Season 4 Playoff Speculation

[Ingmar]

Have at it. Do we know how Falconeer is seeding things yet? Totally random? 1v4, 2v3, no same divisions?

If we're seeded by our finish in our divisions, and assuming I got this right, it looks like:

Alive Not Dead (necro) #1 seed
Negative Capability (necro) #1 seed
Paper Armour Dolls (dark elf) #1 seed
Hazardous Hippies (woodies) #1 seed

Beardstorm! (dwarf) #2 seed and all around league favorite
Rape of Skabine (rats) #2 seed
HHBL (lizards) #2 seed
Ex-Presidents (chaos) #2 seed

Acherontic Welkin (high elf) #3 seed
Diplomatic Immunity (norse) #3 seed
Carnifex's Cripplers (lizard) #3 seed
Burrowing Beetles (khemri) #3 seed

7 Deadly (lizard) #4 seed
F13 Catfighters (amazon) #4 seed
Spleen Flay Hackers (dark elf) #4 seed
Minizillas (lizard) #4 seed

Observation: that's a lot of goddamn skinks.

[Megrim]

PAD v Hazardous in the finals. That is all.

[Ingmar]

My main hope is that each 'regional' doesn't have any teams from the same divisions, so we get to play new people. Otherwise I'm not sure I care too much who I get matched up against.

[Ruvaldt]

Yeah, I'd prefer to play a greater variety of teams...and less Andydavo.

[Strazos]

Shit, I'll volunteer to play him first if that makes you all feel better.

[Ingmar]

Shit, I'll volunteer to play him first if that makes you all feel better.

I am pretty sure you get one of us #2 seeds. 

[drogg]

every lizard team that isn't HHB is just a bunch of hangers-on.

[Strazos]

I am pretty sure you get one of us #2 seeds. 

That would probably be a bloody game for the both of us. However, I'm OK with playing any of the #2 seeds. Also, with my Thrower probably gone for good, I've been able to lower my TV a bit more.

[AndyDavo]

the list shamelessly hijacked and modified. sorry!

Alive Not Dead (necro) #1 seed - last season beaten finalists, hard to see them being beaten tbh. Focus!!
Negative Capability (necro) #1 seed-  a str5 wolf. *rolls eyes* i say again. a str5 wolf. wolf. str5.
Paper Armour Dolls (dark elf) #1 seed - me. i'm not commenting on myself, sky likes doing that.
Hazardous Hippies (woodies) #1 seed - scored around 74 touchdowns in 7 games so far, great offence, but will they be able to defend? a finalist contender for sure. i would like to play this guy he looks good.

Beardstorm! (dwarf) #2 seed - -Dwarves. Yuck. will be a pain in the arse and should make the semi's. needs to show TV management skills however.
Rape of Skabine (rats) #2 seed - skaven - capable of anything, just depends what rats show up i guess.
HHBL (lizards) #2 seed - needs to see the TV trimming salon or will be giving away wizards all over the show.
Ex-Presidents (chaos) #2 seed - joint top 2nd seed here in my book, the block /claw/mb guy is a match winner.

Acherontic Welkin (high elf) #3 seed - sadly only 11 players, will really struggle if paired with bash, maybe next season. still a contender for dark horse if gets the rub of the green.
Diplomatic Immunity (norse) #3 seed - Norse, they break. No. See my division for details.
Carnifex's Cripplers (lizard) #3 seed - Sauri  are not developed for this seasons make or break games. solid coach however.
Burrowing Beetles (khemri) #3 seed - the TG's are getting there, the pick of this tiers teams for progression.

7 Deadly (lizard) #4 seed - more lizards. needs to kick the perms and think about the future.
F13 Catfighters (amazon) #4 seed - one of my favorite races and a niice guy. should't be seeded as a 4th spot.
Spleen Flay Hackers (dark elf) #4 seed - carries a lot of perms which if focused will be his undoing.
Minizillas (lizard) #4 seed -  not enough tv to stop any of the top 4 in the first round if seeded like that, but proved he is capable.


My views are objective, having not played most of you i've just looked down the teams list. i do look forwards to playing 3 of you however. (maybe).

[lamaros]

Time more more trash talk! On those I have played before.

Teleku. Struggled in a harder division last season, but has performed better this time around. Part of that might be his team coming together, but he still doesn't have enough of a bench to win consistently in my view. He could ruin anyone on his day but probably won't make the final. Could struggle against IainC or Comstar.

Ingmar. Dwarves don't really have any tricks against some of the high TV favorites here, so it is hard to see him winning the final. Also struggled in a harder division last season. Some touch matchups in the 3rd seeds, he will probably hope to play Carnifex or Strazos.

Llyse. Good team with a decent coach, but can struggle in the big games all the same. He had more of a TV advantage when he made the final last season, so it will not be as smooth a run if he makes it this time. Is a chance for the final though. Will probably want to avoid Comstar or IainC fist up.

Ice. Just missed the finals last year in a tough division and has responded by demolishing his division this time around. Yet to play finals, so maybe the nerves will get him. His team is solid, but less even than Llyse's and more prone to relying on a key player. With seeding he should be a chance to see late finals action. Probably shades all the matchups he might get, though IainC might cause some hurt.

Comstar. A good coach who had a tough run this season. If there are seedings then being 4th could prove his demise. A first up win however, and he will be right back in contention. Best matchup would be the Hippies for sure.

Drogg. I don't think he will make it that far again this season. The easy division might get to his head. Doesn't really have the team to put fear in to any of the main contenders. All of the 3rd seeds will probably love to draw him.

Carnifex. Lizards are probably still low on the TV scales to really make a run of it. Could surprise some who don't pay them enough respect, though. Could probably struggle against Ruvaldt and Ingmar. A lizard v lizard matchup with drogg is probably his best option.

Ezrast. Yet another from the hardest division of last season to make it through this time in a (slightly, only slightly) easier group (along with Teleku, Ingmar and Ice Cream, as well as the top two Llyse and myself - Battletech S#2 represent). Didn't make the cut last time, and a low seeding here will make it very tough to progress any further. Ice and Teleku have played him before, and Andy is probably a bridge too far.

On those I might be playing in the 3rd seeds, if it works out that way:

Megrim. I do not want this matchup. I will be giving away TV against a good player with a style I really don't enjoy facing. Elves suck. If I do come up against him I will have to play a bashy game and hope my blitzers and rat ogre have their claws sharpened. Will have to hope my bench gives me the advantage, if I get him down a few players I would feel pretty safe.

Strazos. Another tough match. This could come down to dice on bashing, with both sides fragile and easy to fall apart. I dislike the frenzy and will be looking to changeup my ususal line running strategy if I meet him.

Proudft. Possibly my best matchup, with my rats liking the slow moving khemri playstyle... but perhaps also the best player of the group, having proved the doubters wrong again and again. It could come down to kickoff events and the ability of my rats to break the cage. I really wish I had kick (STILL NO KICK!!).

[Ingmar]

Playing for 2nd place on the last day last season with a fresh team was "struggling"? No Christmas card for you this year, sir. 

[lamaros]

Playing for 2nd place on the last day last season with a fresh team was "struggling"? No Christmas card for you this year, sir. 

Considering that Teleku, Ice and Llyse are top of their groups and you and I are second, with Ezrast also making the finals, you can make a pretty good argument for Battletech last season being one of the toughest groups we've had.

But that doesn't spice up the finals, so I'm just going to go with you getting an easy run this time around after not making the grade before. 

[Ruvaldt]

On those I have played before.

I've played you plenty of times before, Lamaros!  In fact, your Dark Elf team and their AV 7-8 selves helped me build the Ex-Presidents...

As for my odds in the playoffs: I'm just glad to have finally made them, and to make second seed on top of that makes me a very happy camper indeed.  Especially with the first Chaos team to do so.  It's all gravy from here.

[lamaros]

On those I have played before.

I've played you plenty of times before, Lamaros!  In fact, your Dark Elf team and their AV 7-8 selves helped me build the Ex-Presidents...

I meant teams with my team. I think I played Megrim's elves in the feeder too.

[Falconeer]

The seeding works like this:

Groups: Bt, Ct, St, Tw.

1st Bt vs 4th Ct
1st Ct vs 4th St
1st St vs 4th Tw
1st Tw vs 4th Bt
2nd Bt vs 3rd Ct
2nd Ct vs 3rd St
2nd St vs 3rd Tw
2nd Tw vs 3rd Bt


The playoff grid will be as follow (anyone willing to make a visual version of it is welcome to do so):


Left Side, from top to bottom:

1Bt vs 4Ct

2Tw vs 3Bt

2Ct vs 3St

1St vs 4Tw


Right Side, from top to bottom:

1Ct vs 4St

2St vs 3Tw

2Bt vs 3Ct

1Tw vs 4Bt

[Ingmar]

EDIT: Disregard, see below!

[Sjofn]

Hey, are there two Tier Noob teams in the playoffs? Carnifex and Ulysses are both from that glorious tier, aren't they?

MAKE US PROUD GUYS

[Ingmar]

Does this look right?

[Ulysees]

Just seen my first match of the playoffs is against Andydavo, so not much chance of an upset methinks, but hey at least tier noob is represented in the playoffs and it's been a blast playing with you all this season which is the main thing.

[Ingmar]

I'm a little sad that I have to play proudft in the first round, since he is part of my COACHING TREE. The rest of those losers are all in the failoffs, too.

[Ice Cream Emperor]

Does this look right?

That depends -- did you make that in Excel? 

[Falconeer]

What's a coaching tree?

[Ingmar]

What's a coaching tree?

It's a term they use in American sports to describe the family tree of coaches who worked as assistants for each other etc., but I was just using it to mean 'people that are playing Blood Bowl here because I recruited them to the league or f13'.

Although really Fordel gets the credit since he's how I found my way here.

[Llyse]

Couldn't ask for a much better draw with Andy facing Ingmar's beardstorm or Khemri.

Also looking forward to seeing Megrim knock Lamaros the fuck out 

[lamaros]

I look forward to meeting you in the semis again, and kicking you out.

Douchebag!

[Llyse]

I look forward to meeting you in the semis again, and kicking you out.

Douchebag!

Who's the douchebag thinking he'll pass Megrim and Teleku/comstar to get to the semis? 

[lamaros]

Not me!

[IainC]

I look forward to getting beaten like a red-headed stepchild in the semis by IainC.

Douchebag!

Fixt

[drogg]

hmm. pretty sure i can take carnifex, especially with him down a saurus, but ICE is another matter.  go ezrast go!

[Teleku]

So this is single elimination now, correct?

[Llyse]

hmm. pretty sure i can take carnifex, especially with him down a saurus, but ICE is another matter.  go ezrast go!

The banter and rivalry is the best part of playoffs 

[Falconeer]

Single elimination, yes.

Anyway, I don't plan on twisting anyone's arm. But it'd be great if any of you with more graphical skills than me could come up with a visual representation of the playoff/failoff grid. I love that stuff. It's ok if no one makes it, but Nuffle will be informed.

[Comstar]

Wow my draw is very nice all the way to the semi-finals hopefully.

With two +1MV/Guard Blodging Blitzers out for my first game, I can either buy 2 loner blitzers, a wizard and a bloodwiser babe, or a reroll and 2 bloodwiser babes.

Both teams start with 11 players on the pitch, and while the Wood Elves have a treeman with Multiple Block, I have as many guard players he has ST 2, and he only 3 players with block and only 1 with tackle. The game might well come down to his leaping tackling strip balling Wardancers. I need to play close attention to the 2 Wardancers and 2 catchers, as they the only players on the wood elf team who actually do touchdowns, and only his thrower throws much.

[Sky]

Mmm...stripping wardancers...

[Teleku]