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.

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.

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.

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!!!