First seen in Xtreme, DreadBall Season Five contains all of the rules and stats you need to play the Asterian Kalyshi and the Convict Teams in original DreadBall games, as well as new teams like the Kovossian Mutants and Mechanites.

Hang on – plague, pirates and convicts in DreadBall? Well, sort of…

These “Xtreme” teams are cleaned up, sanitised versions of the real thing, with carefully torn and dirtied costumes to give them the air of lovable rogues. They are presented as the bad guys of the pantomime, and booed by the crowds. In short, they put on an act.

Underneath the stage makeup they are professional DreadBall players through and through and will give any of the big names a run for their money. As is common in the world of entertainment of which DreadBall is a part, there is a universe of difference between the advert and the reality…

When the Long Rock Lifers made their debut appearance playing the Trontek 29ers, the setup was simple. The cheerleading team of the 29ers would be ‘kidnapped’ prior to the game by the dastardly Lifers’ head coach and then vids of their torment would be broadcast over the big screens at key points in the game to distract the 29ers players. They would eventually overcome this disadvantage and clinch the game in the dying seconds, before heroically saving the cheerleaders to the roar of the crowd.

The first issue came when the Lifers’ ‘head coach’ decided that it might be more fun to just get the ladies drunk and have a party. The shots that were broadcast through the stadium of the increasingly intoxicated group and their bizarre antics actually did serve to distract the players and coaching staff of the 29ers, and their plays became increasingly erratic. Coupled with this, the Lifers players got rather carried away and started actually playing, running rings around the increasingly bewildered 29ers players. By half time, with the score at 5pts in favour of the Lifers, the DGB were ready to pull the plug and save themselves from further embarrassment.

Then they looked at the viewing figures.

It turned out that however well their script had seemed to them, the crowds – and more importantly the vidscreen viewers across the GCPS – were enthralled with this new style of match where it seemed anything could and would happen. By the end of the game – which came a mere three rushes after the half time break – the match had become the third most watched in DreadBall history. By the following week, its highlights reel was the most watched vid on every network.

The DGB learned the most important lesson possible that day – scripted violence and sport was no match for the genuine chaos that could ensue if they just turned loose the ‘Xtreme’ teams and let them make it up as they went along. They’ve never looked back.

You can now pre-order DreadBall Season Five from your local gaming store or the Mantic Website.

We’ve put together a great value deal on the website too, where you get the Convicts, Kaylshi, Mechanites and Mutant Teams plus the Strike Zone Stunner MVPs and a FREE copy of DreadBall Season Five Rulebook in our complete collection bundle. Go now to check it out!