“UI V, 3d round.

Great game!

This was the predicted final before the draw (well, Forrest and I predicted it :)), but now atleast one of us would reach the final. 49 tstr difference would make the humans favorite, but with skaven with a wizard you are never trough.

Long talks before the game about what to hire ended in us both throwing alot of money in, but we both kept a little bit. I hired Headsplitter, wizard and two linemen (instead of buying a new GR) and Forrest hired the Count and Zug (leaving him with 50K for the final). No wizard for him with my ag6 and 5 GRs was probably the right choice too, but could have made it harder for me.

Handicaps were smelling salts and Duh, where am I. Would turn out to be a match winner on the Count. A perfect gate on top promised to make it a great BB match with lots of fans cheering at the side.

Well, at the side? Game started with a pitch invasion ... 4 men down forced me to score fast. With the Count getting the ball a 1-2 loss seemed likely. Made the 1-1 pretty difficult though. Forrest made perfect use of a not intented 1d pow, so Count could be free in scoring position in T7. I didn't dare to do the dodge and two gfi's with Headsplitter to get a pow on him, so I tried some less good moves in hindsight. A skull let his tackler free, so he could get my DT GR down: 1-1.

Second half all was open. Still 11 men for me and Headsplitter hit Zug off (apo failed). Combined with a wizard it could go either way. Count got the ball again though so all hopes were on the wizard. The most important turn I thought wasn't so great though. Wizard got only 1 catcher down, but gave me a chance on a 2d with tackle on the Count. Only pushes and both down followed with a double skull on my RO that could have pinned the Count down, gave the humans a big chance to win it I thought. But well, wizard put enough pressure on the humans it seemed, so Count ran to the sides. Now I did dare to dodge with Headsplitter to blitz the Count, but again no pow. DT and snakes on bonehead kept the Count where he was though. Then I did get the so needed pow, but stupid SV catched the ball, so Count could blitz him back next turn. Forrest didn't try to get the ball though without a rr and lying next to the line, so he ended his turn.
This was the signal for my ag5 GR to start dodging trough so in T7 we were in scoring position again. Too bad the Count got the needed pows. T8 I didn't get any pows on the Count again so my M8 lineman (which wasn't noticed by Forrest :)) couldn't run in.

Till now the luck was quite even although Forrest didn't get the cas he would have liked, fouls didn't work and ref was being quite harsh on him. But in OT (after two turns) luck really kicked in. Well, bad luck for Forrest actually.
First lucky thing: I get the ball. Starting with picking it up instead of a 3d hit with Headsplitter turned out to be a mistake though. Snake eyes and last rr gone. A lineman catched the ball anyway. Blitz with Count failed because of bonehead and Forrest didn't want to use his last rr on this.
So back to my turn. Ended in a double skull on a blitz so Forrest could get the ball with a catcher. Nice play from him with some chainpushing could have made the deciding turn in the game if my tackle lineman hadn't rolled a pow without a rr there. Gave me the opportunity to get the ball in the hands of my ag6 GR, but again some nice chainpushing from Forrest gave him a 1d on the ballcarrier with strip ball. He got me down, but good scatter for me and with some nice hits, my ag5 GR could run to his half with the ball next turn.
Forrest tried the blitz with the Count, but bonehead failed once more and that was the game. Without rr's he couldn't really threaten my ballcarrier so I could score in T24.
Not enough players so even the OTT-master couldn't do it. So 2-1 victory!

On to the finals without any injuries (only Booter, the freebooter was killed) and 60K winnings (So 155K to spend in the final with 70K left and 25K dynamic gold!). Will make a perfect 400th game celebration!

Thanks for an amazingly cool game, Forrest. I had the most luck, but was very tense for all 2.5 hours long. Deserved to be the final.

Fanatic”