World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

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Smeborg
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World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

I will continue this short blog on Monday, after the tourney is over.

I'm in Amsterdam, the tourney starts tomorrow, it's 9 games over 3 days. It's a team of 6 event, I'm with Team ANZAC (I'm the NZ, the other 5 are from Oz).

Rules are TV110, 7 skills over 3 days, no skill stacking: 3 normal skills on day 1, plus 2 skills on day 2 (of which one may be a double), plus 2 skills on day 3 (one of which may be a double). No inducements apart from Halfling Chef and Gobbo Bribes.

Here's what I'm going with

Beast (Block day 2)
Warrior (Block day 1)
Warrior (Block day 1)
Warrior (Leader day 3)
Pestigor (S-Hands day 1)
Pestigor (Wrestle day 2)
Pestigor (Wrestle day 3)
6 Rotters (no skills - they die)
2 Re-rolls
1 Fan Factor

It was tough, I spent a couple of months playtesting other rosters, especially:

- Beast, 4 Warriors, 2 Pests, 5 Rotters, 2 RR (+AC/CL), and

- Beast, 4 Warriors, 3 Pests, 5 Rotters, 1 RR (+FF).

The first is just too slow and undynamic - I really feel the need for at least 3 Pests in any form of BB. The second is interesting, but without (say) 6 or more players with Block/Wrestle, the one RR just doesn't cut it (I have played very successfully with 1 RR, but that was with 7 x Block/Wrestle and 2 x S-Hands...). I will no doubt miss the 4th Warrior, but something has to give at this TV.

7 skills on 7 Regen players is neat. No wasted skills, Wrestle is always good in a tourney, especially on Pestigors. It is a toss-up between Leader and Block for the day 3 Warrior skill, but as I expect plenty of Blodge etc. by then, I will take the implied dynamism of a 3rd RR (seems very luxurious). Will also allow aggressive GFIs on that day. With 13 players, I expect to foul a lot (I seem to foul more and more in tourneys as time goes by...).

We are drawn against Team Brass from Belgium on day 1. A bit of an unknown quantity, it looks like I will play against CDs. Our team plays all of day 2 down the pub (sort of a home advantage...).

All the best.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

Game 1: 2-1 win against Amazons (cas 0-0) - at board 3

Game 2: 2-1 win against Necros (cas 3-1) - at board 2

Game 3: 3-0 win against Dwarfs (cas 1-0) - at board 1

Great start, team doing well too. Must rush, day 2 about to start.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by nazgob »

Congratulations!

Sounds like you're doing well - certainly better than me. Day 2 results?

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

Game 4: 0-4 loss to Skaven (cas 1-2) - at board 1

Game 5: 1-1 draw against Undead (cas 2-0) - at board 1

Game 6: 1-1 draw against DEs (cas 1-1) - at board 1
*****************************************
Game 7: 0-2 loss to Undead (cas 1-3) - at board 1

Game 8: 0-3 loss to Lizzies (cas 1-3) - at board 2

Game 7: 1-0 win against Skaven (cas 2-3) - at board 3
*****************************************
Overall results: 4 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

Results commentary
-------------------
The bare results do not show the full picture as this is a team event (80 teams of 6).

After the first 2 rounds, I was leading our team in results, and in consequence I played 5 straight games at board 1 (meaning I would play against the best performing coach in the opposing teams). This meant that I played against some of the better European coaches at times. While my results fell off after the first day, I managed OK at board 1. Even when I was losing or drawing, it meant that I was "taking one for the team", allowing others to play against less strong opposition. The stats are revealing:

At board 1 I got 1/2/2 (40%)
At board 2 I got 1/0/1 (50%)
At boards 3&5 I got 2/0 (100%)

We had a really good team spirit, and fought hard, winning 7 out of 9 rounds at team level:

1 win by 5 to 1
6 wins by 3.5 to 2.5
1 loss by 2.5 to 3.5
1 loss by 0.5 to 5.5 (I was the 0.5!!!)

In consequence our team ended up in 10th place out of 80 teams. A heroic and most satisfying result for all of us! This was my first team event, I loved it, and cannot wait to get involved in similar tournaments again.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

Some match highlights- day 1
----------------------------
Game 1 against a cute little Spanish girl with an Amazon team roughly translating as "The Randy Bitches". Opened the account with a somewhat risky (forced) passing play to the end zone. Won the game with a turn 16 TD (2 GFIs). A triple 1 for Foul Appearance at one point. Played most of the game with fewer players than my opponent.

Game 2 against Necros (Dutch coach). Managed to CAS both Werewolves on turn 2 (only 1 Regened). Won the game with a turn 15 TD.

Game 3 against Dwarfs. Managed to parked the Beast next to the ball carrier (Runner) on turn 2, Troll Slayer rolls 1 for Foul Appearance, re-rolled to a 1, then skulled the Blitz with the ball carrier. I overwhelm him and eventually scramble the ball home with a Rotter. With the Dwarfs taking risks as they are chasing the game, I end up with a 3-0 demolition victory. Near the end of the game I surf a Runner and scramble a turn 16 TD. At one point there was 1 Dwarf standing, I suck players into the scrum, leaving the Pestigors to roam free and control the pitch.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

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Match highlights - day 2
-----------------------
The main venue is a former "hidden" Catholic church (Catholics were persecuted and not allowed to practise their religion openly). A small number of teams overflow to the pub, where we spend all of day 2.

Game 4 = the match from hell. Playing against a top Skaven coach from Italy, I receive in a blizzard, suffer a Blitz result on the kick-off table, with the ball scattering to the front line practically into his arms. Amazingly, I recover the ball, but fail an essential GFI due to the blizzard, and the game collapses from there. Not only am I chasing the game now, but I suffer 7 double skulls in the match, plus multiple other failures. 0-4 defeat (because I chased a draw even when 0-2 down, for the sake of the team), but match decided on turn 1. [Edit: 6 out of 8 of my opponent's first armour rolls break armour. I stopped tracking after that, but a similar ratio was maintained for the whole match. Meanwhile I cannot break Skaven armour to save my life.]

Game 5 against Undead (Belgian coach). Undead are a power team in this tournament format, it's tough going, as I suffer another Blitz at the start of the match. On the back foot for the whole of the first half, I am unable to score, although in wild end to end play I at least stop my opponent from scoring.

Game 6 against a top French coach playing Dark Elves. The highlight of my Blood Bowl career. He receives and scores on turn 8, although I get several attempts to sack the ball carrier (the best at 50/50). All these fail, however. In the second half, I grind down the pitch at a painfully slow speed, nearly get turned over after a failed foul, lose a turn recovering, and fail to get near enough to the end zone. I discover near the end of the match that all 5 of my team mates have lost their games, so the pressure to save the honour of the team is immense. On turn 15 a heroic Rotter fouls a Witch Elf (no assists) for a stun (she was about to sack my cage). On turn 16 I have to penetrate a double layer defence - at least I have kept a precious re-roll for the attempt. I clear one player, and go for the dodge through - 4+, 4+, 3+ and GFI. I succeed to rapturous applause from about 30 spectators who have gathered round our table. My team mates are ecstatic and I get serious bragging rights as the only Kiwi who has saved the honour of 5 Aussies. [Edit: this is the top DE coach in the world, with a NAF ranking of 242. No wonder the cheers were so loud.]

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

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Match highlights - day 3
-----------------------
Game 7 against Undead (Belgian coach). This being day 3, it is a roster from hell: 2 Block Mummies, 2 Guard Wights, 3 Block Ghouls, 6 Zombies for 13 players and 3 Re-rolls. I kick and on turn 1 he gets 2 CAS, including my Warrior with Leader (who fails to Regen). Another CAS follows on turn 2 or 3, so I am playing with 8 men. I nearly stop him, though. The Beast ties up 2 Mummies for several turns, a Block Warrior does the same to the 2 Wights. I get a sack attempt on turn 15, but it fails. 0-1 down. Then, in the second half, I make a tiny positional error which costs me a TD. Even so, I recover the situation, and need only 2 GFIs to equalise. I fall over, and he recovers the ball. I fight hard, make life quite difficult for him despite my falling numbers, but the sack attempts fail, and he scores on turn 16.

Game 8 against Lizzies (Belgian coach). Another day 3 roster from hell - Block Kroxigor, 5 Block Saurus, 1 Break Tackle Saurus. So I am compehensively out-bashed and at a serious speed disadvantage. I get lucky on turn 1 (kicking) with an early turnover, and recover the ball in my opponent's half. However, a Rotter fails a dodge (with RR), thus I cannot protect the ball from a Saurus blitz. The game goes pear-shaped freom there, I suffer 4 double skulls in the first half alone. In the second half, the Beast is CASd on turn 1, I play badly (jet lag is catching up with me - 12 hours time zone difference between Amsterdam and New Zealand). In consequence I get thrashed, suffering a 3rd Blitz result at the end of the match. A couple of beers at tea time

Game 9 against Italian-coached Skaven. A glorious 1-0 victory in the canonical Nurgle style. I score a regulation TD on turn 8, survive the 1-turn TD attempt, and then trust to my defence. I suffer constant attrition, playing with 7 men by the end of the half. I apply pressure, eventually move a Pestigor forwards, forcing my opponent to move the ball forwards. The Beast goes ballistic, covers about 30 squares of movement during the half, puts 3 Gutter Runners in the dugout (2 CAS, 1 surf) and marks the ball carrier on several occasions. At the last ditch (turn 14), a rookie Rotter (Pip, no. 13) dodges and blitzes the last remaining Gutter Runner, gets a both down result, and stuns it (essential). With no Gutter Runners left, a Blitzer picks up the ball. My opponent burns his last re-roll on turn 15, giving me hope. The Beast puts a tackle zone on the ball carrier, who has to try and get away. My opponent takes a 4+ dodge for a second assist on the Beast. A one die Blitz by the ball carrier fails (both down), the Blitzer tries to get away from the Tentacles, succeeds, but rolls a 2 for the dodge, to bring a magnificent turn 16 last game win.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Da_Great_MC »

What a great tournament report! I absolutely enjoyed reading it. Respect for taking Nurgle to the World Cup and doing so well!

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by nazgob »

Fantastic write up, and a great result with a Tier 2 team. You guys did better than us in Team Chaos - we were 69th.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Axtklinge »

Very cool reports!

Thanks!
A.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

The stats get better:
-----------------------------
I was the only Nurgle player at the World Cup! (The only team not represented was Underworld.)

The average rankings by race for the tournament thus go:

1. Undead
2. Lizzies
3. Nurgle
4. Woodies

This confirms my view that Undead and Lizzies were the power rosters in this format. Managed to put Nurgle ahead of Woodies, though, har har.

The DE coach that I got a magnificent turn 16 draw against is the top ranked DE coach in the world, with a NAF ranking of 242. No wonder the cheers were so loud.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

Da_Great_MC, nazgob, Axtklinge - thanks for your kind words. We had a lot of fun and a great team spirit. Everyone had failures and successes at different times, with quite a lot of unexpected results, but all pulled their weight in the end.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

THE EUROPEAN STYLE
-------------------------------------
This was my first tournament in continental Europe (and I have only played one in England). All my opponents were European (3 Italian, 2 Spanish, 2 Belgian, 1 French, 1 Dutch).

I venture to suggest that there is a clear European tournament style, which is cautious, accurate and with a love of the clock. On offense they like to score on turn 8 (when sometimes they should do so earlier). They like a layered defense, and if they launch an attempted sack of the cage, it is likely to be on turn 7 (when it should often be earlier). This overcaution worked to my advantage in at least 3 games.

Nurgle appear not to be taken seriously as a tournament team, given that I was the only Nurgle coach out of 480. This suggests they are considered somewhere below the Stunty teams! I feel a European BB tour coming on...

All the best.

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Re: World Cup - Poetry in Motion - Nurgle

Post by Smeborg »

SOME NURGLE LESSONS
---------------------------------------
In the 6 games that I won or drew, the Runner Pestigor scored a TD.

Wrestle on the other Pests worked well, although a few times I got a double both down when I needed a push. All of my day 2 and day 3 opponents had Blodgers, so I would have been hard pressed without Wrestle. The Pests received a lot of attention, but generally survived.

The Beast was his usual Random Events Table Impersonated. He was poor on day 2, with at least 3 pure double skulls (after I had given him Block). A majority of opposing players escaped from his Tentacles, which was frustrating (even AG2 players such as Zombies did this with monotonous regularity, typically sacking my ball carrier in the process). In a couple of games he was outstanding, more or less winning the game on his own (games 3 and 9). Several times I used a Loner re-roll on the Beast - it usually failed. When he wasn't rolling double skulls, he became much more mobile and aggressive once he had Block (usually by taking Blitz actions).

The Rotters were excellent, doing their usual last ditch stuff when their elders and betters were "indisposed". A classic turn 14 sack of a Gutter Runner in game 9 was the highlight. Their fouling was, as a rule, quite poor.

The Warriors were solid. I suspect Leader and Block on the 3rd Warrior would have been about equally effective. There were some occasions when I missed the 4th Warrior, but not too many. A lot of games were improved by Foul Appearance on Warriors working. The Warrior without Block got 3 CAS (typical...).

Having a 13-player roster worked well.

The format is not too easy for Nurgle, really it is 6 points of TV short. But other races had their problems.

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