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Elf Union Strategy Guide

Summary

Elf Union teams are the cheapest of the four elven races that are available to play. Their most distinct feature is their Catchers. They are by far the best Catchers in the game, being fast, average strength and starting with Nerves Of Steel. Their ability to catch a ball in heavy traffic makes the team very hard to defend against. The Catchers are also really good at getting interceptions if you place them well and this can help force the other team to play the ball where you would prefer. The Blitzers are also good in that they have a nice starting combination of skills which make them great at harassing the opposing ball carrier.

The bad news is the Blitzers and Catchers aren’t cheap and will get targeted. Though their Linemen are the cheapest of all the Elf teams but they do have low armour and will invariably suffer injuries and death. The fact that the Catchers are so good at what they do, you may find they tend to hog all the SPP and you have to be careful about spreading the skills around the team.

Elven Union provides a coach with an explosive offence, among the best in the game, with a very pronounced and powerful core of positional players who are exceptional at playing the ball. However their players, while cheap compared to other elves, are still expensive and an Elf Union coach can expect to replace many players throughout a teams' lifetime.

Strengths

• Best Catchers in the game
• Cheapest AG2+ Players
• Exceptional passing
• Great positional players

Weaknesses

• Low Armour
• Expensive Positionals
• Linemen will die a lot

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Elf Union Strategy

Elf Union are the least expensive of the Elven Teams, allowing them to field players at a more affordable cost. In addition to this, the Elf Union team has among the best catchers in the game, capable of catching the ball on a 2+ regardless of penalties. They also sport highly efficient Blitzers and Throwers.

Lets take a look at the team:

Elf Blitzer

Elf Blitzers are an exceptionally good positional and are your toughest players on the team. Starting with two, the Elf Blitzers also start with Sidestep and Av9+, making them reasonable at taking hits as well as allowing them to become exceptional obstacles for your opponents advance.

Generally you want your Elf Blitzers on defense to act as both scrummers and safeties, ideally two to three supporting the front with one at the rear.

Developing them is straight forward, ideally dodge first followed by either tackle, diving tackle or strip ball. Giving them guard allows you to fight bash teams more efficiently and tackle to stop dodgers.

During particularly rough matches, they can also be used as semi catchers or even as ball carriers if necessary. All round an awesome player.

Elf Thrower

The Elf Thrower is a great player, starting with pass and Ag2+. They can be relied upon to throw the ball at relatively decent distances and should be used either on defense to try to get a loose ball out of harms way or on offense as your primary carrier.

Their main job is, as by their name, to throw the ball, ideally towards an Elf Catcher. A key player for any Elf Union team.

Elf Catcher

Easily the best catcher in the game and makes the Elf Union team among the best scorers in Blood Bowl. Starting with both Catch and Nerves of Steel, Elf Catchers allow you to catch a ball on a 2+ with an in-built reroll regardless how many people are marking them.

Give them dodge and block as soon as possible, and from there you can go Side Step or Sure Feet. Always start with catchers in an Elf Team.

Elf Linemen

Your grunts. Still useful to get in the way or as fodder. Specialize them as kickers, blockers and foulers. They will die a lot so don't get too attached to them.

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Elf Union Defence and Offensive Strategy

Elf Union are a fragile team and require their coach to play them in an extremely fast and aggressive manner. This is to ensure that you can apply pressure, get the ball and score as soon as possible before your team invariably suffers heavy removals. That said, you have all the tools to utilise in order to do this, both on defence and offense and Elf Union have easily one of the most explosive and best offenses in the entirety of Blood Bowl.

Defence

• You are going to likely lose players fast
• Due to this you should play fast and aggressively
• Your number one objective is to attack or threaten the ball in any way, shape or form
• Screen the enemy advance
• Send a duo of players through the enemy lines to pressure their carrier's flank
• Be conscious about your player placement as they can't take hits
• You cannot afford to take your time in defence as your team is fragile.
• Play fast! Play hard! Attack the ball like your life depends on it!

The Elf Union/Pro Elf team needs to play both patient and fast. The first and immediate strategy is to create a screen and send a blitzer and catcher behind the enemies offense in order to apply pressure. This sometimes will require your blitzer to break a gap open to flood. At the same time, slow the oppositions advance with a double layered screen and continue attempting to do hit/run attacks until you can create an opening to expose the carrier.

Elf Union excel once the ball has been sacked and don't be afraid to pick up even in two tackle zones if necessary as your Ag2+ will allow you to pull plays which would make most teams frothing at the mouth in frustration. Be conscious however of your Av8+ and always remember to play quickly as your players generally won't last long. Also use your Blitzers with mild caution. Although they are the toughest players on the team, they are very expensive to replace and highly valuable for the team.

Offense

• Elf Union can afford to score quickly or take their time
• If scoring quickly, aim to break up a wing and pass to a catcher or blitzer and screen
• If slow, keep your thrower back wait for the enemy to break formation

Elf Union excels exceptionally on offense. Give the ball to the thrower and depending on the turn and the opponents formation, you can adjust your play from there. If the opponent has an exposed wing or you need to score within two turns, throw it to a catcher or blitzer and bolt up one wing.

If it is early in the half and your opponent has an effective Chevron or other formation to keep you out of their half, pull your thrower back, as well as your other players, and hold your position. Wait for the opponent to break their formation and then attempt to blitz a gap open. Once this occurs, throw the ball to a catcher or blitzer and leg it up the field. Always remember to provide a screen of some form to protect the carrier.

Overview

Elf Union are fast, agile and extremely potent at the passing game. The team boasts an exceptional set of positionals, including great throwers, solid blitzers and the best catchers in the game. Although they are fragile, the Elf Union team provides a unique and rewarding challenge when it comes to an elf team, being complimented with the cheapest of players among their other elven counterparts. Relying on an aggressive, fast paced and daring playstyle, Elf Union will provide a coach with some of the most breathtaking, eye watering and most Elf BS plays in the BB field.

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Elf Union Star Players

Elf Union are generally considered an expensive team in terms of team value and on paper may not find themselves in a position for inducements. However it is common for Elf Union teams to suffer significant damage throughout their lifespan and thus will find themselves taking serious drops in their team value from time to time. As such, it is important that Elf Union coaches are aware of the Star Players which are available to them and their capabilities.

For detailed information on Star Player stats and abilities, go here:

https://fumbbl.com/p/stars

The list and costs are as follows

• Helmut Wulf - Star Human Chainsaw Looney - 140k
• Gloriel Summerbloom - Star Wood Elf Thrower - 150k
• Willow Rosebark - Star Dryad Blocker - 150k
• Eldril Sidewinder - Star Elf Wardancer - 230k
• Zolcoth the Zoat - Star Zoat - 230k
• Grak and Crumbleberry - Ogre and Halfling Duo - 250k
• Roxanna Darknail - Star Witch Elf Receiver - 260k
• The Swift Twins - Star Elf Blitzer and Thrower - 340k
• Morg 'N' Thorg - Star Ogre - 380k

Helmut Wulf

At 140k, Helmut wulf is now freely available for all teams as a chainsaw star. However with both pro and his special rule which allows him to reroll a single armour roll, Helmut is extraordinarily dangerous and also reliable as he will not waste rerolls if he kicks back. A decent choice if you can get him in addition to bribes.

Gloriel Summerbloom

At 150k, Gloriel gives you an MA7, Str 2 thrower with a wealth of abilities, including pass, accurate, side-step, dodge and sure hands. This makes her an extremely efficient and reliable thrower and is perfect for a team which may be missing their rostered thrower due to injuries or death or for those teams who want a backup thrower. While situational she is a very nice choice of a star given the right context and can be relied on to perform her role as a carrier and thrower exceptionally.

Willow Rosebark

At 150k, Willow is a Str4, Thick Skull, Side-step blocker. While her role is to be a bit of a blocker and roadblock, she excels at neither particularly well due to no safety skills such as block and is not particularly durable either at Av9+.

• Not recommended and considered by many to be among the worst star players in the game.

Eldril Sidewinder

At 230k, the legendary Eldril is an incredibly fast and efficient catcher at MA8 alongside dodge, nerves of steel and catch. He is capable of getting around the pitch fairly easily and at a very fast rate. However what really makes Eldril special is his hypnotic gaze. This makes it so that on a 2+, he can render an opposing player stupid, removing their tackle zones. This is perfect for breaking open a box to expose the enemy ball carrier or freeing up a lane for your ball carrier to run through to safety.

He is fragile however at AV8+, so while Eldril is definitely an exceptional star for what he brings with his abilities, do not expect him to last long as the use of hypnotic gaze leaves him exposed. The influence of hypnotic gaze however can be a game changer for an elf team.

Zolcoth the Zoat

At 230k, Zolcoth is a Str5, beefy blocker with Juggernaut, MA5 and Sure Feet. A surprisingly reliable and durable Big Guy and relatively safe to blitz with. Can be useful for a little bit of extra strength if your team urgently needs something extra durable for a rough matchup.

Grak and Crumbleberry

Coming in at 250k, Grak and Crumbleberry give you two star players in the form of a decent, albeit slow, ball carrier halfling with sure hands and a standard Ogre. He also provides the Elf team with an additional big guy and halfling with sure hands. Expensive but a decent choice.

Roxanna Darknail

At 270k, Roxanna Darknail is a Witch Elf with Ag1+, Juggernaut, Leap and MA8. While fragile at Av8+, Roxanna is capable of some game breakingly awesome plays. She can be used for three roles, either jumping in and sacking the enemy carrier in a box, a ball carrier or as a surfer. Roxanna's ability to leap into a cage to detach the ball is decent and with her Ag1+ and dodge, can be just as capable as picking up the very ball she just dislodged from the opposition.

With leap she can also be an extremely hard player to pin down if she is the ball carrier. If an opponent is careless enough, she can also utilise her high movement, juggernaut and frenzy to surf people into the crowd. While she is expensive, fragile and requires patience and caution to use, Roxanna is an exceptional star player and can turn the course of a match to the Elves favour with a quick but decisive play and can be a game winner.

The Swift Twins - Lucien and Valen

At 340k, Lucien and Valen Swift give a team a blitzer and thrower. Lucien comes with Block, Mighty Blow and Tackle, making him awesome to bring down blodgers with adequate support while Valen comes with Sure Hands, Safe Pass, Accurate and Nerves of Steel, making him easily among the best throwers in the game. However what makes them a very tough choice is their exceptional price tag. Even with the new inducement system where teams can add their money, 340k is a lot to ask for.

The Swift Twins really depend on an Elf team being in a very specific situation to make them worthwhile: Being 340k down (or enough money to make up for the cost), needing a thrower as well as wanting an additional Blitzer. While on paper the twins add a lot to the team, when taking into account their cost, they are highly situational and most elf teams are probably better off with a cheaper option.

Morg N Thorg

Coming at 380k, Morg has seen a significant price reduction from his old price (430k) since previous editions. On top of that he now has Mighty Blow +2, meaning he can now add +2 to either the armour or injury roll! This means Morg is more than likely to put a fair amount of players into the injury box. With Str6 and Av11+ you can also expect him to stick around throughout the whole game barring the most exceptional or determined opponents. He also can be used as a ball carrier in emergencies.

While expensive, Morg is a major asset to any team due to his destructive powerhouse like nature.

As a player, Morg is very good, his only drawback being his exceptional price.