Warhammer Blood Bowl: Spike! Journal 17

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. While the average Blood Bowl fan isn't even aware of their existence, Gnomes have been playing the beautiful game as long as anyone can remember. Rarely venturing outside of their hidden forest lairs, they can be coaxed to play ball with the big folks – though they prefer to play against Halflings, their greatest (well, smallest) rivals.

This issue of Spike! Journal braves the stupefying mists to reveal a strange world of magical gridiron action. If you feel compelled to learn more, it's surely no accident. This issue includes:

• Trifling Tricksters: Vital background knowledge of Gnome teams in Blood Bowl, including a breakdown of the positions they play – Linemen, Beastmasters, and Illusionists, and the forest friends they bring to the pitch, including Woodland Foxes and Altern Forest Treemen.
• Famous Gnome Teams: Thrilling tales of the Glimdwallow Geezers (not to be confused with the Glimdwarrow Groundhogs), Anti-Moot Meddlers, and more improbably-named teams.
• Team Spotlight: Glimdwarrow Groundhogs: Hailing from one of the largest known settlements of Gnomes, this team has broken out of the bogs to play actual games across the Old World, becoming a firm fan favourite for their antics and plucky spirit.
• Star Player Spotlight – Rowena Forestfoot: Known as the Guardian of the Forest, this unlikely champion rides on the back of a stag. More focused and level-headed than many of her team-mates, she's a dependable and agile asset to the Gnomes.
• Dirt from the Dugout: Mindy Piewhistle exposes a scandal involving a Gnome team's memorabilia, which may be too good to be true.
• Star Player Spotlight – Rodney Roachbait: This Gnome is always angling for his next big catch. His mastery of the fishing rod proves quite handy, even if the balls end up punctured from time to time.
• Gnome Garden Leagues: Fancy a casual game that's big on magical hijinks, if not stunning feats of athleticism? Try your hand at using this set of rules for playing in the Gnome Garden Leagues.
• Mystical Forest Blood Bowl Pitch: Includes rules for using the Mystical Forest Blood Bowl Pitch in your games, including special rules for a Forest Floor crawling with critters, a mystical Healing Glow, and Gnomish Portals.