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1. 1. OWCC Season 9, Game 3 (of 5)

Short version is that the Expats went up 1-0 (after a failed Elf 3+ leap over DT) for a defensive score and stall (even having the luxury of skilling a Saurus!), and things looked rosy receiving the 2nd half, but the low-TV leapers had too many weapons to stop them all (and some unlucky non-Cas BH's of their top 2 Sauri didn't help). Almost tied on a 75% pickup - but didn't have the luck the Elves did when they tried the identical play (and more!) earlier.


Entering the game 2-0-0, after a win and a forfeit, the Expats were still dubious about this matchup - the Elves had 3 powerful weapons against Skinks, 2 Leapers and an Ag 5 Dodger, plus 3 sidesteppers and miscellaneous elfiness, and, as expected, a Wizard. The Expats knew they'd have to take some of those weapons out early, and tried - and to some extent succeeded - but the story the stats don't tell are 2 key unlisted BH's that seriously thinned the Lizard ranks and tilted the balance back to the Elves for the win.

The Elves won the toss and took the ball, sent 2 Catchers downfield, and right away KO'd the Expat's Guard Saurus - who was kept in the game by Apo! In reply, they lost their Leaping Guard BH'd - 1 for the Expats. But after that the blocking dice were cool for the Elves, and by Turn 3 the Expats had strong pressure on the ballcarrier, still just behind the LoS, forcing him to pass. After RR'ing the initial Dodge out of Tackle, the elves avoided the 5+ RR'd (via Catch) Int possibility and made the NoS Catch, but Blitz against the DT only pushed, and the 3+ Leap failed with a Stun. The Expats recovered and screened beyond Blitz range on their own 3 yard line, but then brain-cramped and threw an end-of-turn Block that they had originally meant to ignore - allowing the SS'Wrackler to shift to within double-GFI range! The Elves made that almost their first move, and... the GFI snaked! Conscious of the Wizard, the Expats scampered their star Skink forward to the LoS to handoff to another - who failed the 3+ despite RR. Elfs took a shot at the recovery and pass - the Blitz found double-skulls then Push, and the Passer had too many dice to get around the DT to the ball - the last Dodge failed, and he self-KO'd to end Turn 6. Expats recovered and pushed well into Elf territory, and by now most of the Elfs were badly out of position, and out of RR's, and a Dodge out of Tackle TZ failed, allowing the Expats to "safely" attempt and succeed at handing off to a Saurus for a skill. The Elf T8 multi-dodge failed also, and the Expats were up at the half 1-0, and receiving.

Things looked excellent at that point for the Lizards, but things quickly went downhill. Only 1 of all those anti-skink weapons were still on the field, and a fireball took out the Guard Saurus BH'd and dropped the Wrodge-Tackle Saurus, leaving the ballcarrier naked to a blitz - elves recovered. Expats had a play with their Frenzy Saurus, but a misclick only left him next to the ball. With a Blitz still possible, they set up a 3d for their St 5 MB Tackler - but it was the Lizard's turn to snake a key a GFI for a blitz on the ball, and the star Saurus BH'd himself out of the game. Elfs wasted no time to score to tie, 1-1 at the end of Turn 2.

Expats received again, and again things looked good as 2 more Elfs were out Turn 1, and the Lizards broke thru a thin pressure-screen to move up to the LoS Turn 2. But this time no wizard was necessary to pop the ball - 4+ Dodge out of DT, 3+ Leap, and Pow. The ball took a great bounce into 2 TZ's, but the Sure Hands Passer (who had survived several MB blitzes all game), made both the SH 4+ Pickup and 4+ Pass (with no 6+ Int), and a quick GFI put the elves up 2-1.

Turn 6, down 2 of their best Sauri but only facing 9 players, once again the Expats caged up midfield with 2 Turns to score to tie, and once again gained an advantage with another early KO. Once again the Elfs came at the ball, but this time mis-chose a non-leaper - who failed the 3+ Dodge anyway. The Expats pushed up to Elf 7 yard line the behind a ragged screen, and only 1 player, the no-Block Passer, had a shot - and he made it count, finding a Pow and then recovered. Turn 8, the Expats hit him with their Wrackler and brought him down - but the ball took the worst bounce it could, into 2 TZ's. The Sure Hands Ag 4 Skink was there - but this 4+ pickup failed, game over.

And despite their best efforts on either side, no perms at all - tho' the Expats were happy to have kept the Elves too busy to even try to use their Bribe.


With the weapons they have and almost no Tackle in the Albion Division, we expect EoA to sweep the regular season, and then can only pray that they have met some casualties and/or meet their match in someone like the Goldlords in post-season before the finals - we can (sometimes) beat the Goldlords.”