Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Fantasy Sports => Topic started by: Mr. White on November 16, 2019, 01:04:38 AM
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Like Warhammer Underworlds, Blitz Bowl has captured my hobby attention. Both titles play in under an hour, are set in cool settings that I enjoy, and have deep game-play.
As a Blood Bowl player of 30+ years, I do have to say I appreciate the brevity of a Blitz Bowl game at this point in my life. In my 20s I was able to run long, successful BB leagues. I'm not sure I'll be able to pull those off anytime soon, and I don't want my fantasy sports gaming to live in the shadow of those glory years, so Blitz is a breath of fresh air allowing me engage in this setting a new.
Before I start running games (bought three sets) I want to get the pitches ready. Here's my first bit of work. Celebrating the stars of the Blood Bowl Pitch...in the "Hall of Fame" arena.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/stat.jpg)
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Looking good - will follow with interest.
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Great stuff; the statues are inspired and the shields really bring them home. 8)
3 sets of Blitz Bowl eh? I take it you're located in the US? because I searched high and low for that game here in the EU to no avail...
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Finally coming back to this. I have an early summer Blitz Bowl event to prep for. I'm not sure if it's still going to happen or not, but prep I shall.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/gobbos.jpg)
Goblins for a special match where each team gets two goblins. This scenario came from me having a copy of the four goblin plastic BB booster box. Not enough to field a full team, I decided to split into into two groups of two. I went with drab, neutral colors so they don’t clash too much with whatever team they’re playing for. Two have light brown shirts and dark brown pants, the other two the opposite scheme.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/rotspawn.jpg)
I had an extra rot spawn model about and don’t ever expect this creature to appear in Blitz Bowl officially, so seemed safe. I’ve added a chain around its neck and town the back to appear chained to the central trapdoor. I have simple rules where at the beginning of each team turn a d8 is rolled and it slithers over to the spot represented on the ball bounce chart and throws a block at a random player if possible. It only stays in the 8 spots adjacent to the trapdoor. In the image below it is on the '8'
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/rotspawn2.jpg)
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Never been a blood bowl player what is blitz bowl?
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Never been a blood bowl player what is blitz bowl?
It's a limited release game set in the Blood Bowl universe. Teams are only have as big (6-7 models), games only take 30-45mins, and the rules are more forgiving. However, there's no rich campaign system like Blood Bowl proper.
It's a fun way to push around BB models if one doesn't have the hours and time necessary for BB leagues.
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Nicely done!
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I finally got around to completing all of the necessary terrain features for three Blitz Bowl boards as well as all of my team tokens.
With three Blitz Bowl (BzB) boards, I wanted enough terrain for two boards to have fancy statues celebrating the star players of Blood Bowl. I’ve gotten a lot of comments about using the expensive Forge World models for this project, but having played Blood Bowl for almost three decades…I’ve rarely used Star Players. This project has enabled me to finally make use of some of those models and in a way that will get them on the table _every_ time a game is played. This is actually more bang-for-the-buck then using them as actual star players where there are too many gates for their usage; will I be playing their team, will I earn enough to use them, does the league allow them, etc.
So, here they all are up on plinths with the heraldry for the team they represent.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzbfront.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/stat.jpg)
The above four are for the single trapdoor board with four blocked terrain sections.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzbthru.jpg)
These two above are for the board with two trapdoors. This board has larger sections of blocked terrain so we have the perennial face of Blood Bowl, and all-around nice guy, Lord Borak on his own stone, and the other being Morg and Grim locked in a duel for all eternity. You can see these larger base sizes on these two in the image below.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzbtop.jpg)
Also, I’ve got a complete set of crates and barrels for teams slumming it on the third board, the Pub Table. I have enough of these for any combination of needed board terrain.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/gobbos.jpg)
Finally, the tokens for my teams. I had a few philosophies in mind when I approached these. One…they needed to be easy to paint. Two, I want to be able to use them for BB and BzB. Three, though the coin and token/trophy is based on team races, I didn’t want them tied to specific races. My BB and BzB orc teams might not use the same colors. Or a friend with a BB team could be visiting without his tokens painted…these are generic and neutral to serve that need. The following met all my requirements and I’m very pleased how they came out.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzbtokens.jpg)
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzb1.jpg)
In the early 00’s, I managed an Undead BB team to quite a bit of success. Winning tournaments with them in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. Almost 20 years later…I’m bringing the franchise to Blitz Bowl.
I don’t have that original team anymore, but below are several photos. The team was made up of several conversions. Skeletons using bits from the Human 2nd edition plastic team, Space Marine shoulder pads across the squad for some uniformity. The colors were mainly black with scorpion green trim.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bbold3.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bbold2.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bbold1.jpg)
Looking above, this team has about 20 models worth of players as well as coach, re-roll counters, mascot and ref. A bunch of team odds and ends I simply wouldn’t have the time to do anymore.
Thankfully, Blitz Bowl has arrived for my current lifestyle.
On the off chance I ever play a full Undead Blood Bowl team, I would definitely go with these colors. Bring the squad back from the grave. In honor of this team, I’m having the Blitz Bowl, minor league squad go with the ‘Away’ version of the team’s colors…so more green and less black. Also, my ghouls have shifted from a pale color to dark blue/grey over the years.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzb2.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzb3.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/bzb4.jpg)
I have yet to play a game of Blitz Bowl with this team. I admire and applaud the sleek design of Blitz Bowl and its "one sprue, one team" philosophy, but I wish this team was 6 players instead of 7. It would feel more like a legit organization if the teams all followed a little tighter standard, such as _all_ Blood Bowl teams having a max of 16 players, 13 on the field, no matter the quality of players. But, this isn’t a blocker for me to enjoy the game.
Anyone have experience with this team in Blitz Bowl?
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I don't, but I am admiring your painting. That team has held up well.
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very nice. I still manage to play Blood Bowl now and again as well as Dungeon Bowl so its good to see a revival of sorts with this version. Nice work on all the minis by the way
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Thanks, Warlod Frod and Von Lucky.
I've recently finished off the Chaos team for Blitz Bowl. In order to not duplicate images I've posted in other areas of this site, I've collected all my thoughts on the team and their inspiration in a blog post.
https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2020/05/03/blitz-bowl-chaos-team/
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/cc1.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/cc2.jpg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/cc3.jpg)
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Absolutely love these. This is how Blood Bowl ought to look! :D
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excellent models and painting.
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/3b5787fe-f709-474b-96d7-e12eb0d02d2a.png)
For the orc half of the BzB box, I’ve simply gone with my older 3rd edition model (above), Badland Blitz color scheme with a few slight tweaks for the newer 32mm models, such as less on the shoulder pads.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/40a89472-cca6-493d-9062-b0903154a460.jpeg)
I was initially thinking I would include etching and chip damage to the black parts of their armour, but I’ve sort of taken to the pure, clean look.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/345b86a9-fd4d-403c-b112-c587294dd10f.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/adc1be61-4242-4c00-a084-08ec54c64e85.jpeg)
Only having checks down the right forearm gives this version of the Blitz a bit more uniformity than their original colors had.
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/dfe875ec-bdc3-4bf9-b348-64c50d26c5da.jpeg)
I’ve painted 2-3 human squads over the years, but nothing I’ve ever been enamored with. With this side I decided to try something a bit more bold and colorful in the old style of the game. It would also be my attempt at using the white contrast paint.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/92714731-4896-4aea-8b77-4ef56889bbe7.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/4ec6ea94-2a42-4131-9a11-4b2b69991b00.jpeg)
Truthfully, most of the work here was on applying several coats of white over my grey primer so the white contrast could work its devilry. If I expand this team to a larger 16 model BB squad, I would simply prime white.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/0019f9d1-1a2a-4228-a50a-fc3e46712cc6.jpeg)
The inspiration for this team came from all of the avian iconography on the models and their transfer. I goggled about for a bird that would look neat to pattern the team after in that colorful manner I was wanting to try, while still being simple enough for my meager talents. the red-headed woodpecker fit the bill.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/80e257e7-c91b-4045-b2af-c87e3229ffbd.jpeg)
So, there’s the base game squads finally done. Now, if I only could think up a name for the humans. Any suggestions?
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/image_from_ios.jpg)
Halflings were always my preferred Dungeons and Dragons race when I was a a youth, but I never felt drawn to play them in Blood Bowl. I guess I was never a fan of all the kitchenware on their models. I can get behind them being a joke team, but I’d still like them to look like a…well…sports team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/samwise-the-brave.jpg)
Going back to the beginning, like most gamers of my generation, some of my earliest experiences with fantasy were the classic Rankin Bass Lord of the Rings movies, The Hobbit and Return of the King. The ‘Samwise the Strong’ sequence at the beginning of Return of the King was the first memory I have of a literary character invoking an emotion in me. The idea of this meek, diminutive individual rising up to punch above his weight class resonated.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/discussion.jpg)
It wasn’t too much longer after that, when my father brought home the Dungeons and Dragons basic box on a whim. The above Jeff Dee illustration solidified my idea of the heroic halfling and remains one of my favorite D&D pieces ever.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/536c24513a072dd4b2eb560b052c7aa2.jpg)
Eventually, January 1988 came around and with it the Halfling Defender subclass in dragon Magazine #129. Above is the Jim Holloway (RIP) piece featured for the article, and this issue of Dragon Magazine became my most used throughout the rest of AD&D 1e’s lifespan. Now, I had actual mechanics to run the sort of small hero I had been building on my own.
It wasn’t too much longer after this, I started to fall into Games Workshop gaming. GW had a fun tongue in cheek approach to fantasy with its Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Rogue Trader, so I had to adjust to halflings being the incompetent faction, but it was ok. I had sorta grown some and was into the punk scene at the time so the cockney bootboy orcs and the mohawked wardancer and slayers were plenty to capture my imagination in the twisted worlds of GW.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/lumpin_croops_fighting_cocks.png.png)
Eventually, ‘heroic’ halflings came to The Old World in the form of Lumpin Croop’s Fighting Cocks. This was a Dog of War Regiment of Renown unit that generals could draft into their armies. Still, halflings remained jokes on the Blood Bowl pitch, which was and is my main GW game. It doesn’t bother me too much, there does need to be a lower tier and it makes sense. However, they are known to be a pretty strong damage inflicting team in tournament play if you have the right treeman combination with ’em. Despite that damage potential, I was never really drawn to the models.
When the Blitz Bowl team was released and early game results had them performing very well, I figured now was the time to finally paint up a squad of these stoutfoots for the pitch. I don’t mind if Halflings wind up the dominant team in the game. It would be a bit jarring to be honest, but I would use the squad as sort of the ‘training’ team for new players and maybe not really use them in leagues or tournaments. Let them be a sort of in-game joke. They’re so dominant at the game, but can’t commit to a full schedule…it gets in the way of their meals.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/image_from_ios-4.jpg)
Anyway, onto the team. In a nod to the ‘Fighting Cocks’ name, I’ve gone with ‘Sporting Cocks’. I don’t follow the MLS Kansas City team, but they already rock ‘Sporting’ so with my meager paint talents it would be easy to repurpose that for this team. I figure I may as well go with the colors too, as I haven’t done a team in this color scheme. I also passed on putting the team numbers on shoulder pads this time, but went simple and on the jersey where maybe a soccer team’s logo would go.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/image_from_ios-1.jpg)
(http://Where possible, I tried to use the halfling head option that would most unify the team. In this case that generally meant…kitchenware. I picture the Hefty (center above) as the team captain. The only ‘serious’ player trying to keep everyone else in line…and taking knocks while doing it. I cut off the strainer from the top of another player’s head and put it in his hand as if he’s holding his helmet…but also good for smacking opponents with.)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/image_from_ios-2.jpg)
There’s also a head with a squirrel that’s pretty popular, but I didn’t want him on this squad. If i were kitting out a full BB team with the treemen and dryads and their birds, squirrels, faeries and such everywhere, then probably. For only six models though I wanted to create as much cohesion on the squad as possible. Plus, the model with the ferret has no choice but to carry his pet onto the pitch and I just love the goofy grin he has. He’s so proud of bringing sneaking his furry friend past the coach and refs…I don’t wanna take that away from him by another player with a squirrel.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/image_from_ios-3.jpg)
Following my BzB standard of all teams, the team coin and marker were painted up in generic, worn brass.
So, that’s the Halfling team then. Probably the only time I’ll ever paint Halfling models for a GW game. What’s that you say? They can now be included on the human roster? I guess I’ll be revisiting The Moot for another recruitment drive in the near future…
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great stuff.
have such strong memories of the LoTR animated film (first installment anyway) - saw it at time of release at the pictures...
contrast white has worked very well - better than my efforts with it. And love the halfling team.
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Thanks!
I wonder if there's too much white on the humans, or if I should have picked out a few other bits to paint.
My next post is also going to be related to The Hobbit cartoon...
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/51242809-f428-4ad6-9cb9-98b3c7479953.jpeg)
Blitz Bowl doesn’t have an official Wood Elf team…but the newly released Blitz Bowl Season 2 does! In anticipation I went ahead and traded a sprue of Dark Elves for Wood Elves with @caseyrog I don’t have history with Woodies across any GW game, but I knew which approach I would take with the team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/cce8d645-8c66-46ff-ac19-a9869a0322d1.jpeg)
I like to paint my Old World elves in colorful skin tones. I like the folklore tradition of elves being more supernatural beings and not just humans with pointy ears. Their stats certainly lend support to them having otherworldly origins. So, my Dark Elves are light blue in the classic ‘night elf’ style of the 80’s. My High Elves are all white like Elric of Melnibone. The Wood Elves? As I wrote about in the Halfling team post, I’m a big fan of the Rankin Bass Tolkien cartoons, so they’re a grey/green hue with bright yellow hair as seen above in the still from The Hobbit. Those are the wood elves surrounding the party of dwarves.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/annie.jpeg)
Well, all bright yellow hair except for one. I really liked the cropped mohawk head on the sprue for the female thrower and thought I’d give a nod to the badass Annie Lennox, so fiery orange hair she has. Yeah, no elf in the cartoon has orange hair, and going yellow across the whole team may have been better for team cohesion, but I’m not setting out to recreate anything, but just use influences to inspire my little corner of the Blood Bowl universe.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/ecafcb4a-f15b-4af7-aa9e-829bbbb7e0cd.jpeg)
The twig on the wardancer head had to go. It’s already a shame that the best player on the team has my least favorite sculpt, and he didn’t need a branch coming out of his head. The hawk beaked catcher is a fantastic model, imo.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/1f7ce401-eaa7-4258-ab2f-6e4841aaa22f.jpeg)
On a trip to Hobby Lobby, I came across this Vallejo green grey, and pulling up the Rankin Bass image, it looked to be a perfect match for what I was reaching for. However, to my eye they seem to have ended up a bit more light bluish. I’m not going to repaint the team, but I feel like there may have been a better color out there. Bummer. It looked like it would be a perfect match.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/cf72ec67-be0a-4dcf-939a-a2ef91cb1157.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/05021cd3-cac8-4910-878a-8e54df569041.jpeg)
The above line elf model is probably my favorite pose of the bunch. He reminds me of the classic 2nd edition team line elf. Of course, I’ve continued the worn brass for the coin and team marker.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/2ndelf.jpg)
So, that’s a wrap on the Wood Elf team. I’ll be interested to give them a run on the pitch when Season 2 drops. By and large I think I did ok on the team colors to match the classic Hobbit cartoon. I’ll probably be able to look past the skin. I just hope they don’t end up looking too similar to the light blue Dark Elves coming down the tunnel. Thoughts?
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/1d654819-4503-4ca0-af9b-179c352d0f32.jpeg)
The Dark Elf Blood Bowl team is one that I’ve achieved great highs with, but also terrible lows. I’ve taken them undefeated to the championship of Orclahoma (the largest single day BB tourney in the US), but have also gone winless and been abused in a league. The lowest low though was simply assembling the new GW plastic team for Blitz Bowl…this squad almost had me quit the hobby again.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/xbbl_ok15.png)
Sadly, I don’t have a good picture of the classic 2nd edition models I use to run with. I sold them off a while back, but I do have the image above. It’s hard to tell here, but they are light blue skinned in the classic ‘night elf’ style of the early 80's and early Blood Bowl editions.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/9976acea-d3c8-4b02-b3e8-9abd71392ec9.jpeg)
At my table, the true color of proper dark elves.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/dea684fe-9436-4648-b1f8-2c414b9065b5.jpeg)
For team colors, I had them as a tribute to horror-punk band, The Misfits. Pretty much all black, but in this case a single red armoured shoulder pad. I thought they were a cool looking team, but I still opted to move the team on when the game shifted to 32mm. That’s just as well because I wanted another crack at painting them.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/coldwater_zpsgbuunaqu.png)
Oh, the team name was also a nod with a reference to the song ‘Hatebreeders’, but done in the classic Iron Maiden font. The team name was called out as ‘problematic’ or ‘questionable’ in a podcast, but I don’t think those podcasting had any idea behind the inspiration which has nothing to do with me advocating hate at Blood Bowl tables. Good grief.
Anyway, that was an old edition of the team several years ago…back to the new GW plastic. Even though a Blitz Bowl squad is only 6 models, essentially half of Blood Bowl team, the unnecessary complexity of their assembly has pretty much put me off of the desire to ever rebuild a full squad for Blood Bowl. I used to be impressed with GW’s plastics, but have recently fallen out of love, and this team underscores the reason. 12 parts to assemble one medium sized humanoid? That’s not clever. That’s a bit excessive. Particularly, since this isn’t like the old Mordheim plastics where a sprue of parts allowed one to mix and match parts to create their own mercenaries. This is 12, some very small, bits of plastic for one very specific model build. It reminds me of the complaint I’ve read from modern Lego enthusiasts… too many specialized blocks in recent sets…where’s the generic ones?
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/1132e2f7-3eda-41be-9e3a-2d8ed0f212a4.jpeg)
I dunno, maybe I’m wrong, or just getting old. Either way this team wasn’t fun to build, but I pushed through. When it came time to putting paint to plastic, I figured I would go with the same red and black color scheme. This time I’d take advantage of the dragon/serpent hide around their necks to more closely match Misfits’ bassist Jerry Only seen in the photo up-post. However, once I put on the skin color around the red (on the left above), I didn’t care for the look too much. On a whim, I went with my favorite blue color, The Fang, and this looked much better I felt (on the right).
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/b5852f23-ed6d-4798-b929-0226d60b78ed.jpeg)
Even with the pink introduced as a new color to this team’s scheme, I like how it adds a few streaks of lightness to an otherwise dark kit. Night elf blue also helps break up all the darkness and it was a no-brainer to go with the white transfers. Oh, I manually trimmed down the white tribal tattoo-looking transfers to look less like the art on 90’s dude bros but more like stylized waves. For the Witch Elf this transfer had to go on her hot pants.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/cdfdab6b-24cc-4a5f-8d07-f05d6a5633dc.jpeg)
The downside to this color scheme is that it’s moved the squad away from it’s Misfits roots. They look more like a synthwave album. I’m also not sure on what team name I should go with. We could revive the Hatebreeders if I change up their logo. I also like the name the Nightrunners, but that might be too close to the DE team the Nightmares. Plus, I also wanna use Nightrunners for a skaven team…and also a Necromantic team. Maybe they’ll all be the Nightrunners. Ha! I dunno.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/44bf2726-e970-4e88-89c3-ecc4a64b2488.jpeg)
Well, that’s two of three elf teams done. I guess maybe 2 of four if the High Elves ever make an appearance. I’m on the fence with the Elf Union team. The team that introduced a bit of fluff discombobulation to the game’s setting, but when will the High Elves ever show up? If I do decide to get the Elf Union, I’ll be sure to paint up two elf players of each elven faction. Seems to make sense.
For more posts like this and other mini misadventures, head over to Wyrd Stones and Tackle Zones (https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/).
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/b8e93961-91cf-4128-9a8d-97d02de22ab6.jpeg)
When the Nurgle Team was released for Blood Bowl, I was excited at the prospect of hopefully painting them one day. The models are full of character, they looked fun to paint and they’re one of the 2nd ed teams that are fairly well known, but they’ve never really been produced well in miniature form by Games Workshop/Citadel. However, I don’t really care to ever play this team again after one crushing season, but again, Blitz Bowl’s here to make this coach’s gaming dreams a reality.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/ea9f4c95-27f7-4652-87ea-46ecd91e4bf7.jpeg)
Some 15-20 years ago, Games Workshop did put out a booster blister of a few rotter and pestigore models that could be supplemented with your Chaos team or whatnot to make a Nurgle squad. Bloaters weren’t a position and there was no rotspawn type big guy model available that I recall. Still, I was a fan of that booster, so tracked down some 2nd edition Chaos Blockers to create the team above, The Herdstone Toxins.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/e68d994e-985a-45a4-a6d9-9e309609eb9a.jpeg)
Here’s a better shot of some of the rotter minis. There were only three poses, so I did a bit of converting. Adding helmets from the Bretonnian WFB line with a little greenstuff to be the ear pads hoping to give the team an old school leather helmet look. I really liked creating the model holding his helmet by the straps, and have carried a similar pose to my current BzB Halfling team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/56447ec8-6b2d-43b0-b301-387c806b63dc.jpeg)
With only two pesigore poses, some more converting was necessary. A top knot on one, but a punch dagger from the Chaos Beastmen on another. For the Big Guy, I grabbed one of those Albion Fen Beasts off eBay but put a minotaur skull head on it. Painted the skull in two colors split down the middle in the same manner as the Houston Texan’s logo.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/e4413a34-e588-490f-99e2-0f5bd2e81021.jpeg)
Here’s those sweet 2nd edition Chaos Blockers and the team banner with that play on the Texan’s logo. I did the Nurgle triple orb thing for the eye which I thought was cleaver. A few of those little metal nurglings for reroll markers, a coach with a headset whipping his rotting lads into form, and a chaos drummer rounded out our coaching staff.
This team, and many others from coaches from around the world during the early ’00 era, can still be found at the Blood Bowl Old Skool Picture Archive – I was going by ‘Bullbear’ online at the time.
Seeing my old team here, long sold off after an abysmal season where I don’t know if I scored a single TD, you may ask yourself…what’s with the new colors on the BzB team? To be honest, I really struggled with an idea for the new nurgle team. I do like the blues and greens I used on my old Toxins team, so much so that I’ve decided to move it over to a team that I’ll most likely keep playing in Blood Bowl. A team still to be painted for the modern era. So, I really didn’t know what to do with the new Nurgle. It wasn’t until all the mentions of the Nurgle models in a recent episode of The Crush podcast: https://thecrush.libsyn.com/ (https://thecrush.libsyn.com/), that I knew I had to take a crack at Nurgles…crack.
For inspiration I dove into my 2018 Blood Bowl Almanac, and the tale of Bilerot Vomitflesh’s decent from young rookie Wilhelm von Mitfleish into the rotting debauchery of nurgle gave me a kernel of an idea. My Ironkeep Bloodskins Chaos chosen team, popped it.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/cc1.jpg)
As blogged about previously, my Chaos Chosen team was the continuation of an idea and line of Chaos warriors across several GW gaming systems. A line I’ve continued through to the Nurgle team. The Ironkeep Bloodskins are chosen from the toughest of the tough, the roughest of the rough. Their roster is selected from rookies who rise and survive within the GORECHOSEN (always in capital letters – respect to that game!) fighting pits. Those that don’t fare so well are cast beneath the Ironkeep and this is where the tale of my Nurgle team bubbles up from.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/a97c97fe-9543-44ad-994e-5072d9086797.jpeg)
The maimed and lame Chaos Blockers and Beastmen Runners who survive their wounds find support and comfort with Papa Nurgle as they stew in their own juices at the bottom of the keep. As my Chaos Chosen team has armour adorned with blessings, these failed servants of Nurgle scrawl prison-like blessings into their skin. Well, an attempt at prison tattoos I did using transfers with a little drybrushing over to give them that faded, uneven look. Chaos Blockers who’s bodies swell up become Bloaters.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/ab3e2705-f95c-43e6-a52e-0a89b9cb1f8c.jpeg)
Those Chaos Blockers who’s body emaciates, twist down into rotters. I thought the rotter with the single large shoulder spike was a neat perversion of the large spike on the Chaos Blockers. However, in hindsight I think I’d rather have tattooed a ‘6’ on the side of his head instead of the nurgle orbs, as there is no other good place for a number. Oh well.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/3dd08e46-ce3a-45b1-a543-1bb096ac7791.jpeg)
Only one pestigore model in this squad, but as I’ve gone with a darker, ‘blood clot’ color red for my Beastmen Runners, I continued that theme with this beast being a darker green than the human rotters. This is such a weird model though, and am never satisfied with the proper angle to take a picture of it from, so here’s another below. Not because I like him a lot…he’s my least favorite sculpt on the team, just weird pose or something…
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/4d7e1f4f-eaf9-4bde-bf9d-b73ad21c7fa1.jpeg)
I also trimmed off that large, third horn growing out it’s back. It was just too much for me. And as always, brass and oxide on the team bits.
So, there’s the Nurgle team sorted. Discarded souls from my Chaos Chosen team’s pool of recruits. Using the same team colors, the only available kit pulled off the walls within the Ironkeep, these recent devotees of Nurgle have a boil to pick with my Bloodskins. Rivals if you will in my head cannon. I guess for a name, they’d have to be something like the Ironcell Rotskins? I dunno.
For more posts like this and other mini misadventures, head over to Wyrd Stones and Tackle Zones (https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/).
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/f4988b5a-546f-465c-b9d2-26aadc5c5efa.jpeg)
I recently finished up the last Blitz Bowl team that I was able to wrap in paint in the dark year of 2020…the Dwarves. Dwarves have always been one of those fantasy races that I admire, even appreciating the gruff mirth of their player base, yet they’ve never really gripped me personally. I didn’t have a strong opinion going into this team on what their scheme would be. Initially, I thought I’d take another whack at a bright second edition style kit, as I did with the humans. In the end, I wound up looking back to a team from my gaming past. A lazy crutch of mine?
In the halcyon summer of 2017, I hosted a gaming weekend for some buddies and ran a themed Dreadball tournament for which we all had prepped teams for. I worked up some tickets to the event that I emailed out via snail mail and the event was a lot of creative fun on my end. Anyone interested in days of gaming past can see a post I did about this at my old blog… The Pit: https://thepit198.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/dreadball-ghosts-in-the-grid/ (https://thepit198.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/dreadball-ghosts-in-the-grid/).
Anyway, one way or another I coached a Brokker team. Space Dwarves. At the time I was also heavily influence by Italian junkshop glam band, Giuda. Their 2013 album, “Let’s Do it Again” is a masterpiece in my opinion and the cd is still seeing heavy rotation.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/a1991043925_5.jpg)
The theme of the album is pretty much the classic James Caan film, Rollerball. A great concept for a 70s rock inspired band to pick up on.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/20161114_052925.jpg)
Inspired by all of this, I went with dark colors, but yellow ring on the sleeves. Mantic’s Brokkers have always been ethnically diverse which was another good fit. This was an easy enough color scheme to use as I basically just kept the same grey shade as the primer, so a little yellow, a wash, and some transfers, and the Glamrokk Systems Dynamo were founded.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/cc06360d-23f1-453d-9e77-6912858ae602.png)
In Blood Bowl and Blitz Bowl, I like to name the teams with the [location] [mascot] convention. For Dreadball I used [corporation] [mascot] for all my teams. Unfortunately, the Dynamo didn’t do very well in their first, and only tournament.
Brining us back to 2020 and the Blitz Bowl dwarves…I’m not sure if they’re going to take the field as the [location] Dynamo or not. Dynamo is also a name I like for an ogre team, a team I feel a little more excitement for. Names aside, I picked the old Dynamo color scheme for my Blitz Bowl team for a few reasons. First, it’s pretty straightforward it looked like something I could forge between holiday preparations. Second, with the way the new GW contrast yellow paint sort of pools up orange, I was hoping that the bright yellow and orange would contrast with the dark grays so they’d look like little, well, forges. And Finally, there’s no white or silver on them at all. Two colors I felt like I was relying a little too much on for my BzB teams.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/04ddaa1e-da4d-48ba-a4f5-74a7d5fe36dd.jpeg)
Of the three positional players, the runner ended up my favorite by a bunch. In fact, this model is the one that’s given me a little stronger emotional connection with the team. I wanna see him stiff arming his way into endzones.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/713e944e-48a7-436c-8be4-ae5aab78040d.jpeg)
On linedwarf #4 we can see how that orange pools up at the bottom of the back plate, giving all of the dwarves the look of hot fire under their numbers.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/6e488b08-1bd6-49b7-8f1e-743b780a241a.jpeg)
A promo shot of the team captain here with the standard team token and coin.
This puts me at nine painted BzB teams for the year. Add in a few NPCs I’ve also done, and I put paint to about 60 models during the pandemic. Much like 2017, 2020 was to see another weekend gathering, but this time Blitz Bowl would have featured. Unlike 2017’s Dreadball event, I’m expecting Blitz Bowl to see many, many more events going forward. And perhaps it’ll be one of these future events where the Dynamo, or ascendant franchise, will rise forth from the furnaces and hold high the cup.
For more posts like this and other mini misadventures, head over to Wyrd Stones and Tackle Zones (https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/)
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/d13722aa-aa36-4414-8b2c-b968c648ce8e.jpeg)
2020 started with a plan to host a gaming weekend in the summer which featured a Blitz Bowl tournament. The dastardly Covid had other plans, but I pushed forth and took the opportunity to get a lot of painting done. Though I didn’t hit all of my goals, I got really close finishing these on December 31st.
The featured image above of the Snotling Pump wagon flanked by some refs is a collection of NPCs I plan to have for variant match types. I’ve also stage the photo to hark back to some Blood Bowl NPCs I created about 20 years ago. From left to right…Dark Elf ref, Big NPC, then Dwarf ref.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/herdstonetoxins006.jpg)
How do I intend to use these NPCs? After bouncing some ideas around with coaches in The Crush Discord, I think I’m going to go forward with the following.
Referee: Referees are essentially movable blocked squares. During initial set-up, after placing the ball, determine a trapdoor as if a second ball were coming into play. Once a trapdoor is determined, roll a d8 and consult the bounce chart, placing the referee model in the corresponding adjacent square next to the trapdoor. Add the following to the Game Sequence between “No Ball in Play Check” and “Emergency Reserves”:
“Move Referee”. The active player consults the point value of the rightmost Challenge Card in the Active Challenge Card Spaces. This is the number of spaces the referee will move that turn. Roll the d8 that number of times, moving the Referee as if they were a bouncing ball. If the referee would move into a blocked or occupied space, ignore that roll.
This is basically it. The referee just moves around the pitch causing a blocked space for players to content with. The ref doesn’t provide assists nor do players need to worry about moving adjacent to them. True, sometimes the Ref will move somewhere random…hug a sideline or something but maybe they’re arguing with a fan, or getting out of the way of the play.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/200edb87-3206-4269-8b42-93865e34a304.jpeg)
For my referees, I used the two from the recent Blood Bowl Second Season Edition box. I dreaded painting straight lines and didn’t do the best job, but at arm’s length on a table they’re fine. I used Eschen Grey for the black lines and washed the clothes with the white contrast paint to shade the white parts, but it also dulled the Eschen Grey which worked in the favor of having the uniforms look more natural I feel. I wasn’t sure what color to do the elf ref initially, thinking maybe as a high elf, but then I thought the Dark Elf skin would contrast better with the uniform. Plus, who can forget the classic piece of a Dark Elf player paying off a ref? Well, now the Dark Elves just have an insider.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/7061bfa9-34ec-45b1-8441-ecaef29ff747.jpeg)
If you wanted a little variance between the two referees maybe consider something like this:
Dwarf Referee: Moves one less than the point value of the rightmost Challenge Card
Elf Referee: Moves one more than the point value of the rightmost Challenge Card.
With this you might have the Dwarf grudgingly holding down a square, but the Dark Elf nimbly dances about the pitch. Another variant option you might try, is to use the value of the leftmost Challenge Card. This would take the number of spaces the ref moves out of the player’s hand as the active player won’t know what the value of the leftmost card is because Challenge Card refresh happens when their turn is over.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/0af27c94-7efa-4fd9-a3d6-7aa34d016024.jpeg)
The Snotlings…this is a new team to Blood Bowl, and they also don’t have official Blitz Bowl team rules. For me, I don’t really see them being an organized team, but I do want to include them somehow, so decided to use them as another variant match time for those coaches finding themselves on the Pub Table. Plus, I’ve only ever been involved with Snotlings in games via the classic DungeonQuest where they’d pile into a space on a hero.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/pic226167.jpg)
So, how would I use the Snotlings in a BzB match? I’m going to just go with the Pump Wagon, and treat it very similar to the Refs, except they aren’t here to observe, but to assault players with rocks, stones, pans, rollers, utensils, anything that wasn’t nailed down backstage.
Pump Wagon: The Pump Wagon is movable blocked square that can knock down adjacent players. During initial set-up, after placing the ball, determine a trapdoor as if a second ball were coming into play. Once a trapdoor is determined, roll a d8 and consult the bounce chart, placing the Pump Wagon model in the corresponding adjacent square next to the trapdoor. Add the following to the Game Sequence between “No Ball in Play Check” and “Emergency Reserves”:
“Move Pump Wagon”. The active player consults the point value of the rightmost Challenge Card in the Active Challenge Card Spaces. This is the number of spaces the Pump Wagon will move that turn. Roll the d8 that number of times, moving the Pump Wagon as if they were a bouncing ball. If the Pump Wagon would move into a blocked or occupied space, ignore that roll. If The Pump Wagon moves adjacent to a player that player suffers a Knocked Down result. If the Pump Wagon ever moves into either end zone, remove it from play for the rest of the match.
This is clearly the game on “Hard Mode”. It’s a lot like a referee in execution, but the result can lead to whacking players off the pitch. I would save this for a fun end of season type match for teams on the bottom table. On that note, as I’ve posted other variant matches before…gobbo night, rot spawn, etc… I wouldn’t stack multiple of these, but only one variant for each match.
So, now I’ve got some referees in training getting involved in these minor league Blitz Bowl matches, but also a crazy Pump Wagon rolling it’s way around the pitch. These are both some pretty simple ways to keep adding BB universe flavor to BzB.
The last thing I needed to do to close out the year was get a collection of balls painted.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/d027defa-e210-4634-9f13-69bef74e6782.jpeg)
These were a total slop-n-go job and a grind to push through them all. These pieces will see the most wear and tear during games so I didn’t want to be concerned about proper paint jobs. I also lathered them with ‘ardcoat gloss before hitting ’em with Dulcote. Hopefully that’ll protect them some. I skipped the balls with pegs because I don’t really go for that.
In the end 2020 was a big year of painting Blitz Bowl for me. I assembled and put paint to three tables of terrain, nine teams, eight npc models, and all the tokens, coins and balls needed. I ended up only two Blitz Bowl teams short from my entire collection…the Skaven and Lizardmen. Well, to be honest, in the last month I also found myself with a sprue of Imperial Nobles, Black Orcs, and Ogres, so this would be five unpainted Blitz Bowl teams left. As I have nine ready to go though I think I’m good for awhile. Here’s what all the work looks like in their new storage.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/e469849d-716b-46c4-ba86-fc96203c5e09.jpeg)
On the Blood Bowl front, I started 2020 with two teams to paint. The Humans and Orcs. I started on the Orcs in preparation for a local tournament in March, but…The Covid. I didn’t pick up any new teams that I kept, so still have a BB team and a half to get through. With new strains popping up I’m not sure that BB tourney is gonna happen this March either, so there’s no rush there. Still, here’s hoping 2021 sees more face to face game time for all of us.
Happy New Year.
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Excellent, I'm impressed by the effort you've put in. I currently have six platic teams all waiting for an undercoat...
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Every time I see Bloodbowl, I must chant my self: "Dont need another system. Dont need another system. Dont need..."
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Every time I see Bloodbowl, I must chant my self: "Dont need another system. Dont need another system. Dont need..."
Heh, I get it.
If temptation is too strong though, I highly recommend Blitz Bowl as it's a faster playing version of the game with smaller squads. It might even play well with the family.
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I was reading something on Blitz Bowl. It said that outside of just scoring there were goals that players could try to achieve during play.
can you give me an idea of what this meanings? What type of goals?
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I was reading something on Blitz Bowl. It said that outside of just scoring there were goals that players could try to achieve during play.
can you give me an idea of what this meanings? What type of goals?
Sure.
Along the pitch is a section of Challenge cards that have objectives on them. objectives such as: knock the ball loose, throw a pass, put three players on defense, etc. If you do this action you get the card and however many points were assigned for that challenge. You collect the card in your hand because the backside of the Challenge cards has bonus plays you can play to help your team.
Touchdowns are worth 4pts, if I remember correctly, and i think the Challenge cards vary from like 1-3. If one coach scores more than 10 overall points than their opponent, that's a landslide victory and an auto win. Otherwise, you play til the Challenge deck runs down (cards drop off it every turn...it's a game clock).
So, during each turn a coach has to keep their eye on touchdowns and challenge objectives. It really mixes the game up and with only 6-7 players a side, three actions per turn, it doesn't overwhelm at all. It's a great game.
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Oh man - there are some great paint schemes and execution of them in this thread - well done!
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I'm intrigued. Does Blitz Bowl have all the teams that regular Blood Bowl has?
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The Blitz Bowl Season 2 box has a lot of team cards in it, but not all as there have been a few BB teams released since the BzB S2 box came out. Though there are fan made team cards for the newer teams, the cards included in the box are for:
Humans
Orcs
Goblins
Skaven
Dwarves
Shambling Undead
Elf Union
Wood Elves
Dark Elves
Chaos Chosen
Nurgle
Lizardmen
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Thanks! Now to track a game down...
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is like season 1 only available in US?
How is it different from the BB Seven pitch?
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/24e38aa2-07b7-4f60-a575-9082124c2091.jpeg)
When Blood Bowl was finally revived in 2016, it was reborn in a slightly larger scale from the models I had been coaching on the field for over 25 years. With that release, I decided to sell off my old teams and adapt to the new scale. Having not been too involved in the larger Blood Bowl community in recent years, the reboot of my teams in the newer 32mm was put on the bench. Now, with tournaments starting to resume again, I decided it was time to finally lace up and charge the pitch.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/66f1dddc-cbbb-40d2-97d2-cd6aafcf4ae1.png)
Above is the original Badlands Blitz kit. A rowdy bunch of bois who have ended up with more than one piece of celebratory hardware in their trophy case. They’ve accumulated the most casualties as well as taking home a best dressed award. I liked these models a lot, but as the new game came at a new scale it gave me the opportunity to put paint to plastic again. Two models have survived the transition to the new version of the franchise, the chainsaw loony player on the left and the beer swilling coach on the right. They were both slightly larger than the older 28mm models anyway and fit in well with the new squad. I simply re-based them on larger 32mm round bases to better match the new team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/20190804_100533.jpg)
I originally started the new team about a year and a half ago, beginning with the Black Orc Blockers (now called Big ‘Uns in the even newer Blood Bowl 2020 Ruleset). The plan was for the new team to stand on earth-brown ringed bases as was popular in the 00s and have paint chipped armour. There was something about this palette that wasn’t sitting well with me though. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t feel like the models ‘popped’ as well as my older team did.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/3176cba5-a30f-47d4-899f-44f52a8f501f.jpeg)
Cleaning up the chipped armour and going back to the old-school green rings felt a lot better. The models are certainly cleaner, and maybe that’s not the first trait one associates with orcs, but for my aging eyes and looking at models at arms length at the table, I prefer the cleaner aesthetic. Perhaps the Badlands Blitz are a premier orc team and are treated to the finest kits available?
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/7b408d7f-9560-4155-a736-cb6b0b915e53.jpeg)
Our troll Miggy is a converted BB16 plastic troll with a hand replacement so he’s got a nice balled fist ready to knock an opponent really stupid. Originally molded with a goblin in hand to throw, this mini is pretty divisive in the community. With the hand replacement and lead foot reposition, I like this model quite a bit. Probably my favorite of the Big Guy models from recent years. A pair of gobbos hover nearby to keep Miggy inline with the playbook.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/6def5b52-5dda-4dd0-aedf-0b811fe9a7e1.jpeg)
In the later moments of BB2016, I’ve come to have a lot of fun with the orc passing game. Unfortunately, orc passing has been nurfed a bit under the new BB2020 ruleset as the players generally have animosity toward one another. I’m a bit less than excited about this change, but to reflect this on the field, I’ve opted for the less accurate looking thrower model from Forge World over the awesome plastic thrower mini that comes in the team box. The thrower above has a pretty daft arm throwing position, a damaged skullcap, and an angsty scowl. He seems less likely to deliver solid passes from the backfield. Fitting for the new rules, I suppose. Here he’s flanked by a brace of orc linemen, never expecting to receive the bladder from their thrower.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/d0cd15e7-6be7-4510-ad0a-39350fe7bd86.jpeg)
Here come the stars of the team, the Blitzer core. Three models are standard plastic orc blitzers, but two have head swaps for variety. The red-plumed player is a Forge World model, and likely team captain for the new look Badlands Blitz. Orc blitzers are great. I love the models and concept. I do wish they had more sculpt variety on the plastic sprues though. Any position that has four or more of, I wish came in at least two different poses.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/90171348-69f7-4caf-9e54-750ccfd8382c.jpeg)
Finally, we have the retired player as head coach and a few Star Players. I don’t recall using Star Players in league play, but I understand that they might be more viable in tournaments so I’ve decided to have two kitted up and ready to sub in just in case. On the right we have all around orc badass blitzer, Varag Ghoul-Chewer. And on the left…Helmet Wulf? Ugroth Bolgrot used to be the Orc chainsaw wielding Star Player, but I guess he retired because he isn’t in the new BB20 ruleset, only one chainsaw Star Player is…the human,Herr Wulf, who can apparently play for every team. I guess I’ll just use this model as ‘counts as’ for Helmet Wulf.
So, after 4-5 years, I’ve finally sorted out a new team in the larger 32mm scale. I’ve painted plenty of these models for Blitz Bowl, but now I can finally get back to the king of sports games with a proper, complete team. Getting this team outfitted and in game-day condition impacted work on my ongoing Roswell ’98 project. A project I planned to dive back into directly. However, I’m thinking I might just hit another full Blood Bowl team or two first so I can have options at the ready and can play games on my dining room table again. Humans and probably Skaven will be up next, but I’m not sure.
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Very nice work. I've been playing BB since the early 90's. Always good to see another lifer on here.
Is the coach a conversion or was he available somewhere?
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Very nice work. I've been playing BB since the early 90's. Always good to see another lifer on here.
Is the coach a conversion or was he available somewhere?
Thank you!
That orc was a free model given away at a BB tournament I attended in Norman, Ok (Orclahoma) a few years back.
https://www.orclahomabowl.com/
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I really like the look of those orks! Especially the one with the beer :-*
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I just went through this thread with great enjoyment! I love Bloodbowl, its my go to game. Lovely work
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I just went through this thread with great enjoyment! I love Bloodbowl, its my go to game. Lovely work
Thank you. It's been my go to for a long time as well. You'd think I'd be good at it by now.... ;)
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The Orcs are looking great. I went with clean armour as well. I think if you put too much texture into them then it creates a busy look that is hard to pick out at game play distance. With nice clean lines the definition goes way up and the models become more easily identifiable - both from each other but also within themselves as to what bit is what.
Like the troll conversion. I went with it raw and mine snapped at the ankle so had to be pinned so good choices all round.
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I wrapped up the first Blitz Bowl season using my mix of official and homebrewed League rules.
Details at my blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2021/07/07/blitz-bowl-league/
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Finished a pair of human Star Players. Karla von Kill’s ready for her Chaos Cup appearance next weekend.
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/0ae71d5f-20b9-457d-a930-40262e6e2add.jpeg)
I’ve had the models for the Elven Union team for a long while, but struggled what to do with their colors and theme. I didn’t have too much for them, so they just stood in my storage bin, sadly unpainted for a long time. It wasn’t until I decided to lean into their fluff of a collection of different elven types that became inspired enough to put paint to plastic.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/4ad0e8dd-f96f-468d-a5eb-eb69e5f9c63c.jpeg)
Elven Union teams came about in the “4th Edition” of the game in the early 2000s. If I remember correctly, it’s because GW commissioned some new elven team minis to be sculpted so cooked up some new fluff to justify selling them as a new team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/327b5f4e-3041-486c-851c-2b42b1ac376d.jpeg)
Apparently, it’s a collection of Wood, High, and Dark Elf players from underfunded various teams. To represent this on the pitch, and to help differentiate the minis by positions, I’ve gone: Wood Elf for the Catcher, a Dark Elf for Blitzer and High Elves for the Thower and Linemen.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/f92e93ed-cc89-47f7-b04c-272f4be46d5f.png)
For team colors, I went with a tribute to the defunct XFL’s Birmingham Thunderbolts, though my purple isn’t as rich nor my yellows as bright. I’m also giving the ol’ gridiron team another nod with the team name for this iteration…Britesun Bolts.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/d623c5a9-8cf0-4552-8740-4b4e1a12664c.jpeg)
I couldn’t really get any of the transfers to find a home on the models, so the numbers go on the proud elven posteriors and the team captain has an insignia on his chest (above). Coin and team marker continue the aged brass look as I’ve done for all my teams. With these elves done, the only official Blitz Bowl teams I have left to address are the Skaven and Lizardmen.
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Worked out the color scheme on this ogre for my latest Blood Bowl team… the Mourn Mountain Sabretusks.
EDIT: hmmm... looking at these photos, I need another thin, smooth coat of the light blue on the helmet.
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Awesome work, Jack! Mourn Mountain Sabretusks is a great team name too!
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Thanks! I finished the rest of the team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/6d549dce-a3f9-46c1-a50a-29f906eba904.jpeg)
This post has come later than it should have. I’ve been working on hobby projects, but work has been pretty hectic, and when I punch out I’ve been wanting to get away from a computer. The local Blood Bowl league is starting up a new season this week, so I made sure I had a new team kitted up. The Mourn Mountain Sabretusks
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/keltplabsserost.png)
Several years ago, I got pretty invested in Mantic’s Dreadball. I still miss that game from time to time, and consider it the “one that got away” as it were. Most of all I miss my Zee team. They’re made up of cloned space monkeys and generally considered the worst performing team in the game (as of 1st edition). With the Ogre team being considered the lowest Blood Bowl team, I thought this would be the perfect time to revive those old Zee colors of mine.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/77d25636-cd86-4539-82eb-b50b9271e972.jpeg)
Pretty much all red with a little white trim and one piece of light blue pop and that’s it. I went white on all the little metal teeth looking bits, and as these models don’t have cool sci-fi visors, the blue is the front part of the helmets on the Blockers. I sourced extra sprues so I could have five Blockers all in uniform helmets and the one lone Runt Punter stands out with his pose and lack of bucket on his head.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/6974688d-229a-4cfd-b123-17b9c9b06883.jpeg)
The gnoblar Linegrots don’t even get the blue pop. They’re disposable, so the front office just tosses ’em old red and gray rags to wear.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/f6f6c6af-4685-4d0c-bf39-6d615b3f8195.jpeg)
With the team complete, I’ve now got another bottom dwelling sports team that harkens back to a project from my past. It’s always interesting to me why we choose the projects and schemes that we do, and here we see a theme re-used but updated for a new era.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/248334ee-28a6-428a-a12f-a1cb6ec7d2f6.png)
Our marketing team has come through with the logo above so the Sabretusks will be ready to take the pitch this week. I do have a coach model on order, but they haven’t arrived yet from my LGS. Oh, in our current league, we’re using the rostered Star Player rule, and we drew Griff! Perhaps this season won’t be such a bust after all. 😉
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Mr. Hooligan, top notch brush work as always and I like the color scheme as well, it looks very BB and your reasoning behind it is icing on the cake. Was wondering about your rostered Star Player rule though. Is it a house rule or something I missed the years I wasn't playing? Just started again last year and picked up the last two editions but don't remember seeing that.
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Thank you.
The Rostered Star Player rules are in the 2021 Almanac. They basically allow each team to draft a star player for free, but they still will add to your TR value. They will play all season, can't gain SPPs, nor receive any injury worse than 'miss next game'.
Here the link to the book, if you're interested in the other contents: https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/blood-bowl-spike-almanac-2021-eng-hb
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Ah, was totally unaware of that. Picked up the new edition of Deathzone but totally missed the Almanac. I will have to pick that up. I was getting Spike! magazine but I guess I can pass on that now that I know they do an Almanac. Thanks for putting that out there or I'd never have known. Guess I'll just have to start reading Warhammer Community again. Best of luck with your Ogre team. I should really get around to finishing my Necromantic Horror team one of these days too. (But hey, I did finally paint the old metal Norse team last year, and Morg'n'Thorg to boot so I don't feel too bad about it.)
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Finally finished the team coach and mascot.
For the sabretusk, I went with more muted ‘natural’ red and blue. Still pretty fantastical, but hey, Battlecat amirite?
Anyway clearly the team colors are an exaggeration on the sabretusk pattern.
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The Ironkeep Bloodskins
I've never played with the Khorne team, but am taking them to Chaos Cup in September. What better way to learn a new team than in amidst the competition of the biggest US BB tournament of the year. ha!
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They look superb
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They look superb
Thanks! Naturally, I wanted to incorporate red into a Khorne team, but wanted to move away from red/gold/black armour and do something a little different. Red for the skin...
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Nice work! I like the conversions. Where's the Minotaur from?
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Nice work! I like the conversions. Where's the Minotaur from?
Thanks! It was simple AoS helmets on the BB team bodies.
The minotaur is this Pedro Ramos sculpt from Impact: https://www.impactminiatures.com/index.php?option=resinbigguys_profile&id=TC_SSBM
I've always loved that sculpt. There was a bit of flash on it, but for $15 it's a great Big Guy with a lot of options. I'm not a fan of the official Bloodspawn model, so hope this makes for a suitable replacement. The minotaur model has a claw and the Bloodspawn has claws, so I figure it'll work.
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Yeah, he works well for it. He's a good size as well - a wondered if a lot of the 3rd party Blood Bowl figures might be a bit small for the 2016 Edition + figures, but that one works perfectly.
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Every September, the biggest Blood Bowl tournament in North America, and probably the Western Hemisphere, takes place in Chicago, Illinois. This year is the 20th anniversary of the event and the tournament organizer has themed it around the old-school Slann team of second edition fame. So, with space frogs as the tournament theme, they’re also the Legacy Team for anyone opting to participate in the Legacy Team project.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/d372a85b-c483-4240-b2b3-d19180344739.jpeg)
The Legacy Team is a side project where coaches sign-up to paint one model for the team, then at the tournament all of the participating coaches have their names collected and a winner is randomly drawn from this pool. That winner takes home the team. I decided to lend my brush work to the event and ended up with a linefrog to paint, which I was able to get a model from a buddy.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/ad4a861e-d806-48d3-aeb9-9da22b1616f2.jpeg)
The models can come from any collection, but the colors are to use the colors of the event…blue and orange. Black base ring with number in the front and painter name in the back is also required. For this linefrog I wanted him to appear like he’s been a knocked on the noggin a bit too many times on the line of scrimmage, thus the big cloudy eye with small pupil.
I’m not really sure which team ruleset one would use with a team of Slann models. Maybe humans? Amazons? Elf Union? Either way, it’ll be interesting to see all the models collected as a set into an eclectic team.
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He looks cool.
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Thanks! I didn't win the Legacy team and only went 2-2-2 over 6 games. I was 3-3 so an improvement? worse performance? hard to say. ha!
Anyway, some more models done:
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/089fd40c-e10a-4648-a3ec-b1e0526f817b.jpeg)
While I was working on the Mournmountain Sabretusks ogre team for the local Blood Bowl league, I went ahead and tackled the Blitz Bowl version of the ogre team as well. However, instead of the same red, white, and blue colors, I went grey and yellow to maximize their gaming potential.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the turn and score marker coin, but I went the same verdigris look as I do for all my sideline markers. Also, I used up all my non-runt punter ogres on the Blood Bowl team, but I knew that any BzB ogre team would have one runt punter and one non. For the non-runt punter (the ogre on the right), I had a leftover ogre from the BB20 (or BB Second Season Edition) box set.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/de934a8e-6a9c-4258-b778-aad73f061a1b.jpeg)
Back to those grey and yellow colors…I painted them that way to match my dwarf BzB team because combined they can be a College of Fire DungeonBowl team. The College of Fire team is currently made up of Ogres, Dwarves, and some members of the Khorne team. I’ve got plenty of players here for a complete DB team and have already played several games with them. Currently, they play under the name House Dynamo. I need to source a coach for this team next.
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Love the colour scheme for the Ogres and a great idea to be able to mix with your Dwarf team
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Great job.
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Thanks, fellas!
I did another team for Blitz Bowl, also designed to match my Dungeon Bowl squad's colors. Enter... the Khorne team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/3823aa63-c3ba-4146-bf85-9e86ea25589a.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/5ca0bc1a-e7dc-42a6-b55e-50f6b02343c4.jpeg)
Background on the design at the old blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2022/10/22/blitz-bowl-the-khorne-team/
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Nicely done
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Brutal 8)
Do the Khornate ones come like that, or are they conversions?
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Thanks, both!
There were no conversions on this squad of six. They are as they come in the box.
I did paint the same set of models for BB and those I did convert with helmet swaps. Those will be featured in a post soon.
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For Orctober, I painted up any unpainted trolls, orcs, or goblins I had left in my collection, so got all of the following done this month:
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/07196cd8-eaa1-4d6f-ba8f-24a332dddd40.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/2857ea50-b975-4133-a586-1bae37bdebcd.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/5518192a-04eb-4026-a490-15147b2e3def.jpeg)
Blog post about all of this: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2022/10/29/blitz-bowl-orctober-round-up/
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Painted some leftover Halfing related models.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/9caf42b4-dc98-404a-817b-044a9983b520.jpeg)
Blog post about their creation: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2022/11/22/blitz-bowl-halfling-round-up/
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The Treeman looks great
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Thanks! I made an effort to make his facial expression stand out.
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That treeman looks so much better without the vines. I think the arm position is an improvement too.
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I agree. I kinda really like the model now.
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Painted up a troll to go with my goblin Blitz Bowl team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/a1509f05-8ca5-4457-9dce-028d19c7ecec.jpeg)
More details at the blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2022/12/09/blitz-bowl-da-troll/
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Very nice
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These look great. Love the greenskins - their flesh looks ice and bright which is something I struggle with them the green skin.
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Thanks! I've come to love painting greenskins. In fact, I just painted a new coach model for my Orc Team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/02e4775d-6a90-4740-b40a-b29a1cd676a0.jpeg)
I had the original Goff Rockers on my older 3rd edition orc team, so had to use the recent Goff Rocker. Not many conversions here…an attempt at buttons on the guitar strap (in place of bullets) and added the goblin-in-a-football to the base to give the model a little more BB flair.
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Perfect model for the headcoach
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Perfect model for the headcoach
Thanks! I enjoy the model quite a bit. It may seem a bit anachronistic to have musicians with electric instruments in BB, but BB does have a history of chainsaws and cyborgs, so maybe it's not beyond reach.
Here's another:
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/83f2f8d9-da03-4daa-836e-15a305056340.jpeg)
I’m aware I’ve yet to post pictures of my Khorne Blood Bowl team, heck they’ve been painted since September, but with the Goff Rocker done recently, I converted up a 40K Noise Marine to be the “coach” of my Khorne team. For this guy, I might go back and trim the barrel and clip off the guitar, but I’ve had a suggestion that maybe it doubles as a t-shirt cannon. Ha! Works for me.
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Great work buddy! Hope to get a game against them sometime in the future.
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Great work buddy! Hope to get a game against them sometime in the future.
Thanks! thoughts on clipping the barrel and clip? Also, what do you think of the blue bloodspawn?
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The Ironkeep Blood Bowl Club is finally complete!
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/e94b6938-41c4-4662-9199-8b4df7ad3d22.jpeg)
Blog post about their creation: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2022/12/30/blood-bowl-the-khorne-team/
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Superb looking team
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Cheers! Thank you!
Final hobby work of 2022… some obstructed terrain for new BlitzBowl pitches.
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That is a good idea for that blocking terrain.
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That is a good idea for that blocking terrain.
Thanks! The Ultimate Edition has an optional rule for blocking terrain that increases the odds of players being injured if they're blocked into it. I'm going to use that with this set of terrain.
Finished my first painting project of 2023....The Lizardmen Team for Blitz Bowl.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/9b924ffa-3712-4e88-b663-7e96933f605a.jpeg)
A little write-up on them at the ol' blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/01/02/blitz-bowl-lizardmen-team/
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Very colourful!
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Knocked out my third little project for 2023... Completion of my College of Metal Dungeon Bowl team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/d01cf33b-65c6-45f6-b85a-d853ba4d3ee9-1779603537-e1673560170790.jpeg)
A little blog post about their creation: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/01/12/dungeon-bowl-college-of-metal/
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Great looking team
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Converted some Warcry terrain from the Warcry Catacombs set into some spiked obstructing spaces for Blitz Bowl.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/91bd02c6-036c-4892-8fd1-326be0013890.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/52994b6f-8681-4a59-8e08-3813dacad494.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/da08c542-4e19-4ed5-ad02-b3ab9fe8111f.jpeg)
Blog post: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/01/15/blitz-bowl-spiked-obstructed-terrain/
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Brilliant! My fave is the Chaos coach with the guitar…and don’t worry about logic or stuff…it’s certainly Chaos magick that plays the tunes!
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That spiked terrain looks excellent on the table. I like your added helmets.
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I like the rules of the werewolf in DungeonBowl, but not the creature being a werewolf though. Doesn’t seem thematic. So, I made my own DB dungeon pet
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"Oh, grandmother, what a horribly big mouth you have!"
Still works... :D
A suitable weresquig, that!
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Finally painted up the human team that I've had for quite awhile.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/07/3c76cca3-b3ab-4306-b37f-bf5c72990352.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/07/41992b76-8423-4981-b9d1-4e87750f72ef.jpeg)
More pictures at the ol' blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/07/02/blood-bowl-the-human-team/
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Very nice
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Nice colour scheme on these. The dark grey is a little bit different to the black that you kind of expect, and the red pops really nicely.
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Thanks, both!
The grey/blue color I'm using on the humans is a citadel color called The Fang. I love it.
This was my first time doing black base rings on a BB team. I didn't think I'd care for it, but I'm really liking it. I think I'll go back and do the base rings on my other teams.
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Lovely stuff!
Can I draw your attention to this;
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=142002.0
I think it will give a bit more of an audience to threads like this.
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(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/b4a8ad7f-d48d-40b0-9b14-b276442c814e.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/1e05e1c4-434f-4731-88d1-66465651d2bc.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/5f136066-e94d-4728-8654-a7b9712ff31b.jpeg)
Little blog post on these Warhammer Quest doorways serving as my Doorways to Dungeon Bowl:
https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/08/07/dungeon-bowl-the-doorways/
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I like those, nice work!
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Love the white on the human team. Great stuff
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Finished up another Warhammer Quest homage with the Minotaur statue. I’ve also included a bridge from Warcry Catacombs, so with those pieces painted all of my DungeonBowl dressing is done.
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That statue is cool. I love the metalwork on it, and the skulls and candles are a fun addition.
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I like to see your use of the Mage Knight dragon. Nice touch :D
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Thanks both!
Yeah, the Mage Knight dragon was chosen because the wings come off easily and it lays pretty flat. Due to limited storage space, I needed this project to fit in the base DungeonBowl box.
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Painted up the six models for my Skaven Blitz Bowl team.
I also painted up two others so I could combine it with my Dark Elf Blitz Bowl team (and two gobbos) to have a complete College of Shadow DungeonBowl team.
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I do like the pink spot colour on those.
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Yes, that colour scheme works really well.
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Thanks, both. I have a full Blood Bowl team to paint in the near future. I might go with different colors, but the same idea...flair with one glove. I like the way it looks here.
In the meantime, I painted up the Nobility Blitz Bowl team.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/c812228c-a8bf-4502-a62d-64486b047f52.jpeg)
A little blog post about them: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/09/17/blitz-bowl-the-nobility-team/
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Lovely work there: such rich colours!
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All looking great. If you want an easy way of telling the nobility positionals apart you can change the colour combos of the feathers on their heads. So with your colour scheme you could leave the linemen/women with 2 white feathers, add a black feather or two (or perhaps black and white feathers) to the bodyguards and maybe have red and black feathers on the blitzer. It then gives an easy visual clue.
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Nice idea. I might also simply color code those
feathers wings that come off the shoulders of the three positional players.
One of my future projects is painting up an old school metal BB team. I'm doing an event next year with some buddies and we're bringing out old lead. These older models are smaller than the modern, post-2016, plastic teams. We're going to be using modern rulesets and pitches though, so I need to make a decision. Go with the original 25mm bases, or use the modern 32mm?
Have the model fill out the base, or have the base fill out the space? Thoughts?
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Smaller base looks much better for the model.
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Yes, smaller base looks much better.
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While I still ponder the base direction on those metal vampires (leaning toward the smaller bases), I went ahead and painted up columns for the 8, single space blocking terrain pitch in Blitz Bowl. No I have enough terrain types for all 6 official pitch configurations.
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I've knocked out a lot of Blood Bowl the past three months and have failed to post them here, so this is gonna be a photo dump of a post.
If you want to read up on specifics on any of these, head over to Wyrd Stones and Tackle Zones: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/
Blitz Bowl Necromantic Undead Team
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/d44b0233-de95-4b55-8191-b0ab6f54bad7.jpeg)
Blood Bowl Necromantic Undead Team
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/ff680a4c-83b5-4ef3-a550-d58f5046274c.jpeg)
Blood Bowl Shambling Undead Team
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/98c02aa5-1f54-48a0-8477-9011461b0e0d.jpeg)
College of Death Dungeon Bowl Team
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/118d741e-438b-452e-aacd-c83b8a5cfe20.jpeg)
Dungeon Bowl College Wizard Coaches
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/dd02e18b-20a2-4741-9704-a5f6b34b1b40-e1700235827574.jpeg)
Dwarf and Union Elf Star Players
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/0a3212a3-9753-4878-8437-620de25dcc26.jpeg)
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Great work on all of these. I do especially like your dwarven star player: the beard and hair and the yellow really stand out on him.
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Thanks!
My goal was to paint a BB team this year... With these Black Orcs, I ended up painting four.
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Fantastic teams! A great output for the year. I hope to get a load of Blood Bowl teams done in 2024 to help keep the activity up in this spangly new folder! :D
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Thanks!
Yeah, I did _a_lot_ of BB this year when you also factor in the Blitz Bowl and Dungeonbowl teams. In fact, I'm down to only about three or four unpainted teams. I refuse to buy another (despite thinking the new amazons look fantastic) until I either paint what's left or get rid of it.
I'm looking forward to seeing your BB efforts in 2024. Cheers!
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Love the green undead... and the others they look great.
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Thanks!
My goal was to paint a BB team this year... With these Black Orcs, I ended up painting four.
Great colour scheme for these guys
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Thanks, both!
Glad to hear the colours on the undead work. I've got another undead team to paint this year, that I'll probably do a similar colour scheme with.