High Elf blitzer skill up help

[spubbbba]

In defence the HE is going to get one strike before a TD... or people do not play like that?

Well it varies between leagues.

But in competitive play (and as this is in the tactics part of the forum I’d argue that is the most relevant) you only score when it is beneficial for you to do so.

Far too many inexperienced players score whenever they can, but this often just gifts the other team the game as they’ll happily spend the next 17 turns smashing you into the dirt to go 2-1 leaving you 1 turn to equalise if you have any players left.

Against other agile teams then MB is even better, attacking the ball is all well and good but you have to be able to actually recover it since just knocking it loose won’t do you much good if they can easily recover it and get some free hits in the process. Whilst a numbers advantage is not required for HE to win when it comes along it is a very nice bonus. And as others have stated a stun on a slow player will effectively take him out for 2 turns, maybe the rest of the drive if you can power forward.

[Ullis]

And a 2 turn score often means you take greater risks from a turnover than a 3, 4 or 5 turn score. In a 2 turn score you often have to hand off, pass and GFI, all on the same turn.

[RogueThirteen]

And a 2 turn score often means you take greater risks from a turnover than a 3, 4 or 5 turn score. In a 2 turn score you often have to hand off, pass and GFI, all on the same turn.

A few league seasons ago when I played High Elves, I always scored in two turns. I'd recommend it against most opponents, as you're darn scary on defense when it comes to stealing the ball (or, at least, much better at that then trying to safely stall for a few turns; the team averaged 3.0 TDs/Game across 12 games.

It's been a few months, but if I recall correctly it almost never required any GFIs. The second turn (the scoring turn) would include one blitz, maybe one block (both done as 2-Die by pieces with Block/Wrestle), then a 2+ throw (with pass) and a 2+ catch (often with catch). Rarely did it require a hand-off or any GFIs. The first turn, though, requires acquiring the ball and getting it to the thrower.

[Ullis]

It's been a few months, but if I recall correctly it almost never required any GFIs. The second turn (the scoring turn) would include one blitz, maybe one block (both done as 2-Die by pieces with Block/Wrestle), then a 2+ throw (with pass) and a 2+ catch (often with catch). Rarely did it require a hand-off or any GFIs. The first turn, though, requires acquiring the ball and getting it to the thrower.

If you don't need any GFI's to score, then your catcher (move 8 ) has to be at least 5 squares in the opponent's side after turn 1. Without anyone screening and without anyone being able to blitz him. If your opponent isn't actively letting you score, then there's something wrong with his set up in defence.

[Smurf]

That's the fun of a speed team. When your opponent fails to set up deep and wham TD!

Setting up too deep means the 5 line can be secured and blitzed the turn after next to get the scorer to a TD!

Defence is tricky because it is about those back field ball fluffs and an effective rolling defence screen. Pushing the offence to make a desperate play and capitalising on it.

IMO you need a few line up and skilled to avoid some of the attrition coming back, the positions normally look after themselves.

[RogueThirteen]

It's been a few months, but if I recall correctly it almost never required any GFIs. The second turn (the scoring turn) would include one blitz, maybe one block (both done as 2-Die by pieces with Block/Wrestle), then a 2+ throw (with pass) and a 2+ catch (often with catch). Rarely did it require a hand-off or any GFIs. The first turn, though, requires acquiring the ball and getting it to the thrower.

If you don't need any GFI's to score, then your catcher (move 8 ) has to be at least 5 squares in the opponent's side after turn 1. Without anyone screening and without anyone being able to blitz him. If your opponent isn't actively letting you score, then there's something wrong with his set up in defence.

At the end of my first turn, I would have two catchers deep (and near the sidelines) and both blitzers screening them. Typically, another lineman or two would become part of the screen as well. This required a very asymmetrical set up on offense (two catchers, both blitzers in or near the widezone of attack, and I'd usually dodge the LOS pieces off the LOS and then move them around to get behind/screen the opponent's pieces on the LOS. The defense could usually get one or two players marking my pieces and maybe another one or two in front of them and in the way, hence the blitz and possible block(s) to clear a wide enough path. It was difficult (if not impossible) for the defense to actually mark the catchers, and I'd leave them adjacent so that if the opponent could get a marker on them it would be in such a place so as to allow one Catcher to 2-Die block the other free. I played against a league of mostly other elvish teams that season, so opponent's speed wasn't a hindrance for them (I assume against lots of orcs, dwarves, etc. such a plan of attack would be even easier).

The real risk, of course, was that a terribly unfortunate kick or a Blitz! could become problematic, but elves are so darn good at handling and moving the ball that getting it to my Thrower somewhat deep with at least a half-cage wasn't a problem typically. Besides, Blitz! results are always problematic. Then, next turn, the thrower moves up as far as he can, fires off his (likely) 2+/3+ pass (depends on if you've gotten Strong Arm) to one of the unmarked catchers. Bulldoze a path and catcher walks in for the point.

I completely understand the strategic value in delaying your score, but I'd rather take the score and then have a shot at harassing the opponent's defense then let the opponent bring more of their team into the defensive game and potentially draw me into a marked up blocking war. After awhile, it just seemed easier for the HEs to steal the ball and score on defense than it did for them to stall for any sufficiently long amount of time (ie, leaving the opponent with ideally 3 or less turns to score - otherwise the risks of the stall offer only diminishing returns if the opponent still has enough time to score and wail on you a little bit at the LOS). I haven't played as any other elf teams, but I suspect this general rule holds: "IF you can steal the ball and get a single defensive touchdown, THEN the game is probably won. If you can't do that, the game is probably lost."

[MKL]

(...) This required a very asymmetrical set up on offense (two catchers, both blitzers in or near the widezone of attack, and I'd usually dodge the LOS pieces off the LOS and then move them around to get behind/screen the opponent's pieces on the LOS. The defense could usually get one or two players marking my pieces and maybe another one or two in front of them and in the way, hence the blitz and possible block(s) to clear a wide enough path. It was difficult (if not impossible) for the defense to actually mark the catchers (...)

Hi Rogue

No sidesteppers on the wide zones? For some time I enjoyed similar tactics (score fast on the sideline, then defend aggressively), but after a while my opponents tired of it and I was mired in a cartload of sidesteppers