Once again the two top undead teams in Aros clashed in the play-offs. Last time DD had the upper hand in the match as they could afford to hire Count Luthor the Vampire. But this time DD was lacking players after having played the most lethal matches of the season, and as the Shadows had more money they were “allowed” to hire the Vampire, while DD hired two ghouls (to replace the two dead from last match) and a zombie.
As both mummies showed up DD hence had 14 players ready. Both of Shadows injured players were also ready, but the two werewolves’s had a fight about who were the best and neither would play with the other on the pitch. Of course Heiko Herrlich won that battle for most of the match. So they had also 14 players ready, with a wolf in reserve.
Only a 95 k gate with such popular teams in a quarterfinal, were quite surprising, but maybe it was the very sunny weather that had put off some of the darkness loving fans?
And then DD kicked off and the Shadows came snapping out of their line-up. And what a snap! David Owe killed Hoonaz reanimated who regenerated, Heiko Herrlich KOed S. Finxter and dirty The Dead Ghost (earlier The Green Ghost on DD) fouled the freebooting zombie KO too. DD got so surprised that the only thing they managed was to let Ra make a go for it, dropping to the ground (double 1) right in front of the other dirty zombie Igorius II. And he fouled him stunned without getting thrown off (2nd foul in a row).
Heiko Herrlich KOed a freebooted ghoul, and when Ramses the 5th tried to blitz him he failed a 3+ dodge with his break tackle/dodge, and had to use stand firm to stay up. But two turns and DD had not made a block yet. So Heiko Herrlich could continue next turn killing "Dead" Mortis who was immediately reanimated into Re-dead Mortis by Necromancer Michael.
The first Shadow player to leave the pitch was Igorius II when he once more failed to foul Ra more than stunned. This time he was thrown out. But with 10 vs. 5 and the ball with a ghoul, Shadows looks safe to score. But could they get ahead on players for 2nd half?
Suddenly DD makes their first real block, and slam Ramses the 5th SI Late Idet Ferro but he regenerates. And then out of the blue Benno Brausekopf II suddenly takes a one dice on the ball carrier and tackles him down. But no one is left to capitalize on this, and next turn the ball is safe again. The Dead Ghost then proceeds to foul two more KOs on Ramses the 5th and Mr. Stone Cold, getting spotted only one the first, but with Necromancer Michael arguing well with the ref who lets him stay on.
Ole Ond now has the ball safely out of DD’s reach, but before he manage to score Squiil: a Zombie kills Griswold and when he fails to regenerate, Necromancer Kynde rejoices in taking at least one zombie back from Shadows as he reanimates the dead zombie into Griswold Re-dead. And then Ole Ond scores for 0-1.
But DD manages to get 4 of 5 KOed players back, leaving only Mr. Stone Cold out (who also misses before next half), so they can field 11 and have a reserve. And in the half’s last turn DD’s two pain inflictors from first drive doubles up when Ramses the 5th BH Dead Deathspike (who regenerates) and Squiil: a Zombie makes his 2nd permanent casualty when he smashes the hand of Late Idet Ferro who this time fails to regenerate. But when DD tries to pay a little back for all the Shadow fouling the ref suddenly awakes and sends Guntermann II the 2nd of for only a stun along with his arguing head coach!
The two reanimated zombies Re-dead Mortis and Griswold Re-dead face each others on the LoS, maybe not so much to the consternation of their former team-mates, as they are used to seeing it the other way around :D
DD’s fans cheers them on after that finish and they continue as they started with Ramses the 5th attacking his former team-mate and BH Re-dead Mortis but where "Dead" Mortis failed Re-dead Mortis manages to regenerate. But DD is not finished and this time they are the one to foul successfully when the freebooted zombie kills David Owe. The wight manages to regenerate though, just as his victim did in the first turn of first half. But Shadows will no be let down and Heiko Herrlich BH double pain inflictor Squiil: a Zombie so he fails to regenerate. In just 9 turns 9 casualties had been inflicted (4 kills), but although it is 6-3 for DD, both teams only have two in the injury box.
When The Dead Ghost is send of for fouling next turn (only a stun) it looks good for DD, especially since Shadows spends most of their energy protecting Heiko Herrlich, now they are the few, and less on getting to the ball. But with a couple of KOs the strength is reversing, and S. Finxter who has protected the ball in a cage, runs out of reach with the ball. But he forgot about Count Luthor. He can dodge between two players and just make the blitz, but no he falls on the first dodge, and S. Finxter scored without problems for 1-1 (learning mighty blow in the process) But before the vamp fell two more KOs had left DD with only 8 to field before the last 3 turns! (The only to wake up out of 5 was Mr. Stone Cold who was KOed in first half).
The necros only fields 10 as Heiko Herrlich still won’t play now that Tore André Flo has to be on pitch to increase the chances for a match winning TD in the short time left.
Two rocks from the crowd messed a little with Shadows plans as David Owe’s guard is removed from the LoS (KO), whereas Ra is only stunned. But the last part was important and it is easy for Shadows to get the vampire and Tore André Flo within TD range and the ball is with the ghouls. A brave attempt by the Wights to take out the wolf fails and he then helps remove the tackle zones from Count Luthor. But it used up the turns RR, so there was some excitement left, when the ghoul hands the ball to the vampire who has to dodge once and go for it twice to score. Could it be a 1 over the EZ line? No he makes it and with only one turn left he secures Shadows a place in the semi final 1-2.
DD hopes for injury time or an unrealistic quick snap one turner, but instead Shadows can blitz, but chooses to keep the wolf safely out of reach, so DD only had one purpose left. Try to become the most lethal team of the season! And they did what they could as Wolf killed his former team-mate Re-dead Mortis but to no avail as he once again proved better to regenerate now than in his first re-animation. (Before that he had been a skaven linerat: "Mortis" Deadbite).
As a last messages to the traitor Vampire who after having played so much for DD suddenly turns his back on Necromancer Kynde and players against him, Ra attacked with all his might and lots of assist taking the St 5 blodger down with 3 dices! On the ground Hoonaz reanimated finished the job, almost, as he SI the count bad enough that he obtained a niggling and failed his regeneration. (Rumours say that his private Necromancer “apoth” healed him after the match, but he learned a lesson there!)
It was not a 4th kill by DD, but the match is still tying the other 4 matches with a total of 5 kills as one of the most lethal of all time in Aros. And for DD the 3rd kills gives them 11 kills in just 9 matches and a serious claim on the most lethal spot. MoonKnight Shadows and Zola^BB both need 5 kills in their last two matches to beat DD.
The MVP went to Ra for getting the vampire down in the last turn to make the SI foul possible, and Re-dead Mortis got his for managing to take twice the heat on Shadows than he managed on DD regenerating twice, even a kill, after failing exactly that as "Dead" Mortis on DD.
Both teams’ fans were satisfied with the match, and with 40 k (twice that of DD) Shadows will be able to hire Count Luthor again, should he really become ready for the semis. This may very well have been DD’s last match in Aros ever (after 6 seasons and 61 played matches!)
