“<b>Imperial Fleet Commando 0 - 1 Separatist Droid Army</b>
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=match&id=2030620

This game was always going to be a bit of a bashfest and a close game too. While there was plenty of bashing going on, there wasn't as much death and pain as you'd expect or hope for. In a tough first half, many droids were sent to the KO box by the uncompromising IFC. The only response the SDA could muster was to build their defense around a lot of 1 dice blocking, which is never a good strategy. Midway though the half an IFC score looked inevitable, but their re-rolls were being burnt up by some double skulls and having to keep picking up the ball when it got knocked out of their hands. They still managed to get themselves in a position where their st4/ag4 warrior merely had to walk into the endzone in turn 8 for the score. Despite being in such a good spot, they decide to go for a 2 die block/crowdpush on the SDA's freebooted blitzer. But DISASTER struck when they rolled skull/skull-pow with out having block on the attacking player.

Finding themselves at 0-0 and receiving to open up the second half, the SDA couldn't believe their luck. At 1-0 the best they could have hoped for was an OT win probably, but at 0-0 a good drive here could win them the game. A good kick from the IFC meant that without passing the ball, there was no way the ball could be moved to a safe place. The sight of the onrushing commandos made the SDA go for a short pass to safety, which failed. But as their luck continued it bounced into the hands of another SDA player. Another all out brawl ensued on the halfway line, the ball was dislodged temporarily by the IFC and it duly bounced their side of the line. An IFC player picked it up in a tackle zone, but tripped dodging away. The block hungry SDA managed to recover the ball an saw an opportunity to set up a blitz away from the pack. However, a foolish mistake of moving a player who had yet to be freed, caused a turnover at a key moment. The SDA lost control of the ball on the next turn and couldn't get the ball back straight away. The IFC had a chance to pick it up and pass in behind the SDA hordes to their star warrior. Sadly for the IFC the pass was wayward and it bounced into the open just near some unmarked SDA players. The ball was easily recovered by the SDA and not long after they had it safe among a group of players. The waining number of IFC players couldn't effectively hold up their opponents much longer and moments later the SDA had managed to blitz out of the pack and hand off to a player, who then ran clear for a certain score in turn 8.

The game came down to a couple of key moments. The first when the bloodlust of the jedi caused them to go for a crowdpush, which stopped them scoring the opening TD. The second was when the SDA moved a player at the wrong time in their turn and failed to break free for a score in the second half. In truth, the first moment was less of a mistake and more just plain unlucky. The second moment was stupidity on my part and I was lucky to get away with it and score.

Unlucky Damatze and thanks for a tough game played in the right spirit. As for the SDA. Having won 2 games in a row by scores of 1-0 in turn 16, the final now awaits us. We started our campaign tearing apart some soft woodies and we'd like to end it just the same. But having played Azure before, I bet he's going to have something to say about that. Despite their team looking rather beaten up, with plenty of gold in the bank, they can afford to boot a couple of positionals, which I'm sure will leave them with a competitive team for this one off showcase final.”