League of Extraordinary Weirdos

Well, I've been bitten by the Blood Bowl bug once again.

I know that there are four main opinions of this game [i]Love It [/i], [i]Hate It[/i], [i]Whatever[/i] and [i]Never heard of it[/i] but it is something I keep coming back to, probably because of a strong interest in that peculiar version of rugby that is played in America.

Yes: it is silly, yes: it is a bit odd. But you know what, I enjoy playing it! And that is the most one can ask for in any game!

A couple of the newer lads in my office have had experience with Games Workshop as teenagers, but had left the hobby behind. However, when they have seen some of the miniatures that I have at work and that I have brought in when they've asked to see them I think that they have remembered how much fun it used to be to play such games and paint the figures.

We've had a few games to get used to the [url=http://www.specialist-games.com/bloodbowl/rulebook.asp]LRB5.0 version of the Blood Bowl Rules[/url] with the only two fully painted teams that I've got: Norse and Dwarves and now we're ready to start a small league going: [b]The League of Extraordinary Weirdos[/b].

I've drafted three teams together for me:

I already had painted miniatures for the Narco-Orge Saints - so I spent last night re-basing the ogres on 25mm bases (big guys no longer take up four squares like they did in 2nd Ed Blood Bowl!), and then painting bases and gluing on flock for the five ogres and seven snotlings on the team.

I'm quite happy with the paint jobs on the ogres, even though I painted them a couple of years ago, and the hightlighting is not really stark enough, but the snotlings will need a clean and a re-paint, as I did them about 18 years ago and to be honest, they seem to be suffering just a little bit of what might be lead rot - although they don't smell at all and don't seem to have lost any detail (yet!). When I've found time to do this, I shall take some photos of the whole team and post and share :) But they'll do for my first few games!

I also assembled and preped by Elf team last night (2nd ed metal elves) and got together my orcs (the plastic ones that came with the 3rd ed box set). The elves are now primed and ready for painting, and I had previously primed the orcs and started painting some of them - although they're no more advanced than skin base colour, so I'll be onto painting both of those teams soon!

I've also agreed (foolishly!) to supply minis and paint two teams for my opponents - a Dark Elf team (again 2nd ed metals) and a Chaos Team (I'll convert Heroquest Chaos Warriors and Warhammer plastic Beastmen for this team, but I've already got a minotaur painted that just needs re-basing). I feel I might be streching myself on this - but I am really looking forward to doing all of this painting of Blood Bowl minis! :D

I will post photos of the teams and share them in this blog as and when they are fully (and properly) painted and sealed.

What worries me the most, however, is that I really, really wanted to field a halfling team and I had to talk myself out of it. I would ask you readers if I was normal, but I know the answer already!! :D However, all of your comments, questions and criticisms are welcome in reply to this entry, as always on this blog.

Away from the topic of Blood Bowl, I've also been wondering if people are reading these blog entries - not that it would stop me if no-one is! ;) (you don't stop me that easily! :D), so if you've managed to stay awake reading this far, take a minute a post me a comment - either something relevant like "Why are you wasting time playing Blood Bowl?", or just anything at all like "I read it." Thanks :D