Season 3 Guides

Secure the Ball

Season 3 introduces a brand-new action: Secure the Ball. When the ball is on the ground and no opposition players are within two squares, any player in the same square can pick it up on a 2+ roll (regardless of Agility). This makes recovering loose balls far more reliable and reduces the frustration of failed pickups in open space.

Key points:

• Only works when no opposing players are within 2 squares of the ball.
• Succeeds on a 2+ regardless of the player's AG stat.
• Replaces the normal pickup roll when conditions are met.
• Big Guys and low-AG players benefit the most from this change.

Passing Simplified

The passing game has been cleaned up. The Wildly Inaccurate result has been removed entirely — passes now either succeed, fumble, or scatter. This makes throwing the ball less punishing and more predictable, especially for teams that rely on a passing game.

Kick-Off Table Rework

Several kick-off events have been renamed or reworked:

• Cheering Fans — Reworked. Now offers a more meaningful reward rather than just a FAME modifier.
• Blitz → Charge! — Renamed. The receiving team still gets a free action, but the mechanic is tidied up.
• Officious Ref → Dodgy Snack — Renamed and rethemed. The effect is similar but with a more flavourful narrative.

Getting Even (Grudge Mechanic)

A completely new system. When one of your players is removed as a casualty, you can mark the opposing player responsible with a Grudge. On a roll of 4+, the injured player gains the Hatred trait against that specific opponent for the rest of the game. This adds a narrative layer to the match and rewards aggressive play.

Brawlin' Brutes

Bashy teams get a boost. Teams in the Brawlin' Brutes category (Black Orcs, Dwarves, Khorne, Nurgle, Ogres, and Orcs) now earn 3 SPP for casualties and only 2 SPP for touchdowns. This flips the incentive structure for these teams, rewarding them for doing what they do best — hitting.

• Applies to: Black Orcs, Dwarves, Khorne, Nurgle, Ogres, Orcs.
• Casualties: 3 SPP (up from 2).
• Touchdowns: 2 SPP (down from 3).
• Makes skill progression feel more natural for these rosters.

What It Means for Your Team

Season 3 rewards well-rounded play. Bashy teams finally get proper SPP incentives, the passing game is smoother, and Secure the Ball fixes a longstanding pain point for low-AG rosters. If you're building a new team, these changes are worth factoring into your positional choices and skill plans.

New Category: Devious (D)

Season 3 introduces a sixth skill category — Devious. This brings the total to 6 categories × 12 skills = 72 skills, plus 36 Traits for a grand total of 108. Devious skills are dirty, underhanded, and thematic — perfect for teams that play rough.

Notable Devious skills include:

• Quick Foul — Commit a foul action without using your Blitz for the turn.
• Saboteur — Interfere with the opposing team's equipment or setup.
• Eye Gouge — A particularly nasty foul action with additional injury potential.
• Taunt — Force an opposing player to act suboptimally.

Key Skill Changes

Several existing skills have been reworked or moved between categories:

• Break Tackle — Significantly buffed. Now grants +1, +2, or +3 to dodge rolls based on the player's ST stat, making strong players genuinely agile when dodging.
• Hit and Run — Moved from its old category to Agility. Now accessible to more fast/dodgy players.
• Monstrous Mouth — Now includes a Chomp action, giving it an active use beyond the passive trait.
• Bullseye — Brand new skill. Notably given to Morg'n'Thorg as a starting skill.
• Punt — New skill for booting the ball downfield with less finesse but more distance.
• Steady Footing — New skill that helps players maintain their position after being pushed.

Skill Advancement Changes

The way players gain skills has been updated:

• Random Primary — When taking a random primary skill, you now roll twice and pick one. This massively reduces the chance of getting a useless skill and makes random advancement a much more attractive option.
• Secondary skill access and stat increases remain largely unchanged.
• The new SPP values for Brawlin' Brutes teams mean their players level up through casualties rather than scores.

Must-Have Skills in Season 3

With the new category and changes, here are the skills to prioritise:

• Block — Still the king. Take it on every player that doesn't have it.
• Guard — Still essential for controlling the pitch.
• Break Tackle — Now a top-tier pick for any ST4+ player. The scaling bonus is enormous.
• Dodge — Still critical for ball carriers and elven players.
• Quick Foul (Devious) — A game-changer for teams with dedicated foulers.

Skill Synergies for Season 3

• Break Tackle + Block — ST4+ players become almost impossible to contain.
• Block + Dodge — "Blodge" is still the gold standard for survivability.
• Mighty Blow + Claw — The classic casualty combo remains devastating.
• Quick Foul + Sneaky Git — Foul without consequence, foul without using your Blitz.
• Guard + Stand Firm — The immovable anchor. Even better now that cages are harder to maintain against Secure the Ball.

League Choice Matters

In Season 3, teams must choose one league at creation. This determines which star players you have access to. Choose carefully — your league locks in your star player pool for the entire season. Consider which stars complement your team's weaknesses before committing.

S-Tier (Auto-Hire)

These stars are game-changers. If you have the gold and they're in your league, hire them.

• Deeproot Strongbranch — A walking tree that controls the pitch. ST7, multiple block actions, and near-impossible to remove.
• Dribl & Drull — A two-for-one package of chaos. Cheap, disruptive, and surprisingly effective at fouling key targets.
• Griff Oberwald — The most versatile ball carrier in the game. Sprint, Sure Feet, Block, Dodge — he does everything.
• Hakflem Skuttlescuttle — Skaven chaos engine. Multiple activations and unpredictable but devastating output.
• Jordell Freshbreeze — The premier elf star. Leap, Dodge, Side Step — scores from anywhere on the pitch.
• Morg'n'Thorg — The classic big man, now with Bullseye. Available to almost everyone, always worth the gold.
• Ripper Bolgrot — Troll star with Mighty Blow and Block. Reliable by Big Guy standards and crushes anything he touches.
• Roxanna Darknail — Dodge, Block, Leap, Side Step, Jump Up. The ultimate ball retriever and scoring threat.

A-Tier (Strong Picks)

Situationally excellent. These stars fill specific roles extremely well:

• Helmut Wulf — Chainsaw specialist. Unreliable but terrifying. Great for removing key opposing players.
• Kreek Rustgouger — Ball-and-chain madness. Can single-handedly clear a cage or destroy a defensive line.
• Zara the Slayer — Vampire star with Stab and Block. Efficient at removing low-armour targets.
• Bomber Dribblesnot — Goblin bombardier. High risk, high reward. Can clear an entire zone with one good throw.

B-Tier (Solid Choices)

Dependable options that won't let you down:

• Glart Smashrip — A Skaven blitzer who hits above his weight. Block, Claw, and Juggernaut.
• Wilhelm Chaney — Versatile werewolf with a strong stat line and Frenzy for pushing power.
• Puggy Baconbreath — The halfling legend. Dodge, Block, Nerves of Steel, Right Stuff — a pocket scorer.

Choosing the Right Star

When deciding which star to hire:

• Fill a gap — If your team lacks a reliable ball carrier, hire a scoring star. If you need removal power, go for a basher.
• Check your league — Not every star is available from every league. Plan ahead.
• Consider the matchup — Some stars are only worth hiring against specific opponents.
• Watch the cost — Stars use your petty cash from the Treasury. Don't overspend.

Choosing Your Team

Season 3 shakes up the team selection meta. The Brawlin' Brutes rule, Secure the Ball, and new skill category all shift how teams play. Consider:

• Bashy teams (Orcs, Dwarves, Black Orcs, Khorne, Nurgle, Ogres) — Significantly buffed by Brawlin' Brutes. 3 SPP per casualty means your hitters level up faster. Secure the Ball also helps low-AG teams recover fumbles.
• Agile teams (Elves, Skaven) — Passing is smoother without Wildly Inaccurate, but Secure the Ball helps opponents recover balls you strip. Speed is still king.
• Hybrid teams (Humans, Norse, Undead) — Benefit across the board. Flexible enough to exploit multiple Season 3 changes.

League Choice

New to Season 3: every team must select one league at creation. This decision determines your star player access for the entire season. Research the star pool for each league before committing — some combinations are strictly better than others.

Team Composition Basics

The fundamentals haven't changed, but the emphasis has shifted:

• Blitzers — Still your best players. Max them out.
• Linemen — Fill your roster but don't over-invest. They're expendable.
• Catchers/Runners — More valuable now that passing is cleaner. 1-2 per team.
• Big Guys — Better than ever with Secure the Ball and Break Tackle buffs. Definitely take one if available.
• Rerolls — Buy at least 2-3 at team creation. They double in cost later.

New Teams in Season 3

Season 3 brings new and returning teams to the pitch:

• Tomb Kings — The undead dynasty returns with a fresh roster and unique mechanics.
• Bretonnians — Chivalrous knights with a focus on positional play and armour.
• High Elves — The premier passing team gets a Season 3 rework.

Starting Roster Tips

• Always start with 11 players minimum — you need a full roster.
• Prioritise positional players over extra Linemen.
• If playing Brawlin' Brutes, consider investing in players with Mighty Blow early to maximise casualty SPP.
• Think about your league choice before finalising — your star player access can shape your whole season.

What's in Your Kit

Each Blitz Bases set includes sprues containing:

• Positional tags — Clip onto the base rim to identify each player's position.
• Skill tags — Icons that slot into the base to show acquired skills, including new Season 3 Devious category tags.
• Number tags — Player numbers 1-16 for easy identification.
• 32mm bases — Standard player bases (40mm for Big Guys).

Assembly Steps

1. Pop tags from sprue — Carefully twist or cut each tag from the sprue frame. A hobby knife gives the cleanest result.
2. Clean nub marks — Lightly sand or trim any remaining plastic from the connection points.
3. Insert number tag — Slot the number tag into the rear channel of the base.
4. Insert positional tag — Slot the positional identifier into the front channel.
5. Add skill tags — As your player gains skills in league play, slot the matching skill icons into the available slots.

Season 3 Skill Tags

Our Blitz Bases now include tags for the new Devious skill category introduced in Season 3. Look for the new icons covering Quick Foul, Saboteur, Eye Gouge, and more. All existing skill tags remain compatible.

Care & Maintenance

• Tags are designed for frequent swapping — don't glue them in place.
• Store spare tags on the sprue frame or in a small bag to avoid losing them.
• If a tag feels loose, a tiny dot of blu-tac on the back will snug it up.

Understanding Positional Roles

Every player on your roster has a job. Season 3 adjusts some of these roles:

• Linemen — Your front line. They screen, foul, and absorb hits. With the Devious category, dedicated fouling Linemen have new options.
• Blitzers — Your best all-rounders. Prioritise for skill-ups. Break Tackle buffs make ST4 Blitzers even more capable.
• Catchers — Speed demons. Secure the Ball means opponents recover easier, so score fast.
• Throwers — More reliable in Season 3 without Wildly Inaccurate. A good Thrower is now a genuine asset.
• Big Guys — Much improved. Secure the Ball lets them pick up the ball reliably, and Break Tackle buffs make them mobile.

How Secure the Ball Changes the Game

Previously, stripping the ball and leaving it on the ground was a viable defensive strategy — your opponent might fumble the pickup. Now, with Secure the Ball's 2+ pickup when uncontested, you need to:

• Maintain pressure — Always keep at least one player within 2 squares of a loose ball to deny Secure the Ball.
• Strip and contest — Don't just strip the ball; position to prevent easy recovery.
• Use it yourself — If you knock the ball loose, your Big Guy can grab it on a 2+ if you clear the area first.

Key Formations

The 3-4-4 Setup (Receiving)

Place 3 on the Line of Scrimmage, 4 in a middle screen, and 4 deep. Maximum flexibility to run or pass after the kick.

The Power Cage

Form a 3×3 cage around your ball carrier with Guard pieces on the corners. Grind methodically up one side. Even stronger for Brawlin' Brutes teams who earn 3 SPP per casualty as they cage-walk.

The Contested Defence

New to Season 3 tactics: when defending, spread players to contest loose-ball zones. Keep at least one player within 2 squares of likely ball-landing spots to deny Secure the Ball pickups.

Season 3 Tactical Adjustments

• Block before moving — Still the golden rule. Safe actions first.
• Contest the ball — Secure the Ball changes how you defend against strips. Keep players nearby.
• Exploit Brawlin' Brutes — If you're playing a bashy team, prioritise casualties over rushing to score. Those 3 SPP add up fast.
• Use the Grudge — When you lose a player to a CAS, look for the 4+ Hatred roll. A motivated player with Hatred can swing a key block.
• Foul with Devious skills — Quick Foul and Sneaky Git together mean you can foul without burning your Blitz and without getting sent off.