Wallace
Joined: May 26, 2004
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 Posted:
Aug 18, 2005 - 10:36 |
 
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"The abnormal suggestibility of medieval society was most clearly seen in the crusades of children. About 1212, between the fourth and fifth crusades, Stephen, a sheperd boy at Cloyes, in imitation of his elders, began to preach to children of the holy war. Stephen soon became the rage of the day; the shrines were abandoned to listen to his words. He even worked miracles. The appeal of Stephen to the children to save the Holy Sepulchre aroused in the young a longing to join him in the holy pilgrimage.
The crusade epidemic rapidly spread among the little ones. Everywhere there arose children of ten years, and some even as young as eight, who claimed to be prophets sent by Stephen, in the name of God. When the "prophets" had gathered sufficient numbers, they began to march through towns and villages. Like a true epidemic, it spared neither boys nor girls; according to the statements of chroniclers there was a large proportion of little girls in the multitudes of hypnotized children. The king, Philip Augustus, by the advice of the University of Paris, issued an edict commanding the children to return to their homes; but the religious suggestions were stronger than the king's command, and the children continued to assemble unimpeded. Fathers and mothers brought to bear upon the young all the influence they had to check this dangerous migration mania, but of no avail. Persuasions, threats, punishments, were as futile as the king's command. Bolts and bars could not hold the children. If shut up, they broke through doors and windows, and rushed to take their places in the processions which they saw passing by. If the children were forcibly detained so that escape was impossible, they pined away like migratory birds kept in seclusion. In a village near Cologne, Nicholas, a boy of ten, began to play at crusade-preaching. Thousands of children flocked to him from all sides. As in France, all opposition was of no avail. Parents, friends, and pastors sought to restrain them by force or appeal; but the young ones pined so that, as the chroniclers say, their lives were frequently endangered, as by disease, and it was necessary to allow them to depart. Hosts of children assembled in the city of Cologne to start on their pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They were divided into two armies, one under the leadership of Nicholas, the boy-prophet, the other under some unknown leader. The armies of the little crusaders, like Coxey's army of our own times, were soon reduced in numbers by mere lack of food. After many tribulations, the army led by Nicholas, considerably reduced in size, reached Rome, where the pope, Innocent III, succeeded in diverting this stream of little pilgrims back to Germany. Ruined, degraded, and ridiculed, the poor German children reached their homes; and when asked what they in reality wanted, the children, as if aroused from a narcotic state, answered that they did not know. The other German army had a worse fate. After untold sufferings and enormous loss of numbers, they reached Brindisi, where they were treated with extreme cruelty. The boys were seized by the citizens and sold into slavery, and the girls were maltreated and sold into dens of infamy. The French little crusaders met with a similar fate. When, after a long and fatiguing journey, they at last reached Marseilles, two pious merchants voluntarily offered to provide vessels to convey the children to Palestine. Half of the vessels suffered shipwreck, and the rest were directed to the shores of Africa, where the little pilgrims fell into the hands of the Turks and Arabians. The two pious merhants were slave-dealers." (A Study of Mental Epidemics - Boris Sidis, The Century; a popular quarterly, Volume 52, Issue 6, October 1896)
Unbeknownest to history, but fortunatley now knownest to us, some of those children sold into slavery ended up playing Blood Bowl at the bidding of their new masters. Still wilth zealous fury their deeds on the pitch became legendary!
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So this is another new idea for a stunty team "Childrens Crusaders", they are of course lead by a charasmatic leader who shows a holy resistance to injury (edit: changed cost and removed iron man!)
(0-1) Little Prophet 5 2 3 10 stunty,dodge,leader A 80k
They also have a couple of the older stronger lads hold up their rudimentary wooden crosses that the crusaders rally around. These specially picked strapping fellows show no fear and are often seen charging headlong at much stronger opponents brandishing their holy symbol like a weapon
(0-2) Cross Bearers 4336 horns,dauntless,no hands A 70k
The chilldrens crusaders are a brave little lot and are not put off by being surrounded by hordes of their un-holy enemies, believing their faith will protect them. They are still, however, children and adept at playing 'keepies off', a game they refined while squabling over dwindling food during the long march of their ill fated crusade. It is also a surpirsingly usefull skill on the Blood Bowl pitch.
(0-16) Childrens Crusaders 5236 stunty,dodge,nerves of steel, dump off A 60k
Being full of vigour, but not particularly attentive at training, they do tend to make mistakes on the pitch.
Re-Roll cost : 70K (fairly expensive)
Wizards: no (un-holy!)
Apoth: Yes
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Well that's the roster. I'm not too sure on whether the costings are right, but I think the team has a nice quirky historical hook and a new unique play-style. The cross-bearers are there to give some way to handle Big Guys. I'm not sure if 'iron man' can be coded in, but as the client gives it to a player if it comes up in a handicap, it should know what to do if it sees a player with that skill listed. I'll check in a stand alone game though to be sure.
The play style would obviously be a game of 'keepies off' with the crusaders spread around using the NOS and dump-off combo to keep the ball out of the opponents hands. It has clear potential for wacky plays and crazyness in a ball playing, rather than team mangling way.
Obviously the NOS, dump off is a pretty powerfull combo to give to basically the whole team, but they are not particularly quick and with ag3 and expensive players and re-rolls they will still drop a lot of dump off balll, even with NOS. av6 makes them vulnerable given the high cost, with no big guys to hide behind.
This team would be powerfull on offense, but struggle a bit on defensive, however if they do regain the ball on defense they can quikcly spread it out of the way and counter-attack.
So what do you think?
Oh and a quick disclaimer, I mean no offence to anyones beliefs with this team, and hope no one is too offended by the thought of a bunch of enslaved 8 yr olds. But there are far worse things in BB so I hope everyone takes it in the right spirit! |
Last edited by Wallace on %b %18, %2005 - %12:%Aug; edited 1 time in total |
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spelledaren
Joined: Mar 06, 2004
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| Posted:
Aug 18, 2005 - 10:52 |
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NoS I can kinda get, but why give them dump off? Makes no sense? Give the crossbearers either Horns OR dauntless, not both.
And, as ironman isnt a skill normally, why not just go for Thick skull, regen or some of the kind?
And....I don't like it. But that's beside the point I guess.
And - the Childrens' Crusades are debated. That they happened in some form seems likely, but they probably consisted of both children and adults. The exact fate of some crusaders, as in being sold in slavery, is not a fact, more like speculation.
That most died in diseases seems sure anyway. |
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Wallace
Joined: May 26, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 12:43 |
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The NOS and dump off combo is essential to get the 'kids playing keepies off' effect. Without dumpoff this dosn't work. Crossbearers are the only guts this team really has which is why they get dauntless and horns, powerfull combo but the player is weak with av6.
Yeah I had already realised iron man was a mistake, changed it to av10.
I'm not too concerned about the historical accuracy of the childrens crusade, but I like the story regardless of whether it happened the way described or not.
Fair enough if your not a fan, thanks for the feedback anyway. |
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odi
Joined: Aug 02, 2003
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Aug 18, 2005 - 13:58 |
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They sound fun, but I think they'll be ripped apart very, very quickly.
I'd say the little prophet will tie up one BG until he is fouled off the field, cross bearers don't have access to general, that might be fine, but without block, with AV6, they'll just end up hurting themselves when they fail the dauntless roll. NOS & Dump Off, sounds like fun. but stunties making passes... they'll eventually fail anyway.
So what I'm really saying, sounds like fun  |
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sk8bcn
Joined: Apr 13, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 14:17 |
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fun and weak. lower costs too!
Well I say fun, on the gamestyle aspect. Playing a bunch of kids is weird in the overall BB setting. |
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Join NL Raises from the Ashes |
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Vanguard
Joined: Nov 01, 2003
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Aug 18, 2005 - 14:41 |
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why are they unholy ?
i mean they follow gods call |
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Arktoris
Joined: Feb 16, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 15:16 |
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Just last Friday at a restaurant I was over hearing two history professors talk all about the "childrens crusades" at the table next to me. Eerie.
sounds like a nice team, I agree however that giving them dump off is a bit much. Probably lower the rr cost...they work well as a team. |
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Hail to Manowar! The latest charioteer to DIE for bloodbowl! - Slain, by Ghor Oggaz |
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Dreamsplitter
Joined: Dec 01, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 16:47 |
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it seems to me that i say that about almost all (stunty) team suggestions lately... but this team is little more than breakfast for established teams.
the leader is a halfling with some extra durability, you have two blitzers that have a nice combo but won't actually inflict harm and will be taken off the field rather quickly (av 6 without block or dodge?!) and halflings that can dump off for an extra 30k lol. against any official stunty team they'd be sooo dead... |
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Schalburg
Joined: Feb 12, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 17:33 |
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i dont like teh little prophet. Maybe the team could be led by a fanatic flagellant of some kind? I'll try to think up some stats for him. Otherwise a funny idea though i think i liked the old human children team better  |
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Junker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
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Aug 18, 2005 - 17:55 |
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perhaps the linos should get access to passing skills.. might justify the cost |
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Wallace
Joined: May 26, 2004
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Aug 19, 2005 - 01:26 |
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I was thinking about giving them passing skills, though as it stands not many of them will last long enough to earn many skills anyway. By the sounds of the feedback so far the team is too weak and the players too expensive. I was actually worried about making a team that was too powerful and cheap, so it looks like I've gone to far the other way. I'll have a think about how they could be made a little more durable while trying to keep them somewhat unique. Thanks for all your comments! |
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origami
Joined: Oct 14, 2003
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Aug 19, 2005 - 02:40 |
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Sure, it's just a game, but the thought of a bunch of little kiddos getting maimed and killed on the field is a bit too much for me. Bloodbowl is full of violence, but it's obviously tongue in cheek and set in a fantasy world. This team is based on real life people in a real life event that was rather horrible, regardless of whether they were sold into slavery or died of disease.
For me, this team is roughly equivalent to making a stunty team starring the starving inmates of a Nazi concentration camp. Heck, they'd probably even be strength 2 after all of the malnourishment and beatings. |
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Wallace
Joined: May 26, 2004
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Aug 25, 2005 - 16:07 |
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Okay, I had hoped the fluff wouldn't be too offensive, but I guess if one person has an issue, it's unlikely they will be alone (though in fairness I think bringing up the Nazi concentration camp thing was a bit much, I don' really see the link...). With that in mind, how does the following modified fluff that brings them into the fantasy world, rather than history, sound?
"The realms of Chaos are cruel and unpredictale, frequently spewing forth hordes of demented and twisted creatures bent on destruction of the Old World, including the proud lands of the Empire.
During a particularly dire invasion of the foul denizens, legend tells of a fearless band of children, some orphaned by the war, others just full of righteous vigor for the mighty Sima, who set off to defeat the threat themselves. Their numbers swelled as they passed each town, despite the desperate attempts of parents to dissuade the impetuos horde.
The fate of the Childrens Crusade is unknown, though it is rumoured that the tides of Chaos receeded before the children reached their goal and the precession diverted to Mootland, where the young bellies, hungry from the long march, were filled by stocks pilfered from the bulging larders of the Halfling folk!
It is also rumoured that several groups took up Blood Bowl, adept at keeping stolen food of the angry former owners, the Childrens Crusaders were known for their unusual play style, which seemed more like a playground game of keepies of that a game of Blood Bowl!"
My knowledge of the Warhammer fluff is a bit hazy, but hopefully this fits in somewhat. Well TBH it's a bit lame but hopefully the roster can have some merit in any case... Anyway, the important thing is the roster. Based on the feedback given, here is my current incarnation:
(0-1) Little Prophet: 5 2 3 10 dodge,stunty,thick skull, regenerate G A 80 k
(0-4) Cross (sceptar of sigma?) Bearers : 4 3 3 7 block,dauntless,horns,no hands G A 60 k
(0-16) Childrens Crusaders: 5 2 3 6 dodge,stunty,nerves of steel,dump off P A 50k
Apoth: yes
Wizard: yes (Favours from Sigma)
RR: 60K
* Prophet is now a very durable stunty who has G access. This guy would hopefully hang around long enough to develop into a real star and be the leader of the team
* now allowed 4 cross bearers and made them a little more durable. Again G access, but also no hands.
* having the majority of a team with P access is oviously unusual, though it fits the fluff and intended playstyle of this team. Anyone with NOS, dump off, pass, accurate (even strong arm to counter stunty range penalty) is scary, but here potentially a whole team could have such a combo. The huge offensive potential is countered by the lack of durability and any obvious LOS punching bags on this team.
Comments? |
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