Runners and Riders for the Scottish Team Championship

The Scottish Team Championship is set to be hosted this coming weekend at Glasgow University Union where twenty-two teams of four coaches are ready to duke it out for the title. For Scottish coaches bragging rights for the Constructors Title to declare the best League in Scotland is also on the line.

Amsfeld, the Tournament Organiser had this to say when asked what he’d hope the Scottish Team Champs would deliver for the community, 

“Although the STC decides the ‘best’ league in Scotland through the constructors championship, I prefer to think of it as a chance for all of the leagues and coaches from across the Blood Bowl community to get together, roll some dice and catch up. Trying to balance the competitive and fun side is tough, but it’s a testament to the coaches that come that it seems to work.”

Scottish Team Championships 2024

Last year the Murder King Blood Bowl League’s (MKBBL) Murder Ace’s were crowned champions of a one-day, three-round affair. With the Aces having come close to winning UKTC this year losing the deciding round six match against the eventual winners, could be the bookies fancy to potentially recapture the title. 

Murder King Aces, last year's Scottish Team Champions, Amsfeld (TO, second from right) - can they defend the hotly contested title and claim best league in Scotland once again?

Although rival league Aberdeen Blood Bowl Community (ABBC) might have something to say about that as they descend on Glasgow en-masse with Butteries, Rowies and Roll squads to seek to settle the argument of what the Edinburgh Morning Roll should really be called (Ed: What you call a roll up here is contentious stuff!), and I’m sure the chaps of Leithal Weapons will want a say on who’s lifting the title this year.

However the Scottish Team Championships has matured into a two-day affair with teams coming from far and wide beyond Hadrian’s Wall. With the STC forming part of the GB Team Championship NAF Super Series the visiting squads will be keen to undertake a swift raid to steal the crown away and bag the Super Series points to boot.

Blood and Tears, a PS League, had a strong showing at Kent Team Championship and ably led by Yellow-Ox will be sporting a tartan uniform in honour of the occasion that they will hope to mark with the spoils of victory. 

Don’t discount the NIBBlers either. Representing Northern Ireland, captained by experienced coach Padster, who achieved a credible third place finish on their first outing as a national squad in the Home Nations Open last year will want to see the cup with green and white ribbons on it!

Then there’s the rumoured shadows of The Scottish Exiles led by the formidable Scotland Captain surrounded by a cadre of Team Scotland coaches looking to return to the homeland to show the MKBBL and ABBC some Ronin coaches don’t need the bonds and servitude of a league to sweep all before them…

So that’s the hype, what do the numbers say? Let’s have a quick dive into the form guide with NAF Elo as rune markers to predict this year’s winner of the Scottish Team Champs!

Squad	Squad Race Elo Avg Ranking	Squad Highest Elo Avg Ranking	Squad Race Elo Avg	Squad Highest Elo Avg
Scottish Exiles	1	1	187.9	221.5
Murder Aces	6	2	161.9	203.1
ABBC Butteries	2	3	170.6	188.5
Murder Kings	9	4	155.1	183.5
Leithal Weapons	4	5	164.6	183.3
Awesomest Party People	3	6	165.4	179.6
ABBC Rolls	5	7	162.0	174.4
Murder Queens	8	8	157.4	172.8
NIBBlers	7	9	159.6	169.7
Blood & Tears	11	10	150.9	163.9
LeithLaughLove	17	11	147.0	161.9
ABBC Rowies	15	12	148.2	160.2
Three Rookies and a Ringer	13	13	150.0	160.0
Weegiebowl	12	14	150.7	159.6
Murder Jacks	18	15	146.6	157.9
Dabbl Does Dallas	10	16	152.6	154.1
FVBBL	14	17	148.5	154.0
Murder Jokers	16	18	148.1	152.4
Doonhammers	22	19	140.1	152.2
Moray Mayhem	21	20	142.4	149.7
DABBL A-Team	19	21	146.4	149.2
Ducking Skulls	20	22	143.0	147.6

Table 1.1. Squads ranked by coaches’ highest Elo and averaged across the team

The top three teams using a coach’s highest race Elo sees them some way out in front of the rest of the pack. However the Exiles on an average Elo High of 221.5 must be fancied on pedigree alone. However Elo is a fickle beast and it can go down as well as up…

Also note some of the rankings start to mix up a little if we look at the Average Elo of the races being used - so you never can tell!

I don’t think the Murder Aces, ABBC Butteries, Kings and Leithal Weapons, rounding out the top five will give two hoots about the form guide…and come to think of it neither will the rest of the squads! There's pows and death to be had over the board all weekend that could easily change the course of events. 

Not there this weekend? Then keep up with the action live on Tourplay to see who’s crowned the Scottish Team Champions!