Counter Attack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What's Inside the Box?
• Length of a Game
• The Aim of the Game
• Getting Started
  • Your Squad
  • Picking Your Team
  • Utilising Player Skills
  • The Zone of Influence
  • The Pitch
  • The Distance Stick
• Core Rules
  • If You Are New to the Game...
  • Kick Off!
  • Movement Phase
  • Passing
  • Shooting
  • Loose Ball
  • The Goalkeeper
  • Heading
  • Tackling & Dribbling
  • Foul!
  • Set Pieces
  • The Referee's Decision Is Final!
  • A Step-by-Step Guide
• Advanced Rules
  • Corner Kicks (Advanced)
  • First-Time Pass
  • Long Passes (Advanced)
  • Difficult Shooting Angles
  • Inaccurate Shooting
  • Goalkeeper's Saving Ability (Advanced)
  • Goalkeeper's Snapshot Penalty
  • Reckless Tackle
  • Tackles From Behind
  • Heading Back to the Goalkeeper
  • Controlling a High Pass
  • Nutmeg a Defender
• Extra Time
  • Setting Up a League
  • Quick Fire Rounds
• Expansion Packs
• Around the World
• A Word from the Creator

What's Inside the Box?

• 1 pitch
• 46 player cards
• 4 referee cards
• 22 footballers
• 2 footballs
• 2 distance sticks
• 4 yellow cards
• 4 red cards
• 4 injury tokens
• 2 hexagonal dice
• 2 sand timers
• Rules of Play
• 2 Quick Play Guides

90 mins, 2 players, age 10+

For how-to-play guides, rulebook translations, and to purchase extension packs, please visit counterattackgame.com.

Length of a Game

Set up time is approximately 10 minutes. To play the game to its full potential, go for 2 halves of 45 minutes — just as you'd expect!

The Aim of the Game

There's just one thing you need to do to win — score more goals than your opponent. And, just like in real life, if you end on a tie you can play extra time or settle the game with a penalty shootout.

Getting Started

In this section we are going to introduce you to the components of the game including the pitch and the players.

Your Squad

A good football manager needs a grasp of tactics and strategy, a dash of luck and a squad of quality players! Every player card carries a unique set of attributes. In many game situations, you will add a dice roll to your player's attribute to create a combined score.

Outfielders

• Pace — Determines how many hexes the player can move in a Movement Phase.
• Dribbling & Tackling — When an opponent attempts a tackle, your combined dribbling score is used against your opponent's combined tackling score.
• Heading — Used in a duel when competing for a header, or against a goalkeeper's combined saving score if making a headed attempt at goal.
• High Pass — You need a combined score (attribute + dice roll) of 8+ to make a successful high pass and 9+ to make a long pass.
• Resilience — When your player is fouled, roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or higher than your player's resilience attribute then your player is injured and their pace is reduced by 2.
• Shooting — If your combined score is higher than the goalkeeper's combined saving score then you have scored a goal!

Goalkeepers

• Aerial ability — Used in a duel when competing for a high ball. If your opponent wins the duel, they score a goal!
• Saving — See Shooting for Outfielders.
• Handling — If a goalkeeper saves a shot, roll a dice. If the roll is equal to or higher than the handling score, you have conceded a corner kick. Any other score means you have caught the ball.
• All other skills — See Outfielder card.

Referees

• Leniency — This rating determines whether or not your player will be booked following a foul. Following a foul, roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or higher than the Leniency value shown on the card, the player receives a yellow card! There are some situations where you could be shown a straight red card. Check out the Fouls page to learn more.

Picking Your Team

A team squad is made up of 16 players; 1 goalkeeper, 10 outfielders and 5 substitutes. Here's how to draft squads at the start of the game.

Goalkeepers. Place the goalkeeper cards face down and pick 1 goalkeeper each.

Outfield Players. Shuffle the cards and place 4 of them face up. You choose 1 of these cards, your opponent chooses next. You then pick 1 of the remaining cards and your opponent takes the final card. Repeat this process with the rest of the player cards, taking turns with who picks first. Keep going until you both have 15 outfield players.

Now it's time to decide which 11 players will make up your starting team, and which will be your 5 substitutes. Allocate a squad number 1-11 to each starting player and place them in their corresponding spaces at the sides of the pitch.

Referee. Place the referee cards face down and pick 1 at random. Place the referee card face up at the side of the pitch.

Place your players at the edge of the pitch. During a Movement Phase, keep track of which players you have moved by sliding them up. Reset them at the end of the Movement Phase.

Utilising Player Skills

Where should you position players on the pitch to make the most of their abilities? That's entirely up to you! A few examples from the box:

• Ruiz (Argentina). With great dribbling skills yet terrible tackling, Ruiz is clearly an attacking player. But poor heading and shooting might mean Ruiz is best played on the wing. With a pace of 6, Ruiz can be devastating on the counter attack...
• Delgado (Spain). Delgado is an all-rounder: not great at any one job, but generally good at everything. Delgado's high dribbling ability means you can leave this player in possession of the ball and be confident of beating most tackles. The all-round ability coupled with pace means Delgado would be a great midfielder, but you could also consider fullback.
• Longo (Italy). Going by the tackling and heading attributes, Longo is a classic defender. Not many players will dribble past Longo, but be wary of the lack of pace. You might need to defend deep with this Italian in your team.

The Zone of Influence

Every player in Counter Attack can affect what happens in the space surrounding them. This area is called the Zone of Influence.

Your player's own hex

• No player can move through or finish a move in this hex.
• A standard pass is intercepted if it travels through this hex.
• If a shot travels through this hex, roll a 5 or 6 to make a deflection.

The 6 surrounding hexes

• If an attacker dribbles into this hex, roll a 6 to steal the ball.
• If a pass travels through this hex, roll a 6 to make an interception.
• If a header is attempted in this hex, your player can attempt to win the duel.
• If a shot travels through this hex, roll a 6 to make a deflection.

2 hexes away

• If a header is attempted in this space, your player can attempt to win the duel but with a -1 dice penalty.

The Pitch

The pitch is made up of hundreds of hexes. During the game you'll move your players from hex to hex as you pass, shoot and score!

The final third. If the ball is in one final third and any action has come to an end, all players in the opposite final third get a free move of 6 hexes each. Attacking team moves first.

The Distance Stick

The distance stick shows you how far you can pass, head and shoot. Hold the stick directly over the player who has the ball. It is also used to judge whether or not any pass you want to make can be intercepted, or whether your shot can be deflected. Refer to the passing and deflection rules to learn more! The stick carries markers for a Standard Pass, First-time Pass, High Pass, Header and Shot.

Example: Red 11 has the ball and wants to make a standard pass to Red 7. The distance stick tells us that a standard pass is possible. We also learn that the path of the ball does not travel through a White player or within any White player's Zone of Influence, so the pass cannot be intercepted.

Core Rules

Football is a simple game, and so is Counter Attack. Read through this section to find out how to pass, dribble, shoot and score!

If You Are New to the Game...

• Keep the quick play guide close to hand
• Master the movement phase (over the page)
• Keep the sand timer for the second half
• Stick to the core rules – keep the advanced rules for your next game
• Don't use high pass or long pass yet
• Do use every other rule!

Kick Off!

Before the game starts, line up your players in your own half, each player in a separate hex. You can put your players wherever you like. If you want ideas for good formations, check the back of the game board!

Now, toss a coin to decide which team takes kick off. The winning manager places one player on the centre spot. Place the ball on top of that player. The attacking team can have multiple players in the centre circle; the defending team must have none.

Before the attacking team starts the game, both managers can quickly readjust their formations. Once that is done, the game starts with the attacking team playing a standard pass to any position on the pitch.

Movement Phase

A Movement Phase represents a split second on the football pitch. The attacking manager can start a Movement Phase after every action except a high pass. One Movement Phase can follow another if the attacking manager wishes.

Each player's Pace attribute determines how far they can travel in a Movement Phase e.g. a player with pace of 6 can move up to a total of 6 hexes during a Movement Phase. Players cannot move through teammates or opposition players.

During a Movement Phase, follow the 4-5-2 sequence:

• Step 1 — Attacking manager moves 4 players
• Step 2 — Defending manager moves 5 players
• Step 3 — Attacking manager moves 2 new players, up to a maximum of 2 hexes each

During the Movement Phase, if the player in possession of the ball moves the ball within 1 hex of an opponent, the defender can steal the ball if they roll a 6. If the defender fails, the attacker can continue moving through the defender's Zone of Influence, but no more 'steal' attempts are made by that defender.

Are you battling a timewaster? Speed up the game by using the sand timer. If your opponent does not move their players before 60 seconds is up, their turn will come to an end!

Example: Red 9 has possession of the ball. The Red team moves first. Players 9, 11, 10 and 7 are all moved according to their Pace attribute. The White team then moves players 8, 4, 5, 6 and 3. In doing so, Red 10 and 7 are now in offside positions. No player was close enough to make a tackle on Red 9. Now the attacking team moves 2 more players up to 2 hexes each. The players who move in this moment cannot have previously moved.

Actions during the Movement Phase

• You cannot make a pass until the Movement Phase has ended. However, you can take a snapshot during a Movement Phase if your player runs with the ball into the box.
• If a defender moves a player within 1 hex of the ball, a tackle can be attempted. Pause the sand timer while making the tackle.
• If a player is successfully tackled during the Movement Phase, possession of the ball changes hands and the current Movement Phase immediately comes to an end.

Passing

There are 3 types of pass in the Core Rules. The markers on the distance stick show you how far each pass can travel. Hold the stick over the player in possession of the ball and point it in the direction you'd like to pass.

Standard Pass. A standard pass travels along the ground. The ball cannot travel through an opponent (see Zone of Influence) but you can pass through your teammate. If the path of the ball comes within 1 hex of a defender, that player can roll a 6 to intercept.

High Pass. Use the distance stick to work out where you want to pass to. If your opponent is within 1 hex of the player making the pass and directly in the path of the high pass, the pass cannot be made. Place the ball where you want it to go.

Next, each team may move 1 player up to 3 hexes as the ball travels. If the high pass is played into the penalty box, the goalkeeper also gets to move 1 hex. The ball must always be aimed to land on the head of one of your players.

Roll a dice and add the roll to your player's High Pass attribute. A combined score of 8+ is necessary for an accurate high pass.

• If the high pass is accurate, all players within 2 hexes can challenge for the header.
• If the high pass is inaccurate, follow the Loose Ball instructions.

A header must follow a high pass. See Heading to learn more.

Example: The Red player has the ball. The position of White 4 blocks some possible High Pass and Long Pass options. Red 8 wants to cross the ball into the box for Red 9. Red 9 moves 3 hexes after the high pass has been made. White 4 also moves 3 hexes. White 4 cannot quite reach Red 9 but can still challenge for a header with a -1 dice penalty. Red 8 rolls the dice and combines the dice roll with the High Pass attribute. A score of 8+ is accurate. Red 9 and White 4 now challenge for the header.

Long Pass. A long pass can travel to any position on the pitch which means there is no need for the distance stick. There are some limitations, however!

You cannot:

• Play a long pass from one final third to the other.
• Make the pass if there is an opponent in any hex next to yours that will block the route of the ball.

The ball:

• Must not be aimed to land within 5 hexes of any of your teammates.
• Must not be aimed to land in any hex right next to an opponent.

You must check for accuracy when you play a long ball. A combined score (dice + High Pass attribute) of 9 is needed for the long pass to be accurate. If the pass is inaccurate, follow the Loose Ball instructions.

After a long pass has been made, the defending manager gets to move their goalkeeper according to the goalkeeper's pace. Play then resumes with a Movement Phase, with the attacking team moving first.

Shooting

You'll be using the distance stick to judge if you can shoot. All shots are deemed to be accurate, but defenders can block the ball (see Loose Ball).

Shooting is a duel between the player taking the shot and the goalkeeper:

• Shots from outside the penalty area receive a -1 dice penalty.
• Snapshots receive a -1 dice penalty.
• If the shot is taken from outside the penalty box, the goalkeeper gets to move 1 hex before attempting a save.

Remember...

• The maximum dice penalty is -2.
• In the event of a tie, follow the Loose Ball instructions.
• If the attacker's score is higher, a goal has been scored!

If the keeper's score is higher, roll a dice:

• If you roll equal to or higher than the goalkeeper's Handling attribute, you concede a corner kick.
• If you roll lower than the Handling attribute, you catch the ball.

If the ball is caught, possession changes hands to the goalkeeper's team.

Read The Goalkeeper to discover what you can do once you have held a shot.

Example: The goalkeeper saved a shot and then rolled to check if the ball had been caught. A dice roll of 1 is lower than the goalkeeper's Handling attribute, so the ball has been caught!

Snapshots

A snapshot sacrifices accuracy for the element of surprise. Take one:

• During a Movement Phase if a player has the ball in the penalty area.
• Immediately following a pass, whether inside or outside the penalty area.

All the same rules of shooting apply, but the player's Shooting attribute receives a -1 dice penalty. Just before the snapshot is taken, 1 opponent is allowed to move any player 2 hexes in an attempt to deflect the shot (see Loose Ball). This can include the goalkeeper.

Example: Red 9 runs into the box with the ball, avoiding the defender's Zone of Influence. Because Red 9 is in the box, the player can take a snapshot. The White team gets to move 1 player 2 hexes before the snapshot to try and deflect the shot. The goalkeeper also gets a free move of 1 because the ball entered the box.

Loose Ball

The Loose Ball instructions determine where the ball ends up whenever:

• a defender successfully deflects a shot
• a high pass or long pass is inaccurate
• a tackle, a header or a shot ends in a tie

Refer to the numbers 1-6 printed on the pitch. This helps you determine where the ball will break. The ball deflects from the centre of the incident (i.e. where the ball was supposed to travel, or from the defender who challenged for a tackle or header).

Roll a dice to determine the direction the ball will break. If you roll a 3, the ball will break in the direction of the 3, and so on.

To determine the distance the ball will break, roll a dice again. The dice roll will tell you how many hexes the ball will travel. Start counting from the source of the loose ball.

• If the ball hits a player while it is travelling, that player's team is now in possession. Resume play as if you had won a tackle.
• If the ball does not hit any player while travelling, continue the Movement Phase or, if you were not in a Movement Phase, begin one with the attacking team moving first.

Goals can be scored from loose balls! If the ball passes within 1 hex of the goalkeeper, the goalkeeper needs to roll a 5 or a 6 to save it! If the ball passes more than 1 hex from the goalkeeper, it cannot be saved.

How to deflect shots. If the shot travels through a defender, roll a 5 or 6 to deflect. If it passes within 1 hex, roll a 6 to deflect.

Example: Red 7 attempts a high pass to Red 10 (the solid line). The pass is inaccurate, so to determine where the ball goes, you roll the dice once for direction and once for distance. You roll a 5 for direction and a 5 for distance. Because the ball hits a player before it travels 5 hexes, that player's team takes possession of the ball. White 2 controls the ball and play continues with a Movement Phase, a pass or shot (if close enough to goal).

Example: Red 9 shoots at goal and the goalkeeper's combined saving is equal to the attacker's combined shooting. You roll a 1 for direction and a 4 for distance. The ball breaks across the penalty area. The Red team has not finished their Movement Phase, so Red 10 could reach the ball and shoot.

The Goalkeeper

Just like any other player, your goalkeeper can be moved in a Movement Phase. Your goalkeeper can also be moved 1 hex whenever the ball comes into the box.

Positioning to make a save. You can dive 3 hexes in either direction parallel to the goal line when attempting a save. If a shot is 4 or more hexes away, you can't save it!

Example: Red 9 shoots at goal. The goalkeeper can only dive 3 hexes parallel to the goal line so it's a goal!

After making a save and holding the ball, the goalkeeper has two choices:

• Kick the ball. Before this kick is taken, any players who are in either final third get to move up to 6 hexes each. The goalkeeper's team moves first.
• Take a quick throw. No players get to move first. The throw can travel the distance of a standard pass and cannot be intercepted by an opponent.

If you choose to kick the ball, judge the accuracy of the kick using the goalkeeper's High Pass attribute (a combined score of 8+ is required). The ball can be kicked to any position on the pitch except for those in the opposite final third. If the pass is inaccurate, follow the Loose Ball instructions.

Both teams get to move one player up to 3 hexes while the ball is travelling in the air. If a defender is within distance to challenge for a header (i.e. within 2 hexes), then play resumes with a header. If no defender is close enough to challenge for a header, the attacking player can continue play with a header or a Movement Phase.

Competing for a high cross. If your opponent crosses the ball into the box, you can challenge to catch the ball. If the ball is aimed within one hex of you, then have a duel with your opponent (see Heading).

If the cross ball is aimed 2 hexes away from you, your combined score suffers a -1 dice penalty. If the attacker wins the duel, a goal is scored! If you win the duel, play resumes as if you caught a shot (see After making a save).

Intercepting a pass. If the path of a pass travels directly through you, then you will automatically intercept the pass. If the path of the ball takes it within one hex of you, roll a 5 or a 6 to make an interception.

Diving at the feet of an attacker. If an attacker attempts to dribble the ball around you, you can try to dive at their feet. You can dive 3 hexes in either direction, parallel to the goal line. To try this, you and your opponent roll the dice. Add your Saving attribute to the dice roll and compare that to the attacker's Dribbling attribute plus dice roll.

You can also dive at the attacker's feet during a Movement Phase if you move to an adjacent hex. However, if you roll a 1 in either situation, a foul has been committed!

Heading

A header must follow a high pass. There are no limits to the number of players from either team who can challenge for a header. Whether a player can challenge for the header or not depends on how close they are to the target.

• Players within 1 hex can challenge for the header.
• Players within 2 hexes can challenge for the header but will suffer a -1 dice penalty.

Use the distance stick to judge how far the header can travel.

Goalkeepers can also challenge to catch a high pass if they are close enough, using their Aerial Ability. If the goalkeeper loses that duel, the attacker scores a goal!

In all instances, follow the Loose Ball instructions if there is a tie.

Headed Attempts at Goal. Headed attempts at goal cannot be blocked or intercepted by defenders. If the attacker has won a duel with a defender, the goalkeeper now rolls to attempt a save. The attacker does not re-roll.

Headed Passes. Headed passes cannot be intercepted and there cannot be 2 consecutive headed passes.

If the defender wins the headed duel, the ball has to be headed away. Use the distance stick to judge how far it can travel. No interceptions are possible. The team that headed the ball is now the attacking team.

You cannot head the ball back to your goalkeeper at a corner kick.

Following a Header. The players who challenged for the header cannot participate in the subsequent Movement Phase.

Example: A successful high pass has been made to Red 9. White 4 can challenge for the header. White 5 and Red 10 can also challenge for the header, but they each suffer a -1 dice penalty because they are two hexes away. White 2 is too far away so cannot challenge for the header. If the attacking (Red) player wins the headed duel, the goalkeeper rolls the dice and combines the dice score with the goalkeeper's Saving attribute. The attacker does not re-roll. If the attacker's combined score is higher than the goalkeeper's, a goal has been scored!

Tackling & Dribbling

Tackling is a duel between the defender and the attacker. A tackle can be attempted if a defender moves within 1 hex of the player with the ball during a Movement Phase.

• In the event of a tie, follow the Loose Ball instructions.
• If the defender rolls a 1, the attacker can play on or claim a foul.

If the attacker's score is higher, the tackle was unsuccessful. The attacking player may now be repositioned in any hex surrounding the defender.

Multiple defenders can attempt a tackle in any one Movement Phase.

If the defender's score is higher, the tackle was successful and ball possession changes. The defender's manager may reposition their player into any hex surrounding the player they just tackled. The Movement Phase comes to an end and play resumes.

You don't have to make a tackle - just get into your opponent's face! If the attacker then runs into your zone of influence roll a 6 to steal the ball. That defender only gets 1 chance to steal the ball during any single Movement Phase. As with a regular tackle, a roll of 1 is a foul!

Foul!

If your opponent rolls a 1 when making a tackle or a steal then a foul has been committed. Roll the dice to check for an injury (see below). You now have two choices: take the free kick/penalty or continue play.

Even if you choose to continue play, you still have to roll the dice to determine whether your player has been injured, and your opponent still has to roll the dice to check if the defender is booked. If you decide to stop play for a free kick/penalty, refer to Set Pieces.

To check for an injury. Roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or higher than your player's Resilience attribute then they are injured. Place an injury token on that player's card.

An injured player's Pace is reduced by 2 for the remainder of the match. You can always substitute the player if you wish when play stops.

To check for a booking. Roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or higher than the referee's Leniency attribute, the player who made the foul receives a yellow card! Any player who receives a second yellow card is then shown a red card and has to leave the pitch immediately. Play must stop for a free kick or penalty if a player receives a red card.

Professional Fouls. If your opponent has fouled you and stopped a clear goalscoring opportunity, then they could be shown a straight red card!

A clear goalscoring opportunity is one where no other defender can catch the attacker in the Movement Phase before an attacker can get a shot at goal.

Roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or higher than the referee's Leniency attribute, then your player receives a straight red card. Otherwise your player receives a yellow card.

Set Pieces

Whenever a set piece is awarded, both teams are immediately allowed to pick up and reposition their goalkeeper.

Corner Kick. If a corner kick has been awarded, select a player to take the kick. Position that player in the corner arc with the ball. Each manager is now allowed to pick up and reposition 6 players. Take turns moving 2 players each, attacking manager goes first.

Play continues with a high pass or a low pass. A high pass can be made to any position within the penalty area because there are no distance restrictions. Corner kicks are always accurate. Following a high pass, a header must be attempted.

If you prefer to play a low pass, the ball can only travel the distance of a first-time pass.

Example: It's a corner kick to the Red team. The Red team selects a player to take the kick and then the managers take turns to reposition 6 players each. In this example, all Red players are closely marked inside the area, other than Red 9. Should a high pass be made to Red 9, White 2 would have a -1 dice penalty when challenging for the ball.

NB If the ball is played to Red 4, both White 5 and White 4 can challenge for the header. White 4 would have a -1 dice penalty because this player is 2 hexes away.

If you are taking the corner, don't forget about your defence!

Throw-In. A throw-in can be awarded after an inaccurate high or long pass or a loose ball. The attacking team selects one player on the pitch to take the throw-in and then a Movement Phase is completed before play resumes with the throw. If the attacking manager wishes, you can choose to run through a second Movement Phase before taking the throw. The ball can be thrown the same distance as a header can travel.

Free Kick or Penalty? If a foul is committed in a hex that is both inside and outside the penalty area, the foul is always considered to have taken place within the penalty area.

Penalty. If a foul has been committed within the penalty area, the attacking manager can choose to play on or take a penalty kick. With a penalty, both teams pick up and reposition all of their players. Only 2 players (the penalty kick taker and the defending goalkeeper) may be inside the penalty area.

A penalty is a duel between the attacker and the goalkeeper: the keeper has a -2 dice penalty when attempting a save. If it's a tie, follow the Loose Ball rules.

Free Kick. Select the player you want to take the kick and position them and the ball where the foul was committed. Any opponents within 2 hexes of the ball must be moved 2 hexes away from the ball.

You and your opponent may now reposition players like so:

• Attacking team picks up and places 2 players.
• Defending team picks up and places 2 players.
• Attacking team picks up and places 2 players.
• Defending team picks up and places 2 players.
• Attacking team picks up and places 3 players.
• Defending team picks up and places 2 players.

In total, the defending manager moves 6 players and the attacking manager moves 7. Individual players can be moved more than once in the above sequence.

You can now choose to pass or shoot. If you choose to shoot (use the distance stick to judge if a shot is possible), then combine your player's Shooting attribute with a dice roll to determine the success of the shot:

• If your combined score is 9 or higher, the shot is on target. No defender can block this shot. The goalkeeper attempts to make a save (see Shooting).
• If your combined score is lower than 9, any defenders in the way can attempt a block (see Loose Ball).

Remember... if your combined score is lower than 9, you can still score! ...and don't forget that a shot from outside the box still has a -1 dice penalty.

Offside. If an attacker is caught offside, play resumes with a free kick to the opposition team from the location of the offside player.

Substitutions. A manager can make a substitution at any set piece. The substitute takes the player number of the one who has left the pitch.

The Referee's Decision Is Final!

If you and your opponent can't agree on whether or not a pass has been intercepted, a professional foul has been committed, or anything else for that matter, turn to the referee to make the decision.

When you and your opponent disagree, look at the referee card and let the attacking manager roll the dice.

• If the dice roll is equal to or higher than the referee's Leniency attribute, then the referee has ruled in favour of the attacking manager.
• If the dice roll is lower than the referee's Leniency attribute, then the referee has ruled in favour of the defending manager.

Example: In this example, the 2 managers could not agree over a decision so they asked the referee. They rolled a five which is higher than the referee's Leniency attribute, so the decision goes to the attacking team.

A Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to play Counter Attack with this step-by-step guide to most of the moves in the game!

1. The teams are lined up and the Whites kick off with a pass to White 5. The standard pass is measured with the distance stick.
2. Whites call a Movement Phase. Whites move 4 players according to their pace. Reds move 5 according to their pace and then the Whites move 2 players up to 2 hexes each. The Phase is over and the Whites have to choose what to do next.
3. Whites play a pass into space. The ball doesn't come near any defender's Zone of Influence so it cannot be intercepted.
4. Whites call another Movement Phase and White 11 (Ruiz) collects the ball. In the Red's Movement Phase, Red 7 (Willems) comes within 1 hex of Ruiz and calls a tackle. If you are playing the Advanced Rules this would be considered a tackle from behind. Both players roll a 3, so Ruiz wins the challenge (Dribbling + dice vs Tackling + dice). Ruiz can move to any hex surrounding Willems but opts to stay in this hex. The Movement Phase continues and more Reds may attempt a tackle if they get close enough.
5. Whites cross the ball into the box. The high pass is measured with the distance stick. Before the pass is made, both teams move 1 player up to 3 hexes. A high pass has to be played to a teammate's head. Now check for the accuracy of the high pass. Ruiz rolls a 5. High Pass attribute + dice must be 8+ so this pass is accurate. Now the players will challenge for a header. Because the ball entered the box, the goalkeeper can move 1 hex.
6. White 10 (Walton) and Red 6 (Attah) challenge for the ball. Red 3 could also challenge but chooses not to. The duel ends in a tie as they both have a combined score of 6.
7. The Defending team rolls for the loose ball outcome. A 5 is rolled for direction and a 4 for distance. Players refer to the loose ball diagram on the pitch to determine where the ball breaks. The ball doesn't hit any player so the attacking team has to start a Movement Phase. White 10 and Red 6 cannot move in this Phase because they have just challenged for a header.
8. White 8 collects the ball and runs towards goal. White 8 runs through Red 4's Zone of Influence so Red 4 rolls to see if the ball is stolen. A roll of 6 is a steal while a roll of 1 is a foul. By rolling a 4, nothing happens here. Whites have moved 4 players, now the Reds continue the Movement Phase.
9. Red 4 (Werdekker) moves to the front of White 8 (Delgado) and attempts a tackle. The tackle fails (9 vs 10) so Delgado moves around Werdekker into any vacant space. No other Red player can get close to Delgado in this Phase. This looks dangerous for the Reds!
10. Delgado takes aim and shoots! Goalkeeper Nkosi is equal to the shot though - it's a tie and that means another roll for a loose ball.
11. The Defending team rolls for the loose ball again and they are desperately unlucky to roll a 3 and 6 as the ball breaks into the goal! 1-0 to the Whites!! (incidentally, a distance roll of 1 would not have resulted in a goal because the whole of the ball needs to cross the line)

Play restarts with kick off and the Reds in possession. Do they have what it takes to grab an equaliser?

Advanced Rules

You've mastered the basics... now it's time to level up! These advanced rules have been designed to add even more depth to Counter Attack. Give them a try!

Corner Kicks (Advanced)

Two additions to corner kicks with the Advanced Rules:

• Test for accuracy when you take a corner kick. Follow the accuracy rules for a High Pass.
• Just before the kick is taken and before the attacker declares where the ball will go, both teams get to move 1 player up to 3 hexes. Attacking manager moves first.

First-Time Pass

A first-time pass can only be made after a standard pass. First-time passes are short. They can be used to catch out a tight defence, but be aware that a defender can make a move to intercept the pass.

Decide where the ball will go to and then each team moves 1 player 1 hex as the ball travels. Attacking player moves first.

• If the defender moves into the path of the ball, roll a 5 or 6 to intercept.
• If the defender comes within 1 hex of the ball, roll a 6 to intercept.

The recipient of the pass has to be different from taker.

Long Passes (Advanced)

In the Core Rules, long passes cannot be made from one final third to the other. In the Advanced Rules, this is allowed but a combined accuracy score of 10+ is necessary.

Difficult Shooting Angles

Certain positions on the pitch within shooting range are difficult to score from due to the angle. Shooting from hexes marked with a small circle is possible but your shooting suffers a -1 dice penalty.

Inaccurate Shooting

If you roll a 1 your shot or header is automatically off-target. However, a shot can still be deflected by any opponents in the path of the ball. If there are no deflections then continue play with a goal kick. Both teams move their players as they would if the goalkeeper had caught the ball. An off-target header cannot be intercepted; the ball automatically goes out for a goal kick.

Goalkeeper's Saving Ability (Advanced)

In the Core Rules, your goalkeeper can dive 3 hexes parallel to the goal line. The same is true with the Advanced Rules, but there's a twist: if the goalkeeper attempts a save in the furthest away hex (the third hex), the goalkeeper's Saving attribute suffers a -1 dice penalty.

Example: Red 7 has aimed a shot at the corner of the goal. The goalkeeper can reach it but it is 3 hexes away, so the goalkeeper suffers a -1 dice penalty.

Goalkeeper's Snapshot Penalty

When an attacker calls a snapshot and you choose your goalkeeper as the one to move two hexes, your saving ability suffers a -1 dice penalty on the second hex away and a further -1 dice penalty on the third hex away.

Reckless Tackle

Sometimes you just want to foul your opponent! If you want to try this, you must say 'RECKLESS TACKLE' before rolling the dice. In this scenario, only the defender rolls the dice.

• If you roll a 1 or 2, the reckless foul fails and the attacker avoids your challenge. Play continues, but your defender is given a yellow card for attempting a reckless tackle.
• If you roll a 3 or higher, the attacker is cynically fouled. Play stops for a free kick or penalty. Run a leniency check with the referee. If you pass you will be shown a yellow card. If you fail you will be given a red card.

You can make a reckless tackle on any player on the field - they do not have to be in possession of the ball!

Tackles From Behind

If a defender attempts a tackle from behind, a dice roll of 1 or 2 is considered to be a foul. Assume the attacking player is facing the centre of the opponent's goal. There are 2 hexes that are considered "behind".

A tackle from behind is considered dangerous so the player who makes it runs the risk of receiving a straight red card! If the foul has been committed, run a leniency check with the referee.

• If you pass you will be shown a yellow card.
• If you fail you will be given a red card.

Heading Back to the Goalkeeper

Heading the ball back to the goalkeeper can be a risky move... If you choose to do this, roll a dice. If you roll a 1, the ball flies past your goalkeeper and into your net - it's an own goal!

Controlling a High Pass

In the Advanced Rules you do not always have to head the ball after a high pass - you can control the ball instead, but only if no defender is close enough to challenge you. To do this takes some skill: you will need a combined score (Dribbling + a dice roll) of 9+.

• If you are successful, continue play as if you had just won a tackle.
• If you are unsuccessful, follow the Loose Ball instructions.

Nutmeg a Defender

When you have the ball and want to take on a defender you can attempt to nutmeg them. This is a difficult move to execute but it's worth it if you manage it!

Here's how it's done:

• Approach a defender during a movement phase.
• Make sure you have enough pace to travel through the defender.
• You and the defender run through the usual test for a tackle.
• The defender's tackling attribute is increased by 1 in this challenge.

What happens if the nutmeg is successful:

• The attacker moves to any hex on the other side of the defender.
• The defender is stunned and cannot move during the Movement Phase.

What happens if the nutmeg is unsuccessful:

• The defender wins the tackle and play continues in the usual manner.

If it's a tie, refer to the Loose Ball instructions.

Example: Your Red 11 (with Pace of 5) wants to run towards goal but White 8 is in the way. You decide to try to nutmeg White 8. The duel was a success! Your player continues towards the goal and now White 8 cannot move in the defending team's Movement Phase.

Extra Time

If you'd like to set up a Counter Attack tournament, this section will give you a few tips. Counter Attack can also be played in quick fire rounds. Read on to find out how!

Setting Up a League

So you think you're the master of tactics? Here are a few ideas to help you set up a league with your friends.

Squads. Have each manager draft a unique squad of 20 players. Stick to that squad for every game. If you and your friends need more players, go to counterattackgame.com for expansion packs and download options.

Carry player injuries from one match to the next. For every player who picks up an injury, roll a dice. A roll of 1 – 4 means that player will miss the corresponding number of matches. Roll a 5 or 6 and your player has made a quick recovery and is match fit again!

Similarly, yellow and red cards carry over. A player who has received 3 yellow cards automatically misses the next match. A player who received a red card in the previous match automatically misses the next match.

Transfer Market. Make unused players available in a transfer market that every manager can participate in. Set values for these players and allow managers to "buy" currency based on points won in the league.

Structure. Agree on a workable structure for your league or tournament. Will you play each team twice, home and away? Are you playing the competition over 6 months, or is this a 48-hour marathon?

Home & Away Games. Simulate 'home advantage' by boosting the abilities of the home team players. Give the home manager 6 temporary bonus points to be 'spent' on boosting the attributes of players in their squad. Be sure not to make any attribute higher than 6!

Quick Fire Rounds

We've designed these short Counter Attack scenarios for you to play. You'll also find single-player versions at counterattackgame.com.

Outnumbered (30 minutes). Your opponent is leading 2-0 with 30 minutes to go, but they've just had two players sent off. Remove two players at random from your opponent's team. Will they hold out and seal the win, or can you defeat them before the clock runs out? Begin play with a goal kick to the team with 11 players. Both teams may position their players anywhere.

The Away Goal (45 minutes). It's half-time in the second leg of a big European game and you are trailing 1-0 on the night and 1-0 on aggregate. You have 45 minutes left to win the tie. You're away from home, which means if you draw 1-1 you will go through on away goals. Will your opponent defend and hope to hold out, or push for a second goal? Will you throw caution to the wind in a search for the goal?

Defence vs Attack (30 minutes). In this typical training drill, the attacking team has 7 players and the defending team has 5 (plus a goalkeeper). Hand-pick your players and start with the attacking team in possession of the ball. The attacking team is trying to score as many goals as possible in 30 minutes, while the defending team just needs to clear the ball over the half-way line. Start with kick off to the attacking team.

Top vs Bottom (2 hours). Hand-pick the best team for one player and the worst team for the other. Play for 60 minutes straight. Then do it again, but swap teams. Make it a two-legged game, complete with the away goals rule (the home team is the strong team).

Keep track of your scores on the scoresheet at the back of the rulebook (Date / Manager / Score / Manager).

Expansion Packs

There are hundreds of additional player cards and team counters available for purchase at counterattackgame.com.

Each set of additional player cards comes with at least 30 players in a set. Every player is unique and every set contains a mixture of different skills and quality.

There are over 150 additional team counters, covering major leagues such as England, Italy and Spain, as well as some gems from around the world!

Around the World

Das Regelheft gibt es als Download auch in Deutscher Sprache.

Regolamento disponibile in Italiano.

Téléchargez les règles en français.

Descarga las reglas en Español.

Also available from counterattackgame.com/rules.

A Word from the Creator

Few things are better in life than creating something and seeing people enjoy it. I've taken so much pleasure from speaking to and hearing from those who have enjoyed playing Counter Attack! Thank you to everyone who plays, who shares on social media and who tells me they're having good times!

Thank you also to those in the Counter Attack community who have created new teams, custom player card generators, who have debated and helped refine rules, who have helped with editing and all sorts of other awesome stuff!

Best wishes, Colin Webster

Counter Attack © Webstar Games 2021