Rabble Forces (RF)		Leonidas | Guerro | Dminor Umbra | Renwood
		versus
		Geezers from Hell (GfH)		PylDryvr | Shilo | LeaninCowboy Beefy Supreme | Gothmog | Grinwing

Both armies opted for a strong middle defense, while the Rabble Forces sent a trow to flank north and south, each accompanied by a small squad of myrmidons. The Geezers' army fell heavily on the north flank and destroyed it, while Shilo's trow tagged all five enemy fetch in the center. PylDryvr then sent an Oleg against the five enemy dwarves and killed them all in a chain reaction without losing his single dwarf. The RF infantry was still following Shilo's trow and ran right across the bridge into three Olegs, taking heavy damage from the explosions. Meanwhile, the RF south flank was engulfed, overwhelmed and destroyed by the Geezers.

The GfH army regrouped and moved in on the last RF army in the middle, killing it easily through sheer weight of numbers. RF's remaining two trow couldn't hold any flags in the endgame and GfH took all six to win.

Ananab Tilps also reviewed this match. He says:

Both PylDryvr (GfH) and Leonidas(RF) trade away all soulless and choose 5 dwarves and 5 fetch. As the game starts, RF sends myrm/trow flanks north and south, while GfH prefers to tag flags and plant their massive army center.

RF's plan to carpet bomb is stymied by the GFH trow, who pace in circles around the artillery units and the melee that guards them. PylDryvr notes the northern flank, and peels off Grinwing's melee and Gothmog's 2 trow to counter it.

While the two GfH players take out the northern flank, Shilo (GfH) finally sneaks his trow past Leonidas' protective melee and kills all of the RF fetch. Moments later, a dwarf sortie led by PylDryvr kills all 5 RF dwarves with one bottle toss. GfH pauses a moment to celebrate, as they are now up 93% to 61%.

RF takes a shot at grabbing all 6 flags, but PylDryvr's patient captaining ensures that GFH firmly controls their home flag. Bit by bit, each RF melee brigade is hunted and killed, and the game ends with an inspirational speech by the RF captain to his men:

Leonidas: you guys really suck on dark map

Indeed, game two only served to punctuate this point, although RF would eventually have the last laugh.

The Rabble Forces decided not to split up this game and all went in a north juggernaut, crossing the ford quickly. GfH's trow came in again and killed a few fetch, causing RF's dwarves to blow themselves up (and take about 20% of the force with them). More trow raids easily took out RF's remaining dwarves and fetch. The situation: the Rabble Forces' remnants (60%) holed up on the NE flag while the GfH army (92%) moved up to confront them. RF moved off the flag to attack, and GfH's trow went around behind to take the final flag and force an early sudden death. RF were able to retake this flag during SD, but still lost.

Ananab Tilps says:

Both captains remain the same as in game 1, and both choose the same units again. This game, however, Leonidas (RF) sends his entire team to the north, leaving the GfH team wondering for a bit where they've gone.

GfH trow discover the enemy just as RF struggles across the northern river, and Gothmog hits the RF army dead center with his two trow. Killing two fetch, he turns and runs, letting the RF dwarves do the dirty work in a display of friendly fire that ends with RF down 20% in units to GFH.

LeaninCowboy (GfH) repels an enemy melee attack on his fetch and dwarves, and the two armies grow perilously close to one another. Sheer momentum brings pockets of the two armies in contact, while in the background, GfH collects all but one north flag.

Grinwing and Shilo, though not under orders from PylDryvr, attack the bulk of the RF army near the last flag. RF, distracted by bloodlust, allow Shilo's trow to sneak past and send the game into sudden death. RF rescues the flag to score a point, but are now down 17 to 1.

The Geezers from Hell started in the southeast this game, while the Rabble Forces started nearby in the northeast. A large battle quickly erupted on the eastern plain, and GfH's zerks were caught with their kilts down a long way from the action. When they finally did arrive, all they were able to do was stand in front of their fetch and dwarf... the resulting explosion flung claymores clear across the battlefield.

RF destroyed the Geezers' army and easily cleaned up to take all 9 balls and win.

Ananab Tilps says:

RF and GFH both start in the east, and quickly meet halfway. Archer heroes begin trading shots, but RF's melee is there in full force, while GfH's melee is spread thin, worrying about balls. RF rushes the GfH archers, and are met with sporadic melee defenses, all of which are overwhelmed.

The GfH trow meanders throughout the battle and is reduced to stone without managing a single kill. Seconds later, the GfH dwarf lobs a bottle backwards over his head Garo Yepremian style, killing himself, a fetch, and igniting one of his spilled satchels, which pops into the air and lands among the satchels and a group of friendly zerks which were coming to his aid.

The comedy of errors ends with RF up 87% to 44%, and RF goes on a spider hunt to end the game with 9 balls. It is PylDryvr's turn to instruct his troops:

PylDryvr: Gotta stay together folks

RF started in the southwest this game, while the Geezers started on the northeast hill. After a large number of spider battles, RF had the southwest, west and south balls; GfH were able to take the other six. A big confrontation developed in the center, GfH standing downhill from RF's archers. The Geezers' infantry also split up and committed piecemeal, their fetch and dwarven hero not quite as much use as they had undoubtedly hoped. Archer friendly fire killed their trow, and not even Beefy Supreme's five-kill spider veteran could save them from another ignominious defeat.

Ananab Tilps says:

Same captains and units as the previous game, but this time the two armies start in diagonally opposite corners. Spiders traverse the map, snatching balls and engaging in skirmishes, while the main armies meet in the middle.

Pointing out that the RF archers have a hill advantage, Gothmog (GfH) tries circling a few zerks around to kill them. The zerks get a few licks in, but are cut down by pursuers, leaving the GfH army in disarray as the RF archers pour fire down from their hill.

Each small engagement goes RF's way, and their archers continue to take a bigger toll than GFH's do. An important spider battle is won in the south by RF, and the victors arrive in the middle to help clean up all but one GfH arachnid. Emboldened by its veteran status (5 kills for the spider!), it attacks a myrm, and is chopped into pieces.

With two consecutive Dire Marsh victories, RF has recaptured the lead 25 to 17, going into the final game!

The GfH army selected four wights and healed two for pus, taking two dwarves and preparing a ghol bomb. RF took less archers, dwarves and wights, opting to go for thrall instead.

A large confrontation developed in the middle; GfH had the superior numbers by far due to RF slipping a 15-warrior flank around the side unseen. The Geezers committed their warriors and thrall in two distinct units, resulting in a win but with heavy casualties. Then, suddenly, the RF warrior flank appeared next to their almost-undefended village. The unprepared thrall were unable to stop the warrior onslaught, and RF took the Geezers' flag with a minimum of effort.

Ananab Tilps says:

GfH, needing a win to claim the match, sends almost all of its army middle. Dminor, who has taken over from Leonidas as captain of RF, sends a large warrior and ghol flank to the southern ford.

GfH outnumbers RF in the middle, but an attempted GfH ghol bomb gets Gothmog (GfH) riled up and he attacks with his thrall and warriors. Beefy Supreme's melee joins late, and PylDryvr's thrall just stand and applaud from the middle of the river.

Finally, all of GfH's melee is committed to the middle battle, and it is won. The cost of delay, however, is such that the RF warrior and ghol flank has arrived at a GfH base defended by a handful of ghols, dwarves, and thrall. The GfH dwarves are executed by ghols, and the RF warriors murder the thrall, just as the vanguard of the returning GfH army begins to trickle back. The flag is captured, giving RF 10 points and the match, while GFH gets just 2 for bringing a melee force across the river.

The Geezers started off well, but poor infantry usage in the Dire Marsh games let RF take the lead, and the crucial final game was lost due to poor scouting and RF's usage of the element of suprise. The Rabble Forces add a convincing victory to their unbroken record, and advance to fight Final Reign in the quarter-finals.

- Butcher

Did the motivational comment by Leonidas at the end of game one bring RF back from a very serious deficit? Probably his comment was not as important as the piecemeal GFH melee attacks in the Dire Marsh games. By and large, however, both teams played and communicated well, in what PylDryvr later called "a fun match and a great tourney".

- Ananab Tilps