Its like what TrueKnight said..being an experienced fighter doesn't mean Layfon is capable of defeating a powerful opponent without releasing his own power.Strategies are useless especially if the opponent could do a range attack that could blow any members of platoon 17 away.The sniper was not like Nina and Layfon,a melee fighter with capability of using skills that requires power.And most likely he would be killed or badly injured in case someone from platoon 16 strikes him with a powerful blow,either from near or melee.What other strategy that could work against a platoon that already goes at full strength and power anyway..
Beside seeing Layfon's true nature...i think he is probably similar to young Son Goku from Dragonball.Strong and powerful,but with limited knowledge and innocency,to the point where everyone could manipulate him easily even without using any strength and power.
In the hope for new life,Layfon no longer thought about fighting...but being a normal person makes himself looks goofy,becoz his nature of fighting when he was young,so when trying to adapt himself to an entirely different life,he couldn't do it properly like other ppl.He probably think that the best way to avoid fight from normal person's view is to escape and run away from it...well he may be right but that naive kind of thinking will easily drag him more to fights,especially if someone else in that city wanted him to be a fighter.And in the mock battle,i don't think his head could think of a strategy to make his platoon win,without using his power.He's just that kind of guy anyway...
