This is hopefully the first in a new regular series of posts looking back on the highlights in the world of Blood Bowl over the last month.

New releases, Tournaments, Kickstarters, and any other newsworthy Blood Bowl related content will be included in the coming months.

So let’s take a look at what July 2020 brought Blood Bowl…

Blood Bowl – Second Season Edition Officially Announced… Finally 

Ok so this may have dropped in August but this is big! Following some leaked images of a new Blood Bowl rulebook, Games Workshop have confirmed that the 2020 ‘Holiday season’ will see the release of the new edition of Blood Bowl. New teams including Imperial Nobility and a Black Orc team will make up the box set. If the rumours are true, this release will be bringing lots of change to the Blood Bowl scene.

A Surprise New Team

Games Workshop released Spike! Journal #09 which includes the Chaos Renegades, Underworld Denizens and a very unexpected new team, the Old World Alliance. Containing a mix of Humans, Dwarfs, Halflings and an Ogre, the OWA’s big talking point has been the inclusion of the Loner skill on all of the Dwarf players.

The release included the usual Pitch, and Cards but interestingly no dice. Possibly the result of the Coronavirus affecting supply chains around the world.

Money For Old Rope

Both the Old World Alliance and Underworld Denizen teams had new box teams released. Both using sprues from previously released teams. The change to the Underworld roster to match the Skaven sprue, in particular the inclusion of a Gutter Runner has certainly caused a stir.

Big NAF Tournaments Continue on Fumbbl

On Fumbbl, July saw the infamous Thrudball move online taking place over the last weekend of July.

The Amorical Cup Fumbbl tournament also began and is due to end mid August. This team tabletop event had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Both are large events in the UK and USA respectively, but the current situation forcing them to move online does give more coaches a way to take part in these events. Something of a silver lining in the current situation.

NAF Tournaments Come to Blood Bowl II on the PC

Blood Bowl II has finally joined the online NAF tournament scene with the announcement of the first officially sanctioned event on the platform. Due to start on August 12th, the Welsh Blood Bowl Championship is taking place over six weekly rounds hopefully this is the start of more such online events.

Kickstarters

Insect Bowl by Akaro Dice (Ending 10th August 2020)

A team based on characters from the Antz animated film released in 1998. A fun and colourful project which can be used for representing any team on the tabletop.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/akarodice/insect-bowl

Breton Team by Norba Miniatures (Expected on Kickstarter in September 2020)

One to watch for the future, Norba Miniatures have previewed some Blitzers for an upcoming Breton team Kickstarter. These are a great start and we will be watching this with interest.

Tabletop Tournaments Return to the UK

July saw the return of NAF tabletop tournaments to the UK since March 2020 due to the Coronavirus. The BBQ Bowl 2 near Bracknell and the IOWBBL Sandbowl 2 on the Isle of Wight both taking place in early July. More UK tabletop events are planned for the coming months following the easing of lockdown measures.

UK Tabletop Event Cancellations Continue

The UK Team Challenge due to take place in January 2021 has been cancelled due to the current Coronavirus pandemic. Sadly it is the latest in a long list of major tournaments being cancelled. Large events require a significant amount of planning and investment to host and you can understand the decision to cancel.

Hopefully we will all be back in York come January 2022.

Making Sweet Sweet Music

A new Blood Bowl Charity has been released, Top of the Blocks. Organised by Twelfman, and the team behind the Anything But a One Podcast. This charity album has contributions from across the community, with all proceeds going to the Trussell Trust charity.

https://anythingbuta1podcast.wordpress.com/2020/07/31/top-of-the-blocks-charity-album-release-now/

Blood Bowl Jerseys Released

Wildbangarang have released a couple of Blood Bowl jerseys for sale. Known for producing various Warhammer related projects. Two jerseys are currently available, one for the Gouged Eye and other for the Reikland Reavers. No home and away variants but you do have the options between ‘Battle Worn’ or Clean!

https://www.wildbangarang.com/collections/shop-all-games-workshop-1

Hobby Highlight

Finally, a quick look at a great looking team posted on social media this month. This Human statue team has so many great details. They all look like they could have spent time in Trafalgar Square with all of those pigeons…

Great work by Christopher Rlyes of Black Orc Down.

Well that was quite a month. Not sure if all months will be so jam packed, but with the new edition coming soon. The next few months will certainly continue to give us lots to talk about.

If you want something added in next month’s round up email us on 1turntouchdown@gmail.com or post a comment below.

OTT: 0 – Failed the loner re-roll so my Halfling landed on his head!