Third match in NOBBL

Though it was hard, I have just managed to tear myself away from an entertaining game of Angband (http://rephial.org/). For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a PC game, put in the category of “Rogue”-like games. Basically, the Rogue-like games are low on graphics, yet high on playability. Graphics are generally replaced by letters or symbols (ASCII) as are items and characters. Angband though has a windows version, where the ASCII symbols are replaced by little sprites.

I'm just getting back into them, having downloaded a whole pile of them last month. The beautiful thing about these games are that they are free, and generated by a community of programmers. They're also quite enjoyable. Sure, there are a lot of commands to familiarize yourself with, but if you want to waste an afternoon wandering around dungeons and beating up monsters (like I very nearly did) and aren't too fussed about the quality of the graphics, then give it a try. A couple of sites you can learn more or download games like this from are Rogue Temple (http://www.roguetemple.com/) and Rogue Life (http://rogue-life.ourden.org/).

Okay, now having gotten that out of my system, time to move on to another match report. Last Saturday (December 3rd) myself and the Babster journeyed up to Wallsend again for the December meeting of the Every Games Guild. Like the first meet, there were six players in attendance again, but due to our late arrival (and the later arrival of player six), and another player playing something else, there was only time for us to play one full game each. (Myself and Babs did start a second each, but have to finish it off at a later date.)

For the second round match, I was paired up with the organizers son, who demonstrated a) that he had some ability with the game, b) wasn't afraid of being adventurous (like throwing long bombs with Ag 2 players), c) and fouled whenever he got the chance! He didn't have to do too much of the latter, seeing he was regularly breaking AV 7 and either knocking players out or injuring them often enough.

Game:668
Opponent: Elih C
Team: Small & Powerful (Dwarves)
Result: Won 3-1
Casualties: Lost 1-3
Toss: Lost - kicked
Fame: Me+1
Initial weather roll: Fine
Kick-offs (in order): Cheering Fans (I gained a re-roll), Quick Snap, Change of Weather (Fine), Change of weather (Fine), Throw a rock (Blocker stunned).
Incentives: Dwarves got 70k worth, took a Bloodweiser Babe.

The dwarven side needed the services of a journeyman blocker for this match, seeing he was seriously injured in the previous game. One player had gained a skill, that being a blitzer, who had taken Mighty Blow.

The ball landed nicely for the dwarves, practically on top of one of their runners, who didn't waste any time picking the ball up. The dwarves also didn't waste any time taking to the elves either, as Summer Clearance, then Helvetica Bold (line elves), were koed and stretchered off the pitch. Ariel Black (line elf) struck back, dodging through the line and going the extra yards to attack the runner with the ball, but could only force him back. She was soon flattened and stunned by the other runner, but the ball carrier didn't get much of a chance to advance when the journeyman swung wildly at Carrie Oakey (line elf) missed, fell badly, and was badly hurt for his troubles. This allowed Paige Turner (line elf) to charge through and have a shot at the runner, but again, could only force him back. Much to her surprise though, rather than dodge clear, he hurled the ball down-field, which went within a whisker of bouncing back to a blitzer way down the other end of the pitch. Ruby Tuesday and Dot Com (line elf) forced him away from the ball, allowing Catherine the Above Average to scoop it up, then fling a short pass to Amber Alert (blitzer), who took it cleanly and raced off down the left hand side of the field. The dwarves went after her, and also took the opportunity to take out Katherine Gorge (thrower) as well, knocking her out. (She would take some time to get back onto the pitch too... ) Amber, with the line in sight, charged at the troll slayer, pushing him back, then stepped clear of him. With the elven supporters cheering her on, she reached the end zone, but inconveniently got a bad case of leg cramp and went down in the end zone. The ball rolled into the bottom left hand corner of the pitch. A troll slayer came stomping in, fully intended to lay in the boot, but it only glanced off her armor. Amber got back up, and tried to grab the ball right next to her to score the point, but was tripped up by the slayer, and the ball rolled diagonally backwards. The troll slayer then focussed his attentions on Catherine, and hit her a couple of times, cracking a rib. A dwarven runner then ambled down the pitch to retrieve the ball, and elected to hurl it back down the pitch to a blocker, but fumbled the ball. Ariel was in a useful position to go after the ball, whilst Amber blitzed and pushed the unsuccessful runner off the pitch. The crowd was very lenient, and only repeatedly slapped his back until he made it into the dugout. He soon had company, as Amber targeted the troll slayer and forced him off the pitch, as a dwarven blitzer throws a clumsy block at Ariel, and falls flat on his face. The slayer though, despite the ministrations of the Bloodweiser Babe (well, maybe because of them) didn't want to come back onto the field just yet. Ariel took the opportunity to dash for the line, but suffered the same problem as Amber, falling down with the end zone right in front of her. The ball rolled in that direction. With time almost up, a longbeard gave Dawn Service (line elf) a good going over, finishing her match just before the main break. Ariel gingerly got back to her feet, stepped into the end zone, and with a huge sigh of relief from the coaching staff, managed to pick up the ball and register the first point of the game.

With only one elf managing to recover in time to return to the pitch, the Drag Queens were in a little trouble, starting the half with only eight players on the pitch and that was even with the reserve Bridgette of Madison County (catcher) starting the half. (Thankfully, the dwarves only had nine.) Whereas the first half was a rather tight arm-wrestle of a half, the second half was free-flowing. With the elves getting right into the dwarves faces at the restart, Amber and Summer were able to flatten the dwarves on the left flank, allowing Ariel a clear run down the pitch. Ruby tried to go with her, but was tripped up by a blocker, the same blocker in fact who charged after Ariel, and dragged her down. Bridgette then arrived on the scene, kicking the blocker away from the ball, allowing Ariel the chance to get back up, recover it, and charge for the line. However, the dwarves weren't going to allow the elves to score that easily, and a rampaging blitzer smacked into her, knocking her flat on her face. Amber replied with a backhand swipe at the dwarf, flattening him, and with no one else around, grabbed the ball and stepped into the end zone to score. [Turn 3]

With both sides getting a koed player back onto the pitch, the dwarves were hell bent on scoring quickly. The ball was kicked deep, much to the annoyance of the runner who had to dash back to get it. The other runner, was making his way towards half-way. Bridgette couldn't believe her luck that the runner was so close to the sideline, so she charged straight at him. He saw her coming, dropped the shoulder, and she went down like a sack of spuds. Paige was the next visitor to the casualty ward, after being thumped by a blocker. The runner down near his end zone had managed to retrieve the ball and head back up the other way, electing to hand the ball on to the troll slayer. The dwarven runner, with Bridgette on the turf in front of him, has a kick at her and misses. She gets back up and tries to push him off the pitch, but he grabs an arm and drags her down instead. The slayer decides to impress the Bloodweiser Babe, and goes for a little run, then lobs a short ball down the pitch to a blocker, who easily takes the catch. The elves are surprised, and try to stop the play, but Carrie gets knocked out by a blitzer, and Amber, after dodging her way through the dwarves, gets an elbow to her face for her troubles when she reaches the ball carrier. Ariel tries to halt the blocker, but he succeeds in stepping away from her, and with a concerted effort, steps into the end zone to lessen the gap. [Turn 6]

The elves are a little worried around about now, with seven players to start the next drive, and the dwarves on the rampage. However, the restart from the bearded ones was poor, and Amber was given the opportunity to put the game away. With the ball safely in her hands, she charges forward, pushing aside a blocker, then dodging away from another. Dot tries to cover her back, but is tripped up, and she knocks herself out in the process. The dwarves hare after the elven blitzer, but only succeed in forcing her closer closer to the line. In the end, the dwarves couldn't do nothing to stop her, and with time running out, Amber steps away from the dwarves for her second, and to put the game beyond doubt.

In the little time there was left, a representative from the rock sniper's guild made an appearance, stunning a blocker with a well thrown half-brick. Ruby was to finish the game nursing an ice-pack on her head, whilst Helvetica was quite relieved when the referee sent a blocker from the pitch from laying the boot in on her. He then looked at his watch, thought that was close enough, and signalled full-time. The elves are quite relieved, seeing they have finished the game with only six players on the pitch, and hardly any of them were standing.

It was a good game for the elves, the third game in a row where they have scored three touchdowns. The winnings were great, 80k, but not quite enough to replace the blitzer that they lost in the first match. They also gained a point of Fan Factor, and Amber picked up her second skill, Strip Ball, whilst Ariel got her first, Kick. Even better that there were no lasting injuries, so all twelve were ready to take to the pitch to take on the Underworld Creepers side in the next league match.


Well, the last tournament of the year (for me) takes place this weekend in Chatswood. I have already settled on taking an Underworld Creepers team to Gathering of Might, and look forward to marking them off my list as well. They will be number sixteen, with only eight more of the official sides to go after that.

Who knows, if I have a good run next year (finance wise), I might knock all eight of them off.

Cheers!

P.S: A quick mention, the second Feudball book has been well and truly started. I have completed the first drafts of chapters 1, 3, 4 and 5, and have started on chapter 6. I'm hoping to at least complete that chapter before heading away for xmas.