RT Cup Season 3 - Winners - The Weird Outcasts!

[id3nt1ty]

There was at least one (niggling) halfling injury in the second half, but it was self inflicted I think.

No re-rolls is not fun, but I was pleased with a draw in the end. It really made the difference between a draw and a win. My thrower failed to pick up the ball twice in one turn, and that's without a reroll!

I almost lost at the last moment due to bad dice, but two both downs (thank goodness for block!) in the last turn made it a sure thing. I leveled up a bunch of players which was my main aim, so Idanmel will have the pleasure of playing against my Block, Dodge, Guard, Stand Firm Blitzer

Well played LtSpinx! Thanks for a fun game!

[id3nt1ty]

So! LtSpinx took a Wizard, Halfing Master Chef and an extra Team Training with his inducements. I won the toss and chose to receive. The halfling master chef cooked up some magic and stole one of my rerolls.

The first half was pretty standard. Get the ball. Squish halfings and score. I started bashing my way down one flank keeping a loose cage so I didn't get fireballed. Lots of hobbitses went down, but no injuries. I figured I was safe enough to try an lure LtSpinx to use the wizard I forgot LtSpinx had a wizard and caged up. Spinx fireballed my cage, but only stunned two corners of the cage. There was a bit of faffing whilst I gave the ball to a player that needed some SPPs and then ran the ball in. Touchdown, turn 4 or 5.

I kick off, planning to send the ball long and go after it so all my players are near the touch line. The kick didn't work out and ended up on the LOS. Spinx picked up the ball and threw the halfling into my half. I scrambled to defend but only managed to push him closer to the end zone. Touch down, turn 7.

In the last turn of the half I tried to fell a tree. It didn't work.

In the second half the Master Chef really pulled a number on me and gave all my re-rolls to the Halflings. Eight re-rolls to my none. This time I set up expecting another thrown ball carrier and actually managed to kick the ball deep. I bashed some hobbits around the LOS whilst Spinx picked up the ball and ran it over to his treemen. The first attempt to throw a teammate failed critically, but the fumbled hobbit managed a critical success for the landing so he just stayed where he was. The second throw worked, but didn't put the hobbit quite as close to the end zone as expected and I managed to get a three dice block on him. Two pushes and a both down. Thankfully my blitzer had block, so the hobbit went down. The ball scattered to the blitzer who failed to pick it up. It scattered back to the square it started in and the blitzer moved onto it to try again but failed, scattering it the wrong way. Had I had a reroll, the ball would have more likely been safe, but instead a hobbit got the ball and scored in turn twelve.

Four turns is plenty of time to equalize, so the Amazons set off blitzing down a flank again. This time I made sure the ball was on the right player to score so there would be no faffing around before scoring. Unfortunately my attempt to score in turn 15 was hampered by bad blocking dice and I suffered a turn over from one of my only players without block. Spinx managed to get many tackle zones on my ball carrier, but in the first blitz the ball carrier dodged out of most of them, but away from the end zone. The second block was a push or attacker down, and I got to chose attacker down. With my ball carrier having to risk some dodges and a GFI to get to the end zone by herself I decided to block some halflings out of the way. Both blocks resulted in attacker down/ both down but this time I was using players with Block so the appropriate halflings went down, clearing the path for my ball carrier who strolled over the line for a 2 - 2 draw.

[Gandalf]

Thanks for the match report! Haven't had many recently. I loved the cross-out bit Maybe we should have a "best match report of the season" vote to encourage more descriptive/funny reports.

Seems like having a ton of block on your side eventually made up for having 8 re-rolls to 0!

[Raveen]

Nice idea Gandalf, and I think that the highest placed stunty team should get recognition too.

[Raveen]

Hello Everyone and welcome to Grindstand, the premier Blood Bowl preview show brought to you by

I'm Jim Johnson and with me, as ever, is Bob Bifford.

Thanks Jim, it's a pleasure to be here.

In this show we're looking forward to the final games in the Rolling Thunder Blood Bowl League, but before that let's look at the teams.


At the top of the table with have the Weird Outcasts. They've been solid but unspectacular this season but that's what wins you silverware. With an unbeaten record they have to be the favourites to take the title.

Next it's the pro-elf Cangurus. These guys have been spectacular from day one with an awesome passing game racking up the touchdowns. This is the only team that can challenge for the title at this late stage.

In third place it's a surprisingly high ranking for the prat falling idiots of the Pinewood Carrions. This Khemri team seem to only have one plan, and don't execute it all that well, but raw strength can fill in a number of strategic potholes.

Next it's the Orkly Ducklingz. They've had a real up and down this season with injuries and allegations of substance abuse colouring their season. Still they're likely to finish mid table and have pledged to return for another run next year.

In fifth place it's the Amazon team, SuchDodge. These ladies missed some early games and have had to play catchup all season. Unfortunately a couple of hard games have dropped them from contention but their final placing is far from decided.

The underworld pact team, the Mighty Undercheesers have also struggled with injury this season and have almost the most average set of results ever but on a good day, these guys can get it done.

Unlike the bottom three teams. Top of which is Lager & Lime, a bunch of booze fuelled Halflings who stagger down the pitch swaying in and out of tackles. A pair of solid treeman blockers bolster the team and they've definitely performed better than expected.

Second to last is Da Zoggin' Gitz, a bunch of low-down, cheating, good for nothing scum who are naturally fan favourites. They don't win often, and they don't win pretty but it's always a sight to see as body parts, from both sides, are likely to go flying!

Finally, in last place it's the Ogres of Team Shrek. Due to the fact that they frequently forget why they're on the pitch or get distracted by butterflies it's a wonder that this team score any touchdowns at all. It's a testament to their stubborn nature and brute strength that they're a fearsome prospect despite their limitations.

Thanks for that rundown, Bob, now it's time for the final matches.

Firstly we have Team Shrek versus the Mighty Undercheesers. Whilst this game will have no outcome on the top of the table both teams have honour and pride to look out for. Well, potential sponsorship money anyway.

Next it's Da Zoggin' Gitz taking on Lager & Lime in a stuntie showdown. I hear that the goblins have been honing their chainsawing skills all week in preparation for some logging. The halflings have mostly been at the rum having finished all the ale in the park.

League leaders the Weird Outcasts play the Pinewood Carrions. The Outcasts only need a draw to take the title but you can bet that the Carrions won't make it easy for them.

Finally it's SuchDodge against the Cangurus. The Amazons are coming off a run of bad games and will be looking to prove themselves whereas the elves absolutely need to win this match to stand a chance of taking the title. This could be the game of the week!

[Gandalf]

Nice review/summary.

Firstly we have Team Shrek versus the Mighty Undercheesers. Whilst this game will have no outcome on the top of the table both teams have honour and pride to look out for. Well, potential sponsorship money anyway.

This is part of the battle to not finish last!

Regarding best stunuty team, regardless of how the weekend goes this should go to the halflings. Although myself and Wyld have picked up a win each, they have both been against other stunty teams, whereas the halflings have got a win and 2 draws against other teams (despite being literally massacred by my ogres).

[Raveen]

I'll likely be a bit late. Should be about by 8.20ish.

[lawastooshort]

The Six Ogres beat the (once again really not very) Mighty Undercheesers 1-0, leaving a demoralised coach wanting to blame the beer (and the really pickly gherkins), the week of mild illness, the thirty seconds of child-related interruption - anything but his repeatedly incompetent players and indecisive play.

I'd had very high hopes of David Bowie getting the two casualties he needed to level up (once I heard the amazons weren't losing and so I had no chance of overtaking them in the league this was my main aim for the match, but I kept getting distracted and David Bowie wasn't having it anyway), but no.

[Gandalf]

The Six Ogres beat the (once again really not very) Mighty Undercheesers 1-0, leaving a demoralised coach wanting to blame the beer (and the really pickly gherkins), the week of mild illness, the thirty seconds of child-related interruption - anything but his repeatedly incompetent players and indecisive play.

I'd had very high hopes of David Bowie getting the two casualties he needed to level up (once I heard the amazons weren't losing and so I had no chance of overtaking them in the league this was my main aim for the match, but I kept getting distracted and David Bowie wasn't having it anyway), but no.

Well, at least Bowie got one before the end.

There was a lot of hitting and very little time where anyone had the ball this game. I don't know how the match stats have the possession %'s so close to 100%, but there was a LOT of time when no-one had the ball.

First half I kicked off. We ended up with a ruckus on the left hand side of the pitch in their half. The ogres got stuck in - though one got pushed off the pitch and another got KO'ed. I managed to clear a path for a blitzing ogre who could just about reach the guy with the ball and it went lose. For the next 8 or 9 turns it was an endless punchup until eventually the ball fell loose in the side closest to the Undercheeser's touchdown zone. A snotling picked it up and in the last 2 turns managed to run the 11 squares needed (2x5 + 1 GFI) to score a touchdown, with an ogre shielding his run. Elsewhere in the ruckus, 4 snotlings teamed up to knock over a skaven, then when they tried it again, the snotling in question managed to gouge his own eye.

Second half started with a show of laziness by the ko'ed guys, with 1 of the 5 across both teams rejoining the match. The undercheesers started off in an odd circular formation, with 3 goblins facing off against 3 ogres. The goblins promptly got hit though only one was taken off the pitch. Dodge, as ever for the ogres, was proving to be an annoying skill to fight against. At least I have my own exceedingly annoying dodging players too. The snotlings were too busy pulling faces to pick up the ball, failing twice, when eventually it bounced into the hands of an ogre. Confusing it for a goblin's head, the ogre gleefully grabbed it and after the coach engaged in much yelling and pointing, he started to move forwards with it.

The middle of the pitch was another punch-up zone, though it was quite empty as 6 underworld players went off to foul a snotling hear the corner - getting him off the pitch at the second foul of asking. One of my ogres was engaged in a never-ending fist fight with a goblin in a seperate are of the pitch, whilst the other 4 podded forwards. Eventually enough undercheesers managed to get to the ball carrier to get a 1d block on him, which, after a re-roll resulted in a loose ball which was picked up by some Skaven chap, surrounded by 5 of his buddies. One ogre pushed him back and the other 3 surrounded this group of plague and pestilence, leaving the Skaven trying to figure out how to get it out of there. In the end they tried a hand-off, however 3 players all failed to catch it as the ball fell outside of the malestrom. The last few turns mainly featured a lot of cack-handed attempts to pick up the now-loose ball (including the ogre's attempt to score their first-ever pass touchdown but failed the GFI), and some more punching.

Post game, I got 60k and had an orge & a snotling level up. The ogre rolled a double! Glory be, an ogre with block OK, so he's my one missing a movement point, but who cares, he will lurk around the middle of the pitch beating the living daylights out of everyone (except when being Really Stupid of course), and I'm glad I didn't fire him now. At almost the precise same moment the same thing happened to one of Rav's tomb guardians, so good times for all. The money will be put towards a 4th re-roll (a mere 140k).

So a successful end to an up and down season for the ogres as they hauled themselves off the bottom of the league. They will be sitting out season 4 but could come back in season 5. They struggled early in the season with 3-4 ogres but now they are up to 6 they can do an awful lot of damage and are an intimidating prospect (at least from a purely physical point of view).

Die luck: I had a very slight edge in D6's, and a bigger edge in block dice. It didn't feel excessive though but given how much I moan about dice going against me I'm going to say I had the benefit of the dice this game. We both had moments of bad luck (double red-skulls, double-ones) but I don't know who suffered more from the dice, if anyone. However, a mere 3 out of 10 pick-up attempts and 3 out of 10 catch attempts were successful this game which limited scoring options somewhat and strengthened my resolve to get sure hands on my ball-handling ogre if I get the chance.

Edit : I would be sick of rolling dice if I played this in real life. I rolled 109 + 88 + 95 = 292 dice this game...

[notjarvis]

The Weird outcast defeated the Carrions 3-0 in their final game, wrapping up the league with a bit of a flourish.



Quick match Report
Pregame
Rav gets 430000 inducements! He buys a Wizard, a star player and has another merc. There is fair weather and the game is set

1st Half

1. Chaos win the toss. Pre-game I had a plan to try and receive first, and use my Minotaur with guard and my chaos warrior with block and the others - to try and hit some Tomb Guardians out of the game. In a fit of hubris I throw that plan out and decided to kick off with the Khemri receiving.
2. The ball goes off field, so the Khemri give the ball to one of the tomb guardians off to the chaos left. Then it starts to go wrong for them, a blitz by their star player Nekbrekereth uses a (lonered) reroll as he fails his GFI. Then next block (by one of the Tomb guardians) results in a both down, turnover with hardly any defence setup.
3. Chaos blitz their way through and place players marking the ball carrier.
4. some scuffling ensues around the ball over the next few turns.
5. Around this phase of the game the khemri star player kills one of the beastmen, the apothecary does nothing, so The Outcasts have suffered their first death,
6. Khemri move the ball to the middle of their own half, but again has tackle zones placed on him.
7. Khemri hand off the ball and make a run for it through the middle, finally getting into chaos's half in turn 5, unfortunately the runner is nailed by a couple of Beastmen chasing him down. The ball scatters free, back by the left hand sideline
8. More scuffling happens around the ball. A Chaos Warrior goes down badly hurt, and The khemri lose a player sent off for lowdown dirty fouling, both teams lose players KO'd
9. Eventually a Khemri player gets knocked over on the ball- it rolls out of play and is thrown back in next to a chaos warrior! The first attempt to pick it up, with the AG4 Beastmaan fails.
10. Khemri hit around a b it and then pick up the ball, but it's still in the mess of players in the middle.
11. Chaos immediately knock over the ball carrier, then an intrepid Beastman makes two dodges, picks up the ball, Passes it to another beastman deep in Khemri's half to score! This Jammy move involved rolling 3 3+ rolls in a row (2 dodges and a pickup) followed by a pass and catch (2 x 4+) - all with no rerolls left or skillz
    1-0 to Chaos around turn 6
    
12. some hitting happens to round off the half (and some more fouling) resulting in anothe KO for chaos

It's half time - Chaos are 1 up, but Khemri convincingly won the first half Physical battle with One warrior injured, a beastman ded, and 2 Ko'd Chaos players compared to Khemris single KO (and 1 sent off skellington), so it is still in the balance.

Second Half

1. A beastman recovers, and the Khemri Ko'd player recovers, so it's 10 (chaos) versus 11 (Khemri) to start the second.
2. Khemri kick off, brilliant coaching means they can reset up
3. Chaos finally get some solid hits in, pick up the ball and blitz a few beastmen deep into the Khemri half on their left (planning to elfball it if need be)
4. Chaos push up the left hitting away, finally having some success there by injuring one of the Khemri Blitzers, then the Khemri star player (in the same turn!).
5. The Khemri Wizard tries to throw a lightning bolt at the ball carrier, but it shorts out on his metal armour! To no effect! (2+ roll)
6. Chaos grind up the left, hitting away, try to hand off the ball to someone at front, but it fails. This is no problem though as they pick it up next turn and run for a 2 GFI score!
   2-0 to Chaos around turn 12
7. it's all going wrong for Khemri now! 10 Chaos start the new half versus 9 Khemri.
8. Khemri setup to cause some pain up the middle as revenge. With most of the team on the gain line. Unluckily for them the Kickoff event is Blitz! Allowing chaos to swarm around the middle wall and hunt down the ball carrier, as well as hitting one of the central defenders over.
9. Khemri get the ball but can't stop The beastmen from blitzing it free, for another one to pick it up, and dodge out.
10. Some scuffling around the ball carrier happens, But chaos is getting on top of the physical battle now, and the number of players with block stops the Khemri from causing much damage.
11. Chaos whack the khemri players about a bit, and injure another player (missing next game) then run in a touchdown on their final turn to win 3-0
    3-0 to Chaos at the end!

Notes
In many ways this was similar to the Ogre game of a few weeks ago. Chaos lost the early physical skirmishes, but got ahead in the Strength battle through use of numbers and block, Stole the ball in the first to score, and took control in the second.
Hardest physical challenge yet though, the dead player will be missed, and we were lucky to score in the first half.
Strangely - Rav had more of the ball than me, but it was nearly all of the time in his half, Presumably Ravs possesion stats were inflated slightly by the first half where I was pressuring the ball from the get go.

Play of the match
Clearly Barry's Dodge -> Dodge -> Pickup -> Pass for Graham to Catch and score! Gave Chaos the advantage at the end of the first half. Nice of them to save their most exciting flair play for the last game!

Dice notes
I had below average D6 rolls overall and average 2D6. Khemri had much the same. I edged the block dice however over Rav, which gave me the advantage.
Rav had poor luck with his regeneration rolls too, whilst the Minotaur spent nearly half the match wild, and wasted 2 blitzes and rerolls

[lawastooshort]

Congrats champion nj

[Gandalf]

Notes
In many ways this was similar to the Ogre game of a few weeks ago. Chaos lost the early physical skirmishes, but got ahead in the Strength battle through use of numbers and block, Stole the ball in the first to score, and took control in the second.
Hardest physical challenge yet though, the dead player will be missed, and we were lucky to score in the first half.
Strangely - Rav had more of the ball than me, but it was nearly all of the time in his half, Presumably Ravs possesion stats were inflated slightly by the first half where I was pressuring the ball from the get go.

From reading the reports of the two matches, it feels like the main difference between the two games was that in our game I scored a fortuitous TD at the end of the first half, whereas in this game you scored a fortuitous TD at the end of the first half, which makes the difference between a 2-1 win and a 3-0 win.

There was a lot more bashing against the Khremi though, 100 total blocks vs. 72 in ours. I guess in a 4-ogre team there are less targets for you to reliably bash.

Congrats on winning again and enjoy your season off notj. Hope you have more fun with the Norse than you did with the Lizardmen.

[Raveen]

Well played nj, here's your prize!

[DaigaroOgami]

Awesome prize!!

Indeed, well done NJ, best team of the season by far.

Well done

Stats to follow....

[Raveen]

I'm loving the fact that the second biggest brute is a Skeleton with Dirty Player. Remember, that's the knock downs category, nothing to do with injuries.