“A brutal game, resulting in the Horde getting their first points on the board in the SWL, although not the 2 points they were hopping for.

The rats started on fire. Surging forward in the first play of the game, an accurate pass from Clawcloud set Gloomcrawler up for an easy Turn 2 TD.

Not doing much better on offense, the undead had trouble scooping up the ball and two of the Horde's 'Runners were quick to capitalize with another touchdown.

It was at this point however, that things turned sour for the Skaven. Already a player down after the last two plays, the initial clash on the LoS resulted in three more rats returning to the dugout.

The undead carried the ball upfield, continuing to pound and foul anything they could get their cold dead hands on, prioritizing any fallen 'Runners for "special" treatment. The drive resulted in only 2 skaven remining on the pitch, and despite some valiant last-ditch defense the undead carried the ball over the line on their last play.

Only able to field 6 players for the start of the second half, and facing another undead drive, one could see a look of grim determination settle over the remainging upright ratty faces. Although skaven tend to look grim all the time, so perhaps it was fear, who knows?

Despite being heavily outnumbered, and finding it hard to decide whether it was more dangerous to remain upright or horizontal, the Horde surged forward as best it could and managed to create a turnover.

The thrower Clawcloud carried the ball within two steps of the endzone, but with no teamates able to extract themselves from their own struggle for survival long enough to screen him, a deft undead shoulder sent him flying into the crowd and out of the drive.

Despite this setback, Twopad doged forward to grab the ball and - seeing that even his agility would not bring the Horde another score - lobbed the leather deep into the Undead bottom corner, hopping to buy his team enough time to stall for the win.

Alas, his "team" at this point consisted of himself, and a much put-upon linerat. So no miracle saves were in the making.

It was at this point, with 2 skaven on the field and seeing that 5 undead were surrounding the valiant Twopad and laying in the boot most thick, that the usually reserved coach Phandaal ran towards the Undead dugout screaming unprintable obscenities and questioning coach Drokmar's parentage.

While this manouver would usually result in one less living coach gracing the world of Bloodbowl, coach Drokmar was a little taken a'back by the validity - if not the delivery - of the arguments, and agreed that what little remained of the encounter should proceed without cleated boots being applied the ratty faces.

Back on the pitch, the undead ran in for an unopposed score. With 6 players on the field and 2 turns to put together a game-winning drive, the skaven faced a solid line of putrefying bodies and were not up to the challenge.

In the end the Horde came away from this brutal enounter rather lightly, sporting a SWL point for the draw, and a gouged eye for the new Stormvermin.”