With a few games under my belt, we have begun a Blood Bowl league at the club. (For a full story visit Dan's blog at http://madopenleague.blogspot.co.uk/ ). Leagues, much like campaigns, allow your team to develop and grow as games progress, and should you wish, you can develop a story around your team and it's history.
Above: First day of the season.
'Why should know the names of any of my team? The worthless scum.'
(A quote, and as close as he ever got to a motivational speech, attributed to Tails of the Riverbank manager ‘Stick’ Mangepaw).
Game One pitted me against Dan's Dwarves. This was a very painful affair. In my first activation of the first half, a Gutter Runner secured the ball, and fell over, making an attempt at an extra square with a 'go for it' roll. Dan's team gained the ball, and took all of his first half activations to score a predictably slow touchdown.
Above: The Gutter Runner falls and drops the ball. The Dwarves now spring into action!
Dan had removed a number of Rats from the pitch as he moved with the speed of continental drift down the pitch to score, but fortunately for me, none of them had been taken out for good.
Above: 'Well at least they could return for the second half'.
Above: 'Getting to the ball, is no easy task'.
With half my team off the pitch, and Dan protecting the ball like a herd of bison around a calf, it was easier for me to let him just get on with it, and do my best to avoid injury. In my last few activations, I left my models lying on the ground, waiting for the storm to pass. Fortunately, Dan decided to not risk fouling my players.
Above: Skaven players attempting to avoid injury.
I quite expected the second half to follow in a similar vein. The Dwarves received the ball, but at least I had managed to get some of my players out of the injured and reserve boxes. I had eight players, which thankfully, included two of the speedy Gutter Runners.
Above: Starting positions for the second half.
However, in scoring Dan's second touchdown, his Dwarves battered my rats mercilessly. I had four knocked out, two with lasting injuries, and two of which died! (It was probably best that this level of punishment happened early in the league, before my players had built up some upgrades, but still quite shocking). I think even Dan was quite surprised by the carnage.
Dan, did allow me access to the ball in the last knockings of the second half, and my team managed a consolation goal, but by that time, literally, the damage had been done.
Game One - Result - lost 2-1 to Dan's Dwarves
1. Line rat (50K)
2. Gutter Runner (80K)
3. Line rat (50K) - KNOCKED OUT (DEAD)
4. Blitzer (90K)
5. Line rat (50K) - MVP 5 Special Player Points
6. Line rat (50K) - KNOCKED OUT (-1 Strength). Misses next game
7. Line rat (50K) - KNOCKED OUT (DEAD)
8. Gutter Runner (80K)
9. Thrower (70K)
10. Thrower (70K) - KNOCKED OUT (-1 Movement). Misses next game
11. Blitzer (90K) - 3 Special Player Points (TD)
12. Gutter Runner (80K)
Re-rolls 3 (180K)
Fan Factor 1 (50K)
Money in bank 0GP
Total Cost at beginning of game 1,000,000
Post Game - Gained 90,000GPs,
Upgrades - None
Studio Presenter - 'So let's start our review of today's games. Gary, what's happening where you are?
Commentator - 'Thank you Gary. Yes today's game between the Bar'Dhum Breakers and the Tails of the Riverbank was a masterclass of a display by the Dwarves. Although, it must be said that the Rats did appear to have other things on their mind, and entertaining the crowd, was not one of them. The rumour mill has been hard at work, and the word on the street is that some money changed paws before kick off'.
Studio Presenter - 'Some controversy there?,
Commentator - 'You betcha. Skaven players falling over with the ball, pretending to be injured for the majority of the first half, and then, half the team not coming out for the second half at all! During the game, their manager was heard to shout 'stay down lads, just think of the money'. Not surprisingly the crowd, looking for an entertaining game, were not best pleased, and not all the rats returned to the team cart afterwards'.
Game Two - Result - Drew 3-3 against Mike's Humans
This was a game where the imaginary crowd would have got it's moneys worth. I started it with three journeymen, which unsurprisingly, spent most of their time on the line of scrimmage. And less unsurprisingly, two of the three were knocked out by the end. I took the lead and Mike equalised, and this pattern continued until the end. I will admit, that some crucial dice rolls allowed me to keep in the game, and five re-rolls in the first half, and four in the second, didn't do me any harm. Eventually all of the feverish action did come to a close, and the final result, a 3-3 draw, with Special Player Points scattered around like confetti amongst both teams.
With so much going on, it wasn't easy to remember to take pictures.
Above: at the end of the second half, and before Mike receives the ball, I deployed in a 3 - 5 formation.
My starting roster for game two, and the post game injuries/upgrades/SPPs.
1. Line rat (50K)
2. Gutter Runner (80K) - KNOCKED OUT. (-1 Strength) Misses next game. 3 Special Player Points (TD)
3.
4. Blitzer (90K)
5. Line rat (5SPPs previously) (50K) - 1 Special Player Point (knocked out opponent)
6.
7.
8. Gutter Runner (80K) - 5 Special Player Points MVP, 3 Special Player Points TD
9. Thrower (70K) - 3 Special Player Points (3 completed passes)
10.
11. Blitzer (3SPPs previously) (90K)
12. Gutter Runner (80K) - 3 Special Player Points TD
13. Journey Man Line rat (50K)- Not fired after game
14. Journey Man Line rat (50K)- KNOCKED OUT (DEAD)
15. Journey Man Line rat (50K)- KNOCKED OUT -Fired after game
Re-rolls 3 (180K)
Fan Factor 1 (50K)
Money in bank 0GPs
Total Cost at beginning of game 930K (received an extra re-roll for each half in game two)
Post game - Gained 80K
Upgrades - No. 8 Gutter Runner (Block), No.5 Line rat (Block), Spent 150,000 GPs on a Rat Ogre. Gained 1 Fan Factor.
Money remaining - 20K
Above: More league games at the club.
The result and post game activity gives me a game three roster as follows:
1. Line rat (50K)
2.
3.
4. Blitzer (90K)
5. Line rat (50K) - [Block]
6. Line rat (50K) (-1 Strength)
7.
8. Gutter Runner (80K) - [Block]
9. Thrower (70K)
10. Thrower (70K) (-1 Movement)
11. Blitzer (90K)
12. Gutter Runner (80K)
13. Journey Man Line rat (50K)
16. Rat Ogre (150K)
Re-rolls - 3 per half (180K)
Fan Factor - 2 (100K)
Money in bank - 20K
Total Cost at beginning of next game - 1,150 K
Jolly wargaming to all.
Alex
Sounds like the game against the humans was more fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm new to the game, and am looking for my first league game if you fancy it?
I am giving one of the Dave's an Infinity intro game this Friday, and I have challenged James Goldsmith to a Blood Bowl league game the Friday afterwards. Happy to pencil in a game for the Friday after that.
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