The most models and icons that you can find in this site are Blood/ High Elf types:
how about an
Elf Factions Techtree Contest, each faction will have some explaining text in similar way as the magic the gathering tech tree contest (black, white, fire , blue, green, where players could choose 1 option) and similar to Total war games:
Blood elf
as example
1)
Magisters: order of magic.
Ofensive magic
Advantages: magic use frost, fire and air/wind, air mages, magic towers, intelligent and strong heroes, boost economy,
Disadvantages: lack powerfull melee, lacks powerfull damage towers, lacks powerfull items.
2)
Farstriders: order of scouts and assassins.
Offensive melee
Advantages: magic use poison, nature and earth/rocks, intelligent and agility heroes, powerfull siege engines, land ranged, stealth and hide skills
Disadvantages: lacks powerfull mages, lacks powerfull healing, lacks powerfull hp melee
3)
Blood Knigths: order of melee and chivalry.
Defensive melee
Advantages: magic use blood, holy, spirit. powerfull melee, powerfull buildings hp, strong and agility heroes, healing
Disadvantages: lacks powerfull siege engines, magic, air,
4)
Sunreavers: order of magic.
Defensive magic
Advantages: magic use time,holy, arcane, intelligent and agility heroes, good all round, powerfull expensive farms like +25 food. healing towers.
Disadvantages: lacks profesional armies.
5)
Scryers: order of outland melee.
Offensive melee.
Advantages: magic use cosmic/astral, fel, shadow, intelligent and agility heroes, air, melee
Disadvantages:land ranged units, offensive towers, healing, magic
6)
Firewings:
Defensive magic
Advantages: magic use fire, nature and metal. superweapon building. good all round, strong and intelligent heroes
Disadvantages: lacks powerfull air, lacks powerfull items.
7)
Dawnblades: order of magic:
Offensive magic
Advantages: magic use shadow, thunder, water, aura towers,powerfull items, intelligent and agility heroes. mages are good in melee like HU spellbreaker.
Disadvantages: lacks powerfull melee and siege.
8)
Sunhawks: order of melee.
Defensive melee
Advantages: magic use cosmic/astral, fire, holy, strong and intelligent heroes, powerfull air, powerfull towers, powerfull melee. can build walls.
Disadvantages: lacks powerfull magics, land ranged, siege and items.
(other factions if needed Crimson Hand, Eclipsion, Shadowswords)
notes:
1) Since it was mentioned a building focus, one or two of the factions can have building advantages, healing towers, aura towers,towers that spawn units, superweapon buildings, walls, super farms or farms that can be improved.
2) My idea is very similar to the duo-color of magic the gathering, but instead of "colors" "elf factions" and or the color can go as magic spells afinity (water, nature, shadow, holy...) or racial advantages,
3) Have all elf factions, will help to reduce the a)racial taste judging/voting, (I dislike murlocks, I like night elfs) and b)lack of models and icons ( centaur race to much presets used) and focus on execution quality and balance.
4) the offensive magic, defensive melee, that stuff is = a doctrine mentioned before.
5) is like a spin around the meta, but balanced with the 4 pre-existant races.