5punk

I know there's quite a few people with this game, but only Joose and I ever seem to play it. The most common complaint I've heard about the game is that it's too much based on luck rather than skill, and that people are struggling to get to grips with the rules. This is a shame, because it's an extremely enjoyable tactical game once you understand the rules and concepts. So below is a guide to the game and its concepts, in the hope that it might renew some interest. Because I can only beat Joose up for so long...

Advanced Concepts
Races
Team Progression
Starting Teams
Race Overview
Khemri Guide
Lizardmen Guide

Basic Concepts
The aim of the game is to get the ball past the other guy's touchline more often than he does. How you do that comes down to your tactics, and indeed some luck. Each team can field 11 players, who will often have different roles on the field, in order to get the ball where it needs to go, and stop the other guy getting it where he wants it. So far, simple enough.

Turnovers
An important concept to grasp is that of turnovers. The game is turn based, and in your turn you can use any and all of your players, until you run out of things to do or you horse a turnover. A turnover occurs when something goes wrong for you - a player goes down, or fails to handle the ball, or gets sent off. This ends your turn. Understanding that turnovers are inevitable sometimes, and learning to play the odds so that you minimise the disruption is key. This is most likely the biggest issue people have with the game - their first action fails and they lose their turn. By making your safest moves first you minimise the chances of failing something, and therefore get the most out of each turn. Once the safest stuff is done, do the important stuff in order of the likelihood of success. Only then should you go for the crazy stuff that will likely end your turn.

Tackle Zones
Before I go any further, I should explain what is possibly the most important part of the game, the tackle zone. Every standing player on the pitch exerts a tackle zone to adjoining squares. This allows him to passively affect players around him in that area, and placing your players so that their tackle zones offer you the most advantages is key to the game. The effect of being in a tackle zone will vary with what you are trying to do, but in its simplest terms if you are in a friendly tackle zone it will help you, and if you're in a hostile one it will hinder you.


Yellow exclamation marks showing enemy tackle zones.

Movement
Players can move an amount of squares up to their movement allowance. Most of the time this is a simple affair, but your opponent should be trying to hinder your movement on the pitch by making it more complicated. Any player may move an extra two squares by 'going for it'. Each extra square requires a roll, though, and if failed the player will fall over. The odds of falling on a GFI are 1 in 6 regardless of most other factors (certain skills can decrease the odds), making it a low risk action.

Dodging
When moving through hostile tackle zones, a player must dodge. This is a roll based basically on the player's agility, although other factors will affect it. Dodging is a risky business, regardless of what advantages you may have. Certain players are very good at it, but even so it should be attempted only when absolutely necessary, and in most cases it is worth taking longer to get where you're going by moving around an opposing player's tackle zone. As a brief guide to dodging, here are some examples;

Players with low agility and no dodge-related skills should not attempt to dodge unless absolutely necessary. The chances of failure are very high indeed.
Players with reasonable or high agility but no dodge-related skills should likewise attempt to dodge only very rarely. The chances of failure are still very high.
Players with a high agility and the Dodge or Stunty skill stand some chance of making the dodge, so dodges to get a good position or make an important play can be attempted. They still suffer a fair chance of failure though, so should be left until later in the turn.
Players with a high agility and both Dodge and Stunty stand a good chance of dodging for the most part. Even so, it should only be done where it offers a reasonable advantage, or when there is little to lose if it fails.

Additional opposing tackle zones will reduce the odds of making a dodge even further, but understand that the chance is based on the tackle zones affecting the square the player is moving into, not out of.

Conversely, then, restricting an opposition's movement is done by placing tackle zones in such a way as to horse him to dodge if he wants to get past. At worst it will slow him down as he takes the safest path, and limit the players who can move to those who can dodge. At best it will knock his player down and cause a turnover.

Blocking
There's a lot of fighting in Blood Bowl, but we call it blocking. Blocking is a fairly low risk affair - the dice are weighted towards the attacker in that there are fewer results that go against him. That isn't to say that they're risk free, but even unlikely attacks stand a low chance of causing a turnover. Blocking uses special dice with various cryptic symbols on them, which should be explained:

Red Skull - Attacker Down. The player throwing the block is knocked down, causing a turnover.
Blue Arrow - Push Back. The defending player is moves back a square (some skills affect this, but for now they're not important).
Yellow 'POW' - Defender Down. The defending player is pushed back a square and knocked down.
Yellow 'POW' with exclamation mark - Defender Stumbles. Acts the same as a Defender Down result, unless the defender has the Dodge skill, in which case they are only pushed back.
Red Skull and Yellow 'POW' - Both Down. Both the attacker and the defender are knocked down unless they have the Block skill. If the attacker does not have Block it will cause a turnover.

The block will be rolled with a varying number of dice, depending on the difference in strength between the attacker and defender. Selecting a player and hovering your cursor over an opponent will, if a block is possible, show an icon to represent how many dice are rolled;

Three white dice - Three dice are rolled and the attacker chooses the result.
Two white dice - Two dice are rolled and the attacker chooses the result.
One white die - One die is rolled.
Two red dice - Two dice are rolled and the defender chooses. Note that even though the defender is choosing, they are still the attacker's dice. Therefore, the defender should choose a red skull for an Attacker Down result if possible.

As with everything, tackle zones will affect blocks. A player whose tackle zone covers a teammate's opponent can assist them with the block, whether attacking or defending. However, only if they are not in turn being affected by another opponent's tackle zone. Each additional assist will add +1 to the attacker or defender's strength for the purpose of the block.

Blitzing
A player can normally only move or block. The exception is when a blitz is played. This may be done by any player once per turn, and allows the player to move before and after a block, as long as his movement allows it. Using your blitz to the best tactical effect is very important, as you only get that one per turn.

Injuries
A player who is knocked down for any reason (or is fouled) has a chance of suffering an injury, ranging from being stunned to being dead. This is a roll made against the player's armour value, and is affected by the attacker's strength (including assists). For the most part players are fairly unlikely to suffer a significant injury, but the scale goes as follows;

Stunned - Player is knocked down for an extra turn.
KO'd - Player is knocked out and is removed from the pitch. Before a kick-off there is a chance of him being able to return to play.
Minor Injury - The player is removed for the rest of the game, but suffers no other ill effects.
Serious Injury - There are three types of serious injury. At best your player will miss the next game but suffer no further effects. However, some injuries have permanent effects, either reducing one of their stats or forcing them to roll to see if they can play before every game.
Death - They're dead, Jim.

Ball Handling
In order to score a touchdown you need to move the ball. Players can carry it or throw it, and different teams will have different strengths. First off, though, you need to pick it up. Picking up the ball requires a roll against the player's agility. It isn't too difficult, but players with a low agility are more likely than not to fumble it and cause a turnover. Friendly tackle zones will increase the chances of picking up the ball, as will the Safe Hands skill, and hostile tackle zones will reduce your chances.
Once you have the ball, moving with it is the same as any other movement. However, throwing and catching it is again based on the same rolls as picking it up. Completing a pass is moderately risky, but having a high agility and/or throwing and catching skills greatly reduces the chances of failure. Obviously the chances are also dependent on the length of the pass too.

Causing your opponent to drop the ball is half of a defending team's game. You do this by knocking the ball carrier over, or by making them fail a pass. Obviously blocking the ball carrier is the easiest way to do this, but sometimes getting to him can be tricky, so putting tackle zones onto key players is the best way to horse a mistake.

Advanced Concepts
The basic guide gives you an idea of the rules of the game, and the relative risks of your actions. How these rules affect you will depend on your team and how you play them. I'll post specific guides to teams later, but these are some general rules which should apply to any race.

Initial Purchases
When you start your team you won't have a lot of cash. You should be able to buy a reasonable starting lineup, but nothing fancy. Try to resist blowing all your cash on a Big Guy and stick to the basics. Also, don't neglect your Fan Factor and Rerolls, as they can really throw the game in your favour. Some good advice on the various team starting lineups can be found here.

Player Types
Most teams will have a variety of player types available, and choosing which ones to field will obviously affect your tactics and likelyhood of success. Basically, they will fall into one of the following categories, although the names may be different;

Lineman - The basic player. They're generally skilled to be flexible in their role, most often used in support of specialists or to tie down opposing players.
Blitzer - Slightly faster and tougher than Linemen, Blitzers usually have some fighting skills and are used to push forward through the opposing defences.
Thrower - Throwers usually have a higher agility and possess some passing skills. They are often more fragile than the other players.
Catcher - Catchers also usually have a higher agility, and possess some catching skills. They are often fast too, able to dodge through opposing defences. Like Throwers, they are often lightly armoured.
Runner - Runners are fast and often have dodging skills. They make good ball carriers, but can be weak.
Blocker - Blockers are usually large, tough players. They form the team's defensive line and are there to give and take punishment. They are often slow and poor at handling the ball.

Big Guys
Big Guys are available in one form or another to most teams. Usually you can only have one, and they are ideally placed in a blocking role at the centre of your defensive line. Big Guys have their advantages and disadvantages. They're all tough and strong, and will stand up to all but another Big Guy in most cases. They also attract a lot of attention, often tying up several opposing players in an attempt to bring them down. However, all big guys have problems. Generally they are lacking in skills, and are hopeless with the ball. They also have some negative skills, such as Bone head or Wild Animal, which means they have a habit of standing around doing nothing. On top of that, they all have the Loner skill, which means you have to pass a roll to even try to use a reroll. Combine all these factors and Big Guys can be turnover generators as they fuck up then fail to use a reroll. Big Guys are definately worth having, but be aware of the risks and limitations of using them.

Fan Factor
Fan Factor is bought at team creation, and can be raised or lowered by game performance. It represents how many fans your team has, and has some important in-game effects. Fisrt off, the higher your fan factor the more money a match will generate, and you'll need that money to buy better players. Secondly, many of the events which happen at kick off are dependent on your Fan Factor to see if they go for or against you.

Rerolls
Team rerolls can be bought at any time, and give you the chance to reroll (almost) any roll which hasn't gone your way. Only one reroll can be used per turn, but they are refreshed at half time. While somewhat expensive, rerolls are pivotal in counteracting that element of luck that might otherwise cripple your tactics. I personally buy at least three at team creation.

Apothecary
An Apothecary allows any one injury roll ro be rerolled, per match. Particularly useful for delicate teams, they can prevent the loss or reduction in effectiveness of key players. Sometimes they end up rolling worse than they did originally, but you do get the choice of which to use.

Cheerleaders
Cheerleaders sit on the edge of the pitch, dancing about. They have the effect of increasing your Fan Factor for the purpose of kick off events. It is arguable whether they are worth the extra team rating points they generate.

Inducements
A team can use some of its petty cash to buy inducements. This must be allocated before the match and is lost if not used. You also get money for inducements if your team rating is lower than your opponent's by way of a handicap. These can be used to buy one-off advantages for that game in the form of players or special events. Unless facing a particularly tough match I would normally recommend against using cash for inducements. It's a money sink that will offer no long term advantage. However, if you have free inducement cash to spend from a handicap, then these are your options;

Mercenaries - Extra players for your roster can be bought to bolster your team. They're just the same as a basic new player, although a little cheaper. They don't gain Star Player Points and are lost after the match (although you do get the opportunity to buy them). If you are unable to field 11 players at the start of a match due to injury or death, you will be able to make up the numbers for free using mercenaries.

Star Players - These are just like mercenaries, but they are exceptionally good players, and specific named individuals. A Star Player will be a horse to be reckoned with in any team, but like mercenaries will offer no long term advantages as they will be gone again after the game.

Wizard - Hire a wizard to cast a spell from the crowd. This can be used only once in the game and the coach has a choice of two spells, either a lightning bolt (good chance to hit one target) or a fireball (50/50 chance to hit any target in an area). They're a bit expensive, but can be very handy for stopping a running ball carrier who might otherwise have scored. Something to bear in mind is that a Wizard can be used at the end of a turn even if a turnover ended it.

Wandering Apothecary - Extra Apothecaries can be hired who will give you a reroll if a player is injured or killed. This is on top of a team apothecary and can be taken several times. Useful if playing against a fighty team, especially if you're a delicate team.

Igor - Similar to the Wandering Apothecary, but for teams who do not normally use them, such as Undead. An Igor allows you to reroll one regeneration roll after an injury.

Bribe the Ref - Each bribe can be used to attempt to negate a sending off caused by a foul or use of a secret weapon (such as the goblin specials or the Dwarf Deathroller). Goblins get bribes cheaper than other teams.

Extra Team Training - Additional rerolls can be bought for that game. They're relatively cheap, and are a good way to spend free inducement cash.

Bloodweiser Babes - Babes are cheap and useful inducements who add a cumulative +1 to rolls to see if KOd players can return to the pitch.

Halfling Master Chef - Effectively gives the team up to three chances to 'steal' rerolls from the opposition. Halflings get cheaper Chefs.

General Tactics
Regardless or race, most teams will fall into a particular style of play. Some may be able to play a couple of types, but it is usually fairly obvious what their strengths and weaknesses are. The exceptions are Goblins, who have a unique game style. This will be explained in a specific team guide.

Fighting
Fighting teams, such as Dwarves and Chaos, are usually fairly slow but very tough. It is a low risk style which consists of getting the ball and caging it in - that is to place players around the ball carrier to prevent opposing Blitzers blocking him. Once the ball is secure the cage can march down the pitch, flattening any opposition who get in their way, and walk the ball across the line. This is time consuming, and fighting teams rarely get high scores, but done properly is very difficult to conteract. More advanced fighting teams can often pick up the pace later on as their opponent starts to run out of players to field from KO's and injuries.


An Attract Centre formation. Close grouping allows the front line to support each other against fighting teams.

Running
Running teams like Lizardmen and Dark Elves are fast and agile, relying on dodging through defences while carrying the ball. They tend to be lacking in actual ball handling skills, but once they have the ball it can be difficult to catch them. Running teams should try to put players forward early on in order to be able to hand off behind the opposing line and run the ball in. By doing this you can move the ball considerable distances in a turn, and often take the defenders completely by surprise. Advanced running teams can put a bit of time into some passing skills to allow short passes and extend their running range even further.
When playing aginst running teams, keeping a tight defensive line is essential. Forcing runners to dodge will eventually cause turnovers for them, and keeping a deep defence in order to catch those who do break through can prevent those surprise touchdowns which start halfway down their half of the field.


A Strong Line formation. Spreading out the front line and layering the defence allows a greater area to be covered by tackle zones, making it more difficult for dodging runners to penetrate.

Passing
Passing teams such as Wood Elves and Humans can be tricky to play, but in capable hands are the most difficult to stop. Usually fairly delicate, passing teams are fast and good with the ball. The key to playing passing teams is to position your catchers so that when they get the ball they can score quickly. Dodge them behind your opponent or blitz holes for them, or better yet exploit a poor defence. This does leave your catchers open to being stamped on by deep defenders, but often an opponent will get tied up on the half way line and not have enough players to cover all your catchers. Once you have a window, toss the ball down the pitch where your catcher can run in. Failing that, passing teams also make fairly decent running teams, and a feint at passing can draw a defence out of position chasing catchers, while neglecting a running ball carrier who is left to run in on his own.
Playing against a passing team calls for a lot of concentration on deep defence. Don't let their players behind you, and stomp on any breakers hard. They can't catch a ball if they're lying on the ground.

General Tips

• * When using a reroll, wait for 5-10 seconds. It seems to increase your chances of getting a different result.
  * Try to push opposing players off the sides of the pitch, the crowd will stomp them and at the very least KO them for the rest of the play.
  * Conversely, avoid the edges of the pitch if you want to keep your players healthy. If you're knocked down on the edge, stay down.
  * There's no real risk in fouling on turn 16. The worst that can happen is you'll cause a turnover and end the game.
  * Watch the turn counter. There's no point setting yourself up for a touchdown next turn when the half will end on this one.

Races
Each race requires a different set of tactics, and the game has been designed with some races easier to play than others. I've tried to list the races here in a rough order of difficulty. Beginners should generally consider teams with a lot of starting skills as they will make a player's role more obvious and offer some safety nets against unwise plays and mistakes.

Amazon
Style: Fighting/Passing
Difficulty: Easy
Amazon teams are versatile, cheap, and well skilled. With the whole team starting with dodge, and many with block, they're difficult to put down. Their low armour value means that when they do go down, though, they can often stay there. Other than that they are unremarkable in their stats. Amazons are considered good starting teams for novice players due to their skills, making them forgiving of mistakes and able to hold their own against both fast teams and fighting teams.

Chaos
Style: Fighting
Difficulty: Medium
Chaos are a fighty team who sit somewhere between Dwarves and Orcs. They're not slow, and they're fairly tough. What makes them difficult to play is their severe lack of skills early on. Fighting can be somewhat hit-and-miss against teams whose players have the Block skill, and handling the ball can be slightly tricky. However, once the SPP start coming in and they start picking up skills they become terribly dangerous. With access to the mutation skillset and good base stats, Chaos teams have some inherent advantages that shine through once the skill gap has been closed.
Chaos get the Minotaur as their Big Guy, who is a good, strong fighting type. The Wild Animal skill means that it'll sometimes fail to stand up again when knocked down.
Playing against Chaos is a matter of trying to avoid their tougher players or not giving them the chance to beat you up too badly, in a similar way to Dwarves. Their Beastmen can become very diverse with a few skills, so attention must be paid to your opponent's tactics as he might just pull something out of the bag to surprise you. Generally, though, they'll try to run a cage.

Dark Elves
Style: Running
Difficulty: Hard
Dark Elves are a tricky race to play, as running teams often need to bolster their tactics with throwing or fighting and they do neither particularly well. Similarly though, they have no players which are particularly bad at anything. Dark Elves play a fast and mobile game, hitting weak spots hard with their more aggressive players and exploiting the gaps. Due to the speed of the team, they are able to fit entire cages through gaps. This allows them to run fast and well defended plays, but they can find themselves dashed against the wall of a fighting team. Clever Dark Elf coaches will use their runners' dump-off skill to their advantage, making trapping the ball carrier very difficult, and the assassin's shadowing starting skill makes them very useful defensive players against other agile teams.

Dwarves
Style: Pure fighting
Difficulty: Easy
Dwarves are probably one of the easiest race to play. Their tactics, strengths and weaknesses are obvious and simple. Dwarves are a pure fight team, with little in the way of speed or ball skill. Every player on the field will be good in a fight, and high armour makes them difficult to put down. Dwarf tactics are not complicated - get the ball in a cage and plough your way to the opposing end zone - textbook fighting team play.
The Dwarves get the Death Roller as their Big Guy. This steamroller (that's not a metaphor, it's an actual steamroller) is immensely strong and well armoured, able to crunch through a defensive line, even with an opposing Big Guy. However, it is classed as a secret weapon and so will inevitably get sent off at some point.
Playing against Dwarves is difficult. The trick is getting the ball off them, but doing so isn't easy with such tough defensive players. Fast teams can only hope to dodge into their cage and hope for a lucky hit on their ball carrier, outmanoeuvring them before they can form a tight enough defence. Tougher teams might be able to throw enough players at the cage to break it or slow it down until the end of the half. Against some coaches you can pressure them by pushing on the cage and hoping they make a break for it, exposing the ball carrier, but an experienced Dwarf coach will make defending the ball carrier a priority. The only other thing to consider when playing against Dwarves is keeping enough fit players on the pitch to form a defence.

Elves
Style: Passing/Running
Difficulty: Medium
Elf teams, sometimes known as Pro Elves, fit into the mid-point of the Elven team spectrum, between the better armoured High Elves and the more agile Wood Elves. Being Elves means that they aren't going to want to go toe-to-toe with heavy teams, but they have the best catchers in the game and fast enough players to get support to them. Best offensive tactics are to get a few runners behind the opposition lines then drop a pass to whichever catcher is still standing so he can dodge a touchdown. In defence you have to rely on dodging into cages and sweeping the ball out from under the opposing players. Elves don't get a big guy, which can hurt them in the line of scrimmage, but as a light team the position is arguably better filled with an agile lineman anyway, rather than getting tied up in a brawl.
When playing against Elves it is important to have depth of defence, because they will be running through your lines to get a catcher in position. Tackle is a hugely useful skill here. Clobbering the catchers is the order of the day - they can't catch if they're face down in the dirt. Indeed, since they field some fragile and expensive players attrition is a viable option as they are likely to be low on subs.

Goblins
Style: Special/Running
Difficulty: Very Hard
Goblins are almost certainly one of the most difficult teams to play, by design. They are weak and not very well skilled, not hugely fast and average ball handlers. However, goblins do make good dodgers and can be tricky to contain. Goblins get a dazzling array of special players, and they also get two Big Guys. The special players are the stars of the show, and using them effectively is the key to winning (or even surviving). This is easier said than done, as any special on the field will get sent off after a play so their tactical use is essential.
Goblins get up to two trolls, and while they're not the best Big Guys in the game, there's two of them. Three if you hire their troll star. The trolls are important not just for their fighting skills, but also their ability to throw their gobbo teammates. At first this is more for comedy value than anything else, but used correctly it can be horribly effective at putting the ball carrier or a receiver (should a goblin ever survive long enough to get catching skills) over and far behind your opponent's line.
When playing against goblins it's fun to see how many you can injure. It isn't uncommon for them to be down to only a handful of players by final whistle. Avoid their star players - most will get sent off eventually - and concentrate on thinning out their little guys.

Halflings
Style: Special
Difficulty: Very Hard
Halflings are a notoriously difficult team to play, similar in configuration to Goblins but without the secret weapons. Their main advantage is that they get two Treemen, arguably the toughest Big Guys in the game, who can throw their diminutive teammates. Additionally, cheap Master Chefs can give Halfling teams an advantage in rerolls, their opposition being more likely to cause a turnover due to losing up to three of their own. In order to make the most of the Chefs Halfling teams often run lean in order to keep their team value low and get more inducement money. Combined with a small core of skilled Halfling linemen the team can sometimes hold their own, but unlike the other disadvantage teams there is very little to work to their advantage.
When playing against Halflings, as with any stunty team, the best tactic is to injure as many of them as possible.

High Elves
Style: Passing/Running
Difficulty: Easy
High Elves are better armoured than most Elf teams, on par with Humans, so play a good fast game without having the fragility others suffer from. They're also not particularly expensive compared to similar teams, and their relative versatility makes them a good team for a beginner who wants to play a throwing game. With four catchers and a couple of solid Blitzers there shouldn't be a huge problem getting a player on the right side of the opposition to receive a pass. Like most Elf teams they have no Big Guy.
Playing against High Elf teams is much like any other light team - defence in depth, stop any runners from being able to catch a pass, and hurt them as hard as you can. High Elves' decent strength and armour won't make the last point easy, but then they're not quite as good at the passing game as their more nimble cousins.

Humans
Style: Any
Difficulty: Medium
Humans tend to be the all-rounder race in any game, and Blood Bowl is no exception. They're reasonably tough, average speed, and not bad on the ball. This all adds up to a slightly above average race with lots of tactical options. In the beginning Humans play a reasonable fighting game, with options for slightly riskier passing and running using their throwers, catchers and blitzers. However, with a few skill points they can start to specialise quite nicely without losing the ability to cross over into another play type. No matter what stage of the game, Humans will generally have the advantage of being able to tailor their tactics on the fly. Humans field an Ogre as their big guy. Ogres are tough and stupid, probably slightly harder than average for a Big Guy, but are otherwise unremarkable.
When playing against humans it's best to defend against all possibilities and attack to your strengths. Because of their versatility they lack a preferred opponent, and so haven't got a big advantage against any one team. You've very much got to play the game by ear and try to gauge what the other coach is trying to do.


Khemri
Style: Fighting
Difficulty: Hard
The Khemri are a brutal specialist fighting team, but with some significant weaknesses. The core of the team are the four Tomb Guardian blockers they get, who are extremely strong and tough, almost like Big Guys but without the disadvantages. The other team specialists are the Blitz-Ras, who are average but slightly delicate Blitzers, and Thro-Ras, who despite their name are better suited to picking up the ball and keeping it. The latter is significant - not a single Khemri player has an Agility above 2, and with all but the Tomb Guardians having AV 7 the team can be a glass cannon. The remainder of the team are made up of skeleton linemen, who are slow, clumsy and fragile, making them very poor players. Khemri teams are best suited to the slow grind, and an experienced one will likely be inflicting casualties regularly with their Tomb Guardians in order to push the odds in their favour. As undead, they get the regenerate skill rather than an apothecary, which makes them handy for long campaigns against other fighting teams, and as with the Undead team they get no Big Guy, although with Guardians you could argue they get four.

Lizardmen
Style: Running/Fighting
Difficulty: Medium
Lizardmen are running specialists first and foremost. Their Skinks are fast and agile, almost the fastest players in the game and probably the best dodgers. They can easily slip past an opposing defence and be gone before they can be caught. While not particularly good on the ball, they're dexterous enough to pick it up most times. Don't try to do anything fancy though, and don't get them into a fight. The Skinks are counterbalanced by Saurii, who are very strong and pretty fast too. Very few opponents will come off well against a one-on-one with a Saurus, and they make a tough front line to crack. However, they are clumsy, making them atrocious on the ball and utterly incapable of dodging. Lizardman tactics are simple enough - the Saurii pound the opposition until enough of them are lying down so that the Skinks can skip past to score.
The Lizardmen get the Kroxigor as their Big Guy. While not as strong as most Big Guys, his prehensile tail makes him difficult to dodge past.
Playing against Lizardmen requires playing to their weaknesses. While very good at playing their role, when caught out of place they can suffer. Unsupported Skinks should be beaten mercilessly (and easily) before they can be used to ferry the ball. Tie up their Saurii in brawls so that they can't help out, and the little lizards are easy pickings. Defence in depth will horse them to dodge, and even though they're very good at it it's only a matter of time before they're knocked over. Similarly, on the offensive try to avoid the Saurii with the ball carrier and get them tangled up. Players running deep will probably end up with Skinks all over them, but their weak blocking should allow the ball carrier to blitz them out of the way.

Necromantic
Style: Running/Fighting
Difficulty: Medium
Necromantic teams are a mixed team with a good number of specialist positional players, and cheap but low quality linemen. They hover on the border between a fighting team and a running team, with the monolithic Flesh Golem blockers and solid Wight Blitzers, against the contrast of the fast and vicious Werewolves and agile but delicate Ghouls. This can give Necromantic teams a little choice in their style of play with which to face off against all types of teams, but can also leave them a bit schizophrenic with their own tactics. Necromantics don't get a Big Guy, but the two Flesh Golems easily make up for that.
When playing opposite a Necromantic team aim to hurt their Ghoul runners, as they are lightly armoured and often in harm's way if the coach is careless. Beware of Werewolf wingers who can frenzy your own wingers off the pitch on the opening turn.

Norse
Style: Any
Difficulty: Easy
Norse are a versatile side, much like Humans, but with a more specialised lineup. Their mix of throwing and blitzing means you generally will have several tactical options. The big advantage to Norse teams is that every player starts with Block, which makes them much more likely to stay on their feet. The big disavantage is that they all have a lower than average armour value, meaning they're likely to be stretchered off if they don't. As a Norse campaigner I've found the best option is to try to bunch your opponent up with the powerful Werewolf Blockers and hem them in with Berserker Blitzers, allowing you free movement of the pitch to choose either a run up the pitch or a pass. This way your opponent will be constantly trying to cover two possible approaches, making it less likely one will fail. The Norse's weakest approach is as a toe-to-toe fighting team due to their low armour, but by using strength in numbers with the quantity of block-skilled players you can ensure that there aren't too many opponents standing to attack you with.
The Norse big guy is a Yheti, who is effectively a hairy troll. They're good anchor points for your centre line and will help attract attention from your more delicate players.

Nurgle
Style: Fighting
Difficulty: Hard
Nurgle are a tough fighting team who have a knack of disrupting the passing game with their disturbing presence and foul appearance. Like Chaos they have few skills, making them similarly difficult to play, and while their positional players are better on average, their Rotter linemen are poor all round. Additionally, since Rotters have decay and Nurgle get no apothecary they tend to die a lot. Luckily they're cheap to replace (some even come in free from infected opponents), but it means veteran linemen are rare. The Nurgle Big Guy is the disgusting Beast of Nurgle, who is a fine Blocker although lacks in mobility.

Ogre
Style: Fighting/Special
Difficulty: Very Hard
A team of ogres may sound ludicrous, with them only being available as Big Guys to other teams. The disadvantages of Big Guys carries through to ogre teams en masse though, and the team becomes very difficult to play as it is impossible to predict which of the ogres will be able to do anything at any given point. In reality it means an ogre team will always be down a certain amount of players who are standing around being stupid. The counterpoint to the lumbering ogres are the snotlings, who are reasonably fast and good dodgers, but are also very weak and fragile. Much of an ogre game will come down to the luck of how often they fail their bonehead rolls, and how long they can keep their snotlings on the pitch. With their combination of tough fighters and slippery runners they could be considered an extreme version of a Lizardman team.

Orcs
Style: Fighting/Running
Difficulty: Easy
Orcs are a fighting team with some ball handling capacity. Their linemen are reasonably tough but unspecialised, while their blitzers hit hard. Arguably their best players are the Black Orcs. These blockers are exceptionally hard, making an Orc front line a very sturdy thing. Finally, Orcs get access to Throwers. While not bad at passing the ball, Orc teams don't have a catcher class, so they only tend to come in handy later once a few linemen or goblins have picked up some catching skills. This isn't a huge problem though - Orcs can fight with the best of them without needing to throw the ball.
Orcs get Trolls as their Big Guys. While reasonably tough, Trolls are stupid and will often just stand around picking their nose. Placing another player beside them makes them less likely to have a brain moment.
Playing against Orcs is mostly a matter of staying on your feet and hustling the ball carrier. As a fighting team, breaking their cage or dodging inside it is the most likely way to get the ball. Be aware, though, that they will occasionally make runs or passes.

Skaven
Style: Running/Passing
Difficulty: Easy
Skaven are very good at the running game, and not bad at passing. They can field some of the fastest players in the game, and while they aren't as slippery as the Lizardmen's Skinks, they are capable of exploiting breakthroughs with the occasional pass. Skaven suffer from being delicate, and even their tougher players struggle against bigger opponents. However, with their speed if they can keep the ball moving they horse the opposing player to move with it, and with only one blitz available per turn they can only do a limited amount of damage. Skaven are one of the few teams able to get mutations.
Skaven get the Rat Ogre as their Big Guy. He's fairly average in strength (for a Big Guy), but has a prehensile tail making him difficult to get past with runners. Like the Lizardman Kroxigor, he should be used as a centrepiece of a defensive line rather than as a sledgehammer.
When playing against Skaven, as with other fast teams, a watertight defence is key. Let any rats through and the chances of a ball being passed to them are significant. Jump on any runners and beat them up, but keep your defences wide and deep. Don't get suckered into a brawl with the Rat Ogre because it will make holes in your line.

Undead
Style: Fighting/Running
Difficulty: Easy
The Undead have a fairly basic strong running game, with hardy players supplemented by fast ball handlers. As they are undead they are a good team for those who hate to suffer losses, their regeneration ability making it difficult to keep them down between games. They also have a little quirk of being able to take on killed opposition players as zombies during the match, and skeletons in subsequent games. Playing as Undead is a game of patience. They have easy access to good Blockers in the form of the tough and strong Mummies, and a strong running lineup with their Wight Blitzers and Ghoul Runners. Their basic linemen, zombies and skeletons, are a little slow on average, and the only real distinction between the two is that the zombie sacrifices a point of already low movement for a point of armour. Since they're cheap and come for free every now and then you often have the choice to tailor your line.
Undead don't have access to a Big Guy, which may seem a disadvantage on the surface, but in fact the Mummies easily make up for the loss. Filling the gap in the line with a zombie will usually suffice, and while he might not contribute a great deal to the offensive game you can rely on him to keep getting up again.
When playing against Undead teams it's probably easiest if you can take advantage of the majority of the team's lack of speed. Watch for the Wights, who are fairly average in fighting capability anyway but are deceptively quick, and try to put the flimsy Ghouls down before they slip through your defences.

Vampire
Style:
Difficulty: Very Hard
Vampires are considered a disadvantage team. The roster is split between the powerful, fast and agile Vampires, and the weak and below average Thralls. This in itself wouldn't be a huge disadvantage, but each vampire has a chance of succumbing to blood-lust. Vampires being snooty types will only drink the blood of their own Thralls, which has the effect of KOing one of their own players. Failing that, if none are within range, they will remove themselves from the pitch to feed on a spectator. In either case the team is left a man down. Vampires are also pretty basic in the skills department, relying on their agility for any ball handling, and coupled with expensive rerolls means they can generate turnovers easily. Vampires don't get a Big Guy, but they hardly need another powerful and unreliable player.

Wood Elves
Style: Passing/Running
Difficulty: Medium
Wood Elves are the epitome of a passing team. Their high agility and good ball skills make them perfect for short runs and throws. However, they're expensive and delicate. Wood Elf coaches should push as deep as they can with their catchers after blitzing a hole with their tough Wardancers. Options are then open to either pass to an unmarked catcher, or run the ball in, depending on what the opposition does. Even having players marking your catchers is no guarantee of stopping them, and watching a Wood Elf team carry and throw a ball from one touchline to the other without the opponent being able to lay a finger on them is an awesome sight.
Wood Elves get the mighty Treeman as their Big Guy. Treemen are very strong and tough, and can grind down most defensive lines with a minimum of support. While not being as stupid as most Big Guys, they occasionally take root and will be unable to move until next kick off.
Playing against Wood Elves requires concentration. A lapse in defence allowing a catcher through can lead to a touchdown being scored from distances you wouldn't expect. Any Elf on your half of the pitch should be dealt with with violence or bogged down with as many tackle zones as possible, and even then there's sometimes nothing at all that can be done to stop them.

Team Progression
Blood Bowl is best when played in a campaign or online where your players can grow and improve. There's a huge difference between a basic team and one with an array of skills attained from levelling up. Choosing your skills and managing your players is a skill in itself though, so hopefully the following information should help prevent people gimping their teams.

Star Player Points
Experience in Blood Bowl is called Star Player Points, and these are gained in different ways;

Scoring a touchdown (5 SPP)
Injuring or killing an opponent (2 SPP)
Completing a pass (1 SPP)
Being MVP (5 SPP)

Most are self explanitory, apart from being the MVP. An MVP award is given to a random player from each team at the end of each match, ensuring that even players who struggle to make SPPs any other way have a chance to progress. Once a player has enough SPPs, they will be able to level up and choose an advantage. The amount of SPPs required to level up will increase as the player's level gets higher.

Levelling Up
When a player levels up a roll is made for them, which dictates what advancements they can take. Different player types can choose from different lists of skills, and special rolls such as doubles allow them to choose from other skillsets they can't normally use. Players with several unusual skills can quickly become very valuable to you. On top of that, sometimes a player can choose to raise a stat, again making them very valuable to you.

Choosing Skills
This will depend very much on the race, player type, and even the specific player. The role they play in your team may vary even between previously identical players, and selecting the correct advancements is important in ensuring you make the most of those SPPs.

Stat advances
Due to their rarity, stat advantages should usually be taken when available. The exception being when the bonus would offer no real advantage (such as speed or agility for a Big Guy). Put a little thought into how the advance would affect play, but given a choice between a useful stat or a useful skill, the stat is usually the better option.

Unusual Skills
Occasionally a player can pick from a skill list they can't normally use. This is the best way to give a team some versatility and for the most part the opportunity shouldn't be wasted. Beware though - choosing a career path for a player which would require him to need more double rolls for rare skills might just leave him with a useless skill. Used correctly though, versatile players with rare skills can provide a nasty surprise for an opponent.

Blockers
A blocker on the line of scrimmage will be exposed to a lot of violence. Their priority should be skills which help them inflict damage and soak it up. If they don't already have it, Block is essential as it can negate a lot of rolls which might have otherwise knocked him down. Guard is also very useful in a tight line, as the player can ignore opponents when supporting a teammate. After that skills such as [/i]Mighty Blow[/i] (greater chance of injuring opponent), Dodge (to negate Defender Stumbles rolls), or Dauntless (uses agility to match stronger opponents' strength) can be useful depending on your race.
Blockers on your flanks or on your second line are there more to stop runners. They still fill a blocking role, so the Block skill is essential, but supporting skills are less useful as they will often be alone. Tackle is very useful to stop opponents using their Dodge skill when trying to dodge past, and Shadowing can give your blocker a few extra chances to bring the runner down as they follow them. Diving Tackle is another useful skill for players at the back, who are the last line of defence.

Runners
Runners will be trying to avoid getting caught, and as such will want to invest in Dodge early, greatly improving their chances of getting past an opponent. Sure Feet is useful for squeezing that extra distance by getting a reroll on Go For Its, and Jump Up will prevent being slowed down by being knocked over. Some defensive skills such as Dump Off to pass the ball if you're about to get blitzed, or Side Step to allow a little progression when pushed back. After that it can be useful to take some catching skills, as even if your team has a catcher it is often the runners who end up in the right place to recieve a pass.

Blitzers
For the most part blitzers will be using the same skills as a defensive blocker. Block, if not already present, should be a priority. After that Juggernaught can be useful to take advantage of blitzes, as can be Sure Feet to give them a little more range. Dodge is a good choice for less fighty races, allowing them to blitz into cages and smash the ball carrier, and Frenzy can be useful for less nimble races to horse their way into a cage. Finally, Strip Ball can give you a better chance of taking the ball off the carrier.

Throwers
Throwers will generally begin with some passing skills, but often a team won't have a dedicated thrower and a lineman will have to take the skills. Pass is essential, allowing a player to reroll a failed throw, and Accuracy will give the thrower a +1 to pass rolls. After that, Nerves of Steel is useful to ignore opposing tackle zones when throwing, and Dump Off and Safe Throw (unable to intercept pass) can be handy. Hail Mary Pass will be tempting, but is a lot more useful if your catcher has Diving Catch, as the ball will scatter regardless of how good the pass is. It is worth giving a thrower the Sure hands skill, since they will often be picking the ball up at the beginning of a drive. It is unlikely that a thrower will have easy access to strength skills, but if a double is rolled then Strong Arm should be very tempting to add an extra +1 to your passes.

Catchers
As with throwers, the skills a catcher should take are fairly apparent. Catch is essential for giving an automatic reroll when receiving, while Diving Catch is useful for grabbing nearby scattered passes. Nerves of Steel is extremely useful when opponents are bearing down. After that skills should be taken as a runner to enable the catcher to get into position.

Big Guys
For the most part Big Guys will take skills as a front line blocker, as this is where they are best suited. However, Pro is extremely useful to Big Guys in order to give them their own reroll for when they decide to stand around. Coupled with the fact that they always have the Loner skill which makes them have to roll to use a reroll in the first place, and it can prevent many a turnover in the long run.

Team Skills
Some skills don't suit any particular type of player, but are very useful nontheless.

Kick: Any player on the pitch can have this in order to be useful, it doesn't have to be the one who appears to be kicking the ball. It reduces scatter, allowing you to be a bit more daring when placing your kicked ball.
Leader: Will provide an extra, free, reroll. I'm not sure yet if this can be used in the same turn as a normal reroll. If it can it becomes far more useful.

Team Rating
As your team progresses, its team rating will rise. This shows a general experience level of a team and is a useful gauge of their ability. However, your team rating is also used to handicap your team, and so keeping it as low as possible is handy. The higher your team rating, the more money for inducements your opponent will get, and the less money you will get at the end of each match. Spending money on your team and the level of your players will raise your rating. This can't be avoided in many cases. However, by sacking experienced players who have either been made less useful by injury, or who have been forced to take skills which offer no advantage due to poor skill rolls, you can keep your team rating to a minimum.

Dog Pants wrote:I'd love to play someone other than Joose (and I'm sure he'd love to play someone other than me).

Also, its a couple quid off at the moment on Steam, if people were interested but havent got it yet.

I was thinking of maybe getting it, not owning any sports games and all, but local steam decided to sell it for 40 quid. maybe some other time guys.

Yeah, it's not worth £40.

Dog Pants wrote:Also, you guys who have the game but don't play, is there anything you struggled with that put you off?

Mostly the fact that the computer thrashed me in every game on normal and on easy, coupled with you saying you hadn't lost a game against it led me to the conclusion that a match-up would be a horribly one-sided affair.

I haven't read the guide above yet, which is something I'll do before trying again, or commenting more specifically, but for me it was the inevitability of failure that I found the most crushing.

I'd think I was doing okay, stopping them scoring and perhaps even look like I might be within range myself, but then the time would run out, or I'd lose the ball trying a too-risky move to score before time ran out, or most commonly they'd get past me and clear and I'd have to sit and impotently watch them score.

I can understand that. The game's terribly frustrating when things aren't going your way. Even if you're 4-0 in the lead, a couple of unlucky rolls in a row will stil give you the rage and make you want to hate the game. I'm sure there's more to it than what you've written here, but what you have mentioned can all be countered with technique; make sure you pay attention to the turn counter to avoid wasting time trying to score when there's no time left (instead try to stomp your opponent, it's fun), avoid risky moves where possible because lady luck is a bitch who will hurt you every chance she gets, and always have a couple of defenders sat back in your half waiting to intercept any runners who make it through.

With regards to playing me, I've got a goblin team I'll happily field against anyone. Goblins really are very hard to play, and I think anyone should stand a reasonable chance of winning against them. I don't mind losing because a) they're goblins so it doesn't count, and b) I'm convinced I can come up with an effective way of playing them if I lose enough matches.

I don't think doggers is a good example to gauge your skill against. I have only beaten him so far by vastly stacking the odds in my favour (using the very easy to play dwarfs against his fucking rubbish goblins).

Dog Pants wrote:Also, you guys who have the game but don't play, is there anything you struggled with that put you off? I'd love to play someone other than Joose (and I'm sure he'd love to play someone other than me).

I was enjoying until the game decided that it would every single one of my players in every campaign. I ended up with half a team and no money to buy new players.

That said, I will give it another whirl when I get round to installing it again.

To quote pretty much all of us who played war; fuckin gobbos!

Edited 4th post to include skill recommendations and progression guide.

Race Guide: Lizardmen
Lizardmen are one of the easier teams to play in Blood Bowl, and come recommended for beginners who are getting to grips with the game. With only three player types, all of whom fit very distinct roles, it makes it fairly obvious what you need to be doing with them. That said, Lizardmen can be somewhat predictable and prone to overspecialisation.

Players
As previously mentioned, Lizard men have three types of player; the Skink, the Saurus, and the Kroxigor.

Skinks
Skinks are the mainstay of the team, with more available than you'll ever need. They are small and fast, making them excellent dodgers. However, they are also fragile and not particularly good with the ball. On top of that, their selection of skills is very limited. Skinks make fantastic runners, among the best in the game. With a few skills they can make a reasonable passing game too, although this is more to offer some tactical variety than a main strategy. Since it will be your Skinks scoring touchdowns they will have little difficulty getting SPPs, but with only the Agility skills normally available you'll find yourself with little to spend them on. Sure Feet, Side Step, and Catch are the only ones of any real use.

Saurii
Saurii are the Lizarmen's blockers, and they are to fighting what the Skinks are to running. You can field six at once, but you'll wish you had more. Saurii are among the most powerful players in the game, without counting Big Guys, and will be blocking with two dice in a one-on-one against pretty much everything they encounter. They're not slow either, making them pretty good blitzers too. On the other hand, they start off with no skills and with no real hope of handling the ball due to very low Agility, they can be slow to progress. A few MVPs and more than their fair share of injury SPPs, though, should put them on the right track. Your Saurii will be relying almost exclusively on injuring players for SPPs, so don't be shy when it comes to smashing your opponent. With access to the General and Strength skillsets, there's plenty to spend those points on. As with any blocker, the first skill any Saurus should have is Block. After that, though, progress should depend on whether you field that particular player on the front line or as a flanker. Front line Saurii should be given Guard second, in order to support their teammates. Three Saurii with Guard should be able to make short work of most things they face off. Any skills after that are a bonus, but Dauntless, Tackle, and Mighty Blow are all useful.
Saurii who are employed on your flanks are there to stop runners and blitzers. Again, Block is the first skill they will want. After that, though, Tackle and Shadowing should cause real problems to anybody trying to get past them. It might be tempting, should the opportunity arise, to give your Saurii +1 Agility or Movement, but this will only be wasted on a player who will spend most of his time stood without the ball, slogging it out with other players.

Kroxigor
The Kroxigor is the Lizardman Big Guy. Where the other players on their team excel at what they do, the Kroxigor is a bit weak compared to other Big Guys. His one saving grace, though, is his Prehensile Tail, which will reduce the chances of anyone dodging away from him. Stick him in the middle of a bunch of opposing players and chances are, none of them are going anywhere.
As with any Big Guy, the Kroxigor should be the centrepiece of your front line, and will struggle to find SPPs accordingly. Once they start to come in he should be given Block, as with any other blocker. After that Guard will again be useful, but also worth considering is Pro, to help fend off those turnovers, and Dauntless to conteract his relative weakness when facing off against other Big Guys.

Basic tactics
Lizardman teams play a good running game with their fast Skinks, and unlike other running teams can hold off tough opponents. The tradeoff is that only half your team is any good at fighting, and the other half are only good at running. So play to those strengths. Your Saurii should be looking to pick fights with whoever will cause the most disruption, distracting them from your Skinks.

Defence
This will obviously depend to an extent on who you are playing against, but I've found a Strong Line formation with your Saurii taking the front positions is a fairly waterproof defence. Fast teams can sometimes dodge through, and strong teams can sometimes blitz through, but it's unlikely that either will get any great quantity behind your lines. Should soneone get through, you have a couple of Skinks at the back who can gang up on them. The rear two Skinks should always stay back - they're no good in a fight, and can jump on a breaker before they cause any damage. They may be small, but two of them should be sufficient to tie most players up. Even if a few opposition break through, you should have enough Skinks to put a tackle zone on them all. Two important things, then, in defence; don't leave opposition players unmarked behind your lines, and try to leave your line of Saurii intact until your opponent has committed.
Once you've tangled up most of their players, or if their team is slow moving, you can start a pincer movement with your flanking Saurii and the Skinks behind them. Send two flanking Saurii up the sides of the pitch, and leave the other two either covering the flanks, or helping the centre line if it's a fighty team you're playing against. The forward flanking Saurii will probably get held up by the other side, but they invariably either run off looking for a softer target, or they get their heads kicked in. Meanwhile, the Skinks immediately behind them can exploit the gaps created by the opposing players intercepting your Saurii and work their way around the back of the ball carrier. Needless to say, they should be avoiding contact, but if they do draw some fire away from the Saurii then that's fine because they don't come into play yet. Just keep them alive and just out of kicking distance of your opponent, hanging around. Your Saurii are tough enough to be able to horse their way through a ragged defence, and if your opponent has caged up then you can just pile them straight in. They're aiming at sacking the ball carrier, and should be heading for him like guided missiles. It will likely get messy, but that's okay - chances are even when outnumbered they'll be battering your opponent's cage around, and it's only a matter of time before either a) you get a block on the ball carrier or b) you get a tackle zone on him and he panics and makes a mistake. Either way, when the ball comes free your Skinks act. Thos two who have been hanging about nearby can dive in and try to grab the ball. They're not the best at it, so having the other one and as many Saurii as can bash their way in nearby will help. If they get the ball then they can take off on the offensive. Of not, there should be plenty of lizards nearby to prevent the other guy picking it up.

Offensive
Lizardmen need to be a little more cautious on the offensive. Your Skinks wil always be the ones with the ball, and they don't stand up well to being tackled. The Strong Line, the same as in defence, works equally well here to stop anyone jumping your Skink early while they chase the ball around. Make sure you make your easy blocks before trying to pick up the ball, because your Skinks might cock it up a couple of times. Placing the rear Skink who isn't getting the ball nearby can help. Once you have the ball, your Saurii will probably be breaking heads. The centre line is rarely a big problem, but keeping the gaps closed on the flanks can be. As with defence, avoid moving your Saurii too far out of poisition, because if a blitzer gets past them and hits your ball carrying Skink in your half, you're in trouble. Instead, let your opponent commit himself to an attack and send some Skinks forwards when there are gaps. Move the ball carrier forward to just behind your line, but safely out of harm. Keep him in a loose cage of other Skinks. This is where your attack slows down, because you're waiting for a gap to appear. Once it does, your Skink can tear out of his cage and hand off to one of your front Skinks. They can then dash linewards. If your opponent hasn't been paying attention to the little guys hanging around his touchline because the ball wasn't even in his half, he's in for a very fast lesson on how quickly Skinks can score.
A more aggressive variation of this is what I call the 'cannon'. If you're not getting the opportunities to dodge your Skinks forward, as may happen with more experienced teams or if you've retrieved the ball from an opposition offence, you may need to cage your carrier in with Saurii. Concentrate on defending that one guy, like a Dwarf or Chaos team would, and slowly smash your way up the field. So far that's exactly the same as a fighting team's cage steamroller. However, that cage is the barrel of your cannon, and what fighting teams don't have is a MV 8 cannonball. As soon as a gap presents itself your ball carrying Skink can burst free and make for the line. There's every chance that most of the opposition will either be tied up in a fight or lying on their back, and rarely is there enough opposition to be able to stop a touchdown. Even if there is, there's usually a couple of other Skinks hanging about to form a mini-cage around him even as the race up the pitch.

Advanced Tactics
While Lizardmen are able to rely on their solid running game for every occasion, it's nice to have a few options on the field. It is theoretically possible to play both a fighting game and a passing game with Lizardmen, but both need some lucky skill rolls and considerable deviation from the player's intended role. Passing can be moderately achieveable if one of your Skinks can get a couple of doubles on his skill rolls. Since your forward Skinks will have easy access to catching skills, it's only a matter of getting Pass and maybe Accurate if you're lucky enough to get another double. They still won't be brilliant at the passing game, but the option's there for either a three-Skink run or a shot over their defence.
The fighting game is more difficult, relying on getting one of your Saurii to a stage where they can actually pick up the ball. A fluke roll to up their Agility, coupled with Safe Hands, should give them a fighting chance, and if you can cage the guy in with other Saurii then he'll be hard to shift. The problem with this strategy, and the reason I've never tried it, is that only half your team are involved in it. Your Skinks play no part other than harrying your opponent and getting in the way, which is a waste of their talents.

Progression
This has been discussed previously in the tactics section, bit it's worth paying particular attention to the team as a whole. For a start, your Skinks will be scoring a lot of touchdowns and so be getting a lot of SPPs. This drives up your team value, and so you need to economise on it in other areas. Don't fill your squad with spare Skinks, two subs will be enough for any match. Those Skinks you do have might need to be culled sometimes too. They're cheap enough and SPPs for them are plenty enough for you to be able to be choosy about who you play. If a Skink levels up a few times and hasn't managed to roll a double or get a stat increase, they're not bringing enough to your game. If they've got Side Step, Sure Feet, and Catch, there's no more skills in the Agility set worth them taking without them not being worth the cost in team value. Therefore it's probably worth sacking them (maybe even on their second skill) and buying in a new guy who can quickly get his first few levels up front and have a chance at becoming useful.
Those specialist Skinks who make it will have secondary roles depending on where they sit on the starting formation. The ones at the front need to have Sure Feet, be able to catch, and have extra MV if available. Nerves of Steel is very useful if available for when your catcher has three Dwarfs hanging off him. The ones at the back are as much interceptors as they are runners, so Diving Tackle and any other skills that can stop an opposition runner are useful. As an added bonus, people don't expect to be taken down by a Skink. As mentioned before, if the opportunity arises one of your rear Skinks can be given throwing skills, although they are still of limited use.

I've not put anything in about the Star Player because I've never had cause to use him. Your team rating will be high because of your skillful Skinks, so you're unlikely to get a lot of money for inducements, and what you do get is probably better spent on apothecaries (to keep those fragile Skinks alive), or bribing the ref (so your Saurii can lay the boot in).

Starting Team
This starting lineup gets your Saurii in the game early so they can start earning SPPs from the off. They'll help keep your Skinks alive and keep your defence tight. The Skinks start off pretty good and get SPPs quickly. The high fan factor should see the money come in quickly to pay for the Kroxigor. Only having two rerolls may be a problem until your Saurii start getting Block, but a high Fan Factor should hopefully win a few on kick-offs.

• 6 Saurii
  5 Skinks
  2 Rerolls
  9 Fan Factor

Skill Recommendations
This is the order I would generally try to get my skills in, taken from the normal list and not taking doubles or stat increases into account. After these it isn't as important, so choose whatever feels right.

Saurus - Centre
Block
Guard

Saurus - Flank
Block
Tackle
Shadowing

Skink - Front
Sure Feet
Catch
Side Step
Diving Catch

Skink - Rear
Side Step
Diving Tackle
Sure Feet

Kroxigor
Block
Guard
Pro
Dauntless

Summary
The key to playing a Lizardman team is to look for opportunities. Their strength is in movement, and by keeping the game mobile a chance will always eventually arise for a Skink to make a dash for the touchline. If it's getting bogged down then break some heads with your Saurii and make a gap for your Skinks to steal the ball. Once the little guy is clear with the ball, you've got a good chance of a touchdown. Using these tactics I finished my first single player campaign season as the top ranked team and Blood Bowl winner, having only lost one game.

Quick question, which is more about American Football/Rugby generally as there is one aspect of both of those which completely perplexes me.

As an association football fan, I understand that the best places to kick the ball, in order, are as follows:
1. In the goal
2. To one of your players
3. As far into their half as possible
4. Out of bounds, to give your team time to regroup

It is clear from watching rugger and such, that these rules don't apply - indeed I gasp at how easily they surrender possesion of the ball, presumably in favour of territory gained. So my question is where (and possibly when) should you kick the ball?

In Rugby I think you can kick the ball forwards legally, where you can't pass it forwards. I think you're correct in that it gains you territory, and may well be a tactical thing to ensure the other guy has possession at the end of the half. I'm not too hot on Rugby rules myself though.

In American Football the ball is kicked at the beginning of a play to the opposition. Obviously the further you get it the further they have to go to score. This is the same in Blood Bowl, although there are advanteges to kicking short in BB (i.e. you can get in and brutalise a nearby ball carrier more easily). Like in Rugby, the ball is kicked for a conversion after a touchdown, and it can also be kicked over the bar without a touchdown for a field goal. I've not seen enough American Football to know how often they kick a ball forwards in regular play, but I expect that if they're towards the end of their fourth down with no hope of making their yards it's probably worth booting the ball as far down field as possible.

Dog Pants wrote:but I expect that if they're towards the end of their fourth down with no hope of making their yards it's probably worth booting the ball as far down field as possible.

Surely all that does is surrender the ball to the other side that then gets a turnover and then runs down the remaining time?

Dunno, like I said I'm no expert. I just figured that if you're not going to make your yards in 4th down you're going to lose the ball anyway. Can any of our Americans shed any light here?

This has made me want to watch American Football.

I have no idea about the rules of American Football, and I'm only vaguely familiar with Rugby Football. However, these are my thoughts when it involves Blood Bowl:

Possession depends entirely upon which race you are playing as, and which race you are playing against. For example, you are a Skaven team playing against Dwarves/Dwarfs.

Skaven are very quick and agile, but also very weak. Dwarves are slow but very sturdy. If you hoof the ball away into opposing half, it is very unlikely you'll get it back as Dwarves tend to cage the ball in and advance very slowly. This tactic will only work near the end of a half when it will take the Dwarves too long to get to the scoring area.

Conversely, hoofing into the Skaven as a Dwarf has two possible outcomes. They will either get the ball and slink in between your defences to score; or you will be able to tackle them, thereby gaining possession of the ball in their half, and get a turnover enabling you to play on.

In all honesty, I would say Blood Bowl is more tactically complicated/sophisticated than any of the football schools.

You're probably right. Since real life football of any variety only ever includes human players there are less variables, although the rules of BB are simpler. Either way, it's a hell of a tactical game, and you're absolutely right about the races. Everyone will struggle against Dwarves because they're designed to be a beginner's team, and as such they're tough but uncomplicated. I just finished a game with my Human team against Joose's Dwarves, and by God it was hard. In the end the only way I could scrape an equaliser was by luring most of his team to one side of the pitch then making a crazy throw to the other. It was satisfying to pull off, but bloody risky.