<i>Crazy Billy Stoutfoot was despondent. Having failed to convince his brave but deluded teammates, <a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=group&op=view&group=2079">E.L.F.</a> rejects the <a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team&op=view&team_id=167380">Har Ganeth Dark Elves</a>, that they weren't actually Dark Elves for the thousandth time, he was close to giving up.
It wasn't that he minded facing Khemri and Dwarfs every week - it was that he had no-one to talk to, no-one with whom could reminisce about the time he faced down a mummy, or tackled an elf after a particularly well-aimed throw team mate.
All Billy really wanted was a group of like minded individuals determined to take on the big guys, face insurmountable odds, and not worry too much about dying in the process. All Billy wanted was someone to share the sheer stupid, counter-productive, bravery of his daily life. All BIlly wanted, was a little company. . .</i>
<center>Check out the <font color=red><big><b>Winners</b></big></font> and <font color=red><big><b>Losers</b></big></font> in the <a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=group&op=view&group=2613">League of Heroic Failure Hall of Fame</a></center>
<big><center><b>Season 1:<font color=red><big> <s>July 1st - August 31st</s></big></font> <b><big>Finished</big></b>
Season 2:<font color=red><big> September 1st - October 30th</big></font></b></center></big>
<center><Table border width=50% bgcolor=#cccccc><TR><TH bgcolor=Black>Season 123</TH><TH bgcolor=Red>Grand Underdogs</TH></TR>
<TR><TD><center><font color=red><b>Season 1</b></font></center></td><TD><center><a href="http://fumbbl.com/”
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team&op=view&team_id=185101”">Underground Snatch Cowards</a></center></td></TR></Table></center>
<center><Table border width=33% bgcolor=#cccccc><TR><TH bgcolor=Red>Grand Slam Teams</TH></TR>
<TR><TD><center><a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team&op=view&team_id=170681">Ace at Being Rubbish</a></td></TR></center><TR><TD><center><a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team&op=view&team_id=183087">4 Garcons plein d'avenir</a></center></td></TR><TR><TD><center><a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team&op=view&team_id=185101">Underground Snatch Cowards</a></center></td></TR></Table></center>
<a href="http://fumbbl.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5958">LoHF Season 2 Match Report Thread</a>
<a href="http://fumbbl.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5464&start=15&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=">League of Heroic Failure Discussion Thread</a>
<b>NOTE:</b> Rule additions for Season 2 have been highlighted in <font color=red>red</font>. Rule deletions for Season 2 have been <s>struckthrough</s>. These changes will not apply until <i>after</i> September 1st.
<u><CENTER><BIG><b>The League of Heroic Failure</b></BIG></center></u></big>
There are leagues to celebrate a lot of things on Fumbbl - skill, speed, technical ability, being an elf, mangling an elf - but to date, there has not been one that celebrated the glorious failures of the Bloodbowl world.
We're not just talking about coaches with a poor CR, we're talking about teams with a full-on deficiency of talent. We're talking about teams that don't really stand a chance, but go for it anyway.
<b>The League of Heroic Failure</i></b> (<b>LoHF</b>) aims to encourage the active participation of weaker teams in the wider Fumbbl communitiy. To celebrate not power-gaming, but underpower-gaming. To get coaches playing the kind of challenging matches where sometimes just not getting massacred is a victory in itself. So come, join the <b>LoHF</b>, and lose with dignity.
<BIG><b>How does it work?</b></BIG>
Over the course of a season (two months) each team must play a diverse range of opponents (detailed below). They can play as many or as few games as they wish, and score points based on both their performance and the might of their foes. At the end of the season, whichever team has accumulated the most points is declared <b> Grand Underdog</b>, and recives the coveted title <i>The Best of the Worst</i>.
<BIG><b>Who can join?</b></BIG>
Any Stunty team playing in <b>Ranked</b>, <b>Unranked</b>, <b>Div X</b>, <b><font color=red>Ladder</font></b> or <b>Faction</b> (I dare ya) is eligible to join this group, as is any team of deliberately under-powered individuals - i.e. all Zombie teams, all Skeleton teams or all Thrall teams.
<BIG><b>Who exactly do I play?</b></BIG>
Each team plays in cycles or 'Slams'. They can play <s>as many</s> <font color=red>up to three</font> Slams <font color=red>(or 27 matches)</font> <s>as they want (and can fit in during the two month long season)</s> as long as they finish one Slam before starting the next.
A Slam consists of 9 matches, with the option of completing a bonus <font color=red>10th</font> match against any PACT team - for double points.
You select your nine opponents from the following racial groups:
<B>(One of)</b> GROUP A - <b>The Brutal:</b> Dwarf, Chaos Dwarf, Khemri. <i><b>*</i></b>
<B>(Two of)</b> GROUP B - <b>The Tough:</b> Orcs, Undead, Ogre, Chaos.
<B>(Two of)</b> GROUP C - <b>The Average:</b> Human, Norse, Amazon, Nurgle.
<B>(Two of)</b> GROUP D - <b>The Elves:</b> High Elf, Dark Elf, Pro Elf, Wood Elf.
<B>(Two of)</b> GROUP E - <b>The Odd:</b> Skaven, Lizardmen, Vampire, Necromantic.
<b><i>*</b>This match is worth double points</i>
You can play any coach you want, and are strongly encouraged to play outside the group (Halflings vs Zombies is fun, but it cuts down on the <b>Heroic Failure Potential</b>, or <b>HFP</b>).
After completing a match, simple report it in the <a href="http://fumbbl.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5958">Game Report Thread</a> and I will total your points and add them to the Group Page.
Once you have played the 9 matches necessary to complete a Slam, you can start on the next one.
<b>NOTE</b>: Only matches against teams listed above will be counted for the purposes of this league (plus one bonus match against any PACT team - Chaos Pact, Old World or Lustrian - per Slam), and only if they are still needed to complete the Slam - e.g. if you play Dwarfs in one Slam, you'll have to finish the Slam (play the other 8 matches) before you can get any points for facing Khemri.
<b>NOTE2</b>: You have to pick two teams from the four in Groups B, C, D and E. You can pick any two teams from each of thse groups but you <b>cannot</b> pick the same team twice - i.e. you could play Dark Elf and Pro Elf from Group D, but not two HIgh Elf Teams. You can however, play teams you have already played in the next Slam - i.e. you could play Dark and Pro Elf in your first Slam, then when your 9 matches are finished you could play Dark and Pro Elf teams again in your next Slam.
<font color=red><b>NOTE3:</b> Although you can play a bonus PACT game per Slam, you cannot play more than 27 scoring matches per season. So, if you do play PACT matches you will be unable to complete your third Slam, and thus unable to receive the bonus points for that Slam, and the Grand Slam (see <b>How do I score points?</b> below). Teams in <b>U</b> must now choose between the double-value points of 1-3 PACT games, and the bonus points available for completing the Grand Slam </font>
<BIG><b>How do I score points?</b></BIG>
Points are scored in the following manner. For every game you play:
For playing the Match = +10 points
If you draw = +5 points
If you Win = +10 points
Per td scored = +3 points
Per td conceded = -1 points
If you play up TS, for every 1-10pts of TS difference<b>**</b> = +2 points
If you play up TS and TR, for every 1-10pts of TS and TR difference<b>**</b> = +<s>2</s><font color=red>1</font> point
If you out cas your opponent = +2 points
Per unapothed RIP you suffer = +2 points
It's a Dwarf/Chaos Dwarf/Khemri match = all points are doubled
It's a PACT (Chaos Pact/Lustrian/Old World) match = all points are doubled
<i>Bonus Points:</i>
For completing a 'Slam' (9 matches) = +30 points <font color=red>(40pts for Faction or Ladder)</font>
For completing a 'Grand Slam' (all LRB races except 'Flings and Gobbos in one season) = +<s>100</s><font color=red>150</font> points <font color=red>(200pts for Faction or Ladder)</font>
<i><b>**</b>i.e. - 1-10TS difference = +2pts, 11-20TS difference = +4 pts.</i>
<font color=red><BIG><b>What do I do if I've played all 27 of my games but the Season hasn't finished?</b></BIG>
If you do manage to complete all 27 games (but this option is only available to you once you have completed <b>all</b> 27 games), you can continue to compete by playing ‘replacement games’ – i.e. playing a race you have played before in the hope of getting a better score.
However, you may only replace games with a straight swap (i.e. if you have want to replace Dwarves, you must play Dwarves again, not Khemri or CDs). So if you fail to get the Grand Slam first time round, you won’t be able to use replacement games to get the 150pt Grand Slam bonus.
A replacement game will be a direct swap – if you scored 31pts in your Game 7 versus Dark Elves, and you then score 38pts in your Game 28 replacement game versus Dark Elves, you will gain 7 extra pts.
You do not have to play replacement games, and if you play more than 27 games whilst they won’t score you points, they will still count for the statistical purposes (if you want to break any <b>LoHF</b> records, or just enjoy playing and reporting in the League).
<b>NOTE:</b> If you play a replacement game and score less points, you will not lose points. Replacement games are only counted if they increase your overall points tally.</font>
<BIG><b>What do I win?</b></BIG>
There are <s>three</s><font color=red>four</font> ways to achieve recognition within the <b>LoHF</b>.
As explained above, at the end of the season, the team will the highest points total is declared <b>Grand Underdog</b>. They will see their names in lights (well, in <b>bold</b>) and will receive the Imaginary Hat of Bravery as a prize. The runners-up will receive honarable mentions.
<font color=red>A secondary competition, the <b>Master Coach Challenge</b>, will run alongside the main <b>LoHF</b> league. Points for the <b>MCC</b> are awarded in exactly the same way as the main league, but in the <b>MCC</b> <i>only games that have been won or drawn are counted for scoring purposes.</i> The MCC is awarded to the Coach who has scored most points in a single Slam (9 games taken from across your 27, excluding any bonus PACT games). The Coach who wins the <b>MCC</b> will receive the Mittens of Talent as a prize.</font>
Additionally, any team which manages to complete a 'Grand Slam' (playing every single LRB race bar flings and gobbos) will be listed on this page under the title <b>Grand Slam Teams</b>.
Finally, any team which manages to get itself wiped out (forced retirement due to overwhelming injuries) trying to complete the <b>LoHF</b> season will be posthumously listed under the title <b>Killed in Action</b>.
<center><big><b>FAQ</b></big></center>
<b>Do I have to play my Slam matches in any particular order?</b>
No. As long as you complete the 9 matches of your Slam before starting the next, you can play the 1 or 2 teams from each group in any order - e.g. you could play a team from group B, then two from D, then one from A, then another from B, then the two from E, then the two from C. Likewise, you can play your PACT bonus game at any point, but you will only get points for one PACT game per Slam.
<b>Can I get loads of points by starting tough games then just conceding?</b>
No. Any game where you concede, for any reason, cannot be counted for the purposes of the <b>LoHF</b>.
<b>My name if Dreadclaw and I coach flings with a winning record and positive casualty rating, can I still join this group?</b>
Yes, even though being good with 'flings technically goes against the spirit of the <b>LoHF</b>, it would be unfair to limit membership to the more hapless Fumbbl coaches (such as myself).
<b>Hi, I just made an all Wood Elf Lineelf team, can I join this group?</b>
No. Some linemen are actually pretty good. In fact, most linemen are pretty good. Wood Elfs or Longbeards could run rings (or tackle rings) around plenty of teams with positionals. Your team has to be genuinely under-powered to play.
<font color=red><b>NOTE:</b> This generally means 40k linemen max. Some (one or two) positionals may be considered appropriate, and other rules (e.g. no apothacery, no RRs) may be used to weaken less acceptable entrants.</font>
<b>Hi, what if I make a Khemri team but promise to elfbowl it with them. Can I join then?</b>
No. If you want normal teams with crazy tactics, join <a href="http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=group&op=view&group=2458">this</a> league instead.
<b>What's the Imaginary Hat of Bravery? And what does it do?</b>
A legendary artefact. Since it's imaginary, it can be whatever you want it to be. Wearing the Imaginary Hat of Bravery makes you look cool.
<b>So then, what are the Mittens of Talent? And what do they do?</b>
The Mittens are a less legendary artefact. They mostly just keep your hands warm. This is useful during blizzards.
<b>This sounds brilliant, when can I sign up?</b>
Right now. The <b>LoHF</b> will be ongoing, running in two month cycles. Only games played <b>after</b> you apply for membership of the league can be counted for scoring purposes, but as soon as you do you're good to go.
<center><font color=red><b>The Imaginary Hat of Bravery.
It could be yours.</b></font></center>