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Chainsaw

Joined: Aug 31, 2005

Posted: Oct 29, 2013 - 13:14

It's on! Uzkulak Pirates against Favalessa's Luccini Renegades 2013-10-31 21:00 GMT!

Thar be blood afoot!

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Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Oct 30, 2013 - 07:35

Albion Conference update!

Heya sports fans, BB sportscaster Howie Duyn here, with the Albion Conference update on the dogfight for the top 3 slots for post-season play. Tight race for half the teams, and several others have a mathematical shot if the right leaders tank in their final game(s).

One pair of teams has played their 4th game, Death Pass Pillagers and Magritta Intrusive Tentacles, leaving only one game remaining for them. Both teams had been high in the hunt, but the hurdle got higher for MIT when they lost. Not out of it yet, but a much tougher road to post-season, and now they have to win plus the right teams have to lose for them to make the podium.

But they are not alone in that boat...

Death Pass Pillagers

(* 4 game total, only 1 game remaining)

New Bretonnia Expatriates

Nidhoggstad Icedragons

Magritta Intrusive Tentacles

(aka MIT)

(* 4 game total, only 1 game remaining)

Wasteland Vagabonds

Wuppertal Wizards

Green Beards of Irana

Amazon Isle Rangers

Morgheim Minions

Black Chasm Rush

Having already played (and won!) Game #4, the Death Pass Pillagers sit temporarily in the lead and have a strong tie-breaker score, but someone (either the Expats or Icedragons) will have 7(+) points after their Game 4. Game 5 may be the deal sealer, or the deal breaker.

The outright Game #3 leaders, New Bretonnia Expatriates are unbeaten in their first 3 games this season, and can clinch a post-season spot with just 1 more win (because they are playing two of the three teams within reach of them!), but that could mean nothing if they drop their next two. They face the #2 Icedragons tomorrow* and (almost certainly**) face off against the temporary leaders Death Pass Pillagers for Game 5, so both those games will be crucial for all concerned.

(* Scheduled @ 2000 GMT / 4 PM Eastern. The Icedragons dominated the Expats (3-0) in their rookie season but lost by a nose (0-1) in their second - we'll see what a dozen games has done to that matchup.)

(** DPP's are the only other team that will have 6+ points that the NBE's have not yet played)

Only one point back, the Nidhoggstad Icedragons could take the outright lead if they beat the Expats, or drop as far as 4th place, so their next 2 games* are crucial for them as well.

(* If they win (or tie?), their next opponent is hard to predict - MIT is a good bet if they win, or possibly the Green Beards of Irana or the Amazon Isle Rangers if either of them win. If the 'Dragons lose, predictions become even murkier.)

MIT is another 4-game sitter, and so their fate is not completely in their own hands.* They would have to win and the Icedragons lose their next two - short of insanely extreme tie-breaker results anything less would not do it, as the tie-breaker diff is just too big to make up in one game. (But if any team can catch fire with Casualties, Nurgle is certainly one of them!)

Alone at 3 points, the Wasteland Vagabonds are longshots but not out of the hunt either. Sitting at 1-1-1 and facing a +260TV, 1-0-2 team that will start with 150 TV in the reserves box, they could easily have 7 points by season's end, so need the right teams above them to lose.*

(* If the Vag's win both their games, they could edge the Icedragons if the 'Dragons lose one and tie one, or if the Vags dominate the tie-breaker point difference in both the remaining games.)

For most other teams - well it's probably* become a (re-)building year, if it wasn't already. :/ So play those next 2 games to harvest spp and survive - you can try to win for pride, or protect what you have and build for the future. (Do both if opportunity presents, natch.)

(* There are currently 3 Albion teams with 2 points and 2 games to play, so one could finish with 6 points. So, if any of them do manage to win both games, and the Icedragons lose their next 2, and the Vagabonds don't win both of theirs, and some other stuff with each of MIT's and the Pillagers' last game (1 remaining each)... they're in! So - not impossible.)
;)

Next up... Bretonnia Conference!

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Oct 30, 2013 - 10:11

And we're back!... with the...

Bretonnia Conference update!

Heya sports fans, BB sportscaster Howie Duyn here, back with the Bretonnia Conference half of the update for Game 4 of 5, top 3 teams in each Conference to go on to post-season play...

The race here is much tighter than Albion, too tight to even guess at. Any win or loss could upset the applecart and re-arrange the best predictions, so, since all Bretonnia teams are currently sitting at 3 games each, let's get right to the leaderboard...

Luccini Renegades

Apuccini Avengers

Barak Varr Goldlords

Uzkulak Pirates

Serpents Coast Scavengers

Chaos-Wastes Cavaliers

Nilfheim Lumberjacks

Frostheim United

Mousillon Blood Knights

Tuarec Exiles

After tying each other last game (each team's only non-win this season), a pair of teams lead Bretonnia with 5 points each, but the Luccini Renegades are far ahead of the Apuccini Avengers in tie-breaker points.

The Renegades next play perennial contender Uzkulak Pirates, always a dangerous opponent, while the upstart Avengers play 3-time League Champs Barak Varr Goldlords - will 8 Tacklers prove to be too much for the rookie-season WElfs?

One of 3 teams trailing the leaders by only 1 point and boasting 6.5 tie-breaker points, defending long-time kings-of-the-hill Champs Barak Varr Goldlords are a natural favorite to podium, if not win their division outright.

Sharing the 4-point slot, the Uzkulak Pirates have been in the race every season, and this is no difference. With only 1 tie-breaker point they are currently at some disadvantage, and are playing a dangerous Nurgle team next, but they know how to bash it up with the best of them.

Trailing the 4-point trio are sophomore team Serpents Coast Scavengers, but a bit in the cellar with -2.5 tie-breaker points. They need to win both their next games (and possibly run up the score/casualty count!) to have any chance to stand on the podium at season's end, but are the only team of the 2nd place trio that's playing a team below them in the standings.

Alone in 6th at .500 are the Chaos-Wastes Cavaliers (1-1-1), notable for boasting the League-leading 7.5 tie-breaker points, 4.5 from an 11:2 casualty count. A lot depends on the outcomes of this round and then the Game 5 matchups, but (I think?) that if they can win their next 2 games and the right teams lose, that tie-breaker could squeak them into post-season.

On a last note, of darker interest is the fall of the Tuarec Exiles, a winner of Season II Conference and Season III Inter-Conference Shield, to current 10th place, 0-3. Early game injuries and season RIP's could easily be to blame - better luck next season, Exiles!

And to all teams, this is Howie Duyn wishing all of you... No Bad Luck! (I'd say "Good Luck", but, as much as possible, may the better coach, and not the dice, decide the winner! And no perms!) ;)

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Last edited by Smeat on %b %30, %2013 - %19:%Oct; edited 1 time in total

gjopie

Joined: Oct 27, 2009

Posted: Oct 30, 2013 - 10:31

Great round-up. Only thing I would add is that because of the addition of the Kislev Conference, there is more to play for at the bottom than pride - the bottom team from both conferences will be relegated to the Kislev Conference, while the 9th placed teams will enter a playoff with the 3rd and 4th places teams from Kislev.

If teams drop out from the top two Conferences for Season V, more teams will come up from the Playoffs (up to a maximum of all four, obviously), and then if we need more teams, we'll spare the relegated team with the better record.

_________________

Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Oct 30, 2013 - 10:47

Late update...

Kislev Conference update!

Quick overview -

First, there have been substitutions a'plenty, more than this commentator can easily keep track of. Many inherited wins, many inherited losses, so the current ranking for many teams is part luck, part their own credit/fault. With so much chaos, it's hard to tell who may/may not be a favorite, but almost everyone is in contention for the top 2 spots to move up...

(And forgive if we get anything wrong - our research crew is all out smoking the pharmaceutical opium from the first-aid boxes of the teams that quit!)

2 Teams, both late substitute teams with only 2 games each, have 4 points with records of 2-0. Lahmia Undead United, with a combined score of 5:0 and 8 Casualties to their own credit (plus 2 more TD's from the forfeit they inherited, for a total of 11(!!!) tie-breaker points), may be the team to beat - or to run from! The High Elf team Caledor Volcano has the same team record but inherited a forfeit loss and has been on the losing end of the bash battle, for an unintimidating -1 tie breaker.

It's a good bet these teams will face off for Game 4 to produce a true Division leader for Game 5. If the HElfs can survive to win, they will certainly have earned first place, but if the Undead keep up their current track record, there may not be much left for Game 5 either way.

A point back and alone in 3rd place is another Game 2 substitute, the turov torpedo's, but after inheriting a win they have gone 0-1-1 - pick it up, torpedo's, or you're sunk!

Another point back sit another pair tied for 4th/5th in points, the Dark Lands Predators (one of only two 3-game teams in the Division!) and the Grabheim Terrors, yet another Game 2 sub team (yes, there are a bunch). Too soon to write them off, but they can't wait to Game 5 to start winning.

Behind them, but still in theoretical striking range, sit the Pillars of Nagash - yep, them too, a sub team.

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Chainsaw

Joined: Aug 31, 2005

Posted: Oct 31, 2013 - 23:39

Luccini Renegades 0 - 5 Uzkulak Pirates

Rumours were circulating that Urdithane had grown restless, especially upset at the loss to the wood elves earlier in the season.

He raced out on to the pitch looking confident. First Siemon killed a rotter before the super star dark elf took the ball for the opener, then sacked the ball carrier to set up the 2nd.

He looked somewhat less coordinated as he strode out grinning after half time. His next action was to slump into a pestigor when supposedly blocking, then fall over when trying to dodge away. In a crumpled pile, it was deemed the elf was knocked out after a boot in the ribs and he was dragged to the KO box - from which he never returned. After the game an empty bottle of rum was discovered there.

[longer report in the match link]

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Chainsaw

Joined: Aug 31, 2005

Posted: Nov 04, 2013 - 15:00

Apuccini Avengers 1 - 1 Barak Varr Goldlords

Uzkulak Pirates needed a draw in this game in order to stand a chance at clinching their first conference title - the dwarves have a superior delta and could draw level on 6 with a win, whilst the wood elves could have gone 1 point clear with 1 game remaining.

The dwarves had a strong drive, knocking out the important wood elves. A fireball opened up the blitz but it didn't come off. The dwarves killed the tree before scoring. After half time the dwarves briefly stole the ball but the elves fought back to level the score with 6 turns remaining - a long time to keep out dwarves. However this drive they had less of an impact on the elves and got squeezed down the side, leading to an impressive takedown of the runner with the ball. It set up a scramble from which neither side could capitalize.

The Pirates roared with approval and raised their bottles of rum in celebration. Hold it lads, there's still another game or 2 to sort this one out! Let's not turn up hungover for the 5th round game!

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Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Nov 04, 2013 - 22:45

Chainsaw wrote:

Luccini Renegades 0 - 5 Uzkulak Pirates

0-4 is a rout - 0-5 is rare indeed - grats!

And +5 tie-breaker points just when the Pirates needed it most, putting them back up there with the division leaders.*

Of course, the fact that Favalessa chose, again and again, to NOT protect the ball and instead go for blocking spp certainly helped... Confused

And whoever you play next, and in any post-season, won't be happy with Fav handing you 29(???!!!) spp, altho' somehow only 1 skill (altho' more players are now tee'd up).

And all at the cost of only 1 1/2 rookie linos (one RIP, one niggled).

And, somehow, it looks like the Swiss formula danced the Pirates right around the Gold Lords, who have left their mark on almost every team they've played. Ole!

Bridesmaid in every season so far - is this the year of the Pirates?

(* The Pirate's most likely last opponent will be the freshman Scavengers if they win, or the equally rookie Cavaliers, who have amassed 10.5 tie-breaker points. If the Cav's, then that sum won't be a threat if the Pirates can at least tie; if the Scav's, the Pirates need to win to keep the Cav's intimidating total out of their math.)

It was a close race in Bretonnia before round 4, and it's just gotten a LOT closer!

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Nov 04, 2013 - 23:17

In Albion, with one game to play it's probably between 3 teams...

New Bretonnia Expatriates

Death Pass Pillagers

Nidhoggstad Icedragons

...but 2 other teams are mathematically in striking range IF one/both of the 6-point teams lose AND they can pull off a win with the sort of tie-breaker point jump that Chainsaw just demonstrated is possible...

Green Beards of Irana

Magritta Intrusive Tentacles

The Greenbeards are probably playing the Icedragons, and if so then their fate is in their hands - a win and a 2.5-point tie-breaker jump means the 'Dragons drop 2.5 tie-breaker points, and the freshman dwarves are in!

For MIT, the situation is murkier - again, not impossible, but they'll need to stomp their opponents (Black Chasm Rush?) to the tune of 3.5 tie-breaker points or more while one of the 6-pointers takes an equally hard (or worse) thumping.

At the top, despite their tie last game the Expats have locked up a slot in the post-season, but will need to win to guarantee the bye.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Kislev Conference is probably looking at a 4-way race, depending on who wins one of the last games yet to be played...

Lahmia Undead United

turov torpedo's

Caledor Volcanos

...plus anything is possible in the pending outcome between 2 teams still in striking range...[list]
o Grabheim Terrors 2 pts (-0.5)
o Lybaras Crusaders 2 pts (-3)/list]
If one of those two win, they're only 1 point back - if they tie, they're both only 2 points back and not out of striking range for a tie-breaker.

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Chainsaw

Joined: Aug 31, 2005

Posted: Nov 04, 2013 - 23:36

With round 4 almost complete over in Bretonnia, the final round is shaping up. The top of the table deciders are set - top team Uzkulak Pirates will face Chaos-Wastes Cavaliers. Whilst the Cavaliers' 10.5 tie breaker points no longer are relevant to the leaders, it is a must-win game for the Pirates as they only top the table due to superior tie breaker points to the unbeaten Apuccini Avengers. The wood elves are heavy favourites to maintain that sequence and win their final match against the Serpents Coast Scavengers.

Smeat wrote:

And, somehow, it looks like the Swiss formula danced the Pirates right around the
Gold Lords, who have left their mark on almost every team they've played. Ole!

I'd like to take credit for my delicate abuse of the Swiss format, but sadly it wasn't that clever.

Praise be to Nuffle though! Those dwarves look nasty. Although our only encounter worked out well for the Pirates.

Smeat wrote:

Bridesmaid in every season so far - is this the year of the Pirates?

The Cavaliers and Avengers still have something to say about that!

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Last edited by Chainsaw on %b %05, %2013 - %00:%Nov; edited 2 times in total

uzkulak

Joined: Mar 30, 2004

Posted: Nov 04, 2013 - 23:58

I would be careful about predicting too much before round 4 is properly over. For example the Wasteland Vagabonds could yet in theory win the Albion conference.

FredAstaire

Joined: May 10, 2013

Posted: Nov 05, 2013 - 00:02

uzkulak wrote:

I would be careful about predicting too much before round 4 is properly over. For example the Wasteland Vagabonds could yet in theory win the Albion conference.

The Pillagers will face the Lizards in Rd5, which means the winner of Albion will have a guarranteed 8 points, & the Vagabonds can only get a maximum of 7. So the title is between The Expatriates, The Pillagers or the Icedragons . . . However, Challenge Cup places are still up for grabs Razz

Smeat

Joined: Nov 19, 2006

Posted: Nov 05, 2013 - 00:17

Oooh, the Scavenges couldn't pull out the win* to stay matched with the leaders at 6 points, so instead of 3rd they become one of the four teams tied in third place 1 point back with 5 points - what a race!

(* They had the go-ahead score Turn 13, but thought they could/should stall just a little longer - exactly what cost the Expats the go-ahead score in their game. Stupid lizardz.) >.<

"Must win" seems to be the rule for about half the teams in the entire League, one way or another! ;D

_________________
Let's go A.P.E.!

(...and what exactly do you think they do with all those dead players?...)

Last edited by Smeat on %b %05, %2013 - %00:%Nov; edited 1 time in total

uzkulak

Joined: Mar 30, 2004

Posted: Nov 05, 2013 - 00:18

The draw for round 5 is not made yet, while some matchups are more likely than others there are no guarantees... You will remember yourself Fred how the swiss system worked in the Badlands qualifier for WCS, when pretty much none of the expected match ups were actually scheduled in the last round. And some people got to replay matchups they had already endured.

FredAstaire

Joined: May 10, 2013

Posted: Nov 05, 2013 - 00:30

True, although I suspect pythrr's pet squirrels had something to do with it.

But I'm pretty sure that being at the top of the table gives the expats priority, whereas the issues in the Badlandz where further down. Either way, you're right & perhaps the title race isn't so narrow Razz