[Wood Elf] Monsters of the forrest

[coachman]

I went to Strongbowl on the 13th so I thought I would fill you in on How I did.

I took Woodelves in a 1100TV league, all named after sesame street monsters

2 Wardancers
2 catchers
2 throwers
a tree
4 lineleves
2RRs

I figured I would have an accurate thrower and a leader if you were wondering why 2 throwers.

Round 1 I could pick a skill before knowing my opponent. I took strip ball on the WD and ended up facing humans.

I scored in 6 turns after a lot of stalling, I then set up wrong. I was too close to the line so when he got quick snap he flattened most of my elves and made the 2 turn score, admittedly with a lot of dice. That was a wake up call so I tightened up my game and the second half won comfortably 3-2.

I then took tackle on the other wardancer and pulled goblins. He chose to kick so I ground out a 7 turn scoring drive as my tackle dancer made a mess on the pitch, the tree sent off both trolls. This forced him to bring his saw on for 1 turn, he failed the throw team mate. Second half I kicked and held him back (He gianed both trolls back. He defended the ball well but I freed him up and scored after 4 turns sending the fanatic off too. I easily took the ball back for a decisive 3-0 win.

I also won a spot prize for 1st TD and got a sweet looking goul as loot.

Next was 2 skills so I took leader and kick pulling norse. IT started with a blitz and a short kick where he surfed a wardancer and surrounded the ball. He injured my players turn after turn. The tree went, 11 for armour, 12 for injury, off. The rest of the team soon followed. A failed a leap with RR to score so he scored in turn 8 instead. I started the second half kicking with 6 elves in pitch. He failed to cover the ball but I fell over GFI to pick it up. I got 2 hits on the ball carrier but could not free the ball.

Lost 2-0 with only 4 elves on field the last score.

I then played a half for someone who was ill (woodelves) against chaos dwarves. I started turn 8 1-1 score line (and strangely no injuries and an unused apo). Head fried i blew my 1 turn score with a blitz that wouldnt even start a chain push... SEcond half I kicked and was more together. My defence was great, I pushed him against the sideline and surfed a few dwarves. I turned him over and scored on turn 8 for someone elses 2-1 win.

Day 2 and I could pick another skill. This time a rolled a double on a catcher so I took guard and drew... Chaos dwarves, same coach. He could cause injuries this time but I scored turn 6 and buried him in his own half. After half time I put up good D but he scored turn 8. I then put together a 1 turn score with 7 elves for the 2-1 win!

Next up came the woodelf team I stepped in to coach on Day 1 (I gained 2 more doubles, block on the tree and guard on my second catcher). I got 2 injuries early and blew her out of the water from then on winning 4-2.

1 match left I am 4-0-1. There are a few people in contention to win Hawca (who I came with and gifted me my woodelves as a wedding present) is 3-1-1, the norse coach is 4-0-1 (Hawca beat him 4-1) and some lizards are also in contention for the final match. All to play for.

I drew podfrey and his dwarves (and sure hands my last thrower) He chose to kick and I play like orcs, caged thrower pressing against a very strong D. I split my team and spread him thin allowing me to get my cage behind his D. He pressures me and I score giving him 2 turns to score which he does!

2-1 grind is now up for grabs.

Second half I kick deep and he plods up field, I stay infront of him but heis smashing me up. Running out of time he Makes a GFI with no RR and falls. This lets me counter attack, I get 4 pushes on a RRd blitz but he then falls again on a GFI allowing me to clear the ball for a 1-1 draw I felt lucky to take.

I finished 4-1-1 second, won a trophy and 8 sweet looking half naked elves, most of a team there. The norse coach won his final game for 5-0-1 and first.

The strong bowl was brilliant. I was most impressed by the dwarf player podfery, Ive not played a dwarf player that solid on cyanide, or anywhere else. He really deserved to win our match. Everyone was great, there were a few of the team England and team wales coaches there so there was a good standard of coaching. Roll on next year. I ad an awesone time.

[Netsmurf]

congratulation on the result, did you roll dice for the skill ups?

[bintz]

Sounds like a really cool tournament!

How did the skill system work?

[Grumbledook]

very nice showing there coachman

I know podfrey very well and been to lots of tournaments with him

he is most well known for being an amazon coach and was #1 in the NAF rankings with them for ages and dwarfs play in a similar fashion, so no surprising you found it a tough game (he has won the chaos cup, the dungeonbowl and lost the final of the blood bowl and been on the england eurobowl team every year)

bit surprising that you picked sure hands for the last match though? sounds like you don't know who you are facing before picking skills, but the last game on the top tables you can have a good guess at what race you may be against, I would have thought block or wrestle may have been more useful?

[coachman]

it was pick skills before the match draws and you roll with doubles allowed but no stat increases.

it was 1 skill at the start, 1 after MD1, 2 after MD2, 1 after MD3, 2 after MD4 then last skill after MD5.

Initially I was planning to have a leader thrower and an accurate thrower and play a similar game as my cyanide team, hang back with the thrower then pass. I soon found I was running loose cages up field and handing off with my throwers so sure hands seemed better than accurate. I made 2 passes all weekend and one of those was when I stood in with someone elses team.

I thought I'd be playing Hawca last match and he had rats so I thought SH would help me keep the ball from gutter runners and let me collect the marked ball.