I drilled the Reign of Fire with pin over ring, cg on grip line (5 1/4 x 5 3/8), 6 3/4 unmarked mass bias in ball track. This drilling is identical to the drilling on my Reign. I kept the cover at box finish (1000 abralon), but I did add a light coat of Xtra-Shine polish to it. I wanted to keep the over all medium to medium heavy oil intent of the surface prep in mind, but matching it to my softer speed and release. the RoF rolls like a Reign on steroids!. For me, it is stronger in the front, mid-lane, and on the backend of the lane. I have read other reviews, that the RoF is a smoother ball than the Reign, but this isn't the case for my game and drill selection for the ball.
The first time I used the ball was on a house condition, at 38 feet in length. I used it for a few frames the first game, as I was going back and forth between it and the Invasion. Game 2, I decided to use it exclusively, and shot 300 with it playing the lanes from 15 at the arrows out to 6-7 board at the end of the oil pattern. The ball gave me miss left, as well as tug room, with great pin carry. I was immediately impressed with the reaction, and Strong continuos reaction through out the lane with a touch of quit right at the head pin. The Rof has a weaker cover and core than the Invasion, but with the surface prep (even after the coat of polish) the RoF read the front part of the lane better than the Invasion. Also, with fresh backends, the Rof is more angular than the Invasion as well, also due to the surface prep of the two balls. I then was able to use the Rof and the Reign on the PBAX Viper pattern that following Monday. I used the Reign for the start of the league on the fresh, and switched to the Rof After I started to get carrydown, and the Reign did not have enough cover to make the turn (the Reign is finished with 1200 cab sanding disc, with Xrta-shine on top for a nice gloss finish). The RoF was able to pick up and roll strong through the backend, but still allowing me to keep my angles closed through the front part of the lane, one of the things that I need to do to be successful on the PBA patterns.
I then was able to use the Reign and the Rof in a local tournament last weekend. It was a 36 foot flat pattern. Again, I was able to start with the Reign, and go firm with my speed, and a weak release to start the ball at 10 over 7-8 at the arrows, out to 5-6. This worked for the first 3 games or so, until I then had to go to the Rof, as the Reign would not read the carrydown for me. As the day went on, and I had to chase the pattern in, I then went back to the Reign, as the front part of the lane was gone (not easy crossing all the traffic in the heads when you have to get deep as a left hander). The C.A.M. core was the only core that gave me a consistent ball reaction on that pattern.
In closing, the Reign of Fire is a much stronger version of the Reign. It uses the same core, with a solid R2S cover, with a very aggressive 1000 abralon box finish. I really like this match of cover to core as it is the same cover as the Furious. I do find however, that it will read the backend stronger than the Furious, but I also can get the core to quit right at the pocket, as the Furious wants to continue through, as it hasn't found it's preferred spin axis. This gives me more control at the pocket, (yielding a higher carry percentage) even though the RoF is stronger in the backend than both the Furious and the Reign.
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Tommy Gollick
Storm Regional/Pro Shop staff
Red Crown Pro Shop Harrisburg, PA
stormbowling.com
