[Dark Elf] BaCk 2 ThE SiDe (dark injured team to develope)

[Tronak]

Finally I decided to open this thread to look for some advice between the many dark elves players and experienced players in this site.

Background: BaCk 2 ThE SiDe is a veteran Dark Elf team playing for the Division 2 (of 4) title of a private spanish league in its 8th season (have played the last 4 seasons about 35 matches).

Present: Currently my dark elves lead the division (4-1-0) and next week I'll play the final match of the season versus a very nasty 2nd place over developed Chaos team. I only need a draw for the title so in this my first post I am looking for advice for this match (huge inducements+skillup).

Future: However I'll come again for your help after the match on how to clean some veteran injured players and develope the team looking forward for next season which will be again in a heavy a bashy enviroment division I or II. So feel free to criticize the team or suggest sack offs already (I got many in mind)

BaCk 2 ThE SiDe Team roster
Blitzer (NeWaChE): Blodge + SideStep
Blitzer (MaRiHuANa II): Blodge (+ Normal Skill pending)
Blitzer (KiLleR): Blodge + 1 Str + SideStep + Tackle
Blitzer (FRaNkLy FeD Up II): no level up skills
WitchElf (RaTtAMaHaTtA): Blodge + SideStep + Tackle + Leap <Niggling injury>
Lineman (Taltin): Wrestle + Kick <-1 Av>
Lineman (SuBsTiDuDe): Wrestle + 1 Ag <-1 Av>
Lineman (KiCkASs): Block + Guard <-1 Mv>
2 more Lineman: no skills

And <missing next game>:
Runner (JiMmY JuMp): Wrestle + Dodge + Pass
Lineman (GoLdFiNGeR): Wrestle + Dodge

TV: 1.620 (after skill), Apo + 4 RR, FF 9
Treasury: 120.000

Opposing Chaos team "Bocs de sa Serra"
Minotaur superstar: Block + Pro + JumpUp + Claw + Tentacles <-1 Mv>(you dont want to be near)
ChaosWarrior superstar: Block + 1 Str + MB + Claw + Tackle (his killer)
ChaosWarrior: Block + Guard <-1 Av>
Chaos Warrior: Block
Chaos Warrior: Guard
Beastman superstar: Blodge + 1 Str + 1 Mv + ExtraArms <Niggling Inj>(his super ball carrier)
Beastman: Block + Tackle + Stripball (his back defender)
Beastman: BigHand + Accurate + Extra Arms (his thrower and repickupballs dude)
Beastman: Blodge + Sidestep (his wannabe catcher)
Beastman: Block + MB + Claw
Beastman: Block + MB + Claw + PO <-1 Mv -1 Ag -1 Av> (his blitzer)
Beastman: +1 Mv

TV: 2.250 Apo + 4 RR, FF 12
Treasury: 490.000

As you can guess his playstyle is based on caging, killing and moving. However today we played our first match toguether (round robin) and I managed to win 0-1 after my sidestepers holded the defense lines and I managed to score using wizzard ofensively and MercenaryElf (cant remember name 200tv) Catched using his nerves of steel, dodged to score and on next drive hypnoticgazed his killer letting me wrestling down his superstar ballcarrier on a 1D6 block. I forced him to play risky having to pass the ball twice and fumbling to try to score (unlucky, specially on secodn half to tie the game on his last turn).

Now i got my runner out of game, my kicker back (how i missed him today) and TV difference is even bigger = 630!!! (was 450 today)

Any suggestions on inducements and skill for my blitzer? (was thinking on stripball, maybe another sidestep).

Thanks in advance!

[danton]

I would take Side Step on the blitzer. The more of it you have the better in general.

With that many inducements I would probably go with:

Wizard -> 150K
Elrdril -> 200K (the star you couldn't remember the name of)
Extra Aothecary -> 100K
2 Babes -> 100K

Total 550K (I think you get 560K total because you only have 10 players so you will get a lino for free which takes 70K away from the current TV difference).

[Tronak]

Originally Posted by danton

I would take Side Step on the blitzer. The more of it you have the better in general.

With that many inducements I would probably go with:

Wizard -> 150K
Elrdril -> 200K (the star you couldn't remember the name of)
Extra Aothecary -> 100K
2 Babes -> 100K

Total 550K (I think you get 560K total because you only have 10 players so you will get a lino for free which takes 70K away from the current TV difference).

True Danton, forgot the loner lineman, thanks for pointing it out. I think I am going to follow up your suggestions since Side Step is something I want to have on that blitzer sooner or later and inducements plan is same I used on last match (except babes) and worked perfect.

What about defense positioning?, does your asimetrical positioning work vs Chaos? (I have only tried it a couple of times vs dwarves) Or it may be too risky since he could own the weak side with his superior strength and cage the ball early with a pass?

[danton]

I have used it successfully against Chaos a few times. At the very least it gives them something to think about straight away and takes them out of their normal offensive set-up formations. Also you have a kicker and enough side-steppers to get the most out of it.

[bintz]

I would go for SS too and exactly the same inducement. Doesn't bring much to the discussion but at least it confirms what you thought

[Tronak]

Originally Posted by bintz

I would go for SS too and exactly the same inducement. Doesn't bring much to the discussion but at least it confirms what you thought

Still appreaciated! Thanks!

And also for your input on the positioning Dalton, I think I'll give it a go. Will have to plan it.

[Morgred]

Originally Posted by Tronak

Minotaur superstar: Block + Pro + JumpUp + Claw + Tentacles <-1 Mv>

Wow! That is 1 scary minotaur.. 3 doubles, that is just rude.

All i can say is good luck mate.

Danton is pretty much the authority on Dark Elves so he's advice is always sound. And true to form he is right about side step too.. Load up on it!

[danton]

Originally Posted by Morgred

Danton is pretty much the authority on Dark Elves so he's advice is always sound. And true to form he is right about side step too.. Load up on it!

I'll have to frame this quote and hang it on my wall!

Not sure I would claim to be an authority on the subject, but am always willing to share some of my experiences with the darkies all the same!

[Morgred]

Danton. Mate i thought i played Delf pretty well. Then i read Apocoblitz Now's blog and yep... Turns out im an ameture in comparison.
Ur team is really well built and it actually sparked my desire to coach Delf again. That win against that REDICULOUS Lizard team was awesome.

Question tho. You use ur blitzer War as ur strip baller. Personally i think that a witch would be a pretty proficient ball hunter [with wrestle & strip ball] and have also considered building a runner into one [wrestle, strip ball, dodge, sure hands] or is a blitzer best suited to it??

[danton]

I may have beaten that Lizard team, but I then lost to an Undead team with a TV in the 1500s, so take everything with a pinch of salt!

Regarding Strip Ball, I have another high TV dark elf team in a private league that has a witch with Wrestle, Strip Ball and Tackle and she just got +Ag as her fourth skill! She will definitely be getting Leap if she lives to Super Star status. I have found though that Strip Ball is not ideal on a witch, because Frenzy turns it into a double edged sword. Sure there are times when it helps to be able to push a player away from the ball with the second block, after you have stripped it from them, but the ball carrier usually needs to be in the open for that to happen. The flip-side to that is that the second block can easily turn into a 2 dice against one in a lot of scenarios, where all you want is to get the ball on the floor.

War got Strip Ball as his Third skill after Dodge and SS, as I felt I needed some on the team at that stage in development. After that he rolled two doubles and got Guard and Grab, which turned him into more of a utility player than a ball hunter. He doesn't use Strip Ball often, but it's still a useful toolbox skill on him that fits his "jack of all trades" role. It also makes up for his lack of Tackle when going after ball carriers that don't have Sure Hands and actually combines quite well with Grab, as it's good for controlling where the ball is stripped to against Side Steppers.

The ideal candidate for Strip Ball on my team though is my lineman Malice. He currently has +Ag, Wrestle and Dodge. Next skill will ideally be Leap and then Strip Ball as his last skill. It takes some luck and time to build a lino like that, but I think it's the best ball hunter build for a dark elf team if you manage to get +Ag on a lino. Malice was saved from death by the Apo yesterday, so he may be living on borrowed time already all the same!