Blood Spatter: Week Three

 

Greetings sports fans, and welcome to Blood Spatter, your weekly look at Blood Bowl! I'm Bill Billingham, and alongside me is Erin Eventide. Hello Erin!

Hello, Bill!

This week we had a pretty big match - the Banshees playing their second leg against the Orange Rats. The first leg was a 1-1 draw, and for both teams, the only game that they hadn't won.There was a lot of pressure on both sides going in.

I'm pretty sure that the winner of this game will go on to top the league standings, Bill! Both team managers admitted that they were very worried about this game, and with the Rats reputation, the Banshees' manager - Keith Gammage - even told his players that it was more important for them to avoid injuries than to score touchdowns.

They Banshees kicked first and, kept both Starfire and Voidfire in reserve to protect them from injury. The Rats lived up to their reputation for speed, pulling of a quick snap move as Blackthorn's kick sailed across the field. The Banshees' plan was obvious from the start, as their witch elves went straight for the Rats' blitzers, trying to mitigate the damage they could do, whilst one of the twins faced off against Fluffy the rat ogre on the left wing.

I found myself holding my breath every time Fluffy swung at Sinestra, as an injury to her would seriously damage the Banshees' defense, they heavily rely on her to hold the left wing. But she is an incredibly skilled player, and dodged and blocked amazingly.

The Banshees were rightfully scared of the Rats' speed, and, having dealt with the blitzers, the witch elves darted into the Rats' half. With Kate Khaine closing in on him, Rat's Kicker Tom Ratley threw a Hail Mary pass that landed right on the Banshee's touch line. Captain Tess Ravenblade sprinted to scoop up the ball, getting there just ahead of three Rat's players.

Some people have questioned why Tess is the captain, but her amazing defense here saved the team, and turned the game around. The Rats found themselves out of position as Dextra Windstrike ran the ball down the right wing to score the first touchdown, while Kate Khaine stopped the Rat's backs from intercepting her.

For those wondering why they haven't head her name before, this was Kate's first game for the Banshees, and her appearance on the pitch was a complete surprise, as the Banshees hadn't even announced her signing. What can you tell us about her, Erin?

She played for the Birds of Prey, a minor league team in the Northlands, and was top scorer for them for three seasons. The Banshees apparently paid a six-figure sum for her. I think they kept her signing quiet so the Rats wouldn't have a chance to prepare for her.

Well it worked, cause she went on to score the Banshee's second touchdown, and then a third in the second half.

The Banshees were not exactly playing fair this time around, from keeping Khaine a secret, to preventing a Rats' touchdown via heel turn, and even committing a number of fouls in an attempt to injure key Rat players. Late in the second half, KJ Blackthorn became the first Banshees player to be sent off the field by the referee!

The Rats' fans must be pretty disappointed, because not only did their team lose 0-4, they didn't cause a single casualty.

Gunnar Uffe busy applying their warpaint.

But onto some more big news - a new Norse team joined the league, the Gunnar Uffe. They field brutal berserkers, werewolves and even a yhetee! Their first game on Wed was against the Green Unseen.

Gunnar Uffe are not a very fast team, but they're strong and hard to bring down.

The Orange Rats may no longer be the most deadly team in the league. Goblin player Mark was carried off the field after a crunching tackle by Bjorn Stormholt, and later died of his injuries, while Kyle 'the Minion' suffered a fractured skull after being knocked down by Gunnar linesman Bran Redmaw. As if this wasn't bad enough, Redcaps troll Mikal injured his own teammate Darr whilst attempting to throw him across the field.

The Redcaps played really well despite the hard knocks they took, slowing the game to a pace that favoured them, and dodging away from tackles as much as possible. Speedy, Wado and Karth all scored touchdowns, and Gunnar couldn't find a response as the clock ran out, ending the game 3-0 in to the Redcaps.

The goblins also continued their cheating ways, as this time they snuck grenades onto the field! The play of the week was when the thrower chucked a grenade at the Gunnars, only to have Kvarl Hammerfist snatch it out of the air and toss it back at him! Fortunately, Wado had enough presence of mind to catch it and drop it at the feet of the Gunnars, who went flying though the air in every direction!


The Redcaps also played the Glenwood Okes, who started off the game by scoring a very fast touchdown.

The Redcaps responded rather violently, their strategy being that the Okes can't score of they're all dead. Both trolls smashed as much as they could, Pog Stevo brought out his infamous chainsaw, and they sent on a crazy fanatic who ran in random circles hurting both friend and foe. By the end of the game, the Okes were down to three players, four had been sent to casualty, and the Redcaps had scored two touchdowns! Winning 2-1.

The Redcaps have jumped into 2nd place, though, the Rats have a game in hand and are close enough to reclaim their place.

Well, that's all we have time for folks! She's Erin Eventide, and I'm Bill Billingham, and this has been Blood Spatter!

Image from Games Workshop. More info on the Blood Bowl game at www.bloodbowl.com.

Blood Spatter: Week Two

 

Greetings sports fans, and welcome to Blood Spatter, your weekly look at Blood Bowl! I'm Bill Billingham, and alongside me is Erin Eventide. Hello Erin!

Hello again, Bill!

This week we only had two matches, the Orange Rats against the Glenwood Okes, and the Banshees playing the Ridgeback Raiders.

High-Tec League Standings Board

The Rats versus Okes match was as exciting as expected. They played the throwing game well with a great touchdown by catcher Arya Zephyrwisp off  of a throw by Gildas Greenleaf. The Rats looked to equalise late in the first half, before Bran Silverhand pulled off an amazing tackle on the Rat's catcher, Tom Ratley, to deny the touchdown. Gutter runner Barry Ratten, nicknamed 'the Flash' by his fans, equalised in the second half.

The Rats lived up to their reputation, causing 4 casualties, and the numbers game caught up with the Okes, as the Orange Rats scored again, right in the final moments of the second half, with Silverhand unable to repeat his move from the first half, ending the game 2-1 in favour of the Rats

A real nailbiter, Bill. Ratley is the top scorer in the league so far.

Orange you glad you were watching, Erin?

... Nuffle save me.

A couple of days, Okes manager, Wade Wonfor, announced that they had hired a new lineman, Gregor Istari, who captained minor league team the Red Stars last year. He is replacing Legolas Moonglove, who died due to injuries sustained in a match against the Banshees.

Good news, hopefully this means the Okes will no longer need to hire temporary journeymen.

They will for the next match, as three of their plays are out for injuries, including crowd-favourite Aric Foxblade.

Bad news for his fans, Aric suffered a severe hip injury, and the apothecaries don't expect him to make a complete recovery.

The big story of the week, however, was the return of the Ridgeback Raiders as an undead team, for a rematch against the Banshees. Their new status sparked off quite a big controversy, with questions as to the legality of such a move. The Redcaps were actually scheduled to play them, but pulled out of the match, petitioning the NAF to consult the holy books of Nuffle to ensure such a move is not against the rules.

The Redcaps were well within their rights to do that, but as for those who are critical of the Raiders, they just wanted to improve the skill of their team after their defeat, and becoming undead did actually improve their skills. However, the Banshees team they played was not the one from the opening match.

You at home will remember our discussion of Laalia Tyrin-Stillwater's drive against the Redcaps last week. We may have been wrong about it being a spontaneous move.

Yeah, the Banshees have been learning from each of  their games, and have combined that right-wing drive - featuring a ball carrier being guarded by Dextra Windstrike - with Kori Starfire's signature dump-off pass that they used so effectively against the Oakes. The general setup of their new play is to send Kori down the right wing with the ball, guarded by Dextra and Hecate Shrike, with Veera Voidfire as a backup. It is really difficult to get past Dextra and Shrike, tackle Kori, and also stop Veera catching the dump-off.

Seems the Banshees were testing out this new strategy last week, with Laalia as a guinea-pig. They pulled this off twice against the Raiders, but the undead threatened to score a number of times, and eventually pulled one back. The final score was 3-1 to the Banshees.

They also played a lot slower, and didn't run out of steam like they had in previous games. They have learnt how to pace themselves!

So, tomorrow we have two big games: the Banshees play the Rats, and the Glenwood Okes play the Ridgeback Raiders.


I know the big game is the Banshee's and Rats, as they are both undefeated, and this result will probably determine who places first and second in the standings, but I'm really excited to see the fast Oakes fight the Raiders, who are quite slow, but really tough.

Well, that's all we have time for folks! She's Erin Eventide, and I'm Bill Billingham, and this has been Blood Spatter!

Coach kills entire team, raises them as undead - Unseen Blood Bowl News

Breaking News - Ridgeback Raiders team manager, Jared Ridge, showed up to a match against the Green Unseen accompanied by ten skeletons, two ghouls and a pair of wights. Upon questioning by match officials, it was revealed that after his team's 0-4 defeat by the Banshees, Ridge had killed his entire team and raised them as undead, in an attempt to improve their skills on the field.

The goblin team refused to play the Raiders pending an investigation by the NAF into Ridge's claims, however, the entire Banshees team showed up unexpectedly to replace them. Banshees' manager Keith Gammage stated, "I have known Jared since our days in the Highlander League, where his nickname was 'lich lord'. Like trees, undead are people too, and we support their right to play Blood Bowl."

Jared during a Highlander game. (Source: Svetlin Velnov)

Although the Banshees won for a second time, Ridge's plan seems to have been successful, as they lost by a smaller margin (1-3) and suffered zero casualties. After the match, Banshees' captain Tess Ravenblade praised the Raider's toughness and ability to break up opposing formations, saying that the win had been an uphill battle. The Raiders captain made a vague roaring noise that we could not translate.

Jared Ridge was not interviewed due to safety concerns voiced by reporters. Blood Bowl commentator Bill Billingham said that it was highly likely that the NAF investigation would clear Ridge's team to continue playing in the league, as many necromancers had fielded undead teams in the past.

- Rooters

Blood Spatter: Week One

 

Greetings sports fans, and welcome to Blood Spatter, your weekly look at Blood Bowl! I'm Bill Billingham, and alongside me is Erin Eventide. Hello Erin!

Hello again, Bill!

So last week, you said you were really excited to see the match between the Banshees and the Glenwood Okes, did it live up to your expectations?

It really did, Bill. Both teams are fast, excellent at passing, and can pull off complex strategic plays. The Banshees won the toss, and as usual, decided to kick. They have a lot of faith in their ability to defend well and force turnovers.

The Oaks were looking like they would score very early, as their catchers easily dodged past the Banshee's forwards, while their thrower went for a long-bomb pass. But then centre forward Daala Darkleaf pulled off an amazing airborn intercept, passing to runner Kori Starfire, who made a break for the touchline. She wasn't fast enough to outpace the Oakes though, who quickly converged on her.

Yeah, it was looking pretty bad for Kori - until she threw a dump-off to Avele Rainjackal, and the Oaks were suddenly out of position, blocking a player who didn't have the ball, while Rainjackal scored.

It was a real back-and-forth game after that, both teams nearly scoring on multiple occasions. The Banshees struggled to keep the Okes under control, who dodged away from blocks over and over again, and outran the slower Banshees. And here we saw an interesting tactic - they couldn't do much against the wardancers, so they avoided them, and concentrated on cutting off their support instead, whilst keeping to a 7-4 formation in case the Oaks broke through the front line.

The Oaks are not as tough as the Banshees, who made full use of this by stunning as many opposing players as possible. Then late in the second half, the Okes showed some of their strategic genius, by forming a cage with their wardancers at the corners, forcing the Banshees to commit players to tackling the wardancers - only for the Oaks to disengage and run the entire cage across the field to the right wing!

The Banshees suddenly had to send most of their back line in to defend the right wing, so when Okes lineman Aric Foxblade broke though, the only player left between him and the touch line was kicker KJ Blackthorn. The Banshees had been outsmarted, and it looked like Foxbalde was going to score.

Blackthorn is a favourite amongst Banshee fans, and the familar cry of 'BLACKTHOOORN' rose up from the crowd as she blitzed into Foxblade right at the touchline, knocking him down and snatching up the ball, before throwing a long bomb to the captain, Tess Ravenblade, in centre-field. It looked like the Banshees were going to pull off an incredible last-minute touchdown, but again they were not able to outpace the Okes, and the game ended 1-0 to the Banshees.

Looks like Blackthorn is really becoming a thorn in the side of the opposition!

Stop that.

But, sadly, the game will be remembered more for the death of Okes lineman, Legolas Moonglove, than the heroics of Blackthorn. Legolas was badly injured after a crunching tackle by Kori Starfire, and died a few days later.

Look, I don't want to minimise his death, but this is Blood Bowl, Bill. Everyone wears armour, but sometimes things go wrong and people die. We know this. I think the media has been very unfair to Kori. And Greens player Shellee died in the match against the Orange Rats on Sunday, and no one seems to be talking about that! Are dryads more important than goblins? Do you even know which Rat it was that killed her?

Well, no, but that's only because half of the Rats team don't actually have names, Erin. And because no one cares about skaven anyway, whereas Kori is a pretty high-profile player.


-sigh- Can we just talk about Sunday's match between the Green Unseen and the Orange Rats?

The Greens were sporting some fancy new kit with red hats that has earned them the nickname 'Redcaps'. Last week, we called the game between the Rats and the Banshees a bloodbath, but now it looks tame in comparison.

The goblins came up with some decent strategies, only to have them all go horribly awry. They tried to counter Fluffy the rat ogre by sending Pog Stevo at him with a chainsaw, but that backfired as the rat ogre kicked him over, and the goblin was injured by his own illegal weapon.. Then their squig, 'Speedy' Zug grabbed the ball and sped down the left wing, protected by Burt the guard-troll and a a screen of redcap goblins. However, and a blitzer who seems to go by the name of Punch broke through the screen and stripped the ball away, setting up a turnover and touch down.

The game went from bad to worse, as the Skaven fans invaded the pitch, stunning the better goblin players,which allowed them to score a second touchdown. The scored again in the first half, and three times in the second.

All told, there were nine casualties, five goblins, three skaven, and Fluffy the rat-ogre, two pitch invasions by the fans, and four goblins were sent off for breaking the rules by sneaking weapons onto the field or committing fouls. But the worst casualty was when Burt the troll attempted to throw Speedy, but instead managed to do nothing but slam him into the ground.

The skaven team didn't come out of this too badly, Fluffy the rat ogre and one of the skaven gutter runners are out for their match against the Okes on Wednesday, but the Greens took a bit of a beating - the death of Shellee, smashed ankles, a shattered skull and various long-term injuries meant that they were short on players for their match on Monday against the Banshees, whilst the Banshees fielded thier new player, witch-elf Hecate Shrike. Again they chose to kick, leaving Starfire on the sidelines, Banshee manager Keith Gammage having stated that they would save her for offensive drives.

That match started off with quite a bang, Bill!

Right as the Banshees kicked the ball to the Greens, Laalia Tyrin-Stillwater made a completely unexpected break down the right wing, scooping up the ball before the goblins had even realised what was going on.


I think it even took her own team by surprise, Bill. The right wing blitzers had to scramble just to keep up her, let alone protect her from the back-line goblins. The only person on either side who showed any presence of mind was the Banshee's captain, Tess Ravenblade, who took advantage of the confusion to blitz into Pog Stevo, who had pulled out his chainsaw and was obviously planning to try and injure the Banshee's centre-forward. But he was the one suddenly being rushed back to the dugout with severe injuries instead.

Tyrin-Stillwater's tactics paid off, and she scored an early touchdown for the Banshees.


Damn, if it wasn't one of the most spectaular plays I've ever seen, Bill.

In response, the Greens were far more careful on their second drive, forming a cage. But they underestimated the Banshee's speed, and Tess Ravenblade managed to dodge into the Green's half and tackle the ball-carrier, before breaking away to score her first touchdown.

The goblins' offense was struggling a bit, showing how much they relied on Speedy, who was still injured from Burt's botched throw in their previous game. The trolls did manage to injure Daala Darkleaf, and after some though, they decided to send in Starfire,, who made a great drive down the left wing, but the Greens were prepared for her dump-off pass, and stalled the Banshees until the half ended.

The goblins kept up their stalling tactics in the second half, making the Banshees work very hard to gain ground, and towards the end of the half, both teams seemed to flag a bit, missing easy passes and pick-ups.

Yeah, we saw it in their game against the Orange Rats, and to a lesser degree against the Okes, but the Banshees do seem to run out of power toward the end of the second half. They did win 2-0 however.

They are still undefeated after four game, and currently lead the league by a good margin, though the Rats could close the gap if they beat the Okes on Wednesday, and then the Rangers, a game that hasn't been scheduled yet.

I'm excited to see the Okes and Rats play, the Rats are the only team faster than the Okes, but the Okes have near-flawless passing skills, something the Rats can do, but don't excel at. I suspect it might be quite a high-scoring game Bill!

Well, that's all we have time for folks! Join us later this week for in-depth looks at some of the teams and players. She's Erin Eventide, and I'm Bill Billingham, and this has been Blood Spatter!

Images from Games Workshop. More info on the Blood Bowl game at www.bloodbowl.com.

Okes Player Dies - Unseen Blood Bowl News

Breaking News - Glenwood Okes lineman Legolas Moonglove died this morning, from injuries sustained in a mach against the Banshees on Wednesday evening.

Legolas Mooonglove as a Starwood Forest lineman during the 'ranked play' era.

Okes manager, Wade Wonfor announced the tragic death during a brief press conference a few hours ago, going on to say "We are saddened to have such a talented young player with so much potential cut down in his prime. Our loss will only serve to motivate us further to honour his memory. Our hearts and prayers go out to Legolas' family in this hard time."

Moonglove was rushed off the pitch late in the second half, after a flying tackle by Banshee runner, Koriandir Starfire, sent him crashing to the ground. It was later revealed that he had sustained massive damage to his upper xylem system as well as multiple broken branches and a splintered jaw. Yesterday Moonglove was in a stable conition, but it quickly deteriorated overnight.

On Thursday morning, Banshees manager Keith Gammage announced the signing on of witch elf Hecate Shrike, and rumours quickly began to circulate that Starfire was being permanently benched by the Banshees due to increasing pressure from 'plant rights' activist group PETP. PETP routinely stages protests outside the Oakes stadium over their use of dryads and other plant-creatures in Blood Bowl tournaments, and the serious nature of Moonglove's injury had sent them into a frenzy, leading them to picket the Banshee's training grounds.

Starfire has been unavailable for comment, however, in an interview with us, Gammage has slammed the rumours as 'complete nonsense', saying, "It was always the plan to hire Hecate when her contract with the Darkland Rangers ended, in order to take the pressure off of Kori. Kori's astonishing success on plays unsuited to a runner are a testament to her sheer talent, which is why we don't want to overextend her, and will only be fielding her on offensive plays. She is not being 'benched', and is actually good friends with Hecate from their club days. Needless to say, she and our entire team are saddened by the death of Mr Moonglove, as we have great respect for the Glenwood Okes team, and have always believed that trees should be allowed to play Blood Bowl."

Legolas Moonglove first rose to prominence when his team at the time, Starwood Forest, won the Athol Loren Cup. His signing onto the Glenwood Okes was his chance at stardom, now sadly cut short. Legolas is survived by his wife and six seedlings.

- Rooters

Blood Spatter: Blitzmania Kicks Off!

 

Greetings sports fans, and welcome to Blood Spatter, your weekly look at Blood Bowl! I'm Bill Billingham, and alongside me is Erin Eventide. Hello Erin!

Hello Bill!

Well, the Unseen League kicked off this Saturday, and what a start it was! The first game was a showdown between the Banshees and the Ridgeback Raiders. The Raiders, named after owner Jared Ridge, are a pretty new human team that were put together at the last moment. We don't know very much about them. The Banshees on the other hand, have been playing in the minor leagues for a while. What can you tell us about them, Erin?

Well Bill, the Banshees are a dark elf team, notable for being all-female and for dressing in garish magenta. They are owned and managed by Keith Gammage, and are focused on a fast-defensive playstyle.

They also field a pair of identical twins as their wingmen. I can't tell them apart.

That's what player numbers are for, Bill.

It was a cracker of a game, that's for sure, with the Banshees scoring a total of four touchdowns, three of which were made possible by quick passes or handoffs by lineman KJ Blackthorn, earning her the coveted MVP award! The final score was 4-0.

I must point out that the scoreline wasn't a good reflection of the game at all. The Raiders didn't play badly by any means. They had good solid strategy, and managed to punch holes in the Banshee's defense on multiple occasions, only to have unlucky fumbles cost them a touchdown.

There was only a single casualty in the game, to one of the Raider's throwers, unfortunately, we have not recieved any news as to how badly he was hurt.

But onto the next game! It kicked off shortly after the first, and was between the Green Unseen, a goblin team managed by Brad Petzer, and the Glenwood Okes, a wood elf team owned by Wade Wonfor.

Bill, there are so many levels of pun in that last team name, I literally can't even.

The wood elves team was actually comprised entirely of dryads, and probably would have terrified anything smarter than a goblin. As expected, the Green Unseen spent most of the time cheating, and getting away with it, and squig-riding goblin Zug 'Speedy' McGuffin even managed to score two touchdowns, winning the match 2-0.

Quite an upset, Bill, as goblins winning games of Blood Bowl is incredibly rare. I guess we will have to wait and see if this is a fluke, or if a goblin team has finally come up with a formula for success.

Two dryads were sent off due to injuries they sustained, but Wade has told us that he is confident will be back in time for their next game. I wonder though, if his bark is worse than his bite.

...just no.

The Greens didn't come out completely unscathed either, as Aric Foxblade threw a crunching tackle at the goblin Zig, who had to be rushed off the field. We hear that he has suffered a completely smashed ankle, and will have to miss at least the next game.

That's a nasty one, there's no telling how long it will take to heal, or if Zig will ever be the same again. I look forward to the Okes next game though, as some of their player showed great potential for growth!

The third match saw the Banshees go up against the Orange Rats, a skaven team owned by the plague lord, Michael Thurley. I wonder if the Banshees are quite sane, deciding to play two matches in a single day.

I think perhaps the Banshees fell victim to the flaw of every elf, overconfidence. And I'm allowed to say that Bill, cause I'm an elf. But lets talk about the Rats. I hear you've been keeping an eye on them in the minor leagues.

Every Rats match I've seen has been a bloodbath, and this was no different. Four casualties and 7 knockouts in a single game! One of the twins went down early in the first half, and didn't get up again. The but Banshees responded by scoring a touchdown anyway, courtesy of lineman Daala Darkleaf and then frustrated the Rats by consistantly marking both Gutter Runners, negating thier superior mobility. Unfortunately, they lost Daala to a slamming tackle by Fluffy the Rat Ogre, meaning they went into the second half two players down.

Daala has scored a touchdown in every game the Banshees have played, earning her the nickname 'Darling'. Her teamates were NOT happy about the injury, Bill.

Yes, which is why early in the second half, they ganged up on Fluffy, and a flying tackle by the remaining twin sent him to the hospital. Even so, the Rats managed an equaliser, and though the Banshees threw everything they had at the Rats, they were unable to score a decider, leaving the match as draw.

I think the Banshees just ran out of steam at the end of the game, they'd done too much running and taken too many blows. I don't think they'll be playing a double-header again. My sources do tell me is that all of their players will be making a full recovery before their match against the Glenwood Okes on Wednesday.

With the reputation the Rats have, I think the Banshees are counting themselves lucky to have both drawn the game and not have suffered a permanent injury. They lead the league, with 4 points, with the Green Unseen in second at 3 points - but the goblins do have a game in hand. It's all to play for! So, Erin, before we go, what are you looking forward to the most in the weeks to come?

I think the match between the Banshees and the Oaks! I don't think the Banshees will have an easy time of it, as the Oaks are better at punching though defenses than the other teams the they have enountered. Gildas Greenleaf in particular is a player to watch, as his passes are something special. How about you, Bill?

You know I love the twins, Erin. Hope to see them blitzing all over the field on Wednesday. But that's all we have time for folks! She's Erin Eventide, and I'm Bill Billingham, and this has been Blood Spatter!

Images from Games Workshop. More info on the Blood Bowl game at www.bloodbowl.com.