1st & Roll Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Rules for 2, 3 or 4 Players
• Setup
• Notes on the Field
• Summary of Play
• Kickoff
  • Regular Kick
  • Onside Kick
• Plays
  • Breakaway
  • Broken Tackle
  • Long Bomb
  • Punt
• Penalty
• Down Marker Movement
• Passing in the Red Zone
• Scoring
  • Field Goal
  • Touchdown
  • Safety
  • Hail Mary Pass
• Game Clock
  • Running Out the Clock
  • Timeouts
  • End of Half
  • End of Game
  • Overtime

Components

• Board
• Football
• First Down Marker
• Clock Marker
• 6 Magnet Markers
• Coin
• Offensive Dice (positive values): Red Running, Yellow Pass/Run, Green Passing
• Defensive Dice (negative values): Red Running, Yellow Pass/Run, Green Passing
• Specialty Dice: Penalty, Kick, Clock

Rules for 2, 3 or 4 Players

In 2, each player coaches one team, either Home or Away. In 3 or 4, two players can coach a team together. One player chooses and rolls the dice when on Offense and the other player chooses and rolls the dice when on Defense.

Setup

1. Place the Clock Marker on the Clock of the Clock area.
2. Place 2 magnet markers next to each of the Score boards and one on each 3 under Time Outs.
3. Set aside the three offensive dice (positive values) for the offensive player.
4. Set aside the three defensive dice (negative values) for the defense player.
5. Place the Penalty and Kick dice on their space on the field.
6. Flip the coin and have one player call heads or tails. If the player called it correctly, they can decide to start possession in the first half (Offense) or kick the ball away. The player who kicks the ball away will start with possession in the second half.

Notes on the Field

The field is divided into four columns representing the four downs available per 10 yard drive. The first down marker shows the 10 yards needed for a new 1st down.

When starting a drive, the ball will be on a yard line in the leftmost column. The total value of the dice rolled is equal to the yardage on the board. After moving the ball forward (positive total) or backwards (negative total), slide the ball one column to the right to indicate a new down. The second column from the left is 2nd down. The third column from the left is 3rd down, and the final column is 4th down.

Summary of Play

1. Defense kicks the ball to the receiving team, the Offense. Offense rolls all 3 dice (Red, Yellow, Green) to run it out or accepts placement of the ball on the 25 yard line.
2. Both Offense and Defense secretly choose one of their 3 dice (Red / Yellow / Green). Defense adds the Clock die into their hand. Both players now reveal the dice in their hands.
3. If the dice are the same color, all selected dice are rolled. If not, then Offense rolls their die while Defense rolls only the Clock die. Add the numbers together and move ball that yardage. Assess result of Clock die.
4. Offense has 4 attempts (downs) to move 10 yards. If successful, they get 4 more downs, otherwise the ball is turned over to the Defense.
5. Repeat until Punt, Turnover or Score occurs. At that point, players will exchange their sets of dice.

Kickoff

There is a kickoff at the beginning of each half and after each scoring play. The team kicking off decides whether they want a regular or onside kick.

Regular Kick

The receiving team can choose:

• (a) Touchback. Start the ball on their own 25 yd line

OR

• (b) Run the ball out. Roll all three dice and advance the total rolled from their own goal line. If they roll any circled values, they are allowed to keep rolling those dice until they roll an uncircled value. The sum of all dice rolled is used.

Onside Kick

A player may attempt an onside kick instead of a normal kickoff in order to recover the ball for their team. The ball is placed on their 30 yard line and they roll their red and yellow dice and the Clock die. Ignoring breakaways, move the football forward the distance indicated by the dice. If the total of the dice ≥ 10, and the Clock die shows a Turnover, then the onside kick is successful and they retain possession of the ball with a first down where it landed.

Plays

Before each play, both players choose one of their three dice and secretly places it in their hand. The defensive player adds the Clock die into their hand. Both players then open their hands to reveal their dice. NOTE: The defensive player is trying to choose the same color as the offensive player.

Different color: If the offensive player revealed a different color than the defense, the offensive player rolls their die while the defense rolls just the Clock die. Offense advances the ball the number of yards rolled. Adjust the down marker accordingly.

Same color: If the offensive player revealed the same color as the defense, both players roll their dice. The ball is moved forwards or backwards according to the sum of both dice unless the defensive player rolled a Penalty Flag (see Penalty).

CLOCK: The clock marker moves one space forward.

TURNOVER: Roll this die again. If a Clock, move the clock marker one space forward. If Turnover comes up again, there is a turnover. The ball is advanced the result of the dice. Then the defensive player rolls for a return depending on what color die was used by offense on this play as follows:

Die	Result
Red play	No return, Defense recovers where the ball was fumbled.
Yellow play	Defense returns by rolling both Red dice.
Green play	Defense returns by rolling both Yellow dice.

Returns - The defense die will not count for yardage, and is rolled only once to check for a penalty. If a Penalty Flag comes up, move the yardage rolled on the Offense die, then roll O10 and assess the penalty (Ignore O5 and D5 here.). Breakaways apply as usual. Defense now takes possession of the ball.

Breakaway

The highest value on each of the offensive dice is surrounded by a circle. Anytime the offensive player rolls these values, the player has an open lane and continues to run. The offensive player is allowed to roll this die again. They may keep doing so until they roll a non-Breakaway result. Advance the ball the total sum of all values rolled.

Broken Tackle

When the offense chooses the red running die and the defense does not, it's possible for the runner to break one tackle to keep running. If the Square 2 comes up on the first roll (only), a broken tackle occurs. Roll the die once more and add it. A breakaway 5 result on this roll means reroll and add until the die shows a non-breakaway result.

Long Bomb

After a successful GREEN play (the offense plays a green die and the defense does not) the offense may decide to instead throw a long bomb BEFORE rolling their die. To do so, the offense throws the Green die, the Kick die and the yellow die. Subtract the value on the yellow die from the sum of the Green + Kick die (Kick + Green − Yellow). Advance the ball this distance unless a 0 is thrown on either the Green or Yellow die.

Roll	Result
0 on Green OR 0 on Yellow	Incomplete pass. Loss of down.
0 on Green + 0 on Yellow	Interception! Advance the ball the yardage on the Kick die. The defense then returns it by rolling both Green dice. (Breakaways will apply).

Punt

Players may elect to punt the ball away on 4th down. The defense rolls any two of their dice to block the punt. If they roll two penalty flags, the punt is blocked.

Roll the Clock die. If Turnover, then it's a turnover and the Defense may run a Return (below). Otherwise, offense recovers and both roll their Red die. If offense makes a first down, they continue as usual, else defense takes over where the ball ends up.

If not blocked, the offense rolls the Kick die plus any one offense die. Move the ball forward the number of yards rolled, ignoring breakaways. Any punt that goes into the opponent's endzone is ruled a touchback and the ball is placed on their 25 yard line and the defense takes over the ball. Otherwise the defense can:

• (a) Call a fair catch and take the ball where it lands

OR

• (b) Opt to return the ball downfield. To return, the defense rolls both yellow dice together. Ignore negative yardage, but Breakaways and Penalties apply.

Punt Dice	Kick + (Red / Yellow / Green)
Punt Return	Yellow Yellow

If a penalty flag is rolled, roll the O10. Accepted offensive penalties move the ball and cause the 4th down to repeat. Accepted defensive penalties move the ball. Offense will either have a new first down or repeat the 4th down.

Penalty

If the defensive player rolls a Penalty Flag, roll the penalty die and move the ball accordingly:

Penalty	Result
O5	False Start! Move the ball back 5 yards.
O10	Holding! Move the ball back 10 yards.
O15	Personal foul! Move the ball back 15 yds.
D5A	Holding! Advance the ball forward 5 yards and receive automatic first down.
D5	Offsides! Advance the ball 5 yards.
D15	Personal Foul! Advance the ball 15 yards.

If Penalty is accepted then ignore Play dice results. Assess the penalty yardage. Do not move the Down Marker and instead, repeat the down.

If Penalty is declined then move ball per Play dice results.

Note: If a penalty on the Defense would cause the ball to cross the goal line, then the penalty yardage is changed to move the ball half the distance to the goal line. If the O10 penalty occurs and the ball would cross the goal line into the end zone, then the Defense team scores a safety.

Special: Ignore O5 and D5 (False Start and Offsides) penalties on any Return.

Down Marker Movement

After each play the first down marker is moved. If the offense has not made a first down by moving forward at least ten yards, the down marker is moved one column forward. If the offense makes a first down, the down marker is moved back to column 1. If the offense runs a play on 4th down and does not make it, there is an immediate turnover on downs. Move the first down marker to reflect the new direction of the ball.

Passing in the Red Zone

If Offense uses the Green (passing die), if the total yardage rolled exceeds the goal line by more than 2 yards, then it's an automatic incomplete pass. Offense loses a down.

Scoring

Field Goal

A player who wishes to attempt a field goal does so by rolling the Kick die. If the current yard line is equal to or lower than the value rolled, the field goal is good. The offense scores 3 points.

However, field goal attempts on or inside the 20 (the Red Zone) are not automatically good. If the offense rolls a '20' they must roll again. If they roll a '20' again, the field goal is no good.

Defense can block a FG attempt by first rolling two dice and getting both penalty flags.

If the FG is no good or blocked, the ball immediately turns over where it was to the defense. Switch dice and adjust the first down marker to the new direction.

Touchdown

If the offense moves the ball onto or past the goal line, they score 6 points. They may now attempt to kick an extra point (PAT), or go for a two point conversion.

• PAT: Roll the Clock die + Kick die (Clock + Kick). If the result is T and 20, the PAT is no good. Otherwise, the PAT is good.
• 2 Point Conversion: Choose to run a play from the 2 yard line. The defense chooses a die to roll as usual but does not roll the Clock die. If you gain 2+ yards, the 2 point conversion is good.

Safety

If the ball crosses into the Offense's endzone, the Defense scores 2 points. The Offense then turns the ball over to the Defense by kicking a punt from their 20 yard line.

Hail Mary Pass

The Offensive player may attempt a Hail Mary pass as the absolute last play of the half. First they must be on or past their 35 yard line. The clock marker must be on the 2:00 space and they must have no timeouts left. Roll the yellow and green dice. If both come up with a Breakaway (10 + 15), it's successful; score a touchdown!

Game Clock

Running Out the Clock

The Offensive player can run out the clock when playing a Running play. Whenever they successfully complete a Running play (i.e. rolling the Red offense die and no Red defense die), they may advance the clock marker one space as long as the clock is NOT on the two minute space (2:00).

Timeouts

At any time the clock marker is going to move forward, either player can spend a Timeout to stop the clock. This prevents the marker from moving forward to the next space. Move the magnet marker to the next number to show how many Timeouts that player has left. When the marker is on zero, that player can no longer stop the movement of the clock.

End of Half

The half ends immediately when the clock marker reaches the last space on the clock. The player who started the first half with possession now decides if they will do a regular kick or an onside kick. Reset the timeouts back to three for each player and move the Clock marker back to 30. Now start the 2nd half.

End of Game

The game ends immediately when the clock marker reaches the last space on the clock during the second half. The player with the most points wins.

Overtime

If there is a tie, players may choose to continue the game by playing overtime. Randomly choose a player to receive/kick just like at the start of the game. Play proceeds as normal. First team to score wins.