Team Captains

[CplSaint]

Blood Bowl stands comparison with games like Necromunda, Confrontation and Mordheim in that all these games have a small team/warband/gang that progresses and increases its skills. In addition, the games have limits on certain special members of the gangs - throwers etc in BB, heavies and juves in Necromunda and so on.

One idea recently struck me that all of the other games have leaders, that start off with some skills. Perhaps Blood Bowl would benefit from having a 'team captain' that cost an additional 20,000 or whatever on top of his normal cost and benefitted from having a skill upgrade and either 'pro' or 'leader'. What do you think?

[Colin]

I don't know if you can really compare BB to Necromunda and Mordhiem. BB is a sports game, not a wargame. Technically the leader of the team is the coach. Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally against your idea, paying more for some players to start with extra skills could work, but don't need to justify it by comparing to other games.

[DaFrenchCoach]

I found it on a french website called l'envers du jeu. It was before the 2K1 rules set, so it may require some correcitons (i think about ageing):

Le Capitaine de l'équipe
Le capitaine est le lien entre les joueurs et l'entraineur. Il est généralement plus fort que le joueur moyen. Il gagne automatiquement la compétence Chef au début de sa carrière et une augmentation gratuite dû à sa surmotivation. Cependant, il a de grandes responsabilités et si l'équipe perd 3 fois de suite, il est démis de ces fonctions et devient un assistant. On peut alors choisir un nouveau capitaine.

The Captain of the team
The captain is the link between the players and the coach. He is generally a better player than the average player, so he gains leader skill automatically at the beginning of his career and a free SPP roll due to his abilities. However, it has great responsibilities and if the team loses 3 times of continuation, he's fired and becomes an assistant. One can then choose a new captain.

I'm not sure the trnaslation is OK, but it may give you the main idea. It should be an advantage, but you may loose your player too... I would add an ageing roll for the free SPP roll, maybe...

Torg: there's a difference IMO between the coach and the idea of captain... THe question: do we need a special rule for it ? Not sure. THe "leader" skill is a good way to represent it.

[McDeth]

I always have a team captain, but thats all he is a naem only, i suppose you could supllement the idea by giving him leader on his first increase or pro on a double.

[shaniepoo]

I have a team captain in my team at the mo called lucky, problem is that he is everything but that. He has failed to gain any SPP's in 5 games and in every game has taken himself out by GFI or on Blocking I think that 20K for Pro/Leader is an ok idea. I might try it in my local league, if you dont mind that is?

[JenniRP70]

This is something that the Snotling League thought about a few seasons back. We were basically going to give a designated player the Leader skill. We never used it in the end, but I think it is a good idea.

Should you be required to select a new leader, for whatever reason, I don't think that player should automatically get any other increases apart from the leader skill.

JohnnyP

[Darkson]

I think that 1 player should be given the Leader skill for free, BUT only for starting rookie teams. this way, all rookie teams have the same advantage, and it helps to narrow the gap between newbies and experienced teams (which normally have lots of re-rolls anyway).

I would, however, give experienced teams the option of given Leader or Pro to one player for 20K in the close season.

[franck_le_grand]

Maybe the team captain could have some influence on the ref. Like in real life. It's the captain who talks with the ref. Maybe the captain is the one who's "arguing the call" and he will be sent of on a roll of 1...
Just a thought, just a thought...

[GalakStarscraper]

I always have a team captain, but thats all he is a naem only, i suppose you could supllement the idea by giving him leader on his first increase or pro on a double.

Just for the record here folks ... McDeth MEANT pro on his first increase or leader on a double.

Since pro=skill and leader=trait ... sorry McDeth

Galak

[GalakStarscraper]

I don't like handing out free skills.

The only rule that I've every used to hand out skills was for the Wild Card team ... and the player dies from trying to learn the free skill on a 1 or 2.

Give me a penalty like that for getting Leader for free and I'll agree.

Galak

[Darkson]

Galak, I don't see how giving a free skill to one player in a starting rookie team would seroiusly unbalance the game, but as a rookie to your experience (and I'm not taking the piss) I'll bow to your greater games knowledge.

[Bludbowler]

One idea recently struck me that all of the other games have leaders, that start off with some skills. Perhaps Blood Bowl would benefit from having a 'team captain' that cost an additional 20,000 or whatever on top of his normal cost and benefitted from having a skill upgrade and either 'pro' or 'leader'. What do you think?

Instead of giving the "team captain" an extra skill, give him the right to argue referee calls just like a head coach, and if he successfully reverses a call, he earns a Star Player Point.

What do you think?

Later,
Bludbowler.

[Cervidal]

Personally, I simply desginate my team's first Dirty Player the team captain. Seems rather appropriate, 'cause he looks out for the rest of the boys.

[MadLordAnarchy]

Team captains are a good idea but it's hard to come up with something balanced to represent them on the field. I've always just used them for fluff purposes and selected the player that most represented the playing style of a team.