“UI V Qualifier: Brass Lantern

Against a great coach and a team filled with dirty players - it promised to be a challenging game. The CDs won the toss and elected to kickoff...we promptly scored a KO on the troll on the 3rd block of the game. However, our foul came up lame and the Ultimate Warriors came back strong with several KO and CAS from blocking and then more from the boots. Apoth failed us - afraid they would get booted by one of those nasty hobgoblins if he tried to help our fallen player. The strikes were very precise by the Ultimate Warriors - they took out our only guard by a block, then our only ST 4 with a foul, then our only dauntless by another block. However, we did surf a bull and a dwarf - the weak crowd let them pass with no injury however - and we managed to stall long enough that it was T7 when we scored. Two turns for our opponents - but they could only move 2 players into scoring position and we blitzed so one was knocked down and the other was pushed next to our witch elf who prompted knocked the bull down. The half ended and we were in high spirits - we were up 1-0, had 12 players left and even without some key players - we felt good.

The second half, however, was not a good one. The Ulimate Warriors started off by fumbling the ball and we saw our chance...but snakes on a blitz and it is a turnover...but still, the ball is not caged - so we unleash the fireball on the hobgoblin ball carrier and his guards (a dwarf and bull) - we miss all three sadly. Did the evil hobgoblins intimidate more than just our apothecary...but our wizard too? Two fouls for SI with the ref not catching the hobgoblins either time and the situation went from bad to worse...so the coach sent in new orders - and we retreated - not throwing a block or blitzing, simply falling back - with orders to keep Horkon Heartripper as protected as possible. We refused to take the slim openings offered and continued to back up...then on T15 with only 1 turn left for our opponents - Horkon leaped into the cage and stabbed with his dagger - and for the first time - it worked and the hobgoblin was knocked out. We tried to move in more players near the ball, but could not. The final turn for the hobgoblins and they used their RR to clear the ball...then 3+ to tie it up...FAIL! The (few) remaining dark elves leaped for joy and hoisted the brass lantern!

Thanks to PeteW for a fun and competitive game! Great fun and banter - thanks!”