Plattbowl II

An update that's long overdue, but here's the report from my latest tournament.

Plattbowl II

It was time for my first tournament in Hamburg (but not my last). The rules were basicly the world cup rules, but there were a set of cards for each player and you drew one of them prior to each game.

The prizes

Later, this turned out to be optional, which I didn't like since it meant that some tables would be playing with the cards and some wouldn't. The cards themselves were focused on fouling except for a couple of very powerful cards. Them being a card that let you play with twelve players for a drive, a free blitz or a perfect defence (play the card instead of rolling on the kick off table). Another addition was also that the top table in round 6 would play on a ship.

Custom ship for the sixth round

The tournament itself was very well organised and I'll come back next year.

Roster

I was playing dark elves (again) and went with my standrad roster.

(The numbers corespons with the game in which I could start using the skill, ie (3) being from game 3)

4 Blitzers (Dodge (1), Dodge & Guard (3), Dodge (5))

2 Witches (Block & Wrestle (1))

1 Runner (Dodge (5))

4 Linemen

2 RR

AC

Cheer

Game 1 vs Norse (holzknie)

My card: 12 Players for a drive (which I couldn't use)
FAME +0
Nice weather

I get to decide who'd start on offence and chose to get the ball first.
Why? Just so I could get a player or two off the field with that AV7.

As he's about to kick off to me he plays his card, which is a perfect defence which wasn't really a problem. A blitz card would have been worse and at least I knew what the card was.

The kick off

I managed to CAS one of his linemen in my first turn and move up the field for the score in turn 8. This was my opponents second tournament, so he did some mistakes. 

On the way to the endzone (runner has the ball)

 The half ended 1-0 (2-1).

The second half started with a touchback and there were just 9 vs 9 on the field.

My opponent goes down one side and I can surf some of his players and pin him to the sideline.
He tries to escape with the ball carrier on a 5+ dodge, which fails and the ball goes out and the crowd throws the ball towards his side.

Witch on her way to score

A witch elf picks the ball up and scores in turn 16 and at that time there's just three norse players left on the field.

End 2-0 (2-1)

Game 2 vs Dwarf (Alronno)

My card: No turnovers for being ejected for a foul
FAME -1
Pouring Rain

I kicked the ball to the dwarves because of the pouring rain. Hoping that it would slow them down and it did, for one turn, but not really as they CASed a lineman and a blitzer in that first turn. I was down to nine players.

I did still manage to get the ball on the ground, but then I made a stupid thing. I got greedy and blitz a longbeard on the ball, hoping for a scatter which would be better for me. This was stupid because I could have three tackle zones on the ball as it were. I should remember that the goal of the defensive drive isn't to score, but rather to stop the opponent from doing so. Scoring is a bonus.

Bouncing ball ends in the hands of the troll slayer

The ball bounced back into the scrum of dwarves and after a couple of failed catches it landed in the hands of a trolls layer and I had just undone what I had achieved the turn before. This meant that the dwarves could recover and walk in for the score in turn 8.

The half ended 0-1 (0-3) and we set up for the second half, in which I had seven players.
My opponent played his card, which allowed him to set up twelve players, so it was seven elves against twelve dwarves.

Set up before the perfect defense

My opponent then rolled a perfect defense, making it even harder for me to score, but I somehow managed, on pure elfen bullshit and the fact that he couldn't get my ball carrier down on four block dice. In my turn I blitzed with the blitzer (two dice against), but didn't manage to get a push, which meant that I had to do a 4+ dodge followed by a 2+ dodge and a GFI. I made all of the rolls and scored in my turn 10.

The blitzer managed to dodge out and score

We set up again and it was now seven elves against eleven dwarves, but this too turned into five elves.

7 elves to stop 11 dwarves

I tried to attack his cage on every turn I could, which meant that I tried to dodge in on 5+. I even had a 2+ dodge once due to one of the dwarves being sent off for fouling, but I snaked that dodge.

I managed the 5+ once and it was in my last turn and my wrestle witch got the ball carrier down, which meant that he had to pick up the ball for the score which he sadly did, but it wasn't unlikely with the inbuilt sure hands.

Last chance and the witch manages to bring the ball carrier down

The game ended 1-2 (0-3) and it was a really good game in which I felt that I had a chance even though I was down on players from the get go.

The only mistake was being greedy and going for the ball scatter.
I need to learn from my mistakes and someday I will.

Game 3 vs Necromantic (Heroic_Tackle)

We played without the cards
FAME +2
Sweltering Heat

As I kick the ball off to my opponent the weather goes from sweltering heat to pouring rain, which was great for me. It also landed  in his backfield, which meant that he'd been in trouble if he couldn't pick it up in the first couple of turns.

My opponent KOed two of my linemen, which meant that I was yet again down on players. But his ball carrier was on his own in the backfield, so I sent some players to hunt him down. Some might call it over committing, but my players are faster than his (except for the wolves) and he couldn't really leave his slower players behind.

Ball hunting

 My opponent got away, but his cage was still in his backfield. I blitzed a cage corner and based the ball carrier, meaning that he had to blitz that marking player off. Also meaning that he wouldn't be able to move too much.

Basing the ball carrier

 This dance continued until I made a mistake and left a lane open, so my oppoent made a break for it.

before and

after the break away

 I could recover my mistake and put my opponent in a tricky situtaion.

Tough one to get out of

 This time my opponent made some errors and pushed people into the lanes he could have used to get out of the situation, which left him with a one die blitz against my blodger and a potenial set of tricky dodges for the score, but he rolled a skull on the blitz.

Ball on the ground after the skull

 This meant that I could get the ball and run off with it.

Blodge blitzer with the ball

 And all I had to do in my turn 8 was to dodge out on a 2+ (with dodge) and make a hand off in the rain (3+) for the score.

Elf bull shit

 That ended the half 1-0 (2-0) for me.

My KOs didn't want to come back for the second half, so it was 9 vs 11.

The kick was deep, but high and my runner caught the ball in the air.

A deep kick indeed

 Since I didn't reallt need to score this half I didn't push forward, but rather tried to protect the ball and screening it off.

Ball protecting screen

 I moved right to left in my own half, buying time and my opponent responded by killing one of my players. I was now down to eight. In my 11th turn, I snake a dodge (KOed player) and my opponent could now move in and put some pressure on my screen.

7 elves under pressure

 I tried to make a run for it, but I didn't mange to establish a safe screen, because of a with snaking her dodge.

Another snake

 The ball goes in to the crow and is thrown back toward the LOS.

Ball on the ground

 I manage to recover the ball, but I wasn't safe.

Ball recovered

My opponent gets the ball on the ground yet again and heads off for the touchdown.

But my witches and blitzers chase the wight down to recover the ball.

Ball back in my possession

 The rest of the half is spent chasing my witch and eventually getting her down in turn 15, but it's a bit too late. I cover the ball with tacklezones (I learned something from game 2 after all) and my opponent goes for it, but it was unlikely having to pick up in tacklezones, dodge, GFI and throw and catch in the rain.

Ball on the ground

Last chance for the necromantic team

The game ends 1-0 (2-1).

So day one was good with 2-0-1 and I was in 5th place.

5th place

I kind of wish that the tournament would have ended here, but there were three more games to be played.

Game 4 vs Orcs (Troublemaker)

My Card: If a player is ejected for fouling, all the assisting players are sent off as well.
FAME -1
Nice weather

I kicked to my opponent and his game starts of just fine with a KOed blitzer (the one without a skill).
He moved down the pitch in a very secure formation. Happy with just moving forward a step or two.

The orcs are happy with moving a step of two per turn

On my fourth turn I managed to KO my guard blitzer on a one reroll one-dodge.
My turn five ends in the same fashion, but instead of a KO, a lineman is stunned.

My opponent walks in the touchdown in his 8th turn. I ran out of players to cover the whole pitch and he could blitz his way through my screen.

1st half 0-1 (0-0)

I got half my KOs back and the second half started with me having 10 players to his 11.

Before the card was played

We set up and my opponent played his card, an automatic blitz!

After the blitz

As you can see on the picture, my opponent over committed to his blitz and I could run through the gab on the right, setting up a screen.

After turn 9

Stalling and screening the ball off

I managed to stall out until my turn 14 and the game ended in a draw, the remaining turns no leading to anything.

End 1-1 (0-0)

Game 5 vs Dark elves (verminardo)

We played without the cards
FAME -1
Nice weather

I kicked the ball to my opponent and rolled a perfect defense on the kick off table.
I lined up to make if difficult for my opponent to get passt and we traded a blitz a turn until turn 4, in which I KOed his block with elf as well as a blitzer.

Making it hard to get passt

Having more players on the field, I felt that I could be more agressive. I tried to pin my opponent to a sideline and make it hard for him to move forward.

Closing the net

I ignored the prone lineman on the right in this picture since I belevied I had made it difficult enough for my opponent to get him the ball and cover him.

but a lineman sneaks past

My opponent, feeling the pressure, makes a desperation play and hands the ball off to the lone lineman, who ran up the field. I got a two dice blitz on him and knocked him down. Sadly though, the ball bounces perfectly and isn't in any tackle zones and I used my last GFI on the blitz istself.. I try to dodge a lineman out to foul the now prone lineman, but fail the dodge. All my opponent had to do was to stand the lineman up, dodge out and pick the ball up. Which he did.

I still had two turns left to score, but my opponent set up a good defense. I still had a shot at a touchdown, but couldn't dodge my witch out on a 4+ with the dodge reroll. Thus ending the half 0-1 (0-0). All KOed players came back and we were back to 11 on 11 for the second half.

The second half started with a perfect defense and a touchback.
After a couple of turns of trading a blitz a turn I managed to score in my turn 13.

Moving the ball up field

The last kick off of the game was also a perfect defense. I managed to pin my opponent on the sideline and all I needed was a 2+ dodge to cancel some assists in order to chain push his ball carrier and scoring threats out. A one. No worries, I've got dodge on this player. A one.

My opponent managed his GFIs and scored in turn 16, which was bitter. It was a really close game and I beleive that a draw would have been fair.

End 1-2 (0-0)

Game 6 vs Skaven (Letzy)

We played without the cards
FAME -1
Pouring Rain

I received, because I wanted to try and get some rats out before the second half.The kick off result was a brilliant coaching and the rats got an extra reroll.

Elves moving up the pitch

The half was uneventful and the only interesting thing was that my opponent had to use his apo on his thrower (with leader) after failing a dodge in turn 4.

I scored in my 8th turn and was feeling quite good about the game as my opponent failed his one turn touchdown attempt.

First half 1-0 (0-0)

The second half saw 11 elves against 10 rats and all I had to do was keep them out of the endzone, but that turned out to be difficult.

Trying to stop the rats

In my opponents 10th, he managed to CAS a lineman and a blitzer (with dodge) and score.
He also got his KO back and it was now 9 against 11. The tables had turned.

Elves protecting the ball

I moved up the pitch, trying to screen the ball carrier off from the rats, which was working at the start of the drive. But in my opponents 13th turn, another lineman went down and I was now down to 8 players and under pressure (all my players were based) and this is where I lost the game. My 13th turn ended in a one reroll one, at the worst time possible.

The rats moving off with the ball

The rats could get to the ball and run off with it, scoring in their turn 16 making it 1-2 (1-3)

Since I didn't have enough players for a one turn touchdown, I just went for some blocks, but I double skulled on the first one. It wasn't my half at all.

End 1-2 (1-3)

Final thoughts

I've got mixed feeling about this tournament. I lost to the top two coaches and feel like I could have won those game or at least tied them. The thing is that I keep making silly misstakes, like going for the ball in game 2 or that dodge in game 5. I should have remembered that my kicking drive isn't about scoring, but rather keeping your opponent from doing so. That's where I need to get better. I also need to learn to make safe moves first. Don't trust the AG4 too much. To play safer.

This may sound obvoius, but under time pressure, it might not be (as in game 5).

I also feel that the 2-1-3 result doesn't reflect how close my loses where, but that's blood bowl.
I ended up in the 12th spot, which I'm not happy with. One of my worst tournaments so far.

I ended up in 12th place

The tournament itself was great. Well organised and my opponents were great. I'll be back next year.

I don't know what I'll be playing next year, but this is the team I'm currently working on, so Ill probably play wood elves.

Wood elf linemen

Thanks for reading!

New project(s)

I'm almost done with the dark elves and have started to look forward to my next project.

I even asked twitter what to do and people wanted me to start my chaos dwarf team. My idea at the time of asking was to do a "quick and dirty" team, just so I could play something else, but I have changed my mind since then. I'd just end up disappointed with the team and probably never play them, which would be a shame.

When I was working on the dark elves I said to myself that my next team would be a straight paint team, ie no conversions. If I were to do the chaos dwarves, it would involve some conversions, but less than the dark elf team. However, putting so much effort in to a team as the dark elves has left a bitter taste. Mainly due to the primer incident, which saw me having to scrape my miniatures to remove some bad primer and in the proces destroing some of the work I had done. They turned out alright, but there are some spots on them that are just bad, due to either scrapes or spots where I couldn't remove the primer. I don't want that to happen again and hence, I'll put the chaos dwarves on the back burner...for now. I just need to do something else in between.

Instead, I'm going to paint my wood elf team. I'm doing so for two reasons. 1, I'd like to give white primer another go. 2. It's a team I'd really like to play in a tournament and I just need to paint 10 miniatures, because I've got three painted trees already (although I'll paint a fourth one for this team eventually).
I'll be using the miniatures from star player miniatures which are just great. Some might say a bit big and I'd agree, but so are my halflings. The elves aren't too big, just alsmost. Right now I'm thinking jade green and orange as teamcolours, but that canchange once I get started.

I am however not giving up on the chaos dwarves just yet. I'll start converting them to mix it up between painting and converting. I'll mainly use miniatures from Russian Alternative and here's a picture of the chaos dwarves I'll be using for my blockers and bulls.

I'm a bit curious if I can assemble the team to resemble the picture I have in my head. They'll probablty not get painted for a while though as JBones slann are up after the wood elves. After that, mayb, but I also want to paint the dwarves from Iron Golems and Goblins from Willy. There are just so many teams I whant to paint. Stay tuned for wip pictures of both the chaos dwarves and wood elves.

I'll also take some pictures of the finished dark elf team once they're done. I've got the bases to go on the remaining four.

Thanks for reading.

Dungeonbowl 2016

It was that time of year again, where one of the majors where being played in Düsseldorf and this was my second trip there. I was looking forward to the tournament even more that last year since I knew that some people I talk to on twitter and the likes were coming. Even more so, since I had managed to convince my friend brocCooLi to come as well, whom I met up with at the air port on Friday. That evening we stayed at the bar and had some beers while playing some boardgames and catching up with various people. Great night and a good start to the weekend.

The roster

I didn't manage to finish my assassin (or even start painting him) so I played with the same roster as I did at the Preußenbowl, with the exact same skills.

4 Blitzers (1x Dodge day 1, 2x Dodge, Guard day 2)

2 Witch Elves (Block, Wrestle day 1)

1 Runner

4 Linemen

2 Rerolls

Assistant Coach

Cheerleader

What I did mange to finish was a display base/carrying tray. I'll make two more (one for 11 players incl a big guy and one for up to 14 players) and my upcoming teams will be based to fit it/them. It's really handy to have when changing tables etc.

Team on the display base/tray

Game 1 vs Orcs (Da_Git)

The tournament started with a match up against orcs. It's not a bad match up for the dark elves as long as they can keep a couple of players for the second half and stop the orcs in the first.

I was facing 13 orcs (4 Black Orcs, 4 Blitzers, 1 Thrower and 4 Lineorcs).

The skills were tackle on a blitzer and block on a black orc and the thrower.

Weather - Very Sunny
FAME +1 (I think)

I elect to kick since I wanted to defend with eleven elves. The orcs started the game by KOing a lineman, forming a cage and moving up the pitch. I try to slow the cage down by giving the orcs a square a turn to move forward on and I also manage to CAS one of the blitzers. I also managed to CAS one of my linemen on a dodge. The orcs CAS my runner on a both down (the black orc wasn't hurt in return), but it was otherwise an uneventful half and I did manage to stop the orcs.

Orcs moving up the pitch

The half ended 0-0 (1-1) and I had nine elves against eleven orcs.
The kick off result was a perfect defense.

Orc line up prior to the perfect defense

Orc line up after the perfect defense and my turn 1

To counter the perfect defense I moved off towards the weak side flank of the orcs.
The orcs responded by chasing the elves across the field.

Orcs in pursuit

That meant that the elves could go back and head down the other flank and eventually outrunning the orcs. The orcs responded by fouling the downed wrestle witch and CASing her.

Dark elves running up the side line

Elves stalling out the half

I stalled out the game and scored the game wining touchdown in turn 16.

It was a good game and my opponent was great. We both had fun and it was a good start to the tournament.

End 1-0 (1-2)

Game 2 vs Chaos (LordOrc)

My second game had my facing chaos. The team just had eleven players (Minotaur (Tentacles), 4 Warriors (2x Block), 6 Beastmen) and that's the reason that I chose to receive the ball. I had more block and my team was faster. I was hoping to get some beastmen out for the second half, which would make it easier to defend. As it turn out, the plan didn't work.

Weather - Nice Weather
FAME -2

The half saw the elves KOing a beastman and screening the ball carrier. The chaos team responded by KOing a lineman in their second turn.

I did the same play as against the orcs, moving to one side and then running up the other side, screening and using the faster movement of the elves.

Dark elves trying to out run the chaos team

In my third turn I dodged with a lineman, but had to use the reroll on the dodge and of course the following block was a double skull and a KOed lineman. This left me out of position and at least on player could have been surfed if it wasn't for the chaos team having equal bad luck and ending their turn in a quick turn over.

The elves could then move off and screen the ball carrier until turn 8.

For the second half, I managed to get 1 out of 5 KOed players back.
This meant that it was 7 elves against 10 chaos players, which could theoretically work.

But it didn't and I was losing elves fast. At the end of the half I had just two blitzers left. I still managed to knock the ball lose (yes, some good dice rolling involved), but the ball carrying duties was just taken up by another warrior. The game ended in a draw which I was okay with. I think I managed to get 1 out of 11 KOs back this game.

End 1-1 (1-4)

Game 3 vs Humans (Glorian_Underhill)

This was a rough game. I don't like it when my opponent shouts and that with every dice roll. Every block was followed by a BAAAAM!!! while slamming the dice cup down on the table. Even worse, my opponent was shouting SKULL!!, SKULL! when I was rerolling a failed 1d block (yes, first one was a skull).

Weather - Nice Weather
FAME -1

My opponent played with Mighty Zug, 4 Blitzers (2x Guard, Mighty Blow), Thrower, 6 Linemen, 2 Rerolls. An interesting line up and I was hoping that I'd be able to avoid Mighty Zug.

I lost the coin toss and had to kick, but I think I would have done so anyway.

This game went south fast for me. My opponent CASed a lineman in turn 1. CASed my runner in turn 2. CASed my wrestle witch in turn 3 and KOing a blitzer in turn 4. At this point I gave up on the idea of stoping him and let his cage run through. Instead, I tried to get as much damage in for the second half. In turn 6 I managed to CAS one of the guard blitzers.

He scored in his turn 8 and as we lined up for my turn 8 (I didn't get any KOs back) rolled a blitz. Not too bad, but that was just the way the game was going.

My KOed blitzer from turn 4 came back for the second half came back and I could line up with 8 elves against 11 humans.

Lose ball!

This was however not the end of the humans quest for getting my players of the field. One of my blitzers was KOed in turn 10 and a lineelf was CASed in turn 11. I did however CAS the second guard blitzer in my turn 11, but I lost the ball eventually. I didn't give up and almost got a draw out of the game, but it wasn't to be.

End 0-1 (2-4)

Game 3,5 vs dwarves (brocCooLi)

After we'd grabbed some dinner and gotten back to the hostel, we found the hostel bar empty so we figured that we could hang out in our room. We grabbed a couple of beers and decided to play some blood bowl. We made a pitch out of paper and had a go at dark elves against dwarves with all our skills (so like a day 2 game).

The paper pitch

After game three this was exactly what I needed. A fun game with a friend and a beer in hand. No pressure and we gave each other some tips for day 2.

End 1-1 (No idea abut the CAS)

And as it turned out, game 3,5 might have helped my prepare for day 2 as I was up against dwarves in game 4.

Game 4 vs dwarves (JBone)

JBone and I have talked via twitter and I met him at the NAFC last year. We've never played though and I was really looking forward to the game. Kind of my game against brocCooLi, a game between friends and no pressure.

JBone was playing with 12 dwarves including all the positional (no the death roller). He had given mighty blow to both his troll slayers, guard to both blitzers and guard to two longbeards. A nice roster and I would probably play the same after seeing how it performed. (when I get my dwarf team painted).

Weather - Nice weather
FAME -2

I started the game on defense, which I prefer against bash team due to the fact that it's probably the only time I can set up eleven players on the pitch.

The kick landed close to the sideline and quite deep, so good for me, but one of the fans threw a rock at my guard blitzers, but he was only stunned.
The deep kick stopped JBone from advancing as early as he might have liked.

Dwarves stuck at the LOS, waiting for the runner to catch up

In moving forward JBone leaves a small gap, which I exploit and I can get the ball on the floor in turn 4. I then pick it up and run away with it in turn 5.

Elves running away with the ball

JBone responds by CASing my wrestle witch, but I was okay with that. She had gotten the ball lose and thereby doing her job. I wasn't suspecting there to be more dwarf offenses anyway, if it all went to plan.

I scored in my turn 6 and gave the dwarves a chance to equalize, but it wouldn't be easy with dwarves.

I started the second half with just 8 players since my two KOed players didn't want to come back.

We set up our teams and my plan was to keep the ball in my own half, forcing JBone to advance and then either find a gap or just punt the ball into his half. I should at least be able to manage a draw. Right?

The result on the kick off was a perfect defense. I really hate that result. It can be so devastating and this was one of those times. JBone bases all my players on the line and made sure that every dodger had a tackle dwarf next to them.

I started my turn by blitzing a dwarf blitzer with my block witch, trying to get a lineman free. I was hoping for at least a push on a 2d block, so I could dodge away afterwards (getting away from the longboard). The result on the first block was a skull and a both down. Since I didn't want to leave the witch next to the longbeard, I had to dodge away. A 1. Reroll. A 1.

Darn, my first turn of the half was over and my whole team except the runner was based. This was going to hurt.
It turned out that it wasn't that bad, but I had a feeling that it was going to change soon. JBone also got his runner next to my runner so my first action in my 10th turn was to declare a blitz with the block witch. She wasn't in contact with a longbeard, so I could use dodge, if I rolled a one. A 1. Dodgereroll. A1!!!!

Yet again my turn had ended on a double one. This is where I lost the game.

The witch just needed to dodge out for the blitz...

The dwarves blitz my runner of their runner, who then picked the ball up and scored. 1-1.

All was not lost, I just needed to get some KOed players back and score in the remaining turns, but I did not get my players back so it was 7 elves vs 11 dwarves.

Elves chilling in the KO-box

The kick off result on the final kick of the game was a Get the Ref!.

I tried to screen the dwarves off, but JBone put me under pressure, basing all my players, which meant that I had to dodge and roll dice. It didn't work out for me and in his turn 13 he CASed both a blitzer and the remaining witch elf.

I couldn't get away and with just 5 players left on the field there wasn't much I could do.
JBone got the ball and I had one last chance at it. I dodged a linemen through his lines and based his runner. My knocked down runner then dodged in a tackle zone and blocked his runner. A skulle and a push. That was my last chance and after that I was left with two players on the field.

In JBones turn 15 I started playing his team instead. "You should blitz here so this guy can move over and foul that player"

In my turn 16 I could turn over the last lineman from being stunned to prone.

End 1-2 (0-2)

A game of blood bowl can really swing fast. Setting up after the first half I felt really good and in control of the game. My first two turns in the second half were horrible and JBone really took advantage of the situation.

I'll get you next time JBone!

Game 5 vs Skaven (...hm)

I felt the I put myself under a bit of pressure before this game. I really wanted to finish with a better result than last year since dark elves should be able to get a better record than halflings.

My opponent was playing with 13 players. A rat ogre (break tackle), 4 gutter runners (tackle, guard), 2 storm vermin (2x guard), thrower and linemen (1x wrestle) (not a 100% sure about the roster)

Weather - Very Sunny
FAME +1

My opponent won the coin toss and elected to receive. I set up my team and kicked off. Brilliant coaching, I got a reroll.

My opponent start by blocking one of my linemen and CASing him. Not the greatest of starts. The next couple of blocks do no harm and then I look over to his reserve box. It's empty, so he's set up 13 players on the pitch. As per the Dungeonbowl rules, my opponent suffered an immediate turnover and two players were randomly removed from the pitch. Thankfully for my opponent, it was just two linemen who were removed. It was a bit weird having gotten the advantage in this fashion, but I honestly hadn't seen that he'd set up 13 players prior to kicking off.

In my turn I moved in to his half and stole the ball. I screen my ball carrier of and scored in my turn 8. The only thing that happened was that my guard blitzer CASed himself on a dodge on turn 4.

This meant that I just had 10 players to his 11. We line up and the kick off result is a blitz.
Not the best result against skaven and he blitzes my wrestle witch away (she was standing under the ball), but to my surprise, he puts the blitzing storm vermin under the ball. The storm terming doesn't catch the ball and a scrum is formed around the ball.

I can eventually get the ball away from the scrum (and the rat ogre) and move off with the ball.

The elves move away with the ball

I score in my turn 16 and the game ends 2-0 for me.

End 2-0 (1-2)

Game 6 vs Skaven (Goloman)

Final game of the tournament and I'm yet again up against skaven.

The roster was a bit different and there were just 12 players this time (in favor of a reroll). The rat ogre had block, one storm vermin had guard and the other one tackle. One lineman had wrestle, the thrower had leader and a gutter runner had block.

Weather - Nice weather
FAME -1

I'm forced to kick and it's a really shallow kick, landing on the LOS in the wide zone my opponent had left empty (we both got a reroll on the kick off). He moves his thrower to cover the ball and tries to pick up the ball with a gutter runner. A 1. Reroll. A 1. Bad luck for my opponent, but I think he should have moved more players to cover the ball, so a bad play.

Elves taking advantage of the failed pick up

I then move up with my whole team, pick the ball up and screen him off.
He tries to stop me by putting his players in the way of my screen/cage which results in a gutter being surfed in turn 2 (CAS) and a storm vermin with tackle in turn 3 (CAS).

I was never really threatened and could stall the half out. I also managed to surf two gutter in turn 5, but they both went in to the reserve box.

I'm receiving in the second half and I could line up 11 elves against his 10 rats.
I was feeling good about this game and all I had to do was to stop him from scoring.

The kick off gives him a reroll, but it's a good kick for me. I can set up a secure position and move up the pitch.

In turn 11 the rat ogre finally CASes the lineman that I had used to tie him up. A fair trade. The rat ogre had been a none factor all game, up until that point.

Elves with the ball

Turn 13 sees my guard blitzer CASed, but my ball carrier was "safe" the whole half.

In his 15th turn he manages to dodge through and get a -2d blitz on the ball carrier (the runner) with a gutter runner (with block). I elected not to use dump off (which in hindsight probably would have been wise to use) and the result was a pow and a dodge pow. The ball is on the floor and my runner is stunned, but I had one turn left (but no rerolls).

I still had a blitzer in scoring range and he had no players in scoring range. I had won the game, but tried for the 2-0, but failed a dodge with a linemen (who was going to pick the ball up and give it to the blitzer).

End 1-0 (0-2)

Conclusion

This was a great weekend and I'm okay with the result. 3-1-2 isn't bad, but I feel like the dice played too much of a part in game 3 and 4. Either could easily have been a draw and game 4 looked like a win after the first half. The 3-1-2 got saw me land in the 27th place out of 84.

I sustained 16 casualties over the weekend, which is a lot for an AG4 AV8-team. Some wood elf teams at the tournament had suffered the same number of casualties and only one team had suffered more than 16. It was a goblin team with 19 casualties. I'm thinking that I should try wood elves. I'm used to playing down in numbers and wood elves are even better at it than dark elves due to the wardancers and the higher general speed. Having a treeman in the center is also appealing.

The tournament is very well organized and I'll definitely come back next year. Hopefully I've finished my wood elf team by then. Thanks for reading.