NAF Championships 2026 - Tournament Report
NAF Champs'26 - Intro
My mission this year is to keep this brief both for your enjoyment and also my time! 😉 You can catch up on all my previous NAF Championship tournament reports here which describe the venue, format and other such things.
I know many of you will go straight to the pictures and videos, particularly as I got to be "official photographer stand-in" this year 👀 - If you do use them, please reference "Wotfudboy" and my blog here at: https://wotfudboy.blogspot.com/ as traffic to my blog is welcomed and helps me keep the drive going to maintain the output!
All I can say is, this year it was the biggest tournament so far with 313 coaches listed. Well done to Dan Atherton and the crew for making it such a success!
Clash of Clans
A brief shout out on behalf of myself and Dave "Lycos" - If you play Clash Of Clans on Apple or Android, we have a Blood Bowl themed Clan named: "BloodBowl Clash" - #9CPVV2UQ -
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| "BloodBowl Clash" - #9CPVV2UQ |
Come find us. We're trying to rejuvenate the Clan with Blood Bowl coaches so come along!
Race / Roster
I decided to go with Nurgle this year, as this was one of my teams on 25mm bases which really helped on the venue-restricted table-sized cloth pitches - Also, they were metal which kept them more stable than the lighter plastics should the table get knocked! My only suggestion here to the NAF is to invest in Neoprene pitches of the same size and if possible, get the venue to ditch the table cloths!
For those interested in pictures of my team, see here.
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| Humans were popular! |
Stands/Merch
It was great to see so many vendors/stands at the tournament with Charlie Victor, Black Orc Down, Doc Miniatures, Hearthforge Games etc at the event. Also dice and tokens from the NAF membership renewal - what excellent value!
I bought some much needed 25mm skill bands from Charlie Victor, and came away with other bits and pieces including some lovely nice presents from opponents too.
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| Official merch including dice and minis and other trinkets |
Quick shout out to Hearthforge games... Fun stand with a lottery pitch to dig holes in and win a prize... a groundsman's nightmare, but showcased their pitches nicely. I found a couple of prizes including a Dice Gibbet for "bad dice" and some turf!
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| Potholes seem to be the theme of the year! |
Anyway, on to the matches... Or skip down to the photos!
Day One - Game One vs Connor's Norse - Table 44
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| Norse first up! - Game One smiles |
As everyone knows, the first round draw is completely random. I was up against Norse, and it turned out to be a tight game. I won the kick off roll and chose to receive in perfect weather in front of mostly Norse fans.
After a nothing first turn, the Norse came back hard in their very first turn, knocking out my Rotspawn and fouling to death a Bloater who subsequently failed his regeneration roll (0-1)... Two significant players off, and frankly I thought I'd lost already! However, I did my best not to show it and we played on in good spirits.
We managed to crowd-surf an Ulf in retaliation and inflicted a cas later on a Valk (1-1) as we fought our way up the pitch. Eventually I was able to blitz the ball-carrying Pestigor clear to score 1-0 in turn 7/6. The Norse weren't happy and in their remaining turns hurt another Bloater (again, failed regen) (1-2).
The second half began with me having 3x Bloaters off the pitch (1x KO fail to add in to the above). The Norse rolled High Kick and caught the ball, and proceeded down my right wing. I defended hard, hurting a Guard Bezerker in turn 4/4. In turn 6/6 I hurt a Norse Lineman (3-2), and managed to get the ball down on the floor. The Norse recovery was significantly hampered by a double 1 pickup attempt and we stopped their drive. Turn 8/8, we did a obligatory foul and got a cas from that too, winning 1-0 (4-2). A good, tactical, enjoyable game!
Game Two vs Gavin's Skaven - Table 37
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| neeeed sleeeep.... |
After lunch, next up was Gavin who I knew was a good Skaven coach with a 200+ ranking. The picture above was the most animated he was during the game as he said himself he hadn't done well sleep-wise and was struggling... He still managed to easily beat me though!
We were nominated to receive the ball by Gavin in perfect weather with slightly more Nurgle fans in the stadium. The game began with a TimeOut!, with both clocks moving forward a turn... less time for me to try to score! With Kick, it was a deep kick and we were already on the defensive.
Unfortunately for me, in an attempt to free up 2 players to help defend, my Rotspawn rolled a Triple-Skull, followed by a Loner roll of 1, which left me wide open (following a Pestigor stun in the previous turn). We then had a Rotter die with Gavin rolling a 6,6 armour roll and a 6,6 injury roll (0-1). Nuffle was laughing at me!
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| 😀 |
We did hit back and hurt a Gutter, (1-1) but this Apo'd, but did manage to hurt a Linerat (2-1), but it was too little too late as the Skaven got hold of the ball and scored in turn 6/6. We finished the half hurting another linerat (3-1), but the half ended without further incident.
The second half began with more dice shenanigans as Gavin used 2x Rerolls on 2x sets of Double Skulls. But the Skaven just took the ball and held back in their half, baiting the Nurgle players to come forward. In doing so we hurt a Gutter Runner (4-1) but the rats completed their dance through our lines and doubled their lead in turn 5/6 - 2-0 (4-1).
We then of course failed our "Secure the Ball" in turn 6/6 and any thoughts of a consolation score evaporated. Another good game, but the Nurgle were clearly out matched.
Game Three vs Alex's High Elves - Table ?
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| High Elves galore |
The match started in Perfect Weather with more High Elf fans in attendance, and with a higher kick roll, the Nurgle coach decided to receive.
Cheering Fans was rolled and the High Elves would get a +1 assist for their first hit. However, our first block of the game hurt a High Elf lineman (1-0), and the High Elves inflicted a casualty of their own in turn 2/2 (1-1) but the Pestigor regenerated. From there on, there were no further casualties inflicted.
The mood of the game got a bit tense due to a combination of things. I felt the match was going too slowly and I had to asked for a chess clock in turn 6/6 of the first half (when the Refs said we should be in the second half). The other reason was Alex was using the Games Workshop Prone and Stunned markers. This generally would have been okay, but the game had turned into an absolute scrum and to have prone high elves standing up in a mass of players with some markers by players, and some on their bases, made it very difficult to work out for me.
The first half finished 0-0 (1-1), and with some rushing near the end of the second half I was able to get the ball and rush up the field, and stall out and score as the round ended. We shook hands, wished each other well and went off for a well earned break.
Meal Out
Sam had organised a booking at a very popular Turkish restaurant that was full and positively buzzing. I enjoyed the House Special, with Koftas and Chicken and Lamb kebabs, and some nice Turkish bread and spicey dips. We all had a good chat about the day...
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| Smiles all round at the Anatolian Palace |
Next Day...
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| Andrew, Courtney, Jack, Darren, Sam, Gary and Ben - Redshirts & CBBBL members |
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| Sam enjoying his "Current Leader" cape |
Game Four vs John's Necromantic - Table 45
So, Necromantic next. A game full of lane-blockers was destined to be a tight but stodgy affair. The match was played in Perfect Weather in front of more Nurgle fans. John won the kick but nominated me to Receive.
The game began with a deep kick. The Necromantic team made life hard for themselves in turn 2/2, using 2x Rerolls on 2x Double skulls, but they worked. The drive was getting bogged down as my Bloaters kept putting the Guard Golems on the floor and they just got back up again next turn without so much as a scratch.
Armour and injury dice combined finally in turn 4/3 as a Necro Zombie left the pitch uninjured, with the necromancer unable to regenerate him (1-0). However, immediately afterwards the Rotspawn also skulled, failed the loner and lay prone, leaving our drive faltering. Despite a Wraith KOing himself on a failed dodge, and a Golem being hurt (but regenerating) (2-0) the Nurgle drive failed to result in a touchdown and the half ended 0-0 (2-0).
The second half began with more of the same as John had to use a Reroll on a both down Golem block. The Rotspawn managed to inflict a Ghoul casualty (no regen) (3-0) whilst it was trapped in his tentacles. The Nurgle managed to get the ball and slowly advanced, inflicting another casualty (4-0) before scoring and the game ended 1-0. A tough, tactical but enjoyable game.
Game Five vs Sam's Humans - Table 33
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| Human with hat :) |
Another different adversary, this time Humans! Again, played in Perfect Weather, equal fans and I chose to receive.
The game began with Cheering Fans, and we managed to KO a lineman in the first turn. The luck continued as, Sam noted in particular, I had rolled 5 consecutive (but unnecessary!) 6's on tentacle rolls and a couple of others! Some weird Nuffling going on. At least the secure the ball worked this time!
Unfortunately though, the Nurgle just couldn't get the breaks they needed to score in the first half. Despite the Apothecary being used on the Human Blitzer Captain (1-0) and a couple of KO's, with the Keg in play too, they mostly came back, but the Humans also had a deep bench, and the Nurgle team had it all to do as the half ended 0-0 (1-0).
The second half wasn't much better. We double skulled a Blitz on the block Ogre in turn 2/2 but did managed to get the ball carrier on the floor. It looked like we might make it up the pitch with the ball, but then the dice decidedly turned. After having hurt another lineman (2-0) and seeing the halfling finally sent off for his ineffective chain-fouling, the odds looked in our favour. After failing to pick up the ball the Nurgle team were suddenly open... the Human Catcher escaped tentacles (4+), make a 4+, 4+ dodge, a 4+ pickup and run down the pitch 2+ 2+ and scored in turn 6/7.
The game ended with a loss and a feeling of what might have been, finishing 0-1 (2-0). However, this was probably my favourite game of the weekend despite losing. Played in a really good manner and really tactical.
Game Six vs Kerith's Undead - Table 63
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| Last game of the weekend blues |
Same fans, perfect weather but lost the kick to kick to the Undead. I went through what I could remember as changes on the Nurgle roster from last season, and showed Kerith my printed roster. The Undead lined up and Turn 0/1 began with a TimeOut!
Unfortunately, I hadn't mentioned the Bloaters had Stand Firm, and after the first block when I said "Stand firm" instead of pushing back, Kerith declared that he "wouldn't have set up like that!" had he known about Stand Firm... There was little I could say or do, but the tone of the match instantly nose-dived. Then my Rotspawn was KO'd! Ouch! I really shouldn't line him up on the LOS without Thick Skull!
Things took a more sour tone as I blitzed one of the Guard Mummies and then gang-fouled it (1-0) and it failed to regen in turn 1/1. By turn 3/4 I had a Rotter KO and the Undead swarmed down my left wing, and despite some hastily prepared defence, the Ghoul single dice blitzed and dodged his way out of trouble and scored in turn 5/6 to go 0-1 up (1-0).
There was some action in the last part of the half as a Bloater got hurt and an Undead zombie did too (2-1).
In the brief part of the second half the Nurgle KO'd the other Guard Mummy, hurt a zombie and a Wight (4-1) but by about turn 3 or 4, Kerith had just accepted I was going to equalise and simply hit "turn"... so the game finished about an hour early. I then mooched around the hall for a bit.
Results
I'd been really fortunate in terms of the races faced across this weekend, having faced Norse, Skaven, High Elves, Necromantic, Humans and Undead and had some good games.
I finished on 3/1/2 in 97th.
Top 10
Final
Those of Team Redshirts were also really pleased to see SCS Sam in contention to win (having come second previously!) on 5 wins. I did sit down to watch but the referees (quite rightly!) moved me on.
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| The final finished in a draw, so it would come down to strength of schedule! |
There were some good prizes to be had, from trophies, teams and trinkets, to a free team auto-raffle. It pays to stay until the end!
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| Painted Imperial Nobility Team Prize |
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| NAF Trophies |
WINNERS!
JUST TO NOTE - I will add coach names etc later. Just a reminder - If you do use the photos below, please reference "Wotfudboy" and my blog here at: https://wotfudboy.blogspot.com/
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| Free raffle prize winner |
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| MiniMorg - Best youngster |
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| SCS Sam - Runner up |
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| Saltymurcutt - Trophy presented to the overall winner |
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| Saltymurcutt - Winner!! |
Well done Salty! Commiserations to Sam, but 2nd place was very worthy, particularly on strength of schedule!
Great tournament! - Thanks to all the refs and organisers for such a well run tournament! Lovely to see so many familiar faces, share a few hugs and play some nice people! Until next time!! Stay safe, have fun... give hugs!!
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| What a rabble! Caption competition time!! :) |
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