I wanted to try a concept team out for this particular NAF tourney. I heard about this team build from someone that tried it out at chaos cup and I rode an uber with.

My team for the tournament is Tomb Kings.
I have 4 Guard Tomb Kings, 2 tackle Blitz-Ras and 1 Leader Throw-Ra. 12 total players, 0 team rerolls, 2 coaches and a Halfling Chef.

Game 1 Tomb King mirror match with Ghorgrix.

His team has 2 Guard Tomb Kings, 1 tackle Blitz-Ra, 1 mighty blow Blitz-Ra and 1 Leader Throw-Ra, and he is inducing Wilhelm Chaney, and has 2 team rerolls.

He wins the toss and elects to receive. I steal 0 rerolls, and he gets a high kick which Chaney catches. He proceeds to march down the south side of the pitch, but I can get pressure on him. He must move a Tomb Guardian off of the ball a few times, and one of them skull reroll skull into a turnover. I am unable to capitalize when I roll a both down on the subsequent block on Chaney. He elects not to use wrestle and the ball bounces perfectly and he picks up the ball in an open square and scores on turn 7. This means I theoretically could score with 2 turns, but his setup mean I must clear the middle and hope for some crazy luck to get into the center of the pitch for a 2 turn score. I proceed to roll triple skulls and on his turn 8, with me a bit out of position he can injure a skeleton, no regen. My turn 8 I can return the favor and injure a skeleton, no regen. However, it doesn’t matter much with the end of the half and each team able to field 11.

Next kick, I steal zero rerolls again, though I managed to win a brilliant coaching, and at least have 2 rerolls for the half. The kick ends up in my endzone, and I have quite a trek to run it down. On my third block of turn 1 I roll double skulls with a blitz-ra and I elect to use my brilliant coaching reroll to get a knock down. I would need that reroll later… Attrition seems to start with me losing 1 skeleton then 1 blitz-ra, though I can remove a skeleton, and able to foul and remove Chaney after he wrestles down a skeleton. I attempted to break free up the northern flank. After some rushes and dodges and a 2 die uphill block, he can get me into a compromised position. I need to make a few 1 in 9s then a 1 in 6 to get a blitz on a blitz-ra and free my ball carrier. Sadly, I burn my last reroll on a 1 in 9 but do get a key knock down on a tomb guardian and set up my blitz with the ball carrier and get double pushes, which after his successful dodge the previous turn gives me a ball carrier in range to score but tied up. To open his turn 6 he does a 1 die blitz with a blitz-ra to set up a 1 die on the ball carrier, he gets the knock down and the scatter is perfect for him, in two tackle zones. On my turn I set up a 2 die to attempt to get the ball back and roll both downs against a blitz-ra and injure myself. He surrounds the ball and dares nuffle to take the wheel, and it almost happens. I 2 die uphill a tomb guardian pow/pow. I blitz a blitz-ra with a blitz-ra 4+ dodge, works, 1 die, both down… dodge into 3 zones works on a 6 but then I roll a 1 for the pickup. It would have needed a 4+ and a 2+ to tie, but it is not to be. I lost 0-1.

Interesting stats from the game. Single dice rolls he rolls 13 times, the lowest he rolled all game was (1) 3, all the rest are 4+ (92%). My dice rolls, 21 single dice rolls, and I roll (7) 1s, and 8 of my 21 rolls (38%) are 4+. I had more successful blocks 35 to 29 and broke armor 10 to 12. Of those blocks he had 7 rolls of 8+, I had 4.

On to round 2 against Xteme’s famed 40 Miners dwarf team.
12 player roster with 2 guard blitzers, 2 mighty blow slayers, 2 guard lineman, 2 runners, 1 death roller and 3 naked linemen, and 2 team rerolls.

He wins the toss and receives; this time I steal 1 reroll. Turn 1 he stuns 2 players and kos a tomb guardian on a frenzy trap blitz but doesn’t need the second block. This leads to a numerical advantage that helps the dwarves stay one move ahead the rest of the drive. The death roller manages to bog down 3 to 4 tomb king players at a time, which also helps (mistake on my part for sure). After we mark the ball carrier with a tomb guardian on turn 6 and no rerolls for either side it is looking somewhat promising. However, a series of good blocks 2 die and 1 die variety and a couple of rushes lead to a 2 die blitz on the tomb guardian freeing the ball carrier. After doing all the important things in the turn the tomb kings attempt a 5+ dodge to mark the ball carrier and fail. Dwarves scores turn 8. 1-0. The death roller is argued for successfully so the 7 strength monstrosity will remain for the 2nd half because we were not able to remove a single player on the opening drive so he can remain in the dugout. The turn 8 kick gives a time out! The tomb kings will need some luck, but they may be able to get a score this half. Opening block, 3 dice with a tomb guardian, all both downs. The 1/27 strikes and ends the opportunity. We foul and injure a player, on the real turn 8 but are caught in the process.
2nd half starts 11 on 11 again. This time we give a sacrificial skeleton to the death roller, and we steal two rerolls! So the 40 miners play the entire 2nd half without a reroll.

The kickoff result is officious ref, and one of the tomb guardians were arguing, but not sent off thankfully. This guardian was the planned blitzer, so it threw off the results of the turn. After a few blocks the dwarves have made good headway and are in position to threaten my ball carrier. I take a risk and move up the north side of the pitch, and he marks the ball carrier, and knocks down the tomb guardian, guarding him with a 1 die block. I stand up and blitz the tomb guardian and manage with a reroll to knock down the slayer freeing the ball carrier. After marking all the players needed, the throw-ra sprints toward the dwarf endzone. He fails his first rush, reroll fails again! The turnover and things look bleak. However, after a successful blitz the dwarves follow up on a blitz they shouldn’t have and need to rush to get out of the way of the runner and fail! Now it is a scrum for the ball. After a few turns of positioning, the tomb kings arrange a 3 die block to free up a throw-ra. Pick up and score on turn 7. Leaving 2 turns for the dwarves to answer. The death roller finally gets tossed, and the kickoff is caught by a lineman, so the dwarves have a real chance. They send a blitzer down field to act as a screen for the ball carrier, and the 2nd rush fails. With no chance to score the game ended with a tie 1-1.

Interesting stats from the game. Tomb kings out block the dwarves 61 to 41. Successfully block 34 to 28, and break armor 8 to 11. Each team rolls 8+ twice. Both teams failed 3 rushes, tomb kings attempted 7 while the dwarves attempted 9. Tomb kings rolls most 1s again on single dice, but the distribution is more even, and we see 11 rolls of 4+ out of 24 total rolls (46%) with 5 (1)s. Dwarves roll 21 single dice rolling 4+ 12 times (57%).

Game 3 against deurbroucq’s pro elf team.

Roster is 2 blitzers with dodge, 1 catcher with dodge, 3 with wrestle, 1 thrower with leader, 1 thrower with block, 1 lineman with kick and 3 naked linemen, rounded out with 2 rerolls.

The elves win the toss and elect to kick, after setting up they lose 3 rerolls. They still have their leader reroll, so really, they only lose 2 but the kings have 4 for the drive. They will not need them. Brilliant coaching is rolled and is a tie, no one gains a reroll. The tomb kings fail their first pickup attempt which could have spelled disaster; however, the elves spend their only reroll on a failed rush, and setting up a screen to take over the ball if the kings fail again. The tomb kings blitz the weakest spot in the screen, a dodge catcher with a tackle blitz-ra knocking him out. Then they proceed to pick up the ball and cage the throw-ra down the pitch. The elves attempt counter play but without being able to reroll anything (tackle players marking dodge players frequently) the elves fall and fall more. The King fouled and seriously injured a wrestle catcher and get caught. However, the apothecary is used, and it works! This might be the high point for the elven match. By turn 8 the elves one player left upright on the pitch, 6 laying down, and the tomb kings waltz in for the score. On turn 8 of the first half the elves attempted to assassinate a tomb guardian with a blitz and a foul but failed both armor rolls. The ref takes pitty on the pathetic attempt and does not throw the lineman out.
2nd half starts and the dodge catcher comes back in. So, it is 8 on 11. Another kick, another brilliant coaching, this time the Kings win and grab a reroll. The elves only lose 1 to the cooking this half and have 2 to play with. After getting the ball and falling back a bit, the elves look for an opening to score. The tomb kings with numerical superiority attempt to extend that superiority by fouling a downed blitzer and getting the ko, while being tossed out in the process. The elves then proceed to hand off to a double marked catcher who doesn’t care with his nerves of steel and dodges out and way down the south part of the pitch. However, the elves use both rerolls thinking they have the catcher out of harms way. They are wrong. The Kings do a 3 die block and chain push a throw-ra free. Then with 2 rushes from a guardian, and 2 rushes from the throw-ra they throw a 2 die blitz and not only dislodge the ball but knock the catcher out as well. The ball bounces into the wrappings of a tomb guardian. With this unknown talisman in its possession the tomb guardian rumbles down the south side of the pitch for 6 more turns. Withstands 2 separate uphill cage dives and rumbles in for a turn 8 score. Score 2 to Nil, Kings.

Interesting stats from the game.
The Kings rolled zero single die 1s, but only rolled a 4+ (which is what the kings need most of the time) 8 of 20 attempts (40%). The elves rolled 53 single die rolls, with 10 (1s) and 25 4+ rolls (47%). The Kings threw 42 total blocks to the elf 10. They had 29 successful blocks to 5 successful blocks, breaking armor 22 times to 2 times. They got 8 8+s, and the elves both times they broke armor removed the player going 2 for 2. The Kings attempted no dodges and succeeded in all 5 rushes. While the elves did 37 dodges failing 8 and failed 2 of 9 rush attempts.

Game 4 vs HouseBlackFyre’s Darkelves

Standard build for the dark elves. 4 dodge blitzers, 2 block witch elves, and 6 naked linemen with 2 rerolls.

I win the toss with rain in the forecast. I elect to receive getting a quick snap and steal 3 rerolls. I was unable to get someone underneath the ball but did have a few players around it when turn 1 started. After a few successful blocks on the line, getting a stun I did a 3 die blitz garnering only a push. I carefully positioned myself and failed to pick up the ball. The dark elves immediately went on the offensive and were in my backfield quickly. This time I was able to pick up the ball and got into a pseudo cage. However, that cage wasn’t good enough and I was blitzed 1 die fortunately pushed. After that it was a slow slog into scoring range. I did surrender 1 more hit on the ball carrier after some crafty dodging and a timely knock down. This was 1 die into a 2 uphill. All pushes but now I am 9 squares from the endzone with 2 turns left in the half. He surrounds my ball carrier with blodgers, and I only have 1 tackle available. After some blocks and pushes I can remove all but one player from the ball. I must blitz needing only a push (remember this, it happens a lot this game) and roll both down and skull. The ball pops free because I don’t have block on the throw-ra. The next turn the dark elf coach attempts to blitz to get a blitzer in scoring range for his turn 8 and rolls a skull. Remember no rerolls this half for the dark elves. So, then I push and block players off to attempt a hand off for the score. I need a 5+ with sure hands and a 5+ and a 2+ rush for the score. I pick up the ball and the hand off is a 1. After an ineffective blitz on turn 8 the dark elves went into the half tied 0-0 with me.

2nd half, I forgot to mention I caused a casualty (lineman) and 2 kos (witch elf and lineman) in the first half. Only the lineman returns, so the dark elves are down to 10 players for the half, and down a valuable witch elf. This time the kick is a high kick, and the elves immediately have the ball needing to use no rerolls, which they have this half as I only stole 1. So, this half is 2 rerolls a piece. The dark elves play conservative knowing they can score quickly and backup and screen until turn 4. I see an opening in the screen and do two rushes to hit the blodge ball carrier with my blitzer 1 die. Both down and I choose not to reroll since I don’t have anyone that can immediately press to pick the ball up. Then the big turn. The dark elves push forward on the northern side reaching midfield, allowing me to blitz the ball carrier needing 2 rushes with 2 dice, and I can with a push get about 3 more blocks with my tomb guardians which even if unsuccessful will make it a nightmare to dodge out of (5+, 3+, 2+ I figured) and that is if I don’t knock down the ball carrier. So, I blitz make the rushes and hit, skull both down, reroll, skull both down and it is a turnover with my thrower getting stunned. Now all the dark elves need to do is free up the ball carrier and run away. They do with a 1 die blitz and the blitzer is all but out of range. Then the dark elves start snaking. Witch elf, double 1s on a dodge, and I have a chance. I chain push a blitzer into range and blitz the ball carrier again 1 die and get another both down. So, nothing happens. Now all he needs is a 2+ for a score with my tackle taking away his dodge. But he dodges elsewhere first to better position when it happens again, snakes. Turnover. This time I can get the blitzer help and get 2 dice on the ball carrier, pow he goes down and KO is removed. It bounces into the blitz-ra’s hands and guess what he has it (wish I had blitzed with him now). So, I blitz the only other player that could reach my ball carrier again, and once again both downs. Thinking my throw-ras lack of block has hurt me quite a bit this game. However, I keep pushing the ball up the field after the setback and need to push someone off the other blitz-ra and hand off for the win. Blitz, works, rush works, handoff, one, again. The game ends with no score 0-0.

Stats from the game. I threw 81 blocks to 19 blocks, 46 successful blocks to 10 block, I broke armor 16 times to his 8 times, and rolled an 8+ 5 times to 1 time. I also failed 5 (2) die blocks and 1 (1) die block. Single d6 rolls, I had 28 in which I rolled 5 (1s) and 14 (50%) 4+s. My opponent rolled 45 single d6s and rolled 9 (1s) with 22 4+s (49%). Rushes I did 11 failing 2 and my opponent did 6 failing none. I did no dodging. Dark elves did 35 2 plus dodges failing 8 and 2 3+ dodges failing both.

What did I learn. I learned that the chef can really do some amazing work, but it is too high of variance for me. I really liked having 4 guard tomb guardians but probably would have swapped one of my tackle blitz-ras for a mighty blow one. I am not likely to take this build to Europe but this was fun. Thank you to all of my wonderful opponents