Sp00keh
Joined: Dec 06, 2011
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 Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 13:58 |
 
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A reference guide with visual examples to explain the one of the basics in Blood Bowl - the Tackle Zone
Every player who is Standing and not Distracted has Tackle Zones in the 8 squares around them:
They can be touching, and form a contiguous area of Tackle Zone:
And they can also be overlapping. The darker-shaded area shows 2x squares that are marked by both players:
Also note, this overlap means now there's less total squares being marked, 14 instead of 16
The more you cluster up, the less coverage you have across the pitch
This even darker square in the middle is marked by 3 players:
Same image but showing how many Tackle Zones are applied to each square
In other words, how many players are marking each square:
Same image but with the Tackle Zone display off
It's important to still be able to visualise these Tackle Zones (within your heart)
So, Tackle Zones are relevant for Marking, which affects blocking assists (not discussed here) and also for moving and dodging
| The moving and dodging rules wrote: | When the active player wishes to move out of a square in which they are being Marked, they will need to Dodge. A player must make a Dodge Roll each time they wish to leave a square in which they are Marked.
When a player wishes to Dodge, move the player into the square they wish to move into. Next, make an Agility Test for the model that is attempting to Dodge, applying a -1 modifier for each opposition player that is Marking the square they are moving into. If the Agility Test is passed, they will stay on their feet and may continue their movement, even Dodging again if they wish. If the test is failed, the player immediately Falls Over. |
This red elf is not currently Marked so can move INTO the blue human player's Tackle Zones freely
However, once in the Tackle Zone they're now Marked, so to move OUT again (the yellow arrow), it requires a Dodge roll
This is a unmodified 2+ for this player, because they're not moving INTO any Tackle Zones
If the elf wants to move INTO another Tackle Zone but is already marked (the red arrow) then the dodge is modified by the number of Tackle Zones they're moving INTO, which is 1, so it becomes a 3+ roll
A few more examples
Moving through this screen requires 3+ 3+ 2+ dodges
With no rerolls the chance of success is 37%
Moving through this double screen requires 3+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 2+
So it's significantly harder, chance of success drops to 12.3%
The 4+ roll happens when moving into 2x Tackle Zones, in the shaded dark middle squares
Moving through this off-set screen is easy, the elf can freely move into the corner square, and then a simple unmodified 2+ Dodge out the other side
Same for this example
The important thing here is it doesn't matter how many Tackle Zones the elf moves OUT of, the dodge modifier is based on how many they move INTO
So although the elf first moves into 2x Tackle Zones, the dodge OUT isn't modified by those
What about this even more off-set screen?
Trick question, it's not a screen at all. Can freely move through without any dodges
Lets add some Skills. The elf now has Dodge and one human has Tackle
| The Dodge skill rules wrote: | | Once per Turn, this player may re-roll a single Agility Test when attempting to Dodge |
| The Tackle skill rules wrote: | | When an opposition player attempts to Dodge away from a square in this player's Tackle Zone, they cannot use the Dodge Skill. |
The Dodge skill gives a reroll to any dodge roll attempts
Tackle cancels the Dodge skill, but only when you're Marked by the Tackle player
So, moving INTO the Tackle player's Tackle Zones, the elf can use Dodge because they weren't already Marked by the Tackle player
But moving OUT of (or across) the Tackle player's Tackle Zones, the elf can not use Dodge, because they were Marked by the Tackle player
Final thing, some common defensive setups / screen formations for visual comparison
Each of these has its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of:
- How many players it requires
- How far across the pitch it covers
- How easy it is to dodge through
- How easy it is to blitz through
  
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Last edited by Sp00keh on Apr 11, 2026; edited 4 times in total |
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BeanBelly
Joined: Nov 14, 2019
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| Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 14:05 |
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Really good and clear, nice! Also I like how it shows some different screens, then makes the reader think and make their own mind up what is the optimal choice. |
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Painting myself into a corner |
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BeanBelly
Joined: Nov 14, 2019
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Apr 11, 2026 - 14:06 |
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PS the 2Head Gutter Runner just goes right past you on 2+ 2+ 2+ anyhow.. not that I'm in any way bitter about my match just now ^^ |
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Painting myself into a corner |
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RDaneel
Joined: Feb 24, 2023
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 Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 14:17 |
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+1
should be added here
https://fumbbl.com/help: |
_________________
To judge a man, one must at least know the secret of his thoughts, his misfortunes, his emotions, Balzac |
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JackassRampant
Joined: Feb 26, 2011
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| Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 17:03 |
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This! Nice and concise, thank you! Noobs will be able to make great use of it. |
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Lude enixe, obliviscatur timor. |
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Sp00keh
Joined: Dec 06, 2011
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| Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 17:31 |
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Vicen
Joined: Jan 05, 2023
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| Posted:
Apr 11, 2026 - 17:58 |
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Great tutorial Spookeh !
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Against stunty players (skinks for exemple), it's better to expand the tackle zone than to stack them. But you still have to keep in mind that the opponent may blitz one of your guy. |
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zambakhan
Joined: Mar 03, 2023
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| Posted:
Apr 14, 2026 - 12:25 |
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This is incredible helpful!
Thank you for sharing |
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Karak Norn Wargaming Club (Zürich, Est.2003)
6th Ed Reports, Rules & Tactics karaknornwargaming.blogspot.com
WHFB 6th Ed. Army List Builder github.com/lexicanum-imperialis
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WHFB-6th|40k-3.5|BB-LRB6 (Icepelt)|Specialist games|WHQ-'95|DUN|D&D-3.5 |
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Araznaroth
Joined: Oct 08, 2008
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| Posted:
Apr 14, 2026 - 19:22 |
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Nice clear article. Titchy players laugh at tackle zone's though!! |
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ph0enyx13
Joined: Nov 14, 2015
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| Posted:
Apr 14, 2026 - 23:51 |
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| Sp00keh wrote: |
It's important to still be able to visualise these Tackle Zones (within your heart)
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idk if this was intentional, but I found this phrase pretty funny  , especially since your page says you are british so I can't blame the phrasing on a translation thing
Is there any reason to go with https://fumbbl.com/i/771188 vs https://fumbbl.com/i/771187 other than the fact the second/offset one covers an extra column? |
Last edited by ph0enyx13 on Apr 15, 2026; edited 1 time in total |
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spelledaren
Joined: Mar 06, 2004
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Apr 15, 2026 - 00:06 |
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Excellent. |
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FUMBBL! |
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Sp00keh
Joined: Dec 06, 2011
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| Posted:
Apr 15, 2026 - 09:58 |
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| ph0enyx13 wrote: | | Sp00keh wrote: |
It's important to still be able to visualise these Tackle Zones (within your heart)
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idk if this was intentional, but I found this phrase pretty funny , especially since your page says you are british so I can't blame the phrasing on a translation thing
Is there any reason to go with https://fumbbl.com/i/771188 vs https://fumbbl.com/i/771187 other than the fact the second/offset one covers an extra column? |
Yea I was thinking of that Heart of the Cards thing from yugioh but really what I mean is, just being able to visualise the tacklezones around players, especially when it's a bit overlapping and complex. being able to just 'see' them will make your gameplay better
I should have said 'within your mind's eye', but heart felt funnier
It's why I show the image with all the tacklezones numbered and explained, and then the same image with it all switched off, I want people to try and still visualise where the tacklezones are
You can switch the display on with User Settings > Game Play > Tacklezones, although I find it a bit too strong so have chosen pale colours in User Settings > Client Graphics > Colours
First image I'd call 'columns' and the second one is 'offset columns', effectively it's like the chevrons setup
And yea it just covers more space, although is slightly weaker at the edges, easier to get assists on and is more vulnerable to fouls. The weakness can be mitigated if you have a sidestepper or standfirm or high strength or something to anchor it |
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sorry BPCalgary
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