The Draft: Introducing A Friend To Blood Bowl

A Roll Of The (Block) Dice

I may be battle damaged, but nerdity has not left the Quailcave.  On Monday I met up with regular 40K opponents Stuart and Dave, and Dave learnt how to play Blood Bowl with a wee demo game against me.

The girls in their computer game incarnation

I brought all four of my fully painted Blood Bowl teams with me: Humans, Amazons, Dark Elves and Lizardmen.  Unsurprisingly Dave, a committed Sisters player, was drawn to the female team and he took the Amazons for a spin.  I took the nice, dull Humans as mine and we played in the environs of Geek Retreat.

Now, Dave had played Blood Bowl before but not since he was a nipper - we've talked before about his memories of playing with his school friend Joe and having arguments over the Illegal Procedure rule.   So this was his first game in 20 years or so and therefore effectively his first.

The game commences and Dave makes a dash for the ball.

Dave was quick off the mark, using the Amazon's natural Dodge skill to dance around my players and obtain the ball for a quick touchdown.  I just managed to squeeze a return touchdown in at the end of the first half but things were tight.  In that time we dabbled with all the big rules - Blocking, passing, awarding Star Player Points and what have you.

The big thing Dave needed to learn was the order of actions.  Stuart, who had played Dreadball with me fairly recently, was able to impart that knowledge onto Dave - since failing certain actions is an instant turn-ending action, it's key to try and get safe things done first.  Of course, that doesn't prevent you occasionally messing up and, saying, tripping up right before you have a perfect touchdown opportunity set up.

The Crimson Lightning thrower will not find much of a bonus in his pay packet after this match.

The second half, however, the Amazons started to suffer.  Usually I play Amazons and it was a real change to see them from the other side - as nimble as they are they are fragile and when I did hit them they tended to stay down.  Humans aren't a mega-punchy team - they're more of a jack of all trades, really, but I was able to really chew through Dave's line and as the second half was played he was whittled down in numbers slowly but surely.  Three casualties and two knocked out left with only 6 on the pitch at one point.

Admittedly, I also lost a guy.  Not to injury but to getting sent off for getting caught fouling a downed Amazon.  

The Lineman does the walk of shame off the pitch.  He probably went to watch the Magic:The Gathering tournament taking place on the adjacent table.

In the end I managed to get a second touchdown in late in the second half and Dave couldn't claw back, so it was a 2-1 win to me.  The more important thing, though, is that Dave seemed to have fun and both Dave and Stuart were up for more meetings like this.  Dave still struggles a bit for free time with his young daughter so something like Blood Bowl or Dreadball is a lot easier on the schedule than a full on 40K marathon.

So expect more pictures like this.  Less of me winning though.