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Scribbl 07 Finished
Issue 7, Autumn 2603
From The Desk Of The Editor
So what's been going on?
Well, this is issue 8 of Scribbl (7 in continuity) and I'd like to thank everyone for reading and supporting us over the past issues, both with kind words or articles. All of us involved in creating the Scribbl love making it and do it because we love telling silly stories, we love stats, we love crunch and we love CIBBL. And it's a whole lot easier to love when it's filled with awesome coaches and (mostly) cruelty free admins. So a big /cheer for you all.
Another good thing about writing this as myself is that I can more easily give credit where it's due. So here goes.
Title - Fanky
This page - Fanky made the futurtronix 3000 graphics, text by me
Shooting Star Watch (both pages) - This magnum opus is by Nabster with images by neubau
Focus On - Arcayn with me as Bradrid
Tactics - neubau
Head2Head - me
Ka Sabar Profile - AutoAxpert
Snake Fashion - det
Nun The Wiser - sweep12121
Nisadei Memorial - MachJacob in addition to the coaches of the teams who signed the memorial book.
Smack Talk - Arcayn
Faces of Death aka Quilt O' Death - Rbthma
These guys, in addition to Datom, Stowelly and Wallenstein, are the backbone of this zine. I just flit around making things look pretty and taking the credit :D
Get Involved
Idea for an article? Contact me
Question for Nun the Wiser? Contact sweep12121
Questions about tactics or suggestions for tactical discussions? Contact neubau
Got some smack talk about your upcoming fixture/rivals? Contact me
Together, we make it better for all of us
Other News
I'm excited to tell you that the CIBBL graveyard has been updated. This plot holds the bodies of all 672 (at the moment) bodies who have died in CIBBL. Updated by me once a day, you can check it out here.
It is with regret that we learned about Grin, Laskas and Dorfeus taking a break from CIBBL. Grin is one of the original fightin' 12 who started the league in the inaugural season with his Secret Cult Of Shiamoto Northern Nippon team. Sail safe chaps, we'll keep a light burning in the window.
At time of writing, round 4 deadline is tomorrow; round 5 on the 18th and round 6 on the 28th.
Don't forget to copy datom and burnalot into your scheduling PMs.
Rumours are rife about a new youngblood division starting soon. The whispers in the wind are either due to the curry I had last night, or are fate telling me that new Goblin, Ka-Sabar, Clan Moulder and Undead are burning to play. Watch this space. Literally. Right here.
Just One More Thing...
Shooting Star Watch
It wasn’t that we ran out of time before the deadline, these stars were so amazing we needed two issues just to fit them all! It’s the Star Watch!
As Autumn hurtles onwards buoyed by the rocket fuel that is the CIBBL, the rate of stars has slowed down (now that I’ve actually caught up) but the quality of these Super Stars has not. This issue of the Star Watch is almost all Super Stars, specifically the Super Stars you didn't get back in Issue 6! So buckle those pants real tight we are about to count down everything you missed.
All of the Star Watch has need of a vaguely connecting theme, this week’s theme is Development. Because most of the players featured here are on long standing teams with a bunch of Star players already.
[ed's note: normal text = abilities the player joined the team with; italic text = abilities learned in training camps; underlined text = uncommon abilities for that player position/increases in core fundamentals; bold text = the new ability that qualified them for this column]
As Autumn hurtles onwards buoyed by the rocket fuel that is the CIBBL, the rate of stars has slowed down (now that I’ve actually caught up) but the quality of these Super Stars has not. This issue of the Star Watch is almost all Super Stars, specifically the Super Stars you didn't get back in Issue 6! So buckle those pants real tight we are about to count down everything you missed.
All of the Star Watch has need of a vaguely connecting theme, this week’s theme is Development. Because most of the players featured here are on long standing teams with a bunch of Star players already.
[ed's note: normal text = abilities the player joined the team with; italic text = abilities learned in training camps; underlined text = uncommon abilities for that player position/increases in core fundamentals; bold text = the new ability that qualified them for this column]
Emerging Star to Star
Samus Foulreaper, Plague Bearer, Nurgle’s Plaguebearers
5439 - Thick Skull, Disturbing Presence, Foul Appearance, Nurgle's Rot, Regeneration, +AG, Block, Sure Hands, Fend
On average Daemon of Nurgle teams tend to struggle with winning games, low MA and AG 2 across the board tends to make your ball handling options very limited and ball handling is your primary way of winning the game. So the fact that the Nurgle’s Plaguebearers are on one hell of a hot streak right now is down to two factors, the continued development of it’s ST4 Backline, and the existence of the one player on the entire team with +AG. Yes the Plaguebearers only have 18 TDs but half of those belong to Samus Foulreaper, and this has been enough to carry them through to a respectable record.
5439 - Thick Skull, Disturbing Presence, Foul Appearance, Nurgle's Rot, Regeneration, +AG, Block, Sure Hands, Fend
On average Daemon of Nurgle teams tend to struggle with winning games, low MA and AG 2 across the board tends to make your ball handling options very limited and ball handling is your primary way of winning the game. So the fact that the Nurgle’s Plaguebearers are on one hell of a hot streak right now is down to two factors, the continued development of it’s ST4 Backline, and the existence of the one player on the entire team with +AG. Yes the Plaguebearers only have 18 TDs but half of those belong to Samus Foulreaper, and this has been enough to carry them through to a respectable record.
Lonlaithlion, Catcher, Tor Anroc Anglers
6358 - Catch, Sprint, Guard, Block, Dodge, +AG
The Tor Anroc Anglers, whether you love them or you hate them, you can’t turn your nose up at the sheer quality of players these Sea Elves output on a regular occasion. The amount of things AG3 to AG4 suddenly opens up to you is a lot, but when it’s AG4 to AG5, the sky's the limit, so many things become safer for you and the ability for your opponent to contain you becomes much more difficult. Lonlaithlion joins the rapidly rising stars of the Anglers, and he is not the only one to emerge this season, nor will he be the last one by any means.
6358 - Catch, Sprint, Guard, Block, Dodge, +AG
The Tor Anroc Anglers, whether you love them or you hate them, you can’t turn your nose up at the sheer quality of players these Sea Elves output on a regular occasion. The amount of things AG3 to AG4 suddenly opens up to you is a lot, but when it’s AG4 to AG5, the sky's the limit, so many things become safer for you and the ability for your opponent to contain you becomes much more difficult. Lonlaithlion joins the rapidly rising stars of the Anglers, and he is not the only one to emerge this season, nor will he be the last one by any means.
Star to Super Star
Ibhib Nightbreaker, Black Ark Corsair, Sartosa Black Flags
9347 - Animosity, Dodge, Block, Sure Hands, +MA, +MA
You know what’s great? MA9, it’s a level of speed only enjoyed normally by Gutter Runners and a player with MA9 is a threat to almost every single square on one half of the pitch just from existing. Such players are useful, such players are more likely than not going to be the ones going for the TDs frequently, and so it’s most certainly not a surprise that the highest TD scorer on the Sartosa Black Flags who already had +MA from his last level and has now gained +MA again is going to continue his career of TDs after TDs after TDs. Unless someone hits him really hard.
9347 - Animosity, Dodge, Block, Sure Hands, +MA, +MA
You know what’s great? MA9, it’s a level of speed only enjoyed normally by Gutter Runners and a player with MA9 is a threat to almost every single square on one half of the pitch just from existing. Such players are useful, such players are more likely than not going to be the ones going for the TDs frequently, and so it’s most certainly not a surprise that the highest TD scorer on the Sartosa Black Flags who already had +MA from his last level and has now gained +MA again is going to continue his career of TDs after TDs after TDs. Unless someone hits him really hard.
Ronin Four Finger Death Punch, Samurai, Secret Cult of Shiamoto
7338 - Block, Tackle, Dodge, Mighty Blow, Side Step, Guard
Like many bash centric teams that have been in the long run, the development of the Cult has been centered almost entirely on the few hitting positionals that have managed to survive close contact with the enemy for 39 games straight. And that performance both from individual games and the team overall could have have been obtained without the menagerie of skills and stats available on the Ronin, such as FFDP the Blodge Side Step Samurai the one player on the entire team with any Agility skills, now with Guard.
7338 - Block, Tackle, Dodge, Mighty Blow, Side Step, Guard
Like many bash centric teams that have been in the long run, the development of the Cult has been centered almost entirely on the few hitting positionals that have managed to survive close contact with the enemy for 39 games straight. And that performance both from individual games and the team overall could have have been obtained without the menagerie of skills and stats available on the Ronin, such as FFDP the Blodge Side Step Samurai the one player on the entire team with any Agility skills, now with Guard.
Landolf “Pickpockter” Thacocroft, Blitzer, Reik River Kicking Mules
7338 - Block, Mighty Blow, Guard, Tackle, Dodge, Side Step
Last season, I commented on how of all the teams in the League the Mules had more Star players and above on it’s roster than any other team in the league at Six 51+ SPP players and as Autumn has gone on that situation has not changed. If anything the assorted Half-Elves that make up the squad have only gotten better and better, and although Landolf is maybe not as overly flashy as his teammates with +AG stats and shiney Double skill rolls, he still pulls his weight with the rest of his 3 brothers to make up a solid backline for the Mules.
7338 - Block, Mighty Blow, Guard, Tackle, Dodge, Side Step
Last season, I commented on how of all the teams in the League the Mules had more Star players and above on it’s roster than any other team in the league at Six 51+ SPP players and as Autumn has gone on that situation has not changed. If anything the assorted Half-Elves that make up the squad have only gotten better and better, and although Landolf is maybe not as overly flashy as his teammates with +AG stats and shiney Double skill rolls, he still pulls his weight with the rest of his 3 brothers to make up a solid backline for the Mules.
Chola, Kalite, Bhubaneswar Rampage
7337 - Extra Arms, Dodge, Sure Hands, Block, Fend, Side Step
No not Raja Raja Chola this is a different Chola entirely, she actually gets a hand on the ball for one thing. A great deal more than everyone else on her team in fact with more than twice the next highest TDs and 450+ Rush Yards at the time of writing, and with just the basic skill access available to her has become a very dangerous player to face up against.
7337 - Extra Arms, Dodge, Sure Hands, Block, Fend, Side Step
No not Raja Raja Chola this is a different Chola entirely, she actually gets a hand on the ball for one thing. A great deal more than everyone else on her team in fact with more than twice the next highest TDs and 450+ Rush Yards at the time of writing, and with just the basic skill access available to her has become a very dangerous player to face up against.
Vol’arth the Brazen, Tzaangor, Coven of the Mirrored Hall
6338 - Big Hand, Extra Arms, Horns, Accurate, Dodge, Block, Two Heads, Pass
Speaking of dangerous efficient ball handlers, the thing about Mutation access is that it gives you access to a set of skills that can turn what is a fairly unimpressive statline into something much greater than itself, in specific circumstances. The double barrel combination of Extra Arms and Two Heads can give an AG3 player essentially AG4, so imagine this player is AG4, with the ability to pass the ball as good as an AG4 player as well thanks to accurate. And this boy right here has a trick even AG4 players can’t do reliably, picking up the ball in multiple tackle zones like he was picking up groceries thanks to Big Hand.
6338 - Big Hand, Extra Arms, Horns, Accurate, Dodge, Block, Two Heads, Pass
Speaking of dangerous efficient ball handlers, the thing about Mutation access is that it gives you access to a set of skills that can turn what is a fairly unimpressive statline into something much greater than itself, in specific circumstances. The double barrel combination of Extra Arms and Two Heads can give an AG3 player essentially AG4, so imagine this player is AG4, with the ability to pass the ball as good as an AG4 player as well thanks to accurate. And this boy right here has a trick even AG4 players can’t do reliably, picking up the ball in multiple tackle zones like he was picking up groceries thanks to Big Hand.
Spotlight On... Strigos Elită
Race: Strigoi
Active Since: Autumn, Year 1
Games Played: 34
Record: 11/5/18
Best Win: 3 – 1 vs Norscan Pirates (Undead Pirates)
Worst Loss: 0 - 4 vs Coeth-Mara Warhawks (Wood Elf)
Highest TV: 1,700k, at present
Team Colour(s): Dark Grey and Light Grey
Stadium: New Strigos Stadium, aka The Blood Pit.
Team song: Raining Blood by Slayer
Most popular snack: Blood Pudding and a Bloody Mary to drink. They sell both in a "Pure" and a "Faux" version.
Fans: Known as the Blood Frenzy
Team Interview
Interview by Bradrid Largegranite
“I don’t get paid enough for this,” muttered Bradrid, as she carefully picked her way over the treacherous terrain. “Still, it’s hard to believe this team inspires such dedication from their fans that they willingly trape this path for every home game. Eurgh, what did I just tread in?”
It was tough going for a dwarf, but still she persisted, glad she had set off with most of the day ahead of her. This path would be more dangerous at night.
Eventually the path widened out and New Strigos came into view, the name given to the small settlement which has formed in the shadow of the Elită Stadium. This collection of ramshackle hovels was mostly home to stadium workers and suchlike.
Due to King Carol I making the choice to situate the stadium in the middle of a cemetary, you cannot escape the grasp of history. Even though the stadium is only two years old, it feels entwined with the landscape, it feels old, despite being relatively young.
Bradrid nervously entered the ground, looking around hopefully for a friendly greeting party. However none are to be found. The few people around carry about their business, ignoring her. She walks up to the nearest person, a middle aged woman tending one of the graves.
BL: “Excuse me, I’m here to meet…”
“Ms Largegranite?” A pale, diminutive man was hurrying towards her. “I do hope this lady wasn’t bothering you, please come this way. We’re all very excited to have you.”
BL: “Thank you sir, and your name is?”
“Oh my name doesn’t matter Ms. Only one name matters around here.”
BL: “Of course, King Carol I. Will it be him whom I will be meeting?”
“All in good time Ms, now if you’d care to follow me”.
The man led Bradrid into the stadium through a side entrance and they descended down several flights of steps. The man gestured for her to enter a sideroom, and promptly walked off without uttering a word.
How strange, thought Bradrid. She knocked on the door, and receiving no answer, tentatively pushed it open. It was a medium sized room, illuminated by several candles whose light pierced the gloom but didn’t quite dispel it completely.
Standing in the centre of the room, behind a dark wood table was a man who appeared to be neither undead nor enthralled. He extended his hand, warm to the touch, slightly clammy.
“Can I interest you in a stein of Mead, Ms Largegranite?”
BL: “Why yes, thank you Mr…?”
“My name is not important, my role however is the Coach of the Elită.”
BL: “But, I thought that King Carol was responsible for all training and coaching practices?”
“Well, I believe originally The King believed he could handle those duties, but as history has shown us He can definitely play the game himself, but the success of the team as a whole has been lacking. So recently, more specifically after the loss to those peasants from the Borderlands to start the Autumn season, I was hired to team fundamentals and tactics to the players. And to teach them how to fill their role and play as a team for the good of the team. The King is the team Captain and the one to lead on the pitch. But it will be my game plan that is instituted and my game time decisions that will right the ship and show The King that this silly Curse He believes in is not real.”
BL: “Ok, so many questions.” Bradrid is frantically jotting down notes in her notebook. “Before we get to this curse, and believe me, we’ll get there, what can you tell me about yourself? Who are you, where are you from and most importantly, what make you qualified to coach such an established team?”
“Again, Miss, my name is unimportant. There is only one name around here that really matters and that is the name of Strigos. Blood Bowl is a team sport. It's not about the individuals, but about the group as a whole. I have studied my entire life for an opportunity such as this. Philosophy, battlefield tactics, strategic warfare, leadership, as well as the game of bloodbowl itself. I have studied the work of the Tower as well as that of the Anglers. Does that qualify me? I'm not sure, but obviously The King thinks so.”
BL: “Yes, there are many parallels in tactics between warfare and bloodbowl. Especially with the way the Elită play. Obviously the King places great trust in you by appointing you to this position, are you nervous about the upcoming seasons? I gather you’ve only been in the position for a short time, how will you, and the King, judge your success?”
“Why don't you ask him yourself?” The coach responds as he nods toward Bradrid, obviously looking behind her. As she starts to stand to turn to see what the coach is gesturing toward she feels a large hand, with sharp claws placed upon her shoulder. A deep voice, in a whispered tone speaks.
KC: “Stay seated my dear. No need to stand for royalty, when you are my guest here. But to answer your question,” he pauses. Seems to think for a few seconds before responding, “Improvement. Continued improvement.”
BL: Your highness, thank you for your time. I realise you are very busy.” Bradrid stands slightly in awe, Carol has a presence, an aura, about him. You cannot help… be… struck those eyes it’s like he can see right into me and knows what I am thinking can see my future all of our future…
A slight noise is heard in the room as the coach shifts his weight from one foot to the other and Bradrid jolts back to reality
BL: “Your highness, thank you for your time. I realise you are very busy. I was speaking to your coach here about his role within the team, I’m not aware how much you heard. You mention that improvement is the goal by which you will judge his performance. It is clear to all sports fans that this is a standard to which you hold yourself, nobody can deny your performance on the field. However, sometimes it feels that your team doesn’t live up to your standards, no joke intended your highness. Will you be holding your team to the same high standards that we can expect from the coach?”
KC: “Everyone. From my family members that are on the team, to the harem, to the peasants. Everyone will be held to a higher standard. I can’t hold them to the exact same standard that I set for myself. No one can be expected to reach the god-like level of play that I have. But the bar has been raised. This season shall be one of transition as everyone learns their role on the team and learns how to best perform as such. In the coach’s short time with us, there has already been marked improvement. A couple of the ladies have learned how to step to the side when being blocked instead of being shoved around. And Dumitru, one of our peasant meat shields has been taught the art of “The Boot!”
BL: “Are you optimistic about the future for the team? It’s undeniable that you’ve had some great players on the team in the past, thinking of Ms. Jagiellon, the Burggraf of Nuremberg to name a couple, but the team has never really achieved its full potential. Maybe you could speak about how you feel this current crop compares to some of your past stars?”
Carol I seems to drift off mentally for a moment, staring into space. He smiles and responds, KC: “Ahhh. Anna… How I miss her. She is irreplaceable….” And then he mumbles something else that is mostly incoherent.
The coach speaks up, “We have some work to do. Other than the King here, I’d say we have no stars. I’ve heard talk of Anna, and the Burggraf, as well as Prince Michael I, the King’s son who was proudly following in his father’s footsteps before those wretched Zoat stole his life. Those were great players. Right now we have a few role players and some eager individuals wanting to learn. So if they work hard, and we get a few Blessings from Nuffle, we could be competing very soon. Since I started working with the team, we are 1/1/0. I believe we are headed in the right direction. Wouldn’t you agree King?.... KING!?”
KC: Wha… huh…
“The Elită are headed in the right direction. Don’t you agree?”
KC: “Oh, yes. Very much so. But two matches without a loss, a curse does not break. Wouldn’t you agree, Ms?”
BL: “Me? Erm yes I would agree. But it’s certainly a start and moving in the right direction. Your highness, if I may and while I still have time, I have a few questions I wish you about your early life and how you got started playing blood bowl. Is this the first team you have played for?”
KC: “For as long as I can remember I have played the game. But when you’ve lived as long as I have, you tend to lose most memories of long ago. We played in caverns and in secluded fields at night while we were planning our return. But on a real team? No my dear, you see, we were hunted, by our brothers, as well as by mortals. They all fear the Power of the Strigoi. And what is the easiest way to deal with fear? To attempt to remove it, if possible. So my opportunity to play professionally was, you could say, hindered a bit. But now with the rebirth of New Strigos and this wonderful league of CIBBL, I have an outlet to play the game I love.”
BL: Do you enjoy being feared? You have quite the reputation, yet you mention how it has hindered your blood bowl career.”
KC: “Fear is a powerful thing. To be able to be the one to provoke it, is intoxicating at times. 44 Casualties caused in just 33 matches? That can be scary. 44 Casualties in 331 Blocks. That is just over every 8 blocks I perform, someone is leaving the pitch. Wanna play?” The King winks and smiles at Bradrid.
BL: I’m glad to see you in a good mood your highness, but I fear my next question may change your complexion. I need to ask you about your rivalry with the Sheikh, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan, super star of the Nejaz Djinn. Rumours are that you two have a pretty intense rivalry, care to comment and have you actually met on the field?
The King looks a bit puzzled. He looks to the coach and shrugs.
“The Suqr…”
You can then see a moment of realization on Carol’s face. KC: “Ohhhh… THAT guy.” The King lets out a hearty laugh. “It’s not really a rivalry, I do not believe. I am a Blood Bowl Player. He is a Diva. I play the game in its entirety. He hides behind his men and plays with his balls. I do not follow him. But for the sake of this interview, I did a little research, because I knew there would be such questions. He makes an average of just over 6.5 blocks per game. I am over 10 blocks per game. Granted he is CIBBL’s all time TD leader, and 3rd in Rush yards. Nice accomplishment. But I am the All-Time Casualty leader, 2nd in Blocks. He leads TDs by 8, I lead Casualties by 15. The fans love me. I lead CIBBL in MVPs awarded. Ten times the fans have named me Most Valuable.. He has a measly 3. That alone speaks volumes. Oh and did I mention that all of this has transposed while he has received TWO blessings of Nuffle. I’ve done it all through hard work. There is NO comparison.”
“As for if we have met on the field… I have offered, challenged, threatened, done everything I can think of and he continues to dodge me. So maybe you convince him otherwise.”
BL: I’ll certainly try my best. He had agreed to an interview for the Scribbl but despite multiple letters sent to him asking him to name a time and place, he does not respond. Still, I am sure he has his reasons.
Changing topic slightly, and I meant to mention this earlier we were discussing your change of tactics, keen eyed viewers have noticed an increase in the number of ghouls you have been fielding. I’m sure this is a well thought out, tactical decision, care to comment?
KC: “We petitioned CIBBL for action. As a team we were being held down by their rules. They limited us to just 6 ghouls on the roster at any time. No other team of First Children are limited in the amount of thralls they can have on the roster. So now they have decided that we can have half as many as everyone else. It’s better than it was, and I’ll take my blessings as they are given. Thank you CIBBL Representatives.”
BL: Well your highness, I’d like to thank you for being so gracious with your time today. Before I ask you if you have any finals words for our readers, I was wondering what moments stick in your mind as the crowning achievements of the team so far. A particular play in a game, or a hard fought victory?
KC: “I can not think of a single moment or single game, but there are 2 things that I am most proud of with this team. First, is our play vs the Blood Dragons. In 3 matches vs the Blood Dragons, we have never lost. We are 2/1/0 against them. Second, is the stretch of games that ended with the curse being placed upon us. From mid-Spring through Summer and into mid-Autumn of Season 2, we went 7/2/1. We finished 2nd in the Summer Tournament that year. Times were good.”
BL: “What ended the good times, King. Was that about the time when you lost your son?”
KC: “No, had nothing to do with Michael’s death. It had to do with the Curse. The night before our match versus the Undead Pirates, I had a vision. In this vision, a demon came to me and told me that if we won that match the following day, our future victories would be few and far between. Usually, I may heed such a warning, but at that time we were doing so well that I thought there was no chance of such a thing happening. When we defeated the Norscan Curse we were on a current run of 7/2/1. Since that victory, before our new coach arrived we were 2/1/10. The Curse is real. And the coach is here to help us break it.”
BL: I'm sure I speak for all of our readers when I say we wish you all the best for breaking that curse. Any final words before we bring this to a close?
KC: “I would just like to thank the fans for all the support over the past few years. I’d like to thank CIBBL for giving us the opportunity to play this wonderful game. And thank you for taking the time to sit down with us. And to remind CIBBL and everyone else, if you don’t lust for blood, you aren’t truly a First Child.”
Interview by Bradrid Largegranite
“I don’t get paid enough for this,” muttered Bradrid, as she carefully picked her way over the treacherous terrain. “Still, it’s hard to believe this team inspires such dedication from their fans that they willingly trape this path for every home game. Eurgh, what did I just tread in?”
It was tough going for a dwarf, but still she persisted, glad she had set off with most of the day ahead of her. This path would be more dangerous at night.
Eventually the path widened out and New Strigos came into view, the name given to the small settlement which has formed in the shadow of the Elită Stadium. This collection of ramshackle hovels was mostly home to stadium workers and suchlike.
Due to King Carol I making the choice to situate the stadium in the middle of a cemetary, you cannot escape the grasp of history. Even though the stadium is only two years old, it feels entwined with the landscape, it feels old, despite being relatively young.
Bradrid nervously entered the ground, looking around hopefully for a friendly greeting party. However none are to be found. The few people around carry about their business, ignoring her. She walks up to the nearest person, a middle aged woman tending one of the graves.
BL: “Excuse me, I’m here to meet…”
“Ms Largegranite?” A pale, diminutive man was hurrying towards her. “I do hope this lady wasn’t bothering you, please come this way. We’re all very excited to have you.”
BL: “Thank you sir, and your name is?”
“Oh my name doesn’t matter Ms. Only one name matters around here.”
BL: “Of course, King Carol I. Will it be him whom I will be meeting?”
“All in good time Ms, now if you’d care to follow me”.
The man led Bradrid into the stadium through a side entrance and they descended down several flights of steps. The man gestured for her to enter a sideroom, and promptly walked off without uttering a word.
How strange, thought Bradrid. She knocked on the door, and receiving no answer, tentatively pushed it open. It was a medium sized room, illuminated by several candles whose light pierced the gloom but didn’t quite dispel it completely.
Standing in the centre of the room, behind a dark wood table was a man who appeared to be neither undead nor enthralled. He extended his hand, warm to the touch, slightly clammy.
“Can I interest you in a stein of Mead, Ms Largegranite?”
BL: “Why yes, thank you Mr…?”
“My name is not important, my role however is the Coach of the Elită.”
BL: “But, I thought that King Carol was responsible for all training and coaching practices?”
“Well, I believe originally The King believed he could handle those duties, but as history has shown us He can definitely play the game himself, but the success of the team as a whole has been lacking. So recently, more specifically after the loss to those peasants from the Borderlands to start the Autumn season, I was hired to team fundamentals and tactics to the players. And to teach them how to fill their role and play as a team for the good of the team. The King is the team Captain and the one to lead on the pitch. But it will be my game plan that is instituted and my game time decisions that will right the ship and show The King that this silly Curse He believes in is not real.”
BL: “Ok, so many questions.” Bradrid is frantically jotting down notes in her notebook. “Before we get to this curse, and believe me, we’ll get there, what can you tell me about yourself? Who are you, where are you from and most importantly, what make you qualified to coach such an established team?”
“Again, Miss, my name is unimportant. There is only one name around here that really matters and that is the name of Strigos. Blood Bowl is a team sport. It's not about the individuals, but about the group as a whole. I have studied my entire life for an opportunity such as this. Philosophy, battlefield tactics, strategic warfare, leadership, as well as the game of bloodbowl itself. I have studied the work of the Tower as well as that of the Anglers. Does that qualify me? I'm not sure, but obviously The King thinks so.”
BL: “Yes, there are many parallels in tactics between warfare and bloodbowl. Especially with the way the Elită play. Obviously the King places great trust in you by appointing you to this position, are you nervous about the upcoming seasons? I gather you’ve only been in the position for a short time, how will you, and the King, judge your success?”
“Why don't you ask him yourself?” The coach responds as he nods toward Bradrid, obviously looking behind her. As she starts to stand to turn to see what the coach is gesturing toward she feels a large hand, with sharp claws placed upon her shoulder. A deep voice, in a whispered tone speaks.
KC: “Stay seated my dear. No need to stand for royalty, when you are my guest here. But to answer your question,” he pauses. Seems to think for a few seconds before responding, “Improvement. Continued improvement.”
BL: Your highness, thank you for your time. I realise you are very busy.” Bradrid stands slightly in awe, Carol has a presence, an aura, about him. You cannot help… be… struck those eyes it’s like he can see right into me and knows what I am thinking can see my future all of our future…
A slight noise is heard in the room as the coach shifts his weight from one foot to the other and Bradrid jolts back to reality
BL: “Your highness, thank you for your time. I realise you are very busy. I was speaking to your coach here about his role within the team, I’m not aware how much you heard. You mention that improvement is the goal by which you will judge his performance. It is clear to all sports fans that this is a standard to which you hold yourself, nobody can deny your performance on the field. However, sometimes it feels that your team doesn’t live up to your standards, no joke intended your highness. Will you be holding your team to the same high standards that we can expect from the coach?”
KC: “Everyone. From my family members that are on the team, to the harem, to the peasants. Everyone will be held to a higher standard. I can’t hold them to the exact same standard that I set for myself. No one can be expected to reach the god-like level of play that I have. But the bar has been raised. This season shall be one of transition as everyone learns their role on the team and learns how to best perform as such. In the coach’s short time with us, there has already been marked improvement. A couple of the ladies have learned how to step to the side when being blocked instead of being shoved around. And Dumitru, one of our peasant meat shields has been taught the art of “The Boot!”
BL: “Are you optimistic about the future for the team? It’s undeniable that you’ve had some great players on the team in the past, thinking of Ms. Jagiellon, the Burggraf of Nuremberg to name a couple, but the team has never really achieved its full potential. Maybe you could speak about how you feel this current crop compares to some of your past stars?”
Carol I seems to drift off mentally for a moment, staring into space. He smiles and responds, KC: “Ahhh. Anna… How I miss her. She is irreplaceable….” And then he mumbles something else that is mostly incoherent.
The coach speaks up, “We have some work to do. Other than the King here, I’d say we have no stars. I’ve heard talk of Anna, and the Burggraf, as well as Prince Michael I, the King’s son who was proudly following in his father’s footsteps before those wretched Zoat stole his life. Those were great players. Right now we have a few role players and some eager individuals wanting to learn. So if they work hard, and we get a few Blessings from Nuffle, we could be competing very soon. Since I started working with the team, we are 1/1/0. I believe we are headed in the right direction. Wouldn’t you agree King?.... KING!?”
KC: Wha… huh…
“The Elită are headed in the right direction. Don’t you agree?”
KC: “Oh, yes. Very much so. But two matches without a loss, a curse does not break. Wouldn’t you agree, Ms?”
BL: “Me? Erm yes I would agree. But it’s certainly a start and moving in the right direction. Your highness, if I may and while I still have time, I have a few questions I wish you about your early life and how you got started playing blood bowl. Is this the first team you have played for?”
KC: “For as long as I can remember I have played the game. But when you’ve lived as long as I have, you tend to lose most memories of long ago. We played in caverns and in secluded fields at night while we were planning our return. But on a real team? No my dear, you see, we were hunted, by our brothers, as well as by mortals. They all fear the Power of the Strigoi. And what is the easiest way to deal with fear? To attempt to remove it, if possible. So my opportunity to play professionally was, you could say, hindered a bit. But now with the rebirth of New Strigos and this wonderful league of CIBBL, I have an outlet to play the game I love.”
BL: Do you enjoy being feared? You have quite the reputation, yet you mention how it has hindered your blood bowl career.”
KC: “Fear is a powerful thing. To be able to be the one to provoke it, is intoxicating at times. 44 Casualties caused in just 33 matches? That can be scary. 44 Casualties in 331 Blocks. That is just over every 8 blocks I perform, someone is leaving the pitch. Wanna play?” The King winks and smiles at Bradrid.
BL: I’m glad to see you in a good mood your highness, but I fear my next question may change your complexion. I need to ask you about your rivalry with the Sheikh, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan, super star of the Nejaz Djinn. Rumours are that you two have a pretty intense rivalry, care to comment and have you actually met on the field?
The King looks a bit puzzled. He looks to the coach and shrugs.
“The Suqr…”
You can then see a moment of realization on Carol’s face. KC: “Ohhhh… THAT guy.” The King lets out a hearty laugh. “It’s not really a rivalry, I do not believe. I am a Blood Bowl Player. He is a Diva. I play the game in its entirety. He hides behind his men and plays with his balls. I do not follow him. But for the sake of this interview, I did a little research, because I knew there would be such questions. He makes an average of just over 6.5 blocks per game. I am over 10 blocks per game. Granted he is CIBBL’s all time TD leader, and 3rd in Rush yards. Nice accomplishment. But I am the All-Time Casualty leader, 2nd in Blocks. He leads TDs by 8, I lead Casualties by 15. The fans love me. I lead CIBBL in MVPs awarded. Ten times the fans have named me Most Valuable.. He has a measly 3. That alone speaks volumes. Oh and did I mention that all of this has transposed while he has received TWO blessings of Nuffle. I’ve done it all through hard work. There is NO comparison.”
“As for if we have met on the field… I have offered, challenged, threatened, done everything I can think of and he continues to dodge me. So maybe you convince him otherwise.”
BL: I’ll certainly try my best. He had agreed to an interview for the Scribbl but despite multiple letters sent to him asking him to name a time and place, he does not respond. Still, I am sure he has his reasons.
Changing topic slightly, and I meant to mention this earlier we were discussing your change of tactics, keen eyed viewers have noticed an increase in the number of ghouls you have been fielding. I’m sure this is a well thought out, tactical decision, care to comment?
KC: “We petitioned CIBBL for action. As a team we were being held down by their rules. They limited us to just 6 ghouls on the roster at any time. No other team of First Children are limited in the amount of thralls they can have on the roster. So now they have decided that we can have half as many as everyone else. It’s better than it was, and I’ll take my blessings as they are given. Thank you CIBBL Representatives.”
BL: Well your highness, I’d like to thank you for being so gracious with your time today. Before I ask you if you have any finals words for our readers, I was wondering what moments stick in your mind as the crowning achievements of the team so far. A particular play in a game, or a hard fought victory?
KC: “I can not think of a single moment or single game, but there are 2 things that I am most proud of with this team. First, is our play vs the Blood Dragons. In 3 matches vs the Blood Dragons, we have never lost. We are 2/1/0 against them. Second, is the stretch of games that ended with the curse being placed upon us. From mid-Spring through Summer and into mid-Autumn of Season 2, we went 7/2/1. We finished 2nd in the Summer Tournament that year. Times were good.”
BL: “What ended the good times, King. Was that about the time when you lost your son?”
KC: “No, had nothing to do with Michael’s death. It had to do with the Curse. The night before our match versus the Undead Pirates, I had a vision. In this vision, a demon came to me and told me that if we won that match the following day, our future victories would be few and far between. Usually, I may heed such a warning, but at that time we were doing so well that I thought there was no chance of such a thing happening. When we defeated the Norscan Curse we were on a current run of 7/2/1. Since that victory, before our new coach arrived we were 2/1/10. The Curse is real. And the coach is here to help us break it.”
BL: I'm sure I speak for all of our readers when I say we wish you all the best for breaking that curse. Any final words before we bring this to a close?
KC: “I would just like to thank the fans for all the support over the past few years. I’d like to thank CIBBL for giving us the opportunity to play this wonderful game. And thank you for taking the time to sit down with us. And to remind CIBBL and everyone else, if you don’t lust for blood, you aren’t truly a First Child.”
Defensive Setups
With Lulla
With Lulla
Dear readers of Scribbl,
my name is Luís Alonso Pérez, but everyone, and I say everyone knows me as Lulla, the greatest coach Estalia and the Old World has ever seen. Today we will talk about one of the most basic tactical concepts of our beloved sport: protecting the ballcarrier. I will show you a few examples from the SSC practice squad, whose players weren't as developed as the legendary team, so I can explain the basics more properly.
The usual mode of protection is the cage. In the example here you can see the ballcarrier is protected by four players that prevent him getting hit from all sides. The other players on the pitch secure other areas of the pitch, so the Eshin scum from the Mordheim Blitz can't go anywhere dangerous. Another important part of the offensive positioning is to keep your important players safe and offer less important players as blitzing targets. In this example the opponent has either a Blitz option on the front of the cage, but he will need to put his lowly armoured rats in contact, or he can decide for one side to pressure the cage in the next turn.
Caging alone is not always enough though, the next example shows how a cage, even an advanced one can fail, when your team doesn't have enough guarding players. In the initial setup against the squig team Badland Hoppers you see a larger cage than usual and the sides somewhat defended by the other players. The stunty nature of the goblins and the leaping ability of the squigs will however render the cage almost useless and the ballcarrier gets not only sacked, but badly hurt by one of the Hoppers.
Thankfully the recovery worked, but now the team had to frantically scramble towards the side, getting split in the progress and still unable to form a proper protective unit around the ball carrier. Because of the leapers the offensive can't utilize the sideline as the back of the cage and has to stay further inward. (If your ball carrier has the ability to sidestep you may use the sideline, but beware of leaping players with a talent to grab!)
The scramble on the sideline continues and the offensive gets into scoring range, but has to survive the next turn. The defenders options are realtively simple, a simple leap will lead to a blitz on the ball carrier, in the worst case he is sacked and the ball gets thrown out of bounds. How can you prevent that?
The answer is screening, dear readers! Back in the day, when I inveted this tactic we called it "La Mampara". In the initial setup you can see that the ballcarrier is the deepest players, with all others forming a two to three player deep protective screen to protect him. The middle is well protected, while the two strongest players on the pitch protect the edges. If your team only has one strong player, like an ogre, its better to keep him in the middle area of the pitch though.
In the opponents turn the tried to attack the Zijincheng Shi tried to break through the lower side, but only managed to push the bloqueador and put their Fuu statue in contact in the middle. The SSC responded with blitzing the uppermost Dragon Monk, widening the screen so the sidelines are protected and failing the dodge away from the statue.
In the next turn a few crucial things happen: the statue turns to stone and can't move anymore and the opponent decides to overwhelm the screen up top. The SSC decides to go south and get players into the opponents half. It isn't a breakthrough yet as the opponent still can get players back to defend, but the SSC cought half the team on the wrong side of the pitch, has the ball relatively well protected and still may switch sides if need be and the opponent puts all of his players south.
Until next time,
Lulla.
my name is Luís Alonso Pérez, but everyone, and I say everyone knows me as Lulla, the greatest coach Estalia and the Old World has ever seen. Today we will talk about one of the most basic tactical concepts of our beloved sport: protecting the ballcarrier. I will show you a few examples from the SSC practice squad, whose players weren't as developed as the legendary team, so I can explain the basics more properly.
Lulla's Tactics Question:
You are the defense, can you see the potential 2db on the ball in the above example?
Send you answers into the Scribbl office and I'll reveal my answer next issue.
You are the defense, can you see the potential 2db on the ball in the above example?
Send you answers into the Scribbl office and I'll reveal my answer next issue.
Until next time,
Lulla.
Head2Head
The race to legend is truly heating up.
In one corner, the one man team, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the Nejaz Djinn. And facing off against him, King Carol I of Strigos Elită. Both of these players are already legends in the minds of millions of CIBBL fans, but which player will be first to cross the boundary of 176spp. We break it down:
A head to head comparison between the 2 is tough to make as they play very different roles on their respective teams. The Sheikh is the greatest all rounder you could ever hope to have, able to turn his hands to any problem the opposing team create. He excels at so many facets of the gaame. Carol I however is arguably a very simple player. He excels at what he does and what he does is hurt other players. What's the saying about having a hammer and all of your problems looking like nails? Carol is a super sledge. "Even I would be afraid of Carol," said professional boaster and head coach of the Anglers, Neubau.
The Sheikh goes into the final stretch of Autumn with an advantage, he only needs 15 more spp to attain legendhood. In addition, in his best game he scored 15spp, so he is clearly within striking distance. But, and there's a couple of buts, pundits are questioning his recent form, having scored only 10spp in Autumn so far and his past 5 and 10 game averages aren't much more confidence inspiring. Has the Sheikh fallen victim to the Araby spring?
Carol has been on fire lately, 2.7x Sheikh's total over Autumn so far, achieving his record spp haul in one of those games (but that was vs coach datom so, y'know). Carol is chalking up an average spp haul 2.5x the Sheikh at the moment.
So, projecting forward using 5 game averages, Sheikh should achieve legend status in 5 games time and Carol I should achieve legend status in 3 games time.
But it's never as simple as that. Let's look at 2 more factors: upcoming schedule and average turns per game.
Sheikh has averaged 13.2 turns per game over his last 5 games. He also has the services of the team apothecary almost entirely reserved for him. He has weaker armour than Carol I but has dodge so is harder to remove from the pitch. He is also more agile making it easier for him to avoid any hits. However the Djinn coach is known to favour the long game, often substituting the Sheikh from the pitch when he looks to be in danger
Carol has averaged 13.6 turns on the pitch per game over the last 5 games. He can regenerate some of the damage he takes but can also full a victim to his unholy thirst. His current method of play is similar to a surgical strike, he smashes hard and then retreats.
Upcoming schedule is tough for the Djinn as their next 3 games are vs Talsyn Tramplers (Zoat), Everlasting Vultures of Settra (Zandri) and Secret Cult Of Shiamoto (Northern Nippon). Of course, the Djinn are a most prestigious team than the Elită, so they are expected to face a more tough list of fixtures.
The Elită are 3 divisions below the Djinn in Autumn. Their next opponents are Lost Golems of Grungni (Earth Elemental), Eye and Arrow (Avelorn) and Eternal Ecstasy (Daemons of Slaanesh).
In summary, this was originally Sheikh's race to lose. He looked to be a clear winner on the final stretch but Carol has put on a fantastic performance in the last few games so, in the view of this writer, momentum is now with Carol I.
We watch with baited breath.
In one corner, the one man team, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the Nejaz Djinn. And facing off against him, King Carol I of Strigos Elită. Both of these players are already legends in the minds of millions of CIBBL fans, but which player will be first to cross the boundary of 176spp. We break it down:
| Saqr bin ayed Al Nahyan | Name | Carol I |
| 36 | Games Played | 34 |
| 161 | Current SPP | 155 |
| 280k | Value to Team | 220k |
| 33 | Touchdowns | 2 |
| 21 | Casualties | 46 |
| 5 | Completions | 2 |
| 0 | Interceptions | 0 |
| 3 | MVP Awards | 11 |
| 470 | Rushing Yards | 27 |
| 242 | Blocks | 335 |
| 15 | Highest SPP | 12 |
| 4.47 | SPP Per Game | 4.56 |
| 10 | SPP in Autumn | 27 |
| 3.33 | SPP Average in Last 3 Games | 9.00 |
| 3.40 | SPP Average in Last 5 Games | 8.20 |
| 3.80 | SPP Average in Last 10 Games | 7.60 |
A head to head comparison between the 2 is tough to make as they play very different roles on their respective teams. The Sheikh is the greatest all rounder you could ever hope to have, able to turn his hands to any problem the opposing team create. He excels at so many facets of the gaame. Carol I however is arguably a very simple player. He excels at what he does and what he does is hurt other players. What's the saying about having a hammer and all of your problems looking like nails? Carol is a super sledge. "Even I would be afraid of Carol," said professional boaster and head coach of the Anglers, Neubau.
The Sheikh goes into the final stretch of Autumn with an advantage, he only needs 15 more spp to attain legendhood. In addition, in his best game he scored 15spp, so he is clearly within striking distance. But, and there's a couple of buts, pundits are questioning his recent form, having scored only 10spp in Autumn so far and his past 5 and 10 game averages aren't much more confidence inspiring. Has the Sheikh fallen victim to the Araby spring?
Carol has been on fire lately, 2.7x Sheikh's total over Autumn so far, achieving his record spp haul in one of those games (but that was vs coach datom so, y'know). Carol is chalking up an average spp haul 2.5x the Sheikh at the moment.
So, projecting forward using 5 game averages, Sheikh should achieve legend status in 5 games time and Carol I should achieve legend status in 3 games time.
But it's never as simple as that. Let's look at 2 more factors: upcoming schedule and average turns per game.
Sheikh has averaged 13.2 turns per game over his last 5 games. He also has the services of the team apothecary almost entirely reserved for him. He has weaker armour than Carol I but has dodge so is harder to remove from the pitch. He is also more agile making it easier for him to avoid any hits. However the Djinn coach is known to favour the long game, often substituting the Sheikh from the pitch when he looks to be in danger
Carol has averaged 13.6 turns on the pitch per game over the last 5 games. He can regenerate some of the damage he takes but can also full a victim to his unholy thirst. His current method of play is similar to a surgical strike, he smashes hard and then retreats.
Upcoming schedule is tough for the Djinn as their next 3 games are vs Talsyn Tramplers (Zoat), Everlasting Vultures of Settra (Zandri) and Secret Cult Of Shiamoto (Northern Nippon). Of course, the Djinn are a most prestigious team than the Elită, so they are expected to face a more tough list of fixtures.
The Elită are 3 divisions below the Djinn in Autumn. Their next opponents are Lost Golems of Grungni (Earth Elemental), Eye and Arrow (Avelorn) and Eternal Ecstasy (Daemons of Slaanesh).
In summary, this was originally Sheikh's race to lose. He looked to be a clear winner on the final stretch but Carol has put on a fantastic performance in the last few games so, in the view of this writer, momentum is now with Carol I.
We watch with baited breath.
Toady’s Corner
Sorrow from the Temple: a look on Ka-Sabar
By Huayna Kopec
Sorrow from the Temple: a look on Ka-Sabar
By Huayna Kopec
Huayna “Toady” Kopec is a sabermetrics expert and long-time collaborator of the CabalVision Network.
Huayna Kopec
Autumn has come, and like the falling leaves, new regions of the World flock to the CabalVision offices to get a team in CIBBL. This week, we’re talking a look at the city from the Land of the Dead that everybody is talking about: Ka-Sabar! The Temple of Sorrow has been long obstracized from the mainstream Land of the Dead Blood Bowl scene due to their controversial allegiance to the necromancer’s patron and wannabe God of the Dead, Nagash. However, our offices were able to coerce the other city states to let CIBBL sanction the unique style of play from the City of Brass.
Just at first glance, it’s easy to see that this team is made in a similar way to the already well-known team of the neighbouring city-states: dependable skeletons for linos, blitzers and thrower to fill the niche and hulking big guys to bring the hurt to their opponents. It’s the Khemri mould, which has already been quite successful in the bigger NAF sanctioned tourneys. However, closer examination shows that this is not just a run-of-the-mill imitator. Let’s break down the positions! We will be using Standardised Technical Abilities Total (or STAT) to outline the usefulness of each of the players. I advise reading Theory of Analytics in Bloodbowl and Similar Sports by Bjorn Oringsson and Anselmo Notaro Noiato for understanding how this value is calculated.
Skeletons – 5328, Thick Skull, Regeneration, G(SAP), 60k
The skeletons are the linemen of this team, and thus are the workhorses the Ka-Sabar team will depend on. Like most teams in the region, this roster doesn’t put much responsibility (or faith) on them, relying instead on the positionals to take care of the ball and the best opposing players. However, these are not your usual, run of the mill skeletons. While the STAT increase in AV may not seem like a big thing, it addresses the biggest problem of the usual Khemri lineman: skeletons are brittle and prone to being taken out of action for prolonged periods of times. To underline the importance of this difference, let’s take a look at another stat, the Fate-Adjusted Injury Likelihood (FAIL). This number indicates how often the player will need the prolonged attention of the medical staff (well, the embalmer, in this specific case) after it falls to the ground, is blocked successfully by an opponent or is hit by a high-momentum object. The Ka-Sabar Skeletons clock in at 7.7%. To put things in perspective, human linemen and regular skeletons have a 11.6% FAIL score, while longbeards, which are the hardiest linemen tested, have a 4.6%. The number is even more impressive if we consider the fact that a seemingly injured skeleton can easily return to the field in the following drives: the odds of a dwarf not returning after a block (BOOM, Blocked Out of Match) are 2.8%, while a Ka-Sabar skeleton has a mere 2.3%! The team pays a hefty 20k to ensure that all their linemen respect this high standard of resilience, but it’s easy to see how this can pay off in the long run. Just from the linemen, it’s clear we’re looking at a very reliable Bash team. But these linos aren’t anything spectacular, what about the positionals then?
Block-Ras – 5 3 2 9, Block, Regeneration, GS(AP), 90k
Thro-Ras – 6 3 2 8, Sure Hands, Pass, Regeneration, GP(AS), 90k
Just like Khemri, Ka-Sabar sports a pair of specialized players to cover the roles their skeletons are too mediocre to cover. And just like it was the case for the linos, it gives them a different spin that shows their commitment to the long-term, attrition game.
Block-ras are paid just as much as their counterparts but sacrifice mobility in favour of better armour. This trade places them more in line with a blocker-style role, rather than the surgical hit-and-run blitzers usually favour. Furthermore, the locals seem to love the positionals, as they are used to field two more than the competition. This changes the dynamic quite a bit: Block-ras start with excellent blocking abilities from the get go, and their access to Strength advancements makes them ideal for protecting the carrier.
Thro-ras, on the other hand, receive the same pay rise the lineman get, and get a similar treatment. As usual, they are the team’s primary ball retrievers and carriers (and are capable of the occasional, if ill- advised, pass). The raise in AV is money well spent, with the Thro-ra now having a much better FAIL score, which means that even in the event the wall of skeletons collapses, the carrier has better odds to stay in the game and try to pick up the ball again (and not leaving its teammates bouncing the ball around). But no Undead team would be complete without its dose of muscles: let’s see what the Liche Priests of the Temple of Sorrows have in store for the opposition!
Ushabtis – 5 5 1 10, Mighty Blow, Thick Skull, Take Roots, Regeneration, S(AGP), 140k
Look at that STAT line! By our calculations, these animated statues might be the most resilient player on the face of the planet, with an incredible BOOM score that rivals that of a Great Unclean One! As you might expect, though, there are some drawbacks to this monster statline. While the Ushabtis might move slightly faster than the Tomb Guardians other teams employ, they also have shown a tendency in exhibition matches to partially shut down mid-drive and stop moving until the Liche Priest can take care of it. Also, at 140k pieces of gold, they are expensive, rare and ancient masterworks, and it is unheard of a team from Ka- Sabar being able to field more than two at a time.
Final Overview
Ka-Sabar is clearly aiming to field teams that surpass their Khemri rival in regards of hardiness, but might find themselves outmuscled if their Land of the Dead opponents can survive the attrition game. The lack of the additional ST5 Big Guys, and the fact that the two they have can be easily kept away from the action will hurt, but the teams is still able to field six players with S access, so Guard will mitigate that a bit. The team has no real medical staff (for obvious reasons), but curiously lacks the support of necromancy that you’d come from expect by Nagashi-aligned rosters. Some suggest that the unique requirements for the skeleton linemen makes recently resurrected linemen unsuitable for fielding, while others suggest it’s due to dealings between the CIBBL administration and the local Land of the Dead leagues for the inclusion of a representative. Another issue comes from the high cost of the players: at 60k, the skeleton linemen are hardly throwaway filler, and the team might have problems filling their specialist ranks at the start, but the excellent armour soften the investment quite a bit. The team will most certainly be part of the rich Bash spectrum of the league, placing themselves somewhere in-between the slow, methodical wall-of-bones approach of Khemri and the sheer unwillingness to leave the field of the Undead. They will lack the raw firepower of the former and the flashy options of the latter, but will certainly be able to compensate this flaws with sheer sturdiness, being arguably the most resilient team in the league.
Overall, I’m sure they will be more than enough to chew for any opposition they might encounter!
Huayna Kopec
Autumn has come, and like the falling leaves, new regions of the World flock to the CabalVision offices to get a team in CIBBL. This week, we’re talking a look at the city from the Land of the Dead that everybody is talking about: Ka-Sabar! The Temple of Sorrow has been long obstracized from the mainstream Land of the Dead Blood Bowl scene due to their controversial allegiance to the necromancer’s patron and wannabe God of the Dead, Nagash. However, our offices were able to coerce the other city states to let CIBBL sanction the unique style of play from the City of Brass.
Just at first glance, it’s easy to see that this team is made in a similar way to the already well-known team of the neighbouring city-states: dependable skeletons for linos, blitzers and thrower to fill the niche and hulking big guys to bring the hurt to their opponents. It’s the Khemri mould, which has already been quite successful in the bigger NAF sanctioned tourneys. However, closer examination shows that this is not just a run-of-the-mill imitator. Let’s break down the positions! We will be using Standardised Technical Abilities Total (or STAT) to outline the usefulness of each of the players. I advise reading Theory of Analytics in Bloodbowl and Similar Sports by Bjorn Oringsson and Anselmo Notaro Noiato for understanding how this value is calculated.
The skeletons are the linemen of this team, and thus are the workhorses the Ka-Sabar team will depend on. Like most teams in the region, this roster doesn’t put much responsibility (or faith) on them, relying instead on the positionals to take care of the ball and the best opposing players. However, these are not your usual, run of the mill skeletons. While the STAT increase in AV may not seem like a big thing, it addresses the biggest problem of the usual Khemri lineman: skeletons are brittle and prone to being taken out of action for prolonged periods of times. To underline the importance of this difference, let’s take a look at another stat, the Fate-Adjusted Injury Likelihood (FAIL). This number indicates how often the player will need the prolonged attention of the medical staff (well, the embalmer, in this specific case) after it falls to the ground, is blocked successfully by an opponent or is hit by a high-momentum object. The Ka-Sabar Skeletons clock in at 7.7%. To put things in perspective, human linemen and regular skeletons have a 11.6% FAIL score, while longbeards, which are the hardiest linemen tested, have a 4.6%. The number is even more impressive if we consider the fact that a seemingly injured skeleton can easily return to the field in the following drives: the odds of a dwarf not returning after a block (BOOM, Blocked Out of Match) are 2.8%, while a Ka-Sabar skeleton has a mere 2.3%! The team pays a hefty 20k to ensure that all their linemen respect this high standard of resilience, but it’s easy to see how this can pay off in the long run. Just from the linemen, it’s clear we’re looking at a very reliable Bash team. But these linos aren’t anything spectacular, what about the positionals then?
Block-Ras – 5 3 2 9, Block, Regeneration, GS(AP), 90k
Thro-Ras – 6 3 2 8, Sure Hands, Pass, Regeneration, GP(AS), 90k
Just like Khemri, Ka-Sabar sports a pair of specialized players to cover the roles their skeletons are too mediocre to cover. And just like it was the case for the linos, it gives them a different spin that shows their commitment to the long-term, attrition game.
Look at that STAT line! By our calculations, these animated statues might be the most resilient player on the face of the planet, with an incredible BOOM score that rivals that of a Great Unclean One! As you might expect, though, there are some drawbacks to this monster statline. While the Ushabtis might move slightly faster than the Tomb Guardians other teams employ, they also have shown a tendency in exhibition matches to partially shut down mid-drive and stop moving until the Liche Priest can take care of it. Also, at 140k pieces of gold, they are expensive, rare and ancient masterworks, and it is unheard of a team from Ka- Sabar being able to field more than two at a time.
Final Overview
Ka-Sabar is clearly aiming to field teams that surpass their Khemri rival in regards of hardiness, but might find themselves outmuscled if their Land of the Dead opponents can survive the attrition game. The lack of the additional ST5 Big Guys, and the fact that the two they have can be easily kept away from the action will hurt, but the teams is still able to field six players with S access, so Guard will mitigate that a bit. The team has no real medical staff (for obvious reasons), but curiously lacks the support of necromancy that you’d come from expect by Nagashi-aligned rosters. Some suggest that the unique requirements for the skeleton linemen makes recently resurrected linemen unsuitable for fielding, while others suggest it’s due to dealings between the CIBBL administration and the local Land of the Dead leagues for the inclusion of a representative. Another issue comes from the high cost of the players: at 60k, the skeleton linemen are hardly throwaway filler, and the team might have problems filling their specialist ranks at the start, but the excellent armour soften the investment quite a bit. The team will most certainly be part of the rich Bash spectrum of the league, placing themselves somewhere in-between the slow, methodical wall-of-bones approach of Khemri and the sheer unwillingness to leave the field of the Undead. They will lack the raw firepower of the former and the flashy options of the latter, but will certainly be able to compensate this flaws with sheer sturdiness, being arguably the most resilient team in the league.
Overall, I’m sure they will be more than enough to chew for any opposition they might encounter!
The Importance of a Right Choice
Intro.
Coach Det is anxiously slithering up and down his office, thinking of what the management just told him. The young snake that brought the news is trying to keep his thoughts for himself but his eyes clearly betray him. Coach Det raises his head:“Ssho what do you tthink of tthiss?”
“Well...an awesshome opp’rtunity to make us even morr know around the world...which meanss more sshpectatorss, which leadss to more revenuess which…”
“Uhm, I know tthe tune, still it’ll be hardd to decide, but we’ll all have a blassht at the event, I’m sshure!”
“Whattt?? We??”
“Yepp, the whole tteam is invited, assshisshtantss, promisshess, ex playerss and even the dead if we manage to call them back tthrough the portal for a day or two.”
“Vzzz Qlll Sshhhh”
“…let’ss jussht hope it doesshn’t impact with our training, that worriess me much!!”
At the prospect of having a day off and being invited to the event, the young snakes coils in happiness and sprints out of the office to tell his team mates...they will be all invited to the grand parade!
Part 1
Well, when the management asked coach Det to decide on this important matter he wasn’t too sure about the whole thing. Ok, all the snakes can change skin colour at will and all that, a nice feature overall but more useful for hunting than playing blood bowl...until a simple idea popped in the mind of the marketing department head: all other teams have home and away uniforms, different colours and different outfits that evolve during the years. Why can’t we do the same? Now, snakes don’t wear “ordinary” clothes...but they can change skin colour!So after some trial and error, fans complaining they couldn’t distinguish the positions from far away (it seems that the fanbase has grown to such proportions that spectators are sometimes so far away from the game that they watch it on CabalVision from the stands themselves while cheering in real time), problems with the marketing department (the head of the department was eaten during a trip in the jungle experimenting different colours...it seems that a bright yellow attracts a very voracious predator that adores snake flesh) the current “autumn outfit” was adopted, keeping the green as main colour. It was presented during the team's Youngbloods Trophy party.
Here you can see some of the pictures taken at the event:
Your trusty linesnakes:
The slithering sidewinders:
The mighty constrictors:
Your magic mesmers:
Big group shot:
Fans were very pleased, the players loved it, and the coach himself even received, among heaps of other positive correspondence, an enthusiastic letter from a visually impaired fan that was psyched to be finally able to tell his favourite players apart during the games!
Part 2
After the incident with the head of the marketing department, the management wisely decided to outsource this cumbersome task to the various fashion companies that exists in snake-land...which are surprisingly...many! The task was rather simple: design the best possible outfit that our team could proudly “wear” in all kinds of stadiums and in all seasons...with only one caveat: the colours had to be the same throughout the whole team, no different outfits for different positions. There was some complaining about this in the various fanclubs but coach Det calmy visited them all and explained that “consistency”, “uniformity” and “management holds the last word” are very interesting, true and convincing concepts. Somehow everyone agreed. Detractors point out how the mesmerizing gifts of coach Det might have played a role in all of this but they were silently and quickly hushed.The companies went to work, with various degrees of success and appreciation, still the amount of outfits presented at the grand parade was staggering.
For ease of reporting we won’t delve too deep in the event but are going to present all the group shots that were taken and kindly sent to our office (fashion studio names are translated luckily):
From studio “Snake me up”:
winter suggestion:
standard variation:
bright sunny variation:
dark sunny standard:
From studio “Coil in the soil”:
first standard variation:
second standard variation:
sandy beach:
From free fashion artist “Varadero”
lava spirit:
lava spirit in disguise:
From art collective “Sand’n’band”
sand’n’band blue version:
sand’n’band red version:
From fashion studio “Jungle Jingle”
eyepop:
sandmaster:
standard variation #1:
standard variation #2:
From art collective “T.A.I.L.S.”
reddish desat:
desat me much:
These are only a small sample of them all...we really can’t wait to see the official winter livery that the Slipperies will adopt! Stay tuned!
Shooting Star Watch, Part 2
Star to Super Star
Nightmaster Skirshakk, Gutter Runner, Lords of the Silent Death
10347 - Dodge, +MA, Sprint, Block, Two Heads, +ST
In the game currently, there is exactly one player that starts with MA9 by default, and that player is a Gutter Runner. And they are generally considered - possibly only beaten or tied by Wardancers - to be the most obnoxious player any coach would not wish to face. The only balancing factor is normally that they only have ST2 and they can’t become a single turn scoring threat without +MA. So here is a Gutter Runner with none of those particular weaknesses and the complete one turn touchdown tool-set built to order, look at it, look at it and feel disgust.
10347 - Dodge, +MA, Sprint, Block, Two Heads, +ST
In the game currently, there is exactly one player that starts with MA9 by default, and that player is a Gutter Runner. And they are generally considered - possibly only beaten or tied by Wardancers - to be the most obnoxious player any coach would not wish to face. The only balancing factor is normally that they only have ST2 and they can’t become a single turn scoring threat without +MA. So here is a Gutter Runner with none of those particular weaknesses and the complete one turn touchdown tool-set built to order, look at it, look at it and feel disgust.
Vanhir, Wardancer, Modryn’s Midnight Meddlers
8357 - Block, Dodge, Leap, Mighty Blow, Tackle, +AG, Strip Ball, Wrestle
And this player, this player right here is just, urgh. Look at that MA8 with Blodge and Leap starting out, look at that +AG making what would normally a risky action into a perfectly unrisky action with a reroll, he even has the full complete set of Tackle/Wrestle/Strip Ball meaning that even with Blodge and a full contingent within a cage you’re still probably going to have the ball taken off of you. And he even rolled Mighty Blow which means if your shiny ball carrier gets taken to the floor it’s a higher chance he’ll be injured in the process. It’s honestly better just to step on these two players if they ever hit the dirt, even if it causes a turnover.
8357 - Block, Dodge, Leap, Mighty Blow, Tackle, +AG, Strip Ball, Wrestle
And this player, this player right here is just, urgh. Look at that MA8 with Blodge and Leap starting out, look at that +AG making what would normally a risky action into a perfectly unrisky action with a reroll, he even has the full complete set of Tackle/Wrestle/Strip Ball meaning that even with Blodge and a full contingent within a cage you’re still probably going to have the ball taken off of you. And he even rolled Mighty Blow which means if your shiny ball carrier gets taken to the floor it’s a higher chance he’ll be injured in the process. It’s honestly better just to step on these two players if they ever hit the dirt, even if it causes a turnover.
Count Yaroslav, Necrarch Vampire, Tower of the Necromancer
7348 - Hypnotic Gaze, Regeneration, Foul Appearance, Block, Dodge, Tackle, +MA, ???
You know what makes it very difficult to make some commentary on star players and skill choices? Not picking your skills.
Come on man you might have eternity but I do not, pick your new skill already!
7348 - Hypnotic Gaze, Regeneration, Foul Appearance, Block, Dodge, Tackle, +MA, ???
You know what makes it very difficult to make some commentary on star players and skill choices? Not picking your skills.
Come on man you might have eternity but I do not, pick your new skill already!
Fallen Stars
Nisadei, High Elf Catcher, Trantio Dragon Hawks
102 SPP - Killed by a block from Keeth, a Zoat of the Talsyn Tramplers and a botched apothecary treatment during Round 3 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
102 SPP - Killed by a block from Keeth, a Zoat of the Talsyn Tramplers and a botched apothecary treatment during Round 3 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
Ghezioc, High Elf Blitzer, Trantio Dragon Hawks
68 SPP - Retired due to complications from a damaged back caused by a block from Ronin Headchopper, after the match versus the Secret Cult of Shiamoto during Round 2 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
68 SPP - Retired due to complications from a damaged back caused by a block from Ronin Headchopper, after the match versus the Secret Cult of Shiamoto during Round 2 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
Serrek of Nathrezzar, Tomb Guardian Ancient, Everlasting Vultures of Settra
64 SPP- Retired due to complications from a damaged back via fouling from Tharal of the Tor Anroc Anglers, during Round 4 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
64 SPP- Retired due to complications from a damaged back via fouling from Tharal of the Tor Anroc Anglers, during Round 4 of the Autumn Gold Division 2603.
By The Numbers
As a lot of rounds have happened since the start of a season, there are not many comparisons that could be made between the charts from last season, and the charts from right now, but we shall hold them up anyway as something to reference next issue.
Agony Aunt Column
With Nun the Wiser
With Nun the Wiser
Nun the Wiser says:
“Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.”
“Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.”
Can’t score on or off the pitch?
Is the wife turned off by your latest mutation?
Are you being picked on for supporting the Anglers?
If you are a player, coach or fan with problems like these, or anything else, then write in to Nun the Wiser at this address for honest, wholesome advice.
Is the wife turned off by your latest mutation?
Are you being picked on for supporting the Anglers?
If you are a player, coach or fan with problems like these, or anything else, then write in to Nun the Wiser at this address for honest, wholesome advice.
Dear Wisest of the Wise,
I asked the PREDICTATRON but the answer I got in both cases was 42, and that made no sense to me, so I turn to you in hopes that you could explain what the PREDICTATRON meant.
a) If a long pass was thrown to a dorf, would it be too long or too short?
b) How much chomp would a chompshark chomp if a chompshark could chomp chomp?
-Burk the half-witted
Dear Burk,
Ahh, trying to get in two questions here I see - really get your money’s worth, is it?
First of all, I sincerely doubt that you have located the hitherto-undiscovered-by-mortal-man-secret-location which has housed the Predictatron for thousands of years. More likely is that you have been fooled by your mate, Dave, dressing up and using a funny voice.
Secondly, assuming that you have located the Predictatron, in its location known only to two known living souls, then obviously it would not provide a valid answer to these questions anyway. It is a Predictatron. It Predicts sh*t.
In summary, your actual question to me is to explain what the a Predictatron (or your mate, Dave) meant in its answers. It did not actually mean 42 but rather it meant for you to do 1. I hope that clears things up for you.
- Nun the Wiser
I asked the PREDICTATRON but the answer I got in both cases was 42, and that made no sense to me, so I turn to you in hopes that you could explain what the PREDICTATRON meant.
a) If a long pass was thrown to a dorf, would it be too long or too short?
b) How much chomp would a chompshark chomp if a chompshark could chomp chomp?
-Burk the half-witted
Dear Burk,
Ahh, trying to get in two questions here I see - really get your money’s worth, is it?
First of all, I sincerely doubt that you have located the hitherto-undiscovered-by-mortal-man-secret-location which has housed the Predictatron for thousands of years. More likely is that you have been fooled by your mate, Dave, dressing up and using a funny voice.
Secondly, assuming that you have located the Predictatron, in its location known only to two known living souls, then obviously it would not provide a valid answer to these questions anyway. It is a Predictatron. It Predicts sh*t.
In summary, your actual question to me is to explain what the a Predictatron (or your mate, Dave) meant in its answers. It did not actually mean 42 but rather it meant for you to do 1. I hope that clears things up for you.
- Nun the Wiser
Dear Nun the Wiser,
I’ve heard some rumours down some dark alleys ...
Please, can you tell me - what is BIBBL?
- Unenlightened in the dark
Dear Unenlightened,
Ah, BIBBL, one of life’s great mysteries. I have often wondered when this question would arise to test me and pondered how to best answer it...
Yes, rumours of BIBBL abound across the world because, unfortunately, BIBBL is not something one can be told about, but rather something that one has to find out for oneself.
All I can do for you is offer some guidance in telling you what it is not; It is not, for example, a parallel universe of CIBBL as some people believe.
Nor is it a secret ‘B’ league as others may infer.
BIBBL is very much real, but what it is exactly only you can discover for yourself. Good luck!
- Nun the Wiser
I’ve heard some rumours down some dark alleys ...
Please, can you tell me - what is BIBBL?
- Unenlightened in the dark
Dear Unenlightened,
Ah, BIBBL, one of life’s great mysteries. I have often wondered when this question would arise to test me and pondered how to best answer it...
Yes, rumours of BIBBL abound across the world because, unfortunately, BIBBL is not something one can be told about, but rather something that one has to find out for oneself.
All I can do for you is offer some guidance in telling you what it is not; It is not, for example, a parallel universe of CIBBL as some people believe.
Nor is it a secret ‘B’ league as others may infer.
BIBBL is very much real, but what it is exactly only you can discover for yourself. Good luck!
- Nun the Wiser
Remembering Nisadei
"A sad day for Trantio. I remember still the controversy among the team when Facchini introduced Nisadei to us, a young Elf with hair like fire, immediately after Aethedi's accident in the Winter of 2602. Many predicted the team's downfall, but the girl's talent proved them wrong, and struck the Old World with awe. The Conjoined Blue Eagle Cups only furthered both Nisadei and the team as she befriended the charismatic Cressida Rosenblatt, the team grew to fame. When the Half-Elf's life was cut short by a Nippon sorcerer, Nisadei took it hard. In rage she almost single-handedly defeated the Ninja Warriors, but was never the same afterwards. Later in the season, she tripped and suffered a serious concussion, and missed the rest of the tournament, costing us the title. She was injured again at the start of Autumn, and upon her next appearance murdered by a monster from the woods of Athel Loren. I never put much faith in Bretonnian superstition about that forest, but perhaps there is some truth behind it.
Autumn has never been kind to Tilea, costing us a number of valued members and leaders of the team, such as Oedia, Ladislao Celano, Odorico de Leo, and of course the infamous Manslicer the Vile, and the loss of Nisadei is no different. We have few veteran players still with us, but even those with us for only a short while will miss her.
Innocenzo Mastragiacomo, team captain currently recovering from a gouged eye, perhaps knew the flame-haired wonder the best, and had a few words to say: "We will miss both Nisadei and Rossana, as we have missed all who fell on the pitch wearing our colours. The Talsyn Tramplers did not only hurt them, but it hurt all of us. While he hides it, even Bitterchin mourns, and the Hound is filled with more rage than usual. But to our supporters in the Old World and New, we will carry on their legacy. While they may no longer be with us, the heart of Trantio still burns bright."
Jiacobbo Machri
As for what's next for the Dragon Hawks, as Innocenzo said, is to move on. We aim to finish what they started, and win the Gold division. Facchini is making deals, searching for new players to join us, featuring names from various Elven colonies, and even Lothern and Hoeth in Ulthuan itself. I hold doubts of a spellcaster from the White Tower being welcome, but I trust Facchini to make the best decisions for the team. In our next match against the Tower of the Necromancer, perhaps played before this edition is published, we seek not only vengeance and victory, but also to free former captain, Ladislao Celano, from the chains of undeath, and Cassiopea Canova takes temporary captainship in Innocenzo's absence.
We hope our fallen can find solace in Morr's embrace.
Head Coach, Jiacobbo Machri
Autumn has never been kind to Tilea, costing us a number of valued members and leaders of the team, such as Oedia, Ladislao Celano, Odorico de Leo, and of course the infamous Manslicer the Vile, and the loss of Nisadei is no different. We have few veteran players still with us, but even those with us for only a short while will miss her.
Innocenzo Mastragiacomo, team captain currently recovering from a gouged eye, perhaps knew the flame-haired wonder the best, and had a few words to say: "We will miss both Nisadei and Rossana, as we have missed all who fell on the pitch wearing our colours. The Talsyn Tramplers did not only hurt them, but it hurt all of us. While he hides it, even Bitterchin mourns, and the Hound is filled with more rage than usual. But to our supporters in the Old World and New, we will carry on their legacy. While they may no longer be with us, the heart of Trantio still burns bright."
Jiacobbo Machri
As for what's next for the Dragon Hawks, as Innocenzo said, is to move on. We aim to finish what they started, and win the Gold division. Facchini is making deals, searching for new players to join us, featuring names from various Elven colonies, and even Lothern and Hoeth in Ulthuan itself. I hold doubts of a spellcaster from the White Tower being welcome, but I trust Facchini to make the best decisions for the team. In our next match against the Tower of the Necromancer, perhaps played before this edition is published, we seek not only vengeance and victory, but also to free former captain, Ladislao Celano, from the chains of undeath, and Cassiopea Canova takes temporary captainship in Innocenzo's absence.
We hope our fallen can find solace in Morr's embrace.
Head Coach, Jiacobbo Machri
The Memorial Book
Coach BigF and Ignatius Grulgor III, Spawn of Nurgle, from the Forsaken of the Pantheon make the following press release on hearing of the death of Nisadei of the Trantio Dragon Hawks:
Grulgor: "shjgwrogp, ejtiowerjwe hiweoreworwn Nisadei, jaig'ehgei hjiere-r jfiep'wr"
Coach: I agree whole heartedly with Grulgor's sentiments. I would also like to add that she was a heck of player and was elf of the match vs us and will be missed by the Dragon Hawks and CIBBL as a whole.
---
"Nisadei? Yeah, a solid player. I played against the Dragon Hawks twice and both times she was keen. A constant goal threat. In our first game she scored one and we had to get her off the pitch. In the second we focused her early. A backhanded compliment really - she was a talented player and a credit to her race. She'll be missed in the sport. However, there's a lesson in there somewhere about wearing a helmet. There's a reason our heraldry has one." - Thomassin de Tourraine of the Knightly Virtues
---
"Could not catch that girl." - Don Gabriel Quemar, head coach of Montetriste Noblemen
---
"That knife-eared brat scored on us twice. While we would rather kill her ourselves, at least she is dead. Good riddance." - Nirghux Stormpaw of the Blood-Ground Blackhorns
---
"Ah yes, the elven blitzer! What a pain in the ass, he kept sacking me but he slip up when he could have scored... No? Was it the half elven catcher who scored two touchdowns? One of the linemen who kept fouling us (with the complicity of the refs)? Not even them? Mmhh... doesn't sound like a troll name, so we can rule out the yhetee... An interception, you say? 37 rush? Three completions and the MVP? Nope. Doesn't ring a bell." - Vol'arth of the Coven of the Mirrored Hall
Coach BigF and Ignatius Grulgor III, Spawn of Nurgle, from the Forsaken of the Pantheon make the following press release on hearing of the death of Nisadei of the Trantio Dragon Hawks:
Grulgor: "shjgwrogp, ejtiowerjwe hiweoreworwn Nisadei, jaig'ehgei hjiere-r jfiep'wr"
Coach: I agree whole heartedly with Grulgor's sentiments. I would also like to add that she was a heck of player and was elf of the match vs us and will be missed by the Dragon Hawks and CIBBL as a whole.
---
---
"Could not catch that girl." - Don Gabriel Quemar, head coach of Montetriste Noblemen
---
"That knife-eared brat scored on us twice. While we would rather kill her ourselves, at least she is dead. Good riddance." - Nirghux Stormpaw of the Blood-Ground Blackhorns
---
"Ah yes, the elven blitzer! What a pain in the ass, he kept sacking me but he slip up when he could have scored... No? Was it the half elven catcher who scored two touchdowns? One of the linemen who kept fouling us (with the complicity of the refs)? Not even them? Mmhh... doesn't sound like a troll name, so we can rule out the yhetee... An interception, you say? 37 rush? Three completions and the MVP? Nope. Doesn't ring a bell." - Vol'arth of the Coven of the Mirrored Hall
"We in the Borderlands don't have much dealings with the Elfs, but we know a lot about the people that offer their swords (or gloves in this case, probably) for gold. So we salute a player that was known as a super star, especially since Nisadai achieved her status without becoming some chaos monstrosity" - Old Man Loewan, head coach of the Stone Prince's Men
---
"We've only met the Dragon Hawks one other time on the pitch and were humbled in a 0-3 defeat. In that match Nisadei played admirably, scoring two of their three touchdowns"
Acund shifts uncomfortably
"It was indeed my call that sent Keeth blitzing at Nisadei. The third touchdown in our previous game was made by Ghezioc, who was out with a hurt back, so Nisadei was the major threat on the field. I had hoped Keeth might knock him out, or at the very worst hurt him a little, nothing too serious. Playing against treemen, mummies, and Kroxigor you sort of forget how fragile elves really are. It was never our intention to kill him, and we will be planting a tree in his honor.
Thats really all I have to say on the matter. Thank you." - Acund, head coach of the Talsyn Tramplers
"Last week Servant Fjodor, 1st secretary of the Master of the Tower, told me about the passing of Nisadei, the star of the Trantio Dragon Hawks. I remembered her from our first game in Autumn of Year Two. She was a promising player and has developed pretty well until now. I already prepared some magic rituals in order to decrease her power, especially her agility before our match.
Then she died. Killed by a Zoat, no one deserves such a pitiful death. Keeth is the name of the beast that killed her. I feel that he will soon be punished by Nagash for his sins. The anger of the Old World will destroy the Zoats…
I wish she could´ve played and died against the Tower of the Necromancer, this would´ve been a more worthy passing for such a great player. Unfortunately we couldn´t save her soul for Nagash." - Count Jurij of the Tower of the Necromancer
---
"We've only met the Dragon Hawks one other time on the pitch and were humbled in a 0-3 defeat. In that match Nisadei played admirably, scoring two of their three touchdowns"
Acund shifts uncomfortably
"It was indeed my call that sent Keeth blitzing at Nisadei. The third touchdown in our previous game was made by Ghezioc, who was out with a hurt back, so Nisadei was the major threat on the field. I had hoped Keeth might knock him out, or at the very worst hurt him a little, nothing too serious. Playing against treemen, mummies, and Kroxigor you sort of forget how fragile elves really are. It was never our intention to kill him, and we will be planting a tree in his honor.
Thats really all I have to say on the matter. Thank you." - Acund, head coach of the Talsyn Tramplers
"Last week Servant Fjodor, 1st secretary of the Master of the Tower, told me about the passing of Nisadei, the star of the Trantio Dragon Hawks. I remembered her from our first game in Autumn of Year Two. She was a promising player and has developed pretty well until now. I already prepared some magic rituals in order to decrease her power, especially her agility before our match.
Then she died. Killed by a Zoat, no one deserves such a pitiful death. Keeth is the name of the beast that killed her. I feel that he will soon be punished by Nagash for his sins. The anger of the Old World will destroy the Zoats…
I wish she could´ve played and died against the Tower of the Necromancer, this would´ve been a more worthy passing for such a great player. Unfortunately we couldn´t save her soul for Nagash." - Count Jurij of the Tower of the Necromancer
Gimme The Mic...
Got something to say? Say it here!
Got something to say? Say it here!
Dear fans of the Nejaz Djinn,
Your beloved Djinn have the opportunity to play against the most formidable force in CIBBL. We know that you believe your team possesses the league’s biggest star, however there are those that believe differently. With Winter approaching we have the opportunity to put these 2 players on the pitch at the same time and prove once and for all who CIBBL’s true MVP is.
We have offered a game to the Djinn. We have taunted them. We have requested this meeting numerous times, only to be rejected, dismissed, or ignored over and over. We understand that your players, especially the Diva that leads the league in TDs, are frightened. And rightfully so. But this is Blood Bowl and the people want to see this matchup. Strigos fans want to see this matchup. CIBBL fans want to see this matchup. The general population wants to see this matchup. Don’t the people of Nejaz, and the fans of the Djinn want to see it as well?
Why leave this debate in a state of “what if?” when we have the opportunity right in front of us to settle it? We are willing to come to Nejaz in the Winter and play this match. People will come from far and wide to see these 2 players on the pitch at the same time. It will be tons of income for city of Nejaz. That means gold in your city, possibly in your pockets. We are certain you wish to see this match as much as everyone else. So please, storm the stadium, go to the practice facility, write letters to the team, coach, owner, players plead with them to accept this match. Demand that they accept this match. It is definitely to your advantage to do so.
Respectfully yours,
King Carol I
Captain of the Strigos Elită
We Want You!!!
Do you have what it takes to write for The Scribbl? We are always looking for new authors. If you have an idea for an article then contact the editor here. Do it now!!!
Do you have what it takes to write for The Scribbl? We are always looking for new authors. If you have an idea for an article then contact the editor here. Do it now!!!