Blood Bowl: Difference between revisions
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It was produced by [[Specialist Games]] for a long time, but now like all the other Specialist Games it is on [[Games Workshop]]'s back burner. Thankfully, there's a couple of computer games based on it (with a sequel to the most recent in the works!) that is almost the exact same as the tabletop (going as far as to use the Blood Bowl tabletop handbook for the rules in the vidya), and a [[card game]] by [[Fantasy Flight Games]]. | It was produced by [[Specialist Games]] for a long time, but now like all the other Specialist Games it is on [[Games Workshop]]'s back burner. Thankfully, there's a couple of computer games based on it (with a sequel to the most recent in the works!) that is almost the exact same as the tabletop (going as far as to use the Blood Bowl tabletop handbook for the rules in the vidya), and a [[card game]] by [[Fantasy Flight Games]]. | ||
== Glossary of Blood Bowl Terms == | == Glossary of Blood Bowl Terms == | ||
Revision as of 20:59, 20 October 2016
This game was created by Jervis Johnson. 'nuff said.
Blood Bowl is a game set in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle universe. In-universe, it is a sports game somewhat like American Football but with a level of violence more akin to Canadian Ice Hockey. The in-universe explanation of the game is that during a battle between Dwarfs and Night Goblins, they found a chest of rulebooks, magazines, and brochures detailing "Amorikan Footbowl" and after the Dwarf sage interpreted them (going mad in the process) they played the game to settle the battle, the game then growing in popularity and entirely replacing war in the Warhammer universe during seasons. Otherwise it's the same setting as Warhammer Fantasy, and may even be the exact same if you want to think that it is. It is played by teams from each of the major factions who set aside their differences for the duration of the season. Out-of-universe, it is a game where each player manages a Blood Bowl team as they accumulate experience and injuries.
During seasons all wars in the world stop since Blood Bowl takes precedence above all other facets of life, even in the Warp. There used to be multiple leagues, but now only one survives. High Elves and the wizards of the Empire maintain crystal ball networks similar to television stations that show programs filmed with Campaigns for Real Arcanery (or Camras) with recorded images and sounds sent via a spell called Cabalvision. Each station is named with the same acronyms as real world stations with them meaning more humorous things (NBC=Necromancers Broadcasting Circle, Channel 7 CBS=Crystal Ball Service, and so on), although only one (ABC=Association of Broadcasting Conjurers) has the rights to broadcast Blood Bowl games. The announcers of all league Blood Bowl matches are a vampire named Jim, and an Ogre retired player named Bob Bifford. In the vidya the two talk CONSTANTLY to the point of annoyance. On the tabletop, they do absolutely nothing but had little minis you could buy to make your playing table look more complete (although with the advent of the vidya players sometimes imitate them to mock the opposing player, resulting in a well deserved mini down the windpipe).
It was produced by Specialist Games for a long time, but now like all the other Specialist Games it is on Games Workshop's back burner. Thankfully, there's a couple of computer games based on it (with a sequel to the most recent in the works!) that is almost the exact same as the tabletop (going as far as to use the Blood Bowl tabletop handbook for the rules in the vidya), and a card game by Fantasy Flight Games.
Glossary of Blood Bowl Terms
- Bashy/Bashing Teams: All Blood Bowl teams can be described as existing on a specific place on a spectrum of combat focused to ball play focused. The term "Bash" is used to describe teams that are closer to the combat side and frequently when two of these teams are matched an important distinction is which is the better bashing team as the other will have to play around the fact that they are not hitting as hard or taking hits better than the other team. Bashing teams tend to be very intimidating for teams that are ball play focused like Elves as they have lower AV and ST which means they cannot deter Blocks and are more likely to suffer injury rolls from successful armour break rolls.
- Cage: A very standard formation play to protect a ball carrier, the cage is organized with the ball carrier in the centre and friendly, preferably beefy, player standing on each square diagonally adjacent to the ball carrier. No other players should be adjacent to the ball carrier to avoid chain-pushes opening cage and the cage should not end its turn with enemy players adjacent to the corners. This formation is popular because opponents must waste time taking out the corner players or try and blitz the ball carrier by moving through the tackle zones of two players and being forced to make a dodge roll.
- Chain-Pushing: When during a block the attacking player chooses a result that pushes an opponent (Defender Pushed, Defender Stumbles, Defender Down) and there are no free spaces for them to be pushed into, the attacking player may choose to move them into an occupied square and then they may choose to move the occupant of that square into any available squares in the direction of the push. If there are no free squares, the chain-push continues until a player is moved into an unoccupied square. Chain-Pushes punish players who just blob around their ball carrier instead of spacing players and using proper caging formation, as with correct placement, the opponent attacking the blob can expose the ball carrier or get their own players adjacent to the ball carrier which is a very undesirable result.
- Stunty: An Extraordinary Skill (that means you can't take when you level up but players can start with it) that makes players adept at dodging and avoidance but suffer with passing or throwing blocks, it also describes teams where all or the majority of players possess this trait and how it defines their playstyle where they can no longer make standard plays and instead need to play very specific strategies to win or at least draw (All Stunty teams are joke teams).
- Surf: As in to "Crowd Surf", to knock an opposing player off the field and into the crowd removing them for the drive and having the crowd beat them (sometimes to death) for their cowardice and unamusing play.
Obtaining Miniatures
Since Blood Bowl, like all of Games Workshop's GOOD games Specialist Games, is out of production. The first advice for someone wanting Blood Bowl minis is to check eBay and Bartertown, but many model companies have stepped up and produced various "fantasy football" lines.
Just kidding, Blood Bowl will be released in a month, with Orc and Human teams. Dwarfs and Skaven will follow, and then other teams will be made (though not in plastic, but resin.)
External Links
- Blood Bowl: Team Manager - The Card Game, by Fantasy Flight Games.
- [1] The rules