First tourney with Norse - Greenstone Cup

[Smeborg]

The weekend just past saw my virgin tourney with Norse, in Auckland, New Zealand, held most appropriately atop an "inn" (= local pub/family hotel). 18 coaches in the end, including a lot of new faces and 2 ladies. A little playtesting led me to the following roster (TV110 plus skills):

2 Ulfs with Block
2 Runners
1 'Zerk with Dodge
2 Throwers with Block and Leader
7 Linos
2 RR

GAME 1: Won 1-0 against Orcs (CAS: 3-2). A new and enthusiastic opponent. Orcs are always a worry for Norse, with that huge AV differential (a reason I took 14 players). Received, got an early CAS (Orc Blitzer), scored on turn 5. My opponent then started his first offensive drive with a Stun and 3 KOs. Somehow I managed to put just enough pressure on the ball to stop him scoring. In the second half, an Orc Blitzer with Dodge caught the kick-off, but I managed to put a lot of pressure on the ball. Meanwhile I got another 2 CAS (Bitzer and Lineorc), and by the end had surfed 2 Blitzers, meaning my opponent had no Blitzers left. I seized the ball and thought I would be able to score, but a rookie Lineorc sacked the ball with an uphill blitz, and the score stayed at 1-0.

GAME 2: Lost 0-2 against Pact (CAS: 0-1). An old foe. I made 3 "minor" positional errors in this game and was duly punished with a thumping loss. The game started very well, I got a Blitz! combined with a kick to the far corner. I pushed both Runners forward, allowing me to sack and stun the ball carrier (Lewdgrip) on my first proper turn, but the ball scattered favourably for my opponent. A long scramble ensued, my players flew into the dugout (5 or 6 of them), my opponent remembered to move the ball just in time, scoring on turn 8. I then had a one-turn-score attempt, which failed dismally (the first block was Both Down/Pow, re-rolled to Double Skulls, another player to the dugout). I managed to get 11 players onto the pitch for the second half, picked up the ball on turn 9, made a GFI with the ball carrier on turn 10, it failed (double 1), and 3 players immediately flew into the dugout. 0-1 down, with 8 players vs. 11, and with my opponent having caged the ball, the game was effectively over at this point.

GAME 3: Won 3-0 against Skaven (CAS: 0-0). A new and enthusiastic opponent, who chose to kick. I duly punished him with an 8-turn grind, then had to survive a one-turn-drive which turned into two turns thanks to a riot. In the second half, I manged to turn my opponent over twice, to score once with each of the Runners.

GAME 4: Won 2-1 against Orcs (CAS: 2-6). Orcs again (at least I only played Orcs twice, one hapless coach had to play against all 4 Orc teams). A new and enthusiastic lady opponent with a neatly painted team. I knew I would be in for a great game, and I was not disappointed. I kicked, my opponent failed the first pick-up, and I put immediate pressure on the ball, leading to a turnover score. On their first offensive drive, the Orcs started to mash me, but I somehow managed a shut-out. In the second half, I managed an orthodox running TD, but then got obliterated on the last drive, which saw a consolation score for my opponent. Probably a much closer game than my opponent realised.

GAME 5: Won 2-1 against Lizzies (CAS: 1-2). An old foe from my own club, indeed we had had a practice game 2 days before the tourney, which saw the same result. I kicked, but things went badly for my opponent, who failed to dent my team. I stunned 1 Saurus and knocked down a good few players, while blocking the ball from being moved forward. Another Saurus was Badly Hurt on a 1-die block, this helped a lot, after a long scramble I managed to get the ball and scored with quite a bit of luck at about the 3rd attempt (5/18 chance) on turn 8. The second half saw me with 11 players vs. 9, I took advantage and ground down the pitch, but was forced to score before i wanted to. My opponent scored back, and with 2 turns to go, I had only to secure the ball and keep it safe. Luckily I was alert to a Blitz, and deployed 6 men deep. The Blitz! duly came, my opponent swarmed the ball, then my Sure Hands Thrower failed to pick it up! Nightmare! I somehow survived when my opponent forgot he still had a RR remaining (I forgot too, alas, otherwise I would have reminded him), then for safety I picked up the ball with my Blodge 'Zerk. He survived the 4 dice of blocks on the last turn to give me the win.

GAME 6: Won 2-0 against Underworld (CAS: 4-2). A new opponent, but a very experienced and wily coach, who had occupied the first board for rounds 2-5 of the tourney. Expecting a hard-fought game, it was not to be. I received (a great toss to win) and immediately KOd 2 Linegobbos. Shielding the ball cautiously, I had to survive the depredations of Skitter, who was Stabbing away quite merrily (and quite effectively too). A failed Stab allowed me a Block, which CASd Skitter, making my job much easier. I isolated the Troll for most of the half, continued to put players in the dugout, and scored an easy turn 8 TD. A one-turn-score attempt by my opponent failed in comical fashion when all 3 players who might have picked up the ball were Stunned by a Pitch Invasion (I had +2 Fame). In the second half, my opponent was a player short (and Skitter and 2 Skaven were in the dugout IIRC). This helped me put pressure on the ball, my opponent was forced to take risks, they failed, I seized the ball, and held on for a turn 16 grinding score. My opponent had a few longshot chances to sack my ball carrier, they all failed. Whereas I could do little wrong in this match. My opponent finished with 5 players on the pitch and 10 in the dugout, including the Troll.

SUMMARY: 5 wins and a loss, TDs: 10-4, CAS: 10-13. I finished in 2nd place on tie-break, entirely fair as I would have had by far the easier playing schedule (I did not play against the coaches who finished 1st and 3rd). My last round win allowed a club-mate to sneak into 3rd place, which was nice. All my opponents were enthusiastic and very sporting, this bodes very well for the future of Blood Bowl in Auckland. I had a blast. The roster worked very well, it seemed very well balanced, every player played their appointed part, all the positionals were outstanding, perhaps especially the Ulfs.

[Edit: I forgot to mention that the "final" (deciding match at board 1) was Humans vs. Humans, a rare event! The winner succeeded at his 9th attempt with Humans in this tourney (in the other 2 tourneys he was not playing, being the organiser). My prize was very neat, a much needed Snow Troll figurine! Although I don't rate the SnoT, he can work well in some tourney formats or as a Merc.]

[babass]

i think you are talking about this tourney :
http://member.thenaf.net/index.php?modu ... ew&id=2171

Scoring W/D/L 4 / 2 / 1 or 0 - see info pack for details

it sounds incredible you were not playing on table 1 at the round6 after a 4/0/1 in a tourney with just 18 coachs (with such scoring system) !

edit: and the coach that won against you was not playing in the table 1 as well.

[Smeborg]

i think you are talking about this tourney :
http://member.thenaf.net/index.php?modu ... ew&id=2171

Scoring W/D/L 4 / 2 / 1 or 0 - see info pack for details

it sounds incredible you were not playing on table 1 at the round6 after a 4/0/1 in a tourney with just 18 coachs (with such scoring system) !

edit: and the coach that won against you was not playing in the table 1 as well.

The draw for each round was Swiss, using "Score". There were 4 coaches tied on 16 points after 5 rounds, thanks mainly to quite a few draws at top tables (the other 3 coaches had 3 wins and 2 draws each, I believe). I was bound to play my last round opponent as the other 3 coaches had already played each other. I was at a double disadvantage after my round 2 loss. Firstly I failed to get the 1 point for losing by 1 TD, meaning it was no longer in my sole control to win the tournament, I was relying on other results to go my way (such as a last round draw at the top table, which would have gifted me a win). Secondly it meant I did a "submarine" from round 3 onwards, with an easier draw than the leading coaches, thus I was bound to lose any tie-break (the first tie-break was the total of opponent's scores). I knew all this after the second game.

All in all, I have to say the draw system worked well and did what it was supposed to do. My hapless opponent in the last round suffered a similar fate to me, failing to get a point from the game, meaning that he slipped into 4th place, just off the podium. This was rough for him as he had been leading the tourney after rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, with Underworld, no mean feat (he drew in round 5 against the player who finished 3rd).

I played at boards 2,3,5,4,3,2 (out of 9), whereas from round 3 onwards, my rivals were all playing at higher tables.

I enjoyed the way the Norse played, quite slick, almost fluid. Compared to other teams, I felt I needed to be very alert to the match situation (presumably because Norse do not stall well, and are prone to sudden collapses in numbers, which can happen at any time). I will definitely play them again.

All the best.

[Smeborg]

The moment that decided the tourney was a classic. I did not realise at the time that it was the decisive moment.

I had finished my 5th round match, and was spectating at the top table (eventual winner against my last round opponent, who finished 4th). Humans vs. Underworld.

There was a prolonged scramble late in the game, with the score tied at 1-1, deep in the Humies' half. The ball popped loose, scattered into the crowd, who threw it to the Humie End Zone (near the middle). Skitter, from a position where he might have been surfed, dodged through a TZ to pick up the ball for the winning TD, but rolled a 1, failing his pick-up. He was then duly surfed, and the Humies held on for the draw (not without drama, their seeminlgy well-protected ball carrier was surfed too).

A good endgame to watch.