Spike! Journal

[Tablet]

I have really enjoyed reading through the first Spike! and will certainly be buying the future editions. The fluff that surrounded the game was one of it's biggest draws for me back in the day and I like how Spike! brings that back to the fore.

The death zones didn't have a feeling of continunity to me. The artwork was pulled in from various sources, Spike! doesn't have that and feels more polished as result.

Also loving the fact that Knifton artwork is back in a big way! His stuff IS Bloodbowl for me.

[chip_killy]

JTY - am I reading into your post too much, or it the implication that in time there will be journals for all the already released teams? Humans, Orcs, Goblins, Skaven, and Dwarves must account for a fair proportion of the collective fluff of BB. Could perhaps be timed with boosters?

It'd be nice and to have a Spike! Journal for every team eventually. We shall see if it's possible I guess.

Releasing Spike! Journals for previously released teams in the off months between new team releases would be a nice way to keep up enthusiasm and interest in the game. A release every 2 months wouldn't seem to be too demanding, especially if one of those releases is "just" an issue of Spike!

[zebulon]

I really like this Spike! Journal. Nice job guys.
I'm already looking forward to the Dark Elf issue

[gjnoronh]

Super excited about SPIKE myself. Really enjoyed it. Cheap in the US. My 7 year old son is enthralled (he plays Chaos) but I think we'd love one for any team.

[JT-Y]

Releasing Spike! Journals for previously released teams in the off months between new team releases would be a nice way to keep up enthusiasm and interest in the game. A release every 2 months wouldn't seem to be too demanding, especially if one of those releases is "just" an issue of Spike!

I thought like that once, many moons ago when I was young, bright eyed and bushy tailed, before I first got to see what went into publishing a book through the old Fanatic studio. Back when I had hair and a 32" waist!

It might not seem too demanding but something like Spike! Journal requires a tonne of resources. Me writing it and getting the new stuff playtested is easy. There are about 30 people involved from layout artists to artists, editors and proofreaders to translators. And back again. Layout has to be done for each language separately because of the differences in length of a piece in different languages.
This work also has to fit in with other jobs and releases have to fit into a very busy schedule planned a long way in advance because the people doing it belong to other departments and have to do the same work for other releases we have coming.
All told it takes about six months from the first key stroke to sending it to the printer.

So yeah. I'd dearly love to swing back around and do the rest in time, but I don't recommend breath holding!

I appreciate your enthusiasm though because it echoes mine

[chip_killy]

Well, regardless, I'm still looking forward to the next issue!

Although... what are your thoughts on, say, a hardcover Spike! collected edition sometime in 2019?

[Fassbinder75]

I was skeptical initially, but I really liked the first volume. I'm a bit terrified of the Wizards, but we'll see how that plays out. Really the shifting the aesthetic, both written and visual
back towards 2nd edition is a big plus for me.

Will we see updated minis for the stars? I have the old lead, but a new Withergrasp would be really cool especially since he looks useful.

And lol to 'Paulus von Geggster', not many degrees of separation there!

[peo2223]

Favourite line:

'Grashnak got hit by a stray khorne dog thrown from the crowd'

Ha!

[Baxx]

Full stats for all ten Stars that will play for Chaos Chosen are in the Spike! Journal, in the team reference section (yes Faust every one will have a full reference page like that).

Actually we got 12 star players (14 if we count individuals). The ones playing for Chaos but are missing in Spike magazine are Grak & Crumbleberry and Brick Far'th & Grotty.

The new star players are Scyla Anfingrimm, Gobbler Grimlich and Withergrasp Doubledrool.

[JT-Y]

Grak and Crumbleberry aren't on general release so haven't been included in any official list. They remain a WHW exclusive and their rules an option. That's why they'll play for any team; if in your league you choose to add them, you add them for all teams equally.
Brick and Grotty are a deliberate omission. Use them by all means but we have said before that some CRP Stars won't make it into the current edition.

[Skitters]

Given the conditions that have to be met - would it be correct to assume that the Black Gobbo and White Dwarf will not count towards the lists of 10 for the teams they are eligible for too?

[JT-Y]

The White Dwarf and Black Gobbo are not really an Inducement, more of a narrative device for games between certain teams. Not having a cost kinda means they don't belong in a list of Stars that can simply be hired for a set cost.

[Baxx]

The White Dwarf and Black Gobbo are not really an Inducement, more of a narrative device for games between certain teams. Not having a cost kinda means they don't belong in a list of Stars that can simply be hired for a set cost.

I agree about what you say, in addition they only apply to games where one team is Dwarf/Halfling/Human/Norse and the other team is Chaos Renegade/Goblin/Orc/Underworld Denizens. So they wouldn't be included for Chaos regardless.

Grak and Crumbleberry aren't on general release so haven't been included in any official list. They remain a WHW exclusive and their rules an option. That's why they'll play for any team; if in your league you choose to add them, you add them for all teams equally.
Brick and Grotty are a deliberate omission. Use them by all means but we have said before that some CRP Stars won't make it into the current edition.

Thanks, that makes sense.

[Baxx]

I see that Spike! nr 1 (Chaos) actually changes the rules for Inducements:

Wizards are now (In)Famous Coaching staff and the 0-2 limitation applies.
Non-charachter (unnamed) Wizards can be taken by both sides at the same time.
Maximum 1 Wizard per team.
All Wizards can be used once per game to cast one of their spells.

However, Horatio X. Scottenheim can cast a fireball once each half. How is this affected by the new rules in Spike Magazine stating Wizards can only cast as spell once per game?

[JT-Y]

Horatio has his own rules and those clearly allow him to be used once each half. He's an exception to the rules for unnamed Wizards who can be used only once, but he is a Wizard in so far as he takes up your 0-1 Wizard slot because unreliable as he may be he'd be too much alongside a more reliable, qualified and card carrying Wizard.