Another week down and Nuffle is pleased!

Quite a second week of TRUBBL we’ve had ladies and gentlemen! A pair of close 2-1 wins, some tables-turned bashing of some heavy teams, and an all-Skaven running festival.

The first match of the week saw Wolverhampton host the Mallistan Maulers. Both teams were looking to bounce back after difficult opening week matches, with both sides having been weakened by injury and death. However it was to be the Maulers who would emerge victorious behind a strong running game. Leading 1-0 at the half after some solid blocking on the line, they started the second half by getting deep into Wolverhampton’s side of the field and breaking apart a number of attempts to move the ball. After repeated clashes, Wolverhampton got the ball suddenly free and sprinted upfield to tie the score with just a few minutes left on the clock. The Maulers moved the ball rapidly to Ospakr the Beerdrinker, who broke through the Wolverhampton line, stiff-armed a Werewolf, shrugged off the attentions of a Wight, and scored as the final whistle sounded to win it 2-1 for the Maulers!

Next up Grims Fandango hosted the Tlaxtlan Serpents. This wound up being an old-fashioned hammering from the Fandango, who put a Saurus on the injured list early on in the match. From then on it seemed each Serpents player found themselves outnumbered across the field. Though they tried to even the numbers up with a few attempted fouls, the Fandango armor held time and time again. As the first half continued to it’s pounding-match close, Fandango put the first point on the board. In the second half the Serpents tried to break a Skink free with the ball up the wing. He had barely crossed into Fandango territory before he was flattened and the ball turned over. Fandango moved back down the field and scored to ensure the 2-0 victory.

Across town the Bashfaces hosted Holy Enemies, Lesser Pests. Right from the kickoff the Bashfaces let the Enemies know they wouldn’t be intimidated and put a Chaos Warrior into the dugout unconscious. Moments later they killed a Beastman, breaking a huge hole in the Enemies line. The Enemies escaped up their left flank with the ball, fought off the attentions of the Bashfaces’ Bull Centaur, and were able to score midway through the first half. Immediately after kicking off the Bashfaces continued putting pressure on the Enemies, sending more players out injured and unconscious. Struggling to hang onto the ball though, they concentrated on putting more Enemies down for the count and killed a second Beastman just before the halftime whistle blew. This meant the Enemies started the second half with only 8 players able to take the field. Moving confidently forward, the Bashfaces pushed hard for the equalizer, but left the ball-carrying Bull Centaur open for a desperate open field blitz from an Enemies Beastman. The desperate play worked and the Enemies fled frantically from the vengefull Bashfaces players who sought to end the lives of more Enemies players. It ended 2-0 to the Enemies who left the field a shattered side.

In the all-Skaven matchup of Meep Runners against Griznekt’s Gutter Runners the match started evenly poised. Some fast ball movement after receiving the opening kick saw the Meep Runners score early, with neither side doing much damage. As the Gutter Runners tried to respond, their Rat Ogre went down with a nasty injury that will see him miss the next week. The loss proved decisive as the Gutter Runners couldn’t keep the skilled Meep Runner Stormvermin from widening the sudden gap and stopping the Gutter Runner drive. The second half saw the short-handed Gutter Runners pounded into the dirt by the Meep Runners, suffering some minor injuries but giving up the ball repeatedly. Only a fumbled handoff at the end of the match prevented the scoreline from being even more lopsided as the Meep Runners ran out 3-0 winners.

We also the meetup between Gork’s Legion of Hell Fiends and Haterade. A match dominated by both sides inability to pick up the ball or cause a significant amount of injury to their opponent. The Legion was able to move the ball slowly down the field in the first half, protecting it from Haterade’s repeated attempts to break down the blockers. They scored as the half ended to lead 1-0 as both teams re-thought their game plans. Haterade attempted to move the ball quickly in the second half, only to see Legion players knock the ball-carrying Ghoul unconscious right around midfield. The ball wouldn’t travel far from the spot it fell as both teams resorted to violence that solved nothing. Eventually the referee blew for full time and started trying to separate the two still-brawling sides while the scoreboard showed a 1-0 win for the Legion.

Hosting their first match of the season, Insalubrious Euthanisers faced off against DeMaryius Targaryen. The Euthanasiers spent the first half whittling the Targaryen numbers down, while taking most of the half to move the ball securely down the field against ever-depleted Targaryen numbers. With a number of players unconscious, halftime gave the Targaryens time to wake those players up and enter the second half strongly. Rapid movement down the field, including a number of key dodges, saw them score with time to spare on the clock for a second. Unfortunately, the cost of that equalizing touchdown was more players on the sideline unconscious again. The quick break before the kick wasn’t enough time to wake those players and a short handed Targaryen defense was unable to stop the speed of the Euthaniser’s Werwolves from racing downfield to win it late for the home team 2-1.

Rounding out the week 2 action was the Drycress Flood hosting the Pottsylvanian Blues. Expecting to flatten the human team, the Blues launched a heavy hitting attack right from the outset, only to find the Flood giving better than they got and putting a number of Blues players down on the turf. The sudden turning of the tables confused the Blues players and allowed the Flood to race forward, knock the ball loose, and score. In an attempt to rally, the Blues started the second half more conservatively and tried to contain the aggressive Flood. Unfortunately for the Blues, the Flood came at them from every angle and forced the Blues to react time and again to sudden player advantages from one side of the pitch to the other. All of which meant the Flood were able to move the ball relatively securely into a scoring position where they sealed the game with time on the clock. A late Blues attack showed promise but didn’t have enough time even for a consolation touchdown and it would end 2-0 to the Flood.

Next week sees the surging Drycress Flood host joint-top-of-table Holy Enemies, Lesser Pests, the other top-of-table team Gork’s Legion of Hell Fiends visits a desperate Wolverhampton, the speed-driven Meep Runners visit the powerhouse Mallistan Maulers, a match from the underworld as Insalubrious Euthanasiers face Grims Fandango, Haterade host a struggling DeMaryius Targaryen, the cunning Tlaxtlan Serpents battle the deadly Bashfaces, and bottom-of-the-table Griznekt’s Gutter Runners face the battered Pottsylvanian Blues.

Until then, stay tuned for more TRUBBL Times!

Week 1 In The Books!

What a first week of TRUBBL we’ve had ladies and gentlemen!

Some great plays, a few unbelievable finishes, and of course some absolutely stellar hits!

Our first match of the season was between Grims Fandango and the Bashfaces. An unlucky start to the game saw the Bashfaces struggle to stop Fandango’s opening drive. Fandango inflicted a few casualties including a nasty hit on Bull Centaur Frenzi-Kork Rabbitooth, who will miss the next game healing up. After putting one on the board, Grims Fandango then went on to pile even more pressure onto the Bashfaces by killing one of the Hobgoblins! The second half started with Grims Fandango double-marking everyone left standing on the Bashfaces side, but the tide turned when Bull Centaur Tanefer Burntskin recovered a loose ball and broke free of his markers. Outrunning the entire Fandango side, he was able to level the scores just before the final whistle went! It ended a 1-1 draw.

Following that match, we saw Wolverhampton host Drycress Flood. The early stages of this match were marked by some gutsy attempts at plays that just wouldn’t come off. Eventually the Werewolf Glumtusk Whitefang of Wolverhampton was able to break downfield with the ball and some covering blockers and put Wolverhampton up 1-0. Drycress Flood came right back at the start of the second half though, pushing into Wolverhampton’s half of the field and attempting to equalize. Glumtusk Whitefang was there again though, stopping the drive and knocking the ball loose. As he attempted to replicate his first half feat though, Blitzer Aaron Advar of the Flood made an open field hit that smashed Whitefang’s collar bone! The ball was recovered by Lineman Jek the Muscular who dodge away from two tackles and headed downfield as the clock ticked down. Realizing he wouldn’t make it before the game ended he made a desperate throw to Catcher Gerhart Stephan, who brought the ball in under pressure, broke free, and equalized almost as the ref blew for full time! Both teams walk away with a point from the 1-1 draw, but Wolverhampton will be hurting from the loss of Whitefang.

Up next we saw Holy Enemies, Lesser Pests host the Meep Runners. The Enemies took an early lead through Beastman Uzzen-Sherath, who was escorted the whole way by a solid block of teamates. The Meep Runners came right back down the field though and equalized before halftime through Gutter Runner Minre the Lethal in a display of blinding speed. After halftime, the Meep Runners broke through the center of the Enemies line of scrimmage, but Lineman Quyite Wring suffered a nasty injury at the hands of Beastman Vophsi and left a gap the Enemies could exploit. With the ball loose in the Enemies half, the Meep Runners aggressively tried to recover the ball and got exposed to some heavy hits from the Enemies. With numerous players knocked unconscious they were unable to put enough bodies in the way of Uzzen-Sherath scoring again for a lead late in the match. An attempted Hail Mary play brought the Meep Runners deep into the Enemies half, but they were unable to score before full-time blew on a 2-1 Enemies win.

Opening their season with a home match against the Insalubrious Euthanasiers, Haterade started in style. An early score by Ghoul Stoneripper set the tone, with the resulting kick putting the Euthanasiers in tough field position. While starting to move the ball upfield, the Euthanasiers put a solid hit on Steffan the Orator, a Haterade Wight. He stayed down hurt, and reports after the match indicate he could be out for some time. The injury happening just before the half seemed to give the Euthanasiers momentum and they started the second half with a powerful drive, capped by a touchdown from the Werewolf Groskusk Botolf. Haterade bounced back though, pushing quickly downfield and taking renewed lead through Stoneripper again. His running through a number of tight spaces looks to set him as a rising star on the Haterade team. Not much time remained at that point and it would end with Haterade persevering over the Euthanasiers 2-1.

In our first battle of purely agile teams, we saw DeMaryius Targaryean host Griznekt’s Gutter Runners. The Targaryeans took hold of this match from the outset, pushing hard off the first kick and knocking the Runners’ line open in two places. Their thrower Caelalelion Malamyr then found an open Lineman in Yalayondan Augglinarin and completed the first of many passes on the day. Augglinarin punched his way through one of the gaps and scored. The resulting kick saw the Runners get knocked solidly off the line yet again as the Targaryeans ran rampant, putting a number of the Skaven side into the medic’s room before halftime. Just after the second half kicked off, the Runner’s Lineman Fituk paid some of that balance back by getting a solid hold of Augglinarin’s leg on a tackle and bringing him down near the center of the pitch. The doctor stated that Augglinarin should be back in a few weeks time but will definitely miss the next match. Sadly for the Runners, this was the last piece of good fortune they had on the day. Rat Ogre Rishtak was hammered in to the turf shortly after by Risscon Tinuren, Rishtak had to be carted off the field and will also miss next week’s match. Caelaleion Malamyr completed another pass, this time to Blitzer Maerion Birdhen for the Targaryean’s second score of the day. The match ended 2-0 in favor of the Targaryeans and put them at the top of the standings at the end of week 1.

As if a single one-sided match wasn’t enough, when the Mallistan Maulers visited Gork’s Legion of Hell Fiends it didn’t go well for the visiting side. Before halftime the Maulers had lost Lineman Boritbera forever, had lost 3 players to injury, and were down 1-0. The game was being played in sweltering heat which did not help matters, but the Maulers never were able to recover from the first half orkish beatdown they suffered. Out-manned on the pitch, they suffered further injuries until they could field barely half a side. Standouts from the Legion’s side included Blitzer Subfang and the Black Orcs Gabber Goug’Zeye and Azhag Bruis’Eyez, all with 2 injuries caused each. Black Orc Akzar Break’Smasha and Thrower Marbad Gorkson both scored in what wound up being a 2-0 win for the Legion that could have been much worse.

Our final match of week one saw the Tlaxtlan Serpents host the Pottsylvanian Blues. Both teams struggled to stay on their feet early on, leading to a number of inauspicious falls for both teams. Thrower Tuckbad of the Blues eventually brought the ball forward and handed it off to fellow Thrower Morgak, who moved downfield and threw a perfect pass to Goblin Tiplid. Sadly, Tiplid fumbled the pass and the ball bounced free. A scrum ensued in the Serpents’ half of the field with neither team holding onto the ball until Skink Boqkroxpita of the Serpents eventually brought the ball under control. As he snuck free down the sideline the ref blow for halftime halting a promising attack. After the break it was more of the same, with the ball moved forward by the Serpents only for the Blues to knock it loose around midfield. Both sides got bogged down in a slugging match at this point, with multiple players getting knocked unconscious and the field becoming increasingly congested with prone bodies. It ended with the ref trying to separate the two sides and the score tied up for a 0-0 draw.

Next week we see the Winter Festival interrupting some matchups, but there are some fantastic matchups on the docket! The Meep Runners visit Griznekt’s Gutter Runners in an all-Skaven matchup, Drycress Flood host the Pottsylvanian Blues as both teams look for their first win, Insalubrious Euthanasiers look to halt DeMaryius Targaryen’s momentum, Haterade faces Gork’s Legion of Hell Fiends in the only match where 2 teams on 3 points face off, the Bashfaces host Holy Enemies, Lesser Pests in an all-Chaos matchup, Grims Fandango and the Tlaxtlan Serpents meet in the brawlers battle, and the Mallistan Maulers look to bounce back against a weakened Wolverhampton side looking to avenge their leading scorer’s injury.

Until then, stay tuned for more TRUBBL Times!

Welcome TRUBBL Seekers!

Salutations ladies, gentlemen, daemons, creatures, lizards, rats, lords, and ladies!

Welcome to the first edition of the TRUBBL TIMES! We're here to bring you the latest, greatest, hottest, gutsiest news from the Totally Ridiculous and Underhanded Blood Bowl League!

For right now we've just gotten word that the first teams are starting to trickle in, so no real player news as of yet. Coaches though, those we do know!

Hailing from the veteran wastes of the frozen tundra, Kemper will be leading a Chaos team for the first time ever. A veteran coach from years past, his long hiatus hopefully didn't leave too much rust on his yelling lungs.

From the rain-soaked jungles, Preddles is an up and coming leader of a Necromantic squad. Looking to make a name for himself, it is rumored he takes his inspiration from some...other...sport.

Reaching out through the aether, Grims_bb leads an Undead group of mighty warriors. Once-mighty warriors. Who could be mighty again!

Arriving from distant lands is NotHanz, war-leader of Orcs. Their cries of bloodlust shall only be sated by glorious victory! Or possibly Dwarven mead we hear.

Sneaking up from the southern reaches comes Arco_ ahead of his Skaven team. Having once played the sport himself, he now coaches a ruthless band of point-scoring vermin!

Growing up in the city has given Drysil a touch of class many others lack. His Human lads on the other hand have not had the same upbringing...

World-travelling SSLG has gained such insights that he has a rabid following of Skaven who willingly take the field for him day in and day out. No, seriously, we're pretty sure at least one of them is rabid.

Arriving from distant Pottsylvania, Gatzby leads a troop of Orcs that break every mold. Humorous, gentle, and here for a laugh, they still broke the steel binds local authorities tried to put on them.

Another veteran coach is Garc_mall. Formerly a DungeonBowl champion while leading a nimble team, these days he can be found bashing it out with Chaos Dwarves at his side. We'll see if his old tactics can translate to a new team.

Joining the Chaos Dwarf ranks is Tenspeed. Blessed with quick thoughts, quick hands, and quick feet, his team are not known for matching him! Which is why he's the coach.

Still recovering from old wounds sustained on the field in his playing days, RevBadger rounds out a local side made up entirely of Skaven. A shrewd operator in his prime, his injuries have moved him to a role where his knowledge can be passed on to fresh meat.

Originally a hunting party gone awry, the Elf team of NefariousJoe decided that since they were here, they would play. Known in other sports as a brilliant tactician, can he translate one success into another?

Raising the level of the land at the end is Sammich, summoning his Undead minions to crush those ahead! Will his new outlook on the lives of all creatures give him an advantage over the rest of the field?

We'll find out soon! Rumor has it that the schedule is ready and only awaiting final team registration information!

Let's go find some TRUBBL!

-TRUBBL Seeker