Jervis Johnson Blood Bowl Player Cost Formula

With more and more player positions being added with the new releases, I thought it would be interesting to have a look at how they hold up compared to the old positions. I had a dig around for the old Jervis Johnson formula that was originally used to cost up players. I know this was several editions ago but still seem to hold value. 

I then sat down and got up to speed with handling and searching arrays in javascript and doing a bit of spread sheeting in html and to have it interactive, giving it features such as sorting. 

I don't see why I wouldn't be able to present my findings here, since games workshop has released the 'Blood Bowl Head Coach's Handbook Team Rosters' available for free download at the Warhammer Community site. 

I would appreciate any feedback and suggestions that I could implement once I've cleaned up the css.

We need a starting point so lets start with:

Human lineman as the standard

Cost 50 000 = 5

Removing some zeros to make things easier to work with.

Stats:

MA 6 

ST 3 

AG 3 

AV 8

Jervis Johnson Blood Bowl Player Cost Formula

+5 base 

MOVEMENT	STRENGTH	AGILITY	ARMOR
MA2 = -4  MA3 = -3  MA4 = -2  MA5 = -1  MA6 = 0  MA7 = +2  MA8 = +3  MA9 = +4	ST1 = -6  ST2 = -3  ST3 = 0  ST4 = +6  ST5 = +9  ST6 = +12  ST7 = +18  ST8 = +21	AG1 = -4  AG2 = -2  AG3 = 0  AG4 = +2  AG5 = +4  AG6 = +6    if AG>3 & ST>3 = +1	AV5 = -4  AV6 = -3  AV7 = -2  AV8 = 0  AV9 = +1  AV10 = +3

SKILLS & THINGS 

Positive skills (and mutations) are all +2 

exception to that rule are the following: 

+1 point skills: 

Frenzy

Horns

Leap (AG 3 or less)

Pass (AG 3 or less)

Right Stuff

Stunty

Thick Skull

Throw TeamMate

Very Long Legs

I added; Kick Team-Mate (new), Timmm-ber!(new), Nurgle’s Rot (probably new since original formula),

+3 point skills: 

Big Hand

Block

Claw/Claws

Dauntless

Foul Appearance

Guard

Leader

Multiple Block

Regeneration

Stand Firm

Strong Arm

Tentacles

Titchy

+1 point bonus: Players starting with both Block and Dodge. 

I added Chainsaw,

(I’m a bit surprised to find titchy on this list since it has a positive and a negative side to it)

Negative traits are all -2 points except the following: 

-1 point trait: 

Always Hungry 

I might have moved Always Hungry to the -2 category since I’m partial to the throwing of goblins and I would argue that it severely hampers the one turn touchdown if your really stupid, loner troll tries to have a snack on your goblins rather than throw them.

-3 point traits:

Blood Lust

Really Stupid

Take Root 

Now to add up and calculate cost.

If the points value is 10 or less, then the player's value is:

GPS = pts * 10,000

If the points value of the player is 11 or more, then the player's value is:

GPS = 100,000 + ((points - 10) * 5,000)

I’m not a fan of the 'if the cost exceed 100 000 they get a discount' addition, however, I think it is a way to handle the negatraits not being properly deducted in price and the problems of having too much value tied up in one player. But it also allows for one really good player to get a discount (I’m looking at you Wardancers) so it feels like it would be better to properly price the negatraits.

Non of this takes the team and the skill access in to account obviously so it isn't a full picture more of a guideline but it is interesting nonetheless. 

I gathered my info from:

The midgardbb 

since the site has been down for awhile I had to go through the web archive

NewBBTeamBuildingGuide

BuildingNewPlayerGuide

Games Workshop Warhammer Community: 

Blood Bowl Head Coach's Handbook Rosters

I think it would be interesting to apply this to the new star players as well. Probably need to do a bit of adjustments but would be interesting to see how it pans out. Both comparing how they line up compared to the position they came from and as well as a player in their own right.

My template is quite determined to not go past a certain width, so I need to wrangle a bit with that before it's ready for release.

The mobile css is a bit better - not as messed up with loads of restriction but haven't managed to fix the background yet.

Hefty and Catcher conversions

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part VI

So I wanted to make it more clear which players where the new positionals since I'm using a mix of 2nd edition and 3rd edition halfling models (neither having any positionals).

I have added some spatulas and spikes to these two guys to represent the additional amour value.

Still trying to make them not look too much the same but still similar enough to make them recognisable as the same position. Bent the arms slightly to change them up a bit.

I chose these two due to them already having a decent helmet and a substantial belly, which the hefties are being depicted with in the new release.

Originally the straps fasten to the spatula but it wasn't looking right. I think it was too fine details on too small of a model, so I went with a more cartoony approach and just ran the strap on top.

As Catchers have the sprint skill, it makes them an ideal candidate to be thrown by the Treemen - particularly when I'm making desperate attempts to equalise. The fact that these models were already equipped with flying googles made them an obvious choice for my catchers.

I added a catching glove oven mitten to make it easily distinguishable on the pitch and to fit in with the catcher position.

To avoid having any duplicates, this guy got his arm repositioned and spike moved. I think he now makes for a pretty good projectile, with his cannonball body and big spike on his helmet!

I realised that choosing this guy to convert does make me reuse the same base model 4 times in the team which isn't ideal but don't think it's that noticeable. (The catchers are using the same base body)

Halfling Team Finished!

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V

Third team done, ready after a sneaky pre-based go at the pitch! So lets mix things up and have a meet n' greet with...

The Snaxolotls
When our half-pint heroes first gathered together to form a Blood-Bowl team, they were looking for a name to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Upon consulting local wiseman and Herpetologist for the name of a fierce creature to be the namesake for their team, Bomer Croop said he knew just the thing. He described a dark skinned water dragon with blood-red stripes extending from their heads, known as an Axolotl. The team were sold on the name and so was born the 'Hutten Axolotls'. However, the crowd, rather than quaking in fear, were rather endeared by our stout sportsmen, and lovingly renamed them 'The Snaxolotls'.  

Jasriadoc Whitethorn
from Wolfenburg, capital Ostland

Player Number: 1
Position: Hefty
Hair Colour: Dark Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Height: 119cm
Weight: 45.4kg
Distinguishing Marks: Scar
Age: 54
Number of Siblings: 3

Curlfast Tumblewine
from the Moot

Player Number: 2
Position: Hefty
Hair Colour: Corn
Eye Colour: Brown
Height: 114cm
Weight: 45.4kg
Distinguishing Marks: Ragged Ear
Age: 36
Number of Siblings: 2

Sammutch Rattlebone
from Steingart, village in Wissenland

Player Number: 3
Position: Catcher
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Height: 112cm
Weight: 47.6kg
Distinguishing Marks: Earring
Age: 54
Number of Siblings: 3

Career Totals:

    Touch downs: 1

Cobodoc Darkwater
from Wolfenburg, capital city of Ostland

Player Number: 4
Position: Catcher
Hair Colour: Light Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Height: 125cm
Weight: 34kg
Distinguishing Marks: Distinctive Gait
Age: 20
Number of Siblings: 3

Willy Darkwater
from the Moot

Player Number: 5
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Ash Blond
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Distinguishing Marks: Broken Nose
Age: 36
Number of Siblings: 2

Career Totals:

    KO'ed opponent: 1

Pippmutch Bunbury
from the Moot

Player Number: 6
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Yellow
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Height: 114cm
Weight: 59kg
Distinguishing Marks: Curious Smell
Age: 60
Number of Siblings: 4

Pippmutch is not having a runny nose- it's just some flock from the base I missed brushing off before the photo shoot.

Elmwise Thistlewood
from Hochsleben, town in Averland

Player Number: 7
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Corn
Eye Colour: Hazel
Height: 122cm
Weight: 40.8kg
Distinguishing Marks: Missing Digit
Age: 24
Number of Siblings: 4

Lottit Hornblower
from the Moot

Player Number: 8
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Light Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Height: 127cm
Weight: 63.5kg
Distinguishing Marks: Missing Digit
Age: 42
Number of Siblings: 3

Ludwit Havelock
from Grafenrich, village in Nordland

Player Number: 9
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Height: 109cm
Weight: 47.6kg
Distinguishing Marks: Broken Nose
Age: 30
Number of Siblings: 4

Lacin Crabapple
from Middenheim, capital city of Middenland

Player Number: 10
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Light Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Height: 104cm
Weight: 40.8kg
Distinguishing Marks: Ruddy Faced
Age: 56
Number of Siblings: 1

Career Totals:

    Getting Badly Hurt: 1

Cambelly Oddfoot
from the Moot

Player Number: 11
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Red
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Height: 114cm
Weight: 45.4kg
Distinguishing Marks: Snaggle Teeth
Age: 30
Number of Siblings: 2

Dottwit Willowand
from Loningbruck, town in Averland

Player Number: 12
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Light Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Height: 125cm
Weight: 40.8kg
Distinguishing Marks: Missing Eyebrow
Age: 30
Number of Siblings: 3

Bustfast Churnhill
from Grimminhagen, town in Middenland

Player Number: 13
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Ash Blond
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Height: 119cm
Weight: 47.6kg
Distinguishing Marks: Pox Marks
Age: 42
Number of Siblings: 6

Chundfast Lilywhite
from Delberz, town in Middenland

Player Number: 14
Position: Hopeful
Hair Colour: Yellow
Eye Colour: Brown
Height: 117cm
Weight: 45.4kg
Distinguishing Marks: Pox Marks
Age: 28
Number of Siblings: 3

Stubby Shrubless
from Altern Forest, forest in the Moot

Player Number: 15
Position: Treeman
Hair Colour: Leafy Green
Eye Colour: Glowing blue
Distinguishing Marks: Impaled skull in back branch
Age: Unknown
Number of Siblings: Unknown

Career Totals: 

    MVP's: 1

Tallbud Weakbush
from Altern Forest, forest in the Moot

Player Number: 16
Position: Treeman
Hair Colour: Leafy Green
Eye Colour: Glowing blue
Distinguishing Marks: Rough bark-like skin
Age: Unknown
Number of Siblings: Unknown

Blood Bowl Sevens Pitch

Second isolation hobby project finished! A Blood Bowl Sevens pitch. I went with the new size squares so the new models, rules and all that works and was quite surprised of the size of the pitch. Even though you are taking away six rows on the length of the pitch and four on the width there is still a lot of board left.

Marked out 34mm squares
20x11 grid.
I did a base of paint with metal dust for magnets to grip on and to add some mud texture. I did not take in to consideration the lift of the static grass which negates almost all this effect but I gave it a try. Next pitch might start of with a steel sheet rather than mdf and see how that goes but might not need more than one grass pitch and without the grass there isn't a problem...

Brown paint and a bit more texture.
It looks a bit wet in one corner because I tried a few different mixtures to create a wash...  I kept tweaking this till I was happy with it and then applied it later on.

Did another shade of brown only for my sake to be able to keep track on which grass goes where since this won't really be visible. I ran out of my mixed up brown a couple of times hence the multitude of shades going on.

Dry brushed a lighter colour to highlight raised textures. All this ground work is a bit overkill but if tufts were to come off, I want it to look nice underneath and therefor saving me having to touch up the pitch as often.

A homemade brown wash, as mentioned above, brings everything together nicely.

Started applying static grass using a 50/50 PVA glue to water mixture.
On the left you can see my home made stilous. A pen casing with the core ripped out and copper wire inserted. I clip on the crocodile clip to that and then point the end into the glue for the square I'm working on.

I decided that the size of sieve my static grass applicator came with was too big, so I found myself one with a smaller diameter and slightly denser mesh. I added a plastic card in the handle so I could mount it in the applicator.

I used hot melt glue to stick on a lid to the sieve- in this case, I repurposed a basic small Sistema snack box.

I tried many different sizes for holes in a 'salt & pepper shaker style' configuration but it didn't work so in the end I cut out a central larger hole as you can see in the picture.

I unsoldered the old one and soldered in mine. It worked a lot better. It clogged up a bit but better that than just emptying all at once, all the time. I had an old tooth brush at hand that I just ran it over the sieve ever so often to clear any clogging.

Then it was the time for markings...
I tried putting nails and running a tread across. Most strings are too thin. When you let go of tension it does not go well. Doesn't really work to paint over them. Cables are not flexible enough. I tried painting sticks and dabbing. The old red measuring sticks from the starter boxes are not straight...
Cling film is stretchy. You can't make a straight stencil out of masking tape nor find a good way of holding it down. It will pull static grass off but won't stay put when you want it to. It's as hard to cut out a straight and accurate hole in a big piece of paper. I can go on but won't.

I went through so many different methods trying to mark things out in straight lines. But in the end I drew it by hand because it was as accurate as any method I've tried or better.
Depending on the angle of the grass the white lines are more or less visible but they are clearer in person.

Added grass to the sidelines.
Think if I were to do it again I would have gone with two shades of green slightly closer to each other like the sideline and the light green for the pitch but this contrast is user-friendly for when playing on it.

Next side project is to build some 'not so grand stands'! So then, we can have some spectators for the matches.

Dark Elves team finished

Part I | Part II | Part III
Second team all done, ready for the pitch! The 'Ard Coat gives quite a gloss was going to put Lahmian Medium on to tone it down but my partner who's the team owner liked the gloss so it stays.

So now with our isolation situation we can try out some blood bowl sevens with some painted teams.

My partner wanted lush grass for her girls so I made a well kept gridiron. We both agreed that white lines doesn't quite make sense since they are not every where on the pitch and can look a bit odd depending on the players position.
I spent way too much time on the dirt base that doesn't show due to the grass but if the static grass where to fall off it will look realistic with nice dirt underneath until I get around to fixing it.

We where thinking of tattoos for position numbers but went with boots in the end.

Trying out the halfling pitch as backdrop for a nice lush lawn. Let me know if you prefer it over a white background.

Old assassin has now got a star for position and will now act as Horkon Heartripper

Both new assassins are pinned to the base but not much of contact area so still a bit concerned about how well they will stick.They probably will break themselves before coming off, not super fussed about the fragile resin miniatures even if they look good. It is really hard to get the paint to stick to them as well, even the base coat rubs off...

Seven linewomen to allow for rosters that needs that many.

The team token banner in the background still needs some transfers but managed to get in on the picture as well since it's painted, 'ard coated and based.

Terradon Riders / Ripperdactyl Riders

These are the third version of Terradons I have so sensibly they should be assembled as Ripperdactyls but I prefer the look of the Terradons and the fact that they are made of plastic. Best solution; scavenge for parts and make a third Lizardmen blood bowl team? Obviously.

Fancy looking Terradons! I really like the look of the vambraces.

Ripperdactyls I think spears/javelins look more appropriate as a weapon though but that is probably just because it's what I'm used to.

Ball joint on top of the stands. Seems like a really good idea. I had so much trouble with the old ones.

"Bird" one
I did a size comparison with the skinks in my previous Post

A blot toad or alternative ball?

Bird two

The small helmets and stuff will be good for star players and such.

Bird three

There are rules in the lizardmen Spike! journal about terradons dropping rocks on the pitch but there's no need for models to represent that. I might make up some advertising banners to be flown around the stadium.