Waterbowl Weekender

 

THE WATERBOWL WEEKENDER 2025

Once again, we’ll be hosted by the North West Gaming Centre in Stockport. The event takes place on February 15/16 2025. The event is currently sold out. 

Payment and Contact Details

Entry to the tournament remains £20 for NAF members and £25 for non-NAF (this price includes NAF membership). 

New NAF sign-ups: We will have a NAF Representative at the tournament. You will need to provide your email address and to come up with a NAF/Username. You will receive a membership gift (usually a token + dice) 

Payment is by paypal (Go to www.paypal.com and pay your entry fee into the account: waterbowl@hotmail.co.uk  (please use the Friends and Family option) or cash (If you wish to pay by cash/transfer, then email waterbowlbb@gmail.com and let me know)

Refunds: After January 31st 2025 refunds are subject to resale of your ticket.

If you need to contact me (Alex) regarding the tournament you can reach me on 07921197206.

The Venue
North West Gaming Centre, Hallam Mill, Hallam Street, Stockport, SK2 6PT
http://www.northwestgamingcentre.co.uk/ 

For some ideas on where to stay or how to reach us there is more information here.  

What do I Need To Bring?

  • Painted team
  • A copy of your team roster
  • Blood Bowl pitch, Block Dice, D6, D8, D16
  • Rulebook 
  • Pen and paper
  • NAF details (nickname and NAF ID number)

Schedule

Saturday

Sunday

9.30am – 10.00am – Register

9.30 – 11.45pm – Game 4

10.00am – 12.15pm – Game 1

11.45pm – 12.15pm – Lunch

12.30pm – 1.15pm – Lunch

12.15pm – 2.30pm – Game 5

1.15pm – 3.30pm – Game 2

2.45pm – 5pm – Game 6

3.30pm – 5.45pm – Game 3

5.15pm – Results & Prizes

Tournament Rules

The tournament will use Blood Bowl Season Two rules. Subsequent rules updates from Spike! magazines will be allowed unless otherwise stated.  Inducements from Death Zone will not be allowed unless stated. 

https://thenaf.net/tournaments/nafdocs 

Roster Submission

  • Rosters must be submitted to waterbowlbb@gmail.com by the end of Friday February 7th 2025. 
  • Coaches must use a format that clearly shows the costs of the players & which skills have been applied e.g. an excel roster, the roster templates on bbroster.com 

Stunty Cup

  • The following teams are eligible for the Stunty Cup: Black Orc Goblin + Troll, Gnomes (assuming they’re released by then), Goblin, Halfling, Skinks + Krox, Ogre, Snotling, Underworld containing no skaven players (Ratogre is allowed)

Tournament Format

  • The tournament uses the Swiss format.
  • It is a resurrection tournament.
  •  6 games over two days. 

There will be clocks on the screens so that you can see how much time you have left in the round. There will also be regular time announcements. Please download a chess timer onto your phone in case you need it, there will also be some chess clocks at the event.

Team Building

All teams must be rookie teams with a starting value of 1.15 million gold pieces. Remember that the 1 x free Designated Fan does not apply to tournaments – some online roster builders instantly add this when you create your team. 

You may use any of the races officially sanctioned by the NAF at the time of the tournament. All models must be fully painted but can be from any manufacturer. 

Before the start of the tournament you should select one of the following Upgrade sets:

Upgrade Set 1

Upgrade Set 2

Upgrade Set 3

Upgrade Set 4

5 x Primary Skills

4 x Primary Skills

3 x Primary Skills

3 x Primary Skills

1 x Secondary Skill

1 x Secondary Skill

1 x Secondary Skill

1 x ST+1
 

One of 1 x MV+1, AV+1, PA-1

1 x AG+1

  
  • New for 2025 (this will be in the table above when I get a moment to properly edit it): Stunty Coaches that wish to take a Star player may choose Upgrade Set 5: 1 x Star, 4 x Primary Skills.

  • The following Star Players (Mega Stars) are not eligible for selection: Griff Oberwald, Hakflem Skuttlespike, Morg ‘n’ Thorg,  Deeproot Strongbranch, Kreek Rustgouger. This list will be finalised at the end of December 2024

  • 0-1 Star Players may be taken by coaches of Stunty teams (Black Orc Goblins + Troll, Gnomes, Goblin, Halfling, Ogre, Snotling, Underworld goblins + troll) – If taking a Star coaches must take Upgrade Set 5 (see above) Other teams may not hire Star Players for this event.

  • Star players can only be hired after you have 11 players on your team.

  • Wizards, mages, mercenaries, & special play cards are not allowed. 

  • Players cannot receive more than one upgrade 
  • Star Players cannot receive an upgrade 
  • Instead of a secondary skill you may select a primary skill 
  • Any stat increase included in the Upgrade set MUST be taken 
  • Stat increases may not be applied if they take a player over the maximum stated in the rules e.g. no MA10 gutter runners
  • You cannot change skill set or skills during the tournament 
  • You must clearly mark which players have skills by using e.g. coloured skill rings

     

  • Inducements

Coaches may hire:

  • Bloodweiser Kegs 0-2
  • Bribes 0-3
  • Wandering Apothecaries 0-2
  • Mortuary Assistant 0-1
  • Plague Doctor 0-1
  • Riotous Rookies 0-1
  • Biased Ref 0-1
  • Halfling Master Chef 0-1
  • Weather Mage 0-1
  • Josef Bugman 0-1

Necromancers can resurrect a single killed opponent to use as a zombie who will play for the team for that game only. After the game, the team loses any bonus player gained during the game. The same applies to Plague Ridden and Nurgle teams.

Tournament Scoring

Points are awarded for:

Win: 6 points

Draw: 3 points

Loss: 0 points

Tie-breakers: The first tie-breaker will be Strength of Schedule, followed by TDs+Cas (total), then TDs+Cas (net) followed by a dice off.

Only Casualties generated by blocking count i.e. those that would normally generate SPPs (no fouls, crowd surfs etc).

Painting 

No unpainted teams please. Models must also be clearly recognisable as the positions that they represent.

Dice

At the start of each round clarify with your opponent what you will count as a cocked dice (& whether in the case of a cocked dice you will just reroll the dice that is cocked or reroll all of the dice that were rolled in that action)

All players must allow their opponents to share their dice if requested to do so.

Photos

There will be photos taken over the weekend to share on the WB socials to share the buzz of the event. If you do not wish to be included in these photos/have your photo shared on social media please contact Alex/Leipziger prior to, or at the start of the weekend.