15mm Superhero Gaming - Reignstorm Character Sheet

Reignstorm is an enigma.  Where did she come from? More so - WHEN did she come from?  No one can say, except for her... and she isn't talking....  

All that is known is that her cybernetic body possesses enhanced strength and durability, and her techno-organic eyes give her enhanced eyesight, allowing her to see farther than a normal human and in the infrared spectrum.  It appears she is also able to interface her techno-organic body parts with other types of machinery, an ability that allows her to hack into computers, open electronic locks, and just maybe, somehow, travel through time.  She has indicated she is from one possible future.  A future with advanced technology and weaponry is certain.  She had indicated she would like to partner with The Repulsers, but to what end?  No one knows, because, again... Reignstorm is an enigma. 

Classic Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures: Giant Eagle

A few weeks ago I painted up yet another classic Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniature, this time sculpted by the prolific duo Aly and Trish Morrison.  This eagle was originally released in 1993 as part of Marauder's MB16 Elf Lord on Giant War Eagle boxset, and later released separately without its rider as a Giant Eagle.

This was an Ebay purchase, and it was my first time painting a bird (at least of this size).  I relied heavily upon the dry-brush method and finished it up the miniature with a matching 1990s-style base in green.  It was both fun and fast to paint up.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 Remaining Spoilers Revealed in Video Review

Joel Eddy at Drive Thru Games has released his review of Blitz Bowl Season 2.  The review reveals the last details about previously undisclosed Ball Cards and other Season 2 changes based on the preview copy he received.

 

 

I highly recommend this video review.  Joel does a great job of breaking down the box contents, highlighting the differences from the original Blitz Bowl rules, and displaying great images of the Team Cards, Ball Cards, and Coach Traits.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 Wood Elf and Nurgle Team Cards

Tonight the remaining two new teams were spoiled on The Crush podcast's Discord Channel by Joel from Drive Thru Games.

Spoilers for the Wood Elf Team:

Catcher (x1)
M8, T3+, A6+
Catcher's Instincts: If this player catches a thrown ball (not a hand-off or bouncing ball), roll a six-sided dice. This player can make a free Run action up to that many squares. 

Wardancer (x1)
M7, T3+, A5+
Wardance: When this player makes the Run action, they can ​move adjacent to opponents. If they enter or are on a square that contains the ball after moving adjacent to an opponent during this action, the ball bounces. 

Thrower (x1)
M7, T2+, A6+
Handling Skills: Whenever this player moves into a square containing the ball, they pick it up as though they were making a Run action. 

Lineman (x3)
M7, T3+, A6+

Spoilers for the Nurgle​ Team:

Bloater (x2)
M4, T5+, A2+
Immovable Bulk: If this player is the target of a Block action, the Shove result is treated as the Miss result. 

Pestigor (x1)
M6, T4+, A4+
Headbutt: If this player makes a Mark action and they have already made a Run action this turn, they can immediately make a free Block action. 

Rotter (x3)
M5, T4+, A3+

Combined with the previously released Lizardmen Team spoilers, we now know all three new teams for Blitz Bowl Season 2. 

The Wardancer on the Wood Elf team sports a brand new skill to the game ("Wardance"), and at first glance it looks extremely powerful!  And with two Bloaters (each with Armour 2+) for Nurgle, they are going to be hard to get out of the way.  Both team look like they will bring some fun new styles of play to the game.

Now we just wait for it's release on September 21st through Barnes & Noble.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 Coach Traits Spoiled!

Recently, NornQueenAlexis's YouTube Channel unboxed Blitz Bowl Season 2.  She flipped through the rulebook enough to show how Coach Traits work....  With some deciphering of the screen captures below, most of the details could be determined:

 

Gaining Coach Traits:

After playing a league game (not a finals, semi-finals, or quarter-finals match, both coaches will gain one Coach Trait.  Each coach rolls 2 eight-sided dice and compares that total score on both dice with the Coach Traits table to see what Coach Trait they have gained.  If the coach already has that Coach Trait, they can choose one trait they do not have.  That Coach Trait is then available to that coach until the end of the league, and should be recorded on their coach roster.  Each Coach Trait a coach gains gives them a special ability that can be used once per game.

Coach Traits (Roll of 2D8):

2 – # Training: Before a player on you team that is on the pitch makes a Run, Block or Throw action, you can choose another player from your team that is on the pitch or in the Dugout.  Until the end of that action, those players swap any abilities that are on their cards (for example, Safe Hands or Hulking Brute).
3 – # Kit: After making an Armour check, you can re-roll the dice.
4- Threatening Looks: Before an opponent makes a Block action, roll an eight-sided dice; on a 6 or better, that opponent must make a Sidestep action instead.  If they cannot make a Sidestep action, that opponent cannot make anymore actions this turn.
5- Bribe the Ref: Start the game with 1 point instead of 0.
6- Last Blast: During your last turn, if your team has fewer points than the other team, you can shuffle the Endgame Challenges that were not used to make this match’s Challenge deck, draw one and place it face up in front of you.  This challenge can be claimed by your team in this turn.  If it is not claimed, it is discarded.
7 – #: When your team takes a free action, roll an eight-sided dice; on an 8, take a free action with another player.
8 – Loud Celebrator: When you team scores a touchdown, it scores 4 points instead of 3.
9 – Well Prepared: You can choose which trapdoor the ball is placed on instead of having to randomize it.  If both coaches have this trait and wish to use it at the same time, they each roll an eight-sided dice, re-rolling any ties.  Whoever scores highest chooses which trapdoor the ball is placed on.
10 – Glory Hound: Your team scores 4 points for a Clean Sweep instead of 2.
11 – #: This trait is used at the start of the game, and lasts throughout the game.  You can have 4 Challenge cards in your hand instead of 3 before you have to discard any.  If you do have to discard any, you can keep 4 cards instead of 3.
12 – Threatening Reputation: A team must exceed your score by 11 instead of 10 to score a Sudden Death victory.
13 – Blinding Smile: When an opponent is chosen to make a free action, you can choose to roll a six-sided dice.  On a result of a # of better, that free action cannot be taken by that player.
14 – # Starter: When setting up your team at the beginning of the game, one player on your team can be set up on any square adjacent to a square from your team’s end zone.
15 – Inspiring Presence: After a player on your team makes a Block action, you can choose to re-roll the dice.
16 – Outrageous Cheat: When an opponent claims a Challenge card, you can choose to roll an eight-sided dice.  If the result of the roll is an 8, you claim that Challenge card instead.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 Preorder at Barnes & Noble

Blitz Bowl Season 2 is now available for pre-order at Barnes & Noble's website and its official release date is Monday, September 21, 2020.  There is a new picture posted, but it doesn't appear to show anything that hasn't already been spoiled or discovered already.  Its price is $49.99, which is five more bucks than the original game (which is still listed for sale at Barnes & Noble).  Also, no coupons can be used for it and there is a maximum of two per order!

More Blitz Bowl Season 2 Spoilers

It is now confirmed via Matt Thrower's Twitter feed which team cards are included in Blitz Bowl Season 2.  This brings three new teams to Blitz Bowl, (Lizardmen, Nurgle, and Wood Elf teams).

Spoilers for the Lizardmen Team have been released on Board Game Geek:

Skink Runner
M7, T4+, A5+ 
Flighty: This player can move up to two squares instead of one when they make a sidestep action.  They must finish this move Open not Marked.

Saurus Blocker
M5, T6+, A2+ 
Hulking Brute: All Block actions made by this player count as having an assist.

Chameleon Skink
M7, T4+, A5+
Canny Tracker: The first time in a turn that an opponent adjacent to this player makes a Sidestep action, this player can be moved into the square that opponent moved from.

Note that the Saurus Blocker's version of the "Hulking Brute" skill doesn't include the -1 to Armour rolls that the Black Orc Blocker's version included in the original release.

More spoilers should be released soon as reviewers provide more photos and release more information.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 News Incoming!

Games Workshop recently updated its Blitz Bowl page with Season 2 information.  What have we newly learned?  Plenty:

• Confirmed team cards not only include the Humans, Dwarfs, and Wood Elves, but now the Undead as well,
• A paper pad with a team roster and "Coach Traits" is included (could this indicate campaign rules?),
• Additional block dice are included (might a coach be able to roll more than two block dice?), and
• Two new pitches, in different configurations are included.

Along with previous news of "Ball" cards, there is more and more indication that Blitz Bowl Season 2 is much more than a simple rehash of the original Blitz Bowl with one team swapped out.

The website also states that Blitz Bowl will be sold in Barnes & Noble stores.  The game is not available for preorder, but should be very soon.

Even better, it's been announced that the review copies of Blitz Bowl have just now been mailed out (along with the Rise of the Orks and Crypt Hunters games).  This means that we should be receiving full spoilers for Blitz Bowl Season 2 in just a few days....

Classic Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures: Grey Wizard

I recently finished painting up another old classic Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniature.  This time it's the Grey Wizard (073791/3) designed by Dave Andrews from back in the early 1990s.

The guy has been in my collection, half painted, since the early 2000s.  His sword was painted with a special green paint during an in-store painting class at the old Games and Gizmos Genesis store in Redmond.  The metal was shaved down and a green translucent paint was painted over the bare metal.  It gives it a metallic sheen.

Although a Grey Wizard, I went for a more bluish-grey color for his robes.  I had fun finishing him up with a classic 1990s-style base.

Blitz Bowl Season 2 Will Contain Wood Elf Team Cards

Back in February, Games Workshop announced "Blitz Bowl Season 2" at the New York Toy Fair. 

But only recently user "Stance_Aquadown" in The Crush! Blitz Bowl Podcast's Discord channel astutely discovered that a previously released photo confirms that Wood Elf Team cards will be included in the box.  This provides even more hope that Nurgle, Lizardmen, or other unreleased teams may show up when Season 2 releases. 

If past timing is any indication, Blitz Bowl Season 2 could be up for pre-order in only a few weeks.  The first Blitz Bowl was previewed at the New York Toy Fair on March 1, 2018 and was first available for purchase at Gen Con 2018 (in August of that year).  It became available for pre-order (from Barnes and Noble stores) in early August.  It later was released for purchase in early September 2018.

Classic Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures: Grombrindal, Gotrek and Felix (and a Dark Elf Assassin)

I recently finished painting up some old classic Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniatures.

The original White Dwarf ("Grombrindal") miniature was sculpted by Colin Dixon and released back in 1996. It was the sole remaining miniature from my old WHFB Dwarf army that I played (unpainted) in the late 1990s and sold off in the early 2000s. For some reason I kept the old chap around on the off chance I had an urge to paint him up one day. It took almost 25 years, but finally got around to him....

Michael Perry sculpted the classic Gotrek and Felix miniatures, which were released way back in June 1993. I owned them back in the mid-1990s, sold them off (unpainted), then picked up another set a few years ago.

I tried to go for the old classic 1990s look. I didn't dip these models and didn't use my usual painting shortcuts this time, (no Sharpie pens). Felix's colors changed a few times during my painting endeavor, but his color scheme ended up fairly close to the pictures from the time of their release. For basing them I decided on going with a homage to the 1990s Goblin Green style....

In addition, I found an old Dark Elf Assassin in the same bits box with my other classic models. I forget why I bought him, but he was primed and partially painted (perhaps for use in a failed attempt at a Warhammer Quest redux during the mid-2000s). I decided to finish him up along with the other models, and I worked on him intermittently when I needed to wait for the other models to dry before proceeding.

These were fun to paint up and can join a few other classic models I had painted and kept around, (mostly from the late 1990s).  I prefer these older models to the newer plastic models that Games Workshop has released lately - they are easier to paint and I think they often have more charm and character.  However, next I may try to paint up the latest plastic Gotrek model as a comparison.