Posted by Wulfyn on 13th October 2018

Hi everyone! The EDF is the French Eurobowl group who organise the formation of their team to send. This year Galanthil (@Galanthil) won the captaincy and is writing up a series about how each team may fare in the big competition that is now just 2 weeks away! These are being posted up daily on the EDF twitter feed (@EDFBloodbowl) if you are able to speak french (or use google translate). So I’m going to (with permission) group them up into 4 parts and post them here in English.

There are 22 nations at this year’s event (with the Dragons as a wildcard entry to make up an even number of teams). And remember for even more thoughts catch out the Eurobowl Preview show live on the 24th October at 6.30pm UTC (which is 7.30pm UK time) at https://www.twitch.tv/thetacklezone. Teams are presented in reverse order of the average NAF ranking of each player’s best team. So, over to Galanthil!

22. Austria (155.82)

Belantor Dark Elves 175.69 outcaarst (c) Wood Elves 165.59 Snake_Eyes Necromantic 163.56 Lewdgrip Necromantic 158.35 Torjurub Amazons 153.11 schiefer Slaan 150.70 smaug Lizardmen 147.27 Turin Dark Elves 132.29

The rosters that players will be playing at the event have not yet been finalised. So the table shows the best NAF rankings for each coach. It is clear that it will not be rosters played by Austria (wow Sherlock, what put you on the way?). The Austrians will participate in the Eurobowl for the 8th time, hosts of the competition in 2013. They climbed twice in 7th place, in 2005 and 2012, their best results.

On paper, Outcaarst will take a fairly inexperienced selection, with an average of NAF ranks at 155.82. Belentor, which one can imagine playing his Dark Elves, culminates in just over 175 NAF rankings, for just 14 games, at the head of the team.

Austria will probably aim to improve its best ranking on a Eurobowl, but the opposition will be prepared and, on paper, they do not appear to be a strong team.

21. Dragons (158.29)

Hobnail (c) Amazons 201.36 Verbal_HM Wood Elves 196.40 Tribble Wood Elves 154.12 flaponion Nurgle’s Rotters 150.81 sillysimon Undead 143.45 MartinVanquish17 Nurgle’s Rotters 141.40 thevoiceofjericho Norse 140.45 Skab Humans 138.31

The mercenaries of this edition of Eurobowl. A team composed mainly of Welsh, joined by a Swedish and an Englishman. Here again, the rosters are indicated for information, taking the best ranks of the players composing the 8.

Obviously no statistics on the past Eurobowl. We note that despite the presence of two experienced players, in the people of Hobnail, the captain, and Verbal HM, the rest of the team culminates in NAF rankings around 140 – 150. Opponents must be careful to not fall into the trap of over-confidence for their 6 opponents of the weekend, but it seems obvious that, on paper still, this team will not be armed to play on the top tables of the competition.

20. Hungary (165.14)

Itzla (c) Lizardmen 223.92 Wolio Norse 168.15 Micanser Slaan 161.26 Favi Humans 154.46 Alex Undead 150.15 Noraal Skaven 149.08 Nelkor Wood Elves 148.98 Csaki – –

Good in last two tournament (in Portugal and Belgium), with a best place to the 9th position in 2004 (out of 10 however), the Hungarians are “used” to being around the bottom of the table. Present since the second Eurobowl, in 2004, the Hungarian selection will make its 8th appearance, like the Austrians.

At the head of their team, we find a very experienced player, however, who has been traveling during all the Eurobowls in which Hungary has participated since 2006. He will undoubtedly play Lizards or Necromantic, rosters with which he gets good results (69.23% with Lizards and 67.57% with Necromantic).

Here again, the rosters displayed are based on the “best” rosters of the selected coaches. For once, however, no team duplication is present, so it is possible that it is the real roster … at least for the 7 who have already played NAF games. Because yes, the small specificity of this nation (you’ll see that surprisingly it’s not the only) is that it takes a true Rookie, at least in NAF matches (Csaki).

Be that as it may, there is an important progression of almost 7 NAF average points between the Dragons (21st) and the Hungarians. A nation that will be part of the underdogs too, and who will probably be keen to not achieve the “triplet”.

19. Finland (166.27)

Macwitt Norse 177.76 Valkohukka (c) Wood Elves 176.57 Harza Orcs 172.39 ratogre Undead 171.74 J_Ho Chaos Dwarves 169.11 Jopotzuki Necromantic 160.17 Tonalto Skaven 155.84 aleksimeuronen Lizardmen 146.56

Just as with the Hungarians, the Finnish 8 is based on the best NAF rankings of the coaches, but without duplicates, it can seem relatively likely that this is the teams they may take.

6th participation for Finns, participants since 2012 and Eurobowl at their Danish neighbours, with their best result at this edition (11th / 14th). Since then they have always finished between 14th and 17th place.

Barely more than a single NAF point more than 20th place, but a more consistent 8 in terms of rankings. No player exceeding 180, however, and a fairly “inexperienced” team, at least according to our standards in France. Apart from Jopotzuki, who played 108 NAF matches, for 23 tournaments, all the other coaches played from 30 to 60 games maximum.

(Ed: note that the NAF rankings look a little out of order, this is because the rankings are updated as more information comes in, but I am preserving the original publication order).

18. Greece (166.25)

Cana Undead 215.43 Kiave Lizardmen 207.19 Doc01 Dwarves 154.73 Asseos Dwarves 152.69 OptimusPrime (c) Undead 152.45 Kikaze Dark Elves 152.45 Mongor – – Nykteas Chaos Dwarves 145.05

Here are the Rookies of this edition. Cardiff will host the grand premiere for the Greeks. OptimusPrime’s group will however be supported by two very experienced Italian players: Cana (who participated in the Eurobowl in 2010) and Kiave (who reached more than 200 NAF ranking), provided they play well with Undead and Lizardmen. (Ed: all nations are allowed up to 2 Freebooters to help make up a team of 8 players).

The rest of the 8 is for the record not very experienced, with Mongor having no recorded NAF matches, like the Hungarian Csaki. We will see in a few weeks if the inexperience of this type of competition will allow them to play without pressure or if this jump in the big bath will be difficult.

Anyway, I think everyone is delighted to see that year after year the Eurobowl is attracting new nations! Kalí týchi!

17. Portugal (166.39)

Barry Wood Elves 205.60 Haktar (c) Necromantic 193.22 Oon Chaos Dwarves 190.30 Marcosgrande Wood Elves 150.32 Stingray Dark Elves 150.00 andreskarsnik Chaos 150.00 lord_kln Norse 146.21 Ironbreaker Dwarves 145.48

And in 17th position, we find the hosts of last year! For the record I was able to get the rosters that will be played by 6 of them! Only remains for me the unknown of whom Barry or Marcosgrande will play Wood Elves, and what will the other play.

For their 6th participation, Haktar relies on a group of regulars (5 Eurobowl played by Barry, Haktar and Oon), with whom he re-selected Stingray, participating in the competition last year. However, the second half of its 8 is very inexperienced: Andreskarsnik has no match recorded on the NAF, and the last three players (Marcosgrande, Ironbreaker and Lord Kln) played their first tournament last May at the Lusobowl.

Accustomed to the top 10 of the competition, and despite a slip up last year with a 17th place out of 18 at home, they achieved their best performance in Belgium, in 2014, finishing in 8th place (as in 2010, in France, but there were then only 10 teams participating in the tournament). We bet that they will be eager to play the holiday troubles, and despite their average NAF ranking of 166.39!

(Ed: It is not unusual for a nation to perform poorly at home because often their best players are running the competition. For example this year Hawca and DaPiranha, two Welsh regulars, are not in the team as they are managing the event.)

Another article on Wednesday when the next 6 teams have been posted!

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