High Elf Conundrum: Too much Guard...?

[RogueThirteen]

So I'm gearing up to dust off my old High Elf team and have them throw their dragon helms into the ring for the upcoming TT league season. The one problem I've found with the team is that they actually have too much Guard. Surely, this is a contradiction? Well, the problem is that the Guard is on the Lineman and there aren't enough fodder pieces to put on the LOS.

The team has six Lineman:
1) Guard
2) Guard
3) Kick
4) +STR, Niggling
5) Wrestle
6) Rookie


So, who would you put on the line? Obviously, the Kicker stays off the line and the Wrestler and the Rookie take front and center duty. There's no way I'm putting the Guard guys on the line, as they're far too valuable to the team. That leaves the STR4 Niggled guy, which is risky letting the opponent have a free knockdown on a guy with Niggled -or- putting one of the Blodge/SS Blitzers on the line.

I suspect the common answer would be fire the +STR guy, replace him with a rookie, and throw the rookie on the line. As nice as the STR4 is at times (mostly as a roadblock piece screening the opponent from my loose cage), the Niggling hurts. I do want to get rid of him eventually, but I plan on letting Nuffle do it. So I'll be throwing this guy on the line. If he survives the hits, great he'll contribute quite usefully to the drive. If he gets hurt or worse, well that's dandy too because he's got to sometime.

[Smeborg]

I would do like you and put the +STR/Niggle Lino on the line until he dies (which is unlikely to take long). However, if the team was facing regular TV bloat problems (opponents getting too many inducements) I would simply fire him.

[RogueThirteen]

I would do like you and put the +STR/Niggle Lino on the line until he dies (which is unlikely to take long). However, if the team was facing regular TV bloat problems (opponents getting too many inducements) I would simply fire him.

Yea, ironically this team is typically a TV underdog. A lot of the other teams are much more established and these elves have lost nearly a half dozen developed lineman already in their twelve games, haha, so Nuffle has been pruning their TV.

[spubbbba]

This can be a problem with elves if you roll loads of doubles and stats early on. Turning down guard or good stats is often a bad idea as they will make your team stronger in the long run and you may roll nothing but normals for the rest of the season. However these all add extra TV and without core skills like block, dodge and tackle your team may well struggle long term.

I wouldn’t put the niggler on the LOS as it increases your chances of going down a player early on. The Blitzer may be a better choice unless you are facing some MB, PO tacklers. Another option would be a thrower if you have 1. He is tougher than the niggled linemen and it is pretty easy to skill up a rookie thrower again, so unless he has some great skills you can probably afford to lose him.

[Coach Grievous]

This can be a problem with elves if you roll loads of doubles and stats early on. Turning down guard or good stats is often a bad idea as they will make your team stronger in the long run and you may roll nothing but normals for the rest of the season. However these all add extra TV and without core skills like block, dodge and tackle your team may well struggle long term.

Yep, been having similar issues in limited quantities with Dark Elves myself. I love it though that this is what qualifies for a problem in elfland: "our guys are too good to be put on the line!"

[Anglakhel]

Eventually you'll lose the Guards. Just use them while you have them. Some will survive and get Blodge to support their Guard while others will die out.

You can't turn down that Guard though. It's too vital for dominating with the High Elves and Dark Elves.

[RogueThirteen]

Eventually you'll lose the Guards. Just use them while you have them. Some will survive and get Blodge to support their Guard while others will die out.

You can't turn down that Guard though. It's too vital for dominating with the High Elves and Dark Elves.

Absolutely agree -- the Guard lineman (with no other skills) get priority use of the Apothecary, even before the 40+ spp Throwers, Catchers, and Blitzers. And they never ever end their turn next to an enemy, if they can help it.

[juck101]

Always save the guard and LOS the rest

[Smurf]

Don't put guard on the LOS until they get some more useful skills for survival.

I had two guarders in an old team and trying to beef them up was a nightmare but I saw no point in sending the to the LOS to be hit unto the ground.

[dines]

Can you post the rest of your team? If you are up against non-tacklers a blitzer would be a possible LOS option. They only get one hit due to ss and with blodge it might be a risk worth taking. Else a thrower or the ST+ dude should be on the line... And focus on skilling up those guard players! They really make a difference for your team when they have blodge (and ss).

[RogueThirteen]

Can you post the rest of your team? If you are up against non-tacklers a blitzer would be a possible LOS option. They only get one hit due to ss and with blodge it might be a risk worth taking. Else a thrower or the ST+ dude should be on the line... And focus on skilling up those guard players! They really make a difference for your team when they have blodge (and ss).

Sure can. In my game last week I ended up having to throw a Blitzer on the LOS against a Tackle-lite orc team. Unfortunately, a quick snap meant my Blitzer ended up taking 3 consecutive hits despite his SS, but luckily he stayed on his feet.


HIGH EVLES (TV1720 w/ STR4 Niggled MNG), 13 Players

Thrower: Accurate, Block, Leader
Blitzer1: Dodge, Guard, Side Step
Blitzer2: Dodge, Tackle, Side Step
Catcher1: Wrestle, Dodge, Tackle, + (SS or Strip Ball)
Catcher2: Wrestle, Dodge, Tackle
Catcher3: Wrestle
Lineman1: +STR, Niggled, (MNG)
Lineman2: Guard
Lineman3: Guard
Lineman4: Kick
Lineman5: Wrestle
Lineman6: -AV
Lineman7: --


So Blitzer 2 has been taking over LOS duty later in the game once the starting group [LM1, LM5, LM6, and LM7] are unable. It sucks having to put a Niggled guy and an AV7 guy on the Line, but really they're just there to get mangled as much as they can until I have to fire and replace them. Hopefully, though, whiled the injured guys are getting culled by Nuffle, the LM6 and LM7 will gain Wrestle soon, which might buy them a little more time each game.