Bushranger Bowl 2011 Reports - Part One

Well, with an unexpected (but appreciated) day away from Gosford (I can't say Central Coast seeing where I am currently still is technically the Central Coast), I decided to take advantage of the quiet surroundings and catch up with my match reports, amongst other things.

Before I start with the reports from Bushranger Bowl, I was browsing through the list I keep of races that I have used at tournaments and in leagues. I'm not surprised that I have run more races in tournaments than I have in leagues. I have nine to go in NAF events, and ten to go in leagues, although I'm not too worried if I take more time to play all the races in leagues. With news that the Gathering of Might will go ahead in December, I can knock one more race off before the end of the year, the problem being which race to take? (I've narrowed it down to two – Chaos and Underworld Creepers.) If I could attend eight tournaments next year (and that is a distinct possibility) I could finish all 24 races in 2012. Of course I still have a few to purchase (Lizardmen, Nurgle and Chaos Dwarf) and two that need a small number of figures to be completed (Ogres and Underworld Creepers – though I can field an UC team with the goblins and skaven that I have already).

With an idea as to how the Newcastle League is going to run (once a month, at Wallsend) with at least seven players ready to go (five Novocastrians and two from the Central Coast) I'm thinking of trying the Pro Elves, seeing I'd like to get a bit of practice with them seeing I've decided to take them to Can Con. I've played against them enough and have seen how deadly they can be, but at the same time, I have also seen how brittle they can be as well. I'm looking forward to the challenge!

Right, onto the long awaited match reports for the Bloomin' Fairies, my Wood Elven “attempt” at Bushranger Bowl 2011. I must confess, I haven't been overly enamoured with the woodies in the past, and three games into the tournament I wasn't too impressed with them at all. But, after studying the results and the reports, and despite not winning a game, they didn't go that bad. I was more than competitive with them, and with an ounce more luck perhaps I could've won all seven games, rather than just coming away with three draws.

Just a reminder, I took six linemen, two wardancers, two catchers and a treeman. I also had three re-rolls and a fan factor of one. The chosen skills were Kick for a lineman, Strip Ball and Tackle for the wardancers, and Sure Hands for one of the catchers. Tackle, I must say, wasn't used that often, seeing the majority of my opponents were heavy hitting teams. However, when one created the roster one didn't know what they would be facing.

The most successful player on the team was a wardancer (surprise, surprise). Iolanthe scored three times, and registered one of the few casualties my team actually caused. In fact, the only player not to register any SPPs was Absinthe (lineman). Eight out of the eleven scored touchdowns, and three threw passes.

If I was to take woodies again, well, I wouldn't take the treeman. Flora only registered one casualty, was rooted to spot on a number of occasions, and threw enough double skulls (or both downs) to become quite annoying. True, it did draw a lot of attention, and saved some elves from getting thumped (giving them room to move with the attention drawn away from them), but in the end I feel I would've benefited from taking a thrower instead and a fifth skill, perhaps even work in a twelfth player or an apothecary.

Oh well, you know what they say about hindsight...

Okay, to the reports.

Day One – 24 Sept 2011

Round: One
Game: 647
Opponent: Gnome
Race: Dwarves
Result: Lost 1-2
Casualties: Lost 0-4
Fame: Opponent+1
Toss: Won - received
Starting weather: Fine
Kick-offs (in order): Perfect Defence, Change of Weather – Fine, Cheering Fans – opponent gains a re-roll.

I don't know if this is just coincidence, but I've drawn Gnome in the first round of tournaments so often now I really have lost track. (And it continued at MOAB too... ) And, there was no surprise when I saw that he had included a deathroller and Flint Churnblade. The only skill was Leader for a runner.

The perfect defence to start with was a pain, but it didn't turn out that bad, seeing the kick was poor and I ended with a touchback. I elected to run (and leap) the wardancers forward, with support, and Fauna (catcher) was eased up towards the halfway. The dwarves targeted Iolanthe, but the dwarven blitzer failed with his assault, allowing Fauna an easy opportunity to get within short pass range, and the wardancer accepted the pass to register the team's first touchdown for the tournament, on the second turn. It was costly, as I had used up two re-rolls already.

This, unfortunately, meant that the deathroller now entered play, and his first target was Flora. Maleficent (wardancer) was the next target on the restart, with Flint Churnblade taking a special interest in him. Maleficent survived the attack, then chased after the runner that had recovered the ball from the kick-off. The wardancer tripped over his own feet, allowing the runner to advance into a cage and down the left flank. Flint couldn't resist and attacked the fallen elf, but the referee sent him from the pitch before any serious damage could be done. Merryweather (catcher) then lost his footing as well in trying to get to the runner, Sugar Plum (line elf), was then knocked-out, and Tooth (line elf), my kicker, became my first fatality for the tournament, after he was smacked hard by a troll slayer. Absinthe then had a turn to attack the runner, making the hard dodge, but failing badly with the block. Tinkerbell (line elf) was next, badly hurt by the other troll slayer, whilst the runner advanced with his posse to the goal-line. Titania (line elf) then managed to succeed where the others had failed, and brought down the runner, but couldn't stay on his feet either and was knocked-out for his efforts. The runner retrieved the loose ball, surviving a failed assault by Fauna, who in turn was crushed by the deathroller, ending his game. Thumbelina (line elf) somehow managed to make a daring dodge and go the extra yards to at least get to the runner, but a lurking troll slayer cut him down, knocking him out, allowing the runner the easiest of walks to the end zone, and to equalize right on half-time.

The second half wasn't going to get any better for the elves of the woods. They kicked deep, then the dwarves continued where they left off in the first half. Flora was the first to go, knocked out in a gang foul. Merryweather weaved his way through the line, and launched himself at the runner, only succeeding in pushing him back. Absinthe then started across to help the catcher, but his feet betrayed him and he hit the ground face first, and finished the game wearing a neck brace. Maleficent leapt over a corner of the cage and hit the runner, but only forced him back. A troll slayer then took the opportunity to frenzy him off the pitch, then Iolanthe pushed him off the pitch, after having survived a fouling attempt from a blocker, who was sent off for his efforts. Iolanthe in turn was pushed off by the second troll slayer, with the crowd on all three occasions was terribly lenient with them. The remaining four elves were quickly disposed off, and with no opposition to worry about the dwarves took their time scoring the winner.

Round: Two
Game: 648
Opponent: Grimrod
Race: Wood Elves
Result: Lost 3-5
Casualties: Lost 2-4
Fame: Opponent+2
Toss: Won - received
Starting weather: Fine
Kick-offs (in order): Change of weather – fine, Change of weather – fine, Perfect Defence, High Kick, Throw a rock – Merryweather badly hurt, Riot – turn counter advances, Throw a rock – Iolanthe stunned, Cheering fans – opponent gains a re-roll, Change of weather – fine.

My first woodies on woodies clash! Facing a treeman with Grab, and a wardancer with Frenzy.

It was the shallowest of kick-offs, with Fauna having to recover the ball right on halfway, with an opposing player standing right over it. Maleficent weaved his way down field, shepherding Merryweather, who raced into the end zone, and was in perfect position to take the pass from Fauna to give the Fairies an early lead. The response though was almost instantaneous. With some expert pushing, a catcher was able to sprint down-field through the defence, closely followed by the ball. The pass was on target, and the game was tied up. [Turn 2]

Despite the opposition's defensive re-organisation, Tinkerbell decided that he didn't really like one of the opposing wardancers, and king hit him, giving him a rather serious injury. Fauna scooped up the ball, but with Flora deciding to take root, and Absinthe failing a dodge to close the cage, Fauna was subsequently flattened, the ball bouncing nicely for an opposing catcher. Maleficent made sure he didn't get too far, leaping over a prone player and smashing into the ball carrier. Tinkerbell was thwarted trying to pick the ball up by an opposing player, and with Absinthe elbowed out of the way and needing to be stretchered off again, an opposing wardancer weaves his way through and retrieves the ball. Iolanthe doesn't give him much time with it, and Fauna chances his arm, and flings a beautiful long bomb down field, which is caught by Sugar Plum, who races into the end zone to give the Fairies back the lead. [Turn 5]

The restart is well caught, and Maleficent charges through, but his attempt at tackling was pathetic, and he eventually wakes up in the koed bin with an icepack on his head. Tooth loses his footing trying to get through to the ball carrier, and with defenders sprawled all over the pitch, the opposing catcher saunters in to equalize for a second time. [Turn 6]

Merryweather's game is suddenly ended with an appearance by the rock sniper, and with Flora swinging wildly, overbalancing and falling over, Fauna finds himself without many friend in his half of the pitch. The surviving opposing wardancer races through and coat-hangers him. Tooth desperately tries to get back to recover the ball, with both wardancers in passing range, but is tripped up, and a lone opposing line elf wanders through, recovers the ball, makes the extra yard and gives his side the lead at the main break.

The scoring resumed not long after the riot. Maleficent, knocked out by his opposite number, had to leave it to Iolanthe to leap over the defence and floor the thrower. Despite two opposing players nearby, the wardancer recovered the ball, dodged past them, and was off down field. Sugar Plum and Tooth raced through to give him some cover, whilst Flora made a rare contribution and knocked another line elf senseless. The opposing wardancer about faced and charged at Iolanthe, who stood his ground. He then trampled over the top of a line elf that got in his way, and raced into the end zone to tie things up again. [Turn 3]

The game was pretty much over as a contest in the next drive. With the rock sniper striking Iolanthe, and Tooth committing suicide after failing yet another dodge, the elven thrower had little to bother him in retrieving the ball, handing it off to an unmarked catcher who runs in virtually unopposed. [Turn 5]

With only six players left on the pitch, the Fairies were going to find it difficult to mount any effective challenge to at least snatch a draw. Sugar Plum retrieved the ball off the kick-off, but was overwhelmed and lost the ball to an opposing catcher. Iolanthe though offered some hope, leaping, dodging, then shoving a catcher off the pitch, who was subsequently beaten half to death by the crowd. The ball was chucked back onto the pitch, but retrieved by an opposing line elf, who charges down-field. Sugar Plum and Thumbelina dodge past a number of defenders but cannot bring down the runaway player, and he dodges clear to run in a fifth touchdown for his team. For the hell of it, Sugar Plum gets some catching practice, and hasn't the time to do anything else as the full time siren sounds.

Round: Three
Game: 649
Opponent: Shasta
Race: Skaven
Result: Lost 3-4
Casualties: 2 all draw
Fame: Equal
Toss: Won - received
Starting weather: Fine
Kick-offs (in order): Cheering Fans – I gained a re-roll, Blitz, Brilliant coaching – both gained re-rolls, High kick, Pitch Invasion – Rats 2 down Elves 1 down, Change of weather – fine, Blitz.

Ah, matches against Shasta are always fun and this one was no exception! His side contained a rat ogre with Break Tackle, a blitzer with Strip Ball, another with Tackle, a blodging gutter runner, a runner with Tackle, and the special star player for the day, Nedd Killy, a slow moving player with a blunderbuss and Hail Mary Pass.

It started badly for the elves. Tinkerbell threw an awful block, taking himself and his opponent out in the first tackle of the game. The rat ogre charges through to attack Fauna, cleaning him up, and somehow managing to snatch the bouncing ball as well. Maleficent desperately tries to bring him down, but tears a hamstring going for it and his game is over. The big guy goes nuts seeing there is nobody around to hit, and with a catcher and a gutter runner colliding nearby, the rogre pushes aside the sole defender, breaks away from him, and charges in to score. [Turn 3]

To compound the issue, the rats blitzed off the kick-off. However, it was a short-lived advantage, as the rogre collided with Sugar Plum, knocking him out, but falling flat on his back as well. Fauna was able to retrieve the ball, and the elves managed to get their act together and get into a scoring position. Fauna handed the ball off to Thumbelina, who raced down-field. However, Merryweather failed to get past the rogre, Thumbelina was brought down by a blitzer, and Tinkerbell was knocked out by a gutter runner. The skaven couldn't press their advantage, allowing Fauna an opportunity to charge down-field, recover the ball from the feet of a surprised rat, then dodge away and head for the line. The rats were unable to halt him, but did surround him. It was to no avail. The catcher stepped in-between two defenders, then away from them and tie up the score. [Turn 7]

The rats responded immediately, with a quick pass flicked to the blodging runner, who darted through the line. Flora tried to get herself involved in the game, but overbalanced and crashed to the ground, but at least managing to knock a rat out. It was no consolation to the team, for the rat they needed down walked in to score unopposed and retake the lead right on half-time.

With the heavily armoured Nedd Killy (3-3-1-10, Loner, Secret Weapon, Stand Firm, Hail Mary Pass) striding onto the field (he was a free Star Player in the tournament for humans and halflings, but 50,000 for everybody else), the elves were needing a bit to go their way. Nedd obliged, by dropping the kick-off, then failing to recover the spilt ball. Fauna couldn't do much better, despite Titania pushing the skaven thrower aside to give him a better chance of grabbing it. In turn, a rampant gutter runner pushed Fauna aside, the thrower retrieved the ball, handed the ball on to a second runner, who dashed off down-field to double the lead. [Turn 2]

Despite coming off the better from the pitch invasion, then Iolanthe getting the ball from a touchback, the comeback was stymied by Flora again overbalancing, but this time taking the rat ogre to the ground with him. Titania managed to single out a linerat for special attention, ending his game prematurely. Iolanthe took the chance and leapt over the defensive line and hared into the open spaces in the skaven half of the field. The cover defence cut him down, and Tooth was slain by a vicious blow from a blitzer. Then, it was a simple matter of the thrower retrieving the pigskin, flinging a short pass to an available runner, who caught it despite having an elf interfering with his attempt to catch it, he dodged clear, then went the extra yards to register the rats fourth point of the game. [Turn 4]

Despite all hopes of victory gone, the elves wanted to make the scoreline respectable. Tinkerbell flattened a rat out of the way, allowing Fauna a chance to get forward, using Flora as cover. The rogre though ignored the tree, and went after Fauna, smacking him down. The rats couldn't retrieve it, but Merryweather made a mad dash, dodging past a number of rats, scooping up the ball then handing it on to Thumbelina, who dodged to the side, then away from the rat marking him, chanced the extra yards and reduced the deficit to two. [Turn 6]

But there was still time for one more point. The kick-off was shallow, and Iolanthe was able to contest the catch with a line rat. The rat spilled the catch, but the wardancer couldn't snatch the dregs, dropping the ball in front of him. There was a further scuffle for the ball, and it was Iolanthe who came out on top, pushing aside the rat, scooping up the ball, then racing down-field. A gutter runner chased after him, but just as it was about to grab the runaway elf, it pulled a calf muscle and fell to the ground, and the elves finished off the game with a third touchdown to make the score look quite respectable.

Round: Four
Game: 650
Opponent: Alan G
Race: Wood Elves
Result: 2 all draw
Casualties: Lost 0-3
Fame: Equal
Toss: Lost - received
Starting weather: Very Sunny
Kick-offs (in order): Brilliant coaching – both gained re-rolls, High Kick, Change of weather – fine, Change of weather – fine, Change of weather – fine, Change of weather – fine.

The second woodies clash of the day at least saw the side register some points. Their opponents were fielding a thrower with Accurate, two Strip Ball wardancers, and two line elves with Block.

Both wardancers started the match with consecutive runs down the pitch, leaping over stubborn defenders and finding the empty spaces in their opponent's half. They were quickly joined by two line elves. Fauna retrieves the ball and advances cautiously up field, seeing Flora has decided to take root in the middle of the pitch. An opposing wardancer then leaps and charges at Fauna, but the attack failed and the catcher manages to get away. With the nearest available target being Absinthe, Fauna darts through, but the line elf inexplicably drops the ball. The ball bounces to Sugar Plum, who does hang onto it, but only until he is stunned in a two man hit. Absinthe and the wardancers flatten the nearby defenders, allowing Fauna to retrieve the ball. However, an opposing wardancer strikes him from behind, and the catcher is temporarily pushing up daisies. A line elf takes the opportunity to retrieve the ball, but the attempted long pass for a possible score is fumbled, allowing Iolanthe a chance to shoulder charge the elf off the ball, step clear of another defender but then fumble the ball. An opposing wardancer then has a crack at a pass, but he fares no better and drops it as well. Absinthe, still trying to make up for his earlier fumble, blitzes the wardancer and sends him reeling, giving Tooth the opportunity to scoop up the ball, flick it onto Maleficent, who runs in unopposed for the opening point. [Turn 5]

With the kick-off being shallow, Maleficent notices an opportunity to get at the thrower with the ball. He charges at the line and jumps, but lands poorly, allowing the thrower to easily advance down-field. Iolanthe then has a go at the thrower, but he too makes a poor attempt at the leap, leaving the thrower to run it in for an equalizer. [Turn 7] What little time left in the half doesn't give either side a chance to try something, and with some cloud cover reducing the glare, the teams troop off the field locked at one apiece.

The restart is again shallow, and is caught by a line elf on the left flank. Thumbelina darts through to get next to the line elf, and Maleficent takes the opportunity to attack, this time leaping successfully, then stripping the ball from his opponent. The ball bounces straight back to him, but he can't hang onto it. He is then unceremoniously pushed off the field, but the crowd is fairly lenient with him, and only knock him out. Titania returns the favour, dodging, then making a concerted effort to shove the elf off the pitch, just as he picks up the ball. The crowd show no favouritism, and knock him out as well. The ball is tossed down-field, prompting Sugar Plum to make a dash for it and he goes the extra yards to retrieve it and put himself in a scoring position. It doesn't last long, the cover defence catches him and drag him down, and then, just to make sure, a line elf lands a killer blow on Thumbelina and that's a second KIA. Titania though manages to weave her way through the defence, pick up the ball, then makes the extra yards to break the deadlock. [Turn 4]

The opposing side decides to take full advantage of their superior numbers, and after Titania is ganged up on and seriously injured, and Absinthe is knocked out, they opt to go to the air, with a short pass going straight across the pitch to a freed up wardancer, who charges down-field. Tooth moves in to attack the wardancer, but is tripped up trying to get to him and falls flat on his face. Merryweather is next to go, knocked out by a line elf, then Tinkerbell trips over to trying to charge down the wardancer. As the wardancer takes his time, Sugar Plum manages to hit him. He crashes to the ground, knocking himself out in the process, but the plucky line elf can't get to the ball. With only four Fairies left on the pitch at this time, the second opposing wardancer strolls through, picks up the ball, and the match is tied once again. [Turn 7]

The match ends soon afterwards. Absinthe throws a clumsy block at a line elf and the pair fall to the pitch in a bundle of arms and legs. The referee calls time, and both sides are relieved to get off the pitch with the points shared.

* * *

Well, NAF tournament number thirty was not looking too good at this stage. Thankfully, there was a slight improvement on day two, which made sure that I didn't finish up with the wooden spoon.

Seeing I have other things to get done before heading off to Sydney for my second SLOBB match, I shall finish my report here for the time being. Ciao!