This one is for Galak.

[commisar ken]

On the secret weapons,Why did you do away with the secret weapon rolls?Now it is automatic.I did not mind the rolling and being sent off at the half.That really hurt my Goblins.But you did a great job on updating the teams and Star players.Also to bad Gw would not let you make a Stand alone Players handbook and a star player/League book.Also would it be possible for me to rehash a blood bowl web magazine with out a CnD letter from GW.

[Darkson]

I can answer the first bit - because it's simpler and fairer*, and because Jervis said so.


(* I'm not saying it's better - I to prefer the SW rolls.)

[Smurf]

Some of 3rd ed rules could be borrowed.

IMO we miss the oi ref roll. On a 6 the ref's decision is overturned and on a 1 you the manager is ejected from the game - ie no more calls.

I think they could be used to help problem of illegal stuff in the game. Not everyone can afford bribes etc.

But it gives an off chance, this also means that fouls can be ignored on a 6+. But if you have bribes you must use those first or if you are ejected you cannot use them.

[GalakStarscraper]

SW rolls were removed as JJ wanted those rules to be simpler. Neither doubleskulls or I had anything to do with that.

Tom

[commisar ken]

Now i know,He got tired of his team being cut to pieces by goblin chainsaws.I guess in my league i am going back to using 3 rd. edition rules,dice rolling time.Also on the Blood Bowl web mag,i have 200 subscribers to my BB blog.i thoughtit would be fun to rehash the mag for this edition,piks,star player updates,rehash experimental rules.

[DoubleSkulls]

SW rolls only applied to stars in LRB4, which were relatively rare. Just sending them off seemed simpler when we allowed them to be rostered players too.

[ratimir]

A thought that crossed my mind the other day:

We've had a more complex system where each weapon had its own penalty roll.
We've had a simple system where there are no penalty rolls and all weapons are either ignored (those without Secret Weapon) or automatically sent off (those with secret weapon).

The reason for the current rules, as Darkson, Galak and DoubleSkulls all mentioned, is that they are simpler, but I think this is one point where simplification has gone too far. It seems bizarre to me that Sinnedbad's sword is as certain to be sent off as a Deathroller, while Rashnak's dagger is equally certain to be overlooked.

How about a middle ground, with three skills:
Secret Weapon: Sent off on a d6 roll of 1 (daggers, stakes, pogo sticks)
Not-So-Secret Weapon: Sent off on a d6 roll of 1-3 (bombs, swords, blunderbusses)
Blatantly Obvious Weapon: Sent off automatically (deathrollers, ball & chain, chainsaws)

Or if that's too complicated, cut it down to two tiers (1-3 and automatic).

Using a system like this, you could also make the star versions a little sneakier or more intimidating than their regular counterparts. Eg, give Secret Weapon to regular Dark Elf Assassins, but not to Horkorn, marking him as an unusually sneaky assassin who does manage to get away with it every time. Or a regular Goblin Looney might have a Blatantly Obvious Weapon, and Nobbla might only have a Not-So-Secret Weapon. Not because Nobbla's actually any less obvious, but because it takes a pretty brave referee to confront Choppy or Rippy.

[Afroman]

A thought that crossed my mind the other day:

We've had a more complex system where each weapon had its own penalty roll.
We've had a simple system where there are no penalty rolls and all weapons are either ignored (those without Secret Weapon) or automatically sent off (those with secret weapon).

The reason for the current rules, as Darkson, Galak and DoubleSkulls all mentioned, is that they are simpler, but I think this is one point where simplification has gone too far. It seems bizarre to me that Sinnedbad's sword is as certain to be sent off as a Deathroller, while Rashnak's dagger is equally certain to be overlooked.

How about a middle ground, with three skills:
Secret Weapon: Sent off on a d6 roll of 1 (daggers, stakes, pogo sticks)
Not-So-Secret Weapon: Sent off on a d6 roll of 1-3 (bombs, swords, blunderbusses)
Blatantly Obvious Weapon: Sent off automatically (deathrollers, ball & chain, chainsaws)

Or if that's too complicated, cut it down to two tiers (1-3 and automatic).

Using a system like this, you could also make the star versions a little sneakier or more intimidating than their regular counterparts. Eg, give Secret Weapon to regular Dark Elf Assassins, but not to Horkorn, marking him as an unusually sneaky assassin who does manage to get away with it every time. Or a regular Goblin Looney might have a Blatantly Obvious Weapon, and Nobbla might only have a Not-So-Secret Weapon. Not because Nobbla's actually any less obvious, but because it takes a pretty brave referee to confront Choppy or Rippy.

I like this Idea, it feels very Blood Bowl.

+1

[Tourach]

I actually like the veapon rules are ok, I do think bribes should be automatic on weapons though.

[Bludbowler]

If Secret Weapons are supposed to be "against the rules," then treat each use of a Secret Weapon as if it were a Foul attempt. That way it's purely random as to when the SW is removed from the game. Throw the IGMEOY rule back in, along with "Argue The Call," and we're talking all sorts of wacky fun!

[mattgslater]

I've been grappling with this:

If Secret Weapon were a 4+ to stay after the first drive, what would the cost mod be like?

I really like the Saw and B&C stars as is, but I think the rostered SWs and Sinnedbad suffer overmuch and would rather see them go up in price.

In the case of the Deathroller, I don't mind seeing it for just one drive, but it should probably be cheaper, no? It would be a great equalizer against the bash teams that beat them up, if it could carry its TV weight.

[Smurf]

I try and ask my league to 'oi ref' from the 3rd ed.

I like the outside chance of someone getting carded to have the coach argue the call.

[mattgslater]

I try and ask my league to 'oi ref' from the 3rd ed.

I like the outside chance of someone getting carded to have the coach argue the call.

We do something similar. We make foul Cas (and Saw, Stab, and surf Cas) worth 1SPP, but we have a Penalty roll when a player is caught fouling.

1: Warning. Turnover, no ejection.
2-5: Ejection.
6: Ejection, plus suspension for 1 match.

[tchatter]

I don't mind the SW = automatic ejection so much. I liked the old rules better, but I can live with the change. However, there does need to be a slight tweak to Secret Weapon players: "Players with Secret Weapons do not have to setup for a drive, even if this would leave the team with less than 11 players on the pitch."

Having your opponent score on turn 7 of the first half (and you only had your bomber on the pitch), and you find yourself having to setup your Fanatic and Looney for 1 or 2 turns. SUCKS. Now you get to enter the 2nd half way undermanned and all your weapons are gone.

That is the part where the new rule really HURTS.

[Nikolai II]

If Secret Weapons are supposed to be "against the rules," then treat each use of a Secret Weapon as if it were a Foul attempt. That way it's purely random as to when the SW is removed from the game. Throw the IGMEOY rule back in, along with "Argue The Call," and we're talking all sorts of wacky fun!

Might make it go away faster, especially bombardiers - but I do really like the idea of using the same rules for foul sendoffs as for secret weapons. (Whichever rules they become)