Seeking team roster advice

[babar]

Hello everyone.

I'm playing in an LRB5 TV120 Resurrection style tournament. One star player allowed. Four standard skills can be taken, each on a different player, and not on a star player.

I'm looking for suggested high elf rosters.

Thanks!

[PubBowler]

Probably have more luck posting in the tactics section.

I'm no high elf coach but I'd suggest both blitzers, two rerolls and as many catchers as you can fit in.
Block or Dodge as skills with one Blitzer with Frenzy.

[babar]

Thanks for the suggestions PubBowler, and I'll post in the Tactics section instead.

[Old Man Draco]

That's what mods can do for you!

[PubBowler]

Look at that, it's like magic!

[whitetiger]

Take a thrower, at least 2 catchers, both blitzers, at least 2 rerolls. I would have to disagree with PubBowler on the frenzy. I'd give the thrower accurate, a blitzer tackle or strip ball, and dodge on some linemen.

[PubBowler]

Take a thrower, at least 2 catchers, both blitzers, at least 2 rerolls. I would have to disagree with PubBowler on the frenzy. I'd give the thrower accurate, a blitzer tackle or strip ball, and dodge on some linemen.

I think Dodge would be better on the Catchers and a Thrower is a waste in a tournie.

Unless you were going to take Leader with him.

[babar]

Interesting..

My initial thoughts were closer to whitetiger's.

Thrower with accurate, 2x blitzers (one with dodge, one with strip ball), 2x catchers (one with dodge), and Eldril Sidewinder (star player catcher with Loner, Nerves of Steel, Dodge, Catch, Pass Block and Hypnotic Gaze).

Why do you say a thrower is a waste PubBowler?

[PubBowler]

Passing is low percentage play for starting teams.

Catchers are the same cost as throwers and are more useful more of the time. The best example of this is on defence, where throwers are no better than a lino but a MA8 player with Block or Dodge is valuable.

Your elves are going to play the hand off game (with Catch), or even just run it with the guy who picked it up. Passes, especially non-quick ones, are rare.

[babar]

whitetiger: why dodge on the linos? Better on the catchers right?

PubBowler: Sounds like I need help with more than my team roster. I've played quite a few practice games with high elves and I have been playing a passing game.

I find a running game difficult to pull off. I just can't cover enough ground with two moves and one handoff, once you account for all the diversions to avoid tackle zones. My basic offense (except against other elves or skaven) is to scatter receivers in the opponent's half within touchdown range, with a few friends to make it difficult for the opponent to pin them all down. Then, move my thrower as far forward as possible and in line with the receiver but next to buddies in case he fumbles, pass and score.

For passing, I quite like the percentages for even a young high elf team! Tell me if my maths is wrong here, but this is how I figure it:

To make the throw:
(AG4, Pass, Accurate)
Quick pass, short pass: 2+ with reroll (35/36)
Long pass: 3+ with reroll (8/9)

To make the catch:
(AG4, catch, no tackle zones or nerves of steel)
2+ with reroll: (35/36)
With one tackle zone: 3+ with reroll (8/9)

Final odds:
2+/2+ with rerolls (94.5%)
2+/3+ with rerolls (86.4%)
3+/3+ with rerolls (79.0%) (This is getting into desperate play territory; I don't try this too often)

As a benchmark, rolling a 2+ on a d6 with no reroll is 83.3%.

A final point: high elf thowers have safe throw. This means that passing over the opposition isn't too risky at all. Interception is just a 5.6% chance for AG3 interceptors.

[PubBowler]

But it's extra dice that you don't have to be rolling if you held onto it and ran it for one more turn.

And it's not like two turn TDs give significant advantages over three turn ones.

In fact clock management is often easier if you can hold off for a turn or two.

[babar]

Seems I have a lot to learn I appreciate the advice, please bear with my questions.

In a three turner, how should I defend the runner during the turn where he is standing in the opponent's half with the ball? Without a cage, he is vulnerable to blitzes. A cage requires five elves to maneuver through one little gap against a good defence. I haven't been able to cage succesfully. It is easy for strong teams to bog the cage down so that I can't run the ball out, and I end up losing the ball as they beat their way in to the ball carrier. This is why I like the two turner - you don't give them any chances to hit a player with the ball.

Also, can you give some tips on clock management? Generally my game plan is to score as quickly as possible on offence (two turners), and hope to win the ball early on defence using superior speed, or later with strip ball.

[whitetiger]

Yes, dodge on catchers is a good thing. For some reason I was thinking Wood Elf catchers, who already have dodge.

I'd go ahead and play the passing game. It's what elves are designed to do. You have the thrower with the built in reroll with pass, the catchers have catch, go for it. If you aren't going to play the passing game, take Orcs or dwarves or something like that. But elves are designed for passing, handing off, all that. Use their strengths.

[Andromidius]

Elves don't really need to cage. Just develop a runner with Dodge, Block, Sidestep and Fend. He'll be really hard to nail down, and most of the time when your opponant blitzes him he'll just be pushing you closer to the End Zone!

Just make sure that your opponant can't get multiple assists on him. Put as much distance between your runner and the enemy as possible, and put tackle zones on as many players as you can.

~Andromidius

[babar]

Thanks for the responses. I'm flying out for two weeks holiday tonight, so I won't be able to respond until I come back, but please keep up the helpful advice

I'm still interested in tips on "time management". On offense, generally my touchdowns take two turns. Any longer just adds risk (as mentioned). On defense, I've found that 2+ dodges make it possible to delay their touchdowns for four to five turns. I still haven't quite got the hang of controlling the timing of the game though, depending on whether I am kicking first or receiving.

What about winning the ball on defence? I've got Eldril with hypnotic gaze to nullify tackle zones, and a blitzer with strip ball. Hopefully they will be able to bust cages. Also, I figure strip ball will be better than tackle against blodging elves and gutter runners and the like. Other than that, I have to hope that the other team fumbles the ball when picking it up, or leaves their ball carrier open.



whitetiger: Yeah, the passing game has been working for me, so I'll stick with it.

Andromidus: Yeah, I came to the conclusion that caging is generally not a good idea with elves (except in some unusual circumstances). In league I have found the dodge / block / sidestep combo to be brilliant. Fend is a great idea too, I'll make that the next skill I get for my blodging sidestepping catcher. Unfortunately, this being a tourney, there is no development, so I have to work with what I get "out the box", with a maximum of one extra skill per player.

Here is the team roster as it stands. Feel free to make suggestions.

Code: Select all

Cost     Player    MA  ST  AG  AV  Skills

170  1    Eldril   8  3   4   7   Loner, Catch, Dodge, Hypnotic Gaze, Nerves of Steel, Pass Block
100  2   Blitzer   7 3   4   8   Block, Dodge
100  3  Blitzer   7 3   4   8   Block, Strip Ball
90 4   Thrower 6   3   4   8   Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate
90    5   Catcher 8   3   4   7   Catch, Dodge
90  6   Catcher 8   3   4   7   Catch
90 7   Catcher 8   3   4   7   Catch
70 8   Lineman 6   3   4   8   
70  9   Lineman 6   3   4   8   
70  10  Lineman 6   3   4   8   
70  11  Lineman 6   3   4   8   
70  12  Lineman 6   3   4   8   
                            
100  REROLLS     2x 50      
20   FAN FACTOR 2x  10      
                            
1200    TOTAL