Big news - the Harts are now fully painted and based! Super happy with how they've turned out, if I say so myself!
Used the Games Workshop transfers and Vallejo's Decal Medium to number each player on their shoulder pad. Since some of them don't have shoulder pads, I've also put the number on the back of the base rim, which makes it a bit easier in-game too to see who is who in the Linemen in particular!
Talking of games, the Harts of Athel Loren took to the pitch for their first league game last week, facing off against the terrifying prospect of a Chaos Dwarf team (led by a coach who's been playing since 1988 - the year I was born!
). The match started well, with the Harts receiving and setting up for a traditional cage around the ball. The Chaos Dwarves' reputation for strength was clearly merited, though, as they managed to bash their way through the Linemen and slow down my progress up the pitch.
When F'Lah T'Leh the Wardancer tried to make a break for the goal to score a touchdown, disaster struck as the Chaos Dwarves managed to intercept him, rolling enough pushes on their block dice to push the Elf back into the crowd! Luckily he was clearly knocked into the Elf fans as the injury roll just stunned him, and spent the rest of the drive signing autographs rather than having the snot kicked out of him!
F'Lah T'Leh makes a break for the end zone...
...but finds himself intercepted by the Dwarves and sent back to the dugout.
As the first half ended 0-0, the Chaos Dwarves renewed their offensive, managing to knock down and stun a good number of Elves. With numbers on their side, the Dwarves ground down the pitch to score the first touchdown of the match.
The Harts found themselves on the back foot during the second drive of the second half. With multiple Elves still out of the game, they didn't have the numbers to slow down the Dwarves - but disaster struck as, during the freak blizzard that had been hammering the pitch all match, one of Andrew's Dwarves fumbled the ball scant inches away from the touchdown line! Desparately looking to equalize, 'Eagle-Eyed' Eloháin the thrower managed to scoop the ball up and dodge away from the Dwarves. Eyeing up Cadeyrn, the only Linemen close enough to the Dwarf end to score, he drew back his arm to throw the ball... and promptly fumbled it, ending the match in 1-0 to the Dwarves. Surprisingly with very few casualties - the worst I suffered was one of my Linemen missing the next game (and the humility of Rowan taking root twice in one game, both during crucial turns - she's now busy focusing on leg day during training to avoid the same problem next match!).
Next league game is a rematch against the Human team the Bogenhoffen Braves, with a friendly match coming up in a few days against the Chaos Renegades the Darkstar Champions! With multiple models just an SPP or two shy of a new skill, here's hoping for a comeback!
-Ben
I've played Wood Elves pretty much throughout my entire Warhammer Fantasy career, so naturally they were the only team I'd pick in Blood Bowl! One eBay auction later, and The Harts Of Athel Loren were a reality. 
Next week is the final game before the playoffs against our hated Dark Elf cousins, so I'll make sure to report back on that! 
