Golden Boars V. the Slann-in-Spacers

I took a break from shipbuilding the other night for a game of Bloodbowl as my old pal Ollie was back in town.

His Golden Boars team were spoiling for a bit of Pub League action and my Slann-in-Spacer's (more about them here as well) were only too happy to oblige - would it be a walk over for the Big League boys or might there be some giant killing from the under dogs?

More Amphibious Astronauts

... and false advertising!

 

Blood Bowl fever certainly seems the order of the day at the moment!

 

Here's the last few players to finish off the squad for my mixed team, the Slann in Spacer's - also my Round 3 entry for the LPL.

 

 



A bit of muscle - Dwarf Blitzers

 

 

Yes I know this model is a Lineman but what the hey!

Now some of you may be thinking that I'm playing a little fast and loose with the rules in terms of the make-up of the team - and you may be right to a certain extent! Certainly my choice of players was dictated somewhat by the vagaries of ebay and rather than collecting separate teams of Dwarves, Elves, Humans, etc, I gave the wallet a rest and combined my ill-gotten gains in one team.

Dwarf Kicker
 

Back in the good old days of 2nd edition (yes, pre-block dice, so I know it wasn't all roses!) you could field mixed teams, although you had to keep an eye on each race's dislikes and animosities.

Players of  races who dislike each other may play on the same team, however the problem comes when the issue of passing the ball arises. A D6 had to be rolled and on a 1-3 the pass/hand off could be made as normal, but on a 4-6 the player refuses to give the ball up and can either hold on to it or pass to a player of a race he doesn't dislike.

A few more Elves to add a little acrobatic grace to proceedings

Players suffering Animosity (different to the 3rd ed rule!) towards a particular race may not play on the same team.

Kicker

 

So where does this leave the Spacers?

Luckily Humans only dislike Chaos Humans and Dwarves, Goblinoids and Dark Elves, etc. The Treeman has similar feelings although other large monsters are included in that list. Halflings are happy playing with anyone as long as they are fed well - similarly Ogres seem particularly enlightened in terms of race relations and will play with anyone as long as they get to hit stuff! Dwarves suffer animosity towards Goblinoids and dislike Elves.

 

However the real problem are the Elves, who dislike all other races and suffer Animosity towards Ogres, Trolls, Minotaurs and all Goblinoids!

and Catcher

So where does that leave me in game terms? Potentially the Dwarves won't pass to the Elves, who in turn might not pass to anyone and refuse to be on the same pitch as the Ogre. The Treeman could end up refusing to pass to the Ogre, leaving only the Humans, Dwarves and Halfling who can be relied on to get on with each other!

 The solution - two different squads for facing off different opponents.

The whole team together 

Squad 1 - Humans, Dwarves, Halfling and Ogre - for taking on tougher teams and indulging in a bit of Halfling tossing!

Squad 2 - Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Halfling and Treeman - A flexible arrangement utilising Human and Dwarf muscle with their Blitzers (and Blockers, depending which edition I play) along with Elven catching abilities and higher agility. Plus I've always wanted to field a Treeman - either for throwing the Halfling or taking root in the opponents half and causing a nuisance there!

In other news - looks like the Spacers will be getting a game some time in the near future. Warlord Paul has laid down the gauntlet with his Greenback Gales...

Golden Boars Vs. Wasteland Wanderers

Some time ago, me and my good buddy Ollie played some Blood  Bowl. I'd assembled a motley crew of 2nd ed Dark Elves and he had some shiny new Human players. The game was a great one and not just because it was the first one for both of us with physical minis - I'd had one or two go's on the PC computer game before hand... 

During the game Ollie took notes and I took pics - here's the result!

Goooood morning, bowl fans! Coverage today is brought to you TODAY by RADIO ORCSHIRE! 

Welcome to the local Derby between the Golden Boars and the Wasteland Wanderers. 

There is certainly no love lost between theses two teams, both renowned for their brutality and sneaky tactics. 

The crowd seems well lubricated in hot Squigs and Fungal beer. Today promises to be a deadly match with a great deal of gratuitous violence!!!!

Slann in Spaaaace!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

No not that one - and there's no RT Space Slann either I'm afraid! 

A long time ago I started painting a Blood Bowl team as part of the LPL season 6. I'd read an article in either White Dwarf or one of the books - Star Players or Blood Bowl Companion - on Pub teams, and was rather taken with the idea (although not the players' stats compared to the Big League).

And so the Slann In Spacer's were born - named after their local of course, pictured here behind the beginnings of the team.

I seem to remember at the time someone telling the story behind the Pub name - apparently it was what the workers at the Eastwood factory called the nearby Man in Space pub. Nice touch to include it as a Tavern sign in the Citadel Townscape set! 

Anyway, here is my Round 2 entry in this year's LPL -

The team must have made the big league as they have a few new additions!

Scrrog th'Phrog - Big Guy

Human Linemen

Human Blitzers

Toad Intole - Team Mascot!

And the team so far - minus the Dwarfs and Elves competing in the LPL this week.

Pre-Match Build Up...

The Big Game is almost upon us...

Forget the Europa Football league (Big girlies that lot!) 

Two titans of the deranged world of Blood Bowl stand poised to clash in an epic struggle this evening. 

Vile and depraved - the Wasteland Wanderers, Naggarond's finest hope to seize the day... and as many body parts of the opposition as trophies! 

Standing against them are the Golden Boars, shining examples of the thuggery and brutishness so beloved of the fans. 

 Rumour has it that the services of Star Players, Griff Oberwald and the Mighty Zug have been secured by the Boars. 

Not content to be outdone the Wanderers have hired the feared Assassin, Harkon Heartripper (left) and Star Player, Hubris Rakarth (right).

 So the scene is set but the die yet to be cast. Who will win? Who will survive? Who will be able to eat an entire Big Moot Sandwich?

Edit - I'd hoped to post this earlier this afternoon but an influx of in-laws put paid to that idea. My good friend Ollie, of The Second Founding has been round and we've got the first 7 turns played. I'm not going to give any half time scores away as we have a load of notes and pictures to to sort out and get a match report sorted somehow between us.

Suffice to say, however, blood has been spilled, rocks and abuse hurled and much beer consumed!

The Beautiful Game...

... if you like a bit of depraved violence and complete anarchy!

Yes Sports Fans, welcome to the latest team, fresh in from the Darklands to start a new season - the Wasteland Wanderers!

You said it Bob! Well lets get right down to business. This bloodthirsty bunch are headed up by Star Linesman, Tuern Redvenom renowned for his low down dirty tricks and pathological hatred of pretty much all other living beings!

Yes Sirree Jim, that's one Elf with a whole lot of attitude! His team mates aren't much better. You don't want the ball if known assassin and ref-killer, Horkon Heartripper is on your tail...

You got that right Bob, he's a cold blooded killer alright, and the fans love him! Lets see about the rest of the team...

So I got my Dark Elf team finished and I'm quite happy with how they turned out - dark and evil with a splash of colour.

You may notice that I've recruited the old 1st ed(?) Dark Elf mini to be a Star Player and assassin from 3rd/4th ed. Tuern Redvenom may well become the star player, Hubris Rakarth, or at least use his stats. That's because these chaps will be facing off against the Golden Boars at the end of the month and we will be using the later rules set to play.

This means I'll be using these Catchers and Throwers as linemen -

... along wth these guys.

The kicker on the end will become a Runner - supported here by three Blitzers

Not forgetting the lovely ladies of the Wanderers own Cheerleading Troupe - the Wastrelles.

Also on the cards will be a Witch Elf or two, possibly an actual Assassin (Marauder minis) and a wizard - shown here in an earlier WIP photo.

Oh and I'd best paint up the old Astrogranite pitch too!

Depraved Violence!

Am I talking about the disgusting antics regularly seen on and off the pitch in Premiership Football games? 

Nope - I'm talking Blood Bowl! 

Don't worry - I haven't forgotten about Mayhem - next few turns coming up soon once I've sorted the pics out.

In fact having moaned a bit about the lack of gaming last year, things are definitely looking up this year. Mayhem is keeping me busy at the mo (albeit solo gaming) and the Oldhammer Day at Foundry will be two days of gaming heaven. 

Added to this an old pal of mine has started a new blog, The Second Founding, and challenged me to a game of Blood Bowl at the end of March. We've enjoyed a few games of 40K (I forget which edition - 5th?) using his Dark Templars and Imperial Guard - unlucky last time mate! You've got to love the effect massed Lascannons have on a line of Space Marines forced into an advance over open ground towards a central objective!

He's posted up pics of his rather nice looking Human team, the Golden Boars, and rumour has it that Griff Oberwald and the Mighty Zug have been signed up as star players.

Anyway you may remember these chaps I painted up ages ago for the Lead Painters League - my pub team, The Slann in Spacers

Obviously short of a few team members! 

However, I thought it'd be a bit dull having Humans V. Humans - with a few friends along to help out. So I decided to take the plunge and paint up one of the other teams languishing in the paint queue. But who to choose - Dark Elves or Orcs? 

Well obviously I chose the Dark Elves, mainly because that's the team I've used the most on Blood Bowl Legendary Edition and also because I haven't really painted any Dark Elves before.

Here they are with their base coats on

and the first wave of highlights/washes

I'm hoping the armour will turn out like jade and the dark blue will probably get a bit lighter yet. I've also tried to go for a really pale and unhealthy - subterranean in fact! - skin tone. Not sure whether its gone a little too pasty and grey? 

As you can see the team is really set up for Second Edition Blood Bowl with all the Catchers, Throwers and Kicker. We will be playing the latest version of course so that means I'll have to recruit some Witch Elves and Assassins and "demote" my catchers to Linemen and promote Kickers/Throwers to Runners. 

Here's a few possibilities for the Witch Elves and Assassin (never understood why any self respecting assassin would go around in that hood and cloak that just screams out "I'm up to no good - probably a thief or assassin or some such ne'er-do-well!"), along with a Wizard for some sideline fun!

I should get this lot finished for the end of March, along with painting up the 2nd ed. Astrogranite pitch they're stod on. I'll be sure to take some pics and attempt some kind of post-match report here once we've played.

Go Spacer's, Go Spacer's, Ra, Ra, Ra!

Another LPL entry and another project that threatens to butt in and crash the party!

Having seen loads of great Blood Bowl teams on the LAF, played a few games of the PC game and dug the few old Chaos players that have been lurking around my collection for years - still don't remember buying them, can't remember where they came from and have never used them! - I have finally succumbed to the lure of the Beautiful Game.

Here's my first team - a mixed race affair because I couldn't decide on one - the Slann-In-Spacer's, the Slann in Space's very own pub team! There are various other Humans, Elves, Dwarfs and a plucky little Halfling to add to their number when I get the chance.

This could be a dangerous little project as I have found myself looking up scratch-built pitches and dug-outs. Not to mention the full Orc and the fast growing Dark Elf/Chaos teams I have waiting in the wings. Having purchased the second edition box set I also have the polystyrene astrogranite pitch to paint up...