“Ulthuan Invitational Amethyst Lantern Final

Luck reading is out because my opponent had set the spec limit to 5 and we reloaded after 2 and a half turns to allow others to watch.
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The following terms may or may not be used in the following match report:

Assault
Bad coaching
Bad luck
Bash
Block
Bloody
Crap
Crud
Death
Dice
Dice rape
Hit
Kill
Lucker
Lucky
Murder
Smash
Splatt
Unlucky
Useless
Whiner
Whining
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Handicaps were:

Buzzing
Morleys
Virus
and 2 others I cannot recall
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Well what a game it was, very exciting.

The Savants started in offence and did not get very far with the ball. Especially as their Str4 Frenzy Tackle player had been knocked out with a thrown rock at the start of the drive! The Falcons kept applying the pressure and knocking a couple of players out.

The Falcons had a slight player advantage and getting near late in the half, the Savants brought the ball down one wing and the Falcons used a Lightning Bolt to knock the player with the ball down.

A screening player was pushed out the way and now the Falcons had a pretty easy TD attempt. Just a 2+ GFI and 2+ pick up by a Thrower with Accurate and Safethrow. Then a 2+ pass, 2+ catch and it would be a 1-0 half for the Falcons. 4x 2+ with a team reroll and a Pass reroll. What do I get? Snakes and I stun my thrower!

Man that was rough.

The Savants recover the ball but again the ball carrier is brought down and the ball sent out of bounds to the other side of hte field. The Falcons have used their Team Reroll though. They got to the ball and picked i up, but fumbled a 3+ pass that would again seal a 1-0 half. The Savants were able to make a 2+ dodge and gfi, then a a 2+ dodge, 3+ pickup, 2+ dodge, 3+ pass and 2+ catch to take a 1-0 lead.

The Falcons had just one turn and drew out the Savatnts apothecary with a foul on their Witch causing a RIP (apothed) whilst the Eye was on him but no call. Avoiding this 4+ roll somehow was easier than avoiding a 6 roll in the critical second half where my DP got sent off at an important time.

Second half the Falcons start in offence. The Savants get a Blitz!

They get to the ball and catch it, only to have the Blitzer killed when he was hit from behind. The ball spilt free and the Falcons with few options (thanks to the damn blitz) tried what they could to hold onto it.

The Falcons caged the ball, but a fireball hit 2 of the 5 players (slightly above average) and knocked over the ball carrier. The Savants had a two dice blitz but failed over the new Falcons ball carrier who had caught the bouncing ball.

Then came more crappy luck. My opponent had a Diving Tackle + Tackle Blitzer on one of my Witch Elves. I blitzed him with my other Witch needing pushes to clear him. Skull+ Skull/Pow which would then most likely deny my score (as 3+ catch and 4+ dodge required). Reroll. Double push, then frenzy brings up Skull + Skull/Pow again. Damnit damnit damint.

The Falcons managed to get the ball deep, but it was not well defended.

The Savants did not manage to spill the ball and the Falcons after blowing a RR, did some chain push TDs to ghve their Witch a chance to score without having to dodge against Diving Tackle and Tackle. A 2+ dodge and 2+ GFI was required and the scores were equal.

1-1 with about 5 turns to go. This time the Falcons get a Blitz! However, the ball this time fell behind the Savant players and it was not easy to get to. A player managed to get underneath it but he failed the 3+ catch.

Horkon used his dagger to KO one player and the Savants were able to recover the ball and bring it to one side.

The Falcons kept up the pressure, but then Horkon caused a MNG on a blitzer. The Falcons desperate to keep in the game used their apothecary to keep the player on the pitch.

The Savants going for a huge foul on the Str4 Falcons Blitzer rolled snake-eyes and fell over, giving the Falcons a shot at the ball. A couple of 2+ dodges later and the ball was knocked free and was caught by another Falcons Blitzer.

The Savants then got let off the hook big time. First Horkon KO'd the Str 4 Blitzer with a stab. Then they had an easy 2 dice blitz with their AG3 Tackler but my opponent makes a silly follow up move meaning he now has to dodge to blitz.

So instead the Witch blitzes without tackle. 2 dice on my blodger nets double pushes taking me closer to the endzone. Then another another 2 pushes but rerolled into a Pow knockes my ball carrier over and also stuns him too (I think).

With no RR left the Savants do a a GFI to lay an extra tackle zone on my Witch. I blitz that guy away, and then try a risky move to win there and then. I go for a 4+ dodge (with dodge Reroll) to step on the ball. I fall over and the ball falls on his witch and it is pretty much game over as I am over extended. Not sure what the rolls were but I could have maybe tried a longer path - 3+, 3+ 2+ dodge then I can step on teh ball without dodging (but still need 4+ to pick up) then 2+ and a few more steps towards the endzone. Oh well, I took the risk and it didn't pay off and the Savants escaped with a hard fought win.
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Contgrats to my opponent who played very well most of the game apart from a couple of brain lapses (like Blitzing with Horkon once and forgetting to click on the dagger) and the follow up that took away a tackle chance on my ball carrier.

My opponent had some horrid opening blocks and was sure that he would concede a TD to me. The game coulda been so different if I had not got snakes on my GFI to the ball with my Safe Throw Thrower. That was enough to win the game probably.

Then again later when I got the ball free again, I failed a 3+ but my opponent made a couple of 3+s to score the go ahead TD.

Second half, Horkon was incrediblely lucky as well, causing 2 KO and a MNG. He made it almost impossible for me when he caused a KO on my Str 4 next to my ball carrier. If not the KO, he would be there to blitz the following turn and help set up the 2-1 score.

The game was still not lost yet even though I was down 7 vs 11 players due to more crappo luck - his foul caused a RIP and a KO. My fouls caused a stun and then I got ejected.

I had the ball but then the Witch not only got the pow, but stunned me as well. My Witch jumping on the ball was a bit risky but I was outnumbered and a little luck (75% dodge and 50% pickup) and it was game over if I then made the next dodge.

Alas it was not to be.
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Congrats to my opponent who played a good game but had some assistance with the dice. PeteW thought my armour rolls were lucky, but I was the one down 7-11 second half with Horkon rolling 9+s more than 50% of the time etc.

I wish him and his team well in the main event.
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