Gnomes frankly have a tough time winning a game of Blood Bowl – but bringing along a Treeman is a great way to close the height gap. And the strength gap. And the skill gap. These mighty arboreal players give the Gnomes half a shot against most serious teams.
Gnomes are something of an enigma in the world of Blood Bowl, with many fans having dismissed their existence almost entirely. While their tactics, and woodland creatures, are somewhat unorthodox, Gnomes are quite fond of the game. While individual players are hardly paragons of athleticism, their mastery of magical illusions and the befriending of forest beasts gives them certain advantages not enjoyed by less gloriously bearded teams.
Gnome teams play Blood Bowl on pitches deep within their mysterious forests, in clearings between the trees. These aren't just your regular run-of-the-mill forests, though – magic hangs in the air, and all manner of creatures, both fey and mundane, come out of hiding to watch their Gnome friends play Blood Bowl!
Even with their magical illusions, Gnome teams will need all the luck they can get in games of Blood Bowl, which is where these themed dice come in.
Deep in the dank heart of the old forests, mischievous woodland creatures frolic, prance, and beat each other to a pulp playing the age-old game of Blood Bowl. This issue's guest editor, Davide Mirrorfoot, reveals just a few of the secrets of Gnome teams.
The Horus Heresy is a conflict of unparalleled destruction, spread across myriad vital campaigns. Embroiled for years in a grinding war of nearly unfathomable scope, the Garmon Cluster now acts as the final break against which the tides of the Warmaster’s forces must crash. Its capital, the Beta-Garmon system, is a burning pyre of armies, where Loyalist forces – led by the Great Angel Sanguinius, the Warhawk Jaghatai Khan, and the remnants of the Shattered Legions – fight to buy precious time before the assault on Terra can begin in earnest.
The Dracosan Armoured Transport is a heavily armed personnel carrier, manufactured to the highest standards and configured with systems that allow the Solar Auxilia to traverse the most hazardous battlezones. The Dracosan is large enough to accommodate a full strength section of 20 Solar Auxilia infantry, protecting them from all but the most intense enemy fire while using its own weaponry to pound enemy positions to dust.
The Leman Russ Strike Tanks fielded by the Solar Auxilia are robust armoured vehicles, augmented with Solar-pattern survival systems that allow both tank and crew to operate in the harshest conditions. Squadrons of Strike Tanks are often used to perform wide flanking advances, guided by a Leman Russ Command Tank in order to engage an enemy at the precise moment the cohort's infantry sections launch their own assault.
Lasrifle Sections make up the core of the Solar Auxilia, soldiers trained to wage war on battlefields across the galaxy. Clad in their signature void armour, these troopers can fight through toxic killzones, alien death worlds, and even the cold vacuum of space. Whether arrayed in disciplined ranks to stand firm against an alien horde, or launching a massed assault against enemy positions, a Lasrifle Section can unleash volley after volley of concentrated laser fire until the field is won.
Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Sections are specialists in battlefield command and control. Led by a Captain or similar sub-commander, these expert sections facilitate the flow of orders, direct the tercios, and co-ordinate artillery and orbital operations. This vital role is mirrored by the junior Line Command Sections who lead frontline troops, while the most powerful and celebrated officers of the Solar Auxilia, known broadly as Legate Marshals, instead go to war with personal guards equipped from their private armouries.
Aethon Heavy Sentinels are a common sight among the ranks of the Solar Auxilia and are most often piloted by grizzled veterans adept at identifying key enemy targets. These robust machines are able to traverse void station interiors and ruined cityscapes with ease, often forming the lynchpin around which many a successful close-quarters assault has swung.
Veletaris Storm Sections are an elite amongst the Solar Auxilia, assigned the most potent weaponry and the most arduous missions. Deployed as shock troops, their discipline and firepower can overwhelm even the most fearsome of enemies in a storm of concentrated heat rays. Other commanders utilise the Veletarii as a skilled and determined line reserve, able to react quickly to enemy breakthroughs and bolster a wavering defence, or as an axe-wielding honour guard for high-ranking Solar Auxilia officers.