“Despite for the first time sharing a division together, the History between Real and Houston is well etched in the OBBA annals, and it’s a bitter one that gets no sweeter with familiarity.

The grudges against the Rats include a frustrating Round One OBBA Cup loss, and a friendly that consisted of claw wielding Rats pounding on harmless, defenceless and unsuspecting Ghouls.

But Houston now find themselves in unknown territory, the home of the OBBA elite, a place where even their highly successful Skaven predecessors, InterRatzionale, found the going tough.


Despite grudge fuelled determination, the realism was that Real went into the game expecting little, so it was with great glee that the news that the Houston camp had contracted a disease that had debilitated two of their players, a disease traced back to relations between The Duke and the Rat’s cheerleading squad.

In fact, this message was hand delivered by the Houston coach himself who congratulated the Real coach on his win before even a player took to the field. Doubtless it is this prematurity that lead the Cheerleading squad to seek Orc company in the first place.

The Rats metagaming tactics were brushed aside as they took to the field for their defence.

The great but ailing Karla Larburu was again hit by a rock (when we find the b@2t@7d who keeps doing this he’s dead btw) and though the Rats could have put an early boot to Real’s best they didn’t but instead ran for the goal line, leaving them oddly vulnerable to a blitz.

Imanol Plaza Ces was then KO’d, and would annoyingly remain so for the remainder, and Houston made it look easy.

0 - 1

Real took to the offensive, and for the best part the ball carrier walked towards the endzone unmolested, a Mummy seriously injuring a lowly linerat who was promptly revived by their apothecary. Houston seemed determined to try and take a Mummy out, and killed poor Jim 'Bonesaw' Paterson who stood in their way… Real once again found themselves short handed against weaker opponents, 8 to 10.

But just as things looked set to get worse, the clumsy Erik Ustruck attempted to dodge, fell, and broke his little Rat neck… Real quickly signed him as compensation for their earlier loss.

Real took control back but a somewhat poor move left them vulnerable to a Rat Ogre blitz and tackle expert GR to mark the ball carrier, with long serving, star fouler, Ion Txoperna Garcia paying for the mistake with his unlife.
A courageous Wight block on the Ogre and a wonderful take down on the Gutter Runner left Real to luckily equalise!

1 - 1

2nd Half and the Rats could now muster only 8 against Real’s 11… just how Real like it, due in part to their persistently odd fouling attempts on Karla Laburu.
Houston were quickly reduced to seven and swarmed all over whilst butter fingered rookie Ghoul, Xabier Prieto Argarate, struggled to pick the ball up.

Real’s coach command his team to not foul, a bad mistake given the danger that the remaining Gutter Runner soon presented, blitzing through the Undead horde. Xabier Prieto Argarate got the ball and ran for cover until reinforcements arrived, from there on it was a leisurely stroll to the endzone to make it a triumphant 2 – 1!

The Rat Ogre was kicked for continuously hitting Zombies!

==

I played poorly this game, with several mistakes, but luck was on hand to guide me through it for certain.
Both my Mummies got their second CAS each in a combined 21 games between them… they’re on a roll now!

Azures frustrating perms came from dodging, one to blitz with his claw Rat and the other to get a foul in, his apoth already used on a block linerat early on I think, never a great idea if you have much better to protect.

A real shame that Ion died, leaving me with only three original members of the team now. :(

GG mate – and better luck in your next games.

Just to make Azure feel better about the game, here were my comments on our latest competitive match, the one where the quick snap won it for him. :)

==

Not been this frustrated with a game for AGES! The KOs at the beginning, their utterly failed return thereafter and of course the Pièce de résistance… the Kick offs!

The combined efforts of Relentless Rain + Well Aimed Rock + Quick Snap + plus a failed Kick (a 6 + 3/d8) totally screwed me!

-FF and 30K later and we took very little from the game… the Skaven CAS came too late to help us really.

Grats to Azure, who for once was out grumbled by myself! :P
Lets hope he goes all the way now… especially since he got off with complete BHs.
”