No Ste Date tonight as he was at home reading comics and preparing something special for Saturday's Mega Day Event. No Craig either as I got sick of waiting out side his house for him after twenty minutes and drove off. We still managed eight teams to battle it out in the first Flashback Event for Roy Harper Jr. and Capt. Nathanial Adam.

OMAC and Hive together at last! Not actually following the rules of the event to make a legal team ... but it was a genuine mistake so we'll let you off this time.

Paul Wastell's rule disobeying Hive army was paired against Ste Hunt and his "Hellfire & Dalmations" team for the first round, could he have got a tougher draw? At least there was no BFC in the game. Having watched a fair bit of this game at the end of the table their were some abysmal dice rolls ... hang on ... I was at that end of the table ... close to the dice ... it's my fault! Other than a critical hit, Paul seemed to suffer the most with dice rolls and his OMAC 'Leader in Name' soon bit the dust. The Hive fought out valiantly without a leader, as we have seen them do before, and managed to salvage 91 points of KO's before time was called. Huntmeister wins, just for a change.

Martin Teece, losing finalist from the last event overseen by Judge Ste Date, faced Liam Cooke for his first opponent. Martin certainly seems to be picking up the rules and bolstered by the Probability Control of Destiny and the Blades/Claws/Fangs of Sabretooth was too strong for Liam. Liam's force were not only obliterated, but he only managed to collect 63 KO points as Martin discovered a ruthless streak and made it count despite the Power Dampening Field in play. "Tomb Stones R US" was looking an appropriate team name for Martin even this early in the event.

James Pattison's "Witch Elves" team needed some slight modification to squeeze in a Leader as it was populated entirely with Arwyns, once this was achieved and he had also subbed an Arwyn for a Speedy, he was paired accross from Alec's "Nebula". Alex was also fronted by the ever popular Tomoe (cheep leader that she is), leading the Quicksilver Twins (now where have we seen that before) and a Rookie Red Tornado. James' Team won the day, but only just by the skin of a Tomoe's teeth.

The fourth and final first round match up saw Parry with another Quicksilver actually avoid Tomoe. Instead Professor X took the leader's role and was joined by a Rookie Paladin to complete team "Chase Me Chase Me". Parry was indeed chased ... by a Sinestro Construct (100pts) supported by Redskull and Cheetah controlled by Paul Brown and named "Suicide Team". He was not only chased, but he was also caught and pinned and it was more like murder than suicide, a massive 331 points to PB. Ok, not massive, but sizable.

Are those cans and chips strategically placed heavy objects?

This little piggy went to market, this piggy to hindering terrain

WTF is that huge yellow thing? Its Parry. Oh, you mean the Sinestro Construct?

James Pattison's "Witch Elves" were rewarded for their first round win with a second round tie against Ste Hunt. The Huntmeister's "Hellfire & Dalamations" were on fire and stormed to an easy win to go 2 - 0. Donald Pierce's poisonous personality was proving something of an inconvenience with the addition of Armor Piercing.

Martin Teece managed to recover from his first round annhilialtion by giving Parry a reet good hammerin' with his Sabretooth. Martin managed to pick up 233 points by wiping out Parry's squad whilst he managed to maintain his own team fully so he gathered a humungous 492 for this round to get right back in the reckoning.

Alec also made a full recovery from first round defeat as he saw off the Hive threat of Paul Wastell in round two with his "Nebula" (that incidentally didn't have a Nebula figure). However the ever exciting Quicksilver twins (will we see a multiple Quicksilver combo in every event from now on?) and Red Tornado were enough to take down the majority, but not all of the Hive as Paul Wastell was still learning to harness it's true potential.

As there was only a measily eight players tonight, it did mean that making the final was pretty open as there wouldn't be more than one player finish on 3 wins. So anyone with a 2 - 1 record and a decent score had a good chance of getting the second final spot.

Actually this is pretty rubbish at Rookie level with no support isn't it.

Hivetastic! But took a while to get going and figure out its best tactics.

The next table saw the favourites to join Hunt in the final as, due to Liam's destruction, he was no longer in with a shout. Alex played Martin here and once again Tomoe faced off against Tomoe (so glad I brought the big bag of them tonight). In a tight game, to say the least, the only figures to hit the KO click were both players Tomoe's. As Martin was using a Rookie and Alec's choice was Experienced Martin, with his new found ruthless streak, scraped the win by the most slender of margins taking the game by 232 points to 201 after the 150% VPs for Leaders was taken into account. But would it be enough to reach the final?

Table three saw James Pattison face off against Paul Brown. Either player had a chance to make the final if they could secure a good win with both players on 1 - 1 and decent points totals. The Arwyn sisters' and Speedy's range attacks proved to much for Sinistro and Red Skull to take and James won with relative ease moving to 2 - 1 and 661 points, but some way off Martin's total of 722.

The last Swiss Round match, the wooden spoon match, saw Pauls Watell's Hive Troopers (illegally) lead by the OMAC finally click into place against Parry's "Chase Me Chase Me". Parry again went down without taking a point for the second match in sucession and finished the event with a big fat lonely zero in the total KO's column. Not one KO in three matches, I don't think I have seen that happen before, ever. The final points total of 102 can't have been far off setting a new record low either. Bad day at the office for Parry, Xavior and friends.

So Ste Hunt and Martin Teece were about to try to recreate a simulation of the last GamesWorldUK final, well maybe Martin would prefer the result to be reversed this time and get his first tournament win!

Fear me, for I am yet to break my lightning bolt in half (though it is only a matter of time)

The pen is mightier than the sword ... I'll just write down that I won then you're scuppered!

The Blade/Claws of Sabretooth weren't up to scratch and the overtactics could have done with being sharper as once more Lady Deathstrike, Donald Pierce, Wade Cole and Skullbuster reaved through the opposition. Another undeafeted night for Hunt who picked up the winners figure again. He tried to be sporting by allowing the fellowship player first crack of the whip on figure choice, but Martin was still realing from a second final defeat and was deflated and Paul wastell was awarded Fellowship for his Hive shambles. STOP WINNING! Is this subtle enough for you!!!!

Something of a rarity as Paul wastell (Fellowship Winner, left) allows himself to be photographed, whilst normal service is resumed with yet another Hunt win ... is that 100 yet?

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Tune in on Saturday at the Mega Day for Ste Date's Surprise Showdown Event and thanks as always for playing.