Blood Bowl - ** f13 League, Season #2 ** (Over! We have a winner!)

[Strazos]

BB Manager says I threw 80 blocks in my last game, so we'll see how the blocking game works out this go-round.

Also, I need to fatten up my Norsemen for the finals - need that SPP! 

[Falconeer]

Hello everyone, what's up? No playoffs?

[Megrim]

Llyse and I are planning on playing tonight or tomorrow. Don't worry, I will try to feed him as little as possible 

[Llyse]

Playoff match 1 starts in 24 minutes.  

Edit: Game played. Awesome match. Replay emailed.

Someone else can upload it to dropbox etc...

EDIT: Don't read the post below if you wish to avoid SPOILERS

No pressure Strazsos!

[Megrim]

Small writeup spoilered for those that want to watch rep before knowing the result.

[Strazos]

I think Comstar and I were supposed to play tonight...

[Llyse]

I think Comstar and I were supposed to play tonight...

Hmmmm, Aus Time difference... He might be an hour late... He's GMT +11

[Strazos]

Well, I left the calculations to him, but I'm sure we'll get it done soon enough.

[HaemishM]

When you guys start a new season, I'd like to get in on it if I can.

[Falconeer]

Where is Comstar? If I got this right, Strazos has been stood up, which could result in an automatic win for him if he doesn't at least get an explanation soon, or they clear up the misunderstanding if that is the case. Actually, I am sure it has been a misunderstanding, so please let us know what is going on. Let's not fail 2 games from the conclusion!

And Haemish, of course you can play! Everyone can, and the more the merrier. Season 3 will realistically be starting around the 3rd week of January. A new "recruitment" post will be made, and signing up will be super easy.

[Ingmar]

I should be able to jump in next season. (I hope you like dwarves!  )

[avaia]

So... season 3.  All new teams, or is there carryover? 

[Falconeer]

All new teams.

I was thinking of doing a parallel "Master League" with carryover teams, maybe less obsessed forum coverage, no prizes, and more flexible schedules. We'll see if there's any interest in that. But I won't allow anyone in the "Master League" unless they have a team in the regular Season #3 anyway, to prevent people from choosing the less important one (Master) over the main one (Season 3) and  hurting it.

[Llyse]

Sign me up for more 6am matches 

[eldaec]

It'd be a shame not to do anything with the teams buit this season - I'm certainly not lowering the Silver Horde to joining the Naggaroth Open.

[Comstar]

Wait what?

I thought I told him I'd be playing right now - 10am Melbourne time. I was in game lobby all yesterday morning thinking it was then too.

 I'm in the lobby waiting right now.

[eldaec]

All blood bowl games should be scheduled in EVE time tbh.

[Strazos]

I thought we agreed on 11am your time, 7 pm my time.

I was on around 6 yesterday anyway, but I didn't see you on steam; it showed you as being offline for 1 day. 

Also, I do not/not want to win/lose by forfeit, personally.

[Llyse]

I too do not want Comstar/Strazsos win/lose by forfeit.

Please ensure the other Grand Finalist is battered and beaten for Calvin and Hobbes to feed on 

[Teleku]

Awww, I hope we can do something with our current teams.  I managed to level up a bunch of players the last 2 games of the season, after going the whole season with everybody at level 1.  My teams actually ready to play for real now!   

[Megrim]

All new teams.

I was thinking of doing a parallel "Master League" with carryover teams, maybe less obsessed forum coverage, no prizes, and more flexible schedules. We'll see if there's any interest in that. But I won't allow anyone in the "Master League" unless they have a team in the regular Season #3 anyway, to prevent people from choosing the less important one (Master) over the main one (Season 3) and  hurting it.

Why wipe the slate? Let people who want to keep their teams play them, and anyone who wants to re-roll a fresh squad can as well. What's the problem? The scheduling so far has been fine, the forum coverage has been fine and the participation has been fine. The prize is a nice added bonus which I don't think we necessarily need to have, but apart from that I think this league has been very good. And if you split the whole deal into two leagues, knowing the adhd nature of these forums, it will probably do more harm then good.

[Comstar]

Holy shit.

I mean, holy shit.

That was epic.

Amazons making 4 dodges in 6 tackle zones.  Berserkers rolling triple skulls. 4 girls holding up an entire 11 man team and knocking out the ball carrier in the end zone before getting knocked down and the Norse scoring in the last turn of the 2nd half. Another Amazon star player DEAD,  and another one out for the next game.

Game went into extra time, and the Amazons win 2-1 in the last turn of overtime. Watch the replay, I've never played such a match.  

For the proper atmosphere, have the music from Star Wars in the death star trench run running, as the last Amazon ball carrier makes her run for the end zone with 3 Hulking Norse Blitzers coming up behind her as the last desperate and lightly armoured Amazon team mates try and slow them down. Keep an eye on my comments as the Norse close in.

[Megrim]

1st and 2nd place are now between Amazon & Necromantic.

3rd and 4th place are now between Norse and Vampire.


Place your bets ladies and nerds!

[Falconeer]

So late so I am running to bed and more comments tomorrow. I validated the match, so the BIG FINAL is on whenever you feel like it:

Llyse vs. Comstar   (again)

Sadly, and as in the NFL or the UEFA Champions League, there's no 3rd and 4th place final. The system doesn't allow it. Sorry 

[Falconeer]

Temporarily putting the replays here for whiever wants to watch it as I don't have the time to upload them to BBManager now.

Sefinal #1 - Llyse vs. Megrim

Semifinal #2 - Strazos vs. Comstar

[Strazos]

So...wow. Folks may want to watch this one...

[Llyse]

So...wow. Folks may want to watch this one...

Watching this game will be my highlight tonight.

Congratulations Comstar and Bad luck Straz.

I know from experience Comstar has mad dodge dice rolling skillz.  

Time to ramp it up!

[lamaros]

Sorry to derail. But I find this thread and game really interesting. However I have NFI about NFL or anything, being Australian. Will I still be able to get into the game and enjoy it? Tempted to pick it up for season two.

[Llyse]

Being a fellow Australian that didn't really care about NFL until a year ago I'd say yes.

The game is quite simple and is almost as related to NFL/GridIron as it is to any tactical/boardgames.

If you're a big fan of theorycrafting/dice/leveling/persistent character development/luck/boardgame squares manuevers this is it.

You'll have no problem getting practice matches with f13 members to get use to the game.

I think I saw the original Blood Bowl for $15 at EB.

With the Original Blood Bowl game code you get a 33% discount on Legendary so it comes out to almost the same amount (You'll need Legendary to play in the f13 league anyway)...

So you could give it a test drive that way...

DO NOT under any circumstances play it in real time (It's called Blitz mode).

I haven't tried but I heard it's frustrating.

Simply put forward passes are legal and so is killing your opponent but killing the opposing team does not guarantee victory on the scoreboard.

Edit: Typing is hard.

[Kail]

DO NOT under any circumstances play it in real time (It's called Blitz mode).

I haven't tried but I heard it's frustrating.

Blitz mode is different from real-time.  Real-time is an option you can do in blitz mode, but you can play Blitz in turn based mode too, and there's a bunch of other minor changes (like doping and equipment upgrades and sponsorship money and so on) which you can do in blitz but not normal (or in the tabletop BB rules).

I don't know that I'd say real-time is frustrating, but it's definitely weird, and I don't think it would work for a multiplayer game well.  It's WAY bashier than the turn based mode, and games can get a bit retarded at times, but it's simple, brainless fun if you're playing against the CPU.

[Ruvaldt]

Great game Strazos and Comstar.  I thoroughly enjoyed that replay.

Eagerly awaiting the Season 2 championship match.

[Falconeer]

All new teams.

I was thinking of doing a parallel "Master League" with carryover teams, maybe less obsessed forum coverage, no prizes, and more flexible schedules. We'll see if there's any interest in that. But I won't allow anyone in the "Master League" unless they have a team in the regular Season #3 anyway, to prevent people from choosing the less important one (Master) over the main one (Season 3) and  hurting it.

Why wipe the slate? Let people who want to keep their teams play them, and anyone who wants to re-roll a fresh squad can as well. What's the problem? The scheduling so far has been fine, the forum coverage has been fine and the participation has been fine. The prize is a nice added bonus which I don't think we necessarily need to have, but apart from that I think this league has been very good. And if you split the whole deal into two leagues, knowing the adhd nature of these forums, it will probably do more harm then good.

I see your points Megrim, and honestly nothing is good like keeping your team. But let's face it... how fair it is for new participants to face older, more experienced teams? Inducements don't even start filling the gap and while it sounds OK now that you will eventually lose with stronger older teams but then eventually you'll be better in Season #4, in practice it can be really frustrating to have these matches where you only have to limit our losses cause you are playing vs. a more experienced Player AND Team. That would, to me, very easily thwart new entrants enthusiasm pretty quick, and would still feel kind of unfair to anyone who is just guilty of not participating in the earlier season. Finally, IainC and Modern Angel had a horrible Season #2, but would have been the same if they played with their Season #1 teams? As the rule for S#2 was "all new teams", same should be for S#3 I think.

That said, I'm basically an anarchist who hates hierarchies, so we'll vote on the topic among all the participants, ok?

We can still keep the older teams, as I said, for a parallel "XP League" for all those who are interested, so they wouldn't be lost anyway.

[Comstar]

Run Season #3 with new teams, if/when we get to Season #4 (or 5) we might have so many coaches with built teams we can run everyone's experienced team by then. The coach's with 2 teams get an advantage in that they can pick which of their 2 teams they want to import.

Also, look at what happened in my last 2 games- I had to play to the limit to draw or win in overtime a team only 180 points above me and I ended the last game with 3 players standing (and the final starts with my team 2-3 players down from the opposition and another 180 point difference).  I'd hate to play a team of noobs vs a team with nearly everyone having 1 to 3 extra skills or stats on every player. It's not fair and it's not fun, even with inducements (unless you're playing a halfling or goblin comedy team).

Start the next season and the new year with new teams.

[Modern Angel]

I'm way way way more interested in carryover teams. I like the idea of star players with long careers, heated rivalries, dynasties, perennial basement dwellers... half the reason I fell in love with this game when I was 12 were the stories of the GW lore league. You can't have that when you reset constantly. Obviously, some folks would want to scratch their teams and restart, maybe even people with awesome teams. That's completely their right. But I really would like to see carryover.

[Falconeer]

Ok so we have 2 votes for carryovers, and 2 votes against carryovers. Keep voting! New participants should vote too, so Haemish, Lamaros, Ingmar, Sir T and the likes. Their vote will be deleted should they not sign up for the real thing when it comes up.

As I said, with my proposal there would be life for carryover teams anyway, with the parallel "XP League" which can easily work on a 14 days basis instead of the regular S#3 usual 9 days, giving everyone a little more Blood Bowl for those who want to play more without having to commit too much anyway.