Crash Tackle Rugby Board Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • The Players
  • The Ball
  • The Dice
  • The Skill Chart
  • The Score Sheet
  • Pressure Play Cards
  • The Field
• Getting Started
  • The Game Length
  • Starting the Game
  • The Kick-off
  • Turns
  • Restarting the Game
  • The Skill Chart
• Basic Training
  • Moving Your Players
  • Performing Actions
  • Gathering
  • Passing the Ball
  • Kicking the Ball
  • Tackling
  • Grounded Players
• Scoring Points
• Pro Training
  • Pressure Play Cards
  • The 'Double 1' Rule
  • The 'Double 6' Rule
  • Kicking for Touch
  • Line-outs
  • Scrums
• Infringements
  • Off-side
  • Foul Play
  • Referee Rolls
  • The Advantage Rule
  • Penalty Kicks
  • The 22m Drop-out
• Substitutes
  • Final Whistle
• Tactics
  • Using Your Players
• Quick Reference
  • Creating Gaps
  • Going Forward
  • Objectives

Components

The Players

Crash Tackle comes with two teams with 15 players in each team. Each player has his own numbered marker which shows him standing on one side and Grounded on the other.

The Ball

You will need this to score - so get it as soon as you can! This marker simply shows where the ball is and who is carrying it.

The Dice

These are used when a player performs an Action such as Passing the ball. When asked to roll the dice remember to add the score together - the lower the number, the better.

The Skill Chart

This is the key to Crash Tackle. It is used to see how well your players perform certain Actions. Whenever a player performs an Action you will need to use the Skill Chart. The Skill Chart is explained in detail later in the rules.

The Score Sheet

This chart allows you to keep record of the game by filling in your team's name, points scored, who scored them and your voted "Man of the Match" award for the best player.

Pressure Play Cards

These cards are used to make powerful game-winning moves that do not rely on the luck of the dice. Each card has a description of when and how to use them. The Pressure Play cards are explained in detail later in the rules.

The Field

This is the playing area on which all the Action takes place. The field is divided into green hexagonal spaces which are used when moving your players - each player occupies one space.

Apart from these spaces, there are a number of white lines known as field markings. Below is a description of the more important markings and how they effect the game.

• HALFWAY LINE - This line divides the field into two equal sections.
• TRY-LINE - This the most important marking on the field. Carry the ball over this line to score a Try (5 points).
• TOUCH LINE - This line runs down the sides of the field and marks the side boundary of the field. A player may not step onto this line.
• DEAD BALL LINE - This line runs along the ends of the field and marks the boundary of the field.
• 10m LINE - This line is used when the game is started. When the ball is Kicked-off, it must land behind this line.
• 22m LINE - This line is found 22m away from the Try-Line and is used in certain situations explained further in the rules.

Getting Started

The Game Length

The length of time you wish to play depends entirely on you. You can choose to play a certain time length (we recommend 80 mins for experienced players and 120 mins for beginners) or up to a certain score (i.e. first to 21). If for some reason you have to pack the game away, you can continue the next game from the score where you left off.

Starting the Game

Before the game begins each coach (that's you!) decides which team they want to play and fills in his team's name on the Score Sheet. As the game progresses use this sheet to keep record of the points scored and the number of substitutes you have used.

To start playing each coach rolls a dice. The coach with the lowest number will start the game. His team will Kick-off and sets up first. He must place player No.10 in the centre of the field - this player will start the game with a Kick-off. The rest of his team can be placed anywhere in his half of the field.

The other coach (receiving team) sets up by placing his players anywhere behind his own 10m line.

Tip: For a diagram on how to set up your players for the Kick-off see the back cover of this rule book.

The Kick-off

Once both coaches have set up their players it's time for Kick-off. The deafening roar of the crowd fills the stadium as your No.10 player Kicks the ball into your opponent's territory. Place the ball on any empty space up to 14 spaces away from him and begin your turn.

Note: From a Kick-off the ball must be placed somewhere on or over your opponent's 10m line.

Turns

The game of Crash Tackle is played in turns just like any other board game. The coach who Kicks-off starts the game and begins his team's turn first.

During your turn you are in control of your entire team and you must make full use of them and their abilities to get the ball and move it toward your opponent's Try-Line. You can move all of your players during your turn and can perform Actions to Pass, Kick, and Gather the ball.

Your team's turn ends in one of two ways:

• When you are happy with your team's progress and do not wish to continue your turn further.
• If you fail certain dice rolls (explained later in the rules).

Restarting the Game

As soon as points have been scored the game is restarted. Set up your players exactly as you would for a Kick-off, however, the scoring side will receive the ball from the Kick-off.

The Skill Chart

Rugby is a physically demanding and challenging game where every player's skill and ability is pushed to the limit. Whether it is their ability to tear through tackles or break through the gaps, each player must perform - even in the toughest conditions. Crash Tackle has divided each team into 4 groups according to their respective skills and abilities, as shown on the Skill Chart.

The Skill Chart is the key to playing Crash Tackle and determines how fast your players can Move and how well they can perform Actions like Pass, Kick or Gather. On the chart you will find the 4 player groups with numbers under the headings - Moves and Ball Skill. These numbers determine how good your player is at those skills - the higher the number the better he is!

The number in the Moves column represents how fast that group of players can move around the field. The higher the number, the further and faster they can move. Each of these players may move up to that many spaces during their turn.

The number in the Ball Skill column represents how well your player can perform Actions to Pass, Gather and Kick the ball. To perform these Actions you will need to roll both dice and score equal or less than this number.

Moves and Actions are explained in more detail at a later stage.

Basic Training

Moving Your Players

• During your team's turn you can move as many of your players as you like - in any direction or combination of directions.
• In each turn a player can move a number of spaces equal to his Move Skill found on the Skill Chart. A player does not have to use all his moves if he does not wish to - he does not have to move at all!
• No dice roll is needed to move your players.
• A player can move over other players but cannot end his move on top of another player.
• You cannot save a player's unused moves for later. Once the next player is Moved any unused Moves from the previous player are lost.

Performing Actions

Out on the field your team must make use of all of their abilities to defeat their opponents. With the ball in hand you can test your opponent's defence by applying pressure with deep racking Kicks, string Passes together to create spectacular attacking moves or Gather loose balls from under their feet.

In addition to moving your players you can make use of 3 Actions to maneuver the ball around the field.

These Actions are: Gathering, Passing and Kicking.

• Each player on your team can make use of these Actions as often as he likes during your team's turn.
• You can interrupt a player's movement to perform any Action. For example: a player could move 2 spaces, Kick the ball and continue moving the rest of his spaces.

Gathering

Rugby is a game of possession - if you do not have the ball you will never score. The only time your players can get possession of the ball is when it is on the ground or on top of a Grounded player. If this is the case, you must attempt to pick it up before you can do anything else with it. This is known as Gathering the ball.

To Gather the ball follow the steps below...

1. Move a player into a space next to the ball.
2. Find that player's Ball skill on the Skill Chart.
3. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
4. If the number rolled is ...
   • Equal to or less than his Ball Skill - Your player swiftly picks up the ball. Place the ball on top of your player and continue your turn. The ball moves with your player.
   • More than his Ball Skill - Your player fails to Gather the ball and allows your opponents to attack. The ball stays where it is and your team's turn ends immediately.

Example: Gathering the ball. Player No.2 sees the ball lying on the ground and moves up to it so that he can attempt to Gather it. He has a Ball Skill of 8 and rolls a total of 7 on the dice. It's a close call, but he successfully Gathers the ball. He then moves his remaining spaces.

Special Rule: Scrum-half (No.9) - The Scrum-half is the play maker of every team. His quick, decisive actions make the difference in tight situations. If your Scrum-half (No.9) successfully Gathers the ball, from a Grounded player, he can immediately Pass it without having to roll the dice. This makes the Scrum-half a very useful player in your team.

Passing the Ball

The quickest and safest way to get the ball past your opponent's defence is to Pass it to team mates who can run it through the gaps. You can Pass the ball as often as you like in your turn but you can not Pass the ball forward (i.e. to a player who is further up field).

To Pass the ball follow the steps below...

1. See which player is Passing the ball.
2. Find that player's Ball skill on the Skill Chart.
3. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
4. If the number rolled is ...
   • Equal to or less than his Ball Skill - Your player Passes the ball with pin point accuracy. Place the ball on top of a player who is up to 5 spaces away and continue your turn.
   • More than his Ball Skill - Your player holds onto the ball too long and allows your opponents to attack. The ball stays where it is and your team's turn ends immediately.

Example: Passing the Ball. Player No.8 has the ball and wants to Pass it out to player No.11. No.8 has a Ball Skill of 8 and he rolls a total of 6 on the dice. The Pass is successful and the ball is placed on top of No.11.

Note: He could not Pass to No.2 as he is further up field and this would be a forward Pass.

Kicking the Ball

Kicking can be used to either create pressure or relieve it. How you make use of Kicking depends entirely on your tactics and game plan. If your team is beaten back into their own half, Kicking the ball back over their heads is the best way to relieve the pressure.

To Kick the ball follow the steps below..

1. See which player is Kicking the ball.
2. Find that player's Ball skill on the Skill Chart.
3. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
4. If the number rolled is ...
   • Equal to or less than his Ball Skill - Your player boots the ball up field. Place the ball on any empty space up to 14 spaces away and continue your turn.
   • More than his Ball Skill - Your player hesitates to view his options and allows your opponents to attack. The ball stays where it is and your team's turn ends immediately.

Note: When the ball is Kicked it would, in reality, travel in the air for some time before returning to the ground and becoming playable. For this reason your team may not Gather the ball in the same turn that they Kicked it.

Example: Kicking the ball. Player No.15 is under pressure from his opponents and decides to try and Kick the ball up-field. He has a Ball Skill of 9 and rolls a total of 5 on both dice. The Kick is successful and the ball is placed on any empty space up to 14 spaces away.

Tackling

Rugby is an extremely physically demanding game where the man with the ball becomes the target of his opponent's bone crunching Tackles.

Each opponent on the field is surrounded by six spaces. These spaces represent their area of defence. If your player carrying the ball is in one of these spaces, at any time during your turn, he will automatically be Tackled.

When Tackled do the following…

1. In your turn, your player who is holding the ball and the opponent who made the Tackle are turned over to show that they've been Grounded.
2. Leave the ball on top of your player and continue your turn as normal.

Note: In situations where more than one opponent are able to make a Tackle, the player that was Moved there first will make the first Tackle.

Example: Tackles. Player No.9 is carrying the ball and moves into a space next to his opponent. He is immediately Tackled. Both players are turned over to show they're Grounded and the turn continues.

Tip: Defence - Put pressure on an opponent, by moving your player(s) into spaces next to the ball carrier. When he starts his turn, your player(s) will automatically Tackle him.

Grounded Players

If a player is involved in a Tackle he becomes Grounded - knocked to the ground (as indicated on the reverse of the playing piece).

• Once a player has been Grounded he is effectively out of the game until he is back on his feet.
• A Grounded player can not Move, Pass, Gather, Kick or Tackle.
• At the end of your team's turn, your Grounded players can get back on their feet, unless they are lying under or in a space directly next to the ball.
• If you forget to turn over your players, they remain Grounded until the end of your next turn.

Scoring Points

The object of rugby, as in most games, is to score the most points. The team with the most points at the end of the game is deemed the winner.

In rugby there are a number of ways to get points on the board and it is this variety of scoring methods that makes the game of rugby so exciting. The scoring methods are…

• TRY (5 points) - Undoubtedly the most spectacular and rewarding way to score. To score a Try your player must carry the ball onto, or over, your opponent's Try-Line. Once there, simply say you are grounding the ball and you will be awarded the Try and 5 points. Once scored, you may attempt a 'CONVERSION KICK' (below).
• CONVERSION KICK (2 points) - To convert, simply nominate a player and roll equal to, or below, his Ball Skill. If you do this your team is awarded 2 extra points. If you fail to convert, your team receives no extra points. Once the Conversion Kick has been attempted the game is restarted (see Getting Started).
• DROP KICK (3 points) - A Drop Kick is a great way to get points on the board if you feel your team is lacking the power to get over for a Try. To attempt a drop goal your player must be stationary (may not have Moved in this turn) and within 10 spaces of the red space under the poles. Roll to Kick as normal. However, if you make a good roll, your team will receive 3 points and the game is restarted (see Getting Started).
• PENALTY KICK (3 points) - See Foul Play under Infringements.

Pro Training

Welcome to the Pro Training section. The following rules are not essential to the basic play of Crash Tackle, but add a new tactical dimension to the game allowing for an array of moves that will have even the pros gasping for breath! First time coaches can skip this section until they have grasped the basics.

Pressure Play Cards

The Pressure Play cards are the key to game-winning tactics.

At the start of the game each team is dealt 2 Pressure Play cards from the pack. Thereafter, take 1 card at the beginning of your respective turns. If you forget to take a card before you start your team's turn you cannot take a card until your next turn.

You can use as many cards as you like at a time and each card describes when and how it is used. So, for example, you could use a "Flip Pass" followed by 2 "Break Aways" all in one go! Once you have used a card it is returned to the bottom of the pack.

Once a team scores, all the cards are returned to the pack and shuffled. The players are dealt their 2 cards each and the game restarts.

The 'Double 1' Rule

Every player has his moment of brilliance. That moment where he pushes his skills to the limits and gives his team the edge! If you roll a double '1' when rolling the dice during the game, you may immediately take an extra Pressure Play card from the pack and add it to yours.

The 'Double 6' Rule

If you roll a double '6', your player is overwhelmed by the pressure of the game and makes a costly error. Check the Actions below to see the results of his error.

If your player was rolling for…

• GATHERING - Your player fumbles the pick up and knocks the ball forward. A Scrum is awarded to your opponents on the spot where the ball is and your team's turn ends immediately.
• PASSING - Over anxious play causes your player to take his eyes off the ball. He fumbles, knocking it forward. The ball remains on your player. A scrum is awarded to your opponents on the spot where the ball is and your team's turn ends immediately.
• KICKING - The intense pressure of the game begins to take its toll on your player. Unsure of his next move he panics and loses his footing when trying to kick. Turn him over to show he is grounded. The ball remains on top of him and your team's turn ends immediately.
• REFEREE ROLL - If you roll a Double 6 when making a Referee roll (or Yellow Card re-roll) your player is given the ultimate punishment - the Red card! Your team's turn ends immediately and he is removed from the field for the rest of the game.

Kicking for Touch

Kicking for Touch is done to either relieve or create pressure by Kicking the ball out of the playing boundaries and pushing your opponents back up field.

To Kick for Touch: Kick the ball as normal. If the Kick is good, place the ball (up to 14 spaces) on the Touch Line. This is the spot where the ball is considered to bounce over the Touch Line. As soon as the ball is Kicked into Touch, your turn comes to an end and your opponent is awarded a Line-out on this spot (see Line-outs).

Special Rule: Kicking inside your 22m - In rugby, a player who receives the ball and Kicks for Touch from behind his own 22m line is allowed to Kick the ball directly out without having it bounce over the Touch Line. To represent this in Crash Tackle (as the ball marker doesn't bounce) if a player receives the ball and Kicks it from behind his own 22m line he can re-roll the dice if he fails his Kick on the first roll.

Line-outs

To set up a Line-out do the following… (diagram below)

1. Place the red space of the Line-out Template on the spot where the ball went into Touch.
2. The team that is awarded the Line-out places their No.2 on the red space.
3. Both coaches set up their players as numbered on their respective sides of the template.
4. Each team's players numbered 10 to 15 can be placed anywhere behind their side of the template but must remain at least 3 spaces away from the marker's edge.
5. Any remaining players can stand anywhere behind their side of the template. Even within the 3 space restriction.

Once the Line-out has been set up, your Hooker (No.2) feeds the ball into the Line-out. To feed the ball do the following…

1. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
2. If the number rolled is …
   • Equal to or less than 9 - your player safely feeds the ball into the Line-out. Place the ball on top of any of your players on the template and begin your turn.
   • More than 9 - then your player mistimes the feed and loses the ball to his opponents. Your opponent places the ball on top of any of his players on the template. Your team's turn ends immediately.

Example: Setting up a Line-out. The diagram shows the basic setup: on each side of the template, players 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 form two lines facing their opposite numbers across the template, with player 2 on the red feed space at the edge and player 9 close by. Players 10, 11, 12, 13 (and 14, 15) stand further back, at least 3 spaces from the marker's edge, on their own side of the template.

Double 6: Interfering! - If you roll a Double 6 when rolling for the Line-out feed, then your team has been caught interfering with the opposition! Your opponent is awarded a Penalty (taken from the spot where the feed was attempted). Your turn ends immediately.

Scrums

A Scrum is formed when a player performs a technical or accidental offence such as a Knock-on. The opponent receives the "feed".

To set up a Scrum, place the centre of the Scrum Template on the spot where the Knock-on happened. Both coaches set up their players as numbered on their respective sides of the template. Place the ball in the centre of the template.

The rest of the players from each team can be placed anywhere behind their own side of the Scrum Template.

Once the Scrum has been set up, your Scrum-half (No.9) feeds the ball into the Scrum. To feed the ball do the following…

1. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
2. If the number rolled is ...
   • Equal to or less than 9 - then your player safely feeds the ball into the Scrum. Place the ball on top of either player 8 or 9 and begin your turn.
   • More than 9 - then your player mistimes the feed and loses the ball to his opponents. Your opponent places the ball on either of his players 8 or 9 and your team's turn ends immediately.

Example: Setting up a Scrum. The diagram shows the basic setup: each side packs players 1, 2, 3 (front row), 4, 5 (locks) and 6, 7, 8 (back row) into the template in their numbered positions, with player 9 feeding the ball into the centre. All players not included on the template (10 through 14, plus the Fullback) can be set up anywhere behind their own side of the marker.

Double 6: Binding! - If you roll a Double 6 when rolling for the Scrum feed, then your team has been caught for incorrect binding! By binding incorrectly your team was hoping to get a quick break from the Scrum. Your opponent is awarded a Penalty (taken from the spot of the Scrum). Your turn ends immediately.

Infringements

Off-side

The Off-side rule is probably the most complex law of rugby. A player who is Off-side can not Pass, Gather, Kick or Tackle until he is put back On-side. The law is applied in the following situations.

TACKLES - When a player is Tackled, an Off-side situation immediately occurs. Any player who is ahead, or moves ahead of the Tackled player, is Off-side. They will remain Off-side until…

• They Move back behind the Tackled player.
• A team mate Gathers the ball and moves past him.
• An opponent Gathers the ball and moves 2 or more spaces.

Example: Off-side at Tackles. Player No.2 is Tackled. An Off-side situation immediately occurs. White player No.11 is considered Off-side as he is ahead of his Tackled team mate. Black player No.4 is also ahead of the Tackled player and is also Off-side. Neither of these players can play the ball or Tackle an opponent until they are back On-side.

KICKING - When a player Kicks the ball any of his team mates who are ahead of him at the time the ball is Kicked are considered Off-side. They will remain Off-side until…

• They Move back behind the player who Kicked the ball.
• The player who Kicked the ball moves ahead of them.
• An On-side player Moves ahead of them.
• An opponent Gathers the ball and moves 2 or more spaces.

Example: Off-side at Kicks. Player No.12 gets the ball and decides to Kick it up field. An Off-side situation immediately occurs. Player No.11 is considered Off-side as he is ahead of the Kicking player at the time of the Kick.

Note: Off-side Players. If a player is Off-side he must attempt to move back On-side as soon as he possibly can. He may not 'hang around' in an Off-side position as this is considered loitering and is punishable with a Penalty.

Foul Play

Although Foul Play is seen as an unacceptable part of Rugby, many a game has been won or lost because of it. For this reason Crash Tackle includes rules for 3 of the most common offences. To perform one of the following offences the coach concerned must tell his opponent which one he wishes to perform.

• HOLDING ON! - You may choose to hold on to the ball before an opponent attempts to Gather the ball off one of your Grounded players. Your Grounded player holds on to the ball and stops the opponent getting possession. If a player is Holding On! then the other team may not Gather the ball for the rest of their turn. Make a Referee Roll (rules below). Your opponent's turn continues.
• INTERFERENCE! - You can make use of this offence DURING YOUR OPPOSITIONS TURN in either a Scrum or Line-out situation. One of your players illegally interferes with the opposition and distracts them from the ball. Your team will automatically win the ball. Make a Referee Roll (rules below). Your opponent's turn continues.
• DANGEROUS TACKLE! - One of your players makes a drastic attempt to take out an opposition player. This offence allows you to make a Dangerous tackle on an opponent IN YOUR TURN! To do so Move into a space next to the player you wish to Dangerously Tackle and turn both players over to show that they are Grounded. Make a Referee Roll (rules below). Your opponent's turn continues.

Note: When hit by a Dangerous Tackle, the tackled player can not use any Pressure Play Cards during the Tackle. He is considered to be taken by surprise and unable to react to the devastating tackle.

Referee Rolls

If you choose to use any Foul Play your team runs the risk of being penalised for their actions. Once you have performed an offence you must make a Referee Roll to see whether your team gets penalised.

To make a Referee Roll do the following…

1. Roll both dice and add the numbers.
2. If you roll 5 or less the offence goes unseen and the game continues.
3. If you roll 6 or more then the referee spots the offense and will award your opponents with a Penalty kick from that spot (see Penalty Kicks below).

YELLOW CARD - If you fail your referee roll you can choose to reroll it. However, if you fail it again your player will be penalised and given a yellow card. He will then be removed from the game for ten minutes (5 Turns) after which he may return to the field on the next scrum, Line-out, 22m Drop-out or kick-off.

Note: Sending off players 1, 2 or 3. If a player numbered 1, 2 or 3 is given a red card you must nominate another player in your team to be removed in his place. This rule represents the fact that in rugby if any of these players are sent off, his position will be filled by a replacement player at the cost of a team mate.

The Advantage Rule

The referee can delay the awarding of a Scrum (Knock-on) or Penalty if he feels the non-guilty team could gain a clear advantage. To represent this law, when a team commits a knock-on or Penalty the opposing coach may continue playing their following turn as normal. At the end of their turn they must decide whether they wish to take the Scrum/Penalty on the original spot or, if they feel they have gained an advantage, carry on with the game as normal.

Penalty Kicks

If a Penalty Kick is awarded to your team, it can be used in one of the following ways…

KICK FOR TOUCH - This is done in exactly the same way as the Kicking for Touch rules (see Pro Training), however, you do not need to make a dice roll as the Kick is always considered to be good. Because it is a Penalty your team is also awarded the Line-out.

OR

KICK FOR POLES - If a Penalty is awarded within 14 spaces of the red space under your opponent's poles, you can choose to Kick for poles and score 3 points. The roar of the crowd drops to a deathly silence as your player concentrates on Kicking the ball between the poles.

Choose a player with the best Ball Skill and roll the dice as if you were making a Conversion. If the number rolled is…

• Equal to or less than his Ball Skill - then the stadium erupts as your player slots the ball through the posts. Your team receives 3 points and the game is restarted.
• More than his Ball Skill - then your player mistimes the Kick and the ball drifts to the side of the posts and sails over the Dead Ball line. If this occurs, you receive no extra points and a 22m Drop-out must now take place (see rules below).

The 22m Drop-out

This occurs when your team misses a Penalty Kick at the poles. It is much the same as restarting the game only it takes place on the 22m line.

The team that missed the Penalty Kick sets up all their players anywhere outside of his opponent's 22m area. The other team takes one player, who will be Kicking the ball, and places him anywhere within his 22m area. The rest of his team can be placed anywhere behind him.

Once the players have been set up, it is time for the Drop-out! The Kicking team takes the ball and places it up to 14 spaces anywhere past their own 22m line. Once you have placed the ball, the Kicking side's turn begins.

Substitutes

The game of rugby pushes every player to the limit and even the toughest players in the world are worn down by the bruising punishment it hands out.

Luckily the coach can make use of Substitute Players to take over from those who are injured or just too exhausted to continue. Clever substitution adds a welcome tactical boost to any team.

To represent this, any coach can make up to 7 substitutions during the match. Substitutions can be made when the ball has gone dead (i.e. Line-out, Scrum, Kick-off, 22m Drop-out or Penalty) and although in Crash Tackle no players are physically replaced, you will receive 1 extra Pressure Play card for each substitution you make.

Tip: You can keep track of your substitutes by marking them off on the Score Sheet.

Final Whistle

Crash Tackle has been designed to bring all the thrills and excitement of rugby to your table top. Although some rules have been simplified and altered to make Crash Tackle more enjoyable, we are convinced that Crash Tackle is as close to rugby as a board game can get.

Because of the millions of variations in moves and situations, no 2 games of Crash Tackle are ever the same. For this reason situations may arise that are not covered in this Training Guide. If this occurs, log on to our web site at www.crashtackle.co.za where you can contact us about rule queries. You can also learn new tactics and tips from other players from around the world!

If access to the internet is unavailable, we find that by applying the basic laws of rugby, or getting a neutral person to make a decision, a peaceful settlement is always reached.

Thank you for purchasing Crash Tackle and we hope that you have as much fun playing it as we did making it!

Tactics

The world of Rugby is a tough and competitive one and we wouldn't feel right sending you into it without a few tips and pointers! So here are some basic tactics on how to get the most out of your team. As you play Crash Tackle you'll learn a lot more, but these should help get you on the road to glory!

Using Your Players

Each type of player in your team has a specific roll to play and they will perform well in certain circumstances and poorly in others. Knowing your players' limitations will greatly improve your team's chances of victory.

FORWARDS - These are the tough guys in your team and are built for making the hard yards! The Forwards are best used as a pack as they have a small Movement Skill. They work best when charged at defenders, forcing the tackle and creating gaps for your faster players to exploit.

BACKS - The Backs combine good Ball Skills with a good Movement skill making them fast and reliable on attack. Use these guys in the mid-field when the opposition defense has been broken down by the Forwards. Their speed and handling will make short work of any gaps in the defense allowing them to get behind the opposition and gain valuable ground!

WINGS - They say there is no counter for speed and with these guys you'll understand why! The Wings are used out wide to simply run the ball toward the try line as far and as fast as possible. Their low Ball Skill is their downfall so always try to use them as the last link in your attack. Avoid using them to Kick, Gather or Pass, just give 'em the ball and watch them run!

FULLBACK - This player is the most highly skilled player in your team, but there is only one of them! He is a vital piece in both defense and attack and learning how to use him effectively in either will win you countless games! He should spend most of the game patrolling the empty area behind your team. His Ball Skill and Movement means you have a reliable and fast defender to sort out any deep attacks that may come your way! Also, don't be scared to bring him forward into the attack. A man with his skills can really provide some punch up front!

Quick Reference

Here is a quick summary of certain aspects of the game.

MOVE - No Dice roll - Player Moves up to number of spaces shown on Skill Chart.

GATHER (PICK UP THE BALL)

1. Move next to ball.
2. Roll both dice.
   • If roll is = or less than Ball Skill then place ball on player and continue.
   • If roll is more than Ball Skill then end turn.

PASS (THROW BALL TO ANOTHER TEAM MATE)

1. Roll both dice.
   • If roll is = or less than Ball Skill then place ball on any team mate within 5 spaces and continue.
   • If roll is more than Ball Skill then end turn.

Note: Ball can not be Passed to a team mate further up field.

KICK

1. Roll both dice.
   • If roll is = or less than Ball Skill then place ball on any empty space up to 14 spaces away and continue.
   • If roll is more than Ball Skill then end turn.

Note: Ball can not be Gathered in the same turn you Kick it!

TACKLE (STOPPING THE MAN WITH THE BALL)

1. To set up a Tackle Move a player into a space next to the ball carrier. When your opponent's turn starts your player will automatically Tackle - Turn your Tackler and ball carrier over to show that they are Grounded.
2. If the ball carrier Moves into a space next to your player then your player will also Tackle him - Turn your Tackler and ball carrier over to show that they are Grounded.

Note: Your Grounded players get back on their feet at the end of your turn.

Creating Gaps

A Gap is a hole in your players' defence that allows your ball carrier to get past without being tackled. If your opponent is defending well there should be no Gaps in his defence. If this is the case you need to create the Gaps using your players! The only way to do this is to run your ball carrier at the defenders - it sounds crazy, but by doing this you force the defenders to tackle and become grounded - grounded players can not tackle. This creates gaps! Now all you have to do is pick up the ball and run through it!

Going Forward

The only way to really put pressure on your opponent is to keep advancing. Try to get your team moving the ball forward and past its last position! This will get you behind your opponents defence and force them to turn and fall back. Kicking is the easiest way, but you risk losing possession (and if you are not holding the ball - you can't score!). This leaves you the other option - Moving with the ball. You can only move a limited number of spaces every turn, so try and make these count. The best way to do this is to try and run as straight as possible.

Objectives

IF YOU HAVE THE BALL: Possession means you can score! Every turn try and gain as much ground as possible, this will bring you closer to the try-line and hence closer to scoring! You will probably have to run into some defenders to do this - don't be afraid, its all part of the game. Remember to make the breaks, force the errors and to take your chances!

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BALL: This is the most difficult part because you need to have lots of patience. There is nothing you can do except move your players around setting up your defence and making tackles. Your aim is to try and apply pressure and this forces errors. You do all of this by setting up some of your players next to the ball carrier so they can tackle him in his turn. The rest of your team needs to be set up to make sure there are no gaps. They also have to be placed in positions where you think your opponent is going to try and attack at or through.

The more you play Crash Tackle the better you will get! So keep training, glory awaits!