Blood Bowl match report: Vongolazthag Violators versus Nightcrawlers

 A last moment addition to my calendar, I finally got to play David, a bloke I now for 20 odd years, in our Blood Bowl league.

 

He fields a Vampire team, but a streak of bad luck in his previous game left him with the red lantern (discounting the gnome player that only showed up for 2 games).

 

Not only that, but his team is currently in shambles, resulting in a rating of only 920 versus my 1610 (as I miss one Stabber today, pity against the armour 8 thralls) and I had 2 Hobgoblin linemen fired from the roster (Huey, who had a -1 on his PA and Duey who ran around with 2 nigglings, while neither acrued any SPP so far).  This meant he still had a LOT of inducements which he spend on Luthor von Drakenborg, Akhorne the Squirrel, a Cheerleader and 2 Bloodweiser Keg's.

 

And I better win this, as the Lizardmen team hopped over me again, pushing me back to 9th after while he lost, he did get the bonus point for causing more then 3 casualties, something I definitly also need to aim for in this game! Should I be able to win this game, and then not lose in the direct qualification game against the lizardmen team The Villains in two weeks, the boat should be safe in the harbour.  But let's try and pick up that ball first...

 

I kicked off the first half, and of course the ball ended immediatly in the hands of the Vampire Thrower after scattering on my half.  

 

The Vampires immediatly started to push,the Vargheist knocking over Tothrit Lavafor, but luckily only stunning him after breaking through his armour.

 

Carven Loreflame took revenge for this insolence though, immediatly removing Akhorne as badly hurt in a hard block.  That is one star player taken care off!

 

The bull centaurs moved up on the flank where he had his ball carrier, trying to plug the gap as Hot Milky Nipples knocked over the Vargheist. 

 

However, after passing and hypnotising my players, one of the Vampires got past my defensive line and on his way to the end zone.

 

 But a quick reaction of my team took him down halfway there, preventing an early touchdown for the vampires.

 

The ball ended up with Count Luthor however, and that will be a whole other affair to get it back from...

 

Even with a more bravery then brains block from a Hobgoblin against the nobleman of the night.

 

But Cochones Grande made it back in time as Bloodlust caused a turnover on the vampire side, and with collective effort they knocked the star player down.

 

Luey, recovered from his insane block, went in, actually picked up the ball for once, and decided to leg it as far away from those dead guys as possible!  With the whole side cleared by the team, it was a long but open road to his end zone, so we just needed to keep them at bay.

 

Escorted by both the Bull Centaurs, the Hobgoblin started his long run towards the other side of the field.

 

And on the tones of Bull Chariots of Fire reached it uncontested, to score the 1-0 for the Violators at the 8th turn.  I didn't even tried a block left or right, just get that goal in!

 

The second half was set up, and now he had the ball scatter of the pitch, allowing me to put it in the hands of The Raging Trainwreck.

 

Who had sadly set up a bit further into my half, as I wanted his Sure Hands around to have a chance of picking the ball up. 

 

We immediatly started to force open the field on the left side, his Vargheist kept in check by Hot Milky Nipples, though we didn't manage to break the monsters armour, his Bloodlust really played up in this game.

 

 However, we did manage to KO none other then the Count himself... when a dagger slid under his armour.

 

 With most of the Vampire team now bowled over, The Raging Trainwreck started his move towards the broken open side of the field.

 

 And while the rest of the team tied up the Vampires, he went on a sprint towards the end zone.

 

A lone Vampire tried to stop him though, but fell over on his going for it even with a re-roll, Father Hashut smiling on the Violators today. 

 

And taking no chances in blocking, The Raging Trainwreck crossed the line and scored the 2-0, which should be enough to take the win for today!

 

His KO and injury box had filled nicely, but thanks to his kegs all the KO players duly returned for the next drive.

 

 Both teams set up again, and as a kick off result we both received bribes to be used this game.

 

 The Chaos Dwarfs tried to hold the line, because should they be able to keep this result, they would score an additional point in the league rankings, and we need each and every point we can.

 

 The Vampire thrower moved up with the ball, the Violators trying to make a solid wall to keep them at bay.

 

Locking in the vampires as a result behind a wall of armour 10 and block, the left side was closed up tight, the Vargheist spending most of his time prone.

 

But Luthor got the ball passed to him, and as a Vampire Blitzer had sneaked through thanks to his gaze, the count handed the ball back to him for the score.

 

 With only two turns for me to go, I had to try something, and it was time for a pure epic moment...

 

 Cochones Grande stormed in, and with a one die block bowled the Blitzer over, making him drop the ball.  The Bull Centaur dodged onto the ball, and picked it up!!!  That's both pick up attempts today a success!  Now all he had to do was, well, survive the Count next to him.

 

 Of course, for every epic moment, there is the moment Hot Milky Nipples screws up, and with a both down result against the Vargheist managed to injure himself in my final activation, missing the next and all important game for the qualification against a lizardman team with 6 Saurus and a Kroxigor...

 

In a desperate last ditch effort to get the ball and try to score, the Vampire thrower tried to dodge away from my blocker... but failed.

 

And thus ended the game, a 2-0 victory for the Violators, though I didn't manage to get that third casualty unfortunatly.  Still, that is 4 points gained today and for now elevating me to 7th in the League ranking.

 

Tothrit Lavafor was elected MVP, and that meant of course it was time for some random skill rolling.   And those actually went pretty good, with both The Raging Trainwreck and Ragnoth Karadras obtaining Mighty Blow, Thotrit Lavafor adding Pile Driver to his skill list, and most importantly, Luey getting Frenzy.  Those Skinks and Halflings that I still need to face can expect a foam frotting Hobgoblin coming their way!

 

Now to get myself a vampire model and paint it in grey armour for the trophy unit, and start working on a plan to face the high strength, high speed team of Lizardmen.  If I can hold them to a standstill, the qualification will be secured, if not it will all come down the wire in the final games.  The Shambling Undead are out of contention to threaten me, so it is the Humans who still have 3 games on their calendar and virtually equal with me now, and the Lizardmen whom I will remain one point in front off minimum after our game in two weeks should I lose.  

 

It's going to be close, but I think tonight's victory has gotten me through the League phase, though to close for comfort seen over the whole season!