Blood Bowl - Spike! Journal 18

This instalment of your favourite sports magazine delves into the background, rules, and lineup of Chaos Dwarf teams (including Hobgoblins). This issue taps a rich vein of brutal star players, bitter records of the great teams, and wry commentary on how best to coach this most violent and sturdy team to glorious victory in the name of Hashut.

It includes:

- Maniacal Masters of Metal: Background on the origins of Chaos Dwarf teams in Blood Bowl, and how they play on the pitch. Includes information on their team positions, Star Players, and a team roster.

- Famous Chaos Dwarf Teams: descriptions and background on some of the most notorious Chaos Dwarf teams, including Hashut's Harbingers, The Hobgoblin Team, the Ash Ridge Infernos, and Uzkulak Undertakers.

- Zharr-Naggrund Ziggurats Team Spotlight: an in-depth article focusing on the Zharr-Naggrund Ziggurats, one of the most feared and successful Chaos Dwarf teams to grace the Blood Bowl pitch. Includes details of their history, team profile and colours, honours, Spike! team rating, as well as the roster of their infamous 2502 -2503 squad, and loads more.

- Star Player – Zzharg Madeye: a profile on the deranged, cantankerous, blunderbuss-wielding Zzharg Madeye. Includes Zzharg's rules, in-game cost, stats, skills, awards, and career highlights from 2463 to 2502.

- Touchline Trends: Tatzina Barbarini is the resident fashionista at Spike!. This article investigates the Dark Lands' hottest garments, from fire-resistant overcoats to hats taller than Halflings.

- Star Player – H'Thark the Unstoppable: a profile on the violent and brutal H'Thark the Unstoppable, including rules, cost, stats, skills, awards, and career highlights from 2477 to 2503.

- Wasteland Leagues: brand new rules and advice for running Wasteland Leagues – a variant on the standard Blood Bowl league season, allowing players to compete in the Dark Lands Derby – open to all teams with the usual budget of 1,000,000 gold pieces – for the possibly cursed, but coveted, Obsidian Ziggurat Trophy. Also includes a unique Ash Wasteland Weather Table and a Dark Lands Kick-off Table.

- Volcanic Lair Blood Bowl Pitch: rules for using a new Blood Bowl Pitch in your games, including special rules for Oppressive Heat and Eruption.

- Chaos Dwarf Balls: background and rules for 2 unique Chaos Dwarf Balls – Curse of Stone Ball, and Hot Rock Ball.

- Chat with the Rat: ace Skaven reporter, Hackspit 'the Scribbler' Quillchewer, talks with the ever-resourceful Barik Farblast and the clinically insane Zzharg Madeye.

- Coffin Corner: Spike! Journal's obituaries column commemorating those players who are no longer with us, whether trampled into the pitch, stabbed in the back, or possibly even sacrificed to the gods.

- Master the Malicious!: a detailed introduction to coaching the Chaos Dwarf teams. Includes an overview of the strengths of the team, tactics, positions, and much more.

- Star Player – Rashnak Backstabber: A profile on the fearsome Hobgoblin assassin, Rashnak Backstabber, including rules, cost, stats, skills, awards and career highlights from 2468 - 2501.

- Dungeon Bowl Update: Chaos Dwarf Teams: provides a narrative and rules update for players to use their Chaos Dwarf Team miniatures in games of Dungeon Bowl.

- A Burning Need for Revenge: A comic strip featuring the Zharr-Naggrund Ziggurats.


Chat with the Rat
Ace Skaven reporter Hackspit ‘the Scribbler’ Quillchewer tries to get to the bottom of an important question – what’s the difference between Gnomes and Halflings.

Pro Playbook: A League of Their Gnome
A thorough breakdown of what it takes to coach the Gnomes to an unlikely victory, including how to hire a team and develop them over time.

Star Player Spotlight – Akhorne the Squirrel
Don't make the mistake of underestimating this bite-sized bruiser. While the Gnomes are well-gnome for bringing their woodland pals to the pitch, this particular player puts the crit back in critter, racking up an impressive tally of casualties.

Dungeon Bowl Update: Gnome Teams
Provides a narrative and rules update for players to use your Gnome team miniatures in games of Dungeon Bowl.

Mighty Blow! – Oh Gnome You Didn't!
In this comic strip, Bob plumbs the confused shreds of his addled memory to piece together what little he knows about playing against a team of forest-dwelling Halflings.