Well, this was the second week for the DG Invitational FFA Series and it was a real hum-dinger of a game.

There were seven stalwart foes involved in the FFA…

(I know DG-ShadowTyrant’s color isn’t exactly gray, but it’s a lot easier to call it gray then differentiate teal from light blue)

The Map on which the mayhem occurred was “The Crucible” and the start positions for the players is displayed below…

Early Game: Warning Shots & Other Skullduggery

The first several minutes of the game were very quiet. DG-BunnyPuncher spent the first 10 minutes building a barricade of ancient protectors on his ramp, while the rest of the players built up a couple tier 1 troops and began to creep. DG-Bumpa was the most aggressive creeper early on and many an Ogre and Gnoll met death on his Tauren Chieftain’s axe. Old Marn was rapidly gaining experience and was level 3 by the 10 minute mark. While creeping DG-Bumpma ambushed DG-Destroyer at a goblin merchant, and the first real action of the game took place - with the decision going to the ma.

Chimeras and Wyverns and TCs Oh My!

DG-Destroyer got a little bit of revenge on DG-Bumpma when his heroes and sorceresses forced a startled DG-Bumpma to TP back to base. Unfortunatly for DG-Destroyer, he doesn’t get the same result in the next battle he faces. DG-Ayatollah’s southern Orc Hordes rumbles northwest and lays siege to DG-Destroyer’s expansion. After beating the bejeezus out of the boys in blue, DG-Ayatollah’s minions destroy the expansion and vandalize a couple guard towers for kicks. Having accomplished their goal and their bloodlust sated, the horde returns to their base DG-BunnyPuncher, being the annoying type, harassed with his beloved chimeras, until DG-Bumpma’s Wyverns kicked some two-headed butt. DG-ShadowTyrant and DG-Bunnypuncher battled over a 5 minute span in back and forth fashion, until the grey’s were able to pin down the Yellow Bunnies and wiped them out to the man.

Midgame: The End of an Auron

DG-Auron was the next in line to have his base attacked. His defenses and army of casters and footies was no match for the ferocious Night Elf attackers of DG-SoulTaker. Auron’s forces were wiped out and DG-Soultaker’s angry bears and cruel, yet very busty, dryads began to ravage the town. Unbeknownst to him however, DG-Bumpma’s Pink Orcs had just creamed Auron’s expansion and were moving in for the kill. A fierce battle erupted, but the green skins beat the challengers and DG-Soultaker was forced to flee the field. DG-Soultaker, due to lack of gold, was unable to restore his armies to their former glory. DG-Bumpma, in typical Orcish zeal, obliterated DG-Auron’s remaining structures over the next couple minutes. The Pinkies teased DG-Auron to no end. They’d leave, come back in two minutes and kill the new troops, and leave… and so on. But at the end of the day the Pink Orcs exterminated DG-Auron.

Lag kills extremist religious leader… and in other news… the death of a Webmaster….

So poor DG-Auron was gone, and the once mighty DG-Ayatollah succumbed to lag at about the half hour point and was also eliminated.

So now there were only 5 left and things would really start to heat up. DG-Bumpma and DG-Destroyer battled it out for western supremacy with the result favoring the orcs. That battle would prove to be DG-Destroyer’s undoing. DG-BunnyPuncher, being the treacherous type, launched an attack on the blue base while DG-Destroyer was undermanned. The yellow bellies streaked by the tower defenses and hit the heart of the town. The dryads and druids of the claw wiped out the few heroes and sorceresses at the base and began to go to work on the buildings. A chimera flew southwest to join the fun, and so despite the sacrifice of many brave peons, DG-Destroyer was eliminated.

Late Game: Mean Gray Elves and Sneaky Yellow Bunnies

Despite his early game success, DG-Bumpma would prove to be the next player eliminated. Oddly enough, the day started on a bright note for the pink posse. They were able to destroy 4 of DG-ShadowTyrant’s ancient protectors and an expansion without suffering a casualty. The orcs held their own when the grey elves launched their initial attack on an expansion and beat them back. Unfortunately for DG-Bumpma, he was caught semi-napping from behind and was defeated in a decisive battle with DG-ShadowTyrant. The night elves then ravaged two expansions in quick succession before turning their eyes on the town. Bereft of expansions and broke, DG-Bumpma was only able to muster his mighty Tauren Chieftain to the defense of his town. Marn fought bravely, but perished against overwhelming odds. However, the reincarnation kicked in and Marn popped back and booted it on out of there to the fountain in the center. Just as it looked like Marn might have a chance to seek revenge, the yellow bunnies rode him down and assassinated the big pink bull. As Marn lay dying at the feet of yellow hero Shadowrunner, DG-ShadowTyrant’s brood eliminated the pink team from the game. As all this is going on, DG-BunnyPuncher, champion of goodwill and fellowship that he is, tries to pick a fistfight by telling everyone, repeatedly, to “Eat Shit.” No one held it against him though, as all know Bunny is a moron.

With the demise of Bumpma, the attention turns to DG-Soultaker who, lacking funds and troops, seems ripe for the picking. DG-BunnyPuncher and DG-ShadowTyrant both attack at different locations. The yellow squad ransacks and destroys the main town meeting minimal resistance. Shortly thereafter, the grey elves attack DG-Soultaker’s remaining encampment. The results are decisive and his last bastion is destroyed. DG-Soultaker then forces the two remaining adversaries to hunt for scattered moonwells hidden about the map. Fun, fun, fun. Finally, the last moonwell is found and killed.

End Game: If a tree falls…

So, now its down to the Big Bad Booty Bunny and the grand-puba of DG FFA games, and current series leader, DG-ShadowTyrant. DG-BunnyPuncher, knowing he has huge disadvantages - no money, low level hero, fewer troops - decides to launch a full frontal attack on his opponents main base. So, the ancient protectors who have been the gate for the entire game begin lumbering east. Due to an attack of PPMMS (Piss-Poor-Micro-Management-Skills), BP lets his Aps and troops separate, and each are whupped in turn by DG-Shadowtyrant. Fleeing with what troops survive, the yellow leader uproots every tree he can find and awaits the final battle at the entrance to his town. After regrouping, DG-ShadowTyrant rallies his troops one final time and leads them on to victory. The final battle was short and involved a lot of burning trees and dying yellow dryads. DG-BunnyPuncher conceded in the 57^th minute.

A note: I focus these reports on where the action (combat) is during the game. If a player did not receive as much coverage as others, its likely due to lack of significant encounters with the enemy (example: not every skirmish and quick TP is mentioned.) In the Early game the major fighting occurred in the west and thus was the focus of the first half of the report.

Special Thanks to DG-Bumpma for providing several of the source screenshots.