RT BBL S5 - The Chanelf Receivers Cup + Tourist Advice

[id3nt1ty]

I'd love to watch, but I've got a Morse Code Appreciation session to go to.

[DaigaroOgami]

Well, you missed out didn't you...

In a match akin to that world Soccer Aid thing where Robbie Williams and his mate-who-wishes-he-was-famous get Mark Bosnich and Des Walker and Gordon Ramsey gets Clarence Seedorf, Zinedine Zidane, Van der Saar and Jap Stam, Percy's lot went from Underdogs to "OH Christ, we'd better try win this then" in one round of inducements:



Adamant that she would succeed where her 'useless' husband failed, Percy's Wife cashed in all the favors and debts she was owed, getting Morg to join, getting Ripper to sign up, promising the Ref the world (twice) and signing up Harold the Wandering Wizard after telling him Wyld had been saying nasty things about his cat.

Seriously, we had a whopping 970k to spend... I couldn't even spend it all! had 20k left over!

So, the match started with Nuffle looking very kindly on Percy's lot, I think we got 2 casualties and a KO'ed Minotaur on the first turn, Sulphur Tuft & Yellow Stainer really making the most of their special weapons, while Percy's Wife spent the majority of the match staring on in amazement, finally understanding why her husband invested all their retirement mushrooms into the 'Plan Franchise (at the same time promising herself she'd never actually admit that to Percy).

With Chaos Warriors crumbling under well placed chainsaw shots, and Morg & Ripper bashing about, and Yellow Stainer being a right nuisance, the 'Plan played dirty and managed to stall until turn 7 before scoring. (Wyld did some lovely dodging plays to blitz the ball carrier, but it scattered kindly for the 'Plan and the AG4 gobbo managed to stay on the pitch so he could zoop in for the score).

2nd half started with multi-armed beastmen forgetting how to pick up a ball, giving a couple of 'shrooms chance to crowd the ball with tackle zones. Then the ball pinged round the pitch a bit, it looked like the Apocalypse were going to score with some elfball, but the two headed beastman started arguing with himself and forgot to catch the ball. He was still arguing with himself when he got twatted round the kneecaps with a chainsaw, allowing new recruit Devil's Stinkhorn to not only grab the ball, but only go and lob it to Morg, who happily caught the pigskin giving the Apocalypse a dilemma of how to get the ball free. Goblins started throwing themselves kamikaze style at the feet of chaos warriors in order to keep their new big mate safe. But, Wyld did some wonder dodging and got a 1die block, freeing the ball. However, Nuffle can be cruel and the beastman going for the ball tripped over his own hooves. To be sure that the Apocalypse couldnt scored Sulphur Tuft respected the no-longer-arguing-with-himself two headed beastman off the pitch, before a gobbo scooped up the free ball and sprinted in to score in turn 16.

Harold the Wizard killed a beastman too, but he got better again.

The dice say Nuffle was kind to both of us, but slightly kinder to Wyld. It really didn't feel like that though for Wyld as none of the 'key' stuff went his way, or, more like the key stuff went his way right up until the last move (succeed in 3 or 4 dodges into tackle zones but fail the GFI for the blitz on the ballcarrier... ouch). I also remember a both down being rerolled into a skull for him too, which sucked. I think he had 7 rerolls in the first half.

But blimey, the 'Plan are in a state of shock actually making the Semis. Not quite sure how they'll cope without getting all the foreigners in, but I'm sure Percy's Wife will figure something out.

[DaigaroOgami]

Er, the 'Plan's roster has not been updated after that match... do I have to wait for the commish to 'approve' the match or has a glitch of some lark happened, possibly because the 'Plan actually won?

[Raveen]

It needs me (or possibly another admin so Gandalf or Id3) to validate the match. I'll get onto it this evening but if the Team Shrek, SotSS game goes ahead Gandalf may tick the box before I get there.

[DaigaroOgami]

okey dokey.

I'm just excited as I think I have a level 4 troll now.

I think.

[Gandalf]

Match validated - yes you do have a level 4 troll now, and your goblin/elf cross-breed has levelled up too.

[Raveen]

Thanks Gandalf!

[Red Lion Three]

Wow, what a quarter final! You don't get this at the French Open, Jim... WG to put up a match report when he has his breath back!

[Raveen]

So we have our semi finals. Due to the unpredictability of the software I've done it wrong again.

The Semis are:

Team Shrek vs The Pinewood Carrions

Saur'd of Justice vs Percy's Persistent Plan

[Gandalf]

Ah great, another ST5 slugfest, and the Plan are the next victims to be destroyed by the Lizardmen juggernaut.

So about the Ogre-High Elf match.... that was quite something. It would've been a travesty if this wasn't given a rating of 20/20...



Slightly abridged match report as there is a lot to cover....

Pre-match - the High Elves have some money and buy an extra player, a wizard and some kind of star player (Zara The Slayer?) with ST4 AG3 and a load of skills including blodge. The weather is snowy, and stayed that way all game, which means GFI are 3+ and only the two shortest ranges of passing is allowed.

First half
The Ogres opt to receive. Some bashing happens with moderate success and they start to move down one flank. However then a mysterious fireball landed, knocking out 3 ogres but leaving a snotling standing, who was subsequently flattened by an elf. The elves pick up the undefended ball and walk/pass the ball into the endzone. 1-0 to the elves.
The ogres receive again and know they have three turns to score, so send 3 snotlings downfield with the hope of pulling off a passing play. On turn 7 the elves look like they have the ball carrier marked on the line of scrimmage, but a chain block pushes the agili-ogre free, who can just make it in range to make a pass (remember the passing range was severely shortened due to the snow), which he duly makes for a turn 8 TD! 1-1 and half time.

Second half
10 elves versus 11 ogre player now (an 11th elf was KO'ed and failed, I think, 4 KO rolls before finally rejoining), though it was 6 vs 8 to start with as we had a pitch invasion (all hurt players were only stunned). The elves receive, and send a catcher or two down the diminished field. The ogre team presses the self-destruct button as Puss In Boots rolls three boneheads in a row and another ogre fails a 2+ dodge and puts himself out of the next game. Elves duely walk/pass it over the line whilst the ogres were in a stupor - but they didn't stall meaning there were still some 4 turns left for the ogres to equalise.... 2-1 to the ogres.
From kick-off Puss in Boots continued his ignominious run of turns by being hit by a rock (only stunned though). Again the ogres send one or two snotlings downfield in hope of a pass. The elves pressured the ball carrier again but didn't allow a chain-push this time. The ogres saw a chance to make space for a pass on turn 15 but it required quite a few knocked down rolls to happen. These all came off, and the pass worked! (Thanks to the snotling with Catch). So it was 2-2 and overtime loomed...

Overtime
I think it was still 10v11 at this point. The elves received and the ogres tried to bash their way through to the ball. But the elves found a gap on one side and sent a player free. Only one player could stop him, and the ogre in question managed to break tackle and get a 2D block on him - but could only push him towards the sidelines. Such tension! A snotling managed to get next to the ball carrier too. Could the Silver Swords free up the ball carrier? No! The snotling stayed standing and the ball carrier looked in a tricky situation, standing next to the sideline, with a snoting and ogre in front of him but a team-mate to his side. What would the elves do next? They decided to hit a snotling in the midfield but rolled red skull/both down/both down! Disaster. The ball carrier was pushed off-field, quickly followed by another elf. The ball landed next to a marked snotling; another snotling helped mark the ball and an ogre tried to join them but fell over in the snow.

The elves tried a couple of times to pick the ball up, but the snotlings were making it too difficult for them. They were also running out of players - without block/tackle they couldn't take out the snotlings quicker than the ogres were taking them out. Rather than risk picking the ball up the ogres decided to mark the heck out of it, bring everyone towards the ball, and hit any elves they could. By turn 22 or thereabouts there were only 3 elves left versus 5 ogres and 3 snotlings. The elves jumped and dived with incredible skill (some of the dice rolls being pulled off were nuts) but to no avail. Finally on turn 25 or 26 the last elf was removed from the pitch thanks to a 6-assist foul (RL3 was OK with me doing this for the lolz). So all that was left was to form a guard of honour for Donkey to run in and score the winner in turn 28. 3-2 to the Ogres!



Interesting post-game numbers
Despite the bloodbath that it was, only 2 serious injuries were sustained, and one of them was a failed dodge from an ogre (!!!!) I think an elf got a meaningful injury too, I can't quite recall. In fact rather a large number of sidelined players from both teams were not there not because of being hit, but due to failed dodges, being pushed off-field, fouls etc....
I have 2 snotlings who seem to hog all the MVP's and TD's and are both in serious danger of reaching level 4....?!?!
D6 was good for both teams, 7.8 and 6.63 - I've said before but I have a theory that games where both teams have high D6 scores make for the most entertaining games, and it was true today. I rolled 175 D6, including 120 boneheads... (I rolled a grand total of 443 dice)
I had decent 2D6 and RL had below average, he was unfortunate not to break armour more often. Block dice were pretty average all round apart from me rolling few defender stumbles, but I didn't notice that in game.

Is that the longest game in RT history?! And the ogres score three and make two passes.... madness.

[Gandalf]

Just to add - what a cup so far this season - not a dull match in the 4 of them. I enjoyed reading the 2 match reports (and looking at BBM for the other, poor, poor vampires...). You'd've got good odds on these 4 making it through, especially since one of them didn't even qualify (though are belatedly getting in the spirit of the receiver's cup).

[DaigaroOgami]

Jeebus, what a game.

In keeping with the spirit of this cup being 'Off the Chain' as youths might say, Nuffle is playing his part in trying to make this a competition for the ages.

My level 4 Troll just rolled a double... then my AG4 goblin just rolled double 6s...

Lizards next. Yikes.

[Raveen]

I'd love to write a match report for our game but I'd need to watch a replay because I honestly don't remember the details.

[Gandalf]

Just remembered what the led to the serious elf injury in our game - it was a block by a snotling causing a smashed collar bone or something like that

Jeebus, what a game.

In keeping with the spirit of this cup being 'Off the Chain' as youths might say, Nuffle is playing his part in trying to make this a competition for the ages.

My level 4 Troll just rolled a double... then my AG4 goblin just rolled double 6s...

Lizards next. Yikes.

Ha, awesome. Not sure if +ST would be the best idea, but it would be funny to basically have a stunty elf playing for you.

[Raveen]

St 3 Ag 4? How could that not be awesome? He'll most likely comically die soon but still, what a guy!