Amazing Averland Adventurers vs. Unknown Affiliates
Good morning, sports fans! It's time for another game, and this time the Amazing Averland Adventurers are facing the Unknown Affiliates once again.
The Human team is coming into the game after their last match against the High Elves of the Evershale Eagles, and unfortunately their Thrower is still out after being injured in that game.
Luckily, the Adventurers don't need any Journeymen today. They have exactly 11 players available, although that does mean they have to play without a Thrower.
They do have an Apothecary and three team re-rolls, and with a little money to spare they decide to invest in some inducements.
A couple of Bloodweiser Kegs and some Bretonnian Pastries should help get knocked-out players back on the pitch.
Because against a Chaos team, there are probably going to be quite a few players needing a little help getting back up.
There are once again plenty of fans in the stadium. Around 120,000 spectators have come to watch the game, and the weather is perfect.
“A beautiful day for Blood Bowl, Jim!”
“Yes, Bob. Perfect weather, a full stadium and two teams who like hitting each other.”
“What more could you want?”
“Perhaps fewer injuries.”
“Don't be ridiculous, Jim.”
The Unknown Affiliates win the toss and decide to receive.
They also manage to get a re-roll from Brilliant Coaching, giving them three re-rolls for the game.
The Chaos team immediately starts pounding the Human line of scrimmage.
The Humans know that they are at a disadvantage in strength, so they try to avoid the Chaos players wherever possible.
One of the Human Blitzers has Strip Ball, and the plan is to stay away from the Chaos team while looking for an opportunity to get at the ball.
The Unknown Affiliates form a cage around the ball carrier and slowly start moving forward.
The Minotaur uses its Frenzy to push and punch its way through the Human defence, opening space for the cage to advance.
The Humans make quite a few turnovers during the drive, but there is a reason for it.
Every single turn they are trying to dodge away from the Chaos players.
The plan is simple: stay one square away from the Chaos players, keep dodging away, and wait for an opportunity.
The cage moves slowly.
The Humans manage to create several possible openings, but they just can't get a player into a position where they can seriously threaten the ball carrier.
“The Humans seem to be spending a lot of time running away.”
“It's called tactical positioning, Bob.”
“I thought Humans were supposed to fight Chaos.”
“Only when they have to.”
“Ah. So they're saving their strength.”
“Exactly.”
Eventually, the Unknown Affiliates spot an opening.
They take it.
The Chaos cage breaks through the Human defence, and in turn six the ball carrier reaches the end zone.
Touchdown! Unknown Affiliates lead 1–0!
The Amazing Averland Adventurers now have three turns to equalise.
The Bloodweiser Kegs immediately prove their worth, bringing one of the knocked-out Humans back onto the pitch.
The Chaos Warriors position themselves out on the sides, while the Beastmen and Minotaur line up around the line of scrimmage.
The Humans set up with one thing in mind:
Make a hole.
The Ogre gets to work.
Unfortunately, the Ogre only manages to push.
But it is enough.
A small gap opens in the Chaos line, and both Human Catchers manage to get through and deep into Chaos territory.
Suddenly, the Humans have players in scoring position.
The Chaos team has also left a sizeable gap behind them, meaning they have a difficult time getting down to the ball.
The ball is deep in Human territory, so there are still a couple of turns to get it under control.
The Human captain, who is also a Blitzer, moves towards the ball.
He tries to pick it up.
He fails.
Even with his Pro skill.
“The Human captain has dropped the ball!”
“He has Pro, Bob.”
“Yes, Jim.”
“So he can try again.”
“Excellent! I like this skill.”
In the second-to-last turn of the half, the Chaos team has managed to put tackle zones on both Catchers and several other Human players.
But the Humans manage to play their way free.
The Blitzer finally picks up the ball and starts moving it towards the line of scrimmage.
The Chaos team decides that violence is the best answer.
The Minotaur goes after the Ogre.
The two big players clash.
And the result is disastrous for the Humans.
The Ogre is knocked out and badly hurt.
Casualty!
The Humans are now hopelessly outnumbered in terms of raw strength.
But there is still one turn left.
The final turn of the first half.
And somehow, the Amazing Averland Adventurers still have a chance to equalise.
The Blitzer runs through the Chaos players.
He needs either a dodge or a short pass to get the ball where it needs to go.
His Pro skill gives him the opportunity to make the pass.
He throws it.
The Catcher catches the ball...
while standing in a Beastman's tackle zone!
He dodges.
The first attempt fails.
But the Catcher has a Dodge re-roll.
He uses it.
Succes!
The Catcher runs into the end zone.
Touchdown!
1–1 at half-time!
And the Amazing Averland Adventurers will receive the ball in the second half.
“I don't believe it!”
“Neither do I, Bob.”
“They were down to their last turn!”
“And they scored.”
“This is why you never give up in Blood Bowl.”
“Or perhaps why you should never trust a Human Catcher.”
Second Half
The Humans put ten players on the pitch, with the Unknown Affiliates also down to ten after one of their players remains knocked out.
The Humans receive the ball and prepare to swarm across the pitch.
They are still at a serious disadvantage in strength.
The team is young, and none of their players have Guard yet.
So the tactic is clear.
Dodge.
Play around the Chaos players.
Spread the team out.
Wait for an opportunity to get the ball to a player who is free.
But how on earth are they going to make that work?
The answer seems to be:
Punch the Chaos team.
Somewhere during the half-time break, it appears the Human players have discovered a Khorne relic.
Because over the course of just a few turns, the Amazing Averland Adventurers manage to inflict three casualties on the Chaos team.
Chaos players start falling everywhere.
Suddenly there are holes.
Lots of holes.
The Humans have space to move, and the Unknown Affiliates are struggling to stop them.
The Adventurers take full advantage.
They dodge around the remaining Chaos players, spread the field and move the ball forward.
The Chaos defence is simply too damaged to stop them.
The Amazing Averland Adventurers score.
Touchdown!
2–1 to the Amazing Averland Adventurers!
“Jim, what happened to the Humans?”
“I'm not sure, Bob.”
“They've started knocking people out.”
“Yes.”
“That's not very Human.”
“Apparently they disagree.”
The Unknown Affiliates now have to equalise.
They form a cage and start working their way towards the Human end zone.
But there are fewer and fewer Chaos players left to do the work.
The half goes quickly.
The Humans dodge away from the remaining Chaos players, keep their distance, make cheeky Blitzes whenever possible and, most importantly, keep the clock running.
The Unknown Affiliates have less and less time to work with.
They are forced to play more and more desperately.
Eventually, the Chaos team reaches a point where almost everything has to go right if they are going to score.
They need the dodges.
They need the blocks.
They need the movement.
They need the dice.
And this time, it doesn't happen.
The Unknown Affiliates fail to create the opening they need.
The final whistle blows.
The Amazing Averland Adventurers win 2–1!
“What a game!”
“A very impressive comeback from the Humans.”
“They were losing 1–0, lost their Ogre and still came back to win.”
“Yes.”
“I think the Chaos team should be worried.”
“Why?”
“Because the Humans have discovered punching.”
It was a great game for the Amazing Averland Adventurers.
They managed to survive the first half despite being heavily outmatched in strength, and then turned the second half around with a combination of dodging, positioning and, somewhat surprisingly, a lot of casualties.
The huge crowd also means that both teams make a very good amount of money from the match.
The Humans immediately put some of their winnings to good use and buy another Thrower.
This gives the team a reserve player and, more importantly, means they won't have to play another game without a Thrower if one gets injured.
There are also two skill improvements.
One of the Catchers gains Diving Catch, an incredibly useful skill for the Human team.
One of the Linemen also gains Block, giving the team another reliable player on the line of scrimmage.
The Amazing Averland Adventurers are growing stronger.
And after this game, they have also learned an important lesson:
Sometimes the best way to avoid Chaos is simply to knock them all out.
