For the Hell of it!!

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Fri May 15, 2009 5:30 am

I am a complete Blood Bowl nerd but I have a soft spot for the Tyranid Army (if my handle doesn't give it away)

Well over a year ago, I attempted to design a Tyranid based Blood Bowl team and had the Ausbowl community basically tell me how make it Blood Bowl playable.

Due to an angry admin information was lost and so was the team.

So I am going to re-list what I can remember of it and have TBB through in their weight to see what can come of it. This is purely for fun, when I get to a point where I feel ready to modify a Tyranid team to look like it can play Blood Bowl it will feel complete with a bit of fluff and playability.

From what I remember -

0-4 Genestealers (Blitzers) - 5(or 6) 4 2 7 - Claws, Extra Arms - SM / GAP
0-2 Raveners (Runners) - 8 3 3 7 - Don't remember - AM / GSP
0-16 - Gaunts (Line-o) - 7(or 6) 3 3 7 - Sprint - M / GSAP

RR's 80K

There is no Apothecary (no one knows how to fix 'em) and no Regen, the thought was to compensate for how good the team looks on paper, make them expensive and/or easy to lose.

They have no access to General skills because they don't know Blood Bowl, also the reason for expensive RR's (since RR's are apparently based on team cohesion) and I think it will be unique having a team that REALLY has to focus on Mutations.

I think this was about what we got up to before things went wrong. I don't remember general pricing either sadly...

There was also Zoathropes as Throwers and TG's as Blockers but I think they were eventually just cut from the design, not sure. Zoanthropes were laughable in design from memory but I liked the TG's, maybe they did stick around...

Being a lot more experienced since them early days, I think 4 Claws from the word go is, well, possibly wrong...

Maybe cut it down to 2 Genestealers and introduce 0-2 Tyranid Guard as Blockers again?

Take it away pplz!! Tear it up!! Knock it down!! If you have an interesting/quirky fluff piece to add I'd like to hear it. I'm only looking for constructive criticism, fluff ideas and mini-design ideas!! This is just to expand on my hobby and combine one of my GW concepts with my favourite GW game.

And my apologies for the mini-novellette introduction.

And my apologies to Double Skulls who will have to put up with this again and struggled to keep Ausbowl suggestions realistic

Ullis · Post by **Ullis** » Fri May 15, 2009 5:54 am

Take Claws off the Genestealers and I'd say you're good to go. The Extra Arms makes them good ball carriers. The speed of the team looks fearsome and it can build up bashing ability with Claws quite fast and mobility with Two Heads.

Post by **voyagers_uk** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:45 am

Carnifex as a big guy

4 5 1 9 Juggernaut, Claw

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Sat May 16, 2009 12:54 pm

I hope there's loner & Wild animal on that carnifex.

Maybe consider some brood brothers, humans with extra mutations, means you don't have to fill so many places with hard to balance tyranids.

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:40 pm

Any ideas on pricing?

Carnifex is simply TOO BIG for BB pitch. Lictor on the other hand is comparable to most BB BG's.

I am surprised no one is shredding this up actually... Pleasantly surprised but surprised.

Pug · Post by **Pug** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:46 pm

0-3 Genestealer (Runner/Blocker) 8 4 3 8 Claws, Stab 110'000
0-1 Warrior (Big Guy) 5 5 1 8 Hypnotic gaze, claws, Mighty Blow, TTM 190'000
0-16 Gaunts (Linemen) 7 2 2 7 Sure Feet, Stunty 60'000
Re-Rolls 70'000

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Mon May 18, 2009 1:39 am

Lol, you are kidding with the Genestealers right?

Cheap even with the linemen stats as you suggest. Why Stab? Why that combo of skills?

No negatraits on the BG??

tenwit · Post by **tenwit** » Mon May 18, 2009 1:55 am

Also.. TTM on a big guy that can't appear on any team with Right Stuff? Or can this team induce Grotty or Baconbreath?

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:13 am

It is meant to be stand alone but realistically playable. So no inducements unless Morg has a really indiscriminant contract.

Brood Brothers is an interesting concept that deserves thinking about.

Definately ruling out stunty Gaunts. Stunty Rippers could work on the other hand.

tenwit · Post by **tenwit** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:22 am

If you're going to ban Star Players, you'd want something fairly interesting to make up for it. A special skill, custom wizard, interesting big guy.. anything!

I'm guessing that Tyranids are W40k or somesuch? Should be plenty of ground there to come up with a special skill that no other team has..

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:43 am

The original draft idea had the Carnifex, Tyrant, Warriors and Brood Lord as inducement options. But that was making things complicated at the time. About 1/3 of the posts on Ausbowl were people just telling me not to bother and another 1/3 had even crazier ideas then me. A few more constructive fellows really did help out though and even took the time to explain my newbish concepts to me nicely =) and I think a basic list that looked like someone would want to play against was just about formed.

Sadly, I should be more familiar with WHF just so I can understand the comparisons better but that's why I wanted to throw this into TBB Vipers Den so those whose knowledge is far greater then mine can share their wisdom.

I am far from painting at a competitive standard, and have yet to convert anything. But I do want to convert some Nid's into BB poses and let them have their own fluff. I figured this was the place for it.

Wizard - Zoanthrope since they are telepaths, and their rules actually have a focused blast and blast template just like Lightning Bolt and Fire Ball.

As for special/unique skills, do you mean still within the realms of already established BB rules or something original?

Andromidius · Post by **Andromidius** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:10 am

My idea:

0-2 Genestealers 120k 6/3/3/8 Claw, Dodge, Extra Arms AS/GP
0-2 Warriors 130k 5/5/2/9 Prehensile Tail, Thick Skull S/GAP
0-2 Hormagaunts 80k 7/3/3/7 Sprint, Leap, Stab, Secret Weapon, No Hands A/GSP
0-16 Gaunts 40k 6/3/3/7 A/GSP

My reasoning for these choices is thus:

Genestealers are agile deadly creatures. They have razor sharp claws, and developed secondary arms able to grip effectively (unlike most other Tyranids who's secondary arms are little more then curved spikes). They act as blitzers and runners.

Warriors are large, strong and intelligent creatures that command the lesser swarm members. They have long, heavy tails to counterbalance their weight. They don't get loner or bone 'ead due to essentially being officers rather then simple minded killing machines. They act as blockers and cage breakers.

Hormagaunts are a form of Gaunt with two long blade-like forearms with powerful legs able to send them leaping through the air like fleas. Unable to hold the ball due to not having any fingers, and gain secret weapon due to being obvious living weapons. Acts as a form of Assassin and 'killer', and possibly ball sacker.

Gaunts are small creatures mainly used as cannon fodder. Thus no special skills, not even Extra Arms (which are stunted and unfingered anyway). Act as cheap line fodder and man markers.

And as you can see, none of them get normal General access. Tyranids are beastial in nature, and thus handling the ball doesn't come easily to them. However, with the Genestealer's Extra Arms they should still do reasonably well on that count.

~Andromidius

tenwit · Post by **tenwit** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:15 am

I was just thinking of something to make up for not having inducable star players. But if you allow six of the existing star player statlines and just relabel them with tyranid-ish names, that would work. I see that Warriors were given Hypnogaze by Pug, so you could just make "Tyranid Warrior" a Star Player and give it Count Luthor's stats. There are loads of statlines that might fit with a Carnifex (Grashnak, Hthark and Icepelt all spring to mind).

But if Star Players aren't suitable, then I was thinking of something entirely new, not an existing BB thing. Just something to add more flavour than just a couple of interesting player names.

Just saw Andromidius' suggestion. Looks good, two ST5 players adds a lot of appeal. No M access makes it much easier to balance. Not sure about the balance of a Leap+Stab player, but at least SW helps.

I'm guessing that Gaunts are a cross between facehuggers and goblins? Would ST2 be reasonable? I guess being forced to have no more than five positionals on the pitch at once means that ST2 would probably make the team low tier 2. Maybe the Hormagaunts should go to ST2?

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Mon May 18, 2009 7:09 am

Andromidius wrote: 0-2 Genestealers 120k 6/3/3/8 Claw, Dodge, Extra Arms AS/GP
0-2 Warriors 130k 5/5/2/9 Prehensile Tail, Thick Skull S/GAP
0-2 Hormagaunts 80k 7/3/3/7 Sprint, Leap, Stab, Secret Weapon, No Hands A/GSP
0-16 Gaunts 40k 6/3/3/7 A/GSP

- as stated in the first post (I know there's a lot to read through in it) primary function of skills is Mutation dependant. Cause they don't know Blood Bowl and the strong point of Nids fluff wise is their ability to evolve as needed.

Warriors is interesting to add some strength back into the team with the change to Genestealers from the original line up.

2 Claw and 2 Stab players in a potential starting line up? I don't mind the thought of this team being competitive but I think not many people would agree to play against that lol. I should of mentioned in the first post I am looking for something that is High Tier 3/Low Tier 2. A team that needs to develop a lot to be competitive (Think Vamps and Chaos)

tenwit wrote:I was just thinking of something to make up for not having inducable star players. But if you allow six of the existing star player statlines and just relabel them with tyranid-ish names, that would work. I see that Warriors were given Hypnogaze by Pug, so you could just make "Tyranid Warrior" a Star Player and give it Count Luthor's stats. There are loads of statlines that might fit with a Carnifex (Grashnak, Hthark and Icepelt all spring to mind).

Damn good idea, somthing to do when I get home besides paint some more

Gaunts are very standard fodder for the Nids whose tactics are basically "Get to the food before it shoots us all!" (in a more growl, teeth snapping kinda telepathic dialect).

Looking at Andro's line up I would be inclined to make them St 2 to keep balance.

Speaking on fluff again, it is an army that is fragile before modifications, everyone but command troops need 5 and 6+ saves which makes it unlikely that the Gene's will be Av8, Warriors from memory could be Av8 based on 40K stats for toughness but I wanted the over all scheme of things to be similar to the army - If they get shot chances are their armour will not save them but once they are in the thick of it (CC/Melee) enemies armour means nothing.

They are a VERY fast army, strong in Close Combat, but they are entirely fragile (With only very few exceptions).

plasmoid · Post by **plasmoid** » Mon May 18, 2009 8:06 am

I think they're fragile when faced with grenades and laser cannons.
Try to stop a genestealer with a mouthful of knuckles and it will bite your friggin hand off.
See it like this: Standard humans in some padding is AV8.
Genestealers are way tougher than that!

Cheers
Martin