Bloodbowl Match Black Mountain Bloodjaws vs Blackburners

A new Bloodbowl season has started at my local club and this year I have gone for another new starting team. I have chosen Orcs as I have never used them in any version of Bloodbowl over the years but they have always appealed to my playstyle (try and destroy the other team and score at will)

So here we have the match report for my debut game with the Black Mountain Bloodjaws. I was against my friend Mike and his One Season completed Chaos Dwarf team.

The debut game for the newly raised Black Mountain Bloodjaw Orc team and their introduction to Bloodbowl ends up in a storm of Pouring Rain. With the Blackburners being an established team they had a few more fans turn up but this meant the Bloodjaws managed to hire Ripper Bolgrot and Varag Ghoulchewer for the game.

The Bloodjaws win the toss and elect to receive, just as the ball is kicked the rain stops and the clouds clear leaving a nice blue sky and gentle breeze.

The ball scatters of the field and is duly given to their Thower and the Bloodjaws start their drive. Ripper smashes into a Chaos Dwarf but only manages to push the evil stunty away whilst Varag Blitzes a Bull Centaur and gets a CAS, at first instance it looks like the four legged demon bull is dead but after the Apocathary has a look he’s only Badly Hurt.

The crowd is wild at the early carnage and get more worked up as a Dauntless Hobgoblin crunches Ripper and floors the Troll. The Blackburners push on and a Chaos Dwarf finally throws a block at a Black Orc but ends up stunning himself.

The Bloodjaws seize the initiative and Varag manages to CAS a Chaos Dwarf whilst an Orc Blitzer CAS’s a Hobgoblin. The Black Orcs rampage and manage to stun a Chaos Dwarf and the other Bull Centaur and another Bloodjaw Blitzer gouges the eye out of a Hobgoblin CAS. Ripper embarrassed by his flooring rises up and CAS’s the now cowering Hobgoblin whilst the Bloodjaws Thrower moves up and shoots of a quick pass to a loose Blitzer.

The Blackburners respond to this quick mauling with a Hobgoblin with a bit of Elf blood dodges manically through the Greenskin lines but finally slips and KO’s himself.

The Orcs are in control and the ball carrier easily skips into the endzone to score. TOUCHDOWN!!! 1-0.

The Orcs kick and the Blackburners get a Quick Snap running forward. A Hobgoblin deftly collects the ball and pumps off a short pass to a receiver who then hands off to another free Hobgoblin. A Black Orc tries to smack his opponent but fluffs the hit and falls over. The Hobgoblin ball carrier Goes For It spectacularly but trips over and fractures his skull!! CAS. Varag fractures the arm of a Chaos Dwarf CAS and a Bloodjaw Blitzer KO’s the remaining Bull Centaur. The half draws to a close with the Blackburners missing the chance to equalize.

The Second half begins and the Orcs kick again. The Fans riot (clearly as the Blackburners have more fans and they are getting thumped) time ticks on and the Blackburners fail to collect the ball on their drive. Varag KO’s a Chaos Dwarf whilst a Blitzer stuns a Hobgoblin then tries to pick the ball up and fails.

The Blackburners cant get going and the Bloodjaws surge forward again, Blitzers stunning Hobgoblins and Chaos Dwarfs alike and finally one collects the ball (after remembering it’s a sports game, not just a smack fest!)

A Hobgoblin tries a longshot blitz on the ball carrier and manages to knock the Orc over with another Hobgoblin catching the loose ball. Ripper completely fluffs his hit on the Bull Centaur and hits the floor (again!!)

The Hobgoblins dash forward into scoring postion. A long bomb is thrown by the ball carrier but its fumbled!

 

The Bloodjaws gain an advantage with a Blitzer KO’ing a Hobgoblin and their Thrower collects the ball, pumps a pass upfield to a waiting Blitzer who dances in for the score TOUCHDOWN 2-0.

With the game nearly over the Orcs kick off again and this time the fans invade the pitch. The Bloodjaws end up with three players stunned including Ripper, who has has probably his most useless game of Bloodbowl recently.

The Blackburners collect the ball and tried a passing move but the clock runs down, the pass is fumbled anyway and the game is over.

BLOODJAWS WIN!!!

 

Dropzone Commander Tournament - Aftermath

Bloody hell that was an experience. Dropzone Commander is definately not just a pick and play game. I was pretty shell-shocked after my first 3 games of the tournament but I had seriously learnt a hell of alot about what my force can and cannot do.

The last 2 games on the sunday went alot better. Mixed fortunes but tactically and strategically I think I played alot better.


Game 1 - Military Complex Scenario vs Scourge (Chris Green)

Jesus these jellyhead gribblies are fast. This was my first entrance into the world of Dropzone, and I think I got a pretty good start. This mission was primarily objective based and the Scourge started so fast but I had a slight advantage over their skimmers as i had quite alot of Anti-Air stuff which negate the Skimmer's bonus when you shoot at them.

Chris was only just a bit more experienced at Dropzone than me and the game went back and forwards right to turn 6. At the end it was a Draw but I had destroyed quite alot more scourge than he had wiped of my PHR.

RESULT - DRAW


Game 2 - Ground Control Scenario vs Shaltari (David Bonner)

I was completely and utterly schooled in this game. Shaltari are a tough bunch of spiky aliens and have some insane units and  infantry. This scenario involved controlling board quarters. I came up against Davids heavy walker list, this had Jaguars, Coyotes, Dreamsnares, Ocelots and a Firedrake - I got wasted, I lacked mobility and even though I was putting serious damage on the walkers I just couldnt take enough down and just when I was close, the Shaltari passive saves negated the damage.

Unfortunately even though I got completely totalled I didnt enjoy the game as I could not get any rapport with my opponent. The conversation was just so dry and staid it became a slog and I dont mind getting beaten (especially in a game I have never really played) but I like to be able to have fun with my opponent. Ah well learning curve!

RESULT - HUGE LOSS

Game 3 - Take and Extract Scenario vs UCM (Dean McGunigall)

Dean was brilliant to play against, friendly, enthusiastic and a cracking opponent. I voted him for  Best Sportsman and he did the same with me, at the prize giving he won the Best Sportsman and I am not surprised.

This mission involved a central Focal point and you score a victory point for being within 6" at the end of the game and another victory point if you had more points within 6". Right upto the last turn the game was neck and neck, with my PHR forces dropping UCM assests left and right.

Then it was a race to the centre. In a last ditch cinematic moment I swooped in with a Triton Troop Dropship to offload my Siren infantry to bolster my forces at the focal point but just as I crested a small building the UCM let rip with some devestating AA fire and sent it crashing into the ground. The Siren survivors crawled from the wreckage but were just out of 6" range. I was going to lose by one point.

Then I remember my Mercury Scout Drones even though being aerial assets could lend their points to a focal point!

RESULT - DRAW

Game 4 - Recon Scenario vs Shaltari (Stephen Jones)

Another great fun game with a cracking opponent. This game saw us fighting to gain Intel which was included in every building and could possible be an objective or a booby trap. Yet again I struggled with Shaltari first, as their ability to nip around the board using their gates completley overshadowed my lack of mobility. I constantly put the hurt on these red clad aliens and managed to destroy a considerable amount of the enemy.

The Shaltari had a few bad searches and managed to set of a couple of booby traps whilst my Immortals and Sirens had a run of luck and found objectives which were hastily recovered to the rear. The nummerical supremacy of the Shaltari infantry started to tell though and they managed to find objectives as well.

It all came down to the last two searches. Both my infantry units available were going to be CQB'd by Shaltari but had a chance to search. The first found Intel and survived the ensuing melee but the Immortals on the outskirts came across an Objective. All I had to do was survive. No chance, the Shaltari were Firstborns and massacred my Immortals, picked up the Objective and scarpered through a Gate.

RESULT - LOSS (just)

Game 5 - Secure the Flanks vs UCM (Dan Ewing)

Two Focal points and 3 Objectives in this game to contest over and an opponent who had the most appaling luck. I started the game with the best Command Card I could have started with - Underground Monorail. This enabled me to link the Objective held building closest to me with the Central building also housing an Objective.

I sent my infantry straight in and managed in a few turns to find and extract both Objectives quickly whilst seriously damaging the UMC forces, taking out 2 Gladius Heavy tanks one after the other with lucky hits from my Hyperion Sunspear laser.

My Phobos Anti-Air units shot down Starsprite Drones in droves and Dans Armoured battle group was mauled by my Odins.

Dan had sent his Infantry right into the building closest to him with an Objective but throughout the game failed every search roll and I continued to blast away at the building killing off his infantry and finally took that building and Objective as well totally tableing him 20-0!

RESULT - MASSIVE WIN

So overall W1 D2 L2 - not bad for my first foray into Dropzone and as said before some massive lessons learnt.

Just some of the fantastic forces used during the tournament

 



My PHR

PHR (Metallic Blue)
 

PHR (Urban Camo)

UCM

Scourge

Shaltari

Shaltari (Tournament Winners force)

UCM

Shaltari (Best Painted)

Scourge

Dropzone Commander - PHR - Tournament Force

This weekend I will be frequenting my very first Dropzone Commander Tournament hosted by Hawk wargames held in the delightful surroundings of Croydon Conference Centre.

I do not have that much experience with this game (read practically none) but what the hell! lets see what I can do eh?

Over the last few weeks my blogging has been rather on the back burner as I have endevoured to get my force ready and I hope in the following pics you will like my army. I have not really gone to town on them as they were painted quicker than I would usually like but I think they have turned out alright.

 So for your delight here is my Dropzone Commander PHR 1500 Clash Tournament force

Triton Dropships with Immortal and Siren Infantry

Triton Dropships with Stealth Missiles and Mercury Scout Drones

Athena Strike Fighter



Odin Battle Walkers

Zeus Command and Hyperion Walkers

Apollo Strike Walkers

Phobos Anti-Air Walkers

Janus Scout Walkers

Neptune Dropships

PHR 1500 Force

Song of Blades and heroes - First try

Last week I managed to finally get a first try of the great little ruleset Song of Blades and Heroes. I have been after playing this for quite some time since Simon Quinton (Brummie) kindly sent me a copy of the rules.

The rules are set up for a warband of 300pts each side but this is so you can possibly play a few scenarios in an evening. I wanted a bigger game, to last most of our gaming night so I put together two forces of 450 odd points each. My mate Nick took one force of Elves consisting of 6 Archers, 2 Warriors and a Hero, Whilst I took the other force of Orcs consisting of a Warchief, 3 archers, 3 warriors with swords and 3 warriors with spears and a Troll.

 

The two forces assemble.

 

Elven Archers take the high ground ready to unleash an arrow storm on the encroaching Orcs.

 

The two sides face off against other. The Troll threatens with a loud roar but stupidly stnads around quite uneffective.

 

The Orcs advance towards the river and draw first blood dropping an Elf.

 

The bridge is contested by a sabretooth rider whilst the Orc Warchief moves into the fray.

 

An Elf archer spots an Orc and sneakily downs him whilst hiding under the bridge.

 

The Sabertooth rider munches an Elf Warrior.

 

Then munches another, leading the way free to assault the Elven rear.

 

The Orcs are on the attack but its stalled as the Warchief is dropped by combined archery.

 

The Warchielf completely fluffs his quality roll, leaving him at the mercy of the Elves.

 

The Samertooth rider is taken down by the Elven Hero.

 

With the Troll mostly out of the fight all battle due to his complete ineptitude, the Warchief recovers and takes out an Elf. Darkness descends and both sides withdraw to lick their wounds. Calculating the cost of the casualties Nick with the Elves have the upper hand and win.

 

An absolute cracking game. I had a blast even though my Troll failed practically ever quality roll of game and my Orcs couldnt fight for toffee. I will definately not be leaving it too long before setting up another game.