Annual Review 2019 Results

Dear members,

The NAF Annual Review 2019 is now complete.

I’d like to thank everyone who was involved or showed interest in the process this year. You will find all 2020 NAF tournament documentation on the revised Tournament Documents page, and tournaments will be expected to use these rules throughout 2020. If you have already had a tournament approved for the remainder of 2019, we ask you to check these documents and update your rules pack accordingly, but this is not mandatory. If you have any questions / concerns, please contact Purplegoo.

Whilst we have updated and streamlined our presentation somewhat since last year, we have made relatively few material changes, and they are summarised below. There is also a FAQ section, but please feel free to ask any further questions.

In approximately two weeks from this post, I will be deleting all previous rules documentation from theNAF.net. Tournament Organisers (TOs), please update links in your rulespacks accordingly. I am taking this measure because we commonly see tournament submissions referencing (e.g.) 2017 NAF documents as TOs copy and paste rulespacks from year to year, and this could be confusing for attending members as things change over time.

Many thanks,

Phil / Purplegoo.

 

2020 Changes / Updates:

– All new positionals, star players and inducements published in the Shambling Undead, Halfling and Wood Elf Spike! Journals have been considered appropriately balanced and are now available at NAF tournaments. The new Halfling positionals are mandatory, and the star players and inducements are available at TO discretion, as per usual.

– The new material contained in the Lizardman Spike! Journal arrived too late to be considered in this process and has not been included this time.

– Star players from the previous Blood Bowl edition (Competition Rules Pack / CRP) that have not appeared in BB2016 to date have been retired and are no longer mandatory where star players are allowed. We have provided a list of these legacy stars in our 2020 rules document, and if TOs wish to house rule any or all of them into rulespacks, this will be pre-approved for sanction.

– The star player Bo Gallante can now play for Bretonnians, and Zolcath the Zoat can now play for Slann.

– Please refer to the free, Head Coach’s Handbook roster and star player download from Games Workshop (Oct. 2019) for NAF legal tournament rosters and star player access (exception: Chameleon Skinks are not mandatory, as noted above). This document now replaces the previously hosted NAF Team List.

– The Apothecary is now considered a core game mechanic and is specifically mentioned in the NAF Tournament Approval document as something that should not be house ruled.

 

FAQ

Q: Ack! Humerus Carpal is my favourite star! Why have you removed him?

A: The CRP stars that have not yet appeared in BB2016 (presumed never to appear) have been written out of the game for three years, at this point. Many have been directly replaced, which left odd situations where effectively the same star could be hired twice (e.g. Zara and Karla) at NAF tournaments. Some groups have stated a wish to only include ‘canon’ stars from BB2016, which was not previously allowed. Having considered all of the options, we decided that the best and least confusing route forward was to remove the retired CRP stars. However, as noted above, if you wish to house rule these players into your tournaments, so long as you state it explicitly in your rulespacks, this is pre-approved as sanctioned. We have always welcomed balanced and non-transformative house ruled star players at our tournaments, and this group clearly fit that bill.

Q: Who reviewed the recent BB2016 additions and by what process have they been deemed balanced?

A: See the original 2019 Annual Review announcement for clarification. All of the items listed (and more!) we put to a panel of global NAF tournament staff and then debated and ratified by the NAF Committee. We feel this wide consultation has generated the best rules for 2020.

Q: Why make the Apo change to the Tournament Approval document and outlaw changing this mechanic?

A: There are a couple of regions that commonly change the Apothecary mechanic such that it is automatically successful or requires a 2+ to be successful (in the event of an SI / death). It has become standard practice, to the point where some rulespacks are not mentioning these house rules, and this causes confusion for attendees. During consultation, it was the strong view of the group that the Apo mechanic is a core rule, and as such should be treated in the same way as other core rules in our sanctioning document. If you feel strongly about changing this rule at your tournament, please refer to this passage in the sanctioning document: …The Tournament Director can allow leeway on some of these items if there is a clear thematic reason for it and game balance is preserved. Any such allowances will be at the TD’s discretion and should be discussed and approved prior to any announcement.

Q: Just to check: I can include Glart Smashrip Jr. if I explicitly mention it in my rulespack?

A: Yes.

Q: Why not include Lizardmen?

A: They were simply too late to make the cut this year. No judgement has been made either way on any of the items in the Lizardman Spike!

Q: So, can I use Chameleon Skinks or the other new Lizard material? What about new stuff that arrives, for instance the upcoming Ogres?

A: While the NAF rules will remain static for a calendar year, GW will continue to release new rules and new material. The NAF has always allowed tournament organizers leeway to include house-ruled star players or custom / thematic rules, and any new material from GW will be handled similarly. If you would like to include a new positional, star or inducement yet to make it to the NAF rules, please ask. This also applies to ‘optional’ rules (e.g. special pitch rules) published by GW. Any optional rules that were published prior to 1 Nov. 2019 can be considered pre-approved for use. So, yes, you can, just make sure you make it clear for attendees.

Q: …and Lottabottl? Can I have him too? Lizards and Slann get the rough end of this timing, afterall.

A: Yes. And Hemlock, and everyone else on the CRP legacy stars list, if you wish.