Ok, lets summarize what has happened since recap #1. It has not been so much in the miniature market but for my interest in the kickstarter of DreadBall has grown. So most of this blogpost will be a long ramble off my opinion about that kickstarter.

New kids on the pitch

New Norse team from Mano di Porco,  12 players. There are some good new/old models in this team. The Troll has been around for a while but the players are newer. One problem with the team is that there is just one blitzer in those 12 players so you will have to buy one more of those on the side.

Franarscillas Nurgle team has changed manufacture to Meiko-miniature. As it is one of the greatest Nurgle teams on the market it is good to keep tabs on where you can get hold off one. The change off manufacture did bump the prize with 25-40%  so I´m glad I already have my Likröta BK.

Willy miniature has released some Goblin secret weapons that are really great. I really like the pogoer but I know that many fancy the chainsaw more.

I met a friend to play a game of BloodBowl as practice for EuroBowl and we talked a little about the Dreadball kickstarter. On the train home the idea that we talked about grow on me and I decided to write this thing. So on to the main course:

DreadBall

(and yeah, I think the name suck)

This upcoming game from Mantic is now reaching the second half of the kickstarter. As it seems it is going to be big as many a pleading. It is kind of new as the rules isn’t BB.  And It could even be a good game, but more about that later.

I am a real Blood Bowl fan boy. It is one of the greatest game that I know (with Robo Rally and Puerto Rico). Some of the things I love about BB are things that Dreadball (DB) could repeat. What are the things I love about Blood Bowl then:

• Different ways to the goal. You can play a game in some different way and still come out with the win (Bash/Agility).
• A miniature game there you do not have to have a million miniatures, you are fine with a team out of 11-16 players.
• Tension with the turn over mechanic. You always have to prioritize what you will do first and what risk that is worth it. That makes a good balance of luck and skill the decision maker of who will win.

What difference will it be, the good and the bad.

• DB seems as a faster game. That is good for new players and for tournament play. A DB game has a gaming time about 60-90 minutes. BB takes 110-140. In this hobby it is the painting that is the greatest time thief.
• BB has easy rules compared to miniatures game, but DB rules seem even easier. The rules are more “Eurogame” in the meaning that the game is a more modern game. DB has fewer player types, less skills, less modifiers and seems easier to get a grip on. The rules also seems to have you making some hard decisions (you can just activate 5 out of 6 players, you can suffer a “turn over”, no new set up after scoring and so on).
• Expansions. DB is a new game and the designer and Mantic has announced that it will be three expansions (season 2, Ultimate and Xtreme). The contrast to BB could not be greater as Gran Wendy has not released anything for BB for a long time. It has been a rumor on the net that it would come a new BB box with 4 team and so on but it has not happened and probably never will. The old BB fan base is also so conservative that, when cyanide (who is making the computer version) is releasing a new roaster – Khorne – in their next version of the computer game, the coaches seem almost fear full that it will “break” the game. On the other hand has the designer for DB said that he will use the expansions to twist his new game (many based robots and monsters, 3D terrain and more). That could make the game fly high in the beginning just to make it crash and burn is future expansions if the coaches wont recognize it any longer.
• A new fanbase. If DB gets as many fans as BB has it will be great but if DB gets players that are 14-20 years old instead out of BB older clientele it will not. I will try to recruit my league with BB-players, because most of them are great pals, but many of them play BB out of sentimental reasons, or habit.

If Mantic doesn’t make Gran Wendies mistakes, like giving up on a great game, not supporting the fan community, just will have their own miniatures in their tournaments and so on, Dreadball has a good change to be a new top game. I will gladly play DB when it is released. I will try to get a league running and I will promote it. In five years I know I still will be playing Blood Bowl, but I do not know if I will be playing DreadBall, we will have to see how Mantic handle it.

Bowl overview

NärkeBowl 2012 - 29-30 september - Format Swiss/res TV1250K. NAF

Nordsken - 29 september  Swiss/res TV1100K.

EuroBowl - 20 - 31 October - in Copenhagen. Format Swiss/res TV1100K + 3/3 skills. NAF

Stockbowl cup III - 10 November - in the Swedish Capital are today full at 24 coaches. Format Swiss/res TV1100K + 5 skills. NAF

Ready steady go!

The dice for NärkeBowl are in and ready. I have had a lot of reading in my studies so I have just finished 3 more skavens since last and rebuild the blitzers and a rat ogre. You will have to wait for the next update to see them thou and I hope they all will be painted till then.

/Coach M.