Thoughts on SSC game 1

Though my opponent was a very nice chap, he complained a number of times during and after the game about his luck. He even referred to the game as the “worst Nuffling ever” on the SSC forums afterwards. This was, I think, a little harsh.

Looking at the stats on BB manager afterwards I can see that his block dice were better than me throughout the match, we were pretty even on dodges, and his armour held up amazingly well. That said, my Troll was some kind of frickin genius and never failed a Really Stupid roll (having said that I only used him 12 times throughout the match, and always at the end of the turn or in a way that failing the roll would have still been ok). Keeping his TZ was really helpful to me.

Turning to the main reasons for the win, I was very happy that I’d crushed the Norse attack down the right early on. I had four of his guys off the pitch and the rest packed in two deep by the touchline. Rolling quad skulls with my first action of my fourth turn was really unlucky (1/81), but he took good advantage of that to get a TD. So I think while he was lucky there, it still took quite a lot of skill to turn that into a TD (but that’s what Blood Bowl is all about isn’t it? Maximising the benefit of what luck you have).

That said, I lined up with four turns to score in the first half and it only took me three. I felt that even with a two man disadvantage it might have been possible for him to play defensively and compactly and to force me to attempt some unlikely turn 8 play. In my mind I was playing for the draw after his TD, but as it was I think he overcommitted to hitting my players when I faked right, and I made a 3+ handoff (no reroll available) and ran through the middle to score.

In the second half he did well to get round the sides of my line and get TZs on my ball-carrier, but again at the expense of fatally weakening his centre and again attacked the centre of the pitch to score.

I think his playing for the win made the game exciting, but I couldn’t help but feel that if he’d simply thrown up a screen, stayed in the centre and forced me to take the initiative he could have drawn the game after going ahead so early. But then I’m a player who loves a 1-0 win…!

After the game my thrower levelled up (he’s currently leading the league for passing and rushing!). Not sure what I’ll give him yet. I was tempted to take accurate, even though I won’t be passing much, just so that I can threaten a passing game. Another alternative is Leader, since I can’t afford many rerolls yet and it will help early on in development although not so much later on. Finally I’m thinking block, since that’s always a good shout on a ball-carrier. I’m leaning towards Leader at present, if only because I desperately need more rerolls.