Category Archives: Boardgames

Got in 3 Games Of Dreadball

I played Dreadball at At Ease Games last weekend.  I got in 3 games in 3.5 hours, one of which was a game that I spent teaching Dreadball to a new player.

I’ve played Dreadball several times now, and it’s a really, really good game.  Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Also, I’ve been to At Ease Games several times now, and it’s a really friendly game store.  It’s a bit out of the way for me, but hey, you go where the games are.

dwarves-humans The Humans (tan) vs the Dwarves.  Notice 3 of my Humans are injured.

 

orx-humansHumans vs the Orx/Goblins.  Notice the 3 injured humans.  Kind of a trend.

Dreadball Battle Foam Review

I love Dreadball.  I’m almost done painting both teams, just the 4 human strikers left unpainted.  The box insert that come with the game has places for everything, including the minis, but it lets them move around and bump into each other.  To remedy this, Battle Foam sells a kit that is specifically for Dreadball, and fits in the game box.

The imaginatively titled Dreadball Foam Kit For Game Box is $37.99 and comes with 2 foam trays. Only one of the trays will fit in the box at a time.  I’m not quite sure why it comes with two.  Just one tray will fit 4 teams, cards, dice, tokens, balls, and the ref.  What do I do with the other tray?

That said, the foam is very nice.  The bottom is a dense, stiff foam, and the top part is a softer foam.  It fits in the box well, and has a space for the game cards.  There are many different sized spaces, so you can fit everything into an appropriate space, including the dice, tokens, etc.

The foam is just slightly too tall, however.  Once the board is placed on top, there’s not quite enough room for the rulebook, or the roster pad.

dreadball_battle_foam_in_box

Here’s the foam tray in the game box.

 

dreadball_battle_foam_rulebook_no_fit

This is how much the rulebook sticks out when the game board is placed on top of the foam tray.  It’s not too bad.  Once the lid is on, it’s hard to tell.  However, there is no room at all for the roster pad.

 

One last, minor complaint: it takes a while for your order to show up.  I ordered directly from Battle Foam on June 5th, and my order arrived June 19th.  To be fair, they do warn you about that on their website.

Pros:

  • Fits in the box
  • Has a spot for the cards, and other spaces will hold dice, etc.
  • Can fit 4 full teams
  • Sturdy construction
  • I feel my minis are safe

Cons:

  • Why 2 trays?  I’d prefer just the one tray and a cheaper price
  • A bit too tall, the rulebook sticks out a little.
  • No space for the roster pad

Overall, I’m happy with it.  I suppose I can use the 2nd tray later this year when my Deadzone gear arrives.  More importantly, the minis I spent hours painting are protected, and everything (except the roster pad) still fits in the box, more or less, with a lot less rattling around.

 

Dreadball Human Team Part 1

Yesterday, I started on the Human team that comes with Dreadball.  Today, I painted the 2 guards. They were a test for my color scheme, and I’m happy with it.  The light blue didn’t come out very strong, but I’m good with that.

dreadball_humans_3_models_size_unprimed

The assembled models.  From left to right:  a striker (there are 4), jack (there are 4), and guard (there are 2).

 

dreadball_humans_guard_unwashed

I primed all the models, and washed them.  This is so I can play the game with them, even before they are painted.

Today, I painted the 2 guards. I had half a plan when I started, and it evolved as I went.  That’s pretty much how I paint most things.

This is a guard basecoated and ready for a wash.

 

dreadball_humans_guard_washed

I washed it very heavily in black.  When it was dry I highlighted and drybrushed it.

Next, I need to apply the number decal, then spray on a few coats of Dullcote varnish.  The Dullcote puts the finishing touch on it, plus it protects the paint.  I just love how minis look after a coat of Dullcote. It’s hard to describe, but they just look “finished”.  After that, I’ll put just a dab of Citadel’s ‘Ardcoat on the eyes to make them shiny.

Then it’s 2 down, 8 to go!