Match Reports

[Princelucianus]

1st round: table 10, Young chap, forgot name, NORSE
He had a wizard for 50K which was changed in an apothecary. With Niels and Norse to my left and right, I think I got the Lucky draw (believe Darkson played Niels). Guy was not to experienced and I could slowly recover from drinking too much the night before. He made some strange decisions with well deserved luck. Got a sneaky 2-0 win.

2nd round: table 28, Paul Deacon from Singapore, Chaos dwarf with Htark.
Difficult and enjoyable match. Paul does take his time to move. Turns lasted 10 minutes Every 4 turns he lost one of his 6 dwarves which resulted in an endgame where his hobgoblins were not enough to help Htark. 4 hobgoblins did manage to get the count down and one ofthem fouled him immediately, but fortunately, he was only KO'ed and got him back in the 2nd half. Difficult 2-1 win.

3rd round: table 11(or something), GW guy from London, Orcs with troll.
First game ever against a IP opponent. Lost several turns and got away with a 1-1 first half. 2nd half started with his thrower not picking up the ball and receiving a smashing from Luthor who run towards the endzone but stopped shortly before the endzone. I was a total git and let him stand there (protected) until the 8th turn until he scored. 2-1 win.

4th round: Table 8, Guy from Birmingham, Exactly the same squad I had.
Quiet guy which was enjoyable because I had to sober up. He had 12 neatly stashed D6's which he used in order. Fun to see. He scored quickly because his stall attempt failed. Could eqaulise in the first half and scored again in the 5th turn in the second half. He had a keen eye on defensive movements which made it a harsch match and I was simply more lucky.
2-1 win again.

5th round against Eric from France, Human team with Griff and Zug.
Griff is a bugger, but Luthor was a bigger bugger. Especially because Zug got pinned down in a Mummy stand off. He should definitely sack his useless thrower who rolled too many 1's. When he could score in the 2nd half, he failed a catch. Unlucky bastard but simply a great guy. Got me Sportmanship points. 1-0 win

There were now 3 guys with 5 wins, the other 2 played the final and I didn't. Learn to bloody score Lucy

6th round against a Dane called Hjornborn. Human team with Luthor and Griff.
He desperately wanted to win. Started with explaining the IP rule was important and that He should win with 2 points to get a shot at the Warhammer price. He then started and forgot to move his turnmarker , He looked at me fearing the IP but let him play. He then didn't call them when I forgot them either. He won convincingly because Griff never failed to do anything in the first half and he scored twice. In the second half, I injured/ko'd 6 players in 3 turns (including Griff) but it was to late. I failed a catch roll myself which would have given me an extra point, but that's luck. 0-2 loss

I immediately fell back to 9th place (still before Paul and Marcus ). Because I only got 2 points for painting (correctly I guess) I even dropped further to 16th

Well, hoping to become better than my other Dutch companions and trying for a top 100 seat was successfull, but once you get that close and then drop back to 16th............. I must admitt, I was a little dissapointed

Lucy

[Anthony_TBBF]

I won't type out my match report at the moment, but here's the Play of the Week which turned what looked like a sure 2-0 victory into a 1-1 draw!

I have a Beastman with the ball, protected by a Troll and a Chaos Warrior, 4 squares from the endzone on the sideline miles away from any opposing players save a lone unskilled Human Catcher (who I think was prone). The Catcher stands up, dodges into 3 tackle zones without having to use Dodge, rolls 2 dice my choice (St2 vs St5 including assists!), nails the ball carrier into the crowd, the ball scatters to one of his only players without the impression of a Chaos Warrior fist in his skull who promptly runs in for a TD.

Great stuff!

I have to say that the 6 people I played had to be some of the most sporting and friendliest people I have ever played BB with. They all were great sports and made our matches fun and competetive. Thanks to everyone I played and I hope to see you again next year!

[Darkson]

rolls 2 dice my choice (St2 vs St5 including assists!),

Surely should have been 3 dice my choice?

[Anthony_TBBF]

Whatever it was, it worked.

[Lupus]

It was great to meet a lot of you, though I don't think I actually got to play any TBBers.

...

Game 3 - Jordi LLobet(?) - Humans Drew 1-1

Griff and Zug, couple of catchers, blitzers and linemen to make 11. Only 1 TRR. Jordi was a member of the Spanish team and a great opponent. This was the best match of the tourney for me, nail biting tactical conflict where we both stared at the board long and hard before moving. But for some reason I can't remember very many of the details.

Anyway all I can really remember is that I just couldn't stop Griff sacking the ball carrier. He hardly failed a leap and I think had Griff not been in the game I would have managed a win. Jordi played him well though, holding him back until a genuine opportunity emerged and the exploiting it to the full. Zug spent most of the game in the KO bin.

I believe he took a lead in the 1st half with a Griff TD, and I equalised at towards the end of the 2nd with Varag, leaving a couple of turns for one of us to win. The lack of rerolls by then meant it all went pear shaped and neither of us could get the result.

Hi Ian!
It was a hard match. I was pleased to play with you. Yes, Griff take a TD quickly and it was hard to stop your players and to try to strip the ball. In the beginning I take out your goblins and your dirty player, so you didn't make a throw teamplayer or a foul to Griff. You were very lucky with you ogre that don't failed any bone head and Varag only play good at the end of the match (before I didn't see Varag playing in the pitch)

I finally vote for you like best sports player opponent.

See you next tournament.

Lupus (Jordi Llobet)

[Darkson]

Darkson's Freek Show
2 Storm Vermin
1 thrower
3 Gutter runners
5 Linemen
Apoth
3 RR, 3FF

Game 1 vs. Niels: Paint 'Em Back (Orcs) Score 2-1, Cas 1-3 (fouling don't count)

Game really hinged on the 1st 3 turns. Kick -off result of "get the Ref" in my favour. 1st turn, lineman blocks Orc lineman and gets a cas. Niels keeps the apoth back. 2nd turn, foul a BOB, get a cas,and Niels rolls a 1 for apoth. 3rd turn, foul a blitzer, yep, you guessed, 3rd cas. Niels took all this well. End the half 2-0 up. Try to hold up the Orc drive in the 2nd half, but in the 8th turn dodge out of the ball carriers running line, as I feel I've had such a great game with Niels I would feel bad about depriving him of his hard fought 2 pts.
Niels, if you read this, would like to have a re-match one day, maybe next year in Bugmans?

Game 2 vs. Will: Washinton Deadthings (Undead) with Luthor. Td 3-2, cas 1-1
Obviously hadn't played Skaven for a while, as the sped of my GR shocked him. Scored early, and managed to pressurise his ball carrier into scoring quicker than he would have liked, giving me 2 turns to lead 2-1 at halftime. Again, pressussied ball carrier into soring with 4 turns left of the half. I scred in 2 again, and managed to knock the ball carrier over to seal a 3-2 win. highlight of the game for me was a GR blitzing a Mummy (3d against) and BH him

Game 3 vs. Joe: Chaos Dwars Norfolk Enchance lost 1-2, cas 1-2
Only player I faced to call IP's. Just couldn't ge any dice to go my way, and failed a 2+ twice the match, either of which would have tied the game for me. Held the ball in the corner by my EZ for 4 turns to prevent me from having a chance to equalise. Perfectly legit tactic, but boring to try to counteract, epecially with only 5 players on the pitch

Game 4 vs. Grumbledook: Chaos Dwarfs Bovine Slaughter Lost 1-3, cas 2-1.
One of those games. The dicewere againt me at critical moments, and 'Dook, as the better player made me pay for the mistakes I made. Only claim to fame in this was stunning Hthark with a foul

Game 5 vs. Jorge: reyes de la Malada Eternal - Orcs Lost 0-1, Cas 1-2.
Another game were Nuffle deserte me. I forget how many 2+ dodges and pick-ups I failed. Jorge played a great game, and although I had a chance of an equalising score in the last turn (2+ dodge with Dodge, 3+ dodge with Dodge, 3+ pick up, 3+ pass, 2+ catch) I decided not to attempt it for 2 reasons. 1) Jorge had played a great game until his snake eyes in his last turn for a 3+ pick up and 2) The way my luck was going I wouldn't have even made the 2+ dodge.

Game 6 vs Matt Robson: Da Ref Squad - Orcs Drew 2-2, cas 0-5
My favourite game of the weekend. Matt's team had been nominated for best painted, and this game was a laugh from begining to end. Managed to go 2-0 quickly in the 1st half, even though I did fail a 2+ catch with RR waiting in the EZ. Meanwhile, my rats were being carried of the pitch in batches of 2 or 3 a turn, and not just due to the Orcs fists either. failed dodges, GFI's. You name it, my players were doing it to get back to the dug-out. Tried to stop Matt from pulling one back late in the 1st, but with only 4 players on the pitch proved to difficult. 2nd half started with 6, Matt fumbled the ball and I nearly pulled off a short handed TD for a 3-1 lead, but alas it wasn't to be, and so the game drew to a close with me having a prone and Stunned player on the pitch, 2 KO's and 7 cas for various reasons.



I had a great time. Nice to put faces to names, and I hope to see you again next year, if not before.

[Trambi]

My team : Dark elf
8 linemen
2 blitzers
1 witch
2 rerolls
3 ff

Match 1 : Hellput Pests (skaven with HeadSplitter and Hakflem)
he scored first with Hakflem then I scored with my blitzer. Second half
I scored in 7 turn. He try to score, with a long bomb on Headsplitter, but my blitzer intercept (5+).
Win 2-1
Took strip the ball on my witch

Match 2 : Abborash Mourkan (undead with Luthor)
He kick, I try to attack, with his Vampire, I can't pass throught the defense. The second half, I kick. The vampire took the ball, my strip ball can't stop him ... The vampire score in 8th turn.
Lost 0-1
Took strip the ball on my blitzer

Match 3 : ? (dark elf with Horkon)
I kick, he get a reroll (that's one for him), he used it well and scored on 3rd turn. He kick get another reroll, my blitzer took the ball. On 7th turn, my blitzer had to make an extra square (2+), 1 reroll 1. He took the ball in his td line. 8th turn, I blitz him the ball is still avaliable, my witch took the ball (3+), pass(3+) my blitzer have to catch (2+) ... 1. The first half end.
I scored quicky, he scored quickly, I scored quickly ...
Draw 2-2
Took tackle on my blitzer

Match 4 : ? (undead)
A ghoul with sure hand, took the ball and score. I scored exploiting his low movement but he injury my blitzer with tackle. Second half, he kicks, he gets the ball on his SH ghoul, with 4 players, I can't stop him ... Last hope, I have 2 turn to draw, kick off event : Pitch invasion (5 of 8 avalaible players) no hope ...
Lost 1-2
Took kick on a lineman

Match 5 : ? (norse)
I kick, I injury his mino (actually the crowd). I took the ball to his thrower. Then i score. Second half, He kicks, i scored. In fact, I pass almost all armor ...
Win 2-0
Took dodge on a lineman

Match 6 : ? (human with Zug)
He kicks, I attack. After the 3rd turn, every time he blocks, he stuns my players. So hard to play with 3 standing players. He scores in 7th turn.
Second half, bad kick ball on Zug. I use my strip ball witch (injuried by the dodge) then my stripball blitzer strip the ball to Zug, but it bounce on his thrower. I can't stop him ...

[eric]

Von-Erichs, Undead

6. Humans 2-1 (french guy whose name I've forgotten). Wasn't too happy to see Griff again. Having learned my lesson form Jez, I hung onto the ball, made sure it was well defended and just beat the hell out of his team until Griff went down to my player with tackle and never got up again. I then scored 2 fairly straightforward TD's tried for a 3rd on a blitz got a bit carried away and he managed to throw for a TD. Not wanting to push my luck Luthor and the 2 ghouls hung back with the ball and I pasted the rest of his team.

Very happy with my 5th place, managed to play 6 great guys I've never played before. Looking forward to many more games and meeting lots of new players

Cheers
Geoff

you have be very lucky to see griff dead
but I must notice you that a wigh can't have guard
I have see that after you're so much lucky again
you don't play very well because you have done the ball to luhor and you wait that my team were out.
and the touchdown that I have maid I have 6 players only in the ground
and after you have wait in your party is not very interesting to play against you
i had prefer that you try to maid a another touchdown but you have fear
and it's not a normally vampire comportement

'i wait for my revenge

[Princelucianus]

Cidervampire, You didn't give Guard to a wight did you, DID YOU?

Say it ain't so.....

Lucy

[shaniepoo]

did any1 play Tashton?

[shaniepoo]

Came 67th using Norse.

Game 1. Norse V's Chaos Dwarf. I Lost 2-0.

What can i say other than 'I HATE DWARVES!'. The 1st mistake of this game was saying that i didnt mind not using the weather table (i didnt realise that he rolled a 12). The second was thinking that i could take on Hathark (i think thats right) and a bull centure. All in all it was a good game but i ended up giving my new Black dice to the dwarf player because the werent working for me.

Game 2. Norse V's Skaven. Won 1-0.

This was a straight forward game with no star players. Noy alot to tell really.

Game 3. Norse V's Orcs. Won 2-0.

This game started of great with Fungus taking himself out of the game on turn 1! After that there wasnt much going on and scored both TD's in his half.

Game 4. Norse V's Humans. Lost 1-0.

This game was very close. Zug had taken out alot of players and a draw was pulled away from me at the last minute when on turn 8 of the 2nd half i made 2 dodges a GFT to pass a long bomb, made the pass and them fell on my ass on the TD line while doing a 2nd GFI. I wasnt happy.

Game 5. Norse V's Orcs. Lost 2-1.

The pressence of Varag and Morg N' Thorg ment that this would be a hard game to win. Yet again the star players made there selves known as i was dropped down to only 7 players by the end of the 1st half. After alot of lucky dodge rolls i pulled a TD out of the bag only to have Morg take out half of the team and giving the orcs a clear run at a 2-1 victory.

Game 6.Norse V's Chaos. Won 1-0.

4 chaos warriors with guard and Lord Borak (or what ever his name is) on the line of scrumage didnt fill me with alot of hope for this game. To make things even worse I had chosen to receive the ball and rolled pitch invasion on the kick off table.....2 linemen and 2 blitzers ended up face down on the floor and another lineman was taken out of commision for the whole game. After some how stopping the chaos skum from getting a TD in the 1st half of the game i went into the 2nd half with guns a blazing. for most of the 2nd half the ball was held in the middle of a huge brawl (Borak, 3 warriors and 2 beastmen V's 2 blitzers and 4 linemen) where the ball was fumbled and bounced over every player before dropping into the hands of Borak. In a last ditch attempt to get the ball every free norse player on the field dodged out of the fight and headed towards Borak. After numerous blocks against him he went down with a thud, i piked up the ball and passed for the only TD of the game.
Il also add that the ball was fumbled on a pass no less than 5 times in a row between us.


Had a great time but still think that if Stars were not used the scores would have been different.

[Deathwing]

OK. Here we go. Apologies for lack of team and opponent names. I had quite enough paperwork to keep me busy thanks!

Deffwing's Demensha

Morg
Varag
3 Blitzers
1 Thrower
2 Lineman
3 Gobbos
1 RR
1 FF
1 Apoth.

Game One vs Chaos/Borak.
Curious line up featuring 3 CW and only Borak's Leader RR. With no skills anywhere other than Borak, the Leader RR was soon used. When Borak put the boot in I fouled him into the KO box in retaliation. I believe I was 2 up by HT and rapidly filling the KO/BH box. Took Borak out towards the end with a Block by Morgie. Finished 4-0 with 4 casualties.

Game 2 vs Varag/Orcs.
Both Varags sit out, leaving pretty much identical line-ups with with exception of my Morg and Gobbos v. his rookie Ogres and BOBs. I manage to BH a Blitzer early, turn the ball over and drive.
Morgie falls over in the EZ on a gfi to score, 1 for the gfi, 12 armour, 12 injury. Apoth proves his worth. I recover and manage to score with a gobbo. Rest of the game pretty much a brawl with neither of us able to achieve much hindered by Varag's missing leader RR. Finished 1-0.
Gotta say they were exquisitely painted.

Game 3 vs Woodies. Table 2
Table 2!! Whoo-Hoo!
With no stars present, this one should have been easier than it was. I kick and go down 1-0 in short order, then spent the rest of the half hitting and walking up the field to score on the last turn.
Second half a failed pick up lets elves get all over my backfield, and I struggle to move it. Eventually I get the cage formed and rolling, but not before I have to apoth my Thrower who was BH on a foul. Sure Hands was kinda crucial to counter the leaping Strip ball wardancer, who nevertheless makes a right pain out of himself by knocking down my thrower on a couple of occasions on 1D blocks. I do however take a steady toll of elves as I struggle down the pitch, and sit on a RR.
Good call. He calls me for IP on my turn 7. If it wasn't for the RR it would have left me out of range. It's the first time I've been called for IP in tournament play, and I'm not over happy about it TBH.
He then manages to knock down my thrower again on another leap 1D Blitz. I'm left facing a couple of 2D blocks needing pushes and a 3+ pick up a goblin. Thankfully it comes off. I'd hated to of had the IP cost me the win. 2-1.

When it's going your way, it's going your way...

Game 4 vs Jez Lowe's Griff/Zug Humans: Table 2
...and when it's not, it's not.
What can I say? I got Griffed! Boy did I get Griffed.
Griff makes all his leaps, blitzes, and all bar one gfi as well as a long pass for a score. Almost a perfect display. Jez scores from the ko and a failed pick up allows the turnover score. 2-0 down and sweltering heat takes out Varag and my Blitzer with Tackle, Jez scores again. 3-0 down and still first half, and I realise I'm playing for 2 points. At the end of the half a gobbo fails a 3+ catch to bring it back to 3-1. Exactly the kind of thing that was going for me on Sat.
2nd half I recieve, and swltering heat goes to Pouring Rain. More of the same with Griff leaping in to my cage, knocking the ball carrier down on 1D, dodging to the scattered ball on a 4+, picking it up on a 4+, then making the 3+ the 2+ and 3 gfis to score again.
Hammered 4-0 and a humilating drop down the tables. This was however, one of my most enjoyable games of the event, Jez was a great guy to play against, and when the dice just go all one way you have to take it on the chin and laugh about it. Enjoyed it immensely.

Game 5 vs Silibili Lizards (Brutal Deluxe)
He's heavy on Saurus and light on skinks. Plan was to target the skinks, but they proved to actually be amazingly invincible skinks. 3D Blocks with MB on AV7 with +1 to injury from stunty? You're having a laugh.
Hmm..first time against Lizards. My opponent opens with manufacturing a 2D Blitz gainst Varag with a Piling On Saurus. Luckily it's only a stun, and the first thing I do is get my DP over and foul that PO git into the KO box.
It's a funny half, hes recieves and the ball changes hands several times. Eventually he's forced into a desperate pass to a skink in the EZ, and the pass is fumbled. Hmm..thinks I..bye bye skink, have a little chat with he fans. Varag blitzes the skink, fails the gfi for the block, makes Pro and then rolls another 1. With no RR in hand, said skink then then runs out, picks up the ball and makes the gfis to score. Lucky boy.
2nd half I'm recieving, but a Blitz result puts me under all kinds of pressure. After a coupla failed rolls and being in danger of conceding a second score I've had enough and give the ball the Morgie. Trundle down and score. It finishes 1-1.

Game 6 vs Morg/Varag Orcs
Heh. What a laugh this one was. No Morgs, no Varags so 9 players and 1 RR each!
Dice just go my way. His (accurate) thrower fumbles a pass (or pick up?) which allows me to push his gobbo into the crowd, knock down his thrower and have it away down the field with a gobbo. 1-0 up. The dice are wholly one sided...my gobbos were the real stars, their extra pace and stunty proving invaluable on a depleted field, and they didn't seem to fail many dodges or gfis. I do have to apoth one though!
Go 2 nil up, but my opponent manages to score a pretty improbable last turn consolation. I was actually cheering when it went in (despite making it as difficult as possible), it was certainly deserved and the guy earned his extra point that it got him.


So W4 D1 L1 to finish 22nd. I was amazed that I didn't play somebody I either already knew or a TBBer that I hadn't met until the weekend. My most enjoyable 2 games were the starless all orc 9 a sider at the end, and the 4-0 Griffing. Go figure. I ended up giving my point to the last guy, on the grounds that the other candidate (namely Jez) was already playing in the final.

What a blast.

[Thadrin]

Suppose its time I put up the autopsy of my weekend.
You've probably all read my result elsewhere - only the one loss, but only the one win, crap final placing. I'm only going to blame luck in one game costing me. I made daft mistakes here and there, and in the end it just wasn't my tourney.
Used up all my luck playing friendlies with my Skaven on friday night.

Roster: 2 Blitzers, 2 Runners, 1 Slayer, 6 Longbeards, 2 Rerolls, 4 Fan Factor, Apothecary. The Apoth REALLY paid for himself in almost every game. Wouldn't change my roster if I was to do it again.

Right:
First game: Washington Deadthings. Undead with Luthor. Will somethingorother.

This game was actually pretty even. I recieved the kick, and immediately made a cardinal mistake: I changed my mind as to what I was going to do with it. Even allowing for that, I would have been able to push up the right hand side, having caged most of his team in. If it hadn't been for that damned Vampire. As I said at the time, You know when you've been Luthored. My dice rolls were somewhere in the region of awful, with one of my blitzers rolling no fewer than 5 skulls in this game, but seeing as he couldn't roll anything other than pushes I can't complain. He got my Ball carrier and took the ball in with Luthor.
Second half I managed to plug him up pretty well, until he broke Luthor down one side and completed a fairly unlikely pass play with his remaining ghoul. 2-0 loss, and I'm plummeting from the heady position my early arrival got me down to numb arse corner.


Second and third games:
I'm going to take these two together, because I'm pretty sure my notes have mixed the two teams up. Both teams were Orcs, both had Varag, both were painted Black and white stripes, Newcastle united style.
Difference was that one of them (the one that got nominated for best painted) had an ogre. The teams were named "Da Pigsturd Stealers" and "Da Ref Squad".

The dice continued to be bad, but the games very even and very hard fought. Noone was getting any casulaties, apart from the odd broken Goblin (which I didn't get credit for). In one game - I think it was the first - I went deservedly one down by a "Varag as lead bloocker" play, equalising later when same star player botched recieving a hand off (having not been able to break through thanks to a Runner having gained Block. The ball bounced nicely towards my runner who then tossed it forward to his counterpart who trotted in.
The Second I had a one TD lead at half time - despite further dicemares, generally on sure hands rolls - and then turned over the ball in the second. here I made another dumb error. Trying to get rid of dangers to my breaking the guy with the ball loose I moved him in next to A Black orc to assist in the blitz I intended to throw. I'd missed that an Orc Blitzer in a melee had a TZ on my Slayer, who promptly failed his dodge and teh whole thing fell apart.
With two turns left I nearly gave up a winner too, but Varag botched it and I put the git in the crowd out of sheer malice.

My frustration would continue into round four:
Halflings, including the maximum three trees and thirteen Halflings. No chef though.. All three trees show up to start. I get the ball and take five turns pounding my way up the field for a fairly easy score. My opponent - Brian - accepts this worryingly happily. If I was more of a b'stard I'd have sat on the score all half., and tried beating the crap out of his team. With the trees being dangerous I decided against. Given three turns to score Brian showed me how Hobbits should be played, always threatening the thrown halfling play while running in a wedge behind the trees. He was eventually forced into the throw attempt, which the Halfling couldn't land.
The second half was more of the same. He really is very good with Halflings. This time he did pound it in. I had a chancce to stop him, but a block I was loathe to reroll didn't go exactly right, stopping a blitz in its tracks. The blitz would have exposed the ball carrier if it had worked.
He was never going to get the ball again, but I didn't have a chance of scoring so it ended in a third 1-1 draw. Fair, but by this stage Brian, myself and one of the orc players (Slinky - sorry mate, didn't get your name.) had pretty much done each other in with draws.

Game 5: Lizards in the hands of Adam from the NBBL.

Young Adam had started very badly, but was coming off a big win. His saurii had an eclectic set of skills - two block, one Piling on, one Tackle - compared to my more conventional Block on a runner and then Guard on my blitzers and a Longbeard.
Again, I opened with a pounding, fairly efortless score. I would have played the situations a little differently if I were him, but thats me.
Defended his first attack pretty well, stopping it and getting the ball. Made a dumb error leaving a blitzer too far short of the endzone to score with two turns left, even though he got the ball to safety. It was here the dice turned completely in Adam's favour, and this is my "Blame the dice" game.
His turn 8: in no danger of conceeding a score he goes to work on my team. The resulting BHd Runner and KOd Longbeard left me a man down for the second half. Not good against Lizards. I simply hadn't hurt his skinks enough (one cas). I fought with everything I had, but the dice were not so much against me as for him. EVERYTHING he tried worked. I did turn him over, but then came the dreaded miss on my sure hands roll when I was all ready to get the ball back up his end. A skink darted in and grabbed the ball (in a tackle zone) and made for the endzone. A blitz and the skink is down...next turn he's up, dodge, pick up, dodge, TD. Nothing I could do to stop it. I was down further players now, and needed to score quick if I was to win. Not a hope in hell. The kick went deep into my own half, and I was more worried about giving up a late TD than scoring one. At this stage my pride was all I had left. Dwarfs got hurt left and right as the dice continued in Adam's favour, and I was lucky to hold on again.

Game 6: Norse, another NBBL guy, who finished second last.

You're playing Norse (badly painted norse at that), recieving, but your Thrower is in the dug out? OK.
First couple of turns his Ogre goes into the crowd thanks to my Slayer and he looks like he's already given up. Now boasting a line of 4 Guards he can't match me for blocking. Two turns in I'm close to pulling off a slower version of the Wood Elf classic "onside kick" play. He grabs the ball with a Lino, attempts a long bomb, fumbles and I have it for 1-0. He gets a bit more luck when he tries the same trick with a thrower, but not enough. he has no catchers and the ball ends up behind my line. A Runner grabs it and I take it up the wing. he has a chance to stop me, but it comes up push, and a couple of my favour blocks spring him for the score.
In the final turns I start making mulch of his team as the hordes of armour
finally bring some results. I run out a comfortable two nil winner, evening out my record.


Overall, maybe I should have been more aggressive going for wins. Easier said than done with Dwarfs and not the way I usually play. Its not easy playing off style, and Tournament play really does require a different style of play to a league. I'm irritated that I finished so low, but thats the way it goes. If I wanted higher I should have won more. There are always ifs.

Sod it. One for the book of grudges. I'll be back.

[Sputnik]

So here is (finally) my report:

My team:
Luthor, 2 mummies, 3 wights, 1 ghoul (@ McDeth: this makes ALL the difference), 2 skeletons of death (my own special breed; only the toughest bones chosen), 2 zombies

Day 1:
First game 2: 0 against John Kearney (norse)

John believed it was a tough matchup and so did I. But his rookie mino caused 4 turnovers during the game making it easy for me to exploit the situation with the Vampir. Luthor took over early and walked into the endzone for the halftime lead. Tough to bring him down without strength, tackle and manpower. Second half was the same picture with Luthor holding on the ball for the win in the last round.

Second game 3:0 against Jay (Dwarfs)

I thought this one to be tough as well but my skeleton of death made two early one die blocks and injured two dwarf longbeards !! Jay was down to 5 dwarfs by the end of the first half while waited undisturbed next to his endzone and scored in turn 8. Second half I scored twice against a weak opposition. Jay was really unlucky to get slaughered by skeletons.

Third game 2:0 against Phil Mason (skaven)

No Griff yet . I kicked off and Phil attacked immediatly with a gutter runner. Luthor not only stopped him but walked back into his endzone for the half time lead. Second half I recieved and again gave the ball to Luthor. He was annoid twice with a three die block from a fearless gutter runner but hold on the ball until turn 8 for the win. One of Phil’s gutter runners had sprint and he got the quick snap result on the kickoff table for the final turn. Unfortunately, the runner but failed on the second GFI. Wow!

Day 2:
Fourth Game 2:1 against Oriol (Anca’s lizzies)

Anca had only 4 skinks and since my skinks frequently hurt themselves without any opponent I thought Anca’s would do so, too. Well, so much for the theory. Three of them ended the game on the pitch. But my piling on mummy injured 2 Saurus, k.o.ed 4 and the Krox (although they kept comming back). I had to kick first and Luthor stopped the skink on the first drive. He carried the ball back for the halftime lead. He also controlled the whole second half. His krox threatened him twice with his prehensile tail but in the end it was an effortless ganging up of three skinks not getting him down. Anca’s last drive was stopped in front of my end zone in turn 7, but he managed to dodge a skink to the ball, pick it up in a tackle zone, and to dodge for the score. Wow, the first TD I had had to eat. And Luthor is deadly against a buch of Saurus.

Fifth game 0:1 against BB champ Marcos (humans)

First of all congratulations to the champion! Well done. I got totally Griff’ed. Both Luthor’s cancelled each other out and I had to kick. I eventually got his ball carrier down only to see him standing up, picking up the ball and throwing it to Griff. TD!! There I was, finally Griff’ed. I had two turns to respond in the first half but could’t pick up the ball. Second half started off with a riot for four turns. So I tried to score to equalize but my players failed to pick up the ball! Four turns I had the chance, the ball was wide open and all I needed was a 3+. I even had two rr reserved therefor. What I got were six 1’s. Frustrating . I couldn’t hurt anyone, not even with piling on. Armor 8 is sometimes more than catches the eye. Only positive thing is I stopped Griff from picking up the ball to make it worse.

Sixth game 1:0 against McDeth (undead)

What a game!!!! What a finish!!! Just great. The best game of my tournament. Both Luthors cancelled out again but McDeth had eleven players against my 10. I had to kick. McDeth tried to move the ball forward but got stuck midfield. All players were within three squares from the line of scrimmage. And he soon got me down to eight players. My piling on mummy went off after turn four. Uff. In turn seven he tried to break free but failed, so no score at halftime. I started outnumbered with only one mummy in the second half by easily picking up the ball (ha). I lured a mummy away from the line to blitz my ball carrier and then the mess started. The trick ended in a POW and there went the ball. Three turns we tried to pick it up (déjà vu?) and he finally got it close to my end zone. With last effort I blitzed him, used my red emergecy die to pick up the ball with the ghoul and run. His mummy blitzed again but failed the GFI. A zombie put a tackle zone on him. A wight blitzed with two dice only to get a push. After two GFI a mummy tried to get a grip with last effort and all I needed was that single dodge for the win -and the red emergency dice came up with another 1 . The rr was a lucky 4 and the win in turn 8. One to remember. Thanks, McDeth.

And thanks to all my opponents for an enjoyable weekend.

Sputnik

[Smeborg]

Well done Grumbledook. I was secretly hoping that you would lose your last game so that I could be top CD coach, but it was not to be! One or two rounds more, and we might have met.

Here’s the match report for the Spikeheads (Chaos Dwarf) coached by Paul Deacon (a.k.a. Smeborg).

Roster: Hthark, 6 CDs, 6 HGs, 3 RR, 1 FF. A good roster, but perhaps not as good as Grumbledook’s (Hthark AND Grashnak).

Round 1: 2-1 WIN vs. Longfang (Humies with Zug – mercifully no Griff or Luthor). HT: 0-1. I received, and struggled against a Perfect Defence with lots of both down results and a double skull on the first turn. Coughed the ball up when Hthark failed to pick it up. After a long scramble, Longfang scores on the 8th turn, with a little help from Nuffle. Things look grim at this point: I am 0-1 down at half time, with my opponent receiving for the second half. Having flown all the way from Singapore, I am determined to win somehow, and manage to grab the ball and score. With the score equal, the final and dramatic drive begins. After a tense scramble, Longfang manages to get the ball to a Catcher, within reach of my end zone, and with 2 escorts. Fear of Hthark, however, leaves the way open for a 2 dice blitz by a Hobgoblin. After burning a Re-roll on the first attempt, the second gives the required minimum result: both down. My valiant Hobgoblin is consigned to the warp, the Catcher is stunned. Longfang then fails to pick up the ball, it scatters via the prone Catcher to an empty square in no tackle zone. A sneaky Hobgoblin then dodges, goes-for-it, picks the ball up, and hurls a Long Pass downfield. Missing the target, it scatters 2 squares to a waiting Hobgoblin, who duly catches it. End of turn (no-one left to move). Longfang then fails a dodge (trying to blitz the ball carrier). Turnover, the Hobgoblin scores between the posts on turn 8, I offer incense to Nuffle. I am set up for a great week-end, feeling like I have just pulled off an injury time victory against the All Blacks. Longfang wonders if my dice are cursed. I give Dirty Player to a HG (good choice, could have won me the second game).

Round 2: 1-2 LOSS vs. Lucy (Undead with Luthor). HT: 0-1. I receive, and start by making several minor mistakes on the first drive. These might have been of no consequence, but when Hthark fails his first go-for-it of the match, I am duly punished. Luthor scores on turn 5. I pull back an improbable 3-turn equaliser, involving a scattered kick caught by a Hobgoblin on the line of scrimmage, a two-dice block against by a Hobgoblin on a Mummy (result: knockdown), and a pick-up and 3 go-fot-its to score by Hthark. The second half is a wild scramble. I don’t remember it exactly, I think Hthark managed to knock Luthor over near the right touch-line. I do remember that at one point 4 Hobgoblins managed to gang up on Luthor, knock him over, and get the ball (my only whiff of victory in this game). This was not enough, however, Luthor picked himself up, dusted himself down, and got the ball back to score the winning TD late in the game. Dice rolling by both players was very wild – a bit like watching a game played by Nuffle, rather than playing it oneself. We are both exhausted. At one point my Dirty Player managed to foul Luthor, but it was only a K.O., and he came straight back. I also managed to K.O. a good many players in his 11 man roster, but they all came straight back too. 4 CDs ended up as casualties (one due to a blunder by me), and a Hobgoblin was sent off (my fault again), turning a 2 man advantage at the start into a 2 man disadvantage by the end of the game. However, even with better play on my part and a bit more assistance from Nuffle, it is hard to see how I could have got better than a draw against such a strong player. I give Dirty Player for a second time to a HG (a mistake – almost never used him).

Round 3: 2-0 WIN vs. Barry Holden (Lizzies with Krox). HT: 1-0. I received again and duly scored (Hthark on turn 8, I think), things finally going to plan. Reducing my opponent to 9 men for the second half, I grab the ball off him and score again. A blizzard all game long limits the effectiveness of Hthark, who, being more used to volcanoes than snow and ice, becomes a casualty in the last quarter. He is shortly followed by a K.O.d Krox. The CDs make short work of the Skinks, putting them in tackle zones and blocking them whenever possible. I give Guard to a CD.

Round 4: 1-0 WIN against Jeff Hurst (Orcs with Troll). HT: 1-0. I received yet again and Hthark duly scored a classic TD on turn 8, things going to plan for the second game in a row (must be too good to be true). In the second half, I make mistakes, and am nearly punished. However, Nuffle hears my pleas, my opponent’s Thrower fumbles a pick up (or a pass, I forget), I consign the Thrower and both Gobbos to the warp, and things get much easier. I nearly manage an improbable last turn TD with a CD, but after succeeding with a catch, 2 go-for-its, defending against a one die blitz, making a one die block and a dodge, he fails the first of 2 go-for-its needed to score. No Re-rolls left at this point. At one point in the match, Jeff’s Troll is about to blitz Hthark, when he fails his Bonehead roll for the only time in the match. Jeff’s luck is generally superb (e.g. 7 consecutive one die blocks produce knockdowns), except that Nuffle curses him when it really matters. I give Guard to a CD for a second time, and I give Jeff my most sporting opponent award.

Round 5: 2-1 WIN against Lorne Brown (Chaos Dwarf – aaargh!). HT: 1-0. A Htharkless game, meaning real BB with 820,000 g.p. starting rosters! I receive for the 5th time in the tournament and duly score. My opponent starts the game with 10 men (due to the loss of Hthark). This advantage is immediately compounded when one of my HGs blitzes a BC and makes him a casualty (first turn). In the second half, I grab the ball off my opponent’s remaining BC and score. I then grab the ball again, now dreaming of 3-0. However, my ball-carrying HG, about to go down the right wing into the green fields beyond for a near certain TD, fails a dodge (with Re-roll), the ball scatters via the crowd to my opponent, who scores. I am now seriously worried (2-1 up and my opponent receiving), as a curse from Nuffle at this point could result in a 2-2 draw. However, my opponent is more interested in preventing a 3-1 loss (bad tournament rules!), and there is no further score in the match. I even have a shot at a 3rd TD, however, my second and last pass attempt of the tournament is a fumble. I give Guard for a third and last time to a CD, stroking my black beard.

Last round at table 6: vs. Emyr Mortimer-Roberts (Chaos Dwarf – double aaargh!!). HT: 0-0. Another game of Htharkless real Blood Bowl with 820,000 rosters! The defective tournament formula (tied teams were ranked by TDs scored, not TD difference) meant that I tended to play against ST sides, while the high scoring AG teams tended to play against each other. The last round was a nightmare, since my Welsh opponent from Anglesey (who would have guessesd from that name…?) had painted his CDs in exactly the same colours as mine. In addition, we both had 3 CDs with Guard. This meant we spent most of playing time poring over the scrum, trying to work out what the heck was happening, and trying to block our own players. After kicking off for the only time in the tournament, the first half turned into a dour and tense scramble. I managed to get the ball off my opponent, but consumed all my Re-rolls. About to break down the right wing into the green fields beyond for a near certain TD, my ball carrying Hobgoblin rolls a double skull on a blitz. I am relieved to end the first half with a shutout. The second half sees me down to 8 men (2 HGs and a CD are casualties, a HG was sent off on the only foul of the half) against my opponent’s 10 men (his only BC was a casualty). So now it’s 3rd Edition BB all over again, with a 2 man disadvantage. Having got this far (table 6 is really table 7, I was 13th in the rankings going into the final round) I am as determined as in game 1 to win through despite the odds. Tournament fatigue sets in, we both have genuine headaches from trying to sort who owns which CD figurine, I have jet lag. In plain English, we make mistakes. My opponent uses his numbers advantage to grind me down, puts another HG in the dugout, and takes the ball. I recover the ball and have just enough firing brain cells to pull off my most inspired play of the tournament. My ball carrying HG is in the middle of my opponent’s half, but not in reach of the end zone. Instead of sprinting in orthodox fashion towards the end zone, he legs it diagonally backwards 8 squares towards left wing “shelter” (a relative term – there were a couple of my players somewhere nearby). He is now 12 squares from the end zone. With some astute positional play from his team-mates, and a little help from Nuffle, the HG scores 2 turns later (my 7th turn). My opponent still has a chance to score in the 2 remaining turns, but I deploy deep and get a Blitz result on the kick-off table. My opponent’s chances fizzle out quickly. I am over the moon, as I know I must know have finished in the top 10.

Final result: 8th place, 5 wins, 1 loss, Touchdowns: 9 for, 4 against (good that), Casualties: 4 for, 9 against (not so good, that - both helmets and knuckledusters developed design faults again). I am pleased with my defence (only 2 TDs conceded on my opponent’s receive), and with my never-say-die approach in the first, second and last games. These 3 games were among the closest, hardest fought and most exciting games that I have ever played. I pick up an award (Furthest Travelled Away Coach), and with it the chance to talk to Jervis and Andy during the prize-giving. The buzz from the tournament lasts a good 24 hours.