2023 Spring Blood Bowl Gratuitously Rowdy Oddballs WZKD League (G.R.O.W.L.)

 Welcome to G.R.O.W.L.!!!

WZKD Games and Comics Blood Bowl League

Final Spring Season Bracket

Congratulations to Gabriel Barraza and the Dark Elves...our Season Champions!

Round 3 is Live!!!

We're down to the Great 8 as Round 3 of the Spring G.R.O.W.L. Blood Bowl League begins!  Dark Elves, Humans, Lizardmen, Shambling Undead, Necromantic Horror, Black Orcs, and two teams of Skaven coming to the pitch!

Round 2 (well sort of) Results

Ok the matches required to be complete today for Round 2 are in the books - we have two more matches (kind of a Round 2.5) that have 3 weeks to complete by Sunday, August 13.  Attached is our current bracket - I'll post this on the G.R.O.W.L. web page, the Blood Bowl channel on the WZKD Discord Channel, and at WZKD.  

Match 9 (Nick and Mike) and Match 10 (Craig and Kasey) are needed to seed Matches 11 and 12 for Round 3.  As soon as results for 9 and 10 are complete, I'll post those so 11 and 12 are seeded ASAP.  

Technically, Round 3 matches results are due September 3rd due to the late seeding of some matches with this bracket, but coaches are always welcome to play matches as they are assigned and I'll continue to update the bracket as results come in to help speed league play.

Had some great gameplay recording and photos so far during Round 2 so thanks to all that reported!

Best of luck to all G.R.O.W.L. teams!!!

Mike

Quick Note on Forfeited Matches

Another quick note for the G.R.O.W.L. Spring League (kudos to Zeqe for bringing this up!)...

To prevent coaches from being penalized if their opponent has to forfeit a match, the 'winning' coach will receive 3 Star Player Points (to assume the match would have been played at WZKD) to assign any to any player they wish and then randomly determine an MVP on their team to assign the 4 Star Player Points for MVPs.  Then use SPP as you would normally do so following a match.

Additionally, to determine winnings (gold) for the match, take you current Dedicated Fan Factor, Roll D3 to see how much the DFF increases, add 1 touchdown, and multiply the total x 10,000 gold.  Example:  My starting DFF is 2 and the other coach had to forfeit.  I roll a D3 and get 2 more DFF.  My new DFF moving forward in the league is now 4.  Now I add 1 touchdown for the forfeited match to the new DFF of 4 for a total of 5 x 10,000 and my winnings for the forfeited match are 50,000 gold.  

Of course the coach that forfeited would receive no winning, increased DFF, and no SPP for the forfeited match.

Hope that helps clear that up for forfeit circumstances (which do happen...).

Round 2 Begins!

G.R.O.W.L. Spring League Round 2 is underway!  Couple of quick notes about Round 2...

Round 2 Brackets are posted at WZKD, emailed to coaches, and on the G.R.O.W.L. webpage.

Gabe and Paul's first match was technically a Round 2 match (they had a bye week for Round 1).  This of course is perfectly fine as coaches can play matches as they come available even if it's for a future round of play (each round really is just to set deadlines of when matches have to be played for.  Gabe you may have to wait for Round 3 to get your next match opponent - the winner of Match 5 (Zeqe or Mike).

Also, as this 11 team bracket is a bit funky - Match 9 will have to wait until Match 5 is played as the loser of Match 5 (Zeqe or Mike) will play Nick in Match 9.  Match 10 waits for Match 7 to be played as the loser of Match 7 (Kasey or Matt) plays Craig in Match 10. 

As Round 2's deadline to play matches is Sunday, July 23rd, however as Round 2 has a couple of matches that are waiting for other matches to play - I'm extending the deadline for Matches 9 and 10 to Sunday, August 6th to allow those two matches time to play if needed.  All other matches for Round 2 still need to be played by July 23rd so we can get Matches 9 and 10 set up and played.

Because of this pairing system for Round 2 - we'll make the official kick off of Round 3 by August 6th...but again, if everyone gets their matches played in a reasonably timely manner for Round 2, I'd expect well have Round 3 matches starting up before the end of July.

Good luck to all coaches in Round 2 and thanks again to all for playing...it's been great so far!

As always, reach out to me with any questions/concerns at flagrantnerd@gmail.com 

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!

Commentary from Match #2

Skavens were off to a nice start with  'Gnaw Gnaw Blacksheep' having run in an early touchdown. The mood quickly soured for the Skaven coach as Sir Much a Lot, the skaven Rat Orgre was carried off the pitch.  He will miss next game and the Doctor says he will never be as fast as he once was (loss of movement). Tank Tollman, the human lineman who caused the casualty was definitely pretty proud of himself.  While the humans caused the damage, the Skaven proved resilient in preventing a touchdown and the game was clinched when Fred Guttershank, the Skaven Gutter Runner ran in a second and final touchdown with the game ending 2-0.  While the Skaven technically won the game, there is a sense of mourning at the temporary loss of their big guy.  

First G.R.O.W.L. Match is in the books!

The first G.R.O.W.L. Match of the season (that I'm aware of) was played on Saturay 6/17! 

Gabriel's Dark Elves met Paul's Underworld Denizens on the gory pitch at WZKD...death and injuries abounded as the Dark Elves routed the Underworld Denizens 4-0! Coach Paul commented after the match, "Despite Skeetz McWarp's brilliant leadership (from the rear, as befits a skaven), the Scuttle-Quick Sewer-Gitz lost due to the treachery of their own teammates. Skeetz could not be reached for comment as he's currently still knocked out. Helmets off to his Dark Elf opponents who played quite valiantly (for Dark Elves) and who walked away with a victory (and walked away under their own power, unlike most of the SQSGs...).

1. Paul and Gabriel - as you coaches played your match at WZKD, don't forget to that you both received 3 extra SPP for the 'Home Field' bonus to be spent however you want or carried over.

Spring Blood Bowl Is Here!

We kicked off the G.R.O.W.L. Spring Blood Bowl League

 on Sunday, June 11th at WZKD with 11 teams including Skaven,

 Necromantic Horror, Lizardmen, Humans, Black Orcs, Shambling Undead, 

Underworld Denizens, Dark Elves, and Amazons.

Good Luck to all Coaches!!!

G.R.O.W.L. Rules & Regs

(Gratuitously Rowdy Oddballs WZKD League)

League begins 12:00 noon - Sunday, June 11th.  

G.R.O.W.L. uses Blood Bowl Second Season edition rules.

Any currently supported teams including "Teams of Legend" (currently Chaos Dwarves, High Elves, Norse, Tomb Kings, and Vampires) are allowable teams.

G.R.O.W.L. is a double elimination league.  Each team will get to play at least two matches and that the winner of the "winner's bracket" and the winner of the "loser's bracket" play each other for the championship.

Coaches are encouraged to play their matches at WZKD but may schedule matches at any location or time agreed upon by the coaches of a particular match. Coaches that do play their matches at WZKD Comics & Games will receive a complimentary 3 Star Player Points to be spent at their discretion at the end of such matches.

Each round will allow 3 weeks for coaches to complete their matches for that round.  

Each team must submit latest rosters to their next opponent either in advance and/or in person prior to starting their scheduled match so that each coach can review their opponents roster.  Match results (winner of the match/final score, and any optional stats you’d like to report - see below) should be reported as soon as reasonably possible to the League Commissioner (Mike) at flagrantnerd@gmail.com but no later than 11:59pm the Saturday before the next round begins.  These could also be posted as a comment on the G.R.O.W.L. webpage at http://www.flagrantnerd.com/p/2023-spring-blood-bowl-gratuitously.html 

Results of each round and next round matches and brackets will be emailed to coaches and posted at WZKD and online at the G.R.O.W.L. webpage by 12:00 noon Sunday of the start of the next round or sooner if circumstances permit.

Reminder this season is a Knockout style league - meaning no draws - so if after two 8 round halves the teams are tied, the game should be decided either on Sudden Death 8 round halves until a winner is declared or the “Field Goal Sudden Death” best 3 of 5 2d6 roll off (or combination thereof).  Entirely up to the coaches of that match.

If coaches are unable to arrange their matches within that 3 weeks they will forfeit their match that round and award a win to their opponent.  Each coach unable to schedule their match should contact the Commissioner for decisions on forfeits.  All forfeit decisions are final.  Please be honest and show excellent sportsmanship regarding why matches were unable to be scheduled.  As we all know there are always 'real life' issues (like work, school, illness) that might cause a coach to be unable to play a round on time.  G.R.O.W.L. will try and make reasonable concessions for such circumstances that may (and will) arise.

If all matches of a round are completed early enough we will start the next round on the following Sunday (i.e. one or possibly two weeks early depending on the circumstances.)

Painting requirements.  Each team must have one color by Round 2, two colors by Round 3, and three colors by Round 4.  Note that primer is a color (bare plastic is not).  There is no requirement for how much of any color is on the models.  Any teams that are not up to painting requirements will lose 1 fan factor for that Match Round.

There will be awards for Season Winner (of course), as well as Best Stunty Team, Best Painted Team, and Best Sportsmanship. Additionally, coaches that complete all their matches will be entered in a drawing at the end of season - one randomly selected coach of the drawing will receive a pro-painted Blood Bowl minature of their choice (the coach supplies the miniature) courtesy of our own Dharam Khalsa. (Many thanks to Dharam!)

We'd ask that coaches keep track of a few stats from each of their matches so that we can make announcements for the league for things like top scoring players, highest completions of passes, highest casualties giver, most players thrown into the stands, etc.  We also encourage coaches to take fun steps like naming their players, write backstories for players/teams, design team logos, and on.  All of this stuff is entirely optional but does add to the fun and flavor of Blood Bowl.  

We will have a League Kickoff event at WZKD on Sunday, June 11th at 12:00 noon so please stop in, meet other coaches, discuss any league questions or clarifications, etc.  We will also offer some exhibition half matches that day for any new players that would like a bit of practice or anyone else that would like to play a little Blood Bowl prior to their season matches. Feel free to stop by WZKD and sign up for an Exhibition half match, or email Mike.  You could also knock out your first match of the season that day if that works out with your first opponent! 

Once we have the league bracket set on June 11 - Mike will send a group email to all coaches with the starting bracket and first round matches.  All coaches can then communicate with each other via email (or any other way you wish) to arrange their matches.  

Last but certainly not least, please remember that G.R.O.W.L. exists so that we can all play a little organized Blood Bowl and have fun.  Good sportsmanship, etiquette, and respect for one another are all keys to that fun.  The joys of Blood Bowl (which goes all the way back to 1986) are often not in winning or losing a match, but rather in the hilarious plays and events (and death) that occur - often to your own players.  Sometimes losing a match of Blood Bowl is as much fun as winning one…

Email Mike with any questions and thanks! Let's have a great season of Blood Bowl!

For those that already are familiar with Blood Bowl but haven't looked at Second Season - click below!

Blood Bowl 2020:  What's New With The New Edition From Goodhammer.