Battleball Advanced

More Tactical, More Like American Football

by Mr. Bistro
ver 2.0

Why Battleball Advanced?

Milton Bradleys game of futuristic football is fast and fun. But Battleball does little to
encourage good tactics, and the rules make it feel more like soccer or rugby than American
football. The Battleball Advanced rules were made to remedy this. Most of the basic mechanics
have been preserved, as has the spirit. While this document may seem hefty, a great deal of the
space here has been used for tweaking existing rules. Any Coaches already familiar with the
original rules will feel right at home with Battleball Advanced, and should have no problem
implementing the changes outlined here. Whats new? Now you can execute plays, perform
the new blocking action, and pile onto those poor unfortunates who lose their footing. At the
end of this document you will find optional rules such as scenarios (to liven things up now and
then), guidelines for league play (simple but satisfying), sample formations and plays, as well as
an evolving FAQ.

Version 2 of these rules was created to clean up wording and give Coaches a few new skills.
There are also 2 significant changes which can be seen in the Player Action and Blocking
sections. Read, play, and I hope you enjoy.

Section 1 The Advanced Rules

Official Rules vs. Advanced Rules

The Battleball Advanced rules supercede the rules for Team Play found in the official rules. It
should also be noted that all rules in the basic rulebook are still valid unless specifically stated
otherwise here.

Player Actions
In Battleball Advanced Coaches may activate up to 3 players in 1 of their turns. Players
complete their actions 1 at a time. Each player must complete any of his possible actions before
the next player is used. Each player is allowed to move, attempt a Tackle or Block (see below),
etc. Only one Passing action may ever be attempted per turn, and no player can be activated
more than once per turn.

Certain failed actions can cause a Coachs turn to immediately end and pass to his opponent.
Anytime a Coachs player fumbles the ball, or fails to Tackle or Block (see below) an opposing
player, that Coachs turn ends.
Taking Half
Players may voluntarily Take Half instead of rolling for movement, thus allowing them to move a
guaranteed number of spaces in exchange for the potentially faster movement that comes from
random die rolling. Players may never Take Half to move into their opponents End Zone. They
must roll the die for movement when attempting to make a Touchdown. The Take Half Chart
shows the Take Half movement for the different player positions.

Take Half Chart

Player Position Take Half
Movement
Running Back 10
Safety 6
Linebacker 5
Lineman 4
Tackle 3
Heavy Tackle 3

Blocking
Blocking is a new action players may attempt. It is similar to Tackling but with no risk to the
aggressor, and a Blocked player sustains no injury. Players initiate a Block by moving to a space
adjacent to an opposing player. Instead of Tackling the aggressor may announce he is
attempting a Block. Both players roll their respective die, the lowest roll winning the Block
attempt. If the player who is the aggressor loses or if there is a tie, nothing happens. If the
player defending himself from the Block loses, he Goes Down (see below). You may never Block
a player who is Down. If a player carrying the ball is Blocked, he Goes Down and the ball is
fumbled from the space he went Down in. Due to their hulking nature, Heavy Tackles may never
be Blocked, even by other Heavy Tackles. Heavy Tackles roll an extra die to Block, just like they
do when Tackling.

Going Down
Players will on occasion be considered Down, usually due to their having been Blocked. A player
who is Down is laid on his side, and remains in the same space he went Down in. A Down player
may not move or perform actions, but may be stood up again at the end of his teams next turn.
Once stood back up, the player may be used as normal. Players who are Down do not stop
opposing players who move next to them. Normally, moving to a space adjacent to an opposing
player halts a players movement and he must attempt a Tackle or Block. Down players do not
halt movement, and they may be passed as if their space instead contained a Carnage Token.

Pile-On Attacks
Players who go Down are especially vulnerable to attack. Anytime a Tackle is attempted against
someone who is Down, it is considered to be a Pile-On. Instead of the usual Tackle roll-off, the
player performing the Pile-On rolls the brown passing die and consults the Pile-On Chart.
 Pile-On Chart
Passing Die Roll Result
1 Foot in the Danglies! The player attempting
the Pile-On Goes Down.
2-5 Success! The Down player is removed as
Injured and replaced with a Carnage Token.
6 Crunch! The Down player is removed as
being Seriously Injured and is replaced with a
Carnage Token.

Revised Scoring
The official Battleball rules define a Touchdown as being the result of a player moving into his
opponents End Zone with the ball, or the complete removal of an entire team from the field.
Battleball Advanced changes this terminology slightly. In Battleball Advanced moving into your
opponents End Zone with the ball is called a Touchdown, and eliminating the opposing team is
a Technicality. At the end of each Half, add up each players score using the Score Table found
below.

Score Table
Touchdown Award 10 points
Technicality Award 6 points
Survival Award 1 point per player not removed due to
Injuries.

At the end of the 2nd Half any team ahead by at least 10 points will win the game. If neither
team is ahead by at least 10 points, an Overtime Round is played. This continues until 1 team
has a sufficient points lead to win.

Example: The Black Harts win the 1st Half by scoring a Touchdown. They are awarded 10 points
for the Touchdown, and as they have 5 players still on the field, they gain another 5 points,
totaling 15 points. The Iron Wolves did not win the Half, but they have 7 players left on the field,
earning them 7 points. This brings the score at the end of the 1st Half to 15 7.

Section 2 League Play

This section provides guidelines for running your own Battleball league. Fans of tabletop sports
games know that creating leagues is great fun, and makes your games even more satisfying. A
team roster can be found at the end of this document, so gather a bunch of friends together,
give them each copies of the roster, and start making your own teams!

Starting a League and Forming a Team

The Coach organizing the league is the Commissioner and is responsible for bringing the other
Coaches together, making sure they properly create their teams, and for matching up the teams
for each game. The first step for league play is for each Coach to fill out their roster, including:

Team Name Think of something fun, and to honor the spirit of Battleball, make it violent. The
Blood Hawks, Disembowelers, or even Carnivores would work. The Name Chart will help you if
youre having troubles.
 Team Name Generator Chart
1st Part of Name (choose any 1) 2nd Part of Name (choose any 1)
Blood Wolves
Razor Corsairs
Wild Boars
Howling Killers
Suicide Angels
Raging Tigers
Twisted Devils
Red Serpents
Black Thugs
Berserk Hawks

Coach Each Coach should put their own name on the roster.

Team Trait Each team rolls the brown passing die to randomly select a Team Trait from the list
below. Traits help add character to each team, making them feel unique, though the same Trait
may be shared by more then one team.

Team Traits
Trait Result
1 - Unnatural All players on this team move with drug-
Speed boosted speed. They add 1 to their die rolls
for movement. This does not apply to Taking
Half.
2 - Judgment This team plays with an exaggerated sense of
self-righteousness. To further their aims each
player carries a hidden blade dipped in poison
to dispatch those who have wronged them.
Once per game, immediately after successfully
Tackling an opposing player, you may
announce that the Tackled player has been
Seriously Injured.

3 - Resilient A team with this special ability is more likely to

have teammates bounce back from Injury. At
the start of any Half or Overtime, roll a passing
die for any Seriously Injured player. If the roll
is a 4 or more, that player recovers and is
eligible to play the next Half or Overtime.
Further more, any Serious Injuries that a
player bounces back from do not count on his
record.
4 - Dark Secret This team harbors a horrible secret, but what
it is no one knows. Rumors range from stories
about the players being former special ops
 soldiers, to their involvement in sinister occult
activities. Whatever the case, there can be no
denying the team harbors some special ability
that manifests itself when the team is in need.
Once per game at the end of their turn, the
team may take the ball away from the
opposing team, and take possession of it
themselves. They may not choose who gets it.
The opposing coach decides which of his
enemies will receive the ball, and gives it to
that player.
5 -Martyrs The crazed players on this team are willing to
make any sacrifice to win the game. When
attempting a Tackle they may choose to
automatically win (no die roll is required) at
the cost of being Seriously Injured themselves.
Their opponent is simply removed as Injured.
6 Fan Favorites This team appeals to the masses and enjoys a
high level of worldwide popularity. Being
favored by the crowd is always a plus in any
game, and drives the team to excel. A team
with this trait adds 5 points to their League
Ranking after every game they play, regardless
if they won or lost.

League The name of the league everyone is playing in (such as the Soulcrusher League, Widow
Maker League, etc.).

Ranking This starts at 0 for each team, but will grow after each game you play. The higher this
number is, the better the Ranking. Whenever your team finishes a game, add your final score
from that game to your Ranking.

MVPs This starts at 0 for each team, but will begin to grow as you play more and more games.

Player Names Naming each of the players on your team will really add to the fun. Plus, as
your players develop during the season some of them will begin to stand out, and having a great
name for them will feel more satisfying, and help you keep track of whos who.

TDs This rating is optional, but allows Coaches to see how many Touchdowns each of their
players has scored. This number always starts at 0.

SIs This rating is used to keep track of how many Serious Injuries a player sustains during the
course of the league. Multiple Serious Injuries can lead to a loss of MVP Skills.

MVP Skills Use this area to write down any MVP Skills your players earn during their career
(see below).
Once each Coach has filled out their roster it is time to give them a team. Coaches can use the
players that come right out of the box, but may find it more satisfying to make their teams
unique. Teams can be hand-painted to change their look. Experienced modelers or miniature
gamers may wish to convert their models so that their appearance is truly one-of-a-kind. Even
miniatures from other games may be used, provided their bases are altered to conform to
Battleball regulations and are properly color-coded.

Organizing Games
Once each Coach has a team, it is time to start playing some games! The first thing to do is find
out how many games must be played before participants for the Championship are determined.
Consult the Match Table below.

Match Table
# of Teams in the League # of Times a Coach Must Play Each Team
2-4 3
5-8 2
9-12 1

This means that if there are 5 teams in the league, a Coach must play each of the opposing
teams twice. Once each team has played the other teams the requisite number of times, the
teams all compare their League Rankings. The coaches with the 2 highest scores are declared to
be the league Leaders and are then set to play the Championship game. If more than 2 teams
are eligible to play for the Championship there is Contention.

To resolve Contention first have the teams in question add their MVP ratings to their League
Rating. If this raises 1 teams League Rating above another, the Contention is resolved. If not, a
new game must be fought, with the loser becoming ineligible to play in the Championship.

Championship games are played like any other, with the thrill of dominating the league going to
the victor. Championship games often have their own name like the Carnage Bowl, or Death of
Innocence Cup. Some leagues may ask coaches to chip in a few bucks, so the Commissioner can
purchase a trophy (some people may choose to convert and paint little miniature trophies which
look appropriate for Battleball). Others may simply place wagers on the final outcome, or ante
up to form a pot for the winner.

However you choose to celebrate is fine, as long as everyone has fun.

MVPs
Part of the fun in any league, is watching your players grow in skill over the course of the
season. For every 50 points a team has in League Ranking, they may add 1 to their teams MVP
rating. For every point of MVP rating a team has, any 1 player on the team may be given an
MVP Skill. Some Coaches prefer to assign Skills to many different team members, while some
enjoy piling all Skills their team earns onto 1 player. When a team is ready to earn a new MVP
Skill, the Coach selects which player it will go to, rolls 3 passing dice, and consults the MVP Skill
Table.
 MVP Skill Table
Dice Total Skill
2 Pick Up and Throw
3 Leap
4 Steady Hands
5 Rampage
6 Expert Block
7 Rip and Tear
8 Long Bomb
9 Filthy Cheat
10 Built Like a Tank
11 Dead Hard
12 Dodge
13 Stiff Arm
14 Interception
Specialist
15 Flea Flicker
16 Desperate Toss
17 Careful Grab
18 Cruel Grappler

Pick Up and Throw This player may pick up his teammates and throw them down the field.
This counts as a standard action such as Tackling or Passing. If a friendly player is adjacent to
the MVP, the MVP rolls the brown passing die and moves the thrown player that many spaces in
one direction. Thrown players may move over other players and Carnage Tokens but must land
on an empty space, and must move the full amount shown on the die. Players carrying the ball
may be thrown into their opponents End Zone to score a Touchdown.

Heavy Tackles may never be thrown, but if they have this skill they may roll the passing die twice
and total the 2 amounts. However, anytime a Heavy Tackle rolls doubles when throwing
someone, the thrown player has been Injured. Place a Carnage Token where they land and
remove the player as Injured. If that player was carrying the ball, it is Fumbled from the space
containing the Carnage Token.

Leap Players with this Skill may jump over Carnage Tokens and players who are Down during
their movement. Simply move the player as if those spaces were empty, then roll the respective
die for that player after they have finished moving. If you roll less than the number of objects
they leapt over, they go Down (and Fumble the ball if they possess it). If a player goes Down in
the End Zone due to Leaping, no Touch Down is scored, and Play is Halted.

Steady Hands - Players with this Skill never Fumble the ball unless they have just gone Down or
have been Tackled. This includes Fumbles caused by Malfunctions.

Rampage This player is a raving loony, and if he ends his movement adjacent to more then
one opposing player he may attempt to Tackle them all. He handles each player 1 at a time, in
the order of his Coachs choosing. If he loses against 1 enemy he still attacks anyone who is left,
and does not Go Down or become Injured until all enemies have been attacked.
Expert Block An MVP with this Skill automatically succeeds any Blocking attempt he makes.
There is no need to roll the dice. Heavy Tackles may never be Blocked for any reason.

Rip and Tear This player is ferocious! Whenever he successfully Tackles another player he
tears into them, creating 3 Carnage Tokens instead of 1. The Coach with this MVP places the
first Token in the spot where the Tackled player was, then places the other two in any adjacent
spaces that are empty. If there is a lack of space for any of the Tokens, the excess are discarded.

Long Bomb A player with this Skill is an expert thrower. Whenever they attempt a Pass, they
roll their regular player die, instead of the one for Passing.

Filthy Cheat This player will do anything to win, even if it means bribing the referee. Once per
Game Half or Overtime, this MVP may re-roll any 1 die roll he makes and doesnt care for. He
must accept the results of the second roll.

Built Like a Tank Knowing how to plant your feet and throw your weight is key in Battleball.
An MVP with this Skill may never be Blocked. If this Skill is selected for a Heavy Tackle, you may
roll for another Skill.

Dead Hard This player makes every blow count. A player with this Skill gets to roll 2 dice for
Tackling or Blocking just like a Heavy Tackle. The type of die the player uses stays the same, but
he may now roll it twice and pick the lowest. If a Heavy Tackle gets this Skill, he must re-roll and
select another.

Dodge If this player loses a Tackle or Blocking attempt, roll a brown passing die. On a roll of 1
or 2, he escapes and is unaffected by either attack. This Skill may not be used to negate Pile-On
attacks.

Stiff Arm If this player moves next to an opposing player and elects to Block rather than
Tackle, he may continue his movement if his opponent Goes Down. Stiff Arm may only be used
once per turn.

Interception Specialist This figure may attempt to intercept passes made by the opposing
team. If the Intercept Specialist is within 3 spaces of the receiver of a successful pass, the
Intecept Specialist rolls the brown passing die. If he rolls a 4 or better he has successfully
intercepted the ball, the ball is placed on the interceptor's base. If less than a 4 is rolled, nothing
happens.

Flea Flicker If a player with this skill is passed the ball from another player who is closer to the
opposing team's End Zone than himself, he may attempt to pass the ball for a second time that
same turn.

Desperate Toss If this player is successfully Tackled while carrying the ball, instead of giving
the ball to the Tackler, the ball is fumbled from the space with the Tackled players Carnage
Token.
Careful Grab If this player successfully Blocks a player carrying the ball, the ball is not fumbled,
and the Blocking player takes possession of it.

Cruel Grappler This player adds 1 to all Pile-On attacks he makes.

Serious Injuries in a League

The life of a Battleball player is not easy (nor is it usually very long). The threat of Injury is
always imminent, and can sometimes ruin an otherwise promising career. At the end of any
game, roll the brown passing die separately for each of your players who sustained a Serious
Injury. If the roll is a 2 or higher, the player recovers and may play again. Add 1 to their SI rating
on the team roster. If the roll was a 1, then the players body has been horribly shattered, and
has suffered far too much trauma for even futuristic medicine to repair. They are dead and will
not play again. Erase all of their information from the team roster.

If a team loses a player to Serious Injury they may recruit another player for future games.
Create a new player name, and set his TDs and SIs to 0, and of course he starts without any MVP
Skills. Losing a player with any MVP Skills does not change the teams MVP rating, nor does the
team get to allocate a new Skill to another player.

Sometimes a life of being beaten down begins to take its toll. Any player who accumulates 4 or
more Serious Injuries loses any 1 MVP Skill, chosen by his Coach. This does not change the
teams MVP rating, nor does the team get to allocate a new Skill to another player. If a player
sustains 4 or more Serious Injuries he is not eligible to receive any MVP Skills in the future.

Coaches may voluntarily decide to retire players they feel are a liability. Players with 4 or more
SIs may be retired after any game, and replaced with new players as described above.
Voluntarily retiring a player reduces a teams MVP rating by 5 points, even if this makes their
MVP rating a negative number.

Section 3 Optional Rules

Scenarios
The scenarios presented here are for your general amusement. They are intended to be used
occasionally to spice up your games if you find things are getting dull. They are in no way
recommended for league or tournament play. There are 6 scenarios. You may pick 1 out with
your opponent or roll the brown passing die and consult the Scenario Chart.

Scenario Chart
Die Roll Scenario
1 Gun Tower
2 Titans of Carnage
3 Gel Core Armor
4 Spiked Ball
5 Sudden Death
6 Lambs to
Slaughter
Gun Tower A gun tower has been erected on the sidelines, and a sniper is taking out the
players! Both Coaches roll a red die at the beginning of each turn (after the coin toss if
applicable). The one who rolls highest gets to pick the snipers next target. Roll the passing die,
and if the result is a 1 or 2, the player is removed as being Seriously Injured. The sniper has
been instructed by the referee to never shoot at players in possession of the ball. The sniper
also has a harder time bringing down Heavy Tackles. If the snipers target is ever a Heavy Tackle
he must roll the passing die twice, and roll a 1 or 2 both times.

Titans of Carnage - The Heavy Tackles are smashing down everything in their way, and nothing
can stop them. In this scenario, Heavy Tackles automatically win every Tackle. There is no need
to roll the dice, simply remove the opposing player as Injured and place a Carnage Token
appropriately. Such is the might of the Heavy Tackles that they cannot even bring down each
other. Heavy Tackles may not Tackle each other during this scenario.

Gel Core Armor - Each player has been outfitted with special plate armor. Each plate has a gel
core capable of reducing the amount of shock a player sustains. During this game successful
Tackles will never Injure or Seriously Injure a player. They will only ever go Down.

Spiked Ball - The ball for this game is covered in metal spikes. In order to keep from Injuring
their own teammates, players may only Pass the ball up to 10 spaces away (any further requires
too much force). In addition, the ball may be used as a weapon. To do this a player announces
he is Passing to an opposing player. Resolve the Pass as normal (though no one may Intercept).
If the opposing player is hit (catches it) he is removed as Injured and a Carnage Token takes his
place. The ball is Fumbled from the same spot as the Token. The spiked ball has no effect on
Hand-Offs.

Sudden Death There is no ball. There is no pretense. In this scenario the game only lasts for
one Game Half. The ball is never used, and no score is kept. The only way to win is to remove
your opponent through brute force. The only team with members left standing wins.

Lambs to Slaughter All players have been outfitted with armor that contains incendiary
devices. During a Tackle attempt, both players are automatically removed as Injured, and the
one who loses the die roll counts as being Seriously Injured. Blocking has no effect on the armor
whatsoever, and is resolved as normal.

Sample Formations
Creating your own Battleball playbook can be quite satisfying, and is a great way to plan your
strategies ahead of time. Here are ten sample formations, as well as suggestions for using them.
Ambush

This formation can be a bit tricky, but works well as a defensive stance. While moving down the
center of the field is obviously a trap, your opponent will be hard-pressed to move down your
cluttered flanks.

Black Eye

This is a great formation, particularly if you are looking for a balanced set-up with a slightly
aggressive feel.

Cocked Gun

The Cocked Gun is a tough puzzle for your opponent to solve. The front ranks have hard-hitting
players, and lighter, faster players wait in the rear for opposing Running Backs who may find
their way through. This is a useful formation when you arent sure what approach you want to
take.

Five Four Two

This is a balanced formation with a very secure line, and is suitable for offensive or defensive
play.
North and South

Using this formation will encourage aggressive behavior from your opponent. Pull your Tackles
and Linemen up close before the enemy closes with your front line.

Reverse Baker

This is another good formation to use when unsure of what approach you want to take. It is
flexible enough to allow you a fair amount of strategic options.

Spearhead

This is an incredibly aggressive but risky formation, and only usable when you know you will
have the first turn. But if you can pull it off the results will be spectacular. Take Half on your
first turn to get the ball, and pass it back to the Tackle or Linemen. Advance en masse to plow
right through your opponents center. Just be careful to maneuver the right players at the right
time, or half of your team can disappear in 1 turn!

The Opportunist

If you prefer waiting for your opponent to reveal a chink in his armor, this is the formation for
you. The front line is incredibly solid (and intimidating). They should be able to hold off your
opponent for a short time, and force him to do some clever maneuvering. The Safeties and
Running Backs are held back until an opening is revealed, at which time they rush forth to
exploit it.
The Shield

The Shield is a more conservative variant of the Opportunist. It is still an excellent defensive
formation, but less reliant on waiting for your opponent to show weakness.

Wall of Hurt

Looking for an aggressive formation that shows no subtlety? The Wall of Hurt is a great way to
intimidate your opponent, and the players are staggered in a way to show little weakness. Just
take care to make sure no one breaks through your line or all will be lost.

FAQ

Q: What happens when Play is Halted, but a team hasnt finished their turn?
A: That teams turn ends prematurely.

Q: What happens to MVPs with the Built like a Tank Skill when playing the Gel Core Armor
scenario?
A: Scenarios are not made for league play, but in this case the MVP gains no other special ability
and is simply out of luck for the duration of the scenario.

Q: Can an MVP with the Steady Hands Skill be forced to use their skill to catch a spiked ball
thrown by an opponent?
A: No.

Q: Can an MVP who is Built Like a Tank be thrown?

A: Yes. Built Like a Tank isnt just about physical size. Only Heavy Tackles may not be thrown.

Q: Can a leaping player or a thrown player pick up the ball if they pass over it?
A: No.

Q: Can the Long Bomb Skill be combined with the Pick Up and Throw Skill?
A: No.

Q: If a situation occurs where my MVP with Filthy Cheat has to roll 2 dice, and I dont like what
I roll, do I get to re-roll both dice?
A: In any situation involving more then 1 die, only 1 die may be selected for the re-roll.
Designer Notes
I suppose I should first answer: Why call it Advanced when its not very complex at all? Ive
noticed that most homemade rules on the internet involve rewriting the rules for Battleball
entirely, thereby earning the variant a different name. I didnt wish to do this. After all, people
looking for a more complex game can choose something else such as Games Workshops Blood
Bowl. My goal was to (I) make Battleball a bit more tactical, (II) make it feel more like American
football, and (III) provide a very simple yet effective approach to league play. Because of this I
decided to keep the original rules, and merely added 1 or 2 things to them. The name Battleball
Advanced was chosen because it implies that it is still the same Battleball people are familiar
with, only now with more meat. Are the rules balanced? Ive certainly tried to make them
balanced, but theres always something that sneaks by. If you play with these rules and have
any suggestions or feedback, please contact me at mrbistro@gmail.com, or on Board Game
Geek. Id love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

Special thanks to users Hendal, Allskulls, and Grungebob for their encouragement, ideas, and
suggestions for improvements to this version of Battleball Advanced. Of course if there is
anything here you dont like, please send all nasty emails to them.

Team Roster
The last page of this document is the Team Roster for use in your league games.