Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, I had an early summer weekend of gaming set aside for friends. One of the events was going to be a Blitz Bowl tournament. When I run fantasy sport games, such as Blood Bowl and DreadBall, I like to include a ‘relegation’ table of sorts. This is a table with its own set of zany rules where the combined lowest ranked teams play for a given week. This adds a bit of the wild flavor you read about in the fluff of these games while making the bottom table matches more interesting than just a losers field. Here are the three types of matches that were to be played on the ‘Pub Table’.

First, I need to state that I’m more of a narrative gamer rather than hard competitive type. These rules are not necessarily designed with super-balance in mind, though the three match types effect both player equally.  Additionally, I tried not to adding anything complicated and attempted to make any additional rules as clean and simple as possible in the spirit of the Blitz Bowl. These matches are not intended to be improvements on the Blitz Bowl ruleset, but just some fun alternative ways to play, sorta like pro wrestling matches that go beyond a regular ring but add a cage or tables and ladders, and also in the spirit of other alternate scenarios like the Gargant or Apex Predator scenarios in Warhammer Underworlds.

Also, my regular Blitz Bowl matches are played on tables using Star Player statues as I’ve shared before and seen above. Pub Matches as it were are essentially that… teams slumming it in a pub’s basement, so I’ve done up crates and barrel and such for effect.

With that out of the way… on to the matches.

Special Ball Match

Board: Double Trapdoor

Extra Spikey Ball – An Extra Spikey Ball will not bounce when it lands in an unoccupied square.

Limpin’ Squig – If a Limpin’ Squig is not carried by a player at the end of a team turn, it hops to an adjacent square like a bouncing ball.

For this match, before a ball enters play roll a D6. On a result of a 1, 2, or 3 an Extra Spikey Ball will emerge form a trapdoor. On a 4, 5 or 6 a Limpin’ Squig will emerge. If there is already a Special Ball in play and another comes into play, use the type not currently in play.

(NOTE – Special Ball matches should be playable by anyone with a copy of the base game as it makes use of some of the balls on the human and orc team sprues.)

Gobbo Night Match

Board: Single or Double Trapdoor

For this match only, each team receives two goblin linemen they can field as part of their team roster.

(NOTE – This scenario came from me having a copy of the four goblin plastic BB booster box.  Not enough to field a full team, I decided to split into into two groups of two. I went with drab, neutral colors so they don’t clash too much with whatever team they’re playing for. Two have light brown shirts and dark brown pants, the other two the opposite scheme.)

Rot Spawn Match

Board: Single Trapdoor

For this match, a Rot Spawn has been chained to the center trapdoor square. Using the bounce chart, with the center place representing the trapdoor square, roll a d8 at the beginning of each team turn and move the Rot Spawn to the location rolled on the bounce chart. The Rot Spawn will always end up in one of these spaces adjacent to the trapdoor. After moving, if possible, the Rot Spawn throws a block on a random adjacent player. Treat the Rot Spawn as a Prone player for purposes of thrown or bouncing balls.

Rot Spawn stats:

Move – D8 (see match rules)

Throw – NA

Armour – NA

Disturbing Appearance – A player can not make a Block action against a Rot Spawn

(NOTE – I had an extra rot spawn model about and don’t ever expect this creature to appear in Blitz Bowl officially, so seemed safe. I’ve added a chain around it’s neck and town the back to appear chained to the central trapdoor. I suppose any model could be used. The movement rules are actually pretty simple, so let me know if there are any confusion from my poor explanation. Below is what this scenario looks like and again the Rot Spawn can only ever be on a space adjacent to the trapdoor based on the location of the d8 die roll. In the photo below it is on the ‘8’.)

So there you have it, a few alternate matches to try out if you’re looking for a little something different. Either way, enjoy!