Bad Pony Garden Brawl II

 It was once again time for a tournament in the garden and this time with four games.

(EuroBowl 2020-Rules)

I had thought about what to play and decided on wood elves in order to try to get above a NAF ranking of 200 again. It had also been more than a year since I played wood elves and I figured that it was time.

I had a look at what I had written about the wood elves in my last tournament with them and adopted my roster based on that. The biggest changes being that I took frenzy on a wardancer and left the apothecary at home in favor of a reroll.

Roster

2 Wardancers (Strip Ball, Frenzy)

Treeman

Thrower (Leader)

3 Catchers

4 Linemen (Block, Wrestle)

2 Rerolls

Game 1 vs chaos pact

I was up against a star play that I hadn't seen before, Bob Bifford. Joining him was a mino with claw and a block troll. The team only had one leader reroll on the roster, which is risky.

The game started with the pact team on the receiving end of the kick off and they wasted no time and KOed an elf and the mino killed the treeman on the blitz. Not a great start for me, but I did my best to get in the way of the the pact team to slow it down. I managed to get the ball on the ground using my strip ball wardancer and I then tried to scatter the ball again to get it away from the pact team, but it ended back in the hands of the dark elf, but I had at least based the ball carrier.

In the following turn, my opponent rolled a one for the troll and the mino, which forced him to dodge with the ball carrier, without the reroll as it had already been spent. Another one and I could pick it up in turn 7 and move up the field, in to scoring range. The pact team could only push the ball carrier and I managed to score in turn 8.

I then scored again in the middle of the second half and had thereby probably already won the game.

The following kick was short and the orc caught it close to the LOS.

I was able to put some pressure on the pact team and my opponent decided to give the ball to Bob.

No the worst idea, but I could hinder the advance from the pact team and keep them off the scoreboard

End 2-0 (0-4).

Game 2 vs norse

This was the best game of the tournament. Very tactical and the first half was a thriller.

I forced my opponent to go to one side and then back again, but he could as the yeti killed the treeman, that was covering his route to the other side. At least the treeman lasted longer in this game, all the way to turn 4. However, the position enabled me to chain push my block lineman in to his cage and put an assist in place. Sadly, I coldn't get the ball carrier down and my opponent escaped again. I had a chance, but failed the leap with my strip ball wardancer and my opponent could score in turn 8.

At this point, I had five elves on the field, but I still set up for the OTTD. The kick off was a touchback, which helped, but I made an error with my thrower in the back field. He needed to go forward and cover a square for the last push, which I hadn't seen. A mental error, but I almost managed the push part of an OTTD with just five elves.

I was down on players which sadly meant that I couldn't hold off for the draw. I was forced to score early and I didn't get enough people back on the field to really be able to stop my opponent.

End 1-2 (1-4)

Game 3 vs dwarves

Up against some dwarves and their deathroller. I got to decided and went for kicking, which I usually do. The first turn for the dwarves wasn't that spectacular and I was a bit hopeful. I then started my turn and the treeman rooted. Not great, but no the end of the world. I wanted him to tie up a couple of dwarves, but alas. The deathroller then blitz my frenzy wardancer, killing him in turn 2 and I was now down two players and the half got very difficult. However, my opponent left me a 4+ dodge for a 1d on the ball in turn 7 which I took and the ball was on the ground. I couldn't pick it up, but I had forced the dwarves to roll some dice. This proved too much and the runner failed to catch the ball in the endzone.

I then started the second half by rooting my treeman, which wasn't great. I had to score earlier than I wanted, which left the dwarves four turns to score. I managed to knock the ball out of the runners hands, but couldn't pick it up with my wardancer and the dwarves could run of with the ball in the hands of a blitzer. I could reach, all I needed was to dodge out, but I rolled a 1.

End 1-1 (0-3)

Game 4 vs dark elves

Dark elves with all four blitzers (two with dodge), both witches (with block) and a leader runner.

I kicked and my opponent started the game by blocking with his linemen, using the blitzers for the assistant. Very weird and risky. His blitz was also risky as it was a 2d in to a 1d, even though it didn't have to be. I then answered by sending some players through his line and threatening his runner with the ball in the backfield. My opponent then scored in turn 2 and I had the whole half to surf two blitzers and get some hits in before scoring in turn 8. My surfs did nothing and I caused nothing but a stunned or two. My opponent managed some KOs and I was down on players in the second half.

All I had to do now was to keep my cool and score late for at least the draw, but everything went down hill fast. My opponent managed to KO some of my players and I managed to fail dodged and thereby killing my own players. I was swamped by the dark elves and I couldn't hold on and was overwhelmed, losing the ball and my opponent could score in turn 16.

End 1-2 (0-0)

Summary

First of all, I was happy with the frenzy wardancer and when/if I play wood elves again, he'll be on the roster. I didn't miss the apothecary that much as I lost so many players, but the reroll was essential. Not sure if either option is wrong, but I think I'll go for a reroll next time.

Considering that I was down on players in every game, I'm not too unhappy with my play. The most annoying thing is the loss in game 4. I should have one that one, but the amount of failed dodges and KOs just meant that it was too easy for my opponent.

My NAF-ranking will take a hit, but that's how it works. Hopefully I'll be able to salvage it sometime in the future, but I will take a break from AG4 teams for a while. I'll play lizardmen in my next tournament in three weeks (if the Corona rules aren't changed before then). Wish me luck and more CAS inflicted than received.

Thanks for reading.

Edit:

It did not work out as I had hoped. I lost some NAF ranking points instead of gaining.

Oh well, I'll have to give the wood elves another go sometime in the future, probably under the new BB2020 rules.