Should the BBRC have changed the Handicap Table?

[Dangerous Dave]

Well the title says most - so select your option and VOTE!

NB bringing the cards back is not an option since Fanatic will not do it (Hurrah!)


Dave

[Icedman]

I must say that I do think the table should be amended something fierce, because atm I really don't think it gives anywhere near enough of a benefit to the lower-rated team (give bonus MVPs if you want the lower-rated teams to actually catch up!!!). I'm not sure it should be scrapped, though (something needs to be there).

BTW, I disagree Dave; the cards should've stayed

[GalakStarscraper]

I think a revised table will come out as experimental some time over the next year.

Galak

[Ghost of Pariah]

I don't know how much of a minority I am in this but I feel the handicap table should be something cut and dry, black and white. Bonus rerolls for every 10 (or so) points difference. Something easy like that. Or you could do 1 temporary skill per every 10 point diff. What ever. The point is is should not be so luck based.

If people want the handicap table and/or the cards just make them an optional random event thing. Each team gets a roll on the table. Or 2 just to make it easier to get decent results. Fix the table and use at optional fluffy stuff.

[Asmodan]

Not sure what can be changed about it to make it better, but i think that ATM it has very often no effect at all on the games.
I have not had handicaps very often in my games, but of those i have had only the one where you rolled 2d6 at end of game for winnings was useful.


Asmodan

[voyagers_uk]

I like Chets league handicap table, it evens a lot of the luck out.

[Tamper Magnitude]

It's much weaker than the cards, but i hated them. You used to dread playing a team with a lower TR because they could come up with cards that would cripple your team and stop you scoring.
I'd like to see it balanced towards helping the lower TR team, rather than hindering the higher TR team, or a system to help develop the smaller team more quickly.

Our league has bought back the bonus MVP's, otherwise there was no incentive to take on a much better team. They tend to balance out a hammering you might take!

[Blackscale]

Weaker teams should get some permanent boon for playing against stronger teams. Bonus MVPs sound good. Extra gold may also work.

[shaniepoo]

I agree, some of the stuff on the table can totally reverse the tide of the game. A team with a low TR 'should' be beaten by a team with a high TR, it reprisents them being less experienced. As said above, they should get extra MVP's or re-rolls.

[veron]

I like Chets league handicap table, it evens a lot of the luck out.

Hmm, where could one see this? Web, some magazine?

[martynq]

I voted yes, but actually feel that this wasn't the right time to change the handicap table. Instead we need a new experimental table out as soon as possible so that it can be playtested, adjusted, and then made official at the next rules review. Since there hasn't been an alternative under consideration, it really wasn't possible to change the table this time. What's the point in replacing something that is a bit broken with something that is still not right? It's better to get it right when they change it than to be constantly changing year after year after year.

Cheers,
Martyn

[roysorlie]

I voted scrap the system.

It's useless. Hardly has any effect on the game. The benefits gained are so minute, any team can overcome them, except in very unlikely events like grudge match, with Get the ref, and a team full of dirty players etc. Never happens anyway, cus dirty player isn't that common a skill anyway.

There were some cards that were nasty, sure. although we hardly ever chose dirty tricks, we wanted money cards & Magic helmet.

I seriously miss magic helmet.
I miss the card extra trainings.

Also, I like a little random stuiff in the games. Maybe give the experianced team one roll/card/whatever and the lesser according to a table.

And If nothing else, give the lesser team a bonus MVP. It is impossible to start out fresh, and make you're way up. Never happen.

[Skummy]

I voted for the Handicap table to be scrapped because I don't think it is strong enough. I have seen too many games where a team has two handicap rolls and gets very little out of it. Handicaps should give significant benefits to the team that rolls them. Anthem, Make Mine a Blood, Picking the Weather, getting cheerleaders, and some of the rest just don't cut it. Also, many new teams only start with 11 people, so setting up 12 people on one drive is the worst handicap you could roll. Recently our league had a game with a 100+ TR differential in the game, but the higher rated team still won fairly easily.

[GalakStarscraper]

Recently our league had a game with a 100+ TR differential in the game, but the higher rated team still won fairly easily.

Uhhhh .. they are still supposed to. The handicaps are just there to help not make it a complete stomp into the ground game.

Okay I've seen two revised handicap tables that seem to work a lot better than the official one.

The first is the one from the NAF:
http://www22.brinkster.com/angelli/bloo ... _Table.pdf

The second is the one the MBBL2, WBBL, WBBJ-L, and CSBBL use:

Code: Select all

11 APPEARANCE FEE: The player on the opposing team with the most Star Player Points has decided that he needs to be paid money to take the field against 'those bums.' Roll a d6 and multiply the result by 5,000. The result is the number of gold pieces the player must receive before he will take the field. If he isn't paid, he'll sit in the Dugout, refusing to come out until his fee is met or the game ends! The opposing coach may choose to pay the appearance any time after the start of the match if he wishes. 
12 EXTRA TRAINING: Your team has worked long and hard all week for this opponent. You may take an extra Team Re-roll to use for this match only.
13 INTENSIVE TRAINING: One player is really psyched for this week's match, and has been working very hard preparing for it. Pick a player on your team. He may take one extra skill to use for this match only, just as if he had rolled a New Skill result on the Star Player Table.
14 INSPIRATION: Watching the opposing team in their previous match has taught one of your players a thing or two. You receive an extra random MVP award before the game starts. If this takes a player up a level, he may roll for his new skill immediately (also roll for aging). Note that you still get your random MVP at the end of the match also.
15 I AM THE GREATEST! Two randomly selected players on the opposing team refuse to be on the pitch at the same time for this match only. Only one may be set up on the field at the start of each drive.
16 UNDER SCRUTINY: The opposing team is coming under the eye of NAF officials, who have instructed their refs to be more strict this game. You may add +1 to all Ref Rolls made against the opposing team. In addition, the opposing team may not use any Secret Weapons this match.
21 BAD PRESS: Libellous stories you have spread cut the opposing team's Fan Factor in half (rounding up) for this match only.
22 BAD HABITS: The opposing team loses one re-roll for this match only.
23 BIASED REFEREE: The referee has a bone to pick with the opposing team, and is more than willing to lend his ear to your cause. You may add +2 to your Argue the Call rolls this game.
24 RUNNING LATE: Agents in your employ manage to delay D3 randomly selected players on the opposing team for this inconvenient match. The players must miss the first half.
25 GREASED SHOES: Pick a player on the opposing team. You've paid someone to grease the bottom of their shoes and their agility is reduced to 1 for the first half until a touch down is scored or the half ends.
26 ILLEGAL DRUGS: Declare this special play immediately (now!). You may choose one player in your team to have either +1 ST OR +1 AG for this match only.
31 MORLEY'S REVENGE: The opposing team's drinks have been spiked with a powerful laxative. D3 randomly selected opposing players have drunk the spiked drink, and must roll a D6 before every kick-off. On a roll of 1-3 they are otherwise engaged and may not take part in this drive. On a roll of 4-6 they may be set up normally. 
32 BRIBE THE ANNOUNCERS: Pick a player on your team and give him the game's MVP immediately. If the additional SPPs are enough to give him a new skill then generate it immediately (also roll for aging).  You do not get an extra MVP at the end of the match.
33 SMELLING SALTS: You make all rolls to move a player from the Knocked Out box to the Reserves box on a roll of 2 or better for this match.
34 SPONSORSHIP DEAL: Your team is sponsored by Bloodwieser and receives an extra 35,000 gps before the match, you may spend money from your treasury before the match starts to make purchases.
35 PALMED COIN: You automatically win the coin toss to start the game.
36 SCUTT'S SCROLL OF WEATHER MAGIC: You have tricked a gullible wizard into parting with a useful scroll. You may pick the weather when the game starts.
41 TEAM ANTHEM: Add +1 to your Fan Factor permanently based on the hype generated for being the underdog for this match. 
42 GRUDGE MATCH: Several of your players have had it up to here with the sassy talk coming from the opposing team's dressing room, and are angry enough to do something low about it! D3 random players get the Dirty Player skill for this match. 
43 DOOM & GLOOM: The opposing team is feeling uninspired. For the first half, their Team Re-rolls are cut in half, rounded down. 
44 IT WASN"T ME! One randomly selected player on the opposing team has been getting a little rowdy in anticipation of today's 'cakewalk,' and he's been arrested! He must miss the match.
45 THAT BOY'S GOT TALENT In your last match you spotted a talented fan in the stands, and he agrees to play for your team. Add one player at any position to your roster for this match only. The player leaves the roster when the match ends. Note that you may add a 17th player to a match in this fashion.
46 NEWS FEATURE: The big cabelvision networks produce a special news feature about your team of plucky underdogs and their chances in the upcoming match. The extra revenue this generates will give you a D6 roll for cash at the beginning of the match and you may spend money from your treasury before the match starts.
51 BRIBE THE REF: You may set up 12 players on the field once during the match.
52 IN THE BAG! The Opposing team is feeling cocky about their chances of winning this match. They can only field the 11 worst available players in Reserves on their team for each drive, based on SPP's. This restriction stops for the rest of the match as soon as your team takes the lead.
53 MICKEY FINN: You have spiked the punch of your opponent's Apothecary, and he is unavailable this match.
54 STILETTO: A player of your choice in your team counts as having razor sharp claws for this match only.
55 DUH, WHERE AM I?: One randomly selected player on the opposing team has been out all night on a bender, and isn't really ready for the game. The Bonehead rule that applies to Ogres applies to the player for this match only.
56 ASSASSIN: Your team has hired an assassin to take out one of the other team's top guns. Pick a player on the opposing team and make an injury roll for him. The opposing coach may use his Apothecary or Regenerate trait on the player, but an Apothecary used in such a fashion is not available for this match.  Stunned results make the player miss the first drive of the first half.
61 BRIBE THE REF: You have taken up a collection to 'convince' the ref that your players are a nice, clean bunch of fellows! You may ignore the first penalty called against your team.
62 KNUCKLEDUSTERS: A player of your choice in your team counts as having mighty blow for this match only.
63 VIRUS: A mysterious illness breaks out among the opposing team, knocking out the unhealthiest members of the bunch. Any opposing player with a niggling injury is too sick to show up for this match.
64 THAT BABE'S GOT TALENT! Your team visits the local tavern the night before the game. One of the exotic dancers displays her, umm, 'talents,' and your players leave her a generous tip. She bring herself and her boyfriend (who know a thing or two about Blood Bowl) and they join the team.  Your team receives 1 Cheerleader and Assistant Coach permantently for free.
65 IRON MAN: One randomly selected player on your team is determined to play hard for the whole game, no matter what the cost - in fact, he refuses to get injured! If an opposing player beats his armour roll, he is only Stunned.
66 BUZZING! One player of your choice has gone heavy on the coffee in anticipation of today's game. For this match only he gains the Jump Up trait and the Frenzy trait, but will automatically fail any attempt to pick up or catch the ball.  (Give the player the following skills: Jump Up, Frenzy, Nonball Handler)

[Skummy]

It pretty much was a stomp game. 2 players on the new team died, and the fresh team barely avoided a 3-0 defeat.

The above list does for the most part ramp up some of the handicap results, and balance out a few that are stupid good.