build and employ the Orklahoma Half-Zig!

[Smurf]

OK...

My Play Book will be called 'Wood Elf: Tao Parkour Style'

So who ever is writing the 'basic' book I'd like to see it.

The norse coach I beat admitted that my style was very fluid and not set to concrete plays... Many improvised and opportunity seeking plays and therefore trying to workout what I was going to do next was difficult.

Lacking the TRRs Cyder City suffered 3 double skulls, but we still managed to pull it off. The norse coach noted that the Wardancer with Tackle, Sidestep, Shadowing was a nightmare to shake off, or rather he failed.