We continue our mini series were we ask Tournament Champions what we think are some of the all important questions with Blood Bowl in the newest edition!
After getting some insight into OWA and their work at Eucalyptus Bowl from Peter Arensen (NAF ID: tribalsinner) we went over to Finland to talk with Marc Andreu Simola (NAF ID: lotharhans). Marc recently claimed the title of Champion for the True Open 3. Recently, Marc got back into the tournament scene and has been having some great success!
Q: How long have you played Blood Bowl?
A: I started playing Blood Bowl in late 90’s, in that time I played with my friends Blood Bowl and other GW games like 40k. A couple of years ago I start playing again when I move to Finland and found a small community of players, and this is when I started to go to tournaments.
Q: What made you make the decision to take the winning race to the event? Did you do any research, practice or preparation before the tournament?
A: That was my our first tournament with the new edition and after checking the changes in the teams, the Underworld Denizens sound really fun with the swarming rule. But, I went to the tournament without any practice games, but I have a bit experience with Skaven and Underworld is half Skaven.
Q: Now that you’ve won do you feel like your priorities will change with team race selection in upcoming tournaments?
A: I don’t think so, I like to change teams. I have 6 teams and I change from one to another. The new edition and tournament ruleset seems pretty fair and almost all the teams have chances to win. Also, I am excited to try my vampire team with the second season rules, everyone says that is really bad but I think they can do well, maybe in the next tournament…..
Q: Care to share any secrets to your winning strategy/roster choices?
A: With my team I had 2 key advantages, Hakflem Skuttlespike is a monster, I think he did almost all my TDs. The other one is the rule swarming, having 12-14 players starting every pitch is an advantage, actually the Snotlings played better than the Goblins, maybe next time I play without goblins! Another surprise for me was the Rat Ogre, usually I don’t like the player because of the nega-trait, well I play vampires a lot but that is another thing, but with the new “Animal Savagery’ is an improvement, you cannot fail the action when you need it and you always make sure that one Snotling is there to take the hit. I remember that I played against another Hakflem and I blitzed him with the Rat Ogre turn 1, killed it and well, that was an easier game after that!
Q: What is your advice to newcomers and/or experienced coaches of Blood Bowl, particularly the ones transitioning to the Blood Bowl Second Season tournament scene?
A: Advice for everyone is to go and have fun, the BB community here in Finland is small but amazing and pretty active, you always find almost the same people in the tournaments and is a plus if you become friends with everyone, at the end it is just a dice game. About the new edition/season, I think the bottom tiers are much better now and they have chances to compete against the traditional top tiers.
Q: What are your next steps? Any upcoming tournaments you plan to attend?
A: Because the current situation around the world, there are not many tournaments right now, also I live in the most remote place in Finland, Lapland and well most tournaments are in the south, but next Autumn we have the traditional Mökki Bowl, a weekend in a cottage in the forest, this year was with 24 players from all around Finland and that will be fun.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts/comments on how the current BloodBowl Second Season edition of rules may change the tournament scene?
A: As I said the tiers are closer than before and that is amazing. The fact that you can go with your Goblin team to have fun and also has a chance to win. If I have to say a negative point from the new season is the pass rule, it always have been a risk to throw a pass but now it is even harder and only a few players can do it with confidence. I did not throw a pass in the whole tournament and if I remember well I think only one or two passes were made in the entire tournament. I think it is a season of blitzers and runners.
Thank you so much Marc for these great thoughts! We all want to congratulate you on your success in Blood Bowl and good luck in your future tournament events!
Stay tuned next week as we catch up with Charles Nedelac (CharlesNedelec), Gran Torneo de Mexico tournament champion from Mexico who recently won with Lizardmen!