Design
I prefer to start by complementing this game designer. It is not often that you just find a game so thoroughly consistent in design. If you want to ask "how does this work?", the reply is always "exactly like you'd expect". Each rule and action flows together smoothly and seamlessly. Learn one, and you already are most of the way to learning how the subsequent works. The 'exception' is the exception in this rule book. This is just about the most intuitive game designs I've played.
Rules
As the design is fabulous, the rule book is only decent in my estimation. It is surprisingly simple to look up and find how you can do things while playing when asked. However, the order, layout, and presentation create the game a little bit more confusing to master of computer should really be. You can learn the game belonging to the rule book, but reading it seems like taking a look at a masterpiece painted on a piece of toilet paper.
Game Play
Dreadball lasts 14 turns, with each coach (the folks playing the game) getting 7 turns. Each turn you have only 5 actions total to distribute involving the 6 on-field models. As a result for little outages and fast games. You play on a hex field, planning to throw the ball for a score at various points on your opponents half. After scoring, your turn ends and the ball is launched back onto the field. Players in the game never reset. The score track is combined, so a score pulls the score marker in your direction on the track and from your opponent.
Actions
At the heart of the game are actions. You receive 5 per turn, and this can be supplemented by card play. Each of your players can have up to 2 of the 5 actions spent on him. The action selection is very simple and easy to grasp, but your tactical choices are deep. You have to think a turn ahead, even (or especially) if you score, since the board does not reset. You can do somewhat standard type actions like move, slam(tackle), steal the ball, throw the ball, pick up the ball, stand up. The actions all have the same basic mechanisms, so learning and remembering them is easy.
Cards - The cards add a nice extra bit of planning options to the game. Each of your players can have 1 card played on them per turn. Most just let them have the ability to do another action of some type. They aren't broken, and they are expensive, as they cost an action to get while in the game.
Fouling
Fouling is one of the unique and fun DreadBall Tactics.
Fouling is very simple hanging around. It is basically doing things you would already do, but in a dirtier way. Like Slamming someone when they are down, or taking actions but having way too many men on the field. You can try to be sneaky about fouling, since it is up to the other guy to call them for you. If he misses what you did, then you pull it off.
Abilities - You get new Abilities as your player advances. There are not too many of them, however they are almost all useful as well as simple to be familiar with.
League Play
I have not played in a league game yet, so I cannot say from experience how the software works. I can say that it looks again very simple to grasp and play with. All things are very streamlined in execution, but nothing you would expect is cut out from the system. Your players can die (but be bought back for a price and small XP penalty), you can buy new players, MVPs, along with other team bonuses. Your players get new skills and abilities. There's a handicap system built in for underdogs.
Comparison to Blood Bowl
This is probably the first question anyone would ask if they've got ever played Blood Bowl. If you have ever played Blood Bowl, this game will feel somewhat familiar too you. The basic concept of moving a ball around the field is similar, but the game play is vastly different. Blood Bowl could be a real brain burner, grinding game of chess. In Blood Bowl, there are many pawns to maneuver carefully in place for the 1 or 2 players that turn would do something amazing. DreadBall plays much more a game of chess, but devoid of the pawns. This will make for a faster and more interesting game. Personally I think like all the thrill remains, but in a small price of the time. The rules are usually a lot cleaner than Blood Bowl, so just understanding your entire actions and abilities is much simpler. DreadBall has a notion of threat zones, like Blood Bowl, but they are not impacted by other players like in Blood Bowl. Calculating the modifiers is instant in DreadBall, whereas someone had confusion with that in nearly every game of BloodBowl I played.
Components
Ah, I saved the best for last. Ok, maybe I didn't must target the 'worst' section of the game first. I will start by saying that I find most of the components completely functional and they are not junk (except the counters).
Board - The playing board is adequate, the art and quality are slightly below what you will expect for an average 'hobby' game. But you can play on it without issue, and it looks decent.
Cards
I'd rate them about average, maybe slightly substandard on quality. They appear nice and usually are not too thin. They shuffle just fine. No printing / cutting problems with them. Not deluxe linen finish, but very serviceable.
Rule Book
The best non-mini component. You wouldn't find a better quality rule book in a game, especially for the size of it.
Dice & Counters - The dice roll and show you numbers. They do look sort of cheap. The counters are quite poor. Almost paper thin, although they are printed double sided. There is no need that you use the included counters. I know I won't be, as any cube, bead, whatever would also work just fine.
Miniatures
Here is in which the components really shine. These miniatures are better than anything you would ever find in a board game from a detail and quality perspective. Some of the newest FFG games get kind of close, though. This is a miniature company, and this is what they do best. Difficulty to assemble would vary based on your background. If you come from miniature games, they're dead simple. If you come from board games and have never assembled a model/used glue before, then you should probably find a video and take your time at first. There are very few pieces to construct per model, but like anything new, it can be a challenge at first.
Verdict
You should play this game, if for no other reason, that it is masterpiece of excellent design (whenever you can see past the rule book layout). Rules are pretty straight forward and intuitive, games are fast and fun, and the play is extremely rewarding.
Nine stars out of 10!