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Firstly I want to be clear that I am not trying to criticise those who play Blood Bowl, or trying to take away its enjoyment. I'm just trying to understand what the appeal of the current version of Blood Bowl is.

I think Blood Bowl as a concept is great. I played it a fair bit back in the nineties, with my doughty Dwarfs. I've also sunk a couple dozen hours into the PC incarnation of the game. I haven't played Blood Bowl 2 yet, nor have done any research into what Blood Bowl 3 is aiming to do. The first game was a very faithful adaptation of the rules though, and I'm guessing 2 and 3 haven't veered far from the formula. As with any video game it has its detractors, though for me at least it has given me the Blood Bowl fix I'm looking for.

Therein lies the problem. I just don't get why I need to invest in the tabletop game when I can fire up my PC and play a campaign against the (admittedly poor) AI or against other players around the world. Sure, I get that building and painting models has its own enjoyment (I wouldn't be hanging around these forums if I didn't get that) but that can be said of pretty much every tabletop wargame / skirmish game out there.

Let's ignore games like 40K, or Age of Sigmar, or Warhammer Fantasy, which all require large amounts of models. One comparison I can make is to Necromunda, which I also played a lot in the nineties. I've bought into the current version in a big way and just don't feel that any video game could give me the same enjoyment that the tabletop gives me. Compared to Blood Bowl there are just a lot more modelling opportunities, in terms of the models themselves and the scenery. Sure, there is a PC adaptation of Necromunda (which really isn't great), and even Tabletop Simulator. I just think there's a lot more scope for creativity on the tabletop than any video game has given us so far with regards to Necromunda.

So I guess the reason I made this thread is to understand why people still buy into Blood Bowl as a tabletop game. I'm sure people do, otherwise GW wouldn't still be supporting it.

Some specific questions:

Do you find that it's difficult to pry people away from Blood Bowl the video game to play the tabletop version? Or it's not really in direct competition with the tabletop version?

Anyone else out there who thinks that the video game gives enough of a Blood Bowl fix to keep them happy?

I've run a couple of leagues in the past. They've always been super popular and everyone's had a great time. The answer to your question (why play BB on tabletop when there's a video game) is, I think:

1) it's nice to play in person, as a social event. It really does make a big difference. You can get drunk together, too.

2) video games tend to feel a bit... weightless? The characters aren't painted by you, there's no customization, and you aren't as connected to them. You can always scrap the game and start again, or replace your players, or whatever. When you're playing on the tabletop, BB feels more connected and each roll of the dice feels more important.

3) There's more scope for crazy narratives to emerge on tabletop. Like, sure you fumbled a throw, but maybe Stompy McStomperson is famous for doing it, or whatever. Those kinds of narratives tend to emerge over a tabletop league, like when my mate's treeman killed my lineman Fabio, RIP. We never forgave him for that.

4) The banter is just better, and faster.

If you get everything you need from the video game, that's cool. You do you. I personally find the tabletop more immersive for BB and after playing the video game a bit, I only play on tabletop now. Just feels more fun.

Solitaire88 wrote:
I've run a couple of leagues in the past. They've always been super popular and everyone's had a great time. The answer to your question (why play BB on tabletop when there's a video game) is, I think:

1) it's nice to play in person, as a social event. It really does make a big difference. You can get drunk together, too.

2) video games tend to feel a bit... weightless? The characters aren't painted by you, there's no customization, and you aren't as connected to them. You can always scrap the game and start again, or replace your players, or whatever. When you're playing on the tabletop, BB feels more connected and each roll of the dice feels more important.

3) There's more scope for crazy narratives to emerge on tabletop. Like, sure you fumbled a throw, but maybe Stompy McStomperson is famous for doing it, or whatever. Those kinds of narratives tend to emerge over a tabletop league, like when my mate's treeman killed my lineman Fabio, RIP. We never forgave him for that.

4) The banter is just better, and faster.

If you get everything you need from the video game, that's cool. You do you. I personally find the tabletop more immersive for BB and after playing the video game a bit, I only play on tabletop now. Just feels more fun.

Well said, I have played a few table top games in my day and I have to agree that table top games are much more enjoyable but with the Vid going around how does that affect table top play in a public/gaming shop?

Also I would like to know if there were/are option for female teams as well as mixed guys and gals teams or a guys vs gals game?

Kargan3033 wrote:

Well said, I have played a few table top games in my day and I have to agree that table top games are much more enjoyable but with the Vid going around how does that affect table top play in a public/gaming shop?

Also I would like to know if there were/are option for female teams as well as mixed guys and gals teams or a guys vs gals game?

Never seen it in a shop. With a low buy in it isn't a good game for a shop to push. BB has always been for me a club game, either something people in a club do occasionally or a dedicated club.

When you say female teams do you mean humans or models? GW has limited female models, 3rd party have a lot more from the silly (nuns) to the serious (Amazons).

The_Real_Chris wrote:

Kargan3033 wrote:

Well said, I have played a few table top games in my day and I have to agree that table top games are much more enjoyable but with the Vid going around how does that affect table top play in a public/gaming shop?

Also I would like to know if there were/are option for female teams as well as mixed guys and gals teams or a guys vs gals game?

Never seen it in a shop. With a low buy in it isn't a good game for a shop to push. BB has always been for me a club game, either something people in a club do occasionally or a dedicated club.

When you say female teams do you mean humans or models? GW has limited female models, 3rd party have a lot more from the silly (nuns) to the serious (Amazons).

Well looks like I missed out on BB if it's out of print, might look into the vid game version, as for the female question I was wondering if there were both female models and if there were any real life female players.

Solitaire88 wrote:
I've run a couple of leagues in the past. They've always been super popular and everyone's had a great time. The answer to your question (why play BB on tabletop when there's a video game) is, I think:

1) it's nice to play in person, as a social event. It really does make a big difference. You can get drunk together, too.

2) video games tend to feel a bit... weightless? The characters aren't painted by you, there's no customization, and you aren't as connected to them. You can always scrap the game and start again, or replace your players, or whatever. When you're playing on the tabletop, BB feels more connected and each roll of the dice feels more important.

3) There's more scope for crazy narratives to emerge on tabletop. Like, sure you fumbled a throw, but maybe Stompy McStomperson is famous for doing it, or whatever. Those kinds of narratives tend to emerge over a tabletop league, like when my mate's treeman killed my lineman Fabio, RIP. We never forgave him for that.

4) The banter is just better, and faster.

If you get everything you need from the video game, that's cool. You do you. I personally find the tabletop more immersive for BB and after playing the video game a bit, I only play on tabletop now. Just feels more fun.

Thanks for this. Don’t really have anything to add / challenge, just to say that this is the kind of input I was looking for

Kargan3033 wrote:

Well looks like I missed out on BB if it's out of print, might look into the vid game version, as for the female question I was wondering if there were both female models and if there were any real life female players.

Sorry, when I said not seen it played in a shop I was just referring to it being used. It is still a live item. There are three versions, the main Blood Bowl game (most likely to be carried by stores), the spin off dungeon ball game (a different experience and more niche, rarely carried outside GW's) and blitz bowl (the barnes and noble exclusive which is for one off games not league play and uses a complete different rules system).

Female models are mostly 3rd party with the main GW female teams not yet re-released (though can still be used). Female players are rare. Unlike boardgame clubs that here at least are well attended by men and women, Bloodbowl is far more niche and female players are noticeably in tourneys where their might be a handful and everyone else is otherwise male. In all the leagues I have been in in London I have only seen one lady.

That could be because it is pushed by a company whose games are played by very few women. Maybe if it was themed more generically and pushed by Asmodie that would be different with a different crowd playing it. After all at its core it is a slightly long risk management game with potentially a high degree of randomness to chance on when the risk management fails! Lots of boardgamers in my anecdotal experience prefer the faster playing blitz bowl. That achieves the same things but with a modern ruleset. The BB one is 25? years old and has many old design idiosyncrasies in it.


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El Torro wrote:


Thanks for this. Don’t really have anything to add / challenge, just to say that this is the kind of input I was looking for

I would add a lot of boardgames are online now. From Catan to trains (you know with the tickets, forget the name). Some work better online (anything with shuffling in my opinion, or lots of boring tables) and for the others it comes down to do you love the game compared to how much do you like the interaction. There may be a generational issue there as well as cultural as its different for different countries and age groups. For the people at my club they have online stuff they like to do, but the games we otherwise play in person they enjoy because they are having a tactile experience with others (the tactile bit and others is not linked in that way).

What games to play? A lot is dictate by logistics!

So the question actually is:

"Why bother playing with a real person in the same room when you can stay at home playing against the AI?"

Uhm, because playing a boardgame is a SOCIAL event. How about that? It is obviously more fun to play with friends than against an AI with zero personality. Hope this helps.

Well, I will tell you this, I never once had someone instantly disappear (have a hole open beneath them in the floor) in the board game version, if I scored an improbable touchdown or killed one of their guys

I think the guys above have said pretty well. It's the social aspect for me. I have an absolute laugh if I am playing with friends, but the game is such that I think its even a lot of fun in tournaments and against people you don't know. Even the most dour, zoned out guy will laugh when a dwarf fails to go for it, fails the armour roll and dies. If you're playing online, you lose all of that, and as we all know from the internet, not having that physical interaction with other people (being able to see and hear them) introduces all kinds of gakky behaviour.

There are some tabletop games that are just realized better as a video game.

When games have a fair amount of book keeping, they make good candidates for video game implementation.

I love minis and everything that goes along with it, and especially appreciate the social aspect of face to face play.

But bloodbowl is actually a better game in digital format, and takes far less time to resolve.

I say the same tbing about space hulk too. Space hulk tactics has literally fired my board game. It does everything the board game did, and then some. It looks a ton better, is animated, has numerous environments to ppay in, has a compelling campaign... its just better as a video game, just like blood bowl.

I honestly couldnt imagine playing blood bowl as an analog game ever again, despite playing blitz bowl quire regularly.

My main opponent prefers to play digitally than physically.

However, I occasionally make them do both.

 Wiz Warrior wrote:
There are some tabletop games that are just realized better as a video game.

When games have a fair amount of book keeping, they make good candidates for video game implementation.

I love minis and everything that goes along with it, and especially appreciate the social aspect of face to face play.

But bloodbowl is actually a better game in digital format, and takes far less time to resolve.

I say the same tbing about space hulk too. Space hulk tactics has literally fired my board game. It does everything the board game did, and then some. It looks a ton better, is animated, has numerous environments to ppay in, has a compelling campaign... its just better as a video game, just like blood bowl.

I honestly couldnt imagine playing blood bowl as an analog game ever again, despite playing blitz bowl quire regularly.

Book-keeping? Seriously? People have become just too lazy. Guess next time I am in a store people let their smartphones roll dice for them.

The one thing I will say for the video game is that it allows me to play with friends when otherwise we might not have (over lockdown and things like that).

But, like any miniatures game, there is an enjoyment to be had about the tactile sensation of moving them about, rolling the dice, running your guy with the ball into the end zone.

TBH this is a conversation that has been had in historicals gaming circles for many, many years now, ever since SST games did the historical campaign games for PC. Those can also (and especially these days) do a very good job of representing warfare, and yet historicals wargaming is still favoured by many people. You can get something from it that you can't from a video game.

My gaming group really does not do computer games anywhere near as much as lots of other people seem to. They prefer the tabletop version of most games.
It could be the manual interaction, as has been mentioned. It might be way the computer games make rules so passive, hiding them behind the dice rolls. They tell you that certain moves are allowed, or blocked, but don't usually explain that it is because of Foul Presence, or whatever.

You can probably design a team uniform and logo in the games, but can you run hamsters and badgers in place of an Orc team?

How easy is it to plan our your players' career in the computer game? With a working memory of the rules, you can do that in a boring half-hour in class...

I prefer tt games myself. The fun toy factor of tactile analog gaming cant be stated enough.

But some game are just better in a digital formet.

Its ok, you dont have t agree, but you also dont have to leave belittling comments as if i have no clue what im talking about after 40 years painting and playing minis.

I might just have a good reason to come to the conclusions that i have. Also dont worry. How i enjoy gaming has no bearing on your enjoyment, so you dont have to get your panties in a wad because somebody doesnt like the same things you do, the same way you do.