Welcome back to Touchline Tactics, a regular series in which we dish out the inside scoop on the many teams that populate the leagues of professional Blood Bowl. We assess their playstyles, discuss which Skills to advance, and choose our top Star Players to accompany them on the astrogranite.
In this instalment, we’re putting the foetid followers of the Father of Plagues under the microscope. We’re of course talking about Nurgle teams, whose slow and steady playstyle makes them both beloved and bemoaned by coaches across the Old World.
Playstyle
On the (pox-covered) face of it, Nurgle squads seem like a bash team – and in a perpetual league, where they have the chance to skill up, they can end up performing that role. In reality, they are more of a control team. They’re rewarded for exerting their influence across the pitch, by limiting ball movement and closing down any running lanes with tough players.
High scoring games are not the Nurgle way, and they are much more comfortable when shutting down an opponent's offence and grinding their way steadily down the field than when they are trying to rush the ball into the End Zone.
Tactics
Rotters are your linemen. Their job is to gum up the opponent, forcing them to throw blocks or risk dodging away in order to get clear. With a decent Armour Value and a nominal hiring fee, they take the brunt of your opponent’s punches.
Pestigors are going to do most of the heavy lifting. As the fastest and most agile players on the team (with a Movement of 6 and Agility of 3+), they will be responsible for snatching hold of the ball and lumbering it towards the End Zone when the opportunity presents itself.
Bloaters bring the muscle to Nurgle teams, providing a living wall of off-putting stench and unappealing block targets – with one in every six blocks failing thanks to the Foul Appearance skill. Disturbing Presence provides negative modifiers to passing and catching the ball, meaning these pungent players can make a vast portion of the pitch tough to manoeuvre the ball into and out of.
Rotspawn are cuddle-loving brutes that make for the ultimate roadblock, as they are capable of holding several players in place with their Tentacles. Should your opponent wish to fight their way free, Rotspawn are more than able to take a hit, and that's if your opponent’s players prove brave enough to overcome their Foul Appearance! Once in a position to be as disruptive as possible, only activate them if absolutely necessary to avoid failing their Really Stupid tests.
Skilling Up
Rotters will always find Block useful – it’s great for players in the thick of it. Thanks to their lower hiring fee, you can also afford to play dirty* and implement a strong fouling game – Dirty Player is a great pick to assist with this, and wonderfully on-theme for a team of Nurgle worshippers!
Pestigors are all-star boil-covered bovine brawlers, so they’re suited to a variety of different skill combinations.
If you’re looking to build a dedicated ball carrier, then skills such as Sure Hands, Extra Arms, and Block are ideal.
When building a blitzer, Block, Mighty Blow (+1), and Claws are going to have them cracking skulls in no time.
If you’re looking for a Pestigor to get hold of the ball, Wrestle, Tackle, and Strip Ball are all excellent for keeping any receivers in check.
Thanks to their incredible versatility, you can build a Pestigor to tackle whatever teams and playstyles are most common in your league.
Bloaters will find Block and Guard to be obvious choices, but Stand Firm is another excellent pick, as it allows you to ensure their Disturbing Presence is always in the right place.
Rotspawn can take Stand Firm as an excellent first choice, for the same reason as Bloaters. It also ensures there’s no easy way of moving players out of their Tackle Zone, making their Tentacles all the harder to escape. Guard is great too, as it supports the rest of the team, making your Strength 4 Bloaters even harder to successfully bring down. If you’re able to save up for a secondary skill, then Block is an excellent option.
Top 5 Star Players
Bilerot Vomitflesh adds another high Strength player to the team, and his Projectile Vomit is a nasty threat that can putrefy faster-moving opponents at a distance.
Withergrasp Doubledrool is a Nurgle superstar and a ready-built ball sacker, able to snatch the ball away from even the most determined runner thanks to Tackle, Wrestle, and a bevy of mutations.
Lord Borak is a classic star who needs no introduction. The Despoiler adds another high Strength player to your roster, and brings along his own team re-roll – plus a healthy dollop of nostalgia!
Glart Smashrip, the gluttonous rat, adds an aggressive blitzer to your roster who can clear out even the most determined blockers with Juggernaut.
Hakflem Skuttlespike allows a Nurgle team to do the unthinkable – move the ball incredibly fast! Even if one of your other players nabs hold of the ball, Hakflem can use his Treacherous special rule to snatch it off them and race towards the End Zone!
That’s it from another edition of Touchline Tactics. Stay tuned, sports fans, for another instalment later in the year.
* Just as Grandfather Nurgle would have wanted!
