I expressed a wish for a reasonably fair match dice wise before it started, but sadly Nuffle was not in that mood. Fortunately I played against a sympathic opponent which eased my suffering.

The match started badly for No Escape with Daedran the Shapeshifter niggling out, got worse when the opponents got a perfect defense and the thro-ra missed the pick-up, escalated at a painful pace when my 2nd mummy was out (RIP but regen), Shardaz still missed the pick-up and the team was decimated down to 8 players who were cut off from each other by the burly orcs and peaked when my 3rd mummy got niggled by an orc lineman without block and failed the regen roll. To add to the absolute terror of things the match was not even past turn 4.

By turn 5 the honorable Meltyman stated "I've seen many shit games...but this really is one of the lamest."

After the peak in T3 the luck started stabilizing, but not enough to prevent a real cake walk for the orcs and No Escape ending the half with just 4 players remaining on the pitch. I don't think I could have done anything to prevent the outcome, which in a way makes the frustration worse. I don't mind being outplayed, I have no illusions of being a great coach, but dice jobs are out of my own control.

Thanks to fortunate regen and KO rolls No Escape could muster a full 11 man line-up in the 2nd half, but with only 2 mummies, 0-1 for the orcs and them starting with the ball things looked grim.

The 2nd half started a lot like the 1st, with lousy blocks. The hired cannon fodder Lucky got his arm snapped off on the LOS in turn 1, but then something changed. For a few turns No Escaped played like a real team. Kherrok put some players out and managed to blitz the orc thrower, sending him and the ball scattering in different occasions. With an AG 3 skeleton parked behind the opponents defensive line they at least gave themselves the chance. It failed, much due to firm standing orc Belcher managing to tie up several of the key players during those crucial turns despite getting repeatedly 2d blocked.

Apparently the luck meter, this marvelous tool of accurate judgement, decided that all difference dice wise was compensated now. Fortunately Meltyman didn't. His attitude towards the game really saved me from degenerating into the whiny baby I sometimes become when I get hit like this.

When the khemri didn't take their chance the orcs did. A single block and a fortunate scatter achieved what a whole team effort had failed for No Escape and the ball bounced to Benji the thrower who could run it to safety and score in T8.

Congratulations to the win, Meltyman, and good luck in the final as well!

For No Escape a rebuild period awaits. Two niggled mummies is not acceptable and they need to be replaced. Fortunately Haaben the Spirithunter got the MVP and rolled a double on the skill roll. I now have two blodging blitz-ra's!