Hey Coaches,

We're happy to officially launch the 2018 Invitational Cup as the last milestone in the qualifier stage of the Blood Bowl 2 2018 World Cup!

The Invitational Cup is a tournament pitting the best Blood Bowl coaches since the creation of the Champion Ladder (August 2016) - this epic one-time tournament will grant 2 tickets to the World Cup 2018 Play-Offs!

Check the latest results of the World Cup here: http://worldcup.bloodbowl-game.com/score-board

8 Legendary Players

• Crucifer
  
• Sean-18
  
• Enarion
  
• Pupok
  
• Diomlord
  
• Arzowane
  
• Bernie Buffon
  
• Rambo2369

Bracket seeding and predictions by VG Purist and Bernie Buffon.

Dates of the competition

• July 4th to July 10th - Invitational Cup Quarter Finals
  
• July 11th - Invitational Cup Semi Finals (exact time to be announced)
  
• July 12th - Invitational Cup Grand Final (exact time to be announced)

Rules

Qualification Rules

The 8 coaches invited to the World Cup Invitational Cup are:

• The 5 best coaches from the Champion Ladder PC/Mac from Seasons 1 to 14 and not already qualified for the Play-Offs before the start of the Invitational.
  
• The two best coaches from the Champion Ladder PS4 from Seasons 1 to 14 and not already qualified for the Play-Offs before the start of the Invitational.
  
• The best coach from the Champion Ladder Xbox One from Seasons 6 to 14 (season 6 is the first season of the Champion Ladder on Xbox One) and not already qualified for the Play-Offs before the start of the Invitational.

The best Coaches are those who gained the most points in the 14 Champion Cups according to the following rules:

• 1 point if the coach reaches the Round of 32 (only valid in seasons 9 to 14)
  
• 1 point if the coach reaches the Round of 16
  
• 1 point if the coach reaches the Round of 8
  
• 1 point if the coach reaches the semi-finals
  
• 1 point if the coach reaches the grand final
  
• 1 point if the coach wins the Champion Cup

Find the rankings here:

• PC/Mac Champion Ladder Rankings
  
• PS4 Champion Ladder Rankings
  
• Xbox One Champion Ladder Rankings

Team Creation Rules

The rules are the same than the World Cup Play-Offs, but without evolution between rounds.

• Tier 1: Amazon, Bretonnian, Chaos Dwarf, Dark Elves, Dwarf, Lizardmen, Norse, Orc, Skaven, Undead, Wood Elves

Team creation up to 1100 TV, then you add: 4 single skills - maximum 2 skills per player. No stat up. (Final Max starting TV: 1180)

• Tier 2: Chaos, Elven Union, High Elves, Humans, Khemri, Necromantic, Nurgle, Underworld, Kislev Circus, Vampire

Team creation up to 1100 TV, then you add: 5 single skills and 1 doubles skill - maximum 2 skills per player. No stat up. (Final Max starting TV: 1230)

• Tier 3: Halfling, Goblin, Ogre

Team creation up to 1100 TV, then you add: 4 single skills and 2 doubles skill - maximum 2 skills per player. No stat up. (Final Max starting TV: 1240)

Where to watch the matches?

Semi-finals and grand final will be officially broadcasted by VG Purist and The Sage. Make sure to tune in Focus Home's Twitch channel July 11th and 12th!

Of course quarter finals will also be covered by the community - make sure to check your favorite Blood Bowl streamers and youtubers!

A word from our Champions

Rambo2369

I'm scottish and known in the Xbox community as the smiling assassin due to my tendency to murder teams and my friendly attitude.

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

I play a Vampire team in the Cup, chosen for high str, high ag players with a range of tactical opportunities through hypnotic gaze. Simple, safe build with 4 vampires with block, 1 also with tackle and a leader thrall for 5 RR and and apo.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

I started playing Blood Bowl on Xbox when it came out as it reminded me of Chaos League (a game I loved as a kid), didnt really get hooked until Blood Bowl 2 was released though, as soon as i found the CCL, I've been playing religously ever since! Highlight would be winning the cup in season 9!

A word for your opponents?

I'd just like to apologise in advance and wish them all luck!

Enarion

Avid BB Addict since the late 1980’s. Father of two, 3 and 1, got a wife, house, dog etc. Which means finding time to play BB nowadays is a bit hard.

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

Wood Elves. Simply because it’s the team I enjoy the most to coach closely followed by the little Halfling buggers.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

Sitting in my childhood room playing Blood Bowl vs my friend while “Like a Virgin” was on the repeat. ***Chuckles*** Quite depressing albeit humourus! Been an off and on BB addict ever since.

A word for your opponents?

Good luck and most importantly... have fun!

Sean-18

Hello my name is Sean. I'm 21 and I'm known in the Blood Bowl community for having hair, something much of the Blood Bowl community can only dream of. I live in the UK and work part time as a bar man and a tutor (drunk people are definitely more annoying than kids).

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

My team is chosen to try and hard counter the biggest threat I will face on my journey in this format. Wood Elves. Dwarves have ample block and tackle which will give me good opportunities to frustrate players with dodge and take them down efficiently without spending any of my valuable 4 skills.

3 Guard both allows me to gain a blocking advantage and to protect my ball from any leap 1 dice attempts on my ball carrier and 2 runners means 2 sets of sure hands for recovering the ball which is where the game will be won and lost.

With that the added threat of the mighty blow troll slayer should be the star man not only due to his great hair but his ability to grind down opponents and give me the man advantage that should let me get over the line. My team should still have ample tools to deal with any other bash teams (namely guard and ofc block) I may face but the main focus is to counter wood elves.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

I started playing Blood Bowl when I noticed it advertised on Steam shortly after it came out and I have been fascinated with it in an on/off love/hate way for some time. The premise of turn based strategy with a variety of options that provide different pros and cons with differing success rates is an unsolvable enigma that can be debated on the internet forever.

Shortly after buying the game and playing for a while I discovered Blood Bowl on Twitch by virtue of playing someone who was streaming and decided to take part in the never ending debates about Orc Throwers and Nerves of Steel. It's a fantastic community who are some of the funniest guys you won't meet (because they'll be at home) and there are plenty of opportunities to play and have fun (or watch when you inevitably burn out).

I ended up streaming a lot of Blood Bowl (and hope I have provided some memorable moments) due more than anything to the community that follows blood bowl on Twitch.

A word for your opponents?

My team is called UNLUCKEEEEE for a reason. If you face me consider yourself UNLUCKEEEEEE. Also if I end up facing Enarion's Wood Elves then sorry not sorry Enarion.

Diomlord

Hi everyone, I'm Lorenzo alias Diomlord and I'm 26. I live in Italy and in real life i am preparing for the State exam to become a lawyer. I have a girlfriend from Chile that brings me fortune in the game, as I will tell you later.

I have also done a lot of sports in this year, at the moment I am a football referee. I have always played a lot of videogames while in the last few years me and my friends got more near to the tabletop and miniatures games. Then we found that BLOODBOWL IS OUR GAME !!!

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

My main team is and will always be ORC. It all began with Warcraft III and then World of Warcraft (don't know if I can quote them) where my character was "Diomlord", an orc warrior. We played it for some years and then changed a lot of games, but from there I will always bring my nickname and the proud to be an ORC !!!

For the team I will go with: Troll, 4 BOB, 4 blitzers, trower, lineman, goblin + APO and 2 rerolls and 2 Fan Factor; skills will be: mb blitzer, mb + tackle blitzer, leader trower.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

I started playing about 2 years ago. Starting from the videogame, I found a league here in Pisa that plays tabletop bloodbowl. From that moment i have always played both online and "offline". It's only 2 years but I have a lot of memories that I can tell you: the first tournament won in Lucca one week after the relationship with my girlfriend was started, the "incredible" win of the Champion cup X with the support of my friends, the emotion to win the Dungeonbowl at Dusseldorf, one of the majors and probably the most important tournament in Europe.

Now that I am the top Orc in the world by NAF rankings, my next goal is to take part at the BB2 WORLD CUP 2018 and do my best there!!!

A word for your opponents?

The words for my opponents are "Rotto senza, CAS, LEVA!!!" that in English mean "broken without (without mighty blow), Casualty, remove (remove the player from the board)!!!"

Pupok

My name is Evgeny and im from Siberia. Playing and streaming Blood Bowl for fun.

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

I choose Humans because its universal strong team for this format. Build with 1 tacke and mass guards.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

Buy this game at september 2015, play a little bit and then have a 2 years break. Then saw this game on a stream and start playing again, and play alot in this year. I won Play-Off of ladder that was best memory in this game.

A word for your opponents?

Just have fun. If you cant find fun in this game delete the game.

Arzowane

I´m a 31 years old spanish player from Barcelona, really addict to strategy games. I´m a psychologist so I know in advance the thoughts of my opponents. I´m so competitive but I like the fair game, and I respect so much my opponents. Always trying to have fun in every match, it´s the only way not to have a heart attack!

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

I have chosen Humans because they can be competitive according to the tournament rules. I tried to balance the team with 3 guards and a killer. I have tried to looked for a team which have access to 12 players and an apo and basic abilities as sure hands, block or tackle. I like humans because they can defend so well with their mobility and score in a few turns if it´s necessary.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

I began playing with the launch of the BB2 for Ps4 and it was love at the first sight! From the beginning of the Cladder I classified in every season and I won it four times with four different teams, being so far the most successful player in PS4. Since the last month I´m also an administrator, knowing that i´m not going to win anymore due to the PS4 admin curse.

A word for your opponents?

Try to enjoy the match, and remember it´s just a game. Love and peace.

Crucifer

I am the guy who plays alot as many people who watch streams call me. Holding the record for most games played in CCL for the reason I really enjoy the game and format.

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

I chose Chaos Dwarves because they are one of two races I play at the moment and pro elves are rather bad at this TV. I thought humans are best but lack of experience with them was a huge problem for me in league World Cup qualifiers. I think it is bad at this tv too so I chose to use experiemental build with 2 RRs and Mino not because I expect it to work, but because I hope it might work.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

I started playing couple of ears ago and it was like an addiction at first, many restarts, many concedes with orcs and alot of frustration, more than fun actually. Best memory is when I found myself in playoffs first time and first victory in finals, first because of sudden feel of achievement, second because it felt like a huge prize and some kind of glory maybe.

A word for your opponents?

Some of them I almost don't know, some are rivals for very long time now, meaning Pupok and Diomlord. And Enarion is the guy I have most respect for in BB. He was the first guy who I matched against and knew by name. The guy who was the reason I began streaming a year ago and the guy who plays so fast and precise with his elves that it feels like magic.

Bernie Buffon

Hi Everyone My name is Lee aka Bernie Buffon, Nickname The Curse Of Bernie (Due to whatever I tip usually gets diced and goes crashing out of the cup). Im from England and a proud Yorkshiremen Big sports fanatic and favourite sport is American Football. I stream for PS4 and Xbox one mainly Champions ladder and streamed alot of the finals.

What's your team, why did you choose it and what build do you use?

I went with the Oberwalds for purely fun and story purpose really. One season i took a 6 game bret team to the final led by Griff Oberwald and thought it would be fitting to do a human team where his sons all 12 of them (Busy Man) represent me and bring some of that oberwald magic to the invitational.

Tell us about your history with Blood Bowl. When did you start playing, what's your best memory?

Played Bloodbowl for over 20 years now and love the game, Used to work for games workshop back in the day and loved promoting and teaching people the wonderful game of bloodbowl.

Best memory is a tough one Turn 25 in opening game of season 1 in first ever champions ladder game where i tried to score turn 25 in overtime and then get knocked out by a tree kicking a penalty goal was funny and from that came Bernie Buffon so i guess that is best memory that is when Bernie Buffon had arrived on the season for all the wrong reasons lol. We still have fun with that today ive just made the season 15 Final with the dwarfs with team called Turn 25 Never Forgotten.

A word for your opponents?

What you gonna do when Bernie Buffon Tips YOU!!!