The Gnome Blood Bowl team caused quite a stir when they were unveiled at the Warhammer World Anniversary Preview, and not just because of their surprisingly capable players (for a Stunty team). We ventured into the woods and badgered Gav and Xav – the designers responsible for bringing these delightful players to life – for the story of how Blood Bowl’s strangest team yet made the cut.
Warhammer Community: What was it like to work on the visual design for an entirely new team?
Gav: The Gnome team started out as a bit of a passion project and just kept evolving. We wanted to keep some of the traditional ‘garden gnome’ aesthetics, but they would unmistakably be a Blood Bowl team – striking the balance between being fun and whimsical without them being too silly was a real challenge, but I think we ended up with something pretty cool. When we’re designing a Stunty team, we get a little more leeway with this than you would with the likes of a Chaos Chosen or Dark Elf team, but it was still important to make sure we didn’t get too carried away.
Xav: Absolutely. As Gav said, it was important we leaned into that established identity to make sure we didn’t end up with a team that looked too similar to the existing Halfling or Dwarf teams. We also knew we wanted animals to feature heavily in the team from the onset, both as individual players and as companions for the Beastmaster.
WarCom: The Woodland Foxes feature as players in their own right, what was it like to bring them to life as Citadel miniatures?
Xav: The fox was a real blast to work on! It was something that came together rather quickly; when I was working on the pose and completing the design work, the time seemed to fly by. Sometimes, the most enjoyable parts of a project are far shorter than we would like them to be!
WarCom: What made you choose these particular creatures?
Xav: There was a long list from folks around the studio requesting different animals, and it took a while to narrow it down! In the end, we leaned towards animals that could be found across the British countryside. Birds are not new to us, as we deal with feathered creatures quite a lot, but the badger was a unique challenge! It was also important to ensure the animals we chose were able to reflect the team's skills on the field – with geese and badgers being fantastic choices for Guard, of course!
Gav: One thing we were conscious of throughout the process was that the animals shouldn’t look too cutesy, which was reflected in both the choice of animals and their poses. Geese and badgers are not exactly the first animals that spring to mind when you think of cute woodland critters, and ours certainly look ready to give you a nasty bite – or honk noisily in your direction!
WarCom: Alongside the Gnome team, you were also able to revisit the Blood Bowl Treeman kit.
Xav: This was more about adding some additional features and making a few aesthetic changes rather than replacing what is already an excellent kit. We added a few new details such as the extra foliage and a more gnarled appearance to the wood, that would allow the Treeman to sit better alongside a team of Gnomes and woodland creatures.
WarCom: What was the most enjoyable part of the project?
Gav: I was mostly involved in the concept stage, but it was really satisfying to develop the visual look of the Gnomes and establish some of the design cornerstones, before handing it over to Xav, who took what I initially drafted and really ran with it. Xav: The poses for the badgers and Beastmasters were great fun to experiment with, but the Illusionist was perhaps the most satisfying. The pose is very unique and unlike anything we’ve been able to do before, but it captures the player’s abilities and background nicely. The Woodland Fox was also a lot of fun to design – as you can see, it really doesn’t want to let go of that ball!
WarCom: Any thoughts on how you’re going to paint your own Gnome teams?
Gav: I am keen to lean into the illusory magic that often surrounds the Gnomes and experiment with bright colours in areas that are usually darker – much like when the bluebells flower in the spring under a thick canopy of leaves!
Xav: I think I will go for some very earthy colours, using lots of different shades of brown along with some tender greens as a spot colour. That way the brighter tones on the animals will really catch the eye!
We’re bursting with excitement here at Warhammer Community at the imminent arrival of the Gnome team – a big thank you to Gav and Xav for their insights into the newest additions to the gridiron. Keep your eyes on the Warhammer Community website for all the latest Gnome news!