Dwarven Elite Strike Force (Desf)		Mechjock | Zeronova | Firecat Hiro | deadites
		versus
		Brotherhood of kroD (kroD)		Sir Binzer Omen

The Dwarven Elite Strike Force start this game in the center and northeast, and belie their name by taking four of the hated archers, a journeyman, nearly-maximum infantry and no dwarves!. Meanwhile, kroD have started in the southwest and southeast, and select more archers, no journeymen and a mixture of infantry and ghols.

The game begins, and kroD's southwest army moves north while the other three armies stay mostly in place, sending ghols out to collect balls. The kroD army charges up the northwest road at Desf's fortified archers, and slams into their infantry. Desf's other army sends some help into a confusing three-way melee, with kroD's archers firing madly into the churning mob. Desf throw so many troops in that they have to win, and they then go on to slaughter kroD's cowering archers. However, they have taken very heavy casualties doing so. The other kroD force sends their army up onto the hill and take on the wounded thrall survivors of the battle for free veteran status. Mechjock's remaining warriors attack the mixed warrior and thrall force while their thrall allies stand idly by, and are killed, their thrall following soon after. Desf are in the lead 5 balls to 4, but Deadites can't resist contesting a ball in the southeast to create sudden death, and Desf lose their three center balls to kroD's advancing thrall. Whoops.

All the armies take the same setups as before. Desf start northwest and northeast, while kroD start on the hill and in the southwest. Once again, kroD's southwest force heads north, but their only player lags out a few minutes into the game, leaving the remaining kroD army facing 2:1 odds. Omen is pretty inactive on the hill while Desf run aronud collecting balls. Finally, he decides to make an assault on the northeast, setting up archers on the ridge (which are promptly pussed). He then charges his army at the Desf forces, taking Mechjock's isolated warriors out easily and then destroying his thrall. Unfortunately for Omen, Mechjock's army has an ally, and they arrive to quickly mop up his surviving troops. It's all over quite quickly.

Sir Binzer does not return, and this game features Omen taking on three of the Desf team. Omen starts in the northeast, and takes one wight for pus, with ten archers. Meanwhile, Desf's army is in the southwest and they have an identical troop setup. Omen sends his zerks in a flank north, while Desf's army mostly travels to the center. The two forest giants have a duel, Omen's giant is forced to flee and after being chased for several minutes is eventually caught and killed. Desf try a zerk war, but get shredded; they also try to assault Omen's home flag with half their warriors and fail. These activities, however, are enough to distract Omen from taking flags and he ends up with only two (his home and the one that his zerk force is on).

The final showdown ends up being mano a mano, Hiro representing Desf's honour and Omen standing up for his order. Both armies go for the same setup as last game, Hiro starting in the southeast and Omen in the northwest. Omen sends his warriors south, his berserks to the middle and leaves his archers and journeyman at home. Hiro's berserks and warriors go to the middle, but some zerks are left with archers on the southeast flag-in-a-circular-ridge. Omen's forest giant attacks these archers and kills a few, but is badly hurt and runs away, stopping on an impassable ridge. Hiro's forest giant turns up and while Omen isn't paying attention kills it. Hiro's warriors and zerks press the attack in the middle, eventually forcing Omen's zerks into a fight. Hiro's mixed troops win an extremely bloody battle, but it's close. Meanwhile Omen's archers are under attack by the enemy forest giant, but it's the journeyman who saves the day; his thick coat blocks not one, not two, but three swings from the forest giant, giving the lone surviving archer time to plink the giant with one too many arrows. nyo'Doro doesn't have much time to thank the fir'Bolg gods for his luck, though, and he is soon hunted down by a pack of bloodthirsty berserkers. Omen's warriors outnumber Hiro's remaining army, but they stay together in two big blocks and only manage to hold two flags by the time the game ends.

I understand that the Brotherhood of kroD felt there was no point in continuing the series of games at this point, and forfeited the match.

An interesting match, both sides plagued by absenteeism. The Dwarven Elite Strike Force win three games to one, bringing home a victory. Good luck, Desf, you face the wacky and unpredictable Civil Order next round. Be sure to have your wits about you!

- Butcher