Football Highlights: The Dice Game
Football Highlights: The Dice Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Summary of Play
Your goal in Football Highlights: The Dice Game is to score more points than your opponents by drafting the best dice to string together powerful offensive run and pass plays to score Touchdowns and Field Goals.
Components
- 1 Rule Booklet
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Football Play Sheet pad (25 Double-Sided Sheets)
- 18 Dice: 11 White Play Dice, 6 Brown Power Dice, and 1 Defense Die
- 1 Wooden Markers per player (1 in each player color, from Baseball Highlights or any suitable replacement)
Turn Overview
Each turn you will do the following:
- ROLL the dice.
- PLACE dice on the game board.
- CHOOSE one set of dice to check off on your sheet to advance your Yardage marker and score!
- OTHER PLAYERS CHOOSE two of the remaining dice to check off on their sheets.
- THE DEFENSE DIE may subtract Yardage from your first Run or Pass.
- PASS the dice you took off the board, and the Defense Die, to the next player.
Setup
Place the game board in the middle of the play area. Give each player a Football Play Sheet, a pencil, and a yardage marker in their player color to use on the game board. Players may create a team name and team logo in the top left of their Play Sheet. Place the 6 Power Dice and the Defense Die in a General Supply next to the game board. The last person to attend a live ball game will be the first Active player (or determine randomly). Give the first Active player 11 Play Dice and the Defense Die for the initial Football dice pool before rolling.
Game Play
- Players rotate being the Active player in clockwise order each turn.
- At the start of their turn, the Active player must check off the next box on their Round track The length of game depends on the number of players.
- 1 or 2-Player: 6 Round game
- 3-Player: 4 Round game
- 4-Player: 3 Round game
- For the first turn of the game, the Active player rolls all 11 Play Dice and the Defense Die. For the rest of the game, the Active player rolls the Play Dice passed to them by the previous Active player, any Power Dice they have unlocked, and the Defense Die. The Active player then places the dice they rolled on the game board in the corresponding Play Dice areas. The Defense Die is placed in the Defensive Play box. The Defense Die may reduce yardage ONCE on the FIRST eligible Run or Pass play for each player. See Football Defense Die page 4.
- The Active player chooses one of the Play Dice areas on the board and takes all of the dice in that area (Play and Power Dice) and places them in front of their Play Sheet.
- The Active player must check off the corresponding boxes on their Play Sheet for each die taken.
- A. Each die allows a player to check off one box.
- B. Move each die to the side as you check it off to keep track that it has been used.
- C. All tracks are checked off from left to right and you may not leave any boxes blank.
- D. When there is an action indicated in the box you are checking off, you must complete that action, and any chained actions, before you proceed with your next die. See Actions page 4.
- E. An empty box cannot be skipped and provides no action.
- Once the Active player has checked off all of their dice, they return all of the Power Dice to the General Supply. This means there will not be any Power Dice remaining in the Play Dice areas.
Example: It's Gina's first turn as Active player and she just rolled the Play Dice and Defense Die, and placed them on the board. Gina decides to take the 3s to start her 3 track. She checks off the first two boxes in the 3 track (1,2), then a chained action lets her check off the first box in the 4 track (3), and finally her last die lets her check off a third box in the 3 track (4). See Chained Actions page 6.
- Now, all Non-Active players may simultaneously check off 1 box on 2 different Play tracks of their choice in any order on their Play Sheet, but only if those areas still have any Play Dice on the board.
- A. These Play Dice are not removed. They remain in position for the next turn.
- B. You must complete a Play track action (including any chained actions), if any, before moving on to your next Play track choice.
- C. If there is only one area left that has Play Dice, that must be one of your picks, the other pick can be any of the other areas without dice. If there aren't any Play Dice on the board, you may pick any two Play tracks you like. (You may not pick the same number twice.).
- D. You may check off these picks in any order.
Example: Doug is a Non-Active player this turn and needs to choose 2 of the 5 possible Play Areas with dice left. He selects the 5s, checking off his first box in that track (1), and the 4s, checking off a chained action (2) that also lets him check off the next box in the 3 track (3). See Chained Actions page 6.
Note: All Non-Active players make their choices at the same time.
- Then, to end their turn, the Active player returns all Power Dice to the General Supply and passes the Play Dice they used, plus the Defense Die, to the player on their left. That player now becomes the new Active player and starts the next Round.
It is possible that no Play dice will be passed if the Active player selected an area that only had Power Dice.
Football Play Sheet Features
The Play Sheet diagram labels each feature with a letter (A-U). The descriptions are:
- Rounds (A): Used to track the game Rounds.
- Team Logo (B): Create your own team logo here.
- Team Name Box (C): Write your team name here.
- Touchdowns (D): Use this track to record your total Touchdowns during the game.
- Field Goals (E): Use this track to record your total Field Goals during the game.
- Blitz Bach Points (F): Used only in the Solo Game to record the Solo opponent Blitz Bach's points. Use one box for each Round.
- Kick Range (G): Used to track your current max Field Goal range. Your range starts at 10 yards.
- Power Dice (H): Used to track how many Power Dice you have unlocked.
- Break-away (I): This is a special track that is only checked off when a Run play with a "B" is checked in one of the Play tracks. This track lets you earn additional yardage on a Run play. See Gaining Yardage page 4.
- Yards after Catch/YAC (J): This is a special track that is only checked off when a Pass play with a "Y" is checked in one of the Play tracks. This track lets you earn additional yardage on a Pass play. See Gaining Yardage page 4.
- Play Tracks (K): Use your chosen dice to check off the boxes in these tracks, and complete the actions in the boxes checked. Actions can advance your marker on the field, score Touchdowns, unlock Power Dice, and chain into other actions in other Play tracks.
- 1 Track (L): Primarily provides short Run plays.
- 2 Track (M): Primarily provides medium Run plays.
- 3 Track (N): Primarily provides long Run plays.
- 4 Track (O): Primarily provides short Pass plays.
- 5 Track (P): Primarily provides medium Pass plays.
- 6 Track (Q): Primarily provides long Pass plays.
- Chained Actions (R): A number in a circle allows the player to check off a box in the track indicated by the number in the circle.
Actions
Your actions are the boxes with letters, numbers, and icons. When you check a box, any action there – as well as any chained actions – must be completed before you check off your next die. These actions are described in full below.
- Run Plays: The helmet symbols represent Run plays (1-Short, 2-Medium, 3-Long). The number in the box is the initial yardage of the play.
- Breakaway Run Plays: These are special Run plays that may have extra yardage. The number in the box is the initial yardage of the play, but the Breakaway could add more.
- Pass Plays: The football symbols represent Pass plays (4-Short, 5-Medium, 6-Long). The number in the box is the initial yardage of the play.
- Yards after Catch Pass Plays: These are special Pass plays that may have extra yardage. The number in the box is the initial yardage of the play, but the Yards after Catch could add more.
Football Defense Die
This die determines the yardage reduction for the first eligible action for all players, Active and Non-Active, this turn. This only applies ONCE for the turn. (This includes Solo play.)
The Defense Die has these faces (1, 2 and 3 are shown on the die for No Effect):
- No Effect
- 5 Yards on a Run: Lose 5 yards on your first eligible Run play this turn.
- 10 Yards on a Pass: Lose 10 yards on your first eligible Pass play this turn.
Gaining Yardage and Scoring
Each player has their own yardage marker on the game board to record their progress on the field. These tracks start with a 45-yard space and then decrease in 5-yard increments from 45 to 5. The last two 5-yard spaces comprise the End Zone area. Each time you gain yardage, you advance your marker toward the End Zone area 1 space for every 5 yards. Advancing into the End Zone area scores a Touchdown. The yardage space your marker currently occupies is also the Kick Range needed for a Field Goal. There are 2 ways to gain yardage: Run actions and Pass actions.
Running and Breakaways
- Tracks 1-3 provide Run actions.
- A. Checking off a box with a helmet and number in these tracks represents yardage gained on a Run.
- B. Breakaway – Chained Action: If the number is followed by a "B," check off the next box on your Breakaway track. If there is a number in the Breakaway box you've checked off, this is additional Run yardage for the Breakaway.
- Add any yardage for the Run and Breakaway together and then check if you need to subtract yardage as indicated on the Defense Die. See Football Defense Die page 4. Your minimum yardage is always 0, you never go backwards during a play. Advance your yardage marker on the field by 1 spot for every 5 yards gained.
- Then, if your total Run yardage causes your yardage marker to advance into or beyond the End Zone areas, you score 7 points for a Touchdown. Any excess yardage is ignored. Remember to mark your Touchdown on your Play Sheet. Then reset your marker to the 45-Yard space.
Example: Doug has three 1s to check off, and the first one gives him a 5 yard Run play, with a Breakaway (1). He checks off the next available Breakaway box but it's empty (2), so no yards are added. This is Doug's first Run play of this turn, and the Defense Die indicates he must lose 5 yards on his first Run. This first Run then gains him 0 yards! However, he still has 2 dice to check off (3, 4) and the last one also has a 5 yard Breakaway Run! His next Breakaway box has 5 bonus yards in it as well (5), so the total Run yardage is 10. Since this is his second Run play this turn, he does not have to apply the Defense penalty. Doug moves his yardage marker 2 spaces closer to the End Zone (6).
Passing and Yards After Catch
- Tracks 4-6 provide Pass actions.
- A. Checking off a box with a football and number in these tracks represents yardage gained on a Pass.
- B. Incomplete Pass: If the Pass yardage in the box is enough to move your yardage marker beyond the second End Zone space, your Pass is incomplete and results in no gain. Your yardage marker remains in place. Pass completion is determined before you make any adjustments for Yards after Catch and the Defense Die.
- C. Yards After Catch (YAC) – Chained Action: If the number is followed by "Y," check off the next box on your YAC track. If there is a number in the YAC box you've checked off, this is additional Run yardage after the Pass.
- Add any yardage for the Pass and YAC together and then check if you need to subtract yardage as indicated on the Defense Die. See Football Defense Die page 4. Your minimum yardage is always 0, you never go backwards during a play. Advance your yardage marker on the field 1 spot for every 5 yards gained.
- Then, If your yardage marker is in the End Zone Area, or crosses into the End Zone Area using Yards after Catch, you score 7 points for a Touchdown. Any excess yardage for YAC is ignored. Then reset your marker to the 45-Yard space.
Example: Gina has three 4s to check off, and the first one gives her a 15 yard Pass play (1)! Unfortunately, she's already on the 5 yard line, and a 15 yard Pass would go beyond the End Zone, making the Pass incomplete (2). She keeps her yardage marker in place and then checks off the next 2 boxes on the 4 track (3, 4). The last box gives her a 5 yard Pass with YAC! The next box on the YAC track gives her 15 bonus yards for the play (5)! There is no Defense effect, so she is able to complete the 5 yard Pass to the End Zone for a Touchdown (6)! The excess YAC yardage is ignored, and Gina resets her yardage marker to the 45-Yard space.
Chained Actions
- Chained Action: This action allows you to check off the next available box in the corresponding track and complete any action there as normal. (The example shown would let you check off the next box on the 4 track.)
- Wild Chained Action: This action allows you to check off the next available box in any other Play track of your choice and complete any action there as normal. You cannot use it to check off any of the tracks on the top half of the sheet like Breakaway, Power Dice, or YAC.
Example: Gina has selected two 5s this turn. The first box she checks has a wild chained action (1), which she uses to check a box in the 2 (Medium Run) track (2). That box also has a chained action, letting Gina check off another 5 box and giving her a 20 yard Pass (3). After she moves her marker down the field, she checks off another box on the 5 track for her second die (4), which has a chained action to again check off a 2 box, giving her a 10 Yard Run (5)!
Field Goals
You may opt to kick a Field Goal at any time during the game. This can occur during your own turn, an opponent's turn, or even at the very end of the game. A Field Goal can also occur between the resolution of two dice. Kicking a Field Goal cannot occur during the resolution of chained actions triggered by a single die. If your yardage marker is on a space with a number equal to or less than your current Kick Range, the kick is successful and you score 3 points. Check off the next box in the Field Goals track. After making a Field Goal, reset your yardage marker to the 45-yard spot.
Players may not kick a Field Goal if their yardage marker is beyond their Kick Range. Note that you do not count the End Zone spaces when checking for a Field Goal, just use the number of yards on the space your marker occupies.
Example: For his second Non-Active action, Doug is about to check off a 20 yard Pass play, but he is at the 10 yard line. If he did the Pass now, it would be incomplete and he would not score. He decides that since 10 yards is within his Kick range, he will kick a Field Goal, mark off 3 points on his sheet, and then reset his marker to the 45-Yard space (1). Now his 20 yard Pass play will be complete and move him to the 25-Yard space (2).
Other Actions
- Kick Range: This action allows you to check off the next box on your Kick Range track. The last checked off box determines the maximum yardage you can kick a Field Goal from. You begin the game with a Field Goal range of 10 yards.
- Power Dice: This allows you the check off the next available box on your Power Dice track. The track indicates how many Power Dice you have unlocked. These dice are placed and used the same as if they were Play Dice, but your opponents will not be able to use them. You cannot "lose" Power Dice.
End of Game and Winner
The game is over at the end of the last player's turn at the end of the final Round (based on the number of players). The player with the highest total score wins. Remember each Touchdown is worth 7 points and each Field Goal is worth 3. If 2 or more players are tied, the tied teams will go to Overtime Play.
Overtime Play Rules
- Keep your yardage markers in position.
- All tied players roll a number of Play Dice equal to the number of Power Dice they have unlocked. (You can substitute Power Dice if you don't have enough Play Dice). Do not use the Defense Die during Overtime.
- After the roll, in any order they choose, the tied players simultaneously check off boxes corresponding to each die they rolled.
Example: If you roll 1, 1, & 6 with your 3 unlocked Power Dice, you would check off the next 2 boxes on the 1 track and the next box on the 6 track in any order you choose.
- As usual, you must complete any action plus any chained actions for a die before moving on to the next one.
- Then, if 1 team is ahead, play is over, and that team has won the game. If there is still a tie, the remaining tied players must continue to another Round to determine the winner.
Note that your number of Power Dice could increase during Overtime Play.
Solo Game Play
Solo play provides an interesting challenge for a single player. You will have both an Active and Non-Active turn followed by scoring for Blitz Bach each Round. For normal difficulty, begin the game with the first box checked off on your Power Dice track. This means you have 1 Power Die unlocked for your first roll. For a harder game, only use the Power Dice you unlock during the game.
Note: You can only unlock a total of 6 Power Dice. If you check off a box for a 7th Power Die, treat it as an empty box.
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Your Play Sheet will serve to keep track of everything for both you and Blitz Bach. To start, check off the first box on the Rounds track. You will play a total of 6 Rounds.
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At the start of each Round, roll the Defense Die and 1 Power Die. Place the Defense Die on the Defense Play spot, and then place a Defense Marker (a spare marker in a different player color) on the Play Area matching the Power Die. This Play Area will be off limits to Blitz Bach during his scoring phase, but does not affect your options. Return the Power Die to the General Supply.
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For the first Round, roll all 11 Play Dice, and your unlocked Power Die. For the rest of the game, you will only roll the Play Dice that were removed from the board in the previous turn, plus any unlocked Power Dice. Place the Play Dice and the Power Dice in their corresponding areas on the board.
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Now you will take your turn as Active player and then as the Non-Active player as per the normal rules.
- A. Choose one of the Play Areas on the board, take all of the dice there, and place them in front of your Play Sheet.
- B. Now, 1 die at a time, check off boxes on the corresponding Play track, completing actions as required.
- C. Next, without removing any additional dice from the Play Areas, choose 2 areas that still contain dice (including Power Dice) and check off the next open box on your Play Sheet for each one. Complete the action and any chained actions associated with the first area before checking off the second one.
Remember, you must apply the Defense Die to the first eligible play. You only do this ONCE for the Round.
Example: Gina is starting her solo game. First she rolls the Defense Die and a Power Die. Gina then places the Defense Die on the board (1), and places a marker cube on Play Area 5 (2), which matches the Power Die. Now, she rolls all the 11 Play Dice, and her 1 unlocked Power Die, placing them in their Play Areas on the board. Gina decides to take the dice in Area 3 (3). She moves the dice next to her Play Sheet and starts checking off boxes in the 3 track (4), marking off a box in the 4 track due to a chained action (5, 6), and ending with a 15 yard Run with Breakaway (7, 8). The first Breakaway box gives Gina no extra yards, and the current Defensive play subtracts 5 yards from her Run, so she moves her yardage marker just 2 spaces for the 10 yard play (9).
For her Non-Active turn, she selects the 4 and 6 Play Areas, which both still have dice. The 6 track box has nothing in it, but the next 4 box she checks has a 5 yard Pass with YAC (10). Her YAC track doesn't add any more yardage this time, but there's no defensive penalty, so she moves her yardage marker 1 space for 5 yards, to the 30-Yard space (11).
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Determine Blitz Bach's scoring.
- A. Remove all Power Dice from the Play Areas and then roll your unlocked number of Power Dice. For each unique number you roll, remove all Play Dice from the matching area on the board and place them in front of you along with the Play Dice you removed in Step 4a. This will be part of your dice pool for the next Round.
- B. Determine which area has the most dice, not including the area with the Defense Marker from step 2. Give Blitz Bach points based on the chart below.
Score Chart for Blitz Bach:
Dice in area Points 0 or 1 die 0 2 dice 3 3 dice 7 4 dice 10 5 dice 14 6+ dice 21 -
Go back to step 2 to continue play for the next Round.
Example: Gina now takes Blitz Bach's turn, removing all of her Power Dice from the board, then rolling the 1 Power Die she has unlocked so far. The Power Die shows a 6, so she removes all the 6s on the board (1). Looking at the remaining Play Dice, Area 2 has the most dice with 2 (2). Area 5 is ineligible as it has the Defense Marker in it (3). Using the score chart, Gina gives Blitz Bach 3 points in his first score box.
End of Game and Winner (Solo)
The game is over at the end of the 6th Round once Blitz Bach has scored. Blitz Bach wins if he is tied or has more Points. You win if you score more points than Blitz Bach.