To the Victors ...

It only seemed right that the developing players should get a little tender loving care. Two players had moved along and picked an extra skill.

Black Orc - 'Vultog Flame Basher' acquired Block which seriously improves his blocking skill. (by 16.66%) I thought that I would add to his model making him stand out from the other Black Orcs.

First I built a hat from green stuff and some bits from the Orc Bitz Box. I went for the 'broken horn' look.

I also added another shoulder pad. I went for something smaller than the one on the left.

Finally I added a disk to the bottom of the left shoulder pad. This can be used to write his number on and keep him looking the same as his team mates.

Blitzer - Karfu Eye Cutter acquired Mighty Blow. In future when he knocks down opposition players they will have to add '1' to their AV roll or add '1' to the Injury Table roll (Ouch!!) making it more likely that he will cause serious damage. My existing Blitzer model are the same. I figured that a 'new build' was appropriate. Karfu actually has the most SPP's on the team with 10. In game 2 he caused a casualty, scored a touchdown and was the MVP. A bit of a superman really. He is therefore closest to getting a second skill and becoming a bit of a monster.

I returned to the Warhammer Savage Orcs box set. There is a running orc model with only one foot on the floor (in fact 4 of them...how fitting) So I picked the one I liked best. I do like the head, a broken undead limb in his mouth.

I went for the 'both hands in the air' look. You can feel the 'mighty blow' that he is about to deliver.

I added shoulder pads and again used some green stuff to make the metal disk for his number.

Now if it would only stop raining I could get outside to put some primer on him. But that doesn't look likely today.

In summary our narrative is developing nicely.....

Yakstick Sticky Hand (chief goblin) has acquired a reputation. Super scorer, dodger supreme and target for the 'bucket' treatment!!

Bolgot Bone Snapper (troll) has proved to be the much needed immovable object in the middle of the field

Popeye Wind Rider (Thrower) has become the lead ball handler / Thrower having completed an accurate pass in game 2.

Vultog Flame Basher (Black Orc) has become the lead casualty causer, with 3 so far.

Karfu Eye Cutter (Blitzer) is the current 'super star' and will be the one to watch going forward.

What next? - we are discussing an away match later in the week and not sure who the opposition will be yet, Dark Elves, Humans, Undead or maybe even Khemri? Will Nuffle be sated by the much anticipated Auzzie coloured Block dice? Bring it on.

2-0 but Da Gobo bites the bucket

Hi there Blood Bowl fans. Today saw the much awaited rematch between the Orcland Raiders and the Gravesend Gutchewers. What a day, what a day.

Had the Darktemplar managed to organise some coloured 'Block' dice? Would the god 'Nuffle' hamper his efforts? Would the goblin be 'Da Man'? Had the Black Orcs learned how to foul in true Orc'ish style? And would the Mummies be able to do their job, in spite of their tendency to trip over bandages? So many questions........ anticipation .......... and Blood Bowl mania.

The Gutchewers were in town.

The Dark Templar had painted up the MVP Zombie from game one and he was looking good. Couldn't resist the double skull in front of the Mummy - but surely it couldn't happen again? Could it?

Well the first thing to say is that a big thank you is due to the Dark Templar for his visit today - great fun indeed! A gent.

The game was much different to the first. We were both much more aware of tactics and the game reflected this.

The interesting thing is that the Undead seem incapable of picking up the ball. This is serious in terms of bringing any kind of predictability to the game. This proved a real problem at the beginning of game 2. I took advantage by Throwing Team-mate in the middle of the problem, very funny to have a goblin arrive where he is not wanted. I also applied some Blitzer pressure.

It felt so good to throw the goblin for the first time. Very orc'ish.

However it was tough for the Goblin. Old Yakstick Sticky Hand was bashed about a bit and finally the Gutchewers ganged up and badly fouled him. Foul ref, foul!!! The referee didn't see it and Yakstick ended up in the injury bin.

There was a certain amount of jubilation as a promise made on Dark Templar blog was delivered. 'The goblin was going home in a bucket!' I must admit to being somewhat dismayed.

But this was to ignore the 'Nuffle effect'. The Darktemplar has been in total fear of white dice for sooooooo many years. Every time he has tried to use them they have burnt him badly - I'm am being really serious about this. We joked beforehand because coloured 'Block Dice' had been ordered, from Australia but they had not arrived. We talked about the double, double skull and laughed .......

I kid you not - it happened again!!

The Gutchewers couldn't roll dice to save their lives, well they are undead. It was amazing. I felt for the Dark Templar. There was a plan but ......... Nuffle had intervened and did so regularly!

I got the ball and opened up the right hand side of the pitch.

The new Thrower 'Popeye' did the business, picked up the ball, carried, threw the ball and it was successfully caught. Touchdown Orcland Raiders!

Towards the end of the half the Gutchewers lost some players to successful Blocking and Fouling and so started the second half 2 men down. A big disadvantage.

The Raiders were also receiving! A good offence position. We suffered a Blitz at Kickoff. Wow - that was interesting. Puts you on the back foot a bit.

I had stood off the Gutchewers but the Blitz allowed them to get right in my face. A painful start to the the half. However I did manage a second Touchdown  to make it a 2-0 result.

The new look Orcland Raiders are now looking good.

I have some new skills, a Blitzer with Mighty Blow and a Blocker with Block. I also have a new team reroll. Getting stronger all the time.

The orcs remain the team to beat but I got to say that 'Nuffle' played a big part and I am eternally grateful. Thank you great god.

Going tribal

Well as the team develops I figured that I needed each player to have some individual personality. Over the christmas I was having a look at the Savage Orcs from Warhammer and really liked them. I purchased a box set and have had a bit of fun creating some new Black Orcs.

Plenty of broken bones on display, well they were scattered all over the field following the visit by the Gravesend Gutchewers. It was only right to make use of them ;-)

And it is always handy to have a 'weapon' now that we will be be doing a little more fouling!

Bring on the rematch.

New Thrower revealed

Yes folks, its true - the Orcland Raiders have signed up a new Thrower. Mr 'Popeye Wind Rider' a very popular choice with fans. Here he is in his first team photo wearing the Raider colours.

You can see old 'Boghat Dragon Shooter' in the back there sporting the yellow stripe on his helmet. He is missing the next game with a mear 'gouged eye'. This is not going down well with the fans and talk has started about that yellow stripe travelling further south, right down his spine.

This is a real opportunity for 'Popeye'. If he can put in a good performance and earn some Star Player Points he may find himself being first choice. Old Boghat didn't see much of the first game, being pushed off the field in turn six and certainly did not earn even one Star Player Point.

And folks - rumours of a rematch surfaced today. We understand that this could be as soon as the weekend. Oh my - this is exciting!

We are also hearing stories that the Orcland Raider coaching staff felt the first game was far to 'clean'. Not one of da boyz 'stuck the boot in'. This is very unorc'ish indeed. Some of the players were held back after practice today and did some 'additional work' away from prying eyes. Emmmm - I think that a few more of those Gravesend Gutchewers might be coffin bound after the next match.

Bring on the Christmas Gaming.

Blood Bowl lessons from the Orcland Raiders

The game against the Gut Chewers was great fun. It moved fairly slowly as we were getting back into the rules but at the end of the day a lot was learned?? So this is me thinking out loud .....

The edge of the board is not your friend! In Blood Bowl teams are supported by large crowds of enthusiastic supporters. Should any player leave the field of play they are set upon. This is not a good thing. There are no saving dice rolls applied and the player goes straight to the Dead / Injured box. You miss the rest of the game and there is potential for longer term trouble when rolling on the Casualty Table at the end of the game.

In short this is the best way to damage the opposition and therefore something to be very aware of both on offence and defence.

It is worth taking a risk to push an opposition player off the field!

I lost my Thrower from this 'safe looking' position. A few well organised 'Push Backs' and I was off the board.

Team rerolls are important. They are expensive but they are your one protection against the vagaries  of the dice gods. I started with 2 but I had a Cheerleader and an Assistant Coach which increased my chance to get another free reroll on the Kick Off table. A roll of 6 or 8 triggers this. For two of the three halves that we played I benefited from this.

Don't waste a reroll. When you are out of rerolls bad things can, and usually do, happen at crucial points in the game. Think before you use a reroll. Is it really worth it early in the game? What is the upside you are looking to achieve?

You have to pick the ball up! Seems obvious but if you are not in possession then you can't score. It is good to have someone that has an increased chance of picking the ball up. Failing to pick the ball up is also a Turnover so it is even more important to have the right player doing the job. The orc Thrower is the best person on the Orcland Raider team for the task as he comes with 'Sure Hands', a free reroll should he fail to pick up the ball first time.

I lost my Thrower during game one and really missed him. The ball seemed to turn into a bar of soap after that ;-)

Doing nothing is better than doing something stupid We all feel the pressure to move and score but there is no need to over commit. Be patient, apply some slow pressure, let things develop, sometimes you can just get plain lucky.

It is better to not risk a chancy Block so that your player stays on his feet with his tackle zone intact. This puts a different kind of pressure on the defender who may, in turn, make a mistake. This is particularly true of the troll. His use in the game is to be a road block - this can rapidly turn into a large hole if he is forced to the ground.

Zone defence. You can reach a point where it is more important to fall back than to continue to pressure the ball. Its about having a plan B if plan A is stalling. A regroup can be a good thing and can allow time for players to get back on their feet.

The half is 8 turns long Remember that you have to have a plan to score within the turns that remain. This puts pressure on slow moving teams and sometimes you have to take risks to give yourself the chance. You have the 'Go for it' rule and there are times when it essential to use it. Factor it into your plans.

At the end of turn six, in game one, I managed to get myself out of a very tricky situation. There was both judgement and luck involved. At the end of the turn as I proudly surveyed the safe position that I had achieved (my Blitzers in possession of the ball tucked in behind a Black Orc alongside the troll) I realised that I could not score in turns remaining.

That feel good moment was short lived!

Fouling has its place We didn't really do this at all which was a missed opportunity. It is another method of getting rid of players from the field and remember that assisting players force +1 per player to the Armour roll. It is worth ganging up on a downed player and sticking the boot in, especially a high value player.

We play for fun at the end of the day we play this mad game to have a good time, to be with friends, to laugh out loud and revel in the stories that develop. We had a great day. I have not laughed so loud in ages. The build up was also fun. Assembling the team, poking fun at the opposition, buying on ebay, painting up the team and crowing loudly. I reckon that we had a good months worth of fun from this one game. Blood Bowl we love you. May the next venture be equally good.

Post Match Sequence

So we went through the 'Post Match Sequence' following the first game.

Injuries

My Thrower was in the Dead / Injuries box. I rolled D68 resulting in 43 'Gouged Eye' with the effect that he misses the next game. Ouch! I will need a replacement as he is a key player with some decent skills.

Star Player Points

There were 3 Casualties during the game, 2 caused by Black Orc no. 4 'Vultog Flame Basher' and 1 by Black Orc no. 6 'Gunrukk Skull Killer' therefore they receive 4 points and 2 points each. My goblin 'Yakstick Sticky Hand' scored the only touchdown and so receives 3 points.

Most Valuable Player

Before the game we had elected the each Coach could chose their MVP resulting in the award of 5 points. It was tempting to chose one of the Black Orcs but that just would not have been fair to Yakstick who was clearly Da Man! So MVP was awarded to him.

Improvement Table

As a result gaining over 5 points in total Yakstick has moved from being a Rookie to being an Experienced player and as is entitled to an Improvement roll. Following the roll he is entitled to an extra skill. I think that Catch would be appropriate as this allows him a reroll for a failed 'hand off' and reroll for a failed 'catch'. Bound to be useful in the future.

Gaining a new skill also increases his value to the team by 20,000 gp.

Post Match Sequence

1. No players were killed.

2. Winnings - FAME and dice rolls together with the pre agreed extra cash from page 32 resulted in 160,000 gp to spend.

3. Cash Transfer - N/A at present

4. Dice rolls resulted in an improvement to the Fan Factor. It went from 5 to 6.

5. Extra players need to be purchased. I am thinking that I will need another Thrower as 'Boghat Dragon Shooter' misses the next match with a Gouged Eye. That costs 70,000 gp and I would like a team Apothecary, cost 50,000 gp. That leaves me with 40,000 gp. This could purchase me another Goblin or ....... should I save it towards the cost of another reroll?? Decisions, decisions ........ Maybe I'll save it.

6. Journeymen - N/A at present.

Spiralling Expenses

N/A at present.

Summary

So there we have it. Yakstick has a new skill 'Catch', Boghat misses the next game because of his 'gouged eye', I have employed a team Apothecary and procured the services of a new Thrower. And I have 40,000 gp in the bank.

All in a days work.

Ho ho ho - happy christmas

What a day - what a day. Well I guess the Orcland Raider fans will be going home happy this evening. Could there have been more drama? I think not!! There are some days when gaming is just fantastic fun, the highs, the lows, they were extreme. Would we have it any other way - I think not.

And a certain somebody has got 'game ball' and will be sticking it in his trophy cabinet as a keepsake.

I give you - the one - the only .....

Yakstick Sticky Hand - you Da Gobo dude!!! (background suggested by the Dark Templar - although I have no photoshop skills, so this is my best low technology attempt)

So two games and 2 victories by 1-0. Both touchdowns scored by the goblin of all goblins Mr Yakstick himself. A truly unbelievable day. Never was someone so ineptly named. At one point Yakstick actually rolled six '1's' in row as he attempted to pick up the ball. (Yes, a lot of team rerolls were used, over a number of turns) This was interspersed by the Dark Templar actually rolling a double, double skull to block - no team rerolls left = 2 turns passed. I mean the dice were just insane - but it added to the atmosphere and the orc fans have gone home happy, happy, happy.

The goblin ability to ignore tackle zones and dodge like a man possessed proved to be the difference on the day. There were many attempts to Block him out of the game but he survived and ultimately triumphed.

Thankfully there were no lasting injuries to either side.

Lots of lessons to be considered and some decisions to be made on spending some of the cash. I think they will wait for another day.

Other than that I think it safe to say that the Gravesend Gutchewers will not be underestimating a goblin called Yakstick any time some.

There are days when I just love Blood Bowl!! I have not laughed so much in ages.

Thanks to the Dark Templar and  28mm victorian warfare for the games. Hey - Victorian Warfare - you just know that there is an elf in you somewhere that wants to Throw and Pass!! I sense a free flowing style in you .....

Quiet before the storm

Tomorrow is the big day. The Gravesend Gutchewers will be in town and the Orcland Raider fans will be expecting great things from their latest lineup.

Da Boyz are having their last training session this morning and the pitch itself is in fine condition.

Over the last couple of weeks there has been much consideration given to the starting eleven. Coach Bullcher has finally settled on the following: -

Thanks for all the comments and advice given, it was much appreciated. Bring on the main event and let the games begin.

Da Boyz is ready!! Heres hoping for some great fun and a few stories to tell.

Orc Blitzers

The Blitzers are what makes the Orc team tick. They are the fastest moving of the Orcs and still have a high AV. They provide the much needed balance for the team to operate.

Sarad Wolf Poker will be leading the Blitzer lineup for the Orcland Raiders. Blitzers have the following statistics MA6, ST3, AG3, AV9 and they start with the skill Block.

Their role in the team is varied. They can ball carry, dish out damage and very importantly they can run and they can catch the ball as well as anyone on an Orc team.

The Block skill is important because with a ST3 the number of dice in play is likely to be low. Block means that if the Flash & Skull symbol is rolled both players are knocked over unless you have the Block skill in which case you remain standing. When being Blocked the chances of remaining upright improve by 16.66%.

Even if the Blitzer is knocked down the high AV9 means that 2D6 > 9 is required to injure. This should make sure that the Blitzers spend good time on the pitch and not in the hospital.

Orcs can take 0-4 Blitzers at a cost of 80,000 gp. I am planning to take all 4 and see if this bevy of beasts can be the match winners I need.

Orcland Raider Lineup

Coach Bullcher has been considering the wide variety of options available and has come up with the following preliminary lineup for a 1,000k game. I will be initially playing a team of Undead but I am not allowing this to effect my choice. I am trying to put together a fun team that could play all comers.

Orc Team Lineup

40k = 1 Goblin
70k = 1 Thrower
320k = 4 Black Orcs
320k = 4 Blitzers
110k = 1 Troll
120k = 2 rerolls

980k Total

The thinking is that I want to play something with character and I am liking the idea of a Troll. I know he can be unreliable but I am willing to give it a go. I think that there needs to be a Goblin in the lineup to support the Troll option and he also gives some alternative tactics to fox the opposition. The Throwers is a no-brainer. After this its a bit of a free for all. I can afford 4 Black Orcs and 4 Blitzers and I am thinking this should be a powerful combination.

I welcome any thoughts on these choices. Thanks all.

Bolgrot Rippin the place up

Hi there sports fans. It been another day of practice, practice, practice here at the Orcland Raiders stadium. Coach Bullcher brought in the local Undead team to spar with Da Boyz and its been carnage all the way.

Oh oh - even as I speak I see that Bolgrot has managed to break another skeleton.

Put him down Bolgrot!

They are sure going to need their Regeneration skill this evening ;-)

Are you getting the picture Mr Dark Templar. Da Boyz are com in to get ya!

A well dressed Goblin

More breaking news. The Dark Elves have taken flight and a new opponent has 'arisen'. The  Gravesend Gut Chewers , an undead team.

I needed a new goblin. Last nights discussion made it clear that taking Scrappa Sorehead was not the way forward so I give you 'Yakstick Sticky Hand' the latest member of the Orcland Raiders.

There is still some work to do but I got to tell you that I just love his hat!!!

I went looking in the garage for a suitable model and came across some plastic Gretchin. Having had a rummage I couldn't believe my luck when I discovered one with an undead skull on his head. This is what he should look like in Warhammer 40k.

I took off the gun with snippers.

And then went to work with some green stuff to create a catching mitten.

I later reduced the length of his nose. It was that big it might get in the way of a catch!! The nice thing is that he looks a bit like Bolgrot. Left hand in the air and a nice round exposed tummy. I sure hope they get along.

Orcland Raiders - Goblin Tactics

The team is allowed to select 0-4 Goblins on the team. They cost 40,000 gp, which is cheap and have the following statistics MA6, ST2, AG3, AV7. They also start with Right Stuff, Dodge & Stunty.

1. Right Stuff allows them to be thrown by a Troll
2. Dodge allows one failed Dodge to be rerolled each turn - very good skill
3. Stunty allows the goblin to ignore Tackle Zones modifiers i.e. Dodging on a 3+ anywhere, reduces the ability to Throw and makes the Goblin more susceptible to injury

(Note - altered following the comments received below)

So in short they are fast and agile and have good Dodge modifiers. They can Catch as good as any Orc which is not great but when combined with their speed and agility makes them a good option. They also allow the Troll to consider the Throw Team-Mate options. They may also be considered for ball carrying duty. In this way they will be automatically protected and can dart out at the right time for the big score.

On the down side their low ST and AV means they are very easily hurt and will therefore need protection!

I think that having a Goblin will be fun so .... have a jersey Mr Yakstick Sticky Hand and welcome to the Orcland Raiders!

Black Orcs

The key element of Blood Bowl is Blocking. Block or be Blocked that is how damage is done.

Obviously some teams love to Throw and Catch the ball with their fast players Dodging their way through tackle zones but at some point the game boils down to Block or be Blocked and Black Orcs are built for this task.

Black Orcs

The Orcland Raiders line is lead by the fearsome number 4, Vultog Flame Basher.

Black Orc and has the following stats MA4, ST4, AG2, AV9 with no special skills.

Movement Allowance is slow with the MA4 allowing only 4 squares of movement. This is below average, so not built for speed. Agility of 2 is really low so no dancing and dodging in the game plan. (Does Vultog look bothered? - I think not) The upside is a Strength of 4 and Armour Value of 9, both above average. This means that they can dish out damage as well as take the hits themselves.

Blocking

The aim of a Block is to move the opponent around. Force them to a square they don't want to be on or better still knock them to the ground and injure them. This is how holes can be created in the defence line. Each standing player has a tackle zone surrounding their square. It is difficult to move through tackle zones. If you can force players, and their tackle zones,  apart then free moving lanes can be created for the team to exploit.

Blocking is based on ST. The player who is blocking must be adjacent to his target in order to perform a Block. The stronger player has the advantage. When performing a Block the player rolls special Blocking dice. If both players are equal ST then one dice is rolled. If one player is stronger than the other then two dice are rolled and the stronger player chooses which dice to use for the result. This is a big advantage!

The dice themselves are D6 and look like this.

The player performing the Block is the attacker and the player receiving the Block is the defender.

1. The Skull = The attacking player is Knocked Down, not a good outcome.
2. The Skull & Flash = Both players are Knocked Down. (Can avoid the Knock Down if you have the  Block skill) This can be good because a Knocked Down player has no Tackle Zone.
3 & 4. Arrows = The defending player is Pushed Back by the attacker and the attacking player may follow up.
5. Flash & Exclamation Mark = The defender is Pushed Back and Knocked Down. (He may avoid the Knock Down if he has Dodge as a skill)
6. Flash = The defender is Pushed Back and Knocked Down

The preferred outcome is to push the opposing team back and there is a 66.66% chance of this happening. And then there is the bonus of maybe Knocking him Down as well (33.33% chance without Dodge, 16.66% chance with Dodge)

From a Black Orc perspective this has implications. If Blocking they will usually have the greater ST and so will use two dice and choose the outcome. If being Blocked the opponent will use one dice. And even if the Black Orc is unlucky enough to be Knocked Down they are likely to survive the Armour Roll with an AV of 9. (2D6 less than or equal to 9)

The Orcland Raiders

Back in the day I think there was a limit on the Black Orcs and Blitzers. I seem to recall playing with two of each and a whole lot on Linesmen. Well things have moved on and you can now have 0-4 Black Orcs. So to my mind it would seem like a good idea to field all 4 of the Black Orcs available.

So introducing....

Number 4 - Vultag Flame Basher
Number 5 - Tagdud Bone Ripper
Number 6 - Gunrukk Skull Killer
Number 7 - Gnarllug Nose Slammer

Welcome to the Orcland Raiders fellas!!

Bolgot Ripper 'Throwing Teamate' skill

Hello there sports fans. Today we have been watching Bolgot Ripper on the practice field. A sight to behold. We have been examining the Throw Team-Mate aspect of his game and it is ..... complex. Lets review how it works.

Bolgot is a troll with the Throw Team-Mate ability. He can only throw players with the Right Stuff skill. In the case of the Orcland Raiders this is a goblin.

First things first - Bolgot has the Really Stupid skill and as such must pass a test at the beginning of his turn to do anything at all. The roll is a D6 and on a 1-3 (50% chance) he stands there looking gormless!! There is a modifier however, if one or more friendly players are adjacent he gets a +2 modifier (improves to 83.33%). So note to self - make sure he is in a crowd.

Now is comes to Throwing Team-Mate. Bolgrot must move adjacent to the player he is going to Throw (the goblin). The throw is resolved the same as a Pass. Long Pass and Long Bomb are not allowed. However that is still a potential 6 spaces forward, see picture above.

For the Throw Team-Mate skill all passes are considers Inaccurate and as such will scatter 3 times upon landing and Fumble is not a turnover.

It should be noted that Bolgrot also has the Always Hungry skill. This means that there is a test roll after movement. If its a one then Bolgrot eats the goblin and the goblin is dead!! There is a 16.66% chance that this will happen!! (No giggling please - its not funny, if your the goblin)

The Pass

The question here is simple - is it a Fumble or is it an Inaccurate pass? A fumble is resolved as a Pass roll of 1 before or after modification. Bolgrot rolls a D6 to Pass with the following modifiers, +1 for a Quick Pass, 0 for a Short Pass and -1 for using the Throw Team-Mate ability. So for a Short Pass the lightly success rate is 66.66% improving to 83.33% for a Quick Pass.

Note this is further modified by -1 for every tackle zone that Bolgrot finds himself in. So you don't want to be surrounded when attempting this skill.

The Landing

The graceful landing by our goblin is based on an AG roll. The goblin has an AG of 3 and as such requires a 4+ to be successful (50% chance of success). Success results in a completed Inaccurate Pass and as such will scatter 3 times. I think it will be important to keep him away from the touchline.

Note there is a -1 modifier for each tackle zone on the final landing point, so no throwing into crowds. 

If successful the goblin can go on to take his own actions later in the turn. (if he has not already done so) With an MA of 6 there is big potential to get a score on the board.

Summary

So the question is "Are you feeling lucky punk?"

Being optimistic: -

1. There is an 83% chance that Bolgrot will do something in the turn.

2. There is an 83% chance that Bolgrot won't eat the goblin

3. There is a 67% chance that Bolgrot will complete a Short Pass

4. There is a 50% chance that the goblin will land on his feet

And there is always the Team Reroll to take into account.

Being pessimistic: -

1. Bolgrot is Really Stupid!

2. Bolgrot is Always Hungry!

3. What about tackle zones?

4. At best the pass is Inaccurate and the goblin could end up anywhere .

But having said all that won't you just love to see it work out!!!

Orc Thrower Tactics

There there are 9 days to go until the first Orcland Raider series and coach Bullcher has some decisions to make regarding the team composition.

General Orc Tactics

Orc teams are built for punishment and running the ball. This means gathering the ball, protecting the ball carrier, creating holes in the opposition line, bursting through and finally scoring. Orcs do have access to Throwers but do not have any Catchers (unless we look to a goblin or two). What then is the the roll of the Thrower in an orc lineup and how many should be included in the final team?

Basic Orc Thrower Tactics

Orc teams are allowed 0-2 Throwers whose stats are MA5, ST3, AG3, AV8 and they come with Sure Hands and Pass as their starting skills. They cost 70,000 gp.

First thing to say is that Throwers are good at picking up the ball because they have Sure Hands which gives them a reroll if they fail on the first attempt. The pick up action is based on the Throwers AG of 3. This means that the Thrower needs a 4+ to pick up the ball which is modified by +1 for attempting the pick up resulting in a 3+ outcome. So the base success rate is 66.667% which is increased to 88.889% because of the reroll. (Percentages are courtesy of Samba Action Calculator - an Application well worth a look if you into that kind of thing.) Thats 22% better than other Orcs.

In terms of carrying the ball Sure Hands negates the skill Strip Ball which is a positive. The Thrower is generally slow though with an MA5. In Orc terms that is only one less than a Blitzer who is the fastest moving orc with an MA6. So not a huge draw back and the ball carrier should be in some kind of protective cage and the Black Orcs only have an MA4.

Also, lets face it, if the Thrower is carrying the ball then this frees up a Blitzer (the other likely ball carrier) to do his thing.

Probably the main thing to be said about the Thrower is that he gives the threat of a Pass. The Pass skill allows a reroll if the first attempt fails. With an AG3 the Thrower will need 4+ to successfully Throw and this is modified by +1 for Throwing a Quick Pass. The base success rate is as above i.e. 66.667% increased to 88.889% with the reroll. For this reason the Pass is more likely to be be a Quick / Short Pass because there is an automatic +1 Catch modifier for an accurate pass. As the Orcs don't have Catchers they do not benefit from the Catch skill which gives a free reroll. However there is always the Team Reroll to consider. This could be given to the potential catcher, probably only once a game, but the possibility for a successful Long Bomb suddenly looms large.

With the Thrower on the field the Pass threat is always there and as such the opposition will have to consider some kind of zone coverage depending on how the play develops.

The down side is the Thrower AV8, one less than everyone else making it more likely that he will sustain an Injury if Knocked Down. (2 dice greater than 8 instead of two dice greater than 9)

I think the case is made for least one Thrower in the side. The question is whether to include two from the start or to trust in the great gods Gork & Mork until later in the season. Throwers cost 70,000 gp this is 20,000 gp more than a Lineman and 10,000 less than a Black Orc or Blitzer so lets look at the rest of the options before making a final decision.

Breaking News!!

Yes sports fans its all excitement down here at the Orcland Raiders HQ. The opening series of the new season has been announced and the Orcland Raiders will be hosting a team of Dark Elves on Saturday the 21th December. A real date for the diary that one.

Today the team was out on the main field and I must say that the grounds men have done a great job. Bolgrot Ripper is really settling in well. Already buddying up with the Black Orcs I see. You just know they are going to do some serious damage in the season ahead.

But whats this I notice? A few new faces. Ah Yes - we have a new Orc Linesman folks and he is taking the number one jersey. If I'm not mistaken thats Dergu Bear Licker. He must be a recent transfer from the Gouged Eye.

And lining up beside him in the number three jersey is a new Orc Thrower. We had heard rumours that Boghat Dragon Shooter was on his way and it looks like that can be confirmed.

I see that Boghat has maintained the yellow stripe on his helmet. That has been a tradition of his since his college days. There were some rumours last year that that stripe had travelled to his spine. Lets hope coach Bullcher knows what he doing.

Wow - what a play. Bolgot Ripper has just launched one of his team mates downfield. Soaring through the air - what a sight. Hold the press..... can it be ..... Oh My God ...... it is .....

Folks its another star player - Scrappa Sorehead and in the full Orcland Raiders colours. Oh my, oh my - what a season we have in prospect!!

Could that be a smile on Varag Goul Chewers face. I see he working with the Blitzers today. He must be relishing the opportunities that this new Orcland Raiders lineup will afford coach Bullcher. Bring on Series 1 and those Dark Elves. Lets see what this team is made of.

Official Team Photo

Well its official folks. Mr Bolgrot Ripper has passed the medical and donned the colours of the Orcland Raiders. Here he is leading out the team for practice. Starting to get a good feeling for the season ahead!

Bolgrot Ripper in da house

Star player Mr Bolgrot Ripper arrived this morning to a huge crowd of approving orcs. Well me anyway.

Obviously he had been in the wars and was in need of a period of recuperation. The Apothecaries got straight to work on an injured shoulder. They drilled into the damaged joint and added a pin which will make him positively bionic!!

Now all he needs is to climb into the team colours and he will be good to go.

He will need a goblin or two to throw around so I guess its back to ebay. This team is coming together nicely!

How Appropriate

Was looking back through some stuff on the computer to see if I had anything useful for the upcoming Blood Bowl and Voila….

This is an excel spreadsheet that I found online, back in the day, to help keep track of your team. Very handy. I hope it still applies.

I give you the Ratarsed Revellers!! Now with Christmas coming up you just know that tickles the funny bone!!

Blood Bowl 'Orcland Raiders'

In the build up to Christmas I have been working on my Orcs to get them ready for a bit of Blood Bowl. I present the work in progress that is the Orcland Raiders. (shown here on the old style playing board) There is still a bit of work to do to pick out some details and I am short a few models but its all coming together.

So far I have three Black Orcs. Team selection allows a maximum of four so I will need another model to give me full latitude.

I also have three Blitzers and again you are allowed to take four so another model needed.

I have two throwers. (In fact I also have a metal model that I could paint up as well which has a slightly different pose.)

And there are six Linemen.

The team also has a Star Player in the form of Varag ghoul Chewer. I could just play him as a Blitzer in the beginning if needed.

The orcs have a number of other Star Players which I will be looking into and a popular, if unpredictable, option appears to be the inclusion of a Troll called 'Ripper' and a couple of goblins. There is a lot to get my head around but I am looking forward to the challenge.

I have downloaded the latest Blood Bowl competition rules and need to play test them to remember exactly how the whole thing works. Bring on the Christmas Gaming!