Home Nations Open 2 - Redshirts on the podium!

Two team tournaments in one at the second Home Nations in Loughborough. Team Redshirts were able to put a team together for this year's Open event after hearing good things about last year's event and, with Mr_Frodo being delighted to put on the Scottish jersey for the first time (in a Blood Bowl team event) the Team Reshirts called upon the traditional managerial tactic of squad rotation. This time we were able to offer up HowlingGriffon, me - Wotfudboy, SCS_Sam and VultureSquadron.

We failed as a team to get organised enough to invest in a new Team Redshirts shirt. Some of the other teams really went all-in and showed us up a bit. We'll get that sorted!

Team Redshirts for the Home Nations Open

According to Stewbacca, our team was up there with the 4th highest ELO NAF Ranking... 🤷

I was ranked 13th based on my success with Dwarves - However, I was using a very different roster here! 

Amazons

Quite rightly, or more appropriately, I was ranked 77th / 163 with my Amazons, whom I was yet to coach since the roster changes, ie introducing Jaguar Warriors etc.

I finally got round to painting up the original Games Workshop Amazon team, but, with the roster changes, I was missing appropriate models for the Str4 Jaguar Warriors. Fortunately, I had bought a Greebo Games 'Karimat' team a long time ago (still not painted!) and these two models at the front looked close enough in style but big enough to be injected into the team.

Roster

Wotfudboy's Amazon Roster

I hadn't coached this Amazon roster before, but I had faced them a good few times on the table top. I was torn between choosing Guard or Block on the Jaguar Warriors. The Defensive skill makes Guard a really annoying choice to face, but I found I was able to take them down much easier than their Blodge option... so I went with Blodge. Block on the Python Thrower just meant I could run with the ball more and blitz my way out of trouble if needs be, but still have a decent passing option should I get hard-pressed. Guard on a linewoman made sense for helping defend the ball carrier, or help with the blocking on the LoS.

Venue and Tournament

The venue was the Student Union building on the Loughborough University campus. More details on the tournament can be found on the Facebook page and Scottish Blood Bowl's site. Has to be said, it was a good venue, with airy rooms (with loud air conditioning upstairs!), vendors aplenty (including Black Orc Down and Charlie Victor and Hearthforge Games), and a mini-supermarket for essential snacks, and the venue providing hot lunches and table service, we were in a good place!

Team Redshirts, with everyone else, were also rated in true punditry style here - Scroll on to 11:22 to hear what they thought about us! We're apparently "formidable". We'll take that!!

Jock in full flow

With the tournament being run by Jock Wright, we were in safe hands. He even managed to stay vaguely impartial!

"What's the difference between the two tournaments" you ask? Well, officially: "Leaning on the history and sporting rivalry of the rugby Home Nations (founded in 1883) and latterly the Six Nations there is an opportunity to gather the Bloodbowl nations of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy and an invited national squad + the reigning champions - The Barbarians to The Home Nations Bowl.

Alongside there will be The Home Nations Open with 40 teams of 4-coaches, including some national squads who will play for the honour and bragging rights!".

Pitches & dice were provided and a bundle of swag collected, and some teams/coaches kindly provided a gift too. Again, we'll learn for next year!

So, on one of the hottest weekends in the UK in 2025 (particularly for early July), we got going...

Day One - Game One vs Owen Richards Dwarves

We were up against Deva Dicers, with me seeing an old STABB tournament and Welwyn Wargamers club member - Bsking.

I was up against Owen Richards.

When the first round draw had been announced leading up to the day, my heart dropped a little. The very nemesis of Amazons are Dwarves, where their Dodge gets cancelled out by Tackle.

However, Owen (not sure of his coach name!) didn't have too much in the way of Blood Bowl experience, so I got off very lightly! We started in Perfect Weather, with less fans, but I won the Kick Off roll and decided to receive. I was able to drive up the LHS of the pitch after catching a High Kick and rolled in to score in turn 8/7 - 1-0 (0-1).

My opponent focussed on blocking and was able to score 3 casualties to my 1, but I did manage to eventually sack the ball carrier and disappear off for a 2-0 win... but I was nervous of making a mistake and the Dwarves bludgeoning their way in for an equaliser. The game was played in a great spirit though and, once the game was safe (I'm no fool!), I coached Owen a little bit.

Team Redshirts got a round draw with a 1/2/1 result with Bsking pulling off some utter BS (living up to his name) with his Humans to turn a draw into victory.

Game Two vs PeetyPoos's Undead

Undead are a solid Tier 1 team, and if the 2x Mighty Blow / Str5 mummies started to roll hot on the blocking dice I could end up in a world of pain. PeetyPoo (aka Mark) had also gone with a Tackle Blitzer, supported by 2x Wrestle Ghouls, so they carried a decent threat to my ball carrier!

Again, we started in Perfect Weather, with less fans and received again. The Undead received "Stab" and put it on a Ghoul (uh oh!!). We started well by felling the LoS, and even hurting the zombie (regenerate failed). The Amazons collected the ball which landed close to the LoS and drove slowly up the field, scoring in turn 8/7 to go 1-0 up and inflict (3-1) casualties by that stage.

However, by the 2nd half, the Undead were up against it with a Time Out and less turns to equalise or even win. They then whittled away the Amazon defence, inflicting 3 casualties of their own (3-4) with the Amazons unable to respond. However, some unfortunate dice from the Undead coach led to the Amazons securing the ball and running away for a 2nd TD, 2-0. The game finished 2-0, (3-4).

Team Redshirts walked away with a 3/0/1 round win, with VultureSquadron being defeated by a Halfling team who had the game and dice of their lives.

And Lunch

What a great idea... Getting 2 games in before lunch. We queued up for Chilli Con Carne and rice. I might have popped out for a cooling dessert! 🍦

Feast your eyes!

The Redshirts were fairly happy with a 1/1/0 result so far, and talked about our hopes for the next round.

Game Three vs Gary McDowell's Dark Elves

We were facing the NIBBlers, and it was a Gary-off!

I was kicking this time in Perfect Weather, with equal fans, lining up against the tricksy Dark Elves - which included Blodging Blitzers and Wrestle/Frenzy Witches.

Turn 1/1 saw the Dark Elves use their apothecary after failing to hurt any of the Amazons on the LoS, and they used their Leader reroll too. By turn 2/2 we KO'd a Dark Elf Runner and in turn 3/3 KO'd a DE Blitzer. Things were looking up. We managed to get the ball, but were pressured to score in turn 5/5 for a 1-0 lead (0-0), with the Runner returning from KO'd. Unfortunately we quad-skulled in turn 6/6 but did manage to keep the elves out of our end zone.

However, the game turned, with Officious Ref sending off my Guard linewoman. The Dark Elves made use of the numbers and racked up 3x casualties against us and equalised. I rued my decision not to go 2-0 up and delay to prevent any chance of the DE's coming back in plenty of turns. The dice were favourable to the elves. The game finished 1-1 (2-3) and I had to accept I had made a mistake.

However, Vulture Squadron and Howling Griffon won their matches, with Sam drawing, so I took solace in a team win.

Day One Conclusion

Team Redshirts finished day one on 2/1/0 which wasn't bad at all, with both myself and Howlinggriffon on 2/1/0 each too! We retired to the hotel to freshen up and met at a local Thai restaurant for a very nice dinner - recommended!

Day Two - Game Four vs SilentKing's High Elves

We were up against Claw on Tour. Again, in Perfect Weather we were up against more Elves, but this time, the snooty ones, not the wicked ones. We brought more fans but lost the kick off roll and were nominated to kick.

The ball landed mid-pitch of the High Elf half and the game go underway. It was a close game in the first half. The high elf drive was halted but a turn 8 foul from the Amazons resulted in no injury and a sending off for the trouble, despite getting Friends with the Ref and having a 5+ Argue the call in the locker. With 2x KO's remaining off the pitch for the second half we were suddenly up against it.

With mixed dice from both coaches, we made the most of each others unreliable dice and the game ended 1-1 (0-2). 

The rest of Team Redshirts also drew their matches too. Sounds like we all had similar tales to tell.

Game Five vs Tofu's Shambling Undead

We were up against BBBL Bees this time.

We had brought the same number of fans to the stadium in perfect weather and won the kick off roll to receive against the Undead.

Turn 1/0 saw a Time Out on kick off. Despite starting off with Double Skulls, the reroll resulted in getting both mummies stunned as we broke armour on both. We collected the ball, and then the fun began!

We made our way up field and managed to score quite early. Memory gets a bit vague from here, as do my notes as we were up against it time wise. This was despite being given a fantastic little Home Nations - Match Play Records note book, which for bloggers like me was absolutely awesome!

If I remember rightly the undead tried to score quickly but some desperate play and bad dice rolling meant I was able to secure the ball. Now, I can't remember if I went 2-0 in the first half, or if I managed to turn the Undead over in the second half and score then, but either way the game finished 2-0 (2-1). Was a good game, if tough luck on the Undead side.

The rest of Team Redshirts also won their respective matches with the exception of Sam who drew, so a round win for the Redshirts.

Game Six vs Mournival's Undead

We were at the heady heights of Table 3, so we knew we must be "up there" in the chances of placing in the Open.

But, Oh Joy! Undead for the third time this weekend! And up against Ryan who was looking for revenge after my OWA team did him dirty at the NAF Championships this year. Ryan was playing for Team Scotland. The irony wasn't lost on us that Mr_Frodo wasn't in our ranks for the match up!

I had more than double the fans in perfect weather, but lost the kick off. The Undead lined up and made short work of my LoS with the ball sat comfortably in midfield.

However, we were at the heady heights of Table 3, so we knew we must be "up there" in the chances of placing in the Open.

Again, my notes failed me, but I seem to recall the game being back and forth, but the Undead were able to score, and the Amazons were unable to utilise the fact that no one had been hurt to equalise. On the face of it, the game had been quite dull with a 0-1 (0-0) loss... but it had been played in a really good spirit.

Despite my loss, Team Redshirts won the round 3/0/1, and I finished on a 'Dusty Bin' (that's a pop reference for just the right audience!) of 3/2/1 which wasn't so bad. Had I got a bit more luck in this final game I could have got a draw, and had I gone 2-0 up against those Dark Elves I could have finished on 4/3/0 but hey, luck is swings and roundabouts, and I had some good dice (or the opposition rolled some bad dice!) in the games I won, so can't complain! We were more excited to see if the team win had been enough to see us finish on the podium!

Results

As it happens, we finished 3rd. We also walked away with the highest placed league trophy winners, with us all having played in the CBBBL. 

Jock hosted the award ceremony, with clearly a lot of care and thought going into the ceremony and prize giving. It was nice to see so much handed out to different people.

The Open finished like this:

 

We finished above Team England and Team Scotland, so happy with that!

For more tournament photos, see here for the organisers photos.