Dungeonbowl 2015

My first ever Dungeonbowl and I was both excited and anxious, because I wasn't sure how the halflings would preform without two block trees from the get go. You'll find my roster here.

I was very surprised over how good the venue and organization was and that alone will see me back next year.

As we got our goodies after registration we also got a name tag. Mine was quite easy to find, due to the only one with a blue and yellow flag.

Name tags

For this year, Marian had made a 3D dungeon board for the final. It was very well made as was the prizes.

Dungeon and prizes

Game 1 vs Lycos Undead 1-1 (5-3)

The draw for the first round saw me playing against Lycos. I didn't think I'd stand a chance, but I might lear a thing or two and losing the first game might not be the worst thing, since I'd then hopefully play an easier opponent in game 2.

Lycos played a quite standard roster with a tackle wight, block ghoul and a guard wight, if I'm not mistaken (3 RRs).

FAME -1
Nice weather

Lycos wins the toss and elects to let me kick, which isn't so bad, since I'd be able to defend with 11 players as well as probably being able to line up 11 players in turn 8, increasing my chances of throwing a halfling for a score.

After the set up, I role for my master chef and I steal 3 RRs, which is extremely lucky and it's actually the first time I've stolen three.

The kick off result is an 8 and Lycos gets a RR.

The half was really brutal and both teams lose a lot of players The worst offender is his tackle wight, which knocked out (or worse) several halflings. Once it's clear that he'll score, I back my players of of his team to protect Puggy. He'd already CASed all of my side steppers so I just leave him to score in turn 8. 

My OTTM failed because the halffling landed on a skeleton, which was a shame. He'd otherwise be in a good position for a score.

At the start of the second half, my master chef manages to steal 2 RRs, so he was very effective this game, but that was just what I needed this game. 

I start a slow drive up the field and I manage to get some of his players off of the field. It's however not enough and I get bogged down half way up his half. I see no other chance but to throw the halfling with the ball. He lands and runs in the equalizer in my 7th turn.

That leaves two turns for Lycos to score and he runs in with multiple receivers in my half and leaves a wight with the ball in his half. The wight however stands four squares from one of my trees, so I blitz the zombie next to the tree and GFI my way up to the wight, to at least force a dodge. I then fail a dodge with a halflings, who'd otherwise mark one of the receivers. This leaves me quite exposed, but Lycos needs to dodge, GFI, catch and then GFI twice for the win and he's got his RR left.

As it turns out, Nuffle didn't want Lycos to win and he fails his dodge on a 2 rerolled into a 2. The game ends 1-1 and I'm over the moon with that result.

It was a great game and Lycos is a great opponent.

I was also nominated for the Best Painted award, which was a real honor, although I didn't think I'd win. (Spoiler: I didn't). My team is well painted, but not best painted level.

Game 2 vs MostMost Skaven1-1 (2-1)

My opponent had the following, 4 Gutter runners, 1 Blitzer, Hakflem Skuttlespike, 6 linerats, 1 thrower. One block GR, one wrestle GR and Leader on the thrower.

FAME +1
Pouring rain

I decided to kick, because of the rain, hoping that he might fail the pick up, giving me some more time to beat on his linerats.

My master chef stole 2 RRs, which left him with just his leader RR.

Kick off nice weather, but at least it's a deep kick

He moves a cage of gutter runners up the field and I mark it with Deeproot and another tree. I then suround it with halflings, making it difficult for him to block or dodge his way out. He can't and he loses the ball. A halfling picks it up and I can score 1-0 in turn 6, I think. It leaves him enough time to score the equalizer.

1-1 after the first half

I was liking my chances for the second half. Just grind und the field with the trees and screen of the ball carrier for the 2-1 win in turn 16. He'd have a hard time one turning against three trees.

I steal his 2 RRs and he's yet again left with just his leader RR.

He rolls for the kick off and it's a Blitz!

I can't beleive it. From going for the win I'm now faced with the task of keeping him out of my endzone. He floods my backfield with gutter runners, but I still manage to make it to my trees, but it doesn't mean that I'm out of the woods yet.
I got bogged down and had to throw a halffling in turn 7. The halfling lands, but my opponent couldn't blitz him down, but swarmed the poor halffling instead. I couldn't dodge through (would have been two GFIs as well). This leaves him with a long bomb for the win, which he fails and the game ends in a draw.

I thought I had a good shoot at a win in this game, but it wasn't to be.
I hate the blitz result...

Game 3 vs peterd Undead 0-2 (2-7 CAS)

For some reason, Peter didn't want to play against me. Must be because he just had two rerolls. His roster was 3 ghouls, 2 wights, 2 mummies, and a mix of skeletons and zombies for 14 players. 2 RRs.
One tackle Wight, sure hands ghoul and block ghoul.

FAME 0
Nice weather

I decided to kick for the same reasons as given in game 1 (although it was fored up on me in that game)

I don't remember a lot from this game, except that it wasn't good. Peter blitzed with his tackle wight almost every turn and got a halfling of the field.
Another thing I remember is Puggy catching a bouncing ball thanks to his nerves of steal. I thought "I might still have a chance" but Puggy trips on his own hair feet while trying to get away.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong and I lost 0-2.
In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have kicked, but I'm not sure that would have changed the outcome of the game.

Game 4 vs Letzy Skaven 0-1 (2-3)

Another skaven game. Skaven might be the worst match up for halflings, together with elves.

Letzy had 4 Gutter runners, 2 Blitzers, Ratogre, Thrower and 4 Linerats. 2 wrestle GRs, 2 guard Blitzers, block on the ogre and something else that I can't remember. 3 RRs

Fame +1
Nice weather

I decided to receive in order to maybe knock some rats out early.

I start with a slow grind up the pitch behind my trees.

After my first turn

Things are going well until turn 5. I blitz with Puggy, to open a hole, through which I can run my loose cage/screen and be in a good position to score. I roll for the block and it's a double skull. Darn.

Letzy can't get to the ball, but I can't score as easily. I still try, but I can't make the two dodges needed to get into the endzone and my halflings CASes himself in the process.

It's 0-0 at halftime and it's not looking good for the second half.

He scored in in his second turn of the second half. That left me with seven turns to score for the draw.
I almost make it, but it wasn't meant to be. My second loss of the tournament.

Game 5 vs Gninocker Underworld 1-0 (2-1)

He had a bit of a unusua roster.
1 troll (leader), 2 throwers (pro, block), Nobbla Blackwart, 1 Blitzer (mighty blow) and enough goblins for a 16 man roster (side step, two heads), Apo and 2 RRs

Nice weather
Fame +1

I get to kick, but I might have done that anyways, so I was okay with that.

My master chef steals 2 RRs.

The kick off is an 8 and he gets the reroll.

He starts his turn by going after Puggy. To do so, he dodges Nobbla in to two tackle zones and I point out that he can't use the positive effects of stunty with a chainsaw. He shruggs and rolls the die. It's a 6!
That's how this game went, more or less. He dodged his players away from my trees, into tackle zones, picking up balls in tackle zones and didn't roll below a 5. He even dodge away from my diving tackle player several times, but it doesn't matter when you're not rolling below 5.

I still manage to steal the ball and get my ball carrier close to his endzone. My ball carrier and a friend was standing next to the endzone, with a side step goblin in the endzone. I thought, that my odds were better, just blocking the goblin with 2d, since I just needed a push. which would have meant that I could follow up when his side step goblin was pushed. It felt safer than dodging, but I'll have to check the odds for the next time.The result is a both down and the half ends 0-0.

After some weird turn of events, I manage to score in my 16th turn, but it wasn't easy. He made all his Skaven dodges and yet again ignored my diving tackle halfling. He however failed one dodge with his two headed goblin. A 1 rerolles into a 2, so I used my diving tackle halfling, for the first time in the game. This meant that he couldn't put pressure on my ball carrier, seven squares away from the endzone. I had to make a 2d block to push a thrower (without block) out of my ball carriers path and make two GFIs. It all succeeds and I'm up 1-0, with just one turn remaing.

I fails in his attempt to block down the tree next to the troll and the game ends 1-0.

Game 6 vs Steamroller Necro 2-0 (4-2)

He had 2 werewolves (block and mighty blow), 2 flesh golems (both block), 2 wights (guard), 2 ghouls (sure hands), 3 zombies and 2 RRs.

Nice weather
FAME -1

I elect to kick and steal one of his RRs.

I scored in my sixth turn and I've by then inflicted 3 CAS and a KO. 2 Zombies out and just one of the CAS was regenerated. It was looking quite good for me and he didn't have enough zombies to cover my trees.
He had three turns to score, but without a reroll it might prove a difficult task.

He gets a RR on the kick off, but still can't score. He tried to attack me on both flanks, which was spreading himself a bit thin. I managed to surf a werewolf and that was it for the first half.

I steal both his rerolls and roll a perfect defence on the kick off. He couldn't have a worse start.

After the perfect defence

That stops him and he can't recover. I can steal the ball and walk in for a 2-0 score in turn 16.

That means that I end the tournament with a 2-2-2 record and place 36 out of 68.
I'm the best halffling player and the second best stunty player, which I'm happy with. I feel like I could have won one more game, but at least I managed a 50% record. Hopefully, I can win that third game at the NAFC instead. Speaking of which, I thought it would be more brutal not having two block trees from the get go, but as it turns out, it wasn't that much of a difference. I'm looking forward to the NAFC even more now and I'll probably keep the same skills as the NAFC has the same rulepack.

At one point during my last game, my opponent picked Deeproot up and dropped him on the table, due to his cheese doodle fingers. From what I could see then, there was no damage done, but once I got home and had a closer look, he'd chipped some of the paint of. I hope that I can repair the damage, but don't eat and play Kids! I'll also start being a bit more selective on who moves the miniatures.

Chipped Deeproot