Cyanide

Tried twice to play the first game, but had two failures - the first a game client crash the second a network failure. Ugh.

Trying again maybe tomorrow.

Match schedule

OK, it starts badly. Then it gets a bit better. Then it gets bad again. And then I have a couple of easier games at the end of the season.

So I just need to get through it.

My first game is against Muffin, then Telorast, then Hawca. My target is five points from those three games, which will set me up for a good season if I achieve it. The problem is that I'm likely to take a lot of casualties in those first two games, which may not leave a lot left for my shootout against Hawca.

Against Muffin I am missing my thrower and one of my two tacklers, so it will be very tough. He doesn't have a wizard this time though, and I may get enough inducements for one myself depending on what I can cobble together before the game.

The match is Monday at 8pm UK time (GMT+1).

End of season review

Here’s the final table…

…and my team roster can be accessed here

Overall I’m delighted to finish second and clinch promotion. That said, I’m not all that happy with the state of my team or with the way I played this season. My team I think is still lacking a cage breaker – I haven’t had an AG5 player since my blitzer was killed by a wizard three seasons ago and I am now getting so desperate that I’m considering taking AG4 leap when Anduril his 16 SPPs. I have two awesome catchers which pretty much carry the team, but don’t seem able to get any more tackle into the roster – my tackle players keep dying!

My blitzers are finally getting better, and I have a few decent linemen, but there are just too many rookies on the team for comfort – four rookie linemen now.

As for the way I played, I think I am most proud of the first half against Crunky (but the second was lousy), and I think I played well against Anton (although I was lucky) and Youleaf. Otherwise I played pretty badly overall and I still am fairly clueless on offence. I feel much more comfortable defending than attacking. I was very lucky to beat AndyDavo and Zunk, and those games defined my season really. I still give away too many chances and roll too many dice and tend to throw my positioning away under pressure.

It will be interesting to see what happens next season. Tier 1 is as follows (rosters added where I have the addresses):

Bear Hunters – Chaos – Telorast 

The End of Level Boss for the OCC. The last remaining high TV chaos team from the founding of the league with three legendary chaos warriors and two legendary killer beastmen. The team is slowly falling apart due to injuries, but they were champions for the first time this season after coming close so many times before. Incredibly dangerous and will push hard for the championship.

Thorn of the Bloody Rose – Wood Elf – Hawca 

Hawca is famous for coaching elves, and having come a close second in tier 1 this season he is one of the two coaches who remain in the top tier.

Now two teams I don’t know much about:

Dragonblood Drakes – Lizards – Yarat

OCC New Orcz Giantz – Orc – Scaurus

And some that I do know about:

Munch N Crunch – Orc – Luiggi

A relatively unremarkable orc team which lost three players to death or career ending injuries in week 8, but Luiggi has the best record of any orc coach in the OCC and I think this team is probably my pick for the title next season.

Expired Meat – Necro – Maniehl

Maniehl has a reputation as an excellent coach and that must be true since he’s managed to get a pretty poor team into tier 1. No ghouls, which is odd, and he loves to foul.

The Grey Haven  Guard – High Elf – Me

The Sigil Torments – Dark Elf – Errant Saint 

Old friends from tier 3, this is the only team I’ve played before where I won 3-1. He has a lot of blodge on the team and is quite hard to handle, but other than an AG5 witch he doesn’t really have any outstanding players. I’d like to see this team do well, but they will start as underdogs I think. He also loves a foul, and so if he gets a few casualties then he can be trouble.

Grintoof All Stars – Matts373 – Orc  

A really nasty looking orc team, with two ST5 black orcs and a legendary killer blitzer. Matts is apparently a great coach, and also his forum icon is The Fonz.

Long Gone and Reprospering – Necro – TheMuffinThief 

Muffin is up as the “best loser”, I believe, but this is yet to be confirmed. You know the drill – feckin’ horrible wolf. Bah.