Tribal Desert teams

[Twelfman]

I was busy programming in all the secret league teams from Fumbbl into our league's OBBLM over the last few days, and I was thinking "What's missing?". Lots of the races there are based on geographical locations in the Warhammer world, which is as we all known based on what is basically the real world.

The list ticks of most of the normal fantasy-civilisation-parallel-of-real-world-civilisations, (ancient china, japan, russia, celtic, arabia etc etc), but I saw it didn't have a tribal team, inspired by the african tribes of the maasai, zulu, etc. (It does have pygmies though!) So with that in mind, I knocked up a little something...

Not all that live in the lands of Araby are city-dwellers. Many prefer a quieter, nomadic life, eschewing the convenience of 'civilisation' in favour of a life according to tradition, free to live, hunt, and of course play Blood Bowl!

Tribal Desert Teams

0-16 Lineman - 60k
7-3-3-7
Sprint
Leap

0-2 Thrower - 70k
7-3-3-7
Sprint
Accurate

0-2 Runner - 90k
8-3-3-7
Sprint
Leap
Catch

0-4 Blitzer - 110k
8-3-3-7
Sprint
Leap
Wrestle
Dauntless


I thought it would be cool to base them on the Maasai, with the traditional leaping dance that most people know making its way into the team. That, and there isn't a proper fast human team, one that goes all-out in moving as quickly as they can.

They're sort of like the Amazon team, but they lose Dodge in exchange for Leap and Sprint, and gain a movement. They're quick, if you're willing to risk it...

I made them faster than the normal human team to compensate giving them less armour. Surely it means they can run faster?

In the game, I imagine this team will eat rerolls for breakfast. They're like a non-elf elf team. Gotta play risky... But if the dice are against you, you're boned.

Lineman
A mix between a Skaven Lineman and a Slann Lineman, MV7 and Leap is nice, but AV7 and 60k is not.

Thrower
Gotta have a thrower. Drops Leap for Accurate instead of the normal Sure Hands/Pass. This team is going to want to make long passes I think.

Runner
MV8 and S3 makes them powerful, akin to Elf Catchers, but AG4 and no defensive skills is going to hurt. 8-3-3-7 is a unique statline as well, so that should be interesting.

Blitzer
Here we go! MV8 and S3 makes them beef, but again, AV7 sucks. Dauntless, because you gotta be brave if you leap into a cage with AG3. Wrestle because it makes them a bit more unique. If you're gonna 4+ leap into a cage, you want to be able to get that ball loose, not choose Both Down and end up standing there like a pleb.

Overall Strategy
They're a fast running team that has the potential to be very quick and hard to pin down, but can also get destroyed. They'll eat rerolls like a machine, but their speed and utility should hopefully mean they can score quick, before they get ripped apart.

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What do you all think? Too ridiculous? Too bent? Too undercosted? Let me know.

[nazgob]

On paper, you get a lot of skills. But these guys would roll so many ones.

And their best skills are wasted as soon as they're tagged, which sucks.

[Twelfman]

That's what I was thinking. You have the potential to be amazing, but once you start getting bogged down... And conversely, that's how you beat them. Just squash them up.

[Wobert]

I think there is too much leap here - this is almost a poor mans Slann team.

In terms of geography there are several versions of \n Araby team already out there which cover dervishes and the like

[Moraiwe]

With a desert culture theme, I'm not sure speed and sprint are the right attributes. Endurance is what you want, though endurance is a little difficult to show in Blood Bowl. Maybe Sure Feet instead of Sprint? Perhaps Thick Skull to show hardiness?

[Twelfman]

I think there is too much leap here - this is almost a poor mans Slann team.

With a desert culture theme, I'm not sure speed and sprint are the right attributes. Endurance is what you want, though endurance is a little difficult to show in Blood Bowl. Maybe Sure Feet instead of Sprint? Perhaps Thick Skull to show hardiness?

0-16 Lineman - 60k - G ASP
7-3-3-7
Sure Feet

0-2 Thrower - 70k - GP AS
7-3-3-7
Sure Feet
Accurate

0-2 Runner - 90k GA SP
8-3-3-7
Sure Feet
Leap
Catch

0-4 Blitzer - 110k GS AP
8-3-3-7
Sure Feet
Leap
Wrestle
Dauntless

Thoughts?

[nightwing]

I like it- but 6 M8 players is possibly a bit too much. Maybe limit to 2 blitzers, of 0-4 runners and blitzers M7. And I like the idea of Thick Skull on the linemen too- either instead of or in addition to Sure Feet

[Wobert]

I agree with Nightwing. 6 players with move 8 and leap seems like overkill.

I am not sure this team list says desert dweller to me. I agree with the strength, agility and movement side of the stats, but I'm not sure of the rest.

In my head if I think of desert dwellers I think of shadowy, stealthy, hardy figures, whirling dervishes and fanatical assassins.

0-16 Tribesmen 7/3/3/7 - Thick Skull

0-2 Assassins 7/3/3/7 - Stab, Side Step

0-2 Dervish 8/3/4/7 - Frenzy, Dodge, Side Step

0-2 Eunochs 6/4/2/8 - Thick Skull

0-2 Snake Charmers 7/3/3/7 - Hypnotic Gaze

[Glowworm]

Eat Rerolls???

....but at what cost I hear you cry??

can we assume they are free?

[Twelfman]

I am not sure this team list says desert dweller to me.
In my head if I think of desert dwellers I think of shadowy, stealthy, hardy figures, whirling dervishes and fanatical assassins

That's one look at it, which is summed up well with the araby team. In my head I see that as more maharajah indian style though, whereas my idea I was thinking more like central african tribes, like the maasai and whatnot.

Also, having lots of MV8 is pretty much all the team have going for them! It also means you have a proper running human team, a speedy team to rival Skaven or Wood Elves, but without the agi4 to make it easy. I imagine their playstyle would focus more on punching a hole, then darting every bugger through before they get caught.

[frogboy]

Masai are from Kenya though init?

Here's a link to the Southlands Lexican might help a bit http://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Southlands

Rumour has it there ain't nothing but lizzards in them woods...

I like the concept of the Leap for the Masai warriors, that works. Also agree that it's too much speed. Think it's cool you'd look for a new team, it's difficult to make something from humans though as there basic level of strength agility etc is kind of dictated by the other races in the warhammer world.
As it is it's just a alternative human team, with AV 7 and no decent starting skills. It's worse than Skaven in that respect. If I was drawn against this team then I'd love it if I had any kind of bashing team.

Also I think "historically" in the Warhammer world not every geographic area is represented by a human race, some are represented by Orcs, Ogres, Lizards etc

[Twelfman]

Yeah... You're probably right. Back to the drawing board!

[Darkson]

Heck the Araby teams from the old MBBL2 league: http://www.midgardbb.com/MBBLTeams/Araby.html
This was for an old ruleset (LRB4 and earlier) so would obviously need some modification, but might give you some ideas.

(Other MBBL2 teams: http://www.midgardbb.com/BloodBowlTeams.html )