From GregB - Are You Ready For Some Blood Bowl? (65 Points)

It's Blood Bowl time! Here come the Hochland Hammers!

The last week of AHPC XII is nearly upon us, and the finish line for my points target is in sight. What to paint to push across that proverbial line? How about a Blood Bowl team? I present the "Hochland Hammers", a team of Imperial Nobility, for GW's Blood Bowl. 

I think these are the bodyguards...I assume meant to protect the thrower, like offensive linemen or something.

So what can I tell you about Blood Bowl? Nothing! I have never played it. I have been aware of it for the entirety of my 30+ years of interest in the hobby and GW, but I have never, ever played it, or given it much more than a glance and a chuckle. 

My thrower...hasn't played a game yet, and he already looks like he wants to re-work his contract...

But, having moved to a new town, I am keen to meet new hobbyists and gamers. And here in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, they play Blood Bowl. There is a league, entering its third season, and all of the players in the league, polite and fun participants in the assorted historical and 30k demo games I have been staging here at the local hobby shop, have been urging me to play Blood Bowl. 

The blitzers. I wonder how they will do against Khorne-worshipping linemen?

I was reluctant, feeling I could not get a team painted in time, as the league starts in March - but since it appears you only need 12 or so players, I thought "why not?". When in Rome, right? I want to meet new players, and get to know the local gaming community a little better. Plus, there are always hilarious Blood Bowl-themed entries in The Painting Challenge. I picked the Imperial Nobility box off of the shelf at the beginning of March, and got cracking with the brushes. I chose the colours of Hochland - the same colours of my very, very old Empire Army from Warhammer Fantasy Battle, that still sits on my shelf today. 

Ah, the colours of Hochland - quick and dirty to paint!

I already can't recall what position these two play, but the fact that they keep tankards with them at all times makes me confident they have "what it takes" to succeed in Blood Bowl.

This team includes a thrower, linemen, bodyguards, and a couple of blitzers - I think? I'm not sure. The box came with two thrower figures, but I only painted the one, thinking that you would not have two throwers on the field on the same time - although I don't know that, as I don't know a thing about Blood Bowl. 

Blood Bowl appears to involve a ball and violence. So this fellow should come in handy.

I've sourced a jaunty hat for this guy, but that is still in the post, so this is how he will likely play his first couple of games.

Multiple members of the local league, upon hearing that I was painting up the Imperial Nobility team, assured me that I would "need" an Ogre. So I ordered one of those too, and got him ready to go.

I also painted up some trinkets/markers that came on the sprues. I am trying to find figures to represent coaches, and an apothecary, but I am assured I "have what I need to play a game" at this point. We'll see!

Are we ready for some Blood Bowl! Hell yeah!

OK - so, for scoring, we have 11 figures in 28mm, a single 40mm figure, and few of trinkets, that I will collectively claim 1 point for - giving me (I think) a total of 62 points - this should put me past my points goal for this edition of The Painting Challenge! I look forward to sharing more in the final mad week, as it will all be gravy now. 

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These look superb, Greg! I've known you for a few decades now, and think it's just awesome that you're trying something old, yet new, like Bloodbowl. Like you, I've never played it (Gasp!), so I'm very interested in how you get on in your upcoming league. I know your Hochland army very well, so I think it's terrific that you've done your team up in that province's livery. I particularly like the outrageous plumes and the artfully done puff-and-slash peeking out from the armour and equipment. Lovely work, good luck with your first game, and congratulations on achieving your points target this year!

- Curt