“In the pre-game, Coach Smeat looked out across the field at all the Leap, took Master Chefs and joked "Dice Rape or Bust". As Nuffle would have it he wasn't joking after all, and he didn't bust.

One could wax poetic about the game, painting the Slann's pain in colorful and darkly comedic pictures, but here's the simple, objective breakdown of everything that went wrong for the Bat's and went right for the 'Sons...

...but if you don't want to wade thru it, the 'Bats consistently failed when it counted, while the 'Sons could do no wrong. One of those games.

(And remember that the 'Bats have +670 in TV over the 'Sons - all kinds of skills v. the Norse "spam-Block" and some Frenzy (and half of that w/o Block). Just to keep everything in perspective...)

1. Pre-Game: Chefs: 3d = -2 RR/+2 RR (out of possible 0-3), Bat's have 2 RR's for the half.
   o Bat's get +2 Fame Factor
   
   Midnight Sons receiving; Kickoff = Pitch Invasion - 2 Bats & 6 'Sons (almost the entire LoS) are Stunned.
   
   o Turn 1: Sons use RR to p/up ball and fall back out of Blitz range; Bomb BH's blocking frog // 3d Krox blitz on Bomber = push.
   o Turn 2: 'Sons use RR to successfully pass to mid-field sideline screen; missed Bomb BH's 2 key Son players (both Apo'd) & stuns 1 of 3 nearby 'Bats // Turn-opener leap uses RR to Guard ball-carrier, Blitz leap successful but skulls out. (1 RR remaining, but only 9 'Sons on pitch)
   o Turn 3: 3 blocks to (finally) Pow marking Guard-Blocge-stepper, reforming loose screen; missed Bomb throw re-caught by Bomber, 2nd attempt Int'd by Diving Catcher who then fumbles and stuns self, Krox & Bomber unaffected // KO a lino and mark Ballcarrier, Ag 4 Jump-Up Block fails on 1; leaping Blitz & Ag 4 pickup succeed, Batrachians have the ball at midfield!
   o Turn 4: 3+ dodge and Blitz succeed & KO frog ballcarrier, ball lands in hands of Blitzer (w/ 4 MA left); two dodges (3+ & Loner 4+) complete double screen; fumbled Bomb only knocks down Bomber // Stun 2 linos and Pow another, 8 'Bats surround 3 1/2 'Sons @ 'Son's 7 yard line.
   o Turn 5: 'Sons RR desperation Blitz to break out w/ 3-man partial screen toward other side of field; 4+ Wild Animal movement successful to complete screen // leaping Guard successful, leaping Blitz stuns ballcarrier; Dodge successful but 2+ pickup RR'd. Batrachians have the ball at 'Sons' 7 yard line (w/ MA 7), vs. only 3 nearby 'Sons but no RR's remaining!
   o Turn 6: 1d block by Loner Bomber = Push to free Snow Troll; Troll Blitz MNG's super-star ballhawk ballcarrier; dodge stopped by Diving Tackle; Unmarked ball on Ground @ 5 yard line! // 'Bats' 1st block = Double Skulls = end turn
   o Turn 7: Troll 3d Blitz stuns frog; Troll + 2 others surround ball // some good blocks, then 3+ dodge fails. Ball untouched.
   o Turn 8: Blitz = Push; missed bomb // BH a Loner. End of Half, 0-0.

Second Half:

1. Chefs: 3d = -2 RR/+2 RR, Bat's have 2 RR's for the half. Again.
   'Bat's superstar regains consciousness; 'Sons' Bomber out for SW.
   
   Bouncin'more Batrachians receiving; Kickoff = Perfect Defense.
   (Kick (using Kick skill) is very short to Bats' weak side of field, but bounces away from LoS to 10 yard line.)
   
   o Turn 1: 'Bats' 2+ pickup requires RR (1 RR remaining for half!) // 'Sons double-frenzy a hole in LoS and double-mark the ballcarrier, inc. a (Loner) Tackler.
   o Turn 2: 'Bats swing lone ballcarrier to far side of field (without screen) // blitz & block on ballcarrier = pushes; Troll RR's double-skulls for push then knockdown to pin on far sidelines.
   o Turn 3: MA 7 ballcarrier advances ball to 'Sons' 9 yard line; successfully Blitz Krox free, who then fails BH roll to leave screen incomplete // frenzy-blitz w/ only Pushes to crack screen; mark ballcarrier, & then Loner Tackler 2 gfi's for 2nd mark.
   o Turn 4: Ballcarrier double-skulls Blitz on Tackler, then RR's Pow (no RR's remaining!), and advances to 2 yard line; double-dodge to give some support at 4 yard line; Krox both-downs // KO a Guard and drop 2 more; double-gfi to mark ballcarrier, gfi-frenzy blitz drops non-dodger ballcarrier, 2nd gfi picks up ball on RR on goal line.
   o Turn 5.1: Blitz succeeds, bad bounce into TZ; Ag 4 pickup and dodge succeed, score. 1-0 Batrachians. Finally.
   
   'Bat's Guard remains unconsciousness. Blocks and bombs have kept 3/11 frogs off the field, only 8 on pitch. 'Sons field all starters w/ a Loner in Reserve (& 1 Loner BH, and the Bomber banned).
   
   Midnight Sons receiving; Kickoff = High Kick.
   (Kick is very short, but the 'Sons catch it on their 10 yard line.)
   
   ('Bats have no RR's, 'Sons have 1 RR.)
   
   o Turn 5.2: 'Sons get 3 knock-downs on LoS, and down Krox w/ Blitz; ball advances behind double screen to 'Bats' 10 yard near sideline; foul fails on snakes & DP out.
   o Turn 6: Bat's blitz on cage-leading Ulf = Push, 3+ leap to mark ballcarrier fails // Troll Blitz stuns Krox; pass for skill & screen RR'd; Ulk stuns his way out of a surf; 1d Pow on only frog in easy range of ballcarrier.Midnight Sons have the ball at 'Bats' 6 yard line (w/ MA 6), with no frogs in easy range but no RR's remaining!
   o Turn 7: 1d push to free 2 players; 1d Blitz on ballcarrier = Push; 3+ dodge for 2nd mark fails // 3d Blitz to free ballcarrier = skull/skull/push - just enough; no real screen invites gfi for score. Tie Game 1:1.
   
   o Turn 8 Kick Off: Perfect Defense... again. But stunned 'Sons' coach misses that a ots is possible (w/ 4 pushes & sidestep) and leaves 3 Loners on LoS to be blocked and all other players clumped randomly and deep, leaving the door open just a crack. 'Bats roll 1st Push, then fail to find a Push on 3d - and then fail the pass for fluff spp. Game over.

And then, only then, perhaps the worst thing in the entire game happened to the 'Sons - one of their Induced Stars stole MVP. (Which is more painful than losing, as they have no chance for the season and need the spp!)

Mad Respect to Coach Sigmar1, who, despite some completely understandable outbursts, maintained a sense of humour and perspective throughout the ordeal. They clearly should have won on paper, but the dice had other plans today.

”