4th Street Software 4th Street Football Board Game User Guide

: June 9, 2024
: 4th Street Software

Table of Contents

4th Street Football Board Game
References
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4th Street Football Board Game

4th Street Software
Board Version 2.4
Copyright 2000-20 4th Street Software All Rights Reserved
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4th Street Football Instructions

Thank you for purchasing 4th Street Software’s Pro Football board game!

8/18/2020

The instructions for this game have been divided into the following sections:

player rating explanations 2. general play instructions 3. advanced play instructions

We recommend that you read through sections 1 and 2 above before playing the game and playing the game before you try the advanced instructions.

Player Ratings

Each player has been rated in several different areas. The main ratings however, are their “x A B C D E” numbers. These values are the “bread-and- butter” of the game.

While all players have been given “x A B C D E” ratings, the ratings themselves differ between offense and defense. For example, a DEFENSIVE lineman’s “A” rating reflects his ability at stopping the run. His “B” rating is his ability to rush the passer. Meanwhile, an OFFENSIVE lineman’s “A” rating judges his power blocking ability, and his “B” rating is a measure of how well he blocks on the move.

The table on the next page gives an explanation of what each position’s “x A B C D E” ratings are and an “average” value at each rating. Please note that the “average” ratings are really meant for starters. Backup players generally receive lower ratings.

Player Ratings Overview

Offensive line
Avg Ratings Quarterback
Avg Ratings Running Back
Avg Ratings Wide Receiver
Avg Ratings Tight End
Avg Ratings Defensive Line
Avg Ratings Linebacker
Avg Ratings Defensive Back
Avg Ratings

x Supple-
5 mental
3 Blocking
5 Rating
3 –
6 –
3 –
3 –
3

A Power blocking
7

B Speed blocking
7

C Short pass
blocking 7

D Med. pass blocking
7

E Long pass blocking
7

Inside runs Scramble

Short passing
7

Medium passing
7

Long passing
7

Inside runs Speed runs Short pass Med. pass Long pass

receiving receiving receiving

Inside runs Outside Short pass Med. Pass Long pass

runs receiving receiving receiving

Inside runs Outside Short pass Med. Pass Long pass

runs receiving receiving receiving

Run defense
3

Pass rush Short pass Med. Pass Long pass

defense defense defense

Run defense
3

Blitz rush Short pass Med. Pass Long pass

defense defense defense

Run defense
2

Blitz rush Short pass Zone pass Man pass

defense defense defense

Kicker Avg Ratings Punter Avg Ratings

–

FG<30 yds FG<40 yds FG<50 yds FG>50 yds Kickoffs

and PAT

R

N

–

Own side of Own side of Opp side of Opp side of Kickoffs

50-rush

These “average ratings” are for average starters.

At first glance, you might believe that your defense would be best if you placed 11 defensive
backs on the field at the same time because, except for their run defense, you would have better
numbers on the field than with defensive linemen and/or linebackers. This is not true, because ALL
players have a results column underneath each of the “A B C D E” (not x…this is explained later) ratings. While a defensive back and a defensive lineman might both have the same “A” rating for instance, the results in the column for the lineman might average out to yield only 1 yard (or less),
while the d-back’s might be over 3 yards! This is a significant difference, which you will grow to appreciate when setting up your defense. Some examples of player rating blocks are listed below:

Drew Bledsoe

Buf 2003 11

QB(10)7

inj +5

x ABCDE 1 55766 2 02 11 21 21 41

3 02 85 11 45 45

4 02 10 46 11 46

5 01 84 11 11 31

6 01 00 11 21 21

7 01 01 10 46 46

8 01 83 05 11 46

9 01 02 07 21 46

10 01 03 45 45 45

11 01 04 11 46 31

12 54 10 18
KR~K6 (21»2) PR~P6 (11»2)20 Ret~S(11»2) Fum~20

18 18 KC~O2 PC~R2
Fat~0

Eric Moulds

Buf 2003 80

inj +2

x ABCDE 2 56887 2 10 21 31 41 41

3 01 10 11 31 46

4 02 09 46 46 41

5 03 08 21 21 46

6 04 05 10 10 31

7 03 11 11 11 46

8 04 07 10 21 41

9 02 10 07 10 31

10 24 24 26 26 27

11 15 15 15 15 15

12 12 21 16
KR~K6 (21»2) PR~P6 (11»2)20 Ret~S(11»2) Fum~10

16 16 KC~O2 PC~R2
Fat~2

Aaron Schobel

Buf 2003 94

inj +5

x ABCDE 3 25100 2 28 62 03 63 66

3 03 47 62 46 46

4 02 47 09 46 46

5 54 47 03 11 21

6 01 47 04 11 46

7 84 45 05 11 46

8 83 47 06 46 46

9 00 48 02 46 46

10 22 26 26 26 20

11 39 39 20 20 89

12 02 69 17
KR~K6 (21»2) PR~P6 (11»2)20 Ret~P(11»2) Fum~20

17 17 KC~O2 PC~R2
Fat~5

You also probably noticed that offensive ratings are generally higher than defensive ratings. This is because the two are subtracted and compared to a 10-sided die on virtually every play.

For example, if Schobel and Bledsoe were matched up on a play with Bledsoe’s “B” rating and Schobel’s “A” rating in question, we would subtract Schobel’s (2) value from Bledsoe’s (5), resulting in a “3” (5 2 = 3). Therefore, if the 10-sided die rolled had a value of 3 or less (0 to 3), Bledsoe would win the matchup and the result of the play would be found on his card. If the die were higher than 3
(4 to 9), Schobel would win the matchup and the play result would be found on his card. Schobel
would therefore have a 60% chance of winning this matchup.

As offensive coach, it is your job to call plays in which the matchup will favor your team. As defensive coach, it is your responsibility to adjust your defense in order to prevent the offense from exploiting your weaknesses.

The Play Cards

Another important part of the game is the play cards. They provide information about each play about which players are matched up against each other, which ratings each player will tested on, and how frequently each matchup will occur.

The play diagram above, named “F1 Cross” (meaning “Flanker Cross”), is an example. The larger, bold faced letters, such as “s”, “T”, “G”, etc. represent individual offensive players (“s” for split end, “T” for tackle, etc.). A capital “F” refers to fullback, while a lower case “f”
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refers to a flanker. In some formations, more than one flanker may be on the field at the same time, so a number may follow the letter. “f1” means flanker 1, “f2” means flanker 2, and so on.

Below is a table with the offensive symbols and their meanings:

Symbol s s1 s2 T G C t t1 t2 f f1 f2 Q H F

Player Split end First split end Second split end Tackle Guard Center Tight end First tight end Second tight end Flanker First flanker Second flanker Quarterback Halfback fullback

Each offensive player has been given “route lines”…lines which indicate to which section of the field they are moving. Solid black lines represent the motion of linemen, thinner lines (sometimes
dashed-dotted) represent the motion of “skilled position” players, and heavy dashed lines represent the motion of the player who is the intended receiver or ball carrier on the play.

In the example play, the flanker is moving to the middle medium (strong safety) pass zone, the split end to the left (RCB) medium pass zone, the fullback is moving to the middle short pass zone, the tight end is blocking any player who might be in the far right pass rushing zone, the halfback is blocking any player who might be in the far left pass rushing zone, etc.

To the right of each offensive player is a letter, followed by a range of numbers. On our card, the
flanker has a “D 13-16” following his “f” symbol. This means that on d20 (20-sided die) rolls from 13 through 16, the flanker’s “D” rating (medium pass rating) is in question.

Defensive players are not represented on the card because the defensive coach can move them from zone to zone. Therefore, the zone in which a player (or players) resides is called into question instead.

In our example card, d20 rolls of 8 through 16 are targeted toward the middle medium pass zone,
and the player in that zone will have his “D” rating tested. Since rolls 13-16 have already been discussed on the offensive side (they are calling on the flanker), rolls 8-12 must be referring to a
different offensive player. If you look, you will see that indeed, the quarterback’s “D” rating is in question on rolls 8 through 12.

Occasionally, the defense will move its players so that a zone is unoccupied. If an unoccupied zone is comes up on a dice roll, the offensive player automatically wins the matchup. Conversely, if a zone has enough defensive points (generally from 2 players) that causes the net matchup points to be negative, then the defense automatically wins.
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The Game Board
There are two different game boards in 4th Street Football. One is designed for face-to-face play and has two parts each measuring 8½” x 14″. When placed together, the entire field should measure 17″ x 14″. A third 8½” x 14″ section has the return tables, result codes, and a timer.
The other game board is designed for solitaire play, and measures 8½” x 11″. The game boards supply a wealth of information, allowing you to concentrate on running your offense and defense without having to flip endless charts. An outline of the different areas of the boards follows:
Defensive zones
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Offensive zones
Field position Tracker
Time, field position, yardage for first downs, results, defensive and offensive player positions, and return results are all kept track of on the game board.
The defensive side of the game board has four different levels, as shown below:
Long Pass Zone
Medium Pass Zones
Short Pass (Linebacker) Zones
Pass Rush (Lineman) Zones
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When filled with player tokens, a 4-3 defense might make the grid look like this: 11

Setting up the Game
It is a good idea to organize everything in front of you before the game begins. Your game should include:
1. five dice {one 20-sided (d20), one 10-sided (d10), one 12-sided (d12), and two 6-sided (d6)}.
2. one game board (14″ x 17″, in two parts) and one solitaire game board (8½” x 11″…doesn’t have zones)
3. five sets of offensive play cards (one set for each formation, plus one set for special teams plays)
4. defensive play cards 5. player “cards,” which come in one of three formats: team, cut-line, or perforated 6. team platoon sheets (one for each team) 7. player tokens (twenty-two of two different colors) 8. cardboard first down marker 9. football token 10. time and timeout tokens The d12 is used sparingly in the game, mostly for identifying players on unusual plays. When you see the phrase “all 4 dice are rolled” (or something equivalent), leave the d12 out.
After looking at the player sheets for the starting offense and defense, you may have noticed that the offensive team appears to be heading “north” (up) and the defensive team appears to be facing
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“south” (down). If you are playing solo, you may then match one team’s offensive sheet with the other team’s defensive sheet to make them easier to read, as the players facing off against each other will basically be adjacent to one-another.

Place a defensive token (numbered 1-11) on each of the defensive players you wish to start. Place a matching token in the zone on the game board you wish each player to play. For example, if you place a number “2” on a defensive lineman, then you probably want to place a “2” in one of the lineman zones on the game board. The tokens serve two purposes:
1. identification of players 2. indication of where the players are located or are moving to

Alternatively, you may choose to cut out the players and place them on the field instead of using tokens.

The tokens are generally intended to match up with the following positions:

Token Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Defensive Player LDE LDT RDT RDE LLB MLB RLB LCB RCB SS FS

Offensive Player QB SE FL TE FB HB LT LG C RG RT

When switching formations, use the positions listed on the platoon sheet to determine the token numbers. For example, in the Nickel defense the 6th player down on the list is the “DB1” (nickel back), so his token number is “6”.
Occasionally you will need to identify a player using the d12. Use the table above as a guide. A
d12 roll of 12 generally means that no player was identified, so the play finishes “as is”. As examples, on a fumble, the ball has rolled out of bounds at the spot, and If identifying a player for an injury, a
d12 roll of 12 means that nobody is hurt.
Place the football marker and first-down marker on the area of the board which represents the
field. Place the time token (at 15:00) and the timeout tokens on their respective portions of the board.

Playing the Game (Standard)

1. Offense makes substitutions. 2. Defense makes substitutions. 3. Offense selects play from appropriate play card set (hiding the card from the defensive
coach) and announces the offensive formation to the defense. 4. Defense moves players into the zones it needs to in order to defend the play type they
believe will be called. 5. Offense reveals the play and rolls the four dice (all but the d12). 6. Using the d20, an offense-defense matchup is determined from the play card as described
previously.
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7. The defensive points in the zone attacked are subtracted from the offensive points of the player in the matchup. If the d10 is equal to or less than this new value, the offensive player wins the matchup. Otherwise, the defensive player wins the matchup. Offense automatically wins when there are no defensive players in the matchup. Defense automatically wins when the points in the matchup are negative.
8. The two d6 are added together, and the play result is found on the player who won the matchup (see #7 above) under the correct column (A B C D E). In cases where the offense won the matchup AND the offensive rating was “x”: the yardage gained on running plays is equal to the sum of the two d6, and on passing plays, use the quarterback’s column (use the same column as the rating for the intended receiver) to find the play result.
9. The play result is now read off the play result section of the game board.
The Clock
Under normal circumstances, the clock moves 3 ticks (30 seconds) on a run or completed pass, 2 (20 seconds) ticks on an incomplete pass, touchdown, safety or penalty and 1 tick (10 seconds) on any type of kick.
The “slow down” offense may also be used. All plays have 10 seconds added to them (move the clock 1 additional space to those described above) except for successive incomplete passes, on which the second pass (and additional successive incomplete passes) take only 10 seconds.
The “hurry up” offense reduces all of the normal timings by 10 seconds, except for those normally taking 10 seconds (they still take only 10 seconds).
Timeouts decrease the amount of time of all plays to 10 seconds.
The clock automatically stops at the 2:00 mark at the ends of each half.
In addition to the altered clockwork, the hurry up offense disallows any substitution (offensive or defensive) unless one of the teams calls a timeout or an injury occurs.
Plays which are directed toward the outside of the field may be run out of bounds to stop the clock. These plays drop an additional 10 seconds from the play time (minimum, 10 seconds) and include only those in which the receiver or runner target the zones labeled “LCB”, “RCB”, “LLB”, or “RLB”.
· If in hurry-up offense, the play is out of bounds when ever the offensive team wins the matchup and the two d6 are NOT doubles.
· If in slow-down offense, the play is out of bounds when the defense wins the matchup, and the two d6 are doubles.
· In all other situations, the play is out of bounds when the two d6 are doubles.
Special Teams Play
Each team has a platoon sheet, which not only includes lineups for different offensive and defensive sets, but also special-teams units. The numbers on this sheet correspond to the numbers on the special teams play cards (some of the dice rolls may differ, but the dice roll percentages are the same).
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Rather than using the “x A B C D E” ratings, special teams plays use the ratings at the bottom of the card…KR (kick return), KC (kick cover), PR (punt return) and PC (punt cover). Also, there are no columns on the players for special teams returns. Instead, players have all been given special teams letter grades which are used on the Return Table section of the game board.
For example, a player may have a kick return rating of “KR~8J(61»4)”. This means that the player has a KR rating of “8” (this is used similarly to the “x A B C D E” ratings on normal plays). If he were the player returning the kick, you would use the “J” column on the Returns section of the game board. If this player returns the kick, his long return is “61” (60 + d10 yards, as found on the game board). If the player is not returning the kick (but is still identified in the matchup) and wins the matchup, use the returner’s return letter and return long rating.
A fourth rating in the KR row, which is to the right of the “»” (in this case a 4) is the “Long Frequency” rating. The “Long Freq” rating is used on the return table, and swaps with the “L” (long) return from its usual “2” position to the position indicated by the number (in this case to the “4” position). For example, the “normal” return column for a “D” returner looks as displayed on the left. Note that the “L” is listed for dice roll “2”. If our returner has a “Long Freq” rating of “4”, the return at the “2” dice roll is swapped with the return at the “4” dice roll, so the column becomes that as show on the right.
“Long Freq” ratings other than “2” are not common…in fact, only a dozen or so players each year will have anything other than a “2” listed. Those that do are VERY dangerous return men, as they have most likely scored a touchdown on a minimum number of returns OR have scored multiple touchdowns on returns during the given season. The highest “Long Freq” rating is “7”, which will give 6 chances in 36 of a long return. “Long Freq” ratings have been given for punt returns, kick returns, and fumble/interception returns as of 2007.
Punt return ratings have one additional value…that for fair catches. A player might have a string of values for his PR rating of “PR~7L(21»2)18”. Again, the player’s PR rating is 7 (similar to the “x A B C D E” numbers on normal plays). The “L” is the column identifier on the Return Table section of the game board. The “21” is the player’s long return (20 + d10 yards) and the “2” is the player’s long frequency rating for punts. The “18” is the player’s fair catch rating (on high punts, a d20 roll from 118 results in a fair catch, while rolls 19-20 are returned).
If the player on the kicking team wins the matchup, use his KC or PC letter. The return long is changed to “21” (on kickoff returns) and “90” (on punt returns).
Punts and field goals are handled mostly from the punter and kicker cards.
Punter Cards…Punters have 4 punting columns, described earlier in the player ratings section. To determine whether or not a rush is on, roll a d20. If the d20 is equal to or less than the number of players rushing the punter (the number of players in the rushing zones on the game board, both linemen and linebackers zones included), then the punter is being rushed and either the “<R” or “>R” columns are used (“<R” if the ball is on the offense’s side of the 50, “>R” if on the 50 or on the
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defense’s side of the field). If not, the “<N” or “>N” columns are used instead (“<N” for no rush and on the offense’s side of the field, “>N” for no rush and on the defense’s side of the field).

If the receiving team elects not to return a punt, roll all four dice to determine how far (and in which direction) the punt rolled. If the d6 match, the punt rolls backward d10 yards from where it hit. If the d6 do not match, the punt rolls d20 yards forward from where it hit.

On field goals and extra points, add 17 yards to the yard line and refer to the appropriate
column on the kicker’s card. For example, on an extra point (ball is at the 2-yard line) the total is 19. Therefore column “30” will be used (<30-yard line) on the kicker. The “>” column is for kicks of 50 yards or greater (Note: kickers from older seasons may have different distances shown on their
cards). Kickers also have a long field goal rating which is located next to the “K” position listing on their cards. A kicker may not attempt a field goal from a yard line greater than this rating. (For
seasons prior to 1974, add 7 to the yard line rather than 17, as the goal posts at that time were
located at the goal line rather than at the end line of the end zone.)

If a field goal attempt is within range of a kicker, the kicking team announces that they are lining
up in field goal formation. They can then select either the “Field Goal” play card or a “Fake Field Goal” play card, and place it face down. The defense may then bring players into the linemen and linebacker zones to rush the kick. The offensive coach then reveals his play call.

If the play is indeed a field goal attempt, roll all 5 dice. If the d20 is less than or equal to the number of on-rushing defenders, a rush is on, and if the d12 roll is a 12, a weird play is possible. Add the two d6 and consult the Weird Play chart.

If there is no rush, ignore d12 rolls of 12.

If no weird play occurs, add the two d6 and look at the proper column on the kicker in order to determine the play result.

If the d12 roll is 11, a possible penalty has occurred. After finding the result of the play, re-roll the d10 and use the table below to determine whether an infraction occurred:

Holding, kicking team (10 yds)

Unsportsmanlike conduct, defense (15 yds and automatic first down for kicking team)

2-5

No penalty

No penalty, but a kicking team player is injured. Roll the d12

to identify the injured player (a d12 roll of 12 indicates no

one is hurt).

No penalty, but a defensive player is injured. Roll the d12 to

identify the injured player (a d12 roll of 12 indicates no one is

hurt).

Offsides, kicking team (5 yds)

Offsides, defense (5 yds)

While play cards for several different punt and kickoff plays are included, the matchups are also listed on the team platoon sheets. This makes finding matchups easier, and makes the special teams play cards basically unnecessary.

The following procedures are followed on punts and punt returns:

1. Offense announces that they are in punt formation (this means that the punting platoon is

on the field).

2. Defense announces any platoon changes (they may choose to keep their defense on the

field OR bring in their punt return team).

3. Defense moves rushing players into their linemen and linebacker zones.

4. Offense reveals play card, and announces if they intend to do a coffin- corner kick (when on

or inside the opponent’s side of the 50 yard line, the offensive team may choose to do a

“coffin-corner” kick…a kick out of bounds as close to the goal line as possible which cannot

be returned).

5. Punting team rolls 5 dice, which simulates the snap of the ball. A few things can happen

here:

· If the d12 comes up a 12, a weird play has possibly occurred. Add the two d6 and

consult the weird play chart to find out what happened (if a “no change” in the play

results, re-roll all the dice…but ignore d12 results of “12”…to determine what

happened on the punt).

· On d12 rolls other than 12, determine whether or not the punter is being rushed

using the d20 (see “Punter Cards” above) and determine the appropriate

“<R

<N R N” column to use. Add the two d6 and read the play result (punt result) off the punter. Move the ball down the field the appropriate number of yards. If the d12

is an 11, a penalty has been called during the punt. After the play is over, re-roll the

d10 and use the table below to determine what the infraction was:

0-4 Illegal block, kicking team (10 yds)

5-6 Illegal man downfield, kicking team (5 yds)

Holding before the kick, receiving team (5 yds and automatic first down for punting team)

Offsides, kicking team (5 yds)

Offsides, return team (5 yds)

6. Re-roll all 5 dice for the return. If the d12 is a 12, a possible weird play may result, so use the d6 total and refer to the Weird Play chart to see if something odd happened (if a “no change” in the play results, re-roll all the dice to determine what happened on the punt, but ignore d12 rolls of 12). If the d12 is other than a 12, consult the punt play card to determine
the winner of the offense-defense matchup. 7. If the matchup winner is on the return team, use the return man’s punt return letter (and
punt return long, if needed), and check the Return Table on the game board to find out how
long the return was.
8. If a player on the punt cover team won the matchup, use his punt cover letter (and a long return rating of “90”).

In some cases, a punt has enough hang time that the return man may need to call for a fair catch.
If so, roll the d20. If it is less than or equal to the return man’s fair catch rating, the ball is fair caught at the spot where the kick was fielded. If not, use the punt return procedure explained above.

On coffin-corner kicks ONLY, subtract the d10 roll from results 31, 32, 41 and 42, rather than
adding them as is usually done. For example, a result of “41” on a punt with a d10 roll of “4” would usually result in a 44-yard kick. On a coffin-corner kick, the “4” is subtracted instead of added, making the punt a 36 yarder, and the ball flies out of bounds and cannot be returned.

A d12 roll of 11 is a possible fumble. d12 rolls of 10 indicate the player losing the matchup is injured. d12 rolls of 8 and 9 indicate a penalty has occurred; re-roll the d10 and consult the Return Penalties table on the game board.
Kickoffs prior to 1974 were from the 40-yard line, after which the yard line was moved to the 35. Currently, kickoffs are from the 30-yard line.
On a kickoff, use the following procedure: 1. Kicking team selects one of the kickoff (normal, squib, onside) play cards and informs the returning team that they are ready. 2. Return team moves its players into formation using the defensive zones on the game board. 3. Kicking team coach reveals his play and rolls all 5 dice. The distance of the kick is read off the kicker’s “KO” column (column “E” on older versions of the game) using the two d6. 4. The return team coach now rolls all 5 dice. On d12 rolls of 12, a weird play is possible. Use the d6 total and refer to the Weird Play chart to see what happened (if a “no change” in the play results, re-roll all the dice to determine what happened on the return, but ignore d12 rolls of 12). If there was no weird play, the matchup between return team and cover team is determined using the d20. 5. The KC (cover team matchup man) rating is subtracted from the KR (return team matchup man) rating and compared to the d10, as on normal plays. 6. If the return team won the matchup, use the return man’s KR letter and the two d6 to find the play result on the Return Table section of the game board. If the cover team won, use that man’s KC letter instead. 7. If the result of the play is “L” (long), use the return man’s KR long rating if the return team won the matchup. If the cover team won the matchup, use “21” as the long. 8. If the kickoff was fielded inside the 10-yard line and a return result of “90” or “0” occurs, add 10 yards to the result. 9. If the d12 roll is an 11, a fumble may have occurred. If the d12 is a 10, the player losing the matchup has been injured. If the d12 is an 8 or 9, a penalty has occurred, so re-roll the d10 and refer to the Return Penalties on the game board.
Free Kicks
A “free kick” is made after a safety has occurred. The team which surrendered the safety has the option of having their kicker kick off, or their punter punt, from their own 20-yard line.
If you choose to kick off, use the same procedures as a normal kickoff.
If you choose to punt, use the “<N” (column “B” in older versions of the game) column. Punt results that travel out of bounds are treated as line drives instead. There are no fair catches, and the returner will use his kick return ratings rather than his punt return ratings.
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Typically, the board will look like this on a kick return:

If the receiving team suspects an onside kick, they might counter it by moving more players up near the front:

In this setup, returns are unlikely. The receiving team recovers all kicks unless the d6 total is from 3-5, OR if no receiving team player is in the attacked zone. Balls successfully fielded in any of the “back” zones…including those occupied by players 6, 8, 10 and 11 in the illustration above…may be returned, even on an onsides kick. If the kicking team kicks deep (normal or squib) and no player is there to return the kick, the ball rolls through the end zone for a touchback.
The player recovering the kick is identified by the d12, as per the routine used in recovering fumbles. If a d12 roll comes up “12”, the ball has rolled out of bounds. This may require a rekick, depending upon the rules for the season you are playing with.
The distance that the ball is kicked is listed on the play card in the zone to which the ball is fielded. On d20 rolls of 1 through 17, 19 and 20, the ball travels “1+” (10 + d10) yards. On d20 roll 18, the ball travels “2+” (20 + d10) yards.
A third kick option is the squib kick. Squib kicks won’t travel as far as normal kicks but are targeted toward players not accustomed to returning kicks. Similar to the Onside Kick, read the distance on play cards 3+, 4+ etc to be result code “31,” “41” etc.
All players have been given KR and PR ratings, but most are NOT good return men. The best return men can be identified by their return letters. Typically, if the KR rating is higher than a “K”, and if the PR rating is higher than a “P”, the player is a decent return man. The closer to “A” the rating is, the better chance for a good return.
Defensive Strategies
Having a talented team really goes a long way toward a winning season. But how you run your defense may be even more important. Putting your players in position to stop a run or pass is key to your team’s success.
On running plays, about 75% of the matchups will involve the “front line” of defense. That is, the linemen and linebacker zones. Placing a defender in or directly behind each of the seven front line zones (lanes) will almost guarantee that you are “covered” on a running play. Players in the very front line are attempting to cross the line of scrimmage after the ball is snapped. Those directly behind (in the linebacker zones) are taking on blockers and playing “read-and-react” defense, which means that they are not only wary of the run, but also in position to defend against short passes.
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Linebackers are playing directly behind the empty front zones, effectively defending the run and also in position to defend the pass.
One strategy, albeit a risky one, is to “stack” some of your defenders. This results in a “doubleteam,” so to speak, because if successful, your defense gets to add the points from the players called in matchup if they are both in the correct zone. On the other hand, it also opens holes for the offense because not all of your rushing lanes may be defended.

Linebackers are “stacked” directly behind defensive linemen. This increases the defensive point total in these zones vs. the run but leaves other rushing lanes completely empty.
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Another strategy involves bringing defensive backs (especially the strong safety) “into the box”. This allows the defense to have all seven rushing lanes covered, plus allows a stack in at least one
lane, depending upon how many d-backs you bring up.

A defensive back (in this case, the strong safety, #10) is brought up to play run defense (“in the box”)
Defensive players may also be moved to the very front line (the lineman zones) to rush the passer.
Finally, defensive players may also be moved into the back zones in order to prevent big gains on passing plays. Dropping the middle linebacker into the middle medium pass zone, for example, will help bulk up the defense there, but weaken it elsewhere.
When two players are in a single zone, the defensive points for the two are added before then being subtracted from the offensive player involved in the matchup. For example, if a running play is called in which the offensive right tackle’s “A” rating is called and the zone opposite him is “stacked” with a defensive tackle having an “A” rating of 3 and a linebacker having an “A” rating of 2, the defensive matchup total is 5 (DT 3 + LB 2 = 5). If the offensive tackle’s rating were a 7, he would have only a 30% chance of winning the matchup (7 5 = 2) so only results 0 through 2 would win the matchup for the offensive team.
If the defensive players win the matchup when “stacked”, the player having the lowest number value on their token will have the result read from his card. So if a defensive tackle with a token number of 1 and a linebacker with a token value of 5 are stacked and together win the matchup, the play result will be read from the defensive tackle’s rating block.
It is also permissible to key or double-team a player. A key is called on a particular running back after the offense announces that they have selected their play, but before they reveal it. If correct (on both identifying the running back AND identifying the play as a run), the defensive coach may look at the play card the offense selected, and then move his #6 token (the middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense) anywhere in the running lanes he chooses before the dice are thrown, and the defense adds a bonus of 1 point to their defensive total, even if the MLB is the only one involved in the matchup. If
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incorrect on either identifying the correct running back OR if the play is a pass, token #6 is completely removed from the game board for that play.
A double-team is announced in the same manner, but the free safety (token #11) is moved to the zone in which the double-teamed player finishes the play, even if the intended receiver is not the player the defense is double-teaming. There is no “wrong” call on a double-team, but keep in mind that moving the free safety out of his usual deep zone may result in a big play. If correct, combine the two players’ defensive ratings that would normally be used on the play. Red Zone Defense
The “Red Zone” is defined in this game as an offense being on or inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. In this situation, all passes in which the deep pass zone is called in a matchup are incomplete. For this reason, the free safety (token #11) may freely move up closer to the line of scrimmage without fear of being “burned”. This has a chain reaction, as other defensive backs are now able to move in to play run defense.
Also, running play results of “10” automatically are changed to results of “half-the-distance to the goal” inside the opponent’s 10-yard line. Round up when needed (e.g., if the ball was at the 7-yard line and a play result of “10” occurs, the gain is for 4 yards).
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ADVANCED RULES

Advanced rules may be implemented whenever you feel comfortable with the game system.

ADVANCED RULE…Man-to-Man Defense and Combo Coverage

In man-to-man defense, each cornerback follows the outermost wide receiver on their side to the zone where they stop, the strong safety is placed into the zone where an inner receiver (for example the tight end) goes, and the free safety follows the other inner receiver, if there is one. Ordinarily, the RCB will cover the SE, LCB covers the Flanker, and the SS covers the TE.

Running backs are ignored when playing man-to-man defense.

Combo coverage is somewhat similar, except that ONLY the cornerbacks are involved (in the same manner as explained for man-to-man coverage). The safeties play zone, and so can be moved anywhere before the play card is revealed but not after.

Double-teaming a receiver in these coverages is allowed. Again, the free safety will move to the location where the double-teamed receiver goes.

When called upon, a player in man-to-man coverage will always use his “E” rating when the play card calls on his “D” or “E” rating. If in the short pass (linebacker) zones, use his “C” rating. If he wins the matchup, the play result is read from the column called upon on the play card (typically “C” for short passes, “D” for medium and “E” for long passes).

Players playing zone defense will always use their “D” rating when either the “D” or “E” rating is called for on the play card. If the “C” rating is to be used, use it instead. If he wins the matchup, the play result is read from the column called upon on the play card.

Linebackers are not included in man-to-man or combo coverage schemes. Instead, they simply play where they are placed, using the rating called upon by the play card. Technically, they always play zone defense.

Drew Bledsoe

Buf 2003 11

QB(10)7

inj +5

x ABCDE 1 55766

ADVANCED RULE…Audibles

2 02 11 21 21 41 3 02 85 11 45 45

An audible may be called by the offense in response to a defensive scheme that may result in a bad play for the offense. After the defense announces they are ready, the offensive coach may opt to call for an audible.

4 02 10 46 11 46 5 01 84 11 11 31 6 01 00 11 21 21 7 01 01 10 46 46 8 01 83 05 11 46

The success of an audible is dependent upon the quarterback’s ability to read the defense. More experienced quarterbacks are typically rated
more highly at this than younger quarterbacks. The audible rating on a
quarterback is to the right of his interception rating, which is found in
parentheses next to his position listing. Bledsoe’s interception rating is “10,” while his audible rating is a “7.”

9 01 02 07
10 01 03 45
11 01 04 11
12 54 10 18 KR~K6 (21»2) PR~P6 (11»2)20 Ret~S(11»2) Fum~20

21 46 45 45 46 31 18 18 KC~O2 PC~R2
Fat~0

After an audible has been announced, roll a d10 to see whether the audible is allowed. A roll lower or equal to the QBs audible rating results in a successful audible. The offense may select a

different play card (from the same formation) and the defense may realign his players. A d10 roll of 9 results in a delay-of-game penalty on the offense (this may be avoided by calling a timeout, if the offense has any left).
The visiting quarterback’s audible rating is reduced by 2 points unless his team is ahead by 14 or more points (this is a crowd noise factor).
Only one audible may be called per down. In face-to-face play, you may elect to limit audibles because of the amount of time they add to the game. ADVANCED RULE… “Stop-Action”
In Stop Action, offensive “skilled position” players move a short distance, simulating the beginning of a play, and the defensive coach can readjust his defense before the offensive coach reveals the play and moves his players to their final destination.
Stop points are shown on the play cards with a small black circle. Some stop points are actually in the zones where the offensive player ultimately finishes the play.
“Stop Points.” These are points where the offensive players momentarily pause, allowing the defensive coach to readjust his players positioning. The quarterback is still holding the ball at the stop point.
After the defense announces they are “ready”, the offensive coach announces he is ready to “snap” the ball. He then moves his skilled position players to their stop points. The defensive coach is then allowed to move his players ONE ZONE IN ANY DIRECTION from their current location. The offensive coach then reveals the play and moves his skilled position players to their ultimate destinations (designated on the play cards by a small circle). The intended receiver (or ball carrier on a running play) has a slightly different circle, which is marked with an “X”. The outcome of the play is then determined, as usual.
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ADVANCED RULE… “Spying on the QB”
The defense announces that they are spying on the QB in the same manner that they announce keys or double teams. If a “45” comes up during play resolution, the QB does not automatically win the matchup. Instead, re-roll the dice, subtract the spying player’s “A” rating from the QB’s “B” rating and compare to the d10. If the QB wins, read the result off his “B” column. If the spy wins, read the result off his “A” column. The spy is ordinarily the MLB, but you can announce a spy as any of the players in the LB zones (only one spy is allowed).
If the linebacker becomes involved in the passing play as a pass defender (his C, D or E rating is called in to question), subtract 2 from his ratings.
ADVANCED RULE… “Weather Effects”
Weather has been categorized into four areas: “Hot”, “Cold”, “Wind” and “Precipitation”.
Before the start of the game, roll the d10 twice in succession. Combine the two rolls (e.g., if the first roll was a “1” and second was a “2”, the combination would be “12”). Compare this to the team’s “Weather Chart”, found on the platoon sheet (older versions of the platoon sheets do not have these values available and need to be downloaded from 4th Street Software’s website).
The Weather Chart looks something like this:
Weather Effects: Soldier Field Advantage: Grass Disadvantage: Turf

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

Hot

20 20 15 5 2 0 0

Cold 0 0 12 25 37 50 50

Wind 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

Precip 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

If the roll is in the range listed underneath the month of the game, the weather is not optimal to play football. Had it been August, this game would be played in HOT conditions.

Repeat the process for the other three weather categories, if applicable.

Some months have both a “Hot” and a “Cold” range listed. Since “Hot” precedes “Cold”, if the dice roll falls in the “Hot” range, skip over “Cold”.

Use the following changes when the following weather events are in effect:

Weather Rain Windy
Snow Hot Cold

Effect
Occurs when there is precipitation and it is NOT COLD. Reduce all offensive ratings by 1. Add 2 to the fumble ratings for all players.
The wind is blowing from left to right (large game board) or north to south (solitaire game board). When throwing a pass with the wind, add 1 to all of the QB’s C, D and E ratings. If throwing against the wind, subtract 1 from all of the QB’s C, D and E ratings. Add an additional d10 yards to all field goal and extra point attempts when determining which column to use on the kicker’s card (the kick is still recorded using the same method as usual) when kicking in to the wind, and subtract d10 yards when kicking with the wind. On punts, add an additional d10-yards to the punt when kicking with the wind and subtract d10 yards when kicking into the wind. Remember to switch sides at the end of quarters!
Occurs when there is precipitation and it is COLD. Reduce all offensive ratings by 1. Add 2 to the fumble ratings for all players.
Decrease all fatigue ratings by 2 for all players.
Add 2 to the fumble ratings for all players.

Some teams are immune to some of the weather effects and may have other advantages or disadvantages on turf or grass surfaces. These are also outlined in the Weather Chart.

The team operating out of Soldier Field has an advantage on grass, and a disadvantage when playing on artificial turf. Therefore, when playing on grass against an opponent having a disadvantage on grass, add 1 to all player ratings during the course of the game. When this team goes on the road and plays a team on an artificial turf surface which has an advantage on turf, add 1 to all of the opposing team’s ratings during the game. When playing a game on grass against another team having an advantage on grass (or does not have a disadvantage on grass), make no ratings alterations unless other weather effects dictate it. Likewise, if playing on a turf surface against a team having a disadvantage on a turf surface (or does not have an advantage on turf), make no changes to ratings unless other weather effects force the issue.

All weather effects are cumulative. A team playing at Solder Field may encounter rain, wind, and turf-trouble, which could REALLY hurt their chances of winning. A quarterback for a team having a disadvantage on turf could have his ratings drop by as much as 3 points in this situation if throwing into the wind!

Fumbles

While some fumbles (especially those on special teams) occur because of certain dice rolls, most are caused by a defensive player winning a matchup (and obliterating an offensive ball carrier!).

While a fumble number may come up, the ball carrier’s fumble rating (“Fm”, found near the bottom of his rating block) needs to be used to determine whether a fumble actually occurs. Roll a d20 and
compare it to the ball carrier’s fumble rating. If the roll is less than or equal to the rating, a fumble occurs. If not, no fumble occurs.

After a fumble occurs, roll all five dice, including the d12. The d20 determines which team recovered the ball (1-11 offense, 12-20 defense). The d12 identifies the player who recovered the ball (the player with the token number equal to the d12 recovers. On a d12 roll of 12, the ball rolls out of bounds and is retained by the team fumbling).
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To return a fumble, check the recovering player’s “Ret” rating (bottom of his rating block), roll all 5 dice and use the two d6 to find out how far of a return the player made from the Return Table on the
game board. If the d12 is a 12, the player who recovered the fumble fumbles the ball on the return,

which starts the fumble process all over! On d12 rolls of 10 and 11, a penalty occurred on the return.

Use the “Return Penalties” table on the game board for more details.

Drew Bledsoe

To avoid fumbles and penalties following a turnover, you may instruct
your players to simply “fall on the ball” (no return, but no fumbles and no return penalties) instead.

Buf 2003 11

QB(10)7

inj +5

x ABCDE 1 55766

Interceptions

2 02 11 21 21 41 3 02 85 11 45 45

Interception results are found on defensive player’s cards. To determine whether or not an interception actually occurs, roll the d20 and
consult the passer’s interception rating (the number in parentheses just to the right of the QB’s position listing…Bledsoe’s is a “10”). If the d20 is less than or equal to this number, the pass is indeed intercepted.

4 02 10 46 11 46 5 01 84 11 11 31 6 01 00 11 21 21 7 01 01 10 46 46 8 01 83 05 11 46 9 01 02 07 21 46

Interceptions may be returned in the same manner as fumbles.

10 01 03 45 45 45 11 01 04 11 46 31

Injuries

12 54 10 18 18 18

KR~K6 (21»2)

KC~O2

PR~P6 (11»2)20
Injuries occur to players losing matchups, who are in the same area Ret~S(11»2) as the player on which the result number was found (so on a pass Fum~20

PC~R2 Fat~0

matchup lost by the QB to a defensive back in the middle pass zone

which results in an injury, there IS no injury). Roll the d20, add the player’s injury (“inj”) rating to it,

and then consult the chart below:

d20 + inj 18-25 13-17 10-12 7-9 5-6 3-4 1-2 0 -1 -3 -4 -5 -6

Injury Player is dinged, but remains in game Player is injured for one play Player is injured for the rest of this possession Player is injured for the rest of this quarter Player is injured for the rest of this half Player is injured for the rest of this game Player is injured for this and one more game Player is injured for this and two more games Player is injured for this and two more games Player is injured for this and three more games Player is injured for this and four more games Player is injured for this and five more games Player is injured for the rest of the season

Fatigue

Another optional rule is using fatigue factors. All players have been given a fatigue rating (“Fat”). Offensive skilled-position players receive ratings based upon their real-life performance…the more

carries and receptions, the higher the rating. Offensive linemen and quarterbacks have not been rated for fatigue.
Defensive players have been given a rating based upon the amount of play they received during the season. The higher the rating, the more they played.

Skilled-position players receive fatigue points based on 1 point per rush and 2 per pass play in which they were the intended receiver.

Offensive Fat Rating:
5 4 3 2 1 0

Subtract 1 from all ratings if player reaches: 35 30 25 20 15 10

Subtract 2 from all ratings if player reaches: 40 35 30 25 20 15

Subtract 3 from all ratings if player reaches: 45 40 35 30 25 20

Must be removed from game if
player reaches: 50 45 40 35 30 25

When an intended receiver or ball carrier is fatigued, subtract points from all the offensive players on each play where the fatigued player ends up touching the ball, as described in the table above.

An offensive player may be rested. Subtract 5 fatigue points if the player is rested for at least 10 successive plays.

Defensive players also can become fatigued when the opponent’s offense has long drives. The following chart is used to determine when a defensive player becomes fatigued.

Defensive Fatigue Rating:
5 4 3 2 1 0

During or after quarter:
5 4 4 3 2 1

Subtract 1 from all ratings if offense maintains
possession for this many consecutive plays: 15 15 10 10 10 10

Subtract 2 from all ratings if offense maintains possession
for this many consecutive plays: 20 20 15 15 15 15

In this scenario, a defensive player with a Fatigue rating of 2 becomes susceptible to fatigue in the
third quarter (and beyond) if the opposing team’s offense maintains possession for 10 consecutive plays. If this player has been on the field for all 10 of those plays, he loses 1 from all his “ABCDE” ratings. If he stays on the field for 15 consecutive plays, he loses 2 from his “ABCDE” ratings.

Defensive players may also be rested but need to sit out only 5 consecutive plays. In doing so,
their string of consecutive plays is interrupted, and they start “fresh”. This rule works when the offense is out on the field, too. Therefore, each time a team’s offense holds the ball for at least 5 plays, the “string is broken”, and all defensive players for that team are rested.

Some gamers may want to use the Total Play Count method to determine defensive fatigue, in which this chart is substituted for the previous:
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Defensive Fatigue Rating:
5 4 3 2 1 0

Reduce ABCDE ratings by 1 when Total Play Count Exceeds: 80 70 60 50 40 30

Reduce ABCDE ratings by 2 when Total Play Count Exceeds: 90 80 70 60 50 40

A player with a fatigue rating of 2 automatically becomes fatigued when he is on the field for 50 plays. On the 51st play he is in the ball game, he loses 1 to all of his ABCDE ratings. On the 61st
play, he loses another point to all his ratings.

To rest a player when using the Total Play Count method, he must be removed from the game for
5 consecutive plays, starting while the defense is on the field. He then “buys back” 3 plays on his total play count.

You may use any of the fatigue rules or none at all. For example, you may opt to use the offensive fatigue rules and not the defensive. However, the players are rated according to their fatigue factors, so some players may alter the course of games if they are overplayed. For instance, a player who had an inordinate number of interceptions while playing nickel back may unduly influence a game if he becomes a starter and is not penalized for becoming fatigued.

A Word About Result Codes
The result codes used in this game are sequenced to allow gamers to quickly follow their meanings. For example, all results which end with a “1” are long gains. An “11” for example, is 10 yards plus a d10 roll. A “21” is 20 yards plus a d10 roll, etc.
Results “00” through “09” are 0 to 9-yard gains, respectively.
Most results in the fifties are fumbles. Most of the results in the sixties are interceptions.
Most results in the eighties are losses.
The more quickly you become familiar with the result codes, the easier the game will be to play!

Solo Play Modifications
Solitaire players may choose to modify the rules slightly to increase game speed. Some of the easiest are:
· You don’t really need the tokens in solitaire play, unless you want to use them. This is because defensive players don’t HAVE to be moved around the field. If you want to use tokens to mark substitutions, go ahead.
· Use a zone pass defense. Cornerbacks cover their zones, the strong safety covers the middle medium pass zone, and the free safety covers the long pass zone. Use their “D” rating on all
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pass plays that call for either the “D” or “E” rating (but the column referred to on the play card

when winning a matchup). Use the “C” rating if it is called for.

· When a pass play is called and the d20 roll identifies a matchup which would normally involve

a defensive player in a lineman zone but that zone is vacated, the defense is blitzing. The

linebacker located in the area behind the vacated lineman zone becomes the pass rusher. If a

running back or receiver is blocking, use

the outside linebacker to his side as the

pass rusher.

· Use the d12 on normal plays. The d12

can be used to select a defensive scheme

from the defensive cards, or it can be used

to identify a successful key or double-team

on the ball carrier or intended receiver. On d12 results of 10, 11 and 12, a successful

key or double-team has occurred. On a

key, the MLB is stacked over the ball

carrier’s route line. On a double-team, the

FS is placed in the same zone as the

intended receiver (player listed at the

bottom of the play card).

· Check the d10 first to see if it abnormally high or low. For example, a roll of 9 is almost always going to be won by the defense, while a d10 roll of 0 is almost

Example of a successful defensive key…the MLB has slid over the ball carrier’s route line.

always won by the offense.

· For those who want varied defenses, a set of defensive play cards is included for the 3-4, 4-3,

short yardage and nickel/dime defenses, each numbered from 1-9. The 3-4 and 4-3 defenses

have two sets of 1-9; “1-9 even” and “1-9 odd”. These cards have been left uncut so that they

can be used with dice. You also have the option to cut them out so that they can be drawn

from a pile. While using dice is more random and will yield better results, drawing the cards

from a stack may be more enjoyable. The cards correspond to the d12 (when using the 3-4 or

4-3 defenses, also consult the d10…if it is odd, use the “1-9 odd” set of cards. If even, use the

“1-9 even” cards), which is otherwise unused in most game situations. On rolls of 1 to 9, use

the card with that number. On rolls of 10, 11 and 12, use the defensive card called for on the

team’s platoon sheet. This will result in some teams having a much more “vanilla” defense,

while others will be much more aggressive.

43 4-3 #1…even

5 21

The card shown above is a base 4-3 defense in which all defensive players are positioned in their normal zones. Other cards have linebackers blitzing, linemen shifting, etc.

Clarifications

Question:

Some

running

plays…particularly draws…have matchups

listed in the linebacker zones. What do I do?

Answer: The play is looking for a defender

in the zone REGARDLESS of his position.

For example: On this play, a roll of 18
looks for a defender in the zone circled. It
doesn’t matter if the defender is positioned in the right-half of the zone or the left-half of the zone…as long as he is in one of them, he is involved in the matchup.

Question: What do I do when a result of “88” (weird play) comes up?
Answer: Weird plays are currently only
supported for runs and passes on results of “88”, and punts, field goals/extra points, punt returns and kickoff returns in some other situations. Roll both d6, add them, and consult the Weird
Play chart.

Question: A pass designed to be thrown to the SE ends up instead being caught by the FL. Does the SE still get charged with two fatigue points? Does the FL get charged with any fatigue points?
Answer: Yes on the SE, no on the FL. Fatigue points are designed to keep coaches from going to a specific receiver or ball carrier an inordinate number of times.

Question: I have a question with regard to interceptions. When the play results reads “Interception 20 + d10 yards downfield” and after rolling the d20 and checking the interception rating on the QB card and the result is not an interception, is the pass caught by the receiver for 20 + d10 yards or is it an incomplete pass?
Answer: The pass is incomplete.

Question: When a linebacker is brought to the front line to “blitz” I see no gain in doing this. All he does is leave his linebacker position empty and he would still be filling the hole he is in even from back there.
Answer: In order to rush a passer, a player must be in the first set of zones. If an offensive matchup (say, involving the center) occurs where there is no player opposite him, the offensive player automatically wins the matchup. Therefore, a balance of blitzing and “playing it straight” needs to be implemented.
Question: What do I do when a result of “45” comes up? Answer: A “45” means that the QB has to scramble. Re-roll the two d6, add them, and refer to his “B” column for the result of the play.
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Question: Can I “spy” on a QB? Answer: Yes. The defense announces that they are spying on the QB in the same manner that they announce keys or double teams. If a “45” comes up during play resolution, the QB does not automatically win the matchup. Instead, re-roll the dice, subtract the spying player’s “A” rating from the QB’s “B” rating and compare to the d10. If the QB wins, read the result off his “B” column. If the spy wins, read the result off his “A” column. The spy is ordinarily the MLB, but you can announce a spy as any of the players in the LB zones (only one spy is allowed). If the linebacker becomes involved in the passing play as a pass defender (his C, D or E rating is called in to question), subtract 2 from his ratings.
Question: On some scrambles, a negative yardage results. Isn’t this a sack? Answer: If the defender identified in the matchup is rushing the passer (that is, in one of the front 7 boxes), he is credited with a sack. If not, the passer makes it to the line of scrimmage and the play result changes to a gain of zero yards.
Question: How can more than 7 players rush the punter? Also, I understand the benefit (d20 check more likely to result in a rush situation). However, what’s the penalty? Doesn’t seem that the other two or three guys back there really do much anyway (other than 20 on d20 results in the secondary return guy getting the ball). By rushing two of them, I don’t seem to lose much in the punt return.
Answer: If you move players into the front zone OR the LB zones, they are considered to be rushing the punter. The punter’s columns are set up so that they will yield a longer punt when rushed, but have a chance of having the punt blocked. Also, if you move a player from his usual position in order to increase the rush, he is no longer able to block and the kicking team player automatically wins the matchup.
Question: I have a question with regard to interceptions. When the play results reads “Interception 20 + d10 yards downfield” and after rolling the d20 and checking the interception rating on the QB card and the result is not an interception, is the pass caught by the receiver for 20 + d10 yards or is it an incomplete pass?
Answer: The pass is incomplete.
Question: The ball is snapped from the opponent’s 15-yard line, and the passer chooses a medium pass. The pass is intercepted by a defender (result code is 65, intercepted 20+d10 yards downfield). In this case, the position of the interception is beyond the end zone (d10 roll is an 8, so the ball is caught 28 yards down the field…3 yards past the end line of the end zone). Is this an interception or an incomplete pass?
Answer: The pass is incomplete. If the die roll had been 5 or less, the ball would be considered caught in-bounds (yes, even on a 5…the defender “just kept his feet in”).
Question: On kickoffs, when the kick reaches the end zone, can the coach choose to return the kick or is it an automatic touchback?
Answer: The coach can choose to return the kick, but it is recommended that if the kick is more than 3 yards deep, a touchback is taken.
Question: How are sack yards determined? Answer: Use the 10d and add 1 if short, 2 if medium and 3 if long (e.g. max loss for long is 9+3 is 12 yards).
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Question: Which rating is used for FS double teams? Answer: Use his “D” rating
Question: Can a CB blitz and a FS cover his man in man-to-man coverage? Answer: Yes, use the free safety’s “E” rating
Question: A defense is in “combo coverage” and the CB follows the receiver to the long pass zone which is occupied by the FS, how is the matchup resolved?
Answer: This is a stack. Use both the CB’s “E” and FS’s “D” rating and grant a stack bonus of 1 before subtracting the offense.
Question: Pro Set #8 HB Dive, Defense is playing man to man coverage. Does the RCB move to the A15 blitz zone on the SE?
Answer: Yes, his “A” is compared to the SE’s “x” rating. Also, a stack would occur if the LB stayed home directly behind him (not behind the RDE’s normal spot).
Question: Same play #8 but the d20 is 18, and the MLB has stayed home and the SS has joined him to his left, is this a stack?
Answer: Yes. Stacks also occur when two players are in a zone.
Question: You’re on your opponents 41yard line. You run a F1 fly pattern out of the Pro Set and the result is a 51, which reads as 50 plus D10 yards. The D10 is on #2. Total = 52 yards. What is the result of this play?
Answer: It depends upon whose card the reading came off from. If it was on the QB’s or an offensive lineman’s, the pass is incomplete (passes on these cards have little, if any, “run after the catch” yardage. Instead, the receiver is tackled immediately after the reception), as it caught 1 yard out of the back of the end zone (the end zone is 10 yards deep, which means that any gain of 51 yards or less would be in the field of play, but anything 52 and over would be incomplete). If the reception was found on the receiver’s card however, then it is a touchdown…the receiver caught the ball and made it into the end zone following the catch.
30

Appendix
Result Codes Table 00 No gain 01 1-yard gain 02 2-yard gain 03 3-yard gain 04 4-yard gain 05 5-yard gain 06 6-yard gain 07 7-yard gain 08 8-yard gain 09 9-yard gain 10 if d10 is even, first down, max of 10 yards. If d10 is odd, first down minus 1 yard, minimum
of 1 yard, max of 10 yards. If inside opponent’s 10-yard line, half (round up) the distance to the goal. 11 10 + d10 yard gain (10-19 yards) 12 10 yards + d10 roll and illegal block in the back (10 yards), offense. Penalty is marked from end of play. 13 10 + d10 yard punt which flies out of bounds 14 15 illegal motion (5 yards), against the offense 16 pass interference (10 yards), against the offense. 17 pass interference, defense. If the offensive rating called on was a “C”, the penalty occurred d10 yards downfield. If it was a “D”, the penalty occurred 20 + d10 yards downfield. If it was an “E”, the penalty occurred 30 + d10 yards downfield. If penalty occurred in the end zone, place the ball at the 1 yard line. Automatic first down in all cases. 18 delay of game (5 yards), offense (this penalty may be negated by calling timeout) 19 holding (10 yards), offense 20 holding (5 yards and automatic 1st down), defense 21 20 + d10 yard gain (20-29 yards) 22 no gain. Player injured (player LOSING matchup is injured) if he is in proximity of player winning matchup. 23 20 + d10 yard punt which flies out of bounds 24 d10 yard gain. Player injured (player LOSING matchup is injured) if he is in proximity of player winning matchup.
25 10 + d10 yard gain. Player injured (player LOSING matchup is injured) if he is in proximity of player winning matchup.
26 incomplete pass. Player injured (player LOSING matchup is injured) if he is in proximity of player winning matchup.
27 20 + d10 yard gain. Player injured (player LOSING matchup is injured) if he is in proximity of player winning matchup.
28 d10 yard gain. Personal foul (15 yards). Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-6 the defense is penalized, on rolls of 7-10 the offense is penalized, and on rolls of 11-12 there are offsetting fouls (the play is nullified and must be replayed).
29 10 + d10 yard gain. Personal foul (15 yards). Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-6 the defense is penalized, on rolls of 7-10 the offense is penalized, and on rolls of 11-12 there are offsetting fouls (the play is nullified and must be replayed).
30 incomplete pass. Personal foul (15 yards). Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-6 the defense is penalized, on rolls of 7-10 the offense is penalized, and on rolls of 11-12 there are off-
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setting fouls (the play is nullified and must be replayed). 31 30 + d10 yards (30-39 yards) 32 30 + d10 yard punt which is very high and might be fair caught 33 30 + d10 yard punt which flies out of bounds 34 blocked pass 35 d10 yards. Grasping face mask penalty (5 yards). Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-8, the defense
is penalized, on rolls of 9-12 the offense is penalized. 36 10 + d10 yards gain, plus grasping face mask penalty (5 yards), defense 37 d10 yards gain, plus twisting face mask penalty (15 yards). Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-8, the
defense is penalized, on rolls of 9-12 the offense is penalized. 38 10 + d10 yard gain, plus twisting face mask penalty (15 yards) on the defense 39 Offsides OR encroachment penalty (5 yards), defense. Roll the d12; on rolls of 1-8 the
defense is offsides, on rolls of 9-12 the defense is called for encroachment. If offsides, the offense runs the play and then has the option of taking the play or the penalty. If encroachment, play is automatically whistled dead before it starts. 40 field goal (or extra point) hits crossbar. 50% chance of being good (roll the d20…1-10 is good, 11-20 is no good) 41 40 + d10 yard gain (40-49 yards) 42 40 + d10 yard punt which is very high and might be fair caught 43 40 + d10 yard punt which flies out of bounds 44 blocked kick. Ball rolls d20 yards behind line of scrimmage. Use fumble recovery system to determine who recovers. Ball may be returned using the same rules as apply to fumbles. 45 quarterback is forced to run on a passing play. Re-roll the two d6, add them together and use the QB’s “B” column to find the result of the play 46 incomplete pass 47 quarterback sack for minus (d10 +1, +2, +3) yards. For example, if the d10 roll was a 6 on a short pass, the sack would go for a 7-yard loss. It would be an 8-yard loss on a medium pass and a 9 yard loss on a long pass. 48 quarterback sack for minus (d10 +1, +2, +3) yards. Possible fumble 49 quarterback sack for minus (d10 +1, +2, +3) yards. Quarterback is injured 50 field goal (or extra point) is good 51 50 + d10 yard gain (50-59 yards) 52 50-59-yard punt which is very high and might be fair caught 53 50-59-yard punt which flies out of bounds 54 No gain. Possible fumble 55 d10 yard gain. Possible fumble 56 10 + d10 yard gain. Possible fumble 57 20 + d10 yard gain. Possible fumble 58 30 + d10 yard gain. Possible fumble 59 40 + d10 yard gain. Possible fumble 60 field goal (or extra point) is no good 61 60 + d10 yard gain (60-69 yards) 62 Possible interception d10 yards behind the line of scrimmage 63 Possible interception d10 yards downfield 64 Possible interception 10 + d10 yards downfield 65 Possible interception 20 + d10 yards downfield 66 Possible interception 30 + d10 yards downfield 67 Possible interception 40 + d10 yards downfield 68 Possible interception 50 + d10 yards downfield 69 incomplete pass. Twisting face mask penalty (15 yards), defense
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70 kickoff out of bounds penalty. Spot the ball 30 yards from the kick 71 70 + d10 yard gain (70-79 yards) 72 Touchback. Mark ball at the 20-yard line. 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Extra point attempt is good, field goal attempt is no good 81 80 + d10 yard gain (80-89 yards) 82 d10 yard loss 83 1-yard loss 84 2-yard loss 85 3-yard loss 86 4-yard loss 87 5-yard loss 88 Weird Play. Re-roll the two d6, add them, and refer to the Weird Play chart 89 TOUCHDOWN!!! 90 d10 yard gain 91 90 + d10 yard gain (90-99 yards) 99 Intentional grounding, offense. Roll a d20. On rolls of 1-10, this is a 10-yard penalty plus
loss of down. On rolls of 11-20, mark the ball that many yards behind the line of scrimmage (spot of foul) with loss of down. If this takes you in to the end zone, the ruling is a safety.
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Acknowledgements
Lombardi Fantasy Football Champion Trophy (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2668459) by jvskill was modified and is licensed under the Creative Commons – Attribution license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Index

ADVANCED RULE ……………………………. 20, 21, 22 Audible
Ad …………………………………………………………..21 Audibles ……………………………………………………..20 Clarifications ……………………………………………… 28 Clock ………………………………………………………….10 Combo Coverage …………………………………………20 d12 …………………………………………………… 8, 23, 27 defensive play cards …………………………………. 8, 27 Defensive Strategies …………………………………….16 Dice
d10 ……………………………………… 8, 10, 11, 14, 20 d20 ……………………………………. 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14 d6 …………………………………………….. 8, 10, 13, 14 double-team …………………………………….. 17, 18, 19 extra points………………………………………………….12 fair catches ………………………………………………….11 Fatigue ……………………………………… 24, 25, 26, 28 fatigue points …………………………………………. 25, 28 field goals ……………………………………………… 11, 12 Fumbles …………………………………………………….23 Game Board …………………………………………………6 hurry up ………………………………………………………10 Interceptions ……………………………………………… 24 key ………………………………………………………. 16, 18 kickoff …………………………………………………… 11, 14 Long Freq……………………………………………………11 Long Frequency …………………………………………..11 Man-to-Man …………………………………………………20 offensive symbols …………………………………………..5

onside ………………………………………………….. 14, 15 platoon sheet………………………………………………. 10 Play Cards ………………………………………………….. 4 Player Ratings …………………………………………. 2, 3 Playing the Game ………………………………………… 9 punt returns …………………………………………… 11, 13 rating block…………………………………………………. 18 Red Zone Defense ………………………………………. 19 Result Codes ……………………………………….. 26, 31 return men………………………………………………….. 16 Return Table ……………………………………. 11, 13, 14 route lines ……………………………………………………. 5 rushing the punter ……………………………………….. 11 Setting up the Game ……………………………………. 8 slow down ………………………………………………….. 10 Solitaire ……………………………………………………… 26 Special Teams ……………………………………………. 10 Spying on the QB ………………………………………. 22 squib ……………………………………………………. 14, 16 stack ……………………………………………………. 17, 18 stacked………………………………………………………. 18 Stop points …………………………………………………. 21 Stop- Action ………………………………………………… 21 substitution …………………………………………………. 10 Timeouts ……………………………………………………. 10 token ………………………………………………… 9, 18, 19 tokens ……………………………………………………… 8, 9 unoccupied zone …………………………………………… 5 Weather ……………………………………………….. 22, 23 zone defense………………………………………………. 20

4th Street Software
805 E Dodge St Unit 2 Luverne, MN 56156 www.4th-street-software.com
4ss@4ss.biz
36

4th Street Football Board Game

References

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