Tackle Zone Radio

You’ve asked for them and I’ve promised them over and over again…  So here they are!

These are the rules that the Brisbane Area Blood Bowl League use for Dungeom matches, but first a little background…

Games Workshop originally released Dungeon Bowl for Blood Bowl as a separate boxed game (or at least an expansion) during the 80’s.  In the 90’s, when Blood Bowl was re-released as the game we all play today, Dungeon Bowl was referenced and even had a trophy named after it, but the special rules never made it across.  Some dedicated coaches and commissioners are crazy enough to resurrect the ol’ Dungeon Rules and unleash mayhem!  Happily, I am such a commissioner!

The way I do things at www.brisbane.bloodbowlleague,com is at the start of each season, I organise the league into three divisions.  The Highest Team Value teams start in Division A, the Lowest in Division C, and the two meet in the middle to form Division B.  Our season lasts 12 rounds (but it used to be longer – 16 and even 20 games) before we start the Finals.  To break up such a long season, we have a special exhibition round at the half waypoint.

The top team from each division (and one wild card) get to play a special 4-Way, every man for himself, Dungeon match.  All the other teams get to play a game of Squig Ball (Look for those rules here soon) against a random opponent instead.  Since the chance to get to play Dungeon Bowl is quite low, it’s a real trerat for those involved, and a hella good time too!

Now, these rules are VERY heavily based on the rules created by Jervis Johnson.  Some time ago Games Workshop released a set of rules to adapt Dungeon Bowl to the 3rd edition rule set.   I take no credit what so ever for these but I am comfortable enough to say that they are as close to “official” as you’re gonna get (well…  here at least).  Most of the big changes I made simply allow for 4 teams to play at once, and since that can take a while… streamline things a little bit.  If you’re after something a little more “Games Workshop endorsed”, a quick web search should set you up nicely!

Enough Chatter!  Lets Get at ‘er!

(All rules regarding Blood Blow matches apply unless stated other wise)

Lay Out: A dungeon is set up using appropriate tiles (Hero Quest, Dungeon Bowl, Space Hulk whatever?). The dungeon should have a large central room and four End-Zones opposite each other. More rooms or corridors can be added at the discretion of the Commissioner.

Set Up: Four teams take part in BABBL dungeon matches. Each team picks an end-zone, determine who picks first via League ranking (highest gets first pick), and in that end-zone they place any six players.   The lowest Ranked player must select the opposite end-zone and set up six players.  The second highest ranked may then pick their end-zone while the third ranked player must take the final unoccupied end-zone.

At the start of each turn, before moving a player, a coach may use the magic sponge (see below) or teleport a player from their Reserves Box onto the pitch by rolling a d8 and placing that player on the appropriate teleport pad (see below). It is thus possible to eventually have more than 11 players in the dungeon at once.

Turn Sequence: Determine randomly who gets the first turn. Follow all the normal restrictions for a Blood bowl match regarding available actions and illegal procedures. If an illegal procedure is called, rather than losing an available re-roll, all other coaches receive an extra re-roll. After the coach’s turn ends, the coach to their left begins their turn, continue clockwise around the table. There is no break after turn 8 and the game continues until a TD is scored.

Injuries Knock outs and Reserves: When a player is knocked out in the dungeon they are removed from danger by the helpful wizards and placed into appropriate the knock out bin.  The Helpful Wizards will also locate players who get injured and transport them out of the dungeon and place them gently into the Dead and injured box of their team’s dugout.

 Magic Sponge: The Helpful wizards want to see a lot of carnage.  At the start of every turn, rather than teleport a player from the reserves box, a coach may use the magic sponge provided by the Wizards on a player in the Knocked-Out bin.  This will automatically awaken the player and move him to the reserves bin, making them available to be teleported onto the pitch in future turns.

Inducements: All teams gather their inducement money based off the team with the highest team rating. Star players and mercenaries will never play in a Dungeon match (it’s just too dangerous). Blood Bowl Babes don’t like the tight confines of the dungeon either and will refuse to take part.

Some Special Play Cards only affect the Kick off result; unfortunately since there is no kick off, these cards and the inducement money are wasted. (Corruption is everywhere)  Some Special Play Cards allow additional players to enter from a sideline or end zone; these players will instead enter from a teleport pad following the normal rules for doing so.

Winning the match: The first team to score a TD will be declared the winner and the match will immediately come to an end. A coach scores a TD by entering the end-zone with the ball on the opposite end of the dungeon from where they started. (Eg: if you started on the north side, you must touch the ball down in the south side end-zone)

Teleport Pads: Within the dungeon the commissioner spaces out eight numbered counters to represent teleport pads. The pads introduce a random and risky element that makes dungeon matches wildly unpredictable. When a player steps on a teleport pad, roll a d8 and move the player to the appropriate pad. If the pad they’re currently standing on displays the number rolled, (you’re standing on pad three and then roll a three) the player is lost in a terrible accident and may no longer take part in the match, The model is then removed from the pitch. At the end of the game, helpful wizards will retrieve the player and return him to the team. Should a player teleport to an occupied pad, the previous occupant must then roll a d8 and teleport away.

Teleporting can be very stressful on the organs & many feel stunned after repeated uses… some even die. To represent this, a player must use 2 points of MA to step off a square with a teleport pad (rather than one). Also, if for any reason a player gets teleported twice or more in one team turn, roll once for injury against that player. Players may continue moving after their transport is complete (they may even step back on the pad if they want to risk another transport).

Only players can activate the teleport pads, therefore a ball will only teleport if a player is holding it. When entering a square with both a teleport pad and the ball, a player must attempt to pick up the ball before determining where they teleport to (if applicable).

Treasure Chests: Within the dungeon the commissioner spaces out six numbered counters to represent treasure chests. At the start of the match there is no kick off (nor any rolls on the kick-off table), the ball starts in one of the six chests… the other five are trapped. When a player enters a Square with a chest, their action ends. Roll a d6, on a result of a 6 the lucky player has found the ball and automatically picks it up (keep in mind that their action has ended, so they may not then continue to move nor Pass/Hand-off the ball); on a result of 1–5 the unlucky player has opened a trapped chest. Remove the counter and knock the player down, all adjacent players will be knocked down on a d6 roll of 4–6Roll for armour and injury as normal (Players knocked down will cause a Turn Over). If the ball is found, all remaining counters are considered trapped. If five counters are removed without the ball being found, the sixth is considered to have the ball (no roll is required).

Low Ceiling: Due to the enclosed dungeon roof, only Quick and Short passes may be attempted.

Thick Walls: If a player is pushed back into a wall or obstacle, they are knocked down in their square as if they had suffered a successful block and had the Stand Firm skill. Determining if a player has been pushed into a wall is simular to determining if a player has been pushed off the pitch.  That is to say that there may not be any other unoccupied squares for the player to pushed into.  If a ball scatters into a wall, use the throw in template to determine what square it ends up in as it then bounces off.

No Friends in the Pit: Players may only assist players from their own team with regard to Blocks. Your players can help you with assists and the target’s players may help them (Assuming they are not in a Tackle Zone or they have the guard skill).

Blood bowl players love a good kicking however and all opposing players adjacent to a Foul victim offer positive assists on the Armour roll, while only players from the victim’s team may offer negative assists (if applicable)

If a player gets ejected for fouling, the Helpful Wizards remove the offender from the dungeon and they may not take further involvement in the match.

Too Long… : If a match lasts more that 16 turns (that is 16 for each team) the Helpful Wizards will stop allowing fresh players to be teleported onto the pitch from the reserves box.  If it goes as long as 24 turns, The wizards will thin out the ranks by igniting the Dungeon in a torrent of sticky wizards fire.  Before the start of the 25^th turn roll a die for each player, on a roll of 4–6 they are knocked down and must roll for armour/injury – applying Mighty Blow to the result!  (Just like a Wizards Fireball)

There you go folks!  I recommend that you and three mates give it a shot!  You’ll be surprised how fun (and Challenging) it really is!

Good luck out there,

Shawn