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

Display base/tournament tray

I thought I'd share a step by step guide for how I did my display base/tournament tray. I've followed the guide found here, but added some improvements ow my own.

I started by going to IKEA and buying a picture frame called RIBBA (see the link above for pictures) and after that I go a sheet of metal and a piece of wood, 3 mm thick.

Frame with all the layers attached

The next step was to plan where to cut the holes and cut.

Cutting the holes

All the holes cut

After this I put everything together to see that everything fitted. I also added some magnets to one of my 'flings to see if it worked. It did, but the trees are two heavy to tip the tray vertically, but it at least gives some stability.

The team fits on the tray

Hang tight!

I then sanded the base and sprayed it brown. I also sprayed the metal sheet, to avoid it from shining through.

Sanded

Sprayed

After that it was just a matter of adding static grass to the whole base

The finished tray

The Gesundbrunnen Picknick Packers ready for Dungeon Bowl next weekend

Since I had some metal sheet left I added it underneath the tray and here I'll stick my magnetized reroll and turn tokens.

Left over metal sheet for storage

I might add some details like skulls and helmets to the base in the future, but it will have to do for Dungeonbowl next weekend. You'll find my roster here

Roster for Dungeonbowl

I'm going to Dungeonbowl next weekend and I'm taking 'flings. After the success at Blood BaTTTH I might as well give it a go.

The rules for Dungeonbowl are a bit different and I'm getting less skills, which is a bit scary.

Here's the roster

2 Trees
10 Halflings
2 FF
1 Master Chef
Deeproot
Puggy

It's the same roster as I've used in previous tournaments, but the skill selection is different.

Skills day 1: 3x Side Step
I was thinking about getting a skill for one of the trees, but I don't believe that there's a skill that's better than side step on a 'fling. For me, it's all about defense with the 'flings and side step allows me to slow down my opponent until the trees can arrive and help. Break tackle could be nice, for the threat, but I can't count on getting rerolls and it seems like a turnover waiting to happen.

Skills day 2: Block, Side Step, Diving Tackle
The double skill seemed like a given, it had to be block on a tree. You can't get a better skill on a tree, since it adds reliability and it makes him harder to knock down. To that I added yet another side step 'fling and a diving tackle 'fling. I liked diving tackle at Blood BaTTTH and thought I'd give the skill another try.

Let's see how it goes.
Wish me luck!

TTNAFC Round 5 & 6

Round 6
I just finished my 6th and last game of the RTTNAFC with a 3-0 win over a dwarf team.

I was really lucky, starting the game with a blitz and thus removing his block deathroller in turn 2.
In general, I was lucky, but my opponent made some mistakes (and so did I in the second half).

You can find the replay here

Round 5
I forgot to write about my 5th game, but it was against Sizzler, the NAFC Champion from 2014.
I didn't think I had a chance, but as it turned out, I did. The game ended in a draw, which we were both happy with, but it could have gone either way. I made a blitz in turn 7 of the second half and forgot about his guard, making the blitz a -2d. If I'd gotten the ball lose, I could have score the 2-1, but Sizzler had a similar shoot at winning the game. A fair tie and a fun game.

You can find the replay here

I'm very happy with the tournament and it went much better than expected.
I ended with a 4-2-0 record which earned me the 16th spot out of 254.

Wet palate and wip elf

I tried something new yesterday, a wet palate.

It's very simple and keeps your paint wet, which also helps while blending.
Failry easy to make at a low cost. Have a look at this video for a quick guide and how to.

It improved my painting and I also saved on paint.
Give it a try, you won't be sorry!

What did I paint then, using the wet palete?

I recently got my reward from the Impact miniatures kickstarter and I couldn't wait until I'd finished my underworld team, I had to start my elf team (which I'll mostly use as dark elves and pro elves).

I undercoated the miniature in black, but did something that I haven't done before. I drybrushed the model with white. This made it easier to pick up details and it's also something I'd recommend.

Here's a wip of the first lineelf.

First elf

I'd initially though I'd use gold instead of silver, for the armour triming and yellow for the hair and other details, but it didn't work as I'd planned. Instead, I went with turquoise details and hair.
I'm hapy with the result, although I've got some cleaning up to do and details.

Might also change the pice of cloth, that's haning down between the legs. Thinking of switching to turquoise instead of purple and greywhite instead of turquoise. What do you think?

For the other elves, I'm thinking about using white, black and turquoise for the hair.
Might also add a second colour to it, so in this picture that would then be some white.

Underworld troll

Just a quick update regarding my underworld troll.

I'm thinking about giving it a claw and this is what I've come up with.
The claw is a bit big, but it gives the troll a bit of a comical appearance, which I think fit an underworld team.

Troll with claw

What do you think?

PreußenBowl

The first ever Preußen Bowl and I was playing dark elves. Going in to this tournament, I thought that I might have a chance, since I'd be doing good in the RTTNAFC, so far. I was also using the same roster.

It wasn't to be and below you'll find my report from the tournament.

Game 1 vs Wood Elves 2-1 (1-1)

First game and I'm up against one of the newer players in our league. A shame, since I'd rather play someone that I don't play otherwise.

Fame -2

Nice weather

Fist half
He get's the choice of kicking or receiving and elects to let me kick. Things go to plan and I can put pressure on him although he's got two of my players out by his turn 2. He goes for the score in turn 3, but I'm okay with that. It leaves me with 6 turns to equalise and hopefully get some of his players of the field and then stalling out for the 2-1 win in the second half.

Just before he scores

This is also what happens and I can score in my turn 8, ending the first half 1-1.

Second half
My armour roles start to get better and his players start to leave the pitch (just KOs). I also surprised my opponent by using a different cage than normal, leavin two players in the middle and thus having him either base the cage and leaping in from one end (the end that I kept furthers away form his wardancers) or having to do a -2d blitz. It worked quite well and I didn't lose the ball.

Second half (not the cage I'm talking about in the text above)

The game ends 2-1 (1-1)

(Both of the CAs were kills)

Game 2 Dark Elves 1-2 (2-0)

I was up against one of the better players in this tournament and so far neither of us has won in either games we've played.

Fame +1
Nice weather

First half
I chose to kick because I like to know what I need to do in the second half and if I can pressure my opponent to either score fast or steal the ball, I've got good chances of winning the game.

This is also what I managed to do. Sadly not steal the ball, but I forced my opponent to score earlier than he'd probably have liked. He afterwards told me that he was impressed with my defence and that he felt that he was constantly under pressure.

He left me two turns to equlise, which I managed to do in my turn 8, making it 1-1.

Second half
I felt good about the second half, since I was up on players and this advatage was increased by a thrown rock.

I advance up the field, caging, but he blitzed a corner away and put two players in contact with my ball carrier. I was fine with that, since he'd put his entire team next to my cage. All I had to do was set up another cage, dodge the ball carrier free and then screen his team of from my cage.

I set the cage up and dodge away. A one. Well, I've got a reroll. A 1! (Due to two double skulls in the two previous turns, that was my last reroll.)

The ball bounces free and he can pick it up and screen me off instead. I've still got more players on the field, so I try to blitz his ball carrier with my wrestle witch, but I can't get him down and he scores 2-1.

I've still got a couple of turns left of the half to try and tie the game.

In my turn 16, all I've got to do is make two GFIs and a hand-off. 3 2+ withouth a reroll. 

Not impossible, but the first GFI is a one, thus ending the game I should have one.

Thinking back I still think I made the right decision. I couldn't have chain pushed my ball carrier free and a 35/36 chance of making that dodge were the best odds I had.

Game 3 Wood Elves 2-2 (2-1)

Fame +1
Nice weather

First half
I elected to receive and I was hoping for some arour breaks and getting some wood elves of the field.

He set up one square away form the LOS and I was hoping for a quick snap, which we also got. Sadly, I couldn't break the armour of the wood elves.

I played badly and lost the ball to a blitzing wardancer early in the game which then lead to a wood elf score in turn 4. 

I try to shake it off and stay focused which leads to a score for me in turn 8.

In his turn 8, we get a riot, but he still goes for the one turner and succeeds. 

I then try a one turner in return, but the wood elf goes down on the blitz and I decide to just try and get some of them off the field instead.

1-2  at halftime

Second half
I have to pull off a tie here so I really focus and when he leaves a hole in his screen, I go for the ball carrier, dodging a witch elf into two tackle zones, getting the ball free. I scope it up and set up a cage with two players in the middle. He's then forced to leap into it and blitz my ball carrier with a -2d block. Double pow!

That's the worst thinkg that could happen and the ball goes out (frenzy wardancer, I wasn't standing next the side line), but I can still get it and after some tense dice rolls I manage to score in my turn 16.

I managed to tie this game, which I was very happy with. It was the best game of the tournament and I need to studdy the one turner more. How I defend against it better.

Game 4 Lizards 1-3 (1-2)

Fame 0
Very sunny

First half
I started off by kicking, but I would have chosen it as well, given the chance.

I got a perfect defence on the kick off and I cold set up to counter his attack.

Set up after the perfect defence

My plan was to get through his big guys and tie them of from the skinks. I manage to get through, but got over excited and didn't leave enough players in my backfield as well as not screening well enough.

He could set up a stable cage and I was in trouble. In turn 3 he kills one of my blodger blitzers and my turns keep ending on ones when I try to get away from his strong players.

I had one shot at the ball carrier, needing to dodge in with a witch, but I was affraid of the follow up and thus dodged a blitzer through a tackle zone to get to his assists. I failed with dodge, but what reallt lost me the game was me not counting. The with didn't have enough movement for the follow up and I cold have left the blitzer where he was. (I wanted to blitz with the wrestle witch since his ball carrier was a bloding skink)

He scored in turn 5, which wasn't that big of a deal. I just needed to equalise before half time. I had 7 elves to his 11, but I could still be done.

I line up to go down his weaker flank and start of by blocking one of his lizards with a blitzers. Double skull. I use my last reroll. Double skull!

He can advance all his lizards on the open flank towards the ball and base it with two players. I then try to pick it up with my runner, dodge out and pass it towards my six remaining players just to stop him from scoring. Due to it being very sunny, I fumble the pass and without rerolls, I can't do anything about it.

He blitzes my runner and KOs him. He can score 2-0 in his turn 7.

Just before 2-0

I give it another try and move my players forward for the 2-1 score in turn 8.

I manage to get as far as having a witch elf in the endzone, waiting for a short pass from a blitzer, but because it's very sunny, the pass fails and scatters of the pitch.

Second half

Down 2 TDs and 7 players to his 11 players I need to score quickly, get my KO back and then steal the ball for the draw. 

I scored in my 3:ed turn.
One KO from three came back. 6 players against 10.

If I tie this game now it's a miracle.

What could go wrong?

Well, everything. 

After a deep kick, we get a riot and one less turn for me to steal the ball.

He places the ball in a secure cage after I failed to dodge away from his strong players. 

In his turn 16 I even point out how he can score 3-1, which he does.

At the time I felt as if I lost because of the dice, but I didn't. Not entirely at least.

I lost this game because of my aggressiveness in the begining of the first half and my inability to count (the witch elf blitz in the first half).

Game 5 Skaven 0-2 (0-1)

Fame -1
Nice weather

First half
I decided to kick because I like to find out what I need to do in the second half.

Riot!

He picked the ball up with a gutter runner and left him next to his endzone in his backfield.

I tried to contain the rest of his team and did a fairly good jobb, forcing him to make a break for it, down one of my flanks. I reacted and put him in a tough spot and he started by blocking with his rat ogre. Double skulls and a 2 on the loner roll. See picture.(The rat ogre was stunned)

Double skulle with the rat ogre and a 2 on the loner roll

This is when I thought I had this game. I managed to push the ball carrier out and the ball bounced towards my backfield. I set up a screen on the way to the ball and moved my runner down to pick the ball up, which he did. I however decided to make a GFI to move the runner behind the screen and roled a one. Sadly, I didn't have any rerolls left because of a couple of double skulls mid half.

In his turn 8, he then dodge a gutter runner down, picked up the ball, threw it to a waiting storm vermin for the 1-0.

Second half

Riot!

I made some bad decisions and focues to much on the rat ogre, which he used very well, to force me to either knock it down or dodge away on a 3+.

I got bogged down and he could get the ball away from me.

He ran a single gutter runner down, but decided to not GFI the last field in to my endzone which left me with a chance of pushing his gutter of the field. I blitzed with my witch, but failed my GFI for the blitz and since I'd used all my rerolls on skulls earlier (which turned in to more skulls) he scored 2-0.

Did I lose this game to dice? No, I didn't, even if it felt like it at the time.

I should have checked my screen of the ball or just put my players next to the ball, not even trying to pick it up in my 7th turn. That would probably have been the better option. Instead I got overconfident and started to focus on how I could score, instead of making sure that I had prevented him from scoring.
If I had put my players next to the ball, making it very hard for him to dodge in and pick it up, I could have tried a long bomb to a waiting blitzer in turn 8, but most probably ended the half 0-0. Being down 0-1 in the second half pressured me to take more risks, which I shouldn't have done.

I should have stayed as far away as possible from the rat ogre and tried a 3+ after moving all my other players, instead of trying to get it down (and maybe out).

Conclusion

I don't beleive in losing to dice, it's probably something else, leaving you to do risky or flat out bad moves.

I need to stay cool and really consider what I'm doing.

That's what I do when I play 'flings, because it's the only way. One misstake and you've lost the game. I had too much faith in the AV8 and AG4. That and I need to studdy one turners and how to stop them.

This was a wake up call and my worst tournament to date (1-1-3).

On a side note, I got my Impact miniatures kickstarter reward and I'm looking forward to painting my own elf team and getting some well needed practicec with them.