Checkout the new rules for Blood Bowl, and how to actually PLAY the game in today’s first look overview and demo game from our friends at BoLS!
TOUCHDOWN! Looks like Blood Bowl will be here for the holidays as several industry giants have told us the game WILL go on pre-order next week with a delivery date of the rumored November 25th!
But for now come see the game overview and play demo from BoLS:
Not too much has changed! It’s still 11 players vs 11 players (at least on the field at once) and the core mechanics are pretty much the exact same. Players still have the same basic actions of Move, Block, Blitz and Pass. Picking-up the football off the ground still requires a check but you just have to move onto the square. Tackle Zones are still the 8 Squares adjacent to a player and they only “threaten” those zones if they are standing – prone players (or stunned) don’t count.
The Dice Rolls for the Block Dice are pretty much the exact same:
So Vets, you really don’t have too much to worry about. There are a lot of “advanced rules” in the book that I do skip over but I’m pretty sure you vets will be happy with the majority of those changes.
For anyone that’s new let me break down the rules a bit more.
Move – This is your basic movement action. It allows a player to move up to their move value. If you move through any opposing player tackle zones you have to make a dodge roll.
Block – The Block allows you to forcibly interact with the opposing players. You roll a number of dice based on your relative strength value (there are modifiers). If you’re equal in strength, you roll one die. If one player has more strength, you roll 2 dice and the stronger player chooses the result. If your strength difference is double or more, you roll 3 dice and the stronger player chooses.
Blitz – This is a special action that can only happen once per turn. It allows players to move and throw a block at any point during their move at the cost of 1 point of movement (the block costs 1 point).
Pass – This is another special action that can only happen once per turn. A player with the ball (and the pass skill) can attempt to throw the ball to a square or another player. If the ball is accurate (meaning you passed your Passing Roll) then it lands accurately. If the pass is failed, the ball will bounce.
*Catching – This isn’t really an action so much as a result of a Pass. If a player is in the target square of a Pass they can attempt to catch it. It’s a agility roll with some modifiers. If they succeed, they get to take possession of the ball. If they fail the ball goes bouncing.
There aren’t a lot of other rules to think about, but things like fumbles, falling down, turnovers and the like are still in the game. We cover most of that in the video above.
Blood Bowl Roundup
Are you ready for some BLOOD Bowl?
First Look: New Blood Bowl UNBOXED!
Human Team
Here are the front and backviews of the two sets of bright blue Human sprues. This gives you 12 players out of the box.
- 2 Throwers
- 2 Blitzers
- 2 Catchers
- 6 Linesmen
These are quick assembly minis, so even newcomers should be up and playing in no time.
Orc Team
Here are the front and backviews of the two sets of bright greenOrk sprues. This gives you 12 players out of the box.
- 2 Black Orc Blockers
- 2 Throwers
- 2 Blitzers
- 6 Linesmen
These are quick assembly minis, so even newcomers should be up and playing in no time.
Check out these videos to help you get started or get your more psyched about the upcoming release of the new Blood Bowl!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oHFLk5Y6cY
If that wasn’t enough for you then check out the full unboxing video from Bell of Lost Souls!
This was a super exciting look at the new Blood Bowl and I’m sure many of you are gearing up for the tailgating parties that go along with this fantasy football game. Head over to BOLS for more information!
Blood Bowl Roundup
Who’s ready for some BLOOD BOWL?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
