dreadball

season season FOUR F OUR An expansion by Jake Thornton We’re We’r e Back, Live! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

In the Locker Room Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Nemion Oceanics Oceanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Rotatek ek Rockslides Rockslides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 New Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rotat Achievements Achievemen ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Unincorpora Unincorporated ted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Working Wor king the Crowd Crowd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Rallion Roses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Cheerleaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cheerleaders Fans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Coaching Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 New Free Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 New Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Red Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Galdo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The Excavat Excavator or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Irsala Sephalin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Grak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Schnörkel the Avenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Lyra the Fixer Fixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

credits Concept & Game Design:

Layout and Graphic Design: Sean Turtle

Jake Thornton (www.quirkworthy.com)

(www.wgdr.co.uk) & Chris Webb

Background: James M Hewitt, Greg D Smith

Playtesting: Pete Fullergreen, Lee Montgomery, Ben

Cover Art: Luigi Terzi.

Moorhouse, Jeff Shortland, Rob Taylor, Euan Bennet, Keith Last, Geoff Burbidge, Matthew Mills, Chris Taylor, Keith Vasey, Ronnie Renton, Kyle “Dysc” Cherry, Paul “DreadPaul”

Logo: Georges Clarenko. Internal Art: Heath Foley, Luigi Terzi Sculptors: Russ Charles, Grégory Clavilier, Dave Kidd, Derek

Allen, Jack Betts, Callum Hancock, Jodie Rodgers, Alex Lee, Reece Clarke, George Henfrey, James Murgett, Lewis Price,

Miller, MKUltra Studio, Bob Naismith, Steve Saunders, Ben Skinner, Luigi Terzi, Rémy Tremblay

Sean James, Owain Prew, Callum Gourlay, Kai StephensonJones, Ana Sjomina

Painting: Chris Webb, Dave Neild, Golem Painting Studio

With special th anks to every backer from Kickstarter

Photography: Ben Sandum

DreadBall is © Copyright Mantic Games 2013. All DreadBall 2013. All rights in the design, text, graphics and other material in this publication and its selection or arrangement is copyright of Mantic Entertainment Ltd., or has been granted for use by other third parties. This includes images, text, graphics, corporate corporate logos and emblems. Reproduction is prohibited.

DreadBall Season 4

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WE’RE BACK, LIVE! DreadBall returns for its biggest season yet! New teams, teams, new MVPs and a whole raft of new rules combine to make the favourite game of the GCPS that little bit better! From the mysterious Sphyr to the rough and ready Brokkrs, each of the four teams introduced to the roster this season brings their own set of scores scores to settle, both on and off the pitch! Even the Hobgoblins get in on the action, creating DGB history as the first team to come with a health warning to their fans as well as other players. Season 4’s MVPs are an interesting bunch, from psychos to the perennially unlucky and everything in-between - we even got a

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games and leagues, as players gain rewards for their team for consistent performance. Now that Striker who never misses a shot or that Jack with the perfect pass record will get their contribution recognised, and get the fans on their feet. feet. Speaking of the fans, they’re joining in the fun too, with especially dizzying displays drawing the odd spectator out of the stands and onto the neodurium. Just when you thought this game couldn’t couldn’t get any crazier!

big mining robot in there because – well why the heck not?

If you thought you knew DreadBall, then think again – this is the season where every team team gets a new playbook. So grab

But it isn’t just the fresh blood (metaphorical and literal) that’s got us excited. Achievements give a whole fresh outlook to to

your glove and get out on the pitch, rookie! The new season has started, and it’s going to be the best one yet!

DreadBall Season Four

When the DGB officially sanctioned multi-team games, it was hailed as the greatest addition to the game since purpose-built blood runoff gutters became standard in all league games. It was a game changer, a spectacle like nobody had ever seen or expected. It also presented the DGB with a problem. problem. The nature of the GCPS is simple enough to discern. Rampant consumerism is encouraged – engineered even – by the Council, who allow the corporations to fight amongst themselves as they will, only acting to intervene when outright wars break out that might threaten Council interests. This means that any good GCPS citizen will always demand more – more Nu-Cola, more Trontek Trontek Vids, and more DreadBall. DreadBall. Ultimate gave them the greatest spectacle that they had ever seen, and like the good consumers they were, after a few seasons, they started to hunger for more. But how did you improve improve a game that already already provided regular grudge match spectaculars between six different teams on the same pitch? The increasing success of the underground version of the game, tolerated for its usefulness in controlling both the poorer ends of the population and the kind of scum that might be causing problems elsewhere, gave them their answer. The fans wanted more violence, more showmanship and more blood. They wanted to get even closer to the action than their 3D goggles and courtside booths might allow. They wanted the Xtreme experience, but better packaged.

The second, slightly more secretive tier of the plan involved the fans more directly. The popularity of the underground game showed that fans wanted to be as close to the action as possible. So the DGB decided that they might start discreetly relaxing some of the security measures measures at the arenas. Nothing too obvious or too far – they didn’t want a repeat of the disastrous pitch invasion of the Quintek Ultimate Six Way Slam event, in which several thousand fans took to the pitch thanks to a malfunction in the security gates – but enough laxity that the odd fan might slip through once in a while and spice up the spectacle for themselves and the rest of the audience. Finally, they sought out more teams, expanding and adapting the rules to encourage more races races to take to to the neodurium. The Brokkrs were first, tempted by the opportunity to let loose their wilder side in a more profitable arena. The Sphyr were next, offered the chance to play the corporations at their own game, quite literally. The Rebellion jumped at the opportunity to field legitimate teams and make considerably more money from the endeavour than they had ever managed from underground games. Many questioned the wisdom of the DGB in allowing this, but it seems that their logic (if they’re playing DreadBall, they aren’t sabotaging shipping or stealing resources) may have simply won the Council over to their way way of thinking. Regardless, having Rebs on the pitch drove up interest from all corners. And finally there were the Hobgoblins. Nobody actually invited them, but they came anyway and the DGB figured that even

So the DGB attacked the problem threefold. Firstly, they

disgustingly smelly and antisocial beasts such as these must have a niche appeal somewhere.

announced a new set of rules that would reward players for their particular feats during a game. New awards, awards, known

The changes worked, and created a whole new level of interest

as ‘Achievements’, would be announced on the holoscreens whenever a player performed his or her job especially well. Flashy colours and pyrotechnic displays accompanying the announcement would encourage the fans, getting them even more frenzied as they cheered on their favourite player for their contribution to the team.

in the sport that rejuvenated it for many seasons seasons to come. The DGB had found that it was possible to push things further beyond Ultimate after all. For the teams teams themselves, new challenges abounded. New teams arrived to challenge the status quo, and older teams found they had a whole new set of tactics to learn. The sport had been shaken up down to its foundations, and would emerge better, bolder and more popular than ever before! We’re We’re Back, Live!

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“Welcome to the show, and today we have a very special guest – please give it up for Jesus Ortiz!”

“And another thing. I never expected to see leeches like you making money from what was supposed to have been a pure sport. You sit there in your suit and pin-tie.

*Applause*

I bet the most you ever bled was when your butler cut you shaving, huh?”

“Now Mr Ortiz, I’m sure that you get asked this all the time, but when you started the game all those years ago, did you ever dream that it would become as big as it has?”

*gasps and confused laughter track is played from concealed speakers*

“When I started putting together the game for my

“Well, we certainly appreciate your time Mr Ortiz, it’s always a pleasure to see you on the show. Next up, we ask

troops, it was purely a distraction. Like tossing a coin or sharpening a blade. It was just something to take their minds off the monotony between fights, to keep them sharp when they weren’t in the field.

‘Is there really a place for Hobgoblins in DreadBall? We’ll be right back after these important messages.” “Aaaaaaaand, we’re clear!”

Did I know it would become…all this? Did I have any inkling that corporations would be paying millions of creds to sponsor the latest pretty boy from the inner sphere with a half decent agility and a winning smile? Some guy

“Thanks Joe. Well, thanks for that Mr Ortiz. Thanks for playing up to the role like that, it’s always good for the ratings.”

who had never even seen a battlefield, much less been near one. Someone whose idea of hard work was having

“Playing?”

to get his own coffee? Did I picture all of that when I was in there with my men, sweating and bleeding in the dark of a cargo hold?

“Yes, that little act just then. Was just as I’d been led to expect, and it’ll play beautifully with the viewers.”

Did I dream that filthy aliens – the very same that I fought and bled to keep from our front door, would be getting cheered? Did I envision cuddly Z’zor toys being sold to kids? No, Mr Breeson. It may amaze you to learn

“Mr Breeson…”

that I did not.”

“…..Nothing.”

“…….uh, we might have to go to a commercial break here folks, I’m not sure if-“

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“Yes Mr Ortiz?”

NEW RULES New Rules

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ACHIEVEMENTS Ultimate matches were only feasible on special occasions – no sponsor would sanction the kind of spend to have their team participate in a whole season’s worth of those epic marathon matches. The DGB also worried that the spectacle

* *

of these matchups was detracting from the pure art of DreadBall. What was needed was a way of getting the fans to directly appreciate that artistry – thus pleasing the fans and encouraging the players themselves to concentrate on teamwork and technical skill over sheer brute force (at least

card of the deck. This is like a Fan Check with a different result depending on how many cheers you get:

sometimes). The solution was the achievement system, introduced into the game to ‘make skills count as much as kills’, as the slogan had it. So far, the DreadBall rules have rewarded players for smashing their opponents and making strikes. That is a great place to start because it’s the core of the game, but what about the rest of the game and all the other aspects of a match that get the crowd on their feet? Well that’s where Achievements come in. A player makes an Achievement Check if they make the first Feat of Skill in an action. Only one Achievement Check can be made per action. Usually this will be the active player, though that is not a requirement. A Feat of Skill is when a player does one of the following:

* *

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Triples the number of successes of his opponent in a Steal. Catches a scattering ball with a result of 3 or more successes. To resolve an Achievement Check, simply turn over the top

* * * *

0 Cheers: no effect. 1 Cheer: place the card under the team’s Fan Support card. 2 Cheers: the player’s team gains a Coaching Dice. Discard the card. 3 Cheers: the player gains an experience point. Discard the

card. Events are triggered as normal.

Achievements in Leagues Achievements work the same in league games as they do in one-off matches. In addition, league organisers may find tracking these Achievements over the whole league is an amusing way to add minor prizes for the Coaches to fight over. Perhaps something for the player (or team) that makes the most 9 hex completions, Dashes the furthest or Catches the most scattering balls. You don’t have to do something for every Achievement as this will swamp your players with bookkeeping. Just cherry-pick the one(s) that you think will provide the most interesting contests.

*

Throws a 9 hex pass that is caught by the intended target. Dashes in 3 consecutive hexes in the same action without falling. Evades in 3 consecutive hexes in the same action without

If you have a large league then it’s especially nice to have a series of smaller prizes to give out so that more people win something. This gives Coaches who might not feel able to win the main league prize a goal to aim for. In some campaigns

*

falling. Triples the number of successes of his opponent in a Slam .

and leagues I have played in over the years, these “minor” prizes have ended up more coveted and hard-fought over than the main ones!


“Then there was the time that ‘Hacker’ Handred caught the pass from his Striker in the dying seconds of the first half and scored the point that sent his team off the pitch at half time in the lead by one point. Handred had never caught a ball in his life – he was a Jack and a fairly average one at that. His name sounded impressive, sure, but it was only his school nickname because of his weak lungs and that constant cough. But that day, thanks to the achievements system, he not only scored a point for his team, he got the fans on their feet, he got the other players motivated. And shek me if they didn’t all come out bigger and meaner in the second half. Hungrier than they’d ever been seen on a pitch before. ‘Course, ‘Hacker’ got the snot beaten out of him by three Goblins when the ref was looking elsewhere. Never did play a game again, but he lived off that one match for years after. Never paid for a drink in his home town again after that. The catch that won the first victory in the fifteen-season history of the Vostik Vandals. Shek- awful team though, thank the maker they got disbanded the following year…” Extracted from ‘My Life in DreadBall – from the pitch to the booth’ by Arton Crastas New Rules

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WORKING THE CROWD These rules add colour and tactical options to league games and allow Coaches to further individualise their teams.

Cheerleaders Sometimes, it just isn’t your day on the pitch. A team may find itself missing every shot, fumbling every pass and coming off worst in every slam. On days like these, the Cheerleaders really come into their own, their routines and cheering rousing the crowd and keeping them happy when the action on the pitch isn’t. If the match is going well, the Cheerleaders

If the model was from the side that scored the strike then that team makes an immediate fan check in addition to the

are an asset, helping to excite the crowd further and generate the buzz. When the match is going poorly, they become a

other fan check(s) associated with that strike. If the model was from the opposing team then there is no further effect. If

lifeline, essential to the survival of the team and the players (sometimes in a literal as well as a metaphorical sense).

the strike is worth more than 1 point then the scoring marker may move over other models to reach the space it needs to. These models remain in place. Cheerleaders are only removed when the score marker stops exactly on their space.

Acquiring Cheerleaders Teams do not start with Cheerleaders. In a league, a Coach may add Cheerleaders to his team when he is considering other purchases such as extra players, more Coaching Dice, etc. Each Cheerleader model costs 8mc, and each team can have up to 7 in their troupe. Each Cheerleader only needs to be paid for once.

Placing Cheerleaders At the start of a match, as part of setting up your players on the pitch, you may place a maximum of 1 or 2 Cheerleaders from your team’s troupe into play. This number depends on your respective team rankings and how many you have available in your team. The underdog may place up to 2 and his opponent up to 1. In the case of equal rankings both players may place just 1. Cheerleaders that are not currently in play wait in the Subs’ Bench. Cheerleaders that are “in play” do not go onto the pitch itself. Instead they are placed on the scoring track, with up to one model per space. Cheerleaders from opposing teams cannot occupy the same space. You can place a Cheerleader on any free space on either side of the scoring track.

Go Team! Cheerleaders do not act on their own. Instead they respond to the actions of the team on the pitch and cheer on the crowd accordingly.

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When a strike is scored, in addition to the normal fan checks, the Cheerleaders may inspire another. Move the score marker as normal. If it ends on a space with a Cheerleader on then that model is removed and replaced in its own Subs’ Bench.


(Re)Placing Cheerleaders During a Match See the rules for coaching support on page 14.

Cheerleaders are, in some ways, the marketing arm of a team. They turn up whenever there is a press conference, on the team brochures and both before and after matches, exciting the fans and winding them up to fever pitch for the match itself. The Corporation, being the commercially sensitive entity that it is, has no shortage of marketing experts, and their approach to DreadBall is no different from any other commercial enterprise: do what sells .

to strobe light displays and patterns in the team colours, and these can also carry advertising. Robots can be made entirely from screens and so advertising can be that much more effective. A few robot Cheerleader troupes have also been designed with the ability to transform into other shapes. The best known of these are the Shiny Sisters who cheer for the Rakachak Rollers Marauder team. They are able to change into letters, spelling ROLLERS with their bodies – a feat which is guaranteed to send the crowd wild.

For this reason, Cheerleaders can come in all manner of shapes and sizes, and the racial composition of the team itself is no indication of the form the Cheerleaders will take. Most DreadBall fans are human (or thereabouts), and so human Cheerleaders are the most common race, even among Forge Father and Judwan teams. Robots are the second most common type of Cheerleader, and are especially adaptable both in shape and display.

Other considerations are whether there are Cheerleaders available for the race in question, and whether they are at all suitable. Teratons, for example, are rare enough, and their females are three times the size of the males. Add this to the dramatic (if fearsome) mating displays that formed the basis of their cheerleading routine and you have the volatile recipe which caused the Channaril Arena disaster of ’86. That’s not something anyone is keen to repeat.

Human Cheerleaders often carry small screens on each hand New Rules

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FANS Without fans, a DreadBall team is nothing, which explains why they and the DGB go to such great efforts to keep them entertained. Fans become obsessively loyal and passionate about their chosen team or MVP, whether through bonds of race or belief or simply because they like their colours. There is nobody more devoted than a DreadBall fan, and sometimes this enthusiasm gets the better of them. If you have some DreadBall fan models then you can involve up to 4 of them at a time in your DreadBall league games.

Placing Fans When a player earns a Fan Check they may choose to place one or two Fan models on the pitch instead of taking a card. The Fans may be placed in any hex that is both within 2 hexes of the edge of the board, and not adjacent to any player. Each Fan model is placed individually. There may be up to 4 Fans on the pitch at any one time.

Moving Fans and Referees

If a player moves a Referee into a hex adjacent to one or more Fans then those Fans are immediately removed from the pitch. This does not stop the Referee’s movement.

Fan Threats Fans are an element of unpredictability and uncertainty on the pitch. They may be drunk, scared, drugged or simply excited beyond rational thinking. Whatever their state, they pose a challenge that players from both teams need to deal with carefully. Fans exert a Threat Hex against all players in each of the 6 surrounding hexes, not just the ones to their front.

Interacting With Fans Fans are usually on the pitch out of a misplaced sense of enthusiasm rather than any intention of harming the players or the match. Unfortunately, in the slam and rush of a game of DreadBall, being on the pitch without armour or training can be hazardous to your health!

Fans may be moved by either player. When a Coach draws a card to move the Ref at the end of their Rush , they may instead choose to use it to move one or more Fans. The Coach may divide up the amount of movement available between the Fans on the pitch in any way they choose. There is no limit to a Fan’s movement or to where they can stand. However, a moving Fan must stop as soon as they enter a hex that is adjacent to any player from either side.

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Exactly how a player decides to deal with this overenthusiastic obstacle depends on a number of things. See the choices below. However, regardless of what the player does, any interaction with one of the Fans is likely to get a reaction from the crowd. Sometimes this is determined by a Fan check, other times by a Crowd check (explained below).

If a player moves adjacent to a Fan they may choose one of 3 different ways to deal with them: Slam them out of the way! The player makes a Slam against the Fan. The Fan rolls a 2 dice 5+ Dodge to avoid the Slam . If the Fan is knocked down then they are removed from the pitch and the player makes a Crowd check. Otherwise the Slam action is over and the Rush continues as normal.

Crowd Check A Crowd check represents the cheering of both teams’ fans as each of the rival groups tries to drown out the other team’s supporters. Whichever one cheers the loudest will help boost their team. A Crowd check is a 3 dice 5+ test ( X). +1 per Cheerleader your team has in play.

Shimmy past. The player shows off their skill by ducking past the Fan. Roll Evade tests as normal to move past the Fan. If the player successfully rolls to Evade the Fan in two different hexes then make a Fan check. In either case the Fan remains on the pitch and the player’s action is completed as normal. Sign an autograph. The player stops to sign an autograph for the happy Fan. This ends the player’s (but not his team’s) Rush and removes the Fan - who scampers off to show all his friends. Roll a Crowd check.

Both players roll dice and compare results:

* * * *

Draw: both teams get a Fan check. Loses: the team’s supporters cannot be heard so their team gets nothing. Wins: the team gets a Coaching Dice. Doubles: the team gets a Coaching Dice plus the player that generated the Crowd check gains +1xp.

New Rules

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12


The maiden Ultimate Exhibition match held under the new rules is still remembered as setting several records which stand to this day. The game saw 47 fans involved directly in the match, leading to a record for more injuries to crowd members than players on the pitch at a single game. The euphoric response to the new rules also saw the highest number of new subscribers to the pay-per-view match format in the history of the game, and the influx of new teams – all of whom were represented in the six-way match up, alongside the Trontek 29ers and the Greenmoon Smackers – meant that the game broke all previous records for viewer numbers throughout the GCPS. Credit for credit, it is simultaneously the most expensive (thanks to lawsuits, official censure from all the major vid networks, and the number of additional personnel required, on top of the logistics of the match itself)

But the thing that most of the fans remember is THAT strike in the final rush of the game, when the 29ers and the Smackers – veteran skill winning out – both appeared to score at once in the final second, both score buzzers sounding simultaneously. It was only in the instant replay – beamed live to several billion screens across the GCPS and broadcast at the arena itself on a 500 foot tall Hyper-Def display, that it became apparent that the ‘ball’ thrown by the Smackers’ star jack was actually the head of Charles Stanley Cratterson, a Smackers fan who had gotten a little too enthusiastic in his encouragement of his team. To this day, the Smackers management maintain it was a valid goal, though not in public for legal reasons…

and the most profitable single game in DGB history. New Rules

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Coaching Staff Coaches are busy people. Before a game they are arranging

To make all this possible, the bigger teams hire assistants to help the Coach out. Their jobs and titles vary from team to

counting equipment, booking transport, arranging interviews, approving merchandising and a thousand other details. They have to schmooze with the sponsors, argue with the arena

team, but their overall aim is to make things a little easier for the Coach. To differentiate between these individuals, the Coach (the person represented by the real world gamer) is usually called the Head Coach. His assistants are known

Any Player the advertising, tasting the canapés, scheduling training,

staff and deal with the many divas among their highly-strung players. It seems that nothing can be done without them, and everyone feels free to demand a little of their time.

collectively as Coaching Staff. You may want to make up more interesting titles for your own teams to reflect their history, luck and exact duties.

During a game they must see that the sponsors are happy, watch the camera angles of the coverage, check that the Cheerleaders are rousing the fans correctly, monitor the injured players, prep substitutes – not to mention follow the match and issue instructions to the players. After a game there are the debriefing interviews, the bruised bodies and egos, the parties, fans, and ceremonies to deal with and attend - all without offending any of the sponsors or

Hiring Coaching Staff Teams start with a Head Coach but no additional Coaching Staff. In a league, a Head Coach may add Coaching Staff to his team when he is considering other purchases such as extra players, more Coaching Dice, etc. Each Coaching Staff model costs 8mc, and each team can have up to 3 in total: 1 each of Offensive , Defensive and Support . Each member of the Coaching Staff only needs to be paid for once.

upsetting the players. It’s a tricky balancing act. You must clearly state which type of Coaching Staff you are hiring when they are bought into the team. They may not change type later.

A Head Coach is not represented by a model. Coaching Staff, on the other hand, should be shown on the board with a separate model for each one. That said, you can choose any model you like to represent them. Coaching Staff work for any team that will hire them, so there is no need to pick models that match the race(s) of your players. The DGB want a team’s players to represent a clear archetype as this makes it easier to promote their image and sel l a spectacle and a story to the DreadBall fans. Who’s standing on the sidelines is less of a concern. Mantic make a number of Coaching Staff models and you can use whichever you like for your team. Alternatively, you could use this opportunity to show off your own modelling skills. Perhaps you’ve decided that an angry Orx would make a great Offensive Coach for your Forge Father team and convert a model for him out of a Marauder Guard, or a Warpath hero. Maybe a Judwan fits your idea of the perfect Defensive Coach so you try your hand at converting one of their Strikers. Your imagination is the only limit.

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Setting Up Coaching Staff At the start of a match, as part of setting up your players on the pitch, you should place all of your Coaching Staff in your Subs’ Bench.

Game On! If your team has 1 or more Coaching Staff to help out the Head Coach, then you get an additional phase at the start of

There are 3 Plays to choose from, and any type of Coaching Staff can try to call any type of Play . The Plays are: * Offensive

* *

Defensive Support

Note that these match the different types of Coaching Staff.

each of your Rushes . After you have moved the marker to show the new Rush , but before you do anything else, one of your Coaching Staff may choose to call a single Play to try to influence the Rush . Looking at the Playing a Rush sequence on page 32 of the main book, this would come between steps 1 and 2. Nominate one of your coaching staff and then choose a Play to call. You may only call one Play per Rush regardless of the number of Coaching Staff available.

Each Play is a normal 3 dice 5+ test (1). These tests are all rolled against a fixed value of 5+ for everyone. The only modifier for any of these tests is +1 dice if the Coaching Staff calling the Play has the same speciality as the Play itself, i.e. a Defensive Coach calling a Defensive Play, Offensive Coach calling an offensive Play , or Support Coach calling a Supporting Play . The results of each Play are described overleaf.

New Rules

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Offence

Defence

Support

The Coaching Staff bellows into their headsets. “Get stuck in there! Control that ball! Make some space – the gap – go for the gap!”

During a match, players often get caught up in the excitement of the moment and forget their defensive training. The Coaching Staff cuts through the frenzy of the moment with key words and phrases that trigger well-rehearsed drills. Guard your Strikers. Check your flanks. Warn your mates.

Whilst the match is being played out on the pitch, another struggle is going on for the atmosphere of the arena. Whose fans cheer the loudest? Whose chants stir the blood? Which team will be spurred on to the greater efforts? This is the arena of battle for the Supporting Coaches, and a troupe of Cheerleaders is their weapon of choice.

Defensive Play fails: no effect

Supporting Play fails: no effect

Defensive Play succeeds: in your opponent’s next Rush you get 1 Defence Dice. A Defence Dice is a Coaching Dice that may only be used in the opponent’s

Supporting Play succeeds: you may place 1 additional model into play from the remaining Cheerleaders on your Subs’ Bench, or move one model already in play to a new position. This model

Is anyone listening? Offensive Play fails: no effect Offensive Play succeeds: for this Rush a single player may have 3 Team Action Tokens played on them instead of the normal maximum of 2. Note in all cases that while the number of Team Action Tokens playable on a single player may be changed, any rules covering the sequence in which actions must be done remains unchanged.

next Rush , and may only be used to boost Slambacks and Dodges . If the dice is not used then it is discarded at the end of the opposing player’s next Rush. Defensive Play doubles: in your opponent’s next Rush you get 2 Defence Dice. See above. It’s best to pick a distinctive colour for Defence Dice to make them easy to track.

In many ways a Play can be thought of as an action for the Coaching Staff. Note, however, that calling a Play does not cost a Team Action Token, nor can extra Plays be bought by any means. The single Play in each Rush allowed to every team that has Coaching Staff is a function of having hired that staff and is free. You only get one Play per Rush whether you have 1 staff or 3.

16


may be placed on the scoring track in any position that does not contain either a Cheerleader or the marker for the current score. Supporting Play doubles: as above, but you may place and/or move up to 2 Cheerleader models.

NEW FREE AGENTS The Underdog rules remain as stated on page 54 of the main rulebook with the addition of the following table. When a Coach rolls for a Free Agent they may choose to roll on either the table in the main rulebook, or one of those from the Season books. They must decide which table to use before the dice are rolled.

Dice roll Free Agent 1

Hobgoblin Jack

2

Sphyr Jack

3

Brokkr Jack

4

Sorak Jack

5

Hobgoblin Striker

6

Sphyr Guard

CLARIFICATIONS I maintain and update a live version of this FAQ on my website www.quirkworthy.com

If you have any questions on the game rules, or if you see a post on a forum somewhere that does, then please direct them to that site so that I can deal with all the issues all in a single document. That way questions get answered consistently and everyone gets the benefit. Many thanks. The rules for Assistant Coaches and Cheerleaders were first released almost two years ago in the Season 2 Rulebook. After some heavy use, a few questions have popped up, and so I’ve clarified them for you here. Q: Do Cheerleaders and Coaching Staff add to team ranking? A: Yes. Q: A Coach can remove a player from their team’s roster if they choose to. Can a Coach remove Cheerleaders and Coaching Staff as well? A: Yes. Q: How long do Defensive Coach dice last in Ultimate games? The rules say they last till the end of opponent’s nextRush. Who is the opponent for this? A: In Ultimate the opponent is everyone else. This means that a dice from a Defensive Coach is available until that team begins their next Rush.

New Rules

17

NEW ABILITIES

Any Player

360 Vision

Alert

Any Player

(Any Player)

The player has no rear arc. Everywhere counts as being Any to theirPlayer front. This replaces the diagram on page 11 of the main rules. In effect it does not matter which direction the model faces, though it usually looks better to turn the model as appropriate.

The player is able to read the game far better than most, and is rarely surprised.

The model has 6 Threat Hexes instead of 3. See the diagram.

EXAMPLE

360 VISION

When any opposing player moves into an adjacent hex, the Alert player may immediately choose to turn to face them if they want to. Note that this turn happens before any Slam is resolved or the opposing player moves any further. Note also that this turn does not stop any further action by the opposition; it merely allows the player to realign themselves. Whilst this turning will not necessarily help a p layer resist a Slam , it will place a Threat Hex on the opposition, which may modify their chances to move further or require them to make an Evade roll.

Backstab (Guard or Jack) The player is adept at causing maximum damage to vulnerable areas. When the player makes a Slam against an opponent that does not project a Threat Hex onto the Slamming player, then add +1 dice in addition to other modifiers.

18


Charge!

Fan Favourite

(Gaelian/Jack)

(Any Player)

A player with this ability may make a full Run action as part of a Slam .

A player with this ability is loved by the crowd, and even the opposing team’s supporters will cheer him on. The first time in each Rush that the Fan Favourite doubles any normal test, make a Fan Check. This is in addition to any other Fan Checks that may be required.

In addition, if the player makes a Slam and would normally have the +1 modifier for moving adjacent during this action, they instead get a +2 modifier.

Driller

Fragile (Any Player)

(Robot / Guard or Jack) The player counts as rolling 1 less success on each Armour A player with this ability attacks with his drill as part of a normal Slam .

check. Work out the check as normal and then reduce the final total of successes by 1, to a minimum of zero.

When a player with this ability doubles a Slam , their opponent makes the resulting Armour Check with a -1 modifier to their dice roll.

y Player

New Rules

19

Illegal

Mighty

(Any Player)

(Any Player)

The player is completely unscrupulous and will do anything to win. In this case, they have smuggled a weapon or three onto the pitch and are not afraid to use them!

A player with this ability rolls an additional dice for Armour Checks, Slams and Slambacks against non-GIANT opponents.

If the player takes a Slam action then they may elect to either resolve it as normal or with a weapon. If they resolve it with a weapon then they add 1 dice to their Slam , but the action is a

(Any Player)

foul (resolve any Ref check immediately after Sucker Punches ). In all other respects the Slam is resolved as normal. This means that a really underhand player could make a Sucker Punch with a weapon bonus. If the opponent calls the fouls for such an

When a player with this ability beats an opponent with a Slam then they may choose to use the following Pile-Driver result instead.

action then roll both Ref checks separately.

Pile-Driver wins: the losing player is smashed to the ground in the hex they are in. The winning player is turned to face the target.

In addition, the player may Shoot at an opposing player with their concealed pistol. This is a foul (resolve any Ref check immediately after Sucker Punches ). This Shoot action is resolved exactly the same way as a Throw action using the normal rules for Throwing the ball at an opposing player. The attacking player adds +2 dice to his test.

Klutz (Any Player) The player is rather accident-prone. Once per game, the opposing Coach may force the Klutz to re-roll all of his dice for a single normal test. The same modifiers apply to the re-roll, and the final result applies whether it is better or worse than the original roll.

20

Pile-Driver


In addition, if the player with Pile-Driver doubles his opponent then their armour check is at an additional -1 modifier.

Pummel (Rin Nomad/Guard) If a player with this ability fails to knock down an opponent with a Slam action and ends that action with the target player still in a Threat Hex, then they may have another go with their second pair of fists. Immediately make a freeSlam action against the same target as before. You will earn the +1 for moving adjacent during this action if you did the first time.

Quick Recovery

Stench

(Any Player)

(Hobgoblin/Any Player)

If a player is damaged and fails an Armour check then they are removed from the pitch. A player with Quick Recovery follows all the normal rules for damage and Armour checks with the

The player counts as projecting a Threat Hex into every adjacent hex, not just those to their front. In addition, the player’s Threat Hexes always modify a test (up to the maximum

exception of where they are placed once a final damage value of 2 or 3 has been calculated. In both these cases the damage is treated as if it were only 1. The effects are therefore:

for that test) if the modifier is listed at all.

* * *

(Any Player)

0 damage: the player remains on the pitch as normal. 1-3 damage: place the player in the 1 area of the Sin Bin. 4+ damage: the player is dead as normal. Remove them from the game.

SLIPPERY CUSTOMER

Stretch The player gets +1 dice on any attempts to Dash.

Tail (Any Race with a Tail/Any Player)

(Any Player) The player with this ability is either physically hard to grab hold of, or simply too agile to easily pin down. If the player Dodges as his response to a Slam , and neither player doubles the other, then the following applies. The Slippery Customer may move 1 hex in any direction and does not need to Evade to do so. They may choose to face any direction. The slamming player does not move. Resolve this movement after the normal result of the Slam.

The player with this ability can use their tail to fend off attacks from behind. Tail only affects an opponent who is standing in the player’s rear arc. A Slam or Steal attempt against the player with Tail is at an additional -1 modifier.

New Rules

21

Toxic (Guard or Jack) When a player with this ability doubles a Slam , their opponent makes the resulting Armour check as normal. If any damage is not saved by the Armour then Toxic adds +1 to the final total suffered. For example, if a player loses a Slam with only 2 successes to 5, then they have been doubled and must make an Armour check to reduce the potential 3 damage. If they roll 2 successes they would normally take just a single point of damage. However, if the Slam was by a player with Toxic they would suffer +1 damage for a total of 2 as the Armour has not stopped it all. If they had rolled 3 successes on their Armour check then the Toxic effect would not apply and they would

You cannot Brush Aside the Referee. Brush Aside is a 3 dice Strength test (123). Roll separately each time you need to Brush Aside . This is modified by:

* *

+1 if the player is a Guard. -1 if the obstructing player is a Guard.

Brush Aside fails: the player’s action ends. Turn the obstructing model to face the player. Brush Aside succeeds: the player pushes the obstructing player into a hex of the player’s choosing directly away from him, and then moves to occupy the hex himself. This move is not optional. He may then continue his action.

suffer no damage.

Trail Blazer (Any Player) This is an action, completed as part of moving a player in a similar way to Evade, and is done as and when necessary during the move. It may be done as many times as is required in a single action.

Brush Aside doubles: the player pushes the obstructing player into a hex of the player’s choosing directly away from him, and then moves to occupy the hex himself. This move is not optional. The displaced player is knocked over. Do not make an Armour check for the fallen player. The player may then continue his action.

Uncontrolled (Any Player)

If a player with this ability wants to move into a hex that is occupied by a standing opposing non-GIANT player they may try to brush them aside rather thanSlamming them. This will allow them to carry on moving rather than ending their action. You can only use Brush Aside if there is a space you can push that player into.

22


A player with this ability cannot help himself. If they start an action with an opposing player on the floor in any of their Threat Hexes then they must Stomp them. However, as they are so practised at this they get an additional +1 to the test and the Ref cannot roll more than 1 dice for the Ref Check against them.

Skrunge picked himself up from the neodurium slowly, the bones in his hunched back protesting loudly at their abuse. He’d really felt that hit, even though the burly human had been doing his best to avoid touching or even approaching him as it was delivered. He spat a tooth out onto the pitch in a wad of bloody phlegm, and drew a long, shuddering breath in through tortured lungs, feeling the splintering pain of at least one shattered rib as he did. Jeers and boos were reverberating around the stadium, and he could see the faces of the fans nearest to the pitch on this side, faces twisted in revulsion as they bayed for more of his blood to be spilled. And they called his kind the barbarians, shunning them from normal society at every turn within the Galactic so-called Co-Prosperity Sphere. They shunned his kind as outcasts and pariahs, decrying them as violent savages with no social skills. Yet they brought their children to watch ritualised and sanctioned violence and even the occasional death flashed up on Hy- Def monitors and beamed across the whole galaxy, and they named it entertainment. Entertainment that still

The refbot was asking him a question, and he nodded, knowing that his answer didn’t really matter. The game was continuing anyway, the brute who had smashed him to the floor busily working his way through his comrades. The score board showed that they were very close to the end of the match anyway, with the expected defeat and the crowd was on its feet again, stomping and cheering in unison for the Accutek Falcons. As his gaze roamed the crowd, his eye caught one face not craned at the screens or screaming at the pitch. It was a face staring squarely at him. Deep set eyes under a heavy brow held his gaze for several seconds, and the merest of nods was given. Skrunge understood only too well. With a sigh and a last wad of bloody phlegm discharged to the floor, he set off after the brute again. Only the best show would do. Only the most bloody and violent match would make those extra credits. It wasn’t what he’d envisioned all those years he’d trained in the underground games, but it was money. He tensed himself and dived for those muscular legs once again. Time to give them the big finale…

turned its nose up at the participation of him and his kind, physically and metaphorically. How could they bleed and suffer for the amusement of these humans, yet still be judged by them?

New Rules

23

The arrival of the new teams changed the landscape of DreadBall in many ways. It heralded some seismic shifts in the power and influence of the professional game, seeing the Rebellion itself taking an active part. The significance of this move, and the Council’s allowance of it, was not lost on anyone, and to this day it is seen as one of the most audacious gambles that the DGB has ever made. It also expanded the awareness of the general population of several races that had hitherto remained mysterious to them. The Sphyr had been relatively unknown and unconsidered by the majority of the GCPS before their appearance in

24


DreadBall, and the Brokkrs introduced for the first time the idea that not all Forge Fathers were born the same. The Hobgoblins admittedly changed very little, but they at least gave the leagues a team that even the staunchest of neutrals could take issue with, making for livelier – if not friendlier – crowds at every game they played. The new MVPs who rose from obscurity to crest this new wave of DreadBall enthusiasm were as mixed a bunch as the teams they arrived with, and all added to the colour and spectacle of this new era of the game. One thing was certain – DreadBall would never quite be the same game again!

IN THE LOCKER ROOM In The Locker Room

25

NEMION OCEANICS There was a time when Sphyria was an oceanic paradise; 96% of the world’s surface was covered in great seas that positively surged with life. The exploration fleets of the GCPS found the world at the centre of a small empire which spanned several planets, populated by a civilisation of amphibious sentients who called to mind the ancient predators of Old Earth’s oceans. Despite their fearsome appearance they were civil and forward-thinking, accepting the offer of incorporation on their own terms. They were welcomed into the GCPS with open arms, but all that changed when an administrative error left Sphyria as the target for large-scale weapons testing by Accutek. The seas boiled away, leaving little more than an arid dust-bowl. The implications were catastrophic. Any Sphyr who had the chance immediately severed ties with the Corporations, retreating to their own worlds to decide what their next move would be. Many joined the Rebellion, but a growing number

26


did not trust the predominantly human-led rebels, preferring to fight battles on their own terms. Many of these came to realise that information and funds were what they required to aid them in their mission to take vengeance upon Accutek and its sister corporations, and that DreadBall presented the perfect opportunity for both. The Sphyr are a solid and well-rounded team that eschews fancy tactics and bizarre technological tricks for simple hard work and well-proven skills. They lack any specific strength, but equally have little in the way of obvious weaknesses. For this reason they are a reliable team that is far harder to beat than many opponents expect. Remember that you can play this team as either the Nemion Oceanics themselves or as another Sphyr team of your own. The game values will be the same for all Sphyr teams though your team will be the deepest.

dreadball facts Nemion Oceanics was a small corporation specialising in underwater research and mineral extraction in the Sphyrian Cluster, and was almost bankrupted by the Accutek Betrayal, losing its primary source of revenue generation overnight. The board, based on an orbiting

These individuals reached out to the board with an offer – they would forgive the corporation and even

station around Sphyr itself, was desperate to assure the Sphyr themselves that they had taken no part in the catastrophe, and that they would d o absolutely anything to help. Though these protestations fell on deaf ears at first, eventually some of the more

Thus agreed, it was only a matter of time before

pragmatic minds amongst the survivors began to see the value in having the resources and influence of a corporation – albeit a small one – under their control.

THE franchise for that race, and for an alien team have carved themselves quite the following on the professional circuit.

h t g n e e d i l l e e r o v t p k M S S S

continue to assist it, if they could count on the support of Nemion when they needed it.

the Sphyr became interested in DreadBall, and the obvious corporation to sponsor their first team was Nemion itself. Though many Sphyr teams have appeared in the DGB since, the Oceanics are seen as

a m T e g r i n o u t s t m a r A r S t C o

Guard

6

4+

4+

4+

4+

x2

12mc

Tail

Jack

6

4+

4+

4+

4+

x2

9mc

Tail

Striker

6

4+

4+

4+

x4

12mc

Tail

e s t o N

team statlines Extras: an Sphyr team starts with 0 Coaching Dice and 1 DreadBall Card.

In The Locker Room

27

ROTATEK ROCKSLIDES Though the castes of Forge Father society are a complete mystery to the GCPS as a whole, it is at least understood by them that the Brokkrs are somehow different from others of their kind. Actually the most often encountered of their

they were holding a clipboard at the time. This explains the

race by others, Brokkrs tend towards a more emotional and tempestuous approach to life than is the norm for the Star Realm. This makes them excellent prospectors and pioneers for their people. It also makes them natural DreadBall players.

Once out on the neodurium, the Rockslides demonstrate the

difference between the teams and the undisguised violence with which they compete when drawn against each other.

grim determination that has rightly made them famous. This goes for every aspect of the game, whether it’s breaking heads or actually trying to put some points on the board. They simply don’t know when to stop.

Every bit as tough and unyielding as their brethren, Brokkrs are nonetheless very different, playing with a passion and ferocity that sets them apart from other Forge Fathers. Teams like the Midgard Delvers are drawn from higher caste Forge Fathers and

Remember that you can play this team as either the Rotatek Rockslides themselves or as another Brokkr team of your own. The game values will be the same for all Brokkr teams though

despite the name have seldom seen the inside of a mine, unless

your team will be the most determined.

h t g n e e d i l l e e r o v t p k M S S S

a m T e g r i n o u r t s t m a A r S t C o

Guard

4

3+

5+

4+

4+

x4

12mc

Steady

Jack

4

3+

5+

4+

4+

x2

9mc

Steady

Striker

4

3+

5+

4+

5+

x2

9mc

Grizzled, Steady

team statlines Extras: a Brokkr team starts with 1 Coaching Dice and 1 DreadBall Card.

28


e s o t N

DreadBall Facts The reality of Forge Father society is much more complex than the concept of castes might lead you to believe. The various strata of their society do not sit one atop the other, lording over those lower down. Instead the arrangement is far more symbiotic, with

Forge Father society is a complex patchwork of clan and caste, and few outsiders have any real understanding of the intricacies of its workings. So when Brokkr teams began to appear on the

various different tasks being done, but all being necessary for the whole structure to survive. The Brokkrs know this as well as any, and so while they may use the idea of a downtrodden race of workers as part of their team press releases, they feel, in

DreadBall circuit, nobody realised it would cause such upset among the existing Forge Father players. The Midgard Delvers led a complete walk out by all existing Forge Father teams; in at least one case abandoning a game mid-match. They would not,

many ways, to be the ones in charge. Without their hard graft the entire empire of the Forge Fathers cannot survive.

their spokesperson said, be seen playing in the same venues as those disgusting gramaltkin. To imagine they would do so was a dire insult no true Forge Father could stand. Surely that was obvious.

Rotatek is a conglomerate of Brokkrs set up specifically to exploit the possibilities of commercial

Urgent talks between the DGB and the Forge Father

DreadBall, its members having made considerable money and success on the Xtreme circuit in

team’s representatives got nowhere, and it looked like the unknown Brokkrs would entirely replace the

preparation. When the call came from DGB, Rotatek were best placed to act, and theirs was thus the first Brokkr team to play the commercial sport.

household names DreadBall fans had come to know and love. The fans were not happy. They too began to boycott games, and the whole downward spiral looked like turning into a catastrophe.

Being Brokkrs, their passions run high and it is said that some of their board meetings are even more violent than the games that their sponsored team

As with many things relating to the Forge Fathers, money seems to be the answer.

plays in. Certainly it is true that every one of the board have played either DreadBall or Xtreme at some point, and often some of them will take the ‘hands on’ approach to the game itself, physically booting the

Although the Forge Father teams are not yet back on the pitches, it looks as though the DGB are finally making some headway in their talks. Regardless

coach out of the way or even strapping on their armour and taking to the pitch. Rotatek games always sell out quick, because the fans are as interested to see what the management will do as they are the players.

how deep the insult, cash is apparently able to heal a Forge Father’s wounded pride. The debate now simply centres on the amount…

In The Locker Room

29

THE UNINCORPORATED The Rebellion playing in the DGB was, on the face of it, one of the most risky and controversial decisions that the governing body had ever taken. Though the popularity of DreadBall was undisputed, many initially saw this as a power play by the

nothings out of heroes. Some even whisper that the inclusion

DGB that the Council would not take kindly to. Of course, as far as the Council was concerned, this was all to the good.

With such a mix of alien talent, the team is hard to

Allowing the Rebels to play in sanctioned leagues gave several distinct advantages. It literally took Rebel fighters off the front lines, draining the movement of talented young soldiers who would often be quickly seduced by the lifestyle they could lead. It also meant that the message of the rebellion could be tightly controlled, choreographed, and diluted to the Council’s best advantage. And it meant that the Rebs themselves could be seen. They could be witnessed in hi-def glory, brawling and bleeding on the ‘durium the same as anyone else. Not legendary heroes and freedom fighters, but common people who lived and died just like anyone else. Just as DreadBall can make heroes out of monsters, it can make

30


of the Rebs in the DGB wasn’t just sanctioned by the council, but suggested by them in the first place.

characterise. Depending on the exact mix of races and roles on the pitch at the time, the team can be fast, strong or highly skilled. This flexibility offers the skilled Coach a toolkit of options that can be adapted to play against any style. Or, to put it another way, it offers the inexperienced Coach a confusing multitude of options to drown in. Even some famed Coaches have struggled to deal with the number of options in a Rebel team. However, for the highly-skilled few that can master the many options there is nothing like it. Remember that you can play this team as either The Unincorporated themselves or as another Rebel team of your own. The game values will be the same for all Rebel teams though your team will be the most radical.

dreadball facts The Unincorporated were originally to be known as the Radstock Rebels, after the infamous Rebel Commander Radstock who had won one of the first major Reb victories over the Corporations. That name was turned down, as were a great many others, as the Rebs learned that perhaps the DGB weren’t as on-side as they had initially assumed. Eventually, the rather uninspired ‘The Unincorporated’ was suggested at the thirty seventh naming meeting by their representative, who was at that point all out of ideas and literally pulling words out of the air. The name was accepted and before he’d even registered what had happened, the rep found himself walking to tell his team that they had a name. Since then, the Unincorporated have done their best to make the name mean something. As the first Reb team in the DGB they feel a great sense of responsibility for the cause, and they tread a fine line, doing what the DGB wants whilst building their popularity to allow them the latitude that sometimes helps them to further their own cause. Thus far, the Council seem happy enough to let them continue, though whether that is because they are unbothered by or ignorant of their successes is difficult to tell.

a m T e g r i n o u r t s t m a r t o A S C

h t g e e d i l l e n e r o v t p k M S S S Rin Guard

5

4+

4+

5+

4+

x2

12mc

Pummel

Gaelian Jack

7

4+

4+

4+

4+

x2

13mc

Charge!

Sorak Jack

5

4+

3+

4+

4+

x2

10mc

Safe Pair of Hands (Feet)

Ralarat Striker

6

5+

4+

3+

5+

x2

15mc

Jump, Slippery Customer

team statlines Extras: a Rebs team starts with 0 Coaching Dice and 0 DreadBall Cards.

In The Locker Room

31

RALLION ROSES Hobgoblins are not popular creatures. Even amongst the other races that hail from Gora, they are viewed with disdain, and it is a rare band of Marauders that will count one of these creatures amongst its ranks. Several factors contribute to this, chief amongst them being the incredibly poor personal hygiene of the average Hobgoblin. Their general odour has been compared by several who have experienced it in the wild to chemical warfare. As yet, nobody has been on record as having been unlucky enough to get a blast of a Hobgoblin’s breath without filtering, but the general stench that follows them and the state of their often blackened teeth leaves little room for doubt as to its pungency. They are also reckless, and endlessly fascinated by explosives and pyrotechnics – two character traits that do not make for especially reliable or useful companions. Hobgoblins therefore tend to band together in groups, and those groups tend to be anarchic and often short-lived. When Hobgoblins first approached the DGB to play DreadBall, having formed a loose federation and spent months in training and preparation, they were laughed out of the building. Discouraged, the Hobgoblin DreadBall Federation fell into disarray, though many of its individual members took their solace playing games on the underground Xtreme circuit. Some of these individuals became very good indeed, as it turned

32


out that a stench that could level armies and a sinister delight in pain and the inherent team spirit that comes from being a race of pariahs made for an effective set of players. Their reputation grew to such an extent that in some areas, the Xtreme game started to look as if it might vie for popularity with the sanctioned game itself. Thus, when the DGB put out the call for new teams and the Rallion Roses turned up, they were welcomed – if not with open arms – at least with a friendly grimace and as much air freshener as was available. They have enjoyed some success, though more with the fans than in terms of actual victories, and this has encouraged other teams of Hobgoblins to come forwards. Part of their appeal, apart from their inventive levels of cruelty on the pitch, is in their Guards. Hobgoblins are one of the few races that seem to have a true affinity with Hulks. These gigantic creatures, whose origins are still somewhat hazy, are almost as large as actual giants, and the prospect of seeing several of them on the pitch at once is often all that is needed to sell out a game. Remember that you can play this team as either the Rallion Roses themselves or as another Hobgoblin team of your own. The game values will be the same for all Hobgoblin teams though your team will always play the sweetest game.

DreadBall Facts Whereas most corporate sponsors found that image was a huge obstacle that prevented them from even considering sponsorship of a Hobgoblin team, Rallion took the initiative, seeing how they might utilise the general perception of the race for their own marketing

‘Roses’ was an inspired piece of marketing spin, designed to promote their latest range of hygiene and cleansing products and services. ‘So clean it got the Hobgoblins into the DGB’ became a classic catchphrase that sent their profit soaring and busted the domestic cleansing market wide open. In a few short seasons,

ends. As a corporation specialising in providing sanitation and waste disposal to the prison service as well as the poorer frontier settlements, Rallion had no concerns about association with a race renowned in the main for being untrustworthy and unhygienic,

they went from a medium sized and fairly anonymous corporation to one of the major players, a success story that continues to this day. Other corporations have since taken the plunge, but none have yet enjoyed the

and instead used this to their advantage. The name

h t g e e d i l l e n e r o v t p k M S S S

success of Rallion.

a m T e g r i n o u t s t m a r r o t A S C

Hulk Guard

5

3+

5+

5+

4+

x1

20mc

Mighty, Steady, Trail Blazer

Hobgoblin Jack

5

4+

4+

5+

4+

x4

9mc

Stench

Hobgoblin Striker

5

4+

4+

5+

5+

x2

11mc

Stench

team statlines Extras: a Hobgoblin team starts with 2 Coaching Dice and 1 DreadBall Card.

In The Locker Room

33

THE RED PLANETS The Martian Empire has been successfully conquering various races throughout the universe for thousands of years, and has refined its tactics progressively over that time to deal with any eventuality. When following up a lead on the inter-dimensional mercenary known as Blaine, a force of them stumbled through a tear in the fabric of space time and ended up in an alternate universe. Upon arrival, they were horrified to discover that humanity, that age-old foe, seemed to have spread to the far corners of the galaxy like some kind of plague. The commander of the force despaired, for his small force could not possibly hope to take on the might of the human military in this reality alone. Then one day, whilst monitoring human transmissions, he and his team discovered DreadBall. Here was a perfect opportunity. This great human empire into which they had stumbled seemed to be run on corporate greed, money and the pursuit of fame. DreadBall represented not so much an institution as a kind of religion. If they could integrate themselves into this cult, they could work their way to the top from the inside, infiltrating the very highest echelons and being free to injure, maim and kill their opponents (who would surely be the finest warriors produced by any of their races) at the same time. Done correctly, they could use this tactic to take over the whole galaxy with just a handful of warriors!

34


That was the theory at least. The problem is that DreadBall is a highly addictive sport, and the Martian players soon found themselves with a taste for the sport which quietly overrode their earlier plans. Now they just play DreadBall, their only concern their next match, their only plan to win the league and become champions. Martians are fairly natural DreadBall players, coming from a culture where war and bloodshed are second nature. Though wiry and gangly in appearance, they are surprisingly strong and resilient. Their success on the pitch is also helped by their tendency to carry a range of weapons on the pitch, with absolutely no qualms about using them. The Red Planets have one of the absolute worst disciplinary records in the history of the DGB – quite the achievement for such a relatively new team – but they really don’t care. Their logic is that if they kill or maim enough players, officials and fans, there will be nobody to oppose their glorious ascension to the top of the DB Leagues. From the fans’ point of view, their propensity for violence makes them an irresistible draw, and the Red Planets are well on their way to being one of the most popular franchises ever seen in the sport.

DreadBall Facts The glass domes of the Martian teams make them instantly recognisable. In many ways they are their most distinctive feature. Unfortunately, they are also something of a weakness because they are functional as well as stylish, and if they break then the precious

Of course, the domes aren’t made out of old-fashioned glass that will break easily, but even so the opponents know that this is a weakness and focus their attacks on breaking them. Many a promising young Martian player has been cut down by a lucky blow or a bad fall that smashed his dome.

atmosphere the Martians need to survive leaks out and they start to choke.

h t g n e e d i l l e v e r o k M S t S p S

a m e T g r n u i o t s t m a r r t A S C o

Guard

6

4+

4+

5+

4+

x2

10mc

Fragile

Jack

6

4+

4+

5+

4+

x4

9mc

Fragile, Illegal

Striker

6

4+

4+

5+

5+

x2

10mc

Fragile, A Safe Pair Of Hands

team statlines Extras: a Martian team starts with 3 Coaching Dice and 1 DreadBall Card.

In The Locker Room

35

GALDO Plays for anyone Galdo’s artificial senses give him a number of advantages to make up for his battered body and his determination is

The story of Galdo’s fall and redemption is an inspiration to many and a cause of disbelief to many more. None can

second to none. Even Forge Fathers have commented on his stubbornness!

deny the obvious injuries he has suffered, nor his newfound skill on the pitch. But how are the two linked?

Galdo is not all that bright. Having left his home to join the Rebels (for real, not DreadBall), he made one foolish decision after another. This saw him hounded from one scumsucking, rat-infested dive to another across a dozen worlds. Eventually his luck ran out completely and he was caught by the underbosses he owed several lifetimes worth of pay to. Gambling was always a problem for Galdo. He endured days of torment at the hands of the debt collectors sent by the boss. They had been told to wring out of him what money they could, and then extract the remainder of his debt in blood. They were very thorough. When they left him dying on the bloodied floor of an abandoned warehouse, he was barely recognisable. His eyes had been torn out, his voice box taken and his wings clipped. He could no longer soar with his brother Kraaw, nor return their triumphant calls. He couldn’t even see to hunt. He was dead, he just hadn’t quite stopped bleeding yet. When Galdo awoke he was more than a little surprised. There was no way he could mistake the small, bare room he found himself in for any sort of afterlife, and he could see. How did that happen? In fact, forget the details - how was he alive? And this is where the narrative ends. Galdo’s representative to the media will explain no more. All that is known beyond this is that someone decided to give the battered Kraaw a second chance, and that chance would be in the arena. He now has implants to see with and can make a few sounds, though he still cannot speak or fly. Quite why anyone would save him is the subject of at least three different DNN specials, though none came to a credible conclusion. His determination to do well is clear though. Presumably his mysterious benefactor offered him a new goal as well as a new life.

h t g d n e l l e e k i r e o v t p M S S S Jack

6

5+

4+

4+

4+

player statline 36


r o u m A r 6mc

e m a G e r p s t o C i n M 360 Vision, Stubborn, Quick Recovery

e s o t N

THE EXCAVATOR Plays for anyone

Are mining robots really allowed? Apparently so. At least, they are until the DGB get their lawyers to close the loophole that al lows The Excavator to play as an MVP. They’ll be right on it just as soon as his fan approval rating drops below 53%. It’s currently 91%...

Mining equipment is part of daily life for the Brokkrs, and so it was hardly a big leap for them to try them out in the arena. Everyone has seen whole teams of robots, and neither Big Mech nor Barricade seem to causes any problems, so why not a Forge Father robot? Refusing it would be obvious discrimination, right? The DGB clearly agreed with the Brokkr, and The Excavator has been a feature of many games near Forge Father space. Probably the only reason that this sort of machine isn’t a more common feature of Brokkr teams is that they are more useful and lucrative in the mines for which they were originally designed. Before a mining robot can take to the neodurium the Brokkr

DreadBall regulations on robots, and one of them is a firm restriction on military grade weapons. Still, the Brokkr have managed to persuade the DGB that the drill is simply a normal tool, and though that notion raises a few eyebrows it’s what their opponents now have to face on the pitch. Nobody should be surprised that The Excavator is a Guard and that he is extremely difficult to damage. One look at the amount of armour he carries will tell you that. Of course, he is as strong as a normal Forge Father Guard – to be any less would be an embarrassment. However, it’s the drill that makes him stand out as an attacker. Opposing players that manage to dodge the claw often end up stepping into the path of the drill, or the other way about. Unfortunately if the claw grabs them then the drill will be into them all too quickly. Avoiding the drill is a real challenge. Most players simply choose to stay as far away from The Excavator as possible; at least as far as they can within the limited confines of the pitch. It’s often said that games against The Excavator are where the opposition’s Guards really earn their pay (and strain their medical insurance).

have to demount its rotary mining lasers. There are a few

h t g n e e d i l l e e r o v t p k M S S S Guard

4

3+

5+

6+

4+

r o u m A r 9mc

e m a r G e p s t o C i n M

e s o t N

Steady, Driller, Grizzled, Can’t Feel A Thing

player statline In The Locker Room

37

IRSALA SEPHALIN Plays for anyone She speaks softly and smiles sweetly; she is one of the most dangerous opponents you will ever meet. Irsala trades on her grace and charm so that your defences are down. Then, when you think she can’t be all bad, she strikes. Her bite is much worse than her bark.

Irsala belongs to one of the other races that shared the Sphyr’s homeworld. Even fewer of the Sephalin survived the catastrophe, and those that did were almost all part of the far-flung Sphyrian diplomatic corps. The loss of their planet left them isolated and scattered across the galaxy and in order to survive they had to use whatever guile they could muster. Irsala flourished. Despite her graceful appearance and elegance, Irsala is a dangerous opponent. The Sephalin are highly intelligent, toptier predators who use their wits to lure prey close, and then their many poisonous tentacles to crush them. She brings this ancestral hunting style to the DreadBall arena, and highly successful she is too. Irsala’s particular cunning has been to expand this lethality to the role of Jack rather than merely focus on her obvious talents as a Guard. Not only does this tend to increase her takings with bonuses for strikes, but as she can carry the ball she gets many victims to come to her… Her highest ever kill count in a s ingle match was playing alongside a Tsudochan team – the Proolan Gravitics. With their alien technology pushing players into her grasp she was able to cripple almost the entire opposing team before the final klaxon went. The sole traumatised survivor of the unfortunate Brelt Bunyips retired immediately after the match and now hosts Training with Terry on DNN’s children’s hour.

h t g d n e l l e e k i r e o v t p M S S S Jack

5

4+

3+

4+

player statline 38


4+

r o u m A r 8mc

e m a G e r p s t o C i n M Alert, Steady, Toxic, Gotcha!

e s o t N

In The Locker Room

39

GRAK Plays for anyone There are a handful of individuals that every DreadBall crowd will cheer for, regardless of which side they are on. Some are skilled and nimble Strikers, a few are cool and versatile Jacks, but one of the loudest cheers will be heard for an illiterate thug from the outer worlds. He’s the Guard with the signature smash, the pile-driving monster that t he crowd love to see. He is Grak!

Hailing from the merciless desolation of the Furon arena, Grak has served his Tsudochan masters well over many years. His simplistic view of violence as the tool to solve every puzzle has led him to great heights in the DreadBall arena and will doubtless serve him many years yet. There is no subtlety about his style. He takes one opponent at a time and crushes them as thoroughly as he can, routinely Stomping on those who survive his Slams. Sure, he is also routinely sent off for ungentlemanly behaviour, but the crowd love this bad boy and expect nothing less. Any Coach that hires him will be aware of this tendency and so back him up with other players that are equally happy to see their opponents ground into the neodurium. That is, after all, why it’s so easy to wipe down.

h t g d n e l l e e k i r e o v t p M S S S Guard

5

3+

4+

player statline 40


6+

4+

r o u m A r

e m a G e r p s t C o i n M

10mc

Pile-Driver, Uncontrolled

e s o t N

In The Locker Room

41

Schnörkel the Avenger Plays for anyone except genetically pure human teams

bumbling accident waiting to happen rather than a death-

He regularly has small crowds of Elastopods cheering him on from the stands when he’s playing. In fact, his manager

dealing warrior. This is a welcome change of pace for the

is an Elastopod…

Despite his name, Schnörkel is an endearing and slightly

crowd who cheer wildly every time he blunders, a fact that

Happily, the fans have taken this as an excess of enthusiasm rather than anything more sinister and this propensity for

encourages Coaches to hire him even though he hasn’t killed an opponent in almost a year.

Every DreadBall team and every MVP has an official story for the media that gives their arena persona some background colour. This is what lies behind their costume, signature moves and other aspects of their style, and also what helps sell the action figures, plushies, branded lunch boxes and other merchandising that forms a substantial part of their

telling tall tales has only added his fame. Schnörkel plays up to this in his interviews, steadfastly referring to his manager as a Frileep merchant who is just passing through. Of course, everyone knows that Frileeps don’t look anything like Elastopods.

pay check. Every fan secretly knows that this is a larger than life fiction, but suspending their disbelief is all part of the fun. Unfortunately, when Schnörkel came up with his background he got rather carried away. The story goes like this. Schnörkel the Avenger is the last of the Elastopod race; a lone hero seeking justice after his planet was destroyed in a freak accident. So far, so good. This is the stuff that really sells video games. Unfortunately he didn’t stop there. This disaster was supposedly caused by a single wayward spaceship that had a core meltdown while it flew through the system. It exploded with such force that it destroyed his nearby home world. Schnörkel happened to be on one of their own spaceships at the time and miraculously survived as the last of his race… There are a number of problems with this tale. Firstly, nobody believes that a single nearby engine failure can destroy a whole planet. If it could then the Corporation military would have adopted badly made engines as a primary weapons system decades ago. What really makes a joke of this story is the fact that Schnörkel is very clearly not the last of his race.

h t g d n e l l e e k i r e o v t p M S S S Guard

4

4+

4+

5+

player statline 42


4+

r o u m A r 4mc

e m a G e r p s t C o i n M

e s o t N

Fan Favourite, Klutz, Steady, Can’t Feel A Thing

LYRA THE FIXER Plays for anyone Years of fighting for her life against some of the most dangerous scum in the galaxy, often outnumbered,

The success of DreadBall means that people of al l backgrounds flock to the neodurium. The violence

have honed her reflexes and abilities to a razor’s edge, and she will often run rings around the opposition, dumping them on the floor before they have even realised she is there. She retains the nickname ‘The

of the sport ensures that some of the m leave less than spotless lives behind them. Most try and downplay their previous lives and deeds but some, like Lyra, use their reputation to their advantage.

Fixer’, which well suits her current role of literally fixing whatever the team hiring her needs.

In a previous life, Lyra was one of the most useful assets of the criminal empire operating on the eastern fringes of the galaxy. Whatever the problem was – disposal of a body, elimination of a rat, putting something valuable into someone else’s hands (possibly with the hands of the previous owner still attached to it), Lyra was your girl. Her reputation was well founded, her quick wits and lightning reflexes making her one of the most effective assets in the sector. She was also a slave, owned by gang bosses and unable to do anything but what they bid her do. That all changed when s he was charged with the assassination of a high ranking rival crime lord at a minor DreadBall game. Lyra was forced to watch the game before she could carry out the hit, and found herself entranced not just by the game itself, but by the way that the crowd cheered and worshipped the players. She knew watching them that she could have beaten them all with one hand tied behind her back, and she also knew that she had found her new calling. Approaching her mark after the game, she dispatched his bodyguards, pulled his own weapon on him and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse – back her as a DGB player and live. He did, and Lyra entered the game as a Jack, quickly rising from obscurity to become one of the hottest new talents in the leagues.

h t g n e e d i l l e e r o v t p k M S S S Jack

6

4+

3+

5+

r o u m A r 7mc


e s o t N

Stretch, Jump, Backstab


43

44


ASYLUM Plays for anyone Many a DreadBall player has snapped under the pressure and violence inherent in the game. Few have snapped so completely as the man now known only as Asylum. More impressive still, this former Striker has not only returned to the game, he has th rived.

Blake Ludovic once trod the neodurium alongside the likes of Lucky Logan and Reek Rolat back in the early days of their careers, but he struggled to handle the DreadBall life. The media began to talk about drug problems and abusive outbursts, and when he was accused of murdering his wife his fans turned on him. After a well-publicised trial he was detained in a secure facility and lobotomised. During his rehabilitation a new personality began to emerge, calling itself Asylum. Utterly cold and calm, Asylum claimed that the part of him which had committed the murders was now exorcised, and that being as how that other part of him was clearly now dead in a real and legal sense, Asylum deserved his freedom. The most advanced tests that the prison service could deploy all declared Asylum to be sane and healthy, if unusually focussed, and he was released to take up his old profession once again. No longer dashing or quick enough to reprise his former role as a striker, Asylum took on the mantle of a Guard, and it was here that the flip side of his new calm and controlled personality was revealed. All that control was put into his game, focussing extreme and volatile bouts of violence on his opponents with cold and murderous efficiency. There has never been the slightest hint of Asylum revisiting the old ways of Ludovic off the pitch, where he is a polite and calm individual with no known vices. But on the pitch, he a storm of violence, destroying anyone who gets in his way.

h t g n e e d i l l e e r o v t p k M S S S Guard

6

4+

3+

5+

4+

r o u m A r 9mc


e s o t N

Backstab, Does This Hurt?


45

46


In The Locker Room

47

dreadball

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