RPS Blood Bowl League - The RPS Open

[Jolima]

The RPS Open is one of the many RPS Blood Bowl Leagues, at the time of writing soon to finsh its fifth season. A season consists of each player (most often 12) playing all others once. This makes each season take about four months to finish.

As soon as one season ends, the next begins. Most players are keeping their teams between seasons but old players or new may join with another race of similar TV which is not yet represented in the league.

The league is organized through this thread and the spreadsheet.

To join the league, post in this thread, list yourself at the bottom of the 'Players' tab on the spreadsheet and pick one of the available races. Keep in mind that you should have a team of at least 1500 TV to be competitive and several of the teams are at 1900+ TV. If you want to join with a lower valued team you are welcome to, but please be aware of what you are doing and make sure that you are prepared to keep playing them for the full season.

Rules for race selection:

• Make sure that the Race column always lists the race you want to play next season. If this is different than the one you are playing this season, write that in the notes column.
• If you want to change to some other race just change it if it's free or negotiate with the one who currently has it.
• Please never write down a race which is not listed among the "Available races".

Essentially, this means that the first to decide gets to pick. I'm sure there are some who will be willing to switch if you ask though.

Any suggestion for changes to the league are welcome and may be implemented between seasons.

SPREADSHEET

[Zoraster]

Still no sign of Khryses so I think we can take it as read our match isn't going to get played before the deadline. The only time I think I could play Sunday is in the early hours down under. As stated on the old forum I'm trying to keep capacity for an Aussie prime time meeting on Monday or Tuesday, but if he hasn't returned by Sunday there won't be much point delaying on the off chance.

[Daave]

Would groovy (or anyone else) mind swapping for me? I had rather an education from Jolima's elves, Norse really aren't cut out for high TV games.

[groovychainsaw]

I'm happy to step in with my ogre team (about 1750 TV - too high? If it helps, remember they're only ogres ;-)) if you need another player. Just let me know and I'll apply.

[Jolima]

I'm happy to step in with my ogre team (about 1750 TV - too high? If it helps, remember they're only ogres ;-)) if you need another player. Just let me know and I'll apply.

Please do and I'll get you switched in unless Daave has a change of heart before I can do so. 1750 TV will be fine.

[groovychainsaw]

Hi Jolima, tried to apply but it says something about 'cannot accept applications'? I'm pretty sure I've done everything right? Maybe its because your season has kicked off, or you still have a full roster?

[Zoraster]

There has to be a vacancy before mid-season applications can be made. If Daave quits/gets kicked then Groovy will be able to apply

[Zoraster]

Just got a PM from Khryses on the old forum. He has been lurgified but is back amongst the living now. We are trying to arrange something on Monday or Tuesday if Lord Jolima is feeling merciful :)

[Khryses]

No need, will shoot for 0-dark-hundred tonight (after a few gaps for sleep).

Fortunate part of surgery is it's not like the problem bit can be put *back*, so I should be relatively healthy from now on ;)

[Jolima]

I think Daave has taken himself out now. At least his team is in red and trying to dismiss them gives a helpful: "The status of the league is not compatible with the current action."

I've made you commisioner as well so you can do whatever is needed to accept yourself.

I think Hugh and 'Hands have their game scheduled for today as well, so looks like we're on track for moving on by the schedule.

[ChainsawHands]

A very different game for The Horny Goats against HughTower's The Vivisectionists this time, as the skaven actually had players left on the pitch at the end of the first half! Clearly I need more mighty blow...

Anyway, they scored quickly and I didn't quite manage to equalise in the first half, then I scored at the end of the second half to equalise. I managed 5 injuries along the way, four Badly Hurt and a dead AV6 lineman, which let's face it was going to happen sooner or later. ;-)

Thanks to HughTower for the game. Replay here.

[groovychainsaw]

I'm in - hi everyone! I look forward to throwing snotlings at you all :-).

[HughTower]

A very different game for The Horny Goats against HughTower's The Vivisectionists this time, as the skaven actually had players left on the pitch at the end of the first half! Clearly I need more mighty blow...

Anyway, they scored quickly and I didn't quite manage to equalise in the first half, then I scored at the end of the second half to equalise. I managed 5 injuries along the way, four Badly Hurt and a dead AV6 lineman, which let's face it was going to happen sooner or later. ;-)

Thanks to HughTower for the game. Replay here.

A game of the purists, I think it's fair to say, typified by a lot of magnificent defensive work and excellent game clock control. At least though, it was a game this time rather than a re-run of the Charge of the Light Brigade.

My only regret was that Billy Big Balls - who had a pretty good game all in all - didn't sharpen his can opener before he came out to play and hence failed to make a single dent in the phalanx of Chaos Warriors.

And RIP to Stutter the line-rat, but as 'Hands says, if you going to keep going out only wearing your knickers, you're going to end up horizontal at some point or other.

In a rules related note, when you get the chance to apo a KO, what's the best outcome you can get? Can you stay on the pitch?

[Jolima]

Apoth on a KO gives an automatic stun instead. So you stay on the pitch but still lose the next turn.

[HughTower]

Apoth on a KO gives an automatic stun instead. So you stay on the pitch but still lose the next turn.

And that's 100% fool-proof?

[President Weasel]

You mean can it give you a choice between KO'd and dead? No, it's foolproof - but it does use up your one and only apoc on a mere KO who might come back on the next drive anyway.

[Jolima]

The first round is finished and the league has been moved forward. The next set of matches is marked up in the spreadsheet as usual.

(Thanks to drawlien who did all of that.)

The next round ends in 10 days on June 15th.

Zoraster, this time I'm playing you. How about sometime tomorrow afternoon/evening or next weekend?

[duff]

Ian my dear, when would you like to give me an education into how to correctly play lizzies?

[Zoraster]

This afternoon Frenzy made their debut in the Open against Khryses’ Bad Penny. Naturally I induced Zara against Undead opposition. Deeproot filled out the roster with the Chef on the sidelines. Frenzy kicked off; the Chef claimed a single reroll as the rain started to fall. From the off Penny looked in control. Despite the rain the ball was collected faultlessly, removing the threat of the defensive one turner. The tossed ‘fling failed his landing roll, forcing him to GFI to mark the BC thus rendering the half die blitz far too risky. The first ‘fling dodge was a failure, leading to a KO and the doughty BC marker rapidly followed into the dugout. Penny were two men up, the ball into midfield, but The Lady now swung firmly behind the ‘flings.

The ball was up on halfway, but only had Penny’s star Ghoul screening the BC. As a Blodge Sidestepper he was top of my hit list so the chance to blitz him productively was never going to get turned down. The wooden Jason Connery had a three die hit on him and broke the golden rule about not rerolling pushbacks; this time the reward wasn’t the traditional turnover. Instead Connery rolled the crucial pow, broke armour and one dead Ghoul. Having the Tree in contact with the BC was a nice bonus :)

The BCing Wight dodged away but was left exposed. Zara blitzed him down as Frenzy secured the ball and threatened the defensive score. It came down to a key turn with Frenzy on the verge of getting beyond the reach of the Ghoul-less Penny backline. Zara was semi-screening the BC and survived two hits, forcing Khryses to blitz her down with his Mummy. The pow arrived, with the added bonus of a KO on the troublesome star but Frenzy only needed a 3+ dodge with skill reroll to break into the wide open backfield. Snake eyes, KO.

The half fizzled out with Penny’s last chance of an assault falling to a failed GFI while Frenzy went for an unlikely end to end play that required a TTM with a favourable scatter to get into scoring range. All went well bar the TTM scattering back towards halfway; 0-0 at the break.

Both coaches anxiously watched the KO rolls; would Zara return? She did, and Frenzy luck didn’t end there. The kick off bounced off the pitch, saving Frenzy from picking up in the rain and even better Deeproot smashed down the star Mummy, putting him out the game. Two blocks later John Gordon Sinclair took out the LoS Zombie as Frenzy took complete control of the field.

With Zara keeping one Ghoul down and Deeproot KOing the other the ‘flings were free to advance the ball behind a loose screen. Stalling was the order of the day with the low AG undead proving inept at dodging even for AG2 players. By the time Frenzy had to score Penny had just 3 turns and no rerolls with which to find an equaliser.

Penny were in trouble, but a Ghoul and Wight regained consciousness and the rain finally stopped, so the three turn score was feasible. However here Penny made a bit of a mistake, picking up and attempting a pass before advancing any potential scoring threat. The pass failed leaving Frenzy free to swamp the AG3 threats on halfway. Unable to penetrate the line only a Skeleton was in scoring range for the final turn so when Frenzy got the pushback the last chance of a Penny equaliser was gone.

1-0 to Frenzy. Khryses had quite appalling luck, something Undead can’t afford against ‘flings. TBH I’d rather have saved a lucky match for a tougher racial match up... this one I’d have fancied my chances in with equitable dice but I’ll need luck in the rounds ahead if I’m to avoid the wooden spoon.

[Zoraster]

Zoraster, this time I'm playing you. How about sometime tomorrow afternoon/evening or next weekend?

I’m really too busy to play tomorrow without deadline pressure :) Next weekend I’ll be deployed in the role of Grumpy Uncle Zor at some point so either early morning or lunchtime would be best from my perspective. Either day starting at 07:00/08:00 BST or around noon work for you? If needed an evening is possible, but we run the risk of cancellation depending on family activity.