Board of Dreams

Board of Dreams Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components

One game board
2 six-sided dice
9 orange team pawns
9 blue team pawns
2 ball counters
3 ball counters (green)
2 strike counters (red)
2 out counters (yellow)
4 home counters (blue+H)
4 guest counters (blue+G)
1 inning counter (blue+I)
50 defense cards (red)
50 offense cards (blue)
50 player cards (black)
1 box back scorer

Setup

Position the board in the center of the playing area and place the offense and defense cards face down next to it, after shuffling them thoroughly. Discard piles will go to the sides of each respective deck. Place the following counters near the cards: Ball, Strike and Out.

Decide who will be playing as the home team (begins on defense) and who will be playing as Guest (begins on offense). Each manager chooses the preferred color of team and the counters "Home" and "Guest" that will serve for marking runs, selecting the batter and the strength of the pitcher on the pitcher status schedule. Finally, place the back of the box in a position where both managers can access it easily.

The Board

The board is divided into three zones: two game tools and the game area. The game area is divided into six sectors, named batting zones (or directions) and in semi-arches named batting distance (or distance). The batting direction "one" is the one nearest the home manager's area. The distance "one" is the box containing home plate. As in real baseball, the diamond also exists, which is basically the entire area contained between the brown zone and the edge of the field. The batter must be positioned in the "BOX" area and the pitcher in the "C" area. The series of colored circles represent the "Pitcher Status" and the blue rectangles are the areas designated for containing the pitcher cards that are currently on the field. Finally, above every "Pitcher Status" there is a "Memorandum" box that serves to remind managers of the game dynamics regarding the pitching and batting phases.

The Board of Dreams Cards

There are three types of cards in Board of Dreams: red defense cards for whoever is on defense; blue offense cards for who is at bat; and black cards for the players' characteristics.

Defense and Offense Cards

The red and blue stacks (the former for defense and the latter for offense) include 36 normal and 14 special cards. The normal cards are the ball and strike pitches that can be chosen, as well as the various actions that the batter can carry out. It is possible to identify the special cards by the star printed on the front. These special cards can only be used once during a game.

The normal defense cards have two indications: the type of pitch (Fastball, Curveball or Dropball, both written and illustrated) and the pitch zone (Strike or Ball, as written under the image).

The normal offense cards only describe the batter's type of action, for example "HIT FASTBALL" or "NO SWING". There is also a card that doesn't consist of a batter's action, but rather that of the runner, for example "Runner goes to 2nd". This card allows the player that uses it to steal second base if it's vacant and to register a strike on the batter. If it is played without the runner on first, or with second base occupied, only a strike is achieved, minus any steal. The special cards that have values such as "+1" increase the pitcher's or batter's ability, depending on who uses the card.

The special cards can only be used with the PRO level.

Player Cards (PRO Level)

The black stack contains the 50 basic players that will form the two teams. Besides the players' names, the card shows many values (see the illustration in the original rulebook).

The values F, C and D are the pitching and batting abilities for Fastballs, Curves and Dropballs. The pitchers can have two values: the larger one identifies the pitching ability and the smaller one the batting ability for the respective types.

The word Pos. defines the role of the player in the field: Pitcher (P), Catcher (C), First Baseman (1B), Second Baseman (2B), Third Baseman (3B), Shortstop (SS), Leftfielder (LF), Centerfielder (CF), Rightfielder (RF) and Designated Hitter (DH).

The value S represents "Star Quality," which is the quality value of the player. The value N is the card player number.

The A value under the writing Base Run is the maximum movement between the bases that a player can perform on offense.

All the numbers indicated by the letters Z represent a value, to be decided by a dice roll, for the direction of the ball as it's batted into the field. It can have numbers or not.

The B value represents the action points, which constitute the number of actions that a player can perform on one defensive round.

All the numbers indicated by the letter X represent the minimum value to throw on the bases or for a player between the bases (the cutoff) from the player that has the ball. If there is no value, the throw to that particular destination will never take place.

BASIC or PRO Regulation

If you choose the BASIC level you don't have to bother to read the PRO regulations and vice versa. All the chapters in which the level is not specified are valid for both game versions. If you play the BASIC level, remove from the game all the special cards and Player cards.

If you like, you can play the PRO level without the special cards.

Team Preparation, the Draft (PRO Level)

Taking turns, the managers take the Player cards to set up their team. The home team chooses first among the available players and then, in alternating turns, each manager must take two Player cards until there are no more. Every team must draft 8 pitchers, 1 Designated Hitter, and 2 players for other roles.

Now the two managers must create the starting team of nine players, one for each role, or nine players and a DH. The sum of the Star Quality of all the starting team must be equal to or less than 30.

Substitutions are allowed only if the player that has been changed can't return to the field and the sum of the Star Quality is always equal to or less than 30 when starting each defense. Place the player cards between yourself and the board in their batting order: the first to bat will be the first on the left. Place the pitcher in his specified place on the board. If you have decided to play with 9 players, place the designated hitter card face down in the line-up position.

If you don't want to do a Draft, the Player cards are numbered from 1 to 25 and will form one team; the remaining cards will constitute the other. The home manager can choose which team to play with.

Status Pitcher (PRO Level)

Every game is different, and even the best pitcher can perform badly. To understand how many innings a pitcher can pitch, a 6-sided die must be rolled, and every time you roll you must add 4 to the rolled number. Starting from the left, place a token (Home or Guest) on the circle that's equivalent to the number just rolled (plus 4). For every inning pitched and/or batting turn that's completed, the token must be moved to the left by one circle. When a square with the value –1 or –2 is covered, these values are to be subtracted from the pitcher's capacities.

When the last sector is covered, the pitcher can pitch (or bat) for the last time, after which he must be replaced. Every time a pitcher is replaced, the same procedure must be performed.

Positioning the Defense

For every inning, the team must be positioned on defense, as they actually would be in a real game of baseball. Once the pawns have been placed on the field, they must not be moved until the next inning, except for the ones that must be moved as per game rules.

The pitcher must always be positioned on the mound; the catcher must be placed in the "C" area, and the four infielders (1B, 2B, SS and 3B) must always remain inside the diamond (see the example in the original rulebook). The three outfielders must always stay in the outfield area. The centerfielder must remain in between the other two outfielders, left and right. A single square can be occupied by only one pawn of each team.

Moving on Defense

The players on defense can move to any square adjacent to the one they are occupying. There is only one rule for defensive movement: the infielder can't move out of the diamond and the outfielder can't enter it. The squares with parts of the diamond and the outfield (called "Texas League" squares) can be used by both infielders or outfielders.

Moving on Offense

For the players on offense, movement must be performed on the numbered circles positioned between the bases. Every time a base is crossed, it's not possible to go back. When the ball reaches the internal area of the diamond, the runners are allowed to reach the next base before they stop.

Game Sequence

The game has a precise sequence: first, the defense plays, then the offense. This means that whatever action the defense performs takes place before the offense makes its move.

Pitching and Batting

At the beginning of the game the managers pick 5 cards from the red stack and 5 from the blue stack. The managers are allowed a minimum of 2 cards, up to a maximum of 7. Only before performing the first pitch on a new batter can the managers decide whether to take or discard some defense or offense cards in order to change the value of the batter. A note, also printed on the board, explains how the values change if cards are picked or discarded during offensive and defensive plays.

The green circle with the letter B is a ball, and the red circle with the letter S is a strike.

For example: if the defense picks a card (+1) and the offense chooses 2 cards (+2), the batter will begin play with the values of 2 balls and 2 strikes. If, after cards are chosen or discarded, we get a result of 4 balls, the batter achieves a base on balls (also known as a "walk"). If instead we get 3 strikes, the pitcher registers a strikeout. Remember that the first to choose is always on defense and then offense, so if the defense discards 2 cards (1 ball and 2 strikes), the offense could actually choose only one card, because by increasing the value by one strike, the batter is eliminated by strikeout.

If any cards are discarded, they must be placed in a separate stack next to the Defense and Offense stacks, which must be placed face down. When the face-down cards are finished being selected, the discarded cards must be shuffled and placed face down again to replace the completed stack.

When you don't have any more cards in your hand, or when you play a new batter with only one card, it's compulsory to pick a card and immediately apply the effects of the action, as described above.

Now it's time to pitch a ball.

The pitcher must choose a card from his hand and play it by showing it to his opponent. Now the batter decides the card to play from his hand. The "HIT type of pitch" cards can always hit the respective type of pitch in both Strike and Ball zones.

The combination of Defense-Offense cards "type of pitch Strike" - "HIT type of pitch" (as in the example illustrated in the original rulebook) makes the batter hit the ball and provides a batting bonus of +1 on distance. Every different combination produces a strike on the batter count, as, for example, "Fastball Strike" - "Hit Curveball".

The "HIT Strike" cards can hit every type of pitch as long as the pitching zone is a Strike. If any type of ball card is used, a strike must be given to the batter.

The "No Swing" cards allow the batter to NOT swing the bat and thereby increase his pitch counts by one Ball or one Strike, depending on what's indicated on the Defense card being used. The manager must continue pitching the ball until the defense gets an out or the offense reaches base.

Using the Special Cards (PRO Level)

During a game, each manager can use up to 9 special cards maximum, one on defense and one on offense during an inning.

The special cards are only to be played once. When they have been used, keep them in front of you as a reminder. If it's not possible to use a special card or you don't want to use one but you have only special cards in your hand, it's possible to discard one (by placing it on the used-card stack) and take a new card from the top of the covered stack and add a ball (if playing on defense) or a strike (if playing on offense) to one's count.

It is possible to replace the special cards if one believes it's necessary to do so.

Hit Ball (BASIC Level)

When the ball is hit it's necessary to determine where the ball goes in the field of play. For the direction, a throw of the die is required; next you must position the ball in the direction that corresponds to the value, beginning from the direction "one" (see the board description above). For the distance, the attacking team must throw two six-sided dice and add the sum of the batting bonus, if there is one. Then, by counting the distance sectors, starting from the distance "one" towards the outfield, one can determine the total amount of the value obtained. Position the ball in the field on the green side if it's in the outfield or on the brown side if it's inside the diamond (infield). The offensive team will choose, if batting in a Texas League box, in which part of the field to position the ball. Note that up till now, no runner or batter has moved in the field.

Hit Ball (PRO Level)

When a ball is hit we must determine its final position. For the direction, a throw of one die is required; then you must position the ball in the zone that corresponds to the value of the die and verifying the batter's card whatever it may be.

To determine the distance of the hit, a bit of math is required. Take as an example the figure on page 6 of the original rulebook and the following players: Joe de Majo has 4 as a Fastball hit, which must be added to the batting bonus for a total of 5. To this resulting number we must subtract the pitch value of Rolan Raian's Fastball (4). The result in this example is 1, which calls for a Distance Bonus.

The team at bat now throws two 6-sided dice and adds the total to the Distance Bonus. The resulting value is the batting distance. Now begin to count from the distance "one" towards the perimeter of the field the amount of sectors equal to the value arrived at. Position the ball in the field on the green side if it ends up in the outfield or on the brown side if it remains in the infield. The team at bat chooses in which part of the field to place the ball if batting from the Texas League box. Up to now, no runner has moved on the basepaths.

Hit the Ball (Defense Turn)

Once the ball has been positioned in the field it's the defending team's turn. The main objective of the defense is to achieve 3 outs without letting the team at bat score any points. To do this, the defense has three actions available: move, catch the ball, or pitch the ball. To move one or more players into a defensive position costs one action point for every move that's made. Catching or pitching the ball costs one point apiece. When one has finished his action points he waits for the rest of the turn for the team at bat to carry out its moves before he resumes his defensive moves, using the action points again available for the player with the ball.

BASIC Level

Each infielder has 3 action points, while the outfielders have 4.

PRO Level

Every manager has an amount of action points (see Player Cards), declares who he wants to use to catch the ball and begin your game. Up until the next bat you have the amount of action points indicated by the first player used on defense (for example, Joe de Majo has 4 action points).

Catching and Throwing the Ball

A ball hit in the diamond is always a ground ball (brown side of the ball). A ball in the outfield is always a fly ball, that is, the green side. If a fly ball falls to the ground, it must be turned over onto the brown side. To pitch the ball it must be caught first (either in the air or on the ground).

Picking Up a Ground Ball

First of all, we must let a player {fielder?} reach the square with the ball. Every movement through a square costs one action point. If the square with the ball is reached with at least one action point {remaining?} it is possible to try and pick it up.

Throw a six-sided die and if the number is equal to or more than 2, the defensive player can pick up the ball.

If you don't take the ball, but if you still have some action points, it is possible to try and pick the ball again; otherwise the defensive player's turn will end in favor of the team at bat.

Catching a Fly Ball

As for the ball on the ground, first of all it's necessary to move a player to reach the box containing the ball. Every box the player moves through uses one action point, and the difficulty in catching or fielding the ball increases.

Count every movement made and add 2: this is the minimum value for catching the batted ball in mid air. Throw a 6-sided die and if the result is equal to or more than the previous value then you have gotten the batter out; otherwise you have missed the ball and it will drop to the ground.

To miss the ball in the air means that the batter and any runners will advance one base, which ends the defensive team's turn.

The defending team can automatically pick up the ball on the next turn at the cost of one action point.

In the case of a Home Run (with a distance more than the length of the field), the defender that still has at least one action point can try to catch the ball by jumping against the fence if he manages to reach the edge of the field in the same direction as the batted ball. To be able to do this, the defense must roll a 6 on one die. Furthermore, this catch can only be performed if the defense throws two dice for a total less than 12.

The Throw

The throw basically consists of a player that has the ball throwing it to another player on the same team. To throw the ball, the player must declare the ball's intended destination and roll one six-sided die.

BASIC Level

Move the ball by the number of boxes, according to the roll of the die, in the direction of the ball's final destination.

The defensive turn ends with an immediate effect. If the ball hasn't reached the destination, on the next turn the die must be thrown again to continue with the pitch. Until the ball has arrived at its final destination the direction can't be changed.

PRO Level

Every player has certain throwing abilities. The value indicated on the bases is the minimum result of the die for reaching a declared destination on a given turn. If the minimum value isn't achieved the turn ends immediately, but on the next throw of the die, the value is added to all previous rolls.

To be able to throw on the bases a defender must "cover" the base, meaning that the player must be positioned in the box that contains the base of destination of the ball; otherwise you must move a defender until the base is covered. Without the base being covered it's not possible to try and throw. If a base doesn't have any value, the ball can never be thrown to that base for all the defensive phases until the next batter comes up.

The catcher that's positioned in the area behind home plate is always considered to be the defensive player that covers home plate.

Every time that a ball passes from one player to another the defensive turn ends. A few passing values around the bases represent the "cut" that an outside player can do to a player present in a zone that doesn't cover a base. The position of these values indicates in what part of the field the defender needs to be, meaning between first and second base or between second and third base.

Making an Out

Every time that the defense gets an out, in the air or by ground balls fielded and thrown to various bases, the turn passes directly to the offensive team, which can choose whether to continue to run to the bases or not. If the attacking team stops the runners on the bases, the ball returns to the pitcher and the pitching and batting can continue.

Attacking Turn

BASIC Level

When a defensive turn ends, the manager on offense can choose whether he wants to attempt to move the runners ahead one base. To do this, throw a 6-sided die for every runner, starting from the one most advanced on the bases, and move as many numbered circles between the bases as the number resulting from the die roll. If the offensive team wants to, it can stop moving the runners before their maximum value for movement.

PRO Level

Use the sides of the team pawns with the image of the batter and the numbers. The number on the pawns represents the line-up position of the batter. So, if the first inning batter is the fourth in lineup you have to use the pawn with number 4.

When a defensive turn has ended, the attacking team can decide whether to move its runners towards the next bases, moving through a maximum number of numbered circles between the bases as described in the player cards section under "Base Run".

When the ball reaches the diamond, the runners must end their movement towards the next base after the last one reached, then stop.

If a runner, starting from second base with the maximum of his running ability, is able to go beyond third base and no other runner is halfway towards the home base, the offensive manager can choose to ignore the rule just described to try and score a run.

Field Regulations

Board of Dreams provides various playing fields, each one differing in shape and rules. Everything comes down to just a few symbols printed on the field (as represented in the figure in the original rulebook). The orange circle is a pitch modifier for the defense, meaning that if the ball is picked up from a part of the field that contains this circle with a number (positive or negative), this value is to be added to the first die roll only during the next pitch or throw.

For example: the ball is caught in the air from the outfield part of a sector containing the circle previously indicated, and the fielder tries to throw the ball towards second base. The defensive manager rolls a 4 with the die. As per the effect of field rules, the result of the die is instead 2. In the case of negative numbers, the minimum value is to be considered as the final result, which is zero.

The blue circle instead is a batting modifier.

If the field allows a player to make a home run with a distance value less than 10, for example, but a blue circle is present in the sector as indicated in the figure (12), this represents the minimum distance value for hitting a home run in that direction. Also as an example, if the ball, when hit, reaches a maximum distance of 9, the ball remains inside the field. In this case the ball can be caught in the air as per the rules and the field modifier doesn't have any effect.

If instead a value of 10 or 11 is obtained, meaning that the ball exceeds the "internal" distance of the field but not enough for a Home Run for the modifier, the defense can never try to catch the ball in the air because the ball will hit the fence too high for it to be caught. In this case the ball must be positioned on the last box in that direction on the brown side, indicating that the defense has failed to catch the ball in the air. Then play proceeds, as described in the rules.

The last thing to describe is when a value of 12 or more is obtained. In this case, the batter achieves a home run that the defense can never try to catch in the air because the ball is hit too high and too far.

Moreover, this modifier reduces any confusion regarding the direction "uno/one" of the field where the distance box is 9; even though it partially shows the blue fence, it will not be possible to hit a home run by simply throwing a 10, not only because the distance box 10 exists but also because the blue field modifier indicates 11.