S#3 - Game Day #7

[drogg]

4-0 Huhnqua Huhnqua Burning Love over Nifty Helmets 

poor Gruntle had some terrible dice luck, especially in blocks - he had a devil of a time knocking down my saurii and lost a few rounds to double skulls.  the teeming skink hordes continue to scurry betwixt gaps in the line and miraculously never get injured.  my namesake once again eats dirt (niggling injury this time) only to get saved by my apothecary.  Cracked a beastman's ribs and seriously injured a second in the process.

special thanks to Falconeer for fixing things after i managed to crash the first go-through and to Gruntle for being such a good sport.  I think I should be in the playoffs now?

[Falconeer]

What happened to the OP update?

The usual: I am out of the playoffs so fuck Blood Bowl.

[Modern Angel]

Out of the playoffs but in Rift! :D

[Sir T]

[Llyse]

So true. 

[Celer]

The Swedgins did only minor damage to Diplomatic Immunity, as the Norse rolled to a 1-0 victory.  It was a strange game on both sides, with the dice being very fickle.  Apocotheries were rolling Deaths, bribes were wasted, and both my Wights went down by halftime and never woke up.

The Norse received but could not quite bust through the Undead defense, mostly because my risky play was being rewarded by the dice whilst Runners were falling over on GFIs.  That luck didn't carry over to the second half, as some ghouls failed a handoff (+reroll) after picking up the ball and the Norse quickly recovered and scored the only point.

Some sloppy play on my part gave up the ball again and gave the Norse a shot at a second TD, but I remembered my fireball and it caused my only casualty of the game--a broken rib to a Runner.  My last-ditch effort to score an equalizer ended when a ghoul couldn't pick up the ball.

I wish I could have got some SPP to close out the season, but thems the breaks.

[Strazos]

Norse win the kickoff and proceed to drag the ball up the field. Perhaps it was the smell of the necromantic hordes, but the Norse seemed to hesitate on their first turn, and didn't move the ball much. However, there was no delay in the start of fisticuffs. As the ball is brought up the sideline, the Norse are met by a wall of undead, and proceed to use their superior maneuverability to flank them...and it almost worked. However, the dice were kind to the Swedgins in the first half, and some ghouls managed to break loose of the fray and put a block on the runner, wrestling him to the ground and popping the ball loose. They very nearly scored at the half, but a ghoul was not able to throw an accurate pass, and the half ends tied.

Second half the undead bring the ball up and form a loose, messy cage at midfield. The Norse throw up a wall in front, while sending beserkers and werewolves around in an attempt to sack the ball carrier. Some good blocking forces the ball carrying ghoul into a bad location, and he is quickly set upon by the ravaging Norse. They break the ball free, and look to sprint upfield...when a crazed fan flings a fireball from the stands! Most of the Norse near the impact site, including the ball carrier, manage to dodge out of the way, but a lighty-armored runner has his ribs broken by the blastwave. Rather than let the apothecary kill him, he'll just sit out next game.

Eventually, the ball is worked back upfield for a score.

1-0 Norse over Necros.

[Ingmar]

Beardstorm loses 3-2, congrats to Lamaros. More once I stare at BBM for a bit.

[lamaros]

Replay being loaded. I don't think I can describe... Most tense final 4-5 turns ever.

I was forced to receive, which I hate, but managed to pick off some poor placement from Ingmar to surf two guys in two turns. I then tossed up stalling but decided that wouldn't be enough and scored.

My next kick was deep and good. Ingmar couldn't get enough cover back and I knocked the ball out and scored for a 2-0 scoreline. I was feeling good. It is pretty hard to lose with rats from two up. And so I started thinking about SPP and switched off.

With two turns for Ingmar and one for me I kept hoping for a blitz and a chance to score again. Unfortunately I got so focused on this that when I didn't get the blitz I forget I had no time to score and still played for it. With dangerous plays. I didn't cover the runner he had in scoring range and was punished when halfway through my turn I rolled double both down in to double both down. Ingmar then ran and threw and caught to score at the end of the first half.

I was pissed off, but I was still up 2-1 and thought I was going ok. I managed to still have a player advantage at kickoff and got greeeeedy again. I chased the ball about a bit and felt good to get it. It came lose for a second after a throw from Ingmar, but bounced back into his dwarves hands to save the turnover. I knocked it out soon after only for my rat ogre to pick it up as he followed up.

The rat ogre had been a champion all game, surfing two early (one which spent the whole game out KOed), but once the ball was in his hands he just felt like going wild. I set it up for a handoff to a GR the next turn, which would have then run free from the slow Dwarves and iced the game fore sure. But the ogre failed the wild animal roll.

I thought the wild animal roll was a failed catch because I didn't read well enough, and rerolled to save a turnover. Failed again. Gah. Oh well, no big deal, I'll knock this blitzer off the pitch in the corner. Double skulls... gee, I wish I hadn't used a re-roll this turn...

From there it went downhill fast. The rat ogre became useless; sitting there with the ball in his hands he kept failing wild animal rolls for the rest of the game. He couldn't block or blitz or even get up in the end.

I can't describe the last few turns, except to say Ingmar got the ball to a player down field and ran a score with two turns to go. I then threw and ran a score in on the final turn of the game. Thank fuck. Because if I lost that from two up with the scores I gave away I was going to have to take up boxing to get the stress out...

I don't want to sound like a bad winner though. Ingmar played well to come back from a fairly disastrous opening six turns. He was down to nine for pretty much the whole game, against rats, and it was a credit to him that the result was in the balance in the final turn.

[Ingmar]

Yeah in retrospect I should have tried to stall an extra turn, giving you 2 turns to score at the end instead of 1 was foolish.

[lamaros]

Now the AndyDavo/Comstar match will decide whether I go through to the playoffs. If Comstar wins or it's a draw then I'm out. If Andy wins then I'm through at Comstar's expense.

Or Comstar could win by four.

We going to get games verified or has RIFT taken over?

[eldaec]

Given the half life of these things I can't imagine RIFT is going mean much of a delay.

I see almost all the key Stormbringer results are all in and with one match left pretty much nothing is decided. Awesome.

By my maths Morsel or Silver Horde win the Stormbringer league with a win, or HHB takes it on a draw?

EDIT

Morsel v Silver Horde is currently scheduled for Thursday. I can see three other ties outstanding, so not sure if that will be the last of this cycle.

[Ingmar]

Hurry up and finish all this and the playoffs, I am ready for Season 4!

[Comstar]

I'm online and Andydevo is online but he's not seeing my match requests. Andy, lets do this! Hope it's not too late. The final spots for the division are up for grabs.

Edit- still bashing the LETS PLAY button every few minutes

[AndyDavo]

I'm about to have a moan.

My team is now even more fucked after suffering 1 smashed coller bone (IE dead) and 1 more DEAD in game 7. The smashed collar bone was on my most skilled player, a blodge lineman.  What is the policy on team rerolling? I am not carrying on with this shower of shit team any further. I think i have 6 fit players going into the play offs.

[Comstar]

Andy took a star player assassin, a mage (who did nothing) and a bloodwiser babe he barley used. The assassin only got 2 armour breaks in the entire game, despite him blitzing several times, and only got a badly hurt on the last pointless turn of the game. Despite the Amazon's having a much more skilled team, Andy was able to slow the run down the pitch to a crawl, and both sides fumbled the ball at crucial points. A single failed dodge for both teams helped decide the match. The passing game was shut down at the start by hevay rain, but both sides didn't attempt it much, preferring a running game that got bogged down in the centre of the pitch by both sides using superior manoeuvrability. I did manage to make a pass in the rain at +5 to pas/+4 to catch....

...And the 2 teams to go to the playoffs in Division 2 are...

[Strazos]

I renew my claim that Comstar dice hacks.

[Sky]

I feel bad for Iain, but it was at least an interesting end to the season for the Bashtards to actually be able to influence the playoffs somewhat. Kind of underlines one of the cool things about the game, even the newb outliers can't be written off easily (unless you're Comstar's bitches who must all diiiie).

[lamaros]

I feel bad for Iain, but it was at least an interesting end to the season for the Bashtards to actually be able to influence the playoffs somewhat. Kind of underlines one of the cool things about the game, even the newb outliers can't be written off easily (unless you're Comstar's bitches who must all diiiie).

Yep.

The only team that didn't at the least get a draw or two was NiX, and that's really only because he didn't play most of the games. And only Llyse and Krummi (and possibly Ramas) have failed to lose at least one game too.

[Llyse]

Yep.

The only team that didn't at the least get a draw or two was NiX, and that's really only because he didn't play most of the games. And only Llyse and Krummi (and possibly Ramas) have failed to lose at least one game too.

Keep in mind Scadente is a new coach with a new team and has topped Twilight so it's not all experienced team bulldust making it

(Bastich has more points than me  )

[lamaros]

(Bastich has more points than me  )

17 !> 17 

It will be one experienced team and one new team from each division making the finals in the end too. So the TV wasn't the be and end all in the final reckoning.

[Llyse]

But 17 > 12 isn't it Silver spooner? 

I'm looking forward to the playoffs and the awesome division seeding video Falc does, but it looks like it might be April before we know Season #3's winner...

Definitely looking forward to Stormbringer's playoff game of Megrim vs eldaec

[Sky]

New coach to the f13 league != new coach to BB.

I'm completely new to the game, or at least...I was!

[IainC]

Well damn. An almost perfect season that included beating the top team came to a screeching halt in the last match. I'll be in for season 4 but I don't expect to be as close to a playoff spot again.

[Strazos]

Dangit, even more pissed that I could have been #1 seed if not for a mistake with the UI and following up a blitz when I should not have.

[IainC]

Dangit, even more pissed that I could have been #1 seed if not for a mistake with the UI and following up a blitz when I should not have.

I only needed any one of three or four 2+ rolls not to fail on me and I'd have had a spot.

[Ingmar]

I think all of us who missed it by a turn or a play have a number of rolls or decisions that could have swung the outcome in our favor.

[lamaros]

I think all of us who missed it by a turn or a play have a number of rolls or decisions that could have swung the outcome in our favor.

For sure. For those who just missed or just made it, or for those who made second and not first, etc. Everyone has 'key' rolls that they misses. It's blood bowl!

Some examples from me:

I could have tied with Ice first game if I made my block and pass in the final round. He'd have been out of the playoffs almost before the final round and I'd have just needed a draw. OR
In the end Teleku would have gone through over me if he had beaten me. I can't recall a key failed pass there that he missed, but there was probably something. Likewise I could point to my failed pass, my failed wizard, etc as reason why I could have won and been a further 2 points ahead come the last day of the season. OR
In my games against Llyse and ezrast, if those last turn attempts (failed wizard in to failed dodge & failed throw) don't fail there then...

At the end of the day in most groups you can probably find about 1000 'key' dice rolls that would have changed how the groups ended up. Picking just one is going to made you seem hard done by, but everyone is hard done by in that case.

It was a 'key' pass that I made to beat Ingmar. But it was a 'key' pass that he made to score in turn 8 too. And a 'key' pass that I failed to get the ball free to score in the second, and a 'key' block that he failed with a skull, and a 'key' scatter than gave him the ball to score his second... etc In any game of probabilities you're going to come up against the dice. Even a 2+ roll fails one time in six.

[Strazos]

My mistake was not even tied to a roll - I made the roll, just couldn't remember if I would be allowed to move if I declined to follow the successful block I made.

Kind of silly, but so many of my successful blitzes are made with players that have frenzy, that I am not usually presented with the choice.

[IainC]

For sure. For those who just missed or just made it, or for those who made second and not first, etc. Everyone has 'key' rolls that they misses. It's blood bowl!

It's not just that 'if these dice had rolled differently I'd have won' but that in my last game vs Sky I needed to reroll about 3 or 4 times in the whole game. Each of those rolls would have been to make a 3+ or better action that would have led to a score, one of them was a fumble (from an AGI 5 thrower) that opened the door to the only Orc score of the game. Not being able to mitigate the effects of randomness lost me a game that I should have won.

[lamaros]

For sure. For those who just missed or just made it, or for those who made second and not first, etc. Everyone has 'key' rolls that they misses. It's blood bowl!

It's not just that 'if these dice had rolled differently I'd have won' but that in my last game vs Sky I needed to reroll about 3 or 4 times in the whole game. Each of those rolls would have been to make a 3+ or better action that would have led to a score, one of them was a fumble (from an AGI 5 thrower) that opened the door to the only Orc score of the game. Not being able to mitigate the effects of randomness lost me a game that I should have won.

I understand. I just meant that you can in some situations go back a game or two earlier and find similarly decisive moments in other games too, that would have changed the importance of the rolls in the later games. Like my game against Llyse. I failed a wizard (1/6) then failed a dodge (2/6) then rerolled and failed the dodge again (2/6). If any one of those rolls was a success I'd have won, which would have changed the importance of the later matches in the season (I'd have not needed to win). The chance of failing all three was less than 2%.

I can't speak for your group in particular so I'm not sure that there might have been similar moment for other people earlier in the season (in your earlier games or in Davo or Comstars) that were similarly unlucky and might have meant that the game you played against Sky wasn't so vital as it turned out to be, but there might have. It's just that the most recent one stays in mind.

Davo's continued luck with getting his players killed and maimed, as another example, is one way to see how continued luck over the season could also be just as decisive as any flash point. If he hadn't had as many players killed maybe he would have managed to beat Comstar easily and send you through regardless.

[Sky]

I don't think it was entirely dice, though obviously that played a big factor. There was that one GFI you made to turn a 3+ pass into a 2+ pass, but in a blizzard the GFI is a 3+ roll. So you made a 3+ roll so you wouldn't have to make a 3+ roll, plus the risk of adding an extra die roll. The bigger factor was the halfling chef denying you all but 2 rerolls for the entire game, with me having the added chef rolls plus a leader roll. But I failed what, like three pickups in a row? Even with sure hands and rerolls I've struggled to just pick up the damned ball thanks to bad dice all season long.

And then I've had a couple games where I could throw like an elf, putting my thrower into the passer standings.

[Comstar]

Do does this mean I play AndyC in the 1st playoff?

I got 3 more skills after my game with him (Guard on a Blitzer, Kick on a Thrower and Wrestle on a Lineswomen) and he's lost another player dead and a Star Linemans -1ST and cut from the team. And that's after he saved another Death using his Apoc.

I used my Apoc to stun a KO'ed Bltizer when I thought I might be losing, and only had a Badly Hurt on the last turn of the game.  If I'm playing Andy, I'd be pretty confident. That's assuming he's willing to play with a team of 7 players and not just forfeit to the inevitable...

[Falconeer]

Do does this mean I play AndyC in the 1st playoff?

No.

[AndyDavo]

I wont be conceding the play off game for 2 reasons, 1st and most importantly i dont want to give that team an advantage vs the rest in the play offs. Secondly, i will be getting a bum load of inducements, possibly as much as 700-800k so i still could win a game. I am aware that i'm averaging about 1.5 deaths per game currently so i am a tasty team to face, just dont rule me out totally....