ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Crookwell Green Devils Conference LXXIX
Game 5: Klazam's Lizardmen "Blood Crag Stripes"
A skink hunt! I felt really confident going into this one. Is there a better skink hunter than an Ag5 leaping tackle mighty blow wardancer?
Dan Dan got 3 skinks. However they had skink reserves, and at the end of Lizard T15 (2-1) the sprint skink was still in range to score and tie it up.
Dan Dan soon put pay to that idea. Hit the skink, secured the bounce, and stood back waiting to pass it for a T16 score.
Huge mistake not dodging Viola the guard star catcher out of the way. I thought by staying put Dan Dan would be better protected.
She died. And some nice chain pushing by Klaz meant Dan Dan was hit anyway. And fouled.
But the crowd were not to be denied their T16 score. They threw the ball beautifully.
Final Score 3-1 (3/0/0 - 1/1/1) |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Crookwell Green Devils Conference LXXIX
Game 6: Ball2000's Khemri "Didgeridead"
Again? These guys have been stalking Bravado. Four seasons in a row we've ended up in the same pool. The wood elves have not fared well. 0/1/2 going into this one.
Having lost two Tomb Guardians, I felt that if ever Bravado were to take the win, now would be the time. I expected Ivan 'The Animal' Deathshroud to show up, but instead I faced a double dose of chainsaws.
First drive Khemri recieved. Bryce was the first chainsaw to take the field. Wood elves departed painfully (2x KOs, 1 injury, 1 death), Khemri less so (1 sent off, 1 sent to reserves, and 1 KO).
The elves tried valiantly to screen them out, but by Didgeridead's Turn 8 it seemed there was an easy path to score. A 2D push and 2x gfi. Or 2x 2D pushes and one GFI. Easy.
Surprise!
Nothing much surprises me in Blood Bowl anymore. Unlikely fails are frustrating. Snaked gfi to score, meh. Triple skulls, yawn. Seen it all before.
Five boneheads in a row? With enough dice it's got to happen to someone eventually.
Maybe attempting an unlikely play and it coming off can be surprising. But I guess any feelings of surprise in those cases are overwhelmed by sheer glee.
So if the dice can't surprise, what can?
Risking the send off to foul the Tree was a bit surprising.
<ramchop> wow
<ramchop> not scared of this ref at all then?
<ramchop> what??!!
<Balle2000> not scoring :)
Choosing not to score - now that was a Surprise!
If he had scored and Khemri's single KO didn't return. Then Hack was going to be forced on, and both chainsaws could be gone for the second half.
The situation going into this game was Khemri was on 7 points from 5 games and the bottom placed Elves were on zero. Only the bottom place gets relegated. If Didgeridead forced Bravado to score early then they could quite probably grind up for the draw and have fun destroying elves in the process. And most likely stay up in conferences.
I don't know, it surprised the hell out of me. Maybe instead of overanalysing it and speculating, I could just ask B2K.
Second half the wood elves' KOs returned, and stalled out for a T16 win. Even risking a dodging TG sack, and multiple boots on precious pixel Dan Dan, to wind down the clock.
"You didn't deserve that win", said a spectator after the game. I disagree. In a contest between two coaches, if one makes a questionable decision, is that less worthy than Nuffle intervention?
Final Score 1-0 (0/1/1 - 0/1/1) |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Crookwell Green Devils Conference LXXIX
Game 7: ClayInfinity's Dwarf "Blue Mountain Giants"
My promotion to Prem already secure, playing now for the shiny silver trophy. Needed a win to take it outright, or a draw to beat the Chaos to it on h2h tiebreaker.
Final round game against the Season 76 Prem Champs. The dorfs haven't been doing too well this season. Only two wins... both against elves. I'd be happy with a draw.
First drive Bravado received and tried to stall as long as they could. Forced to score T5 giving the Giants with their Ag5 runner (yes, Ag5!), three turns to level it before half time.
DOUBLE SKULLS
The first was a rather innocuous one on the dwarf line of scrimmage. However this meant no reroll for the pick up, the gfis, or the handoff to the Ag5. Catch failed, scatter awesome. Wood elves swarmed the ball. If I was really chasing the win, I may have tried some elf bs to pick up the ball in 3 tzs.
With 5 elves next to the ball the Giants needed to force a good scatter. They forced a scatter, and the target Dan Dan wears on his back became even larger when it bounced into his hands.
After some nice blocking, the way was clear for the blitz. Dan Dan was hit, with mighty blow, but his Av5 armour held. The Ag5 dodged his way in, and picked up the ball.
8 steps away from the end zone, all that was needed to stop the score was a push. Assist dodged into position (reroll burnt on the dodge), Dan Dan needed to succeed in leaping, and a 2D hit.....
phew.
Half time 1-0
Second half: dorf grind, woodie screen
Full Time: 1-1 (0/0/1 - 1/0/1)
A draw. But it felt so much like a win that I was surprised when the reroll winnings window didn't pop up. |
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Popcorn
Joined: May 12, 2006
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  Posted:
Dec 14, 2019 - 21:51 |
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I just wanted to acknowledge how awesome your reviews are. Superb! |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Premier League LXXX
Game 1: JPM's Underworld "Styx αnd Warpstones"
Here's my pretty pair. Dan Dan, and his protégé Volos Jonasson. Volos has a little bit of work to do to get to the level of Bravado's superstar.
Here's JPM's pretty pair. Erebus is pretty much at his master Salamoneus's level already. What a shame he wants to retire.
First drive Bravado received. Managed to hold it together until near the end of the half when player losses got too much. Made it to 7 turns without the ball carrier getting hit. I could've tried to stall until Turn 8, but felt with the 2-headed horned dodger there was a good chance that'd end in sadness. Volos Jonasson scores.
So, 2 turns for the underworld to equalise. Ball in range of Dan Dan, or try to deal to the 4x receivers in range of scoring. Went for the ball. Ag5 dodger for the assist, Dan Dan with the wrestle.
Crap. Half time 1-1.
Unlike the first half, the second was full of ball sacks
Sack 1: Dan Dan on thrower Yay!
Sack 2: Erebus, dodge 3+, dodge 2+, on catcher boo! -ma BOO!
Sack 3: Wrestler on Erebus boo! rr BOO!
Sack 4: Volos Jonasson leaping away from Skitter and on Erebus Yay!
Sack 5: Erebus on Volos Jonasson BOO!
Attempt. Dan Dan, leap, and 3x 2+ dodges away from Skitter all shadowed. Meant the last dodge for the sack was a 4+ [3] dodge rr [2] BOO! (and shadowed again). Let me remind you what an arsehole Skitter is.
Down to 4 elves, easy stall?
Sack 6: Volos Jonasson on Erebus YAY!
Sack 7: Salamoneus on Volos Jonasson BOO!
A silly side step onto the ball made it easier for Skitter, turning a 3+ pass into a 2+ (he rolled [3] anyway). Catch score BOO!
Two turns to score. Big pass to Dan Dan behind a flimsy screen.
Sack 8: Salamoneus on Dan Dan OOH! rr BOO!
Ball bounces to the Ag2 legend, in a TZ [6] BOO!!!!!!
Game over?
Sack 9: Volos Jonasson on Salamoneus boo!
Game over.
No wait! Volos Jonasson has strip ball! How did I not know that? A few dodges from a tackler and a pickup. It's possible. Not to be.
Final score. 1-2 (2/0/0 - 2/2/0)
That was supposed to be one of the easy ones. Post game there was a bit of discord chatter about the attempted sack with the shadowing Skitter. Far better for Jonasson to sack with the strip (but I'd forgotten about strip).
However, it was Sack 3 where I really screwed up.
Strip ball wardancer in range! But even before that, the catcher could have run back out of range of a Sack 2, and regrouped.
So, while grumpy immediately after that awesome game. After the replay, I'm less grumpy. I'm in a poop patch in fumbbl at the moment (1 win from 12 games, and that was against flings). But better play in this, game 12, could have ended in a different result. Onwards and upwards! (I hope, Prem is hard) |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Premier League LXXX
Game 2: BeefyGoodness's Chaos "More Food for Thawt"
How doth Nuffle tease me? Let me count the ways
ONE
I came into this game with a wizard. Maybe best to keep it in the pocket as a threat to make them score early. But elves in range, let's break that cage and get the ball. Wizard was awesome!
Ag5 lineelf was not awesome. Pickup [1] rr [1]
Half time 0-1
TWO
Bravado had equalised then pressured the ball carrier in chaos territory
That catch! [5] If I'd followed up, it'd have needed to be a 6+. Dan Dan scared of following up next to a tackler? Chaos brutalised the poor elves in response (Ag5 niggled, Dan Dan badly hurt)
THREE
Only 5 players left. And a tentacled cow tying up the wrestler. Nevermind, a simple 2+ dodge to cancel assists, then in with the wardancer for a 1d strip
Simple dodge [1] rr [1].
Final score. 1-2 (0/0/0 - 5/1/0)
Really struggling for results at the moment. I felt I played well that game. Beefy played solidly, no dodges or gfi for him the whole game. Not a huge Nuffling, but enough to tilt the key plays. I'd usually be OK with this, but 14 games 1 win? I'm having trouble finding the joy in FUMBBL at present. |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Premier League LXXX
Game 3: Faulcon's Undead "Immortalis Inquietus"
Turns 1: Great!
Turns 2: Not great... Okay
Turns 3: Not great... annoying... Okay
Turn 4: Bad
From then on I struggled.
Final score. 0-2 (0/0/0 - 3/1/0)
I've decided there are three broad classes of coach in Fumbbl.
A-grade: Usually win, rarely lose. They can often avoid the loss even when Nuffle is against them
B-grade: Knows the game, and can compete. They earn their wins, but struggle to avoid the loss when the Nuffle is against them
C-grade: Need Nuffle's love.
In SWL most of the A-grades reside in Prem. With 5 of 8 demoted every season, you'll see them in Conf regularly, but not for too long.
B-grades live in Conf. Sometimes they'll pop their heads up into Prem, but the stay up there is generally short lived. With Nuffle's love they may even snatch a title on rare occassions.
C-grades live in Reggies. They share this space with redrafters and quite a few B-graders, but I believe the long term goal is a rejig so that there is only one Regional division, and 3 conferences. C-graders simply don't make it to Prem, ever (well not until they evolve into B-grade anyway)
Obviously choice of race has a big influence. However with my results with a top tier race I think I'm clearly a B-grader. It's just too tough in Prem.
Only two cas and two TDs in the first three rounds. With an impoverished rebuy, Conf is going to be tough next season too. |
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Timetis
Joined: Mar 31, 2014
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  Posted:
Feb 09, 2020 - 15:57 |
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I don't play in this league, but I enjoy reading your posts and gifs: ) |
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Felix17
Joined: May 23, 2019
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  Posted:
Feb 14, 2020 - 08:40 |
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I think you might be being a bit hard on yourself mate. From what little I know of Prem, it's tough You've made it there quite a few times now, you must have something going for you, you don't wander in there by accident... |
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ArthurWynne
Joined: Sep 23, 2015
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  Posted:
Feb 14, 2020 - 11:18 |
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I was about to say the same thing, if you're B-grade then I think you need more grades.
For example, I'm pretty clearly B-grade by your metric here but you're definitely more experienced than me, and your results bear it out. |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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Let's have a little talk about Nuffle Points. It's a term I use when referring to the love Nuffle spreads around. Nuffle is all powerful, Nuffle is a tease, Nuffle often is a right [CENSORED]. One thing Nuffle is not, is unbalanced.
Have a play with dice. I've played coming up to 1500 games. At a conservative estimate of 100 d6 rolls a game that gives me 150,000 dice rolls. Plug those dice rolls into a spreadsheet, hit refresh multiple times and watch the results. 16% across the board, never over 17%, never under 16.4%. Sure there's the monkey typewriter argument, roll a billion billion times and one set of 150,000 might show up the odd surprise. But I'm sure I'm not one of those surprises.
So if the luck evens out, then how do we justify terrible runs? Clearly it's a sample size thing. Across my 150,000 rolls (coach-wide) let's assume things are in balance. Across Bravado's (65 games) (~6,5000 dice rolls) things are probably in balance too. But focus things right down, this season 3 games (430 rolls), or even further this season 8+ Av Rolls (28% for, 48% against) and the anomalies pop up. Or of course the timing of Nuffle's love, that key gfi for example (very small sample size).
And Nuffle Points accumulate. It's like a bank account, Nuffle Points earned in one game can be spent in another (sadly you don't get to choose when). Nuffle Points borrowed for one game must eventually be repaid. What Nuffle taketh from one team's season, Nuffle giveth in another's. Maybe I should rename this blog from "ramchop takes on the Southern Wastes" to "ramchop smashes it in the Deserted Isles"
Early days, but flings will take their small glories when they can. |
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Foad
Joined: Sep 02, 2007
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  Posted:
Feb 15, 2020 - 01:17 |
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That DIBBL pool of coaches look awfully similar...
I can see a few there that I would class as A graders. I don't think there are any C's there either.
I have great faith you can win your next one. |
_________________ They see me Trollin', they hatin'...
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Premier League LXXX
Game 4: Tomay's Orc "[adult swim]"
A-grade coach, the only one to have won SWL with 4 different races. Yeah, I wasn't about to turn my slump around against Tomay
Turn 3:
Wood elves are fast. The orcs may have overcommitted down here, looks like a good opportunity to run up and around, and get some go forward against slow orcs.
Step 1: Bring in some assists and take down that Black Orc
Step 2: Run up and around
Step 3: Knock something over with the Tree and get a TZ on that other Black Orc.
or maybe... do Step 3 before Step 2. Trees never stuff up.
Such an amateur move. Soooooooo, stupid. And really there was almost no advantage in doing it in that order even if the Tree hadn't stuffed up.
I deserved to pay for that. And I did:
But with a bit of Nuffle-love, the elves got the ball back.
If up and around isn't going to get me there, how about up the guts? Straight though the middle?
That move really put Bravado in charge of the drive.
Half Time 1-0.
And then Nuffle-love just got silly. Blitz! Score. Blitz! Run back and hide.
Final Score 2-1 (0/0/0 - 2/0/0)
Lorax was killed on 171spp
New Fish made it to 167spp before CRP was dissolved and SWL rebooted under BB16
Would I ever get a SWL legend?
Yes! |
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ramchop
Joined: Oct 12, 2013
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SWL Premier League LXXX
Game 5: Danish_Dan's Wood Elf "Sakh'Alin Tigers"
Danish_Dan's wood elves came into this game with a phenomenal record. 18/1/1. On a 14 game winning streak, and clear favourite to take the season 80 title.
I enlisted some help for this game, I hope it's not cheating:
"Heads or Tails?", said ramchop
"Tails", said daughter of ramchop. She always says tails. The question has been asked over 100 times, and tails has been the answer every time. She knows that after answering she'll be left alone, and get no conversation out of me for at least an hour (sometimes this is good, sometimes this is bad). And will often hear a quite bit of swearing.
Tails was the result of the coin flip. An advantage for my game plan, which was to use my mighty blow edge (his tree was mng) to destroy Bravado's wood elf kin.
Block lineman , pushed (had dodge)
Block lineman , prone
Blitz from Dan Dan
Then it was left to the useless tree to have a go. Two cas in 18 games (74 blocks). Badly hurt!
That started something horrendous. Nuffle points cashed in bigtime.
Final score 3-0 (2/3/1 - 0/0/0)
There was only one thing that could have prevented Dan Dan's retirement at season's end. He needed 8spp in his final 3 games to equal Gillian Starshine, SWL's record holder for the Wardancer position. With 4 cas and a completion Dan Dan got there in one. |
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