Club Stories
Club Stories Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- About Club Stories
- Setup: The Basics
- Setup: The Scenario Card
- The 4 Tracks and Your Network
- Your Turn: In Short
- The Turn
- Phase 3: Select Your Player and Activate Tactics
- Phase 4: The Match
- Phase 5: Match Consequences
- Phase 6: House Keeping
- Level Up Your Players
- Challenges
- Injuries and Suspensions
- Interested Clubs
- Opponents Level Up Too!
- Evaluation
- The End of the Game
- A Game for 2 Players (Co-operative)
- Quick Reference
About Club Stories
What's inside the box
1 game board - 3 scenario cards (6 scenario's) - 1 schedule card - 6 dice - 8 coins - 18 skill tokens - 6 suspension & injury tokens - 2 yellow, 2 red and 2 blue cubes - 10 green cubes - a lot of black cubes & discs
154 playing cards: 12 tactics - 12 sponsors - 2 scenario - 20 opponents - 23 board meetings - 25 staff - 12 challenges - 48 players (3 clubs)
2 player game
The rules in this manual are an explanation of a solo game. The rules for a 2 player game are almost the same. You can find the differences at page 14.
Beginner game
A game of Club Stories can be overwhelming at first. There are a lot of possibilities. That is why scenario 0 was made. Play this one first, to get the hang of the game. If you do, you can skip some parts of this manual for now. When this is the case, you will see the beginner symbol. Also at the setup of the game, you can leave some cards and cubes in the box.
Difficulty levels
Club Stories can be played at 2 difficulty levels.
Easy: You try to make your team better during season. Your opponents won't get any stronger. They don't develop themselves. Skip the parts of the manual with the easy-mode symbol for now. You'll read more about this later.
Normal: Your opponents get better during season, just like you. More about this later.
Note: Scenario 0 is automatically played in easy mode. Just read the scenario card.
Setup: The Basics
When you play Club Stories for the first time, paste the 1 week injury stickers on the blue wooden discs. Paste the 2 weeks injury stickers on the other sides. Do the same with the 1 and 2 weeks suspension stickers. Paste the skill stickers (numbers) on the green discs (one sided). Put the game board on the table. Sort the discs, chips and cubes. Put them above the game board. The green skill tokens must be covered.
Put the 4 plastic chips (4 colours) on the corresponding tracks on the board. Put them on the bottom spots for now. Put the dice, schedule and the 10 green cubes in front of you. Make separate open decks: tactics, sponsors, staff, players (Newbie FC*). Place a black cube next to the manager points track and one on the 0 of the league points track. Here you will keep track of the match points, which you'll earn a lot of by winning matches, of course.
Put 2 black cubes on the tactics track, as in the picture above. Place a black cube on the form track (marked with the form symbol). Put 2 black cubes on both zeros on the score board. Make 3 different decks: challenges (marked with the challenge symbol), board meetings, opponents. Put them closed on the correct spots on the right of the board. Place the scenario card next to the board. Place a black cube on the first spot of the game round track of the scenario card.
* The player cards of Newbie FC belong to scenario 0 and 1. On the scenario cards you can find which player cards you need by looking at the club's name.
Setup: The Scenario Card
Every scenario card is different and needs a unique setup. It is time to learn more about your current job. Let's take a look at your club's situation. Let's assume you start with scenario 1, so all the important stuff can be explained. Take a look at the scenario card, beginning at the top of the card.
Take 2 silver coins. These are your savings. The 4 colored track markers correspond with your income, fan popularity, morale and fitness. Move the markers on the tracks to the right spots. Note that your team is playing in the lowest professional league: division 3.
Take the opponents deck. Remove all cards with div2 on it and put them in the box. Leave cards with div3 and div2,3 in the deck. Shuffle them and put them back next to the board. (When your club plays in division 2, you remove div3 cards.)
At scenario rules you can read that you start with 3 directors: Numbers 1, 2 and 7. Take them from the staff deck and place them on the 3 director spots on the board. You can also see your club has a scout and a coach, both with number 1. Search for them too and put them in front of you. Shuffle the staff deck afterwards.
Your board of directors provides your network. The symbols as shown on the right show that you may put 1 sponsor card and 3 staff cards open next to their decks. Do this. You have more cards to choose from now. Note that the scout and the coach have similar symbols. You may place a tactics card and a player card open next to the corresponding decks.
Your new job
Read the rest of the scenario card. The club expects you to reach a certain level at the end of season. In scenario 1 you have to reach the level of an unexperienced professional manager. If you succeed, you finished the scenario and may play the next one. Sometimes you stay at the club, but it is also possible that a new challenge awaits you at a new club.
During the game, you earn respect (manager points). On the manager points track you can see if you reached the level you needed. The picture in the manual shows an example of a successful manager at Newbie FC in the first scenario. But beware: later on, bigger clubs will expect more from you.
Now look at season goals on the scenario card. You do not have to accomplish these goals, but they will help you a lot to reach the expected level you need. When you achieve one of these goals, you may add points immediately to your manager points track.
Some goals are very important for the club (they give you a lot of points). Sometimes it even seems impossible to satisfy the club without achieving it.
At the bottom of the scenario card is the stadium. On the score board on the right of the stands you can see how many crowd is in the stadium during matches. 2 out of 4 blocks are filled: place 2 black cubes on the stands.
Remove the special board meeting cards from the deck of board meetings. These are the cards with a text on the backs. When you play scenario 0, shuffle all of the other board meeting cards and put 12 of them back (closed). Put the rest of the board meeting cards, including the special ones, back in the box.
When you play scenario 1 or further, take 9 board meeting cards and 3 special board meeting cards without looking. Shuffle them together and put them in the right spot next to the board (closed). When there is a special board meeting card on top, shuffle again until there isn't anymore. Put the rest back in the box.
At scenario rules on the scenario card, you will find more scenario specific rules. Read them well. There is a final results table too, on which you can compare your final score in league points to the other teams at the end of the scenario. Remember, these are the points you scored by playing matches.
There is a box for your shirt sponsor and different boxes for ad boards. More about this later.
The 4 Tracks and Your Network
The 4 tracks on the board
The 4 tracks show the current state of your weekly income (savings coin symbol), fan popularity (heart symbol), team morale (flag symbol) and fitness (fitness symbol). Try to keep them as high as possible. When your morale and fitness level are both on 1, you are fired instantly. You lost the game.
If one of these track markers is at the top of the track and wants to move higher (the red 1 symbol), but can't, the bonus which is shown above the specific track automatically occurs. The marker itself stays in place. This can be caused by a sponsor or board meeting card. The bonus only occurs once per event, no matter how many places the marker should have gone up.
Example: The morale track is already on 6. A sponsor card pushes your morale up 2 spaces (morale +2). Because the marker can't go any further, you receive the bonus instead (fan popularity +2).
At the bottom of the track are penalties instead of bonuses. The rules are the same, but of course it's bad news.
Note that on the bottom of the weekly income track you will have to pay 2 coins (savings). If you can't, you lose 3 league points.
If you ever don't have enough savings, you will have to pay with your weekly income: -1 per coin you don't have.
The stadium is directly connected to the weekly income track. When a block is filled with new crowd, your weekly income will go up as well (+1 on this track). Whenever you lose crowd, you lose weekly income (-1 on this track).
Whenever the marker on the popularity track goes up and crosses the text crowd +1/-1 (red 2 symbol), you may add a black cube to the stands of your stadium. Your weekly income goes up as well (+1). Whenever the marker goes down, crossing this text, you have to remove a crowd cube. Your weekly income goes down (-1).
Your network
All open cards left of the board are called the network, including the cards on top of the decks. They are not yours yet, but you can try to get them for your club during phase 2 of the turn: plan actions. The more open cards, the more choice you have. And choice is power.
As you already know, your directors have created your starting network. Scouts and coaches are able to expand your network too. Whenever you attract new staff, symbols like these will expand your network when this person enters your club.
The example in the manual shows a coach. He expands your network of tactics cards. Place 2 extra tactics cards next to the tactics deck.
Good to know: your network will never shrink. Not even when you replace a director. The existing network will expand.
Your Turn: In Short
- Board meeting (Read the top board meeting card, throw the red dice after reading the dilemma)
- Plan actions (Use your white dice to plan actions, or execute free actions)
- Select players and tactics (Choose a tactics card and select players for the match)
- Match (Play the match)
- Match consequences (Throw the green die, look at the match consequences card to see the outcome)
- Housekeeping (Prepare for the next turn)
The dice
During the turn you have 6 dice. You have to throw the red die in phase 1 and the green die in phase 5. You may choose to use the white dice in phase 2. You can also add them to the red and green dice to better your chance. More about this later. After use, you put the dice on your schedule card on the correct spaces.
The Turn
Phase 1: Board meeting (ignore during first turn!)
A turn starts with a board meeting. Flip the top board meeting card and read the upper part: the dilemma. The 3 directors have to make a decision about this. To see what they will decide, you throw the red die. Compare the outcome to the same die on the 3 directors. Which is the dominant color? This will be the decision of the board of directors.
Example: You throw a 3. 2 of your directors have a yellow 3 and 1 director has a blue 3. Most 3's are yellow, so the decision will be yellow too. Read the text in the yellow box and execute the consequences. (The example card is a Rival club cooperation dilemma: "Our rivals want to start a youth team of both our youth players. It could save us money. Shall we do it?" The yellow choice is "Yes. Saves us a lot of money," with the consequences weekly income +2 and fan popularity -3.) The weekly income track goes up 2 spaces, but the popularity track drops by 3!
Good to know: All directors have their own personal opinions about running a football club. You can read it on the card itself. A director with a lot of yellow dice wants to earn a lot of money. A lot of blue dice means this director wants a good team. The well being of the players is important. Directors with a lot of red dice think the fans are most important for the club. Of course this influences decisions a lot.
It is possible that all directors have different opinions about a dilemma. In that case they ask you to decide! You may choose the outcome.
Put the red die on the red space at the top of the schedule card after use.
You can also choose to try to influence the board of directors. Instead of throwing 1 red die, add a white die to the red one and throw it at the same time. You may now choose the outcome of one of the dice. Put both dice on the red space on the schedule card.
Some dilemmas are very important for you to have your influence on. If you want to be sure of the outcome, add 2 white dice instead of 1. You may now choose the outcome. You don't have to throw the dice. Put all 3 dice on the schedule card. (Example on the right of the manual page: adding 2 dice means you don't even have to throw them; you choose the outcome.)
See it like this: The white dice stand for all the time and energy you put into it to accomplish your goals. When you use 1 or 2 dice at a board meeting dilemma, you are present at the meeting and try to talk the directors into making a decision you like.
Read the next part of the board meeting card and execute the instructions. The lower colored part tests the value of one of the tracks. You only have to read this if it is true. For example: when your morale is lower than 3, read the text below. Almost every track can be tested this way. So it is wise to keep your tracks high. At the bottom, a lot of problems may occur. Low fitness will cause injuries, low morale will make your players misbehave during matches (suspensions), etc. Sometimes high tracks will give you bonuses.
Phase 2: Plan actions
White dice are used to do actions. You place them on the white boxes of the schedule card. When your action succeeds, you execute it instantly. You place your used dice on the next empty box of the schedule card. Also do this when the action failed.
It is possible that not all white boxes are used, because you already ran out of dice. It also can happen that all the boxes are filled and you have a die left. Maybe you wanted to use it, but unfortunately you can only do 3 actions (3 days). Luckily this die isn't lost, but can be used later, as shown in the example on the next page.
Schedule examples (phase 2):
- Left panel: You can only do a maximum of 3 actions during phase 2. The player on the left already did 3 actions. He used 1 white die during phase 1. For his 2nd action in phase 2 he used 2 white dice.
- Middle panel: This player only used 1 die per action during phase 2. He now has 1 white die left. He can use it in phase 5 of his turn. He may add it to the green die, which he has to roll in that phase.
- Right panel: This player used 3 white dice for his first action. He did not have to throw the dice. He bought the result. The action succeeded immediately. Unfortunately he couldn't do a lot after that, with only 1 die left.
Possible actions
- a. Get cards from your network (staff, sponsors, players and tactics)
- b. Execute card actions with your staff
- c. Personal talks (once per turn)
a. Get cards from your network
You can try to attract the open cards on the left side of the board (your network) to your club. You can hire staff, attract sponsors, buy players or learn new tactics.
The "conditions" are in the top right corner of the different cards:
-
Automatic success: When you try to attract someone or something and this symbol (a black diamond) is there, you will succeed automatically. You don't have to throw dice. Put a white die on the first empty box of the schedule card. Place the attracted card in front of you. The card belongs to your club now.
See it this way: This fitness coach starts working for you, as soon as you have had a good conversation with her.
-
Morale check: When you try to attract someone or something and the morale symbol (flag icon with a cycle) is there, you will have to do a morale check. Throw at least 1 die. The outcome must be equal or lower than your morale (see: morale track) to succeed. Put the attracted card in front of you. There can also be a popularity or fitness check. This works the same, but of course with different tracks. Put the used dice on the first empty spot on the schedule card. Remember: you can use more dice to better your chances, as explained in the chapter about the board meeting.
See it this way: The coach thinks a good morale is important for a good team. So, the higher the team morale, the bigger the chance the coach wants to move to your club. Use more dice to better your chances.
-
Player check: When you want to attract a player you have to do a check as well. Throw at least 1 die. The value must be equal or higher than the number on the player card. If you succeed, put the player card on the field in the right line (midfield, defense, attack). Place your used dice on the next empty box on the schedule card.
See it this way: I know, it's hard to imagine, but a player doesn't always want to move to your club. Good players will be harder to convince. When you work for a bigger club, it is easier to attract the good players.
The example tactics card shown in the manual is "Play for a draw" (coach needed): All defending players gain -1 (defense icon), all attacking players gain -1 (attack icon).
Transfer money or wages
When you hired a player or staff member, you place the card in front of you. Most of them expect you to pay wages (savings coin symbol). For example, the mental coach in the example in the manual: when you hired her, you move the marker on the income track 1 space down.
For some players and staff members you must pay a one time fee (savings coin symbol). For example, player Palmer: pay 3 coins (savings). Sometimes you have to pay weekly income as well as savings.
Important: You may never do any actions when you know you can't pay for it.
New staff
When a staff member enters your club, place a black disc on level "0 pts". This is the only action available for now. When there is no level "0 pts", you don't have to place a disc.
New player
Place the new player in the field on the playing board. Place him on an empty spot in the correct line (defense, midfield, attack). It doesn't matter in which position within the line. Then take a (green) skill token and put it open on one of the circles on the player card. The black number is the skill of the player and must be on top. The value of this number ranges between 1 and 4. More about the green numbers later.
Sometimes skill tokens are already open on the table. Scouts have the skill to flip these tokens. You can also choose to take these, instead of a closed one.
New sponsors
When a sponsor enters your club, you choose which advantage you want. There are 3 possibilities, but not all of them are always available. The sponsor can be a small sponsor, ad board sponsor or a shirt sponsor. In the example in the manual, the sponsor "Posh Cars" wants to be a small sponsor or an ad board sponsor. You can choose one.
When you want the ad board, execute what is shown, then put a black cube on the first empty ad board box on the scenario card. Note that there are a limited number of spaces for ad boards. In the example, your weekly income will go up by 1: move your marker on this track 1 up.
When you choose a small sponsor, again execute what is shown behind it. In this case your morale will rise (+1). There is no limit to the number of small sponsors you can have.
Some sponsors want to be your shirt sponsor. This works the same as an ad board sponsor, but now you put a cube on the shirt on the scenario card. Note that you can only have one shirt sponsor.
Afterwards, discard the sponsor card.
See it this way: About the unlimited amount of small sponsors: when players are interviewed after a match, they stand in front of a wall with all these tiny ad boards on it. You could probably fit any number of them on there!
New tactics
You need a coach to get a new tactics card (train tactics). When you do, you pay 1 fitness and put it on the tactics box on the board. When there is already a tactics card, you decide if you want to change it with the new one. There can only be one on the board. You can put the other one in front of you. You can use it later.
Put the cube on the tactics track back at the bottom, if it is not there already. When your tactics card on the board didn't change, then the cube stays in place.
At any moment (except during phase 4: the match) you may change your tactics card on the board with a card in front of you, or from your network. Remember, you need a coach who can "train tactics" to do that, and it will cost you 1 fitness.
More about tactics later.
The example tactics card shown in the manual is "Counter Attack": If you have 6 defending players (defense icon) in starting team, one of your attackers gains +2 until the end of the match.
Replacing cards in your network
Every time you take a card from your network, you immediately take a new one from the deck and put it in the open space. When the last card is drawn, shuffle all cards of this type in the network, and make a new deck. Remember to put back the same amount of open cards next to the deck.
b. Execute card actions of your staff
In phase 2 of your turn, you can do actions with your staff members. Most of them have these actions written on them. A lot of staff members have more than one, but you can only do the first one (level "0 pts") when the person just entered your club.
You can find the condition and the effect on the card. When there is a free-action symbol (a black circle with a 0), the action is a free action. No dice have to be rolled or paid.
Every free action can only be executed once per turn. All the other actions can be done as many times as you like. You can also do different actions of one person during the same turn. Of course you can only do 3 actions each turn, as you can see on your schedule card.
Levelling up
You can level up your staff members by doing a free action (the free-action symbol). (Left side of the staff card.) You pay 2 savings coins to send this person on a course. Move the black disc on the staff card down one spot. You have unlocked a new action. You are still able to use the action above.
You can also see that your upgrade is worth 1 point. Add this to your manager track. The scout on the right even has a third action to be unlocked. Level up the scout in the same way to earn 2 points this time, and unlock a new action.
Note: This is a free action, so you can only level up each staff member once per turn.
See it this way: The staff member is sent on a course to become better at his or her job.
Staff: special actions
Most actions are explained on the card. Some aren't:
The scout
- Watch a listed player: Flip 2 skill tokens. Look at them. Leave one open and mix the other back in the stack. Next time you attract a player or a player levels up, you may choose to take the open one instead of a closed one.
- Watch 2 listed players: Now flip 3 skill tokens. Look at them. Leave 2 tokens open.
- Watch next opponent: Shuffle the opponents deck. Take 1 card from it without looking. Put it on the scoutreport space on the board with the scoutreport side up. This will be your next opponent. Read what the scout has to say about your next opponent. (The example scoutreport reads: "'Them or us. That's what the press said about who was to relegate this season. So we have to defeat them. No dangerous players. They play 4-4-2.'")
The coach
- Train tactics and/or change tactics: This action was already mentioned. Choose a tactics card and place it on the board or in front of you. You can also change tactics by swapping the tactics card on the board with a card that's already in front of you. Pay 1 fitness as shown on the coach card.
- Level up any player (level 1 pt, pay 1 fitness as shown on the coach card) and remove a suspension (level 2 pts), as shown on the coach card.
Special staff
Directors
Directors don't have any actions. They expand your network. Of course their opinion is important too.
There always have to be 3 directors on the board. A director is the only person who can leave the club: you are allowed to replace him. First try to attract a new director like normal. Only if you succeed, replace one of your directors with the new one. Pay 1 savings coin as a severance pay (also shown on the director card). Now expand your network.
Remember: your network never shrinks, even when you fired a director. But you do get to expand your network when a new director comes in.
Stewards
Stewards don't have any actions. But they do make you more popular with the fans. The people feel safe and secure in the stadium when they are around. (The steward card shows: if there is already a steward in play, you gain an extra fan popularity +1.)
c. Personal talks
As a manager, you can do something about low morale, fitness or popularity yourself! Go talk to the fans or players. You can do this once per turn. Choose one of the tracks: popularity, morale or fitness. Throw at least 1 die. If the outcome is higher than the current value of the track, you may move the marker 1 space up. If you don't succeed, nothing happens. Of course you used an action.
Try again...
If you failed to attract a player, sponsor or staff member, you may not do the same action again during the same turn. You have to wait until next turn (next week). But there is another possibility:
Re-roll dice (phase 2)
Once per turn, only during phase 2, you may re-roll all of your dice (1 or 2). Pay: morale -1.
Phase 3: Select Your Player and Activate Tactics
Select players
You may place your players in the field on any space you like, as long as it is within the same line. For example, your attackers may be placed on any space in the top row.
Now take the green cubes. Place them on ten of your 12 players. These are the players who will play the next match. You can only select players who aren't injured or suspended. The shirts which are printed on the board are also players. These are average players with no big future ahead of them. They only have a power of 1.
Note: In some cases, players can have a value of 0. It is important to know that they can still defend or score!
Activate tactics
You may also activate tactics before selecting your players.
You can only activate tactics when there is a tactics card on the board.
You do not have to use tactics. When you do not use tactics, put the tactics marker on the red "OFF" space.
When you do want to use your tactics card, move the cube to the "ON" spot. Then move the cube on the tactics track one space up.
Important: When the cube on the tactics track can't move any higher, execute the morale penalty instead. (It is shown above the track: morale -1.)
You already know, the cube moves back to the bottom when a new tactics card is selected and put on the board.
Important: When your tactics are switched "OFF", the marker on the tactics track won't move. When you switch it "ON" for the next match, it will move up again.
See it this way: The players get bored when they have to use the same tactics all the time. Try to choose something different once in a while!
Example (on the right): During phase 2 you decide to choose new tactics. You use your coach's action "train tactics". You may choose a tactics card from your network, but you decide to use a tactics card you already have. You replace the old one on the board, which you put in front of you. You pay 1 fitness for the coach's action. Because this is a new action, the cube on the tactics track moves to the bottom.
Next... During phase 3 (select players and choose tactics) you decide to use the new tactics card. You switch "ON" your tactics and move the other cube 1 space up the track. You activated the tactics card.
Example (on the left): During phase 3 of your turn (select players and activate tactics) you decide to use no tactics. You switch "OFF" your tactics by moving the cube to the red space. You wanted to use it, but it would have made your morale drop (morale -1). You didn't want that to happen this time, maybe because your team morale was low already.
Phase 4: The Match
The skill tokens on your players represent their power. There is always at least 1 skill token on a player. The black number stands for the power of the player. Sometimes there is a second or third token too. These players developed themselves (more about this later). On these tokens the green numbers count.
Example: The attacker in the manual has a strength of 2+1=3.
Shuffle the opponents deck. Flip the top card from the opponents deck.
The match begins
Players with the ball symbol try to score. Players with the shield symbol try to stop a ball-symbol opponent player within the same line from scoring. The highest value wins. When numbers have the same value, the defending player (shield) wins.
Now you compare every line with that of your opponent. But you choose which players meet in a duel within that line.
Worked example (page 10 of the manual):
Start at the upper line. Your attacking attacker (ball symbol) has a power of 3. Place a cube on a shield-player of your opponent within the same line. When your number is higher, you score.
- So, in this case, it is wise to not put it on the power 3 player. Your player can beat the player with power 1 though. Now you score. Put the score board on 1-0. You are in front.
Remember: you choose the opponent of your player.
- Your attacking player with power 1 unfortunately can't get past the defense. Put the cube on the player with power 3, for example.
All your attacking attackers (ball symbol) made an attempt. Now we look at the attacking players of your opponent in this line. (Note: this is your opponent's defense line.)
- There's 1. He has a power of 1. You only have 1 defending player (shield) in this line. Move the cube of this player to the attacking player of your opponent. Your power of 1 is enough to stop the attacking opponent player (power 1). When numbers are equal, the defending player (shield) wins the duel.
The next line (midfield). Your first attacking midfielder can't do much.
- He doesn't get past the defending midfielder (shield).
- But your second attacking midfielder (ball symbol) can not be blocked. That's because your opponent doesn't have any defending midfielders left to block him. You score again! 2-0 on the score board.
The 2 attacking midfielders (ball symbol) of your opponent are no match for your defending midfielders (shield).
- and 4. Both get blocked.
Note: In this example the tactics are turned OFF.
Now line 3 (defense). You can already see your defense isn't too strong. You only have 2 defending defenders (shield), and your opponent has 3 attacking attackers in the field. Let's see what happens...
Remember: During a match your players are locked in their slots. But when you are selecting players before a match (phase 3), you are allowed to put a player in any slot within the same line and change this as many times as you like.
Worked example (continued from the defense line):
- Your attacking defender (ball symbol) can run freely and score! He isn't blocked. Your opponent doesn't have a defending player in this line (shield). 3-0!
- Your opponent has a strong attack. You decide to block the weakest player. The other 2 are too strong.
- Your defending defender is too weak to stop the attacker with power 3.
- The other attacker can not be blocked, because you have no players left to do so.
Final result 3-2. You won!
Note: What would have been the result if you had used your tactics?
Phase 5: Match Consequences
When you win a game, you get 3 league points. Move the marker on the league points track. When the result is a draw, you get 1 point. When you lose, you do not get any points.
Form
When you won your game, you must move the marker on the form track 1 up. When you lost it, move the marker 1 space down the track. Nothing happens when the game ended in a draw.
Your form can't get higher than 6 or lower than 2. When your form is high, there is a bigger chance other clubs are interested in buying your players. It can also bring you some advantages. More about this later.
The form track is labelled, from top to bottom: 6 (on fire), 5 (superb), 4, 3, 2 (bad). Winning moves the form marker up 1 (win +1); losing moves it down 1 (loss -1).
Now throw the green die. When you have a white die left, you can add it to your roll. Afterwards choose one of the outcomes to decide what the consequences will be. On the match consequences card you can see what happens. (Remember: adding 2 white dice means you do not have to roll.)
Match consequences table
The table is read by the result of the match (rows: W = win, D = draw, L = loss) and the value of the green die (columns 1 to 6):
| Die | WIN | DRAW | LOSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Injury, 2 weeks | Injury, 2 weeks | Injury, 1 week |
| 2 | Injury, 1 week | Fan popularity -1 | Fan popularity -1 |
| 3 | Fitness -1 | Fitness -1 | Fan popularity -1 |
| 4 | Fan popularity +1 | Morale -1 | Morale -1 |
| 5 | 1 skill | 1 skill | Morale -1 |
| 6 | 2 skills | 1 skill | 1 skill |
Examples from the manual:
- You just won your match. You throw a 4. You can move the marker on the popularity track 1 up.
- You just played a game. 1-1 was the final result. You throw a 1. No! One of your players is injured and it will take 2 weeks (2 turns) for him to get back! Put an injury with the 2 weeks side up on a player of your choice. Important: it has to be a player card. It can not be a player who did not play at least a part of the match. (More about this later.)
- You just lost your game. You throw a 6: 1 skill. Apparently one of your players learned from his mistakes. You may take a skill token and put it on one of your player cards who played in the last game. You may take a closed or open skill token. You can only put it on a player card when it has a space left for it.
It is possible to win 2 skill tokens at the match consequences. When this happens, you take 2 skill tokens and put them on 2 different player cards. More about this later.
Example card in the manual: A player with 2 open spaces. The skill token gives him a +1 upgrade.
Phase 6: House Keeping
Finally you have to do some house keeping. Take the top card from all 4 network decks (left of the board) and put it on one of the cards in the same row. You choose on which card it goes.
Note: The card that disappeared under it will automatically show up again when the card on top is taken at some point.
When the final card from a deck is taken, shuffle the deck and put the correct number of cards next to it again.
Now update the injuries and suspensions that were already there before the last match consequences phase. Some of these tokens get flipped, others removed. More about this later.
Move the marker on the turns track on the scenario card one space up.
Receive your savings. You get as many coins as your weekly income track shows.
Important: You can only have a maximum of 8 coins. (There are only 8 coins included in the game, so that's easy.)
Remove your last opponent card. You can start your next turn now.
Level Up Your Players
It is possible that your players level up, for example at the match consequences or on a certain card (skill icon: a star with "1 skill"). If that is the case, you may take a skill token (an open or closed one) and put it on one of the open spaces of one of your players. Your reward is 1 manager point and a challenge card. The green number on the token is now used. It is an upgrade to the power of the player. Ignore the black number on this new token.
Talented players have more spaces to put skill tokens on than mediocre players. The best players have three stars on them. For every star there's a space to put a skill token.
Example in the manual: The player on the lower left has a power of 3. He levelled up once (+1), so now his power is 4. He can level up once more, because he has a space left for a new skill token.
Note: A player with 1 star can't develop himself (lower right).
Important: You are not allowed to level up a player who was injured or suspended during the complete last match. When there are no free spaces, you can't level up anyone.
See it this way: Of course! A player who was injured or suspended during the complete 90 minutes of a game can't get more experienced and will not level up. A player who got injured or suspended during the game can. He had some playing time.
Challenges
Challenge cards
When a player levels up, you earn 1 manager point and a challenge card. Put it in front of you. A challenge card shows you a wish of the player who just developed. When you fulfill this wish, you get 3 manager points. Discard the challenge card afterwards.
You can never have more than 3 challenge cards. When you already have 3, you don't take a new one.
Challenge card examples in the manual:
- A challenge card reading "I want the team to win 2 matches in a row" with two empty boxes. Some challenge cards have a mini track on them to keep track of something. In this example, you can place a black cube when you won a game.
- A challenge card reading "I want to score and win the match with a goal difference of only 1. I will be the man of the match." Some challenge cards are attached to the player who levelled up: put a cube on each card, both of the same colour. Now you won't forget the challenge is of this specific player. Mark the player and this challenge with a cube of the same colour.
Injuries and Suspensions
Players can get injured or suspended on different moments during the week. The length of the injury or suspension is always 1 or 2 weeks. Most of the time, you are allowed to choose which player. Put the right token (injury or suspension) with the right side up (1 or 2 weeks) on a player card. Remember: you can't select a player printed on the board. It must be a player card.
During phase 6, house keeping:
- Flip all 2 weeks tokens to 1 week.
- Remove all 1 week tokens.
There can never be more than 1 token of the same kind on a card.
You may only put an injury token on an injured player when he has played at least a part of last match. The same rule applies the other way around.
An injured or suspended player stays on the board. You may move it within the same line to another position.
Note: You can only select 3 players in this line now.
Note: When all injury/suspension tokens are used, you may ignore all cards and match consequences that say your players are suspended or injured.
Note: When there are more than 2 players injured/suspended, you can no longer select 10 players for the match. You play the game with less players.
Example cards in the manual: An injured player (midfielder with a red cross token). A suspended player (attacker with a "1 week" suspension token).
See it this way: Of course! A player who did not play can't get injured or suspended. If he played a small part, he can.
Interested Clubs
When you take a board meeting card (phase 1), sometimes you can already see a message on the back of the next board meeting card. Read this instantly.
Example: "It seems a scout from another club is visiting our stadium next match. He is interested in one of our midfielders." Thematically: during next match (this round), imagine the scout is in the stadium watching your team!
Now you already know: during next board meeting (next turn) a club may be interested in buying one of your players (player cards), like in the example below.
Example card (form above 4): Sheepdale Shire are interested in buying your best midfielder. The player is allowed to leave. If you want to sell him: +3 coins. If you don't: do a form test. Raise players' wages: every coin -1 gives you a +1 on the roll. When sold, don't pay these wages. You earn transfer money as mentioned above. Discard player.
Only when your form is higher than 4, Sheepdale Shire wants to buy your best midfielder. When you're alright with this, discard your player. Shuffle the skill tokens back in the stack of tokens. Discard challenge cards that belong to this player. You earn 3 coins (+3).
You do not like this? Unfortunately your player is allowed to leave, according to his contract. You will have to convince him to stay. Talk to him. Do a form test. Throw a die. When the outcome is higher than your form, the player wants to stay. Otherwise he leaves, as explained above. You can try to convince the player a little more, by promising him a salary raise before you throw the die. You can use your weekly income for this. For every coin (-1) you want to invest in him, you get a +1 on your die roll. When you still don't succeed, the player leaves as explained above. Of course you only pay the salary raise when the player wants to stay.
Clubs aren't interested in injured or suspended players. You can't sell them. When there are no player cards on the board, ignore the "interested club messages".
Note: This is not an action. You did not use up a die and do not have to place it on the schedule card.
Opponents Level Up Too!
As a coach you try to make your team better. Unfortunately opponent coaches try to do the same for their teams! On the scenario card on the turns track you see stars. In the example in the manual, you can see that your opponents' 2 and 3 star players level up after turn 4. After turn 7, the 3 star players develop themselves once more. The moment this happens is different in each scenario.
Worked example in the manual:
- In the example, the player has a power of 2.
- At the beginning of turn 5, he levelled up (+1) and has a power of 3 now.
- After turn 7, he develops himself once more, because he is a 3 star player. He gets +2 and has a power of 5 now!
Note: A 2 star player only develops once (after turn 4, +2).
Evaluation
On the turn track you see the word evaluation twice. At the end of these turns, you add together the values of the 4 tracks (income, popularity, morale and fitness). Then divide the outcome by 2 (rounded down when the outcome is odd). These are your manager points. Add them to your score now.
See it this way: The club likes to talk with you on a regular basis. How are you doing? How is the club doing? That's why they planned 2 evaluations: one during mid season, and one at the end.
The End of the Game
There are 2 ways the game ends before the season has come to a conclusion: when your morale track and your fitness track are both at 1, or when your league points are below -3.
When the marker on the turns track moves to the last space of the track, the final turn started. Scenario 3, for example, has 8 turns. After this turn the game ends. Do not forget to do your final evaluation now. Check if you already added the manager points you won by achieving the scenario goals. Now check the cube on the manager points track. Did you reach the level your club wanted you to reach? Did you become that "unexperienced professional manager" (scenario 1)? Then you won the scenario! You may move on to the next one.
A Game for 2 Players (Co-operative)
The white dice are meant to be used by both players, but every player owns 2. You can plan your own actions, but most of the time you decide together. You can give one or both of your dice to the other player to let him do more actions or an action with 3 dice. It's all up to you.
The different tasks
Financial manager
You are the financial manager. Whenever the club gets a league points penalty due to some bad financial planning (low weekly income), you are fired. You lost. The other player plays on like in a solo game. He watches the finances now. He receives 1 coin (savings) and puts the weekly income back at 1. A sponsor invested some money to save the club.
Head football matters
You are head football matters. You are responsible for the team. You may select the players for the match! Of course you can listen to the advice of your financial manager, but, hey, what does he know about football?
When your morale and your fitness track are both at 1, you are fired. You lost the game. The other player plays on like in a solo game. Put the morale and fitness track both on 2. The team gets a little confidence back and starts to train a little harder.
What if the other player got fired?
Welcome to the world of football. This happens all the time. When you beat the scenario on your own, you may choose to play on without your former partner. Play it as a solo game. Do you play with another club in the next scenario? Why not take your partner along with you? It's up to you how realistic you want to play the game.
Discussions
Decisions are taken together. In most cases there will be no problems. But when your careers are at stake, discussions can get tougher. That is why these rules were made:
The red and green dice: None of the players own the green or red die. Just like in a solo game, players can add dice to influence chance. It is possible players have different opinions about what the outcome should be. In that case the red or green die will give the outcome. The white dice are ignored.
The third action: You can only do 3 actions in phase 2 of your turn. It doesn't matter how many actions each player does, as long as both players agree. If there is any discussion about who can do 2 actions instead of 1, use the following rule: when the turn number is odd, the financial manager may perform 2 actions. In the other turns, the head of football matters may do 2 actions.
When you don't know what to do, you can always throw a die to decide who is right.
Quick Reference
Symbols
- Weekly income (coin symbol, outlined yellow)
- Savings (coin symbol)
- Fan popularity (heart)
- Team morale (flag)
- Fitness (fitness symbol)
- Fitness below 3 (fitness symbol with "<3"): execute if this track is lower than 3 (in this case the fitness track).
- Fitness -1 (fitness symbol with "-1"): move the marker on this track 1 space lower (in this case the fitness track).
- Savings -1 (coin symbol with "-1"): pay one coin (savings).
- Expand network (sponsors deck symbol with "+"): expand this network. Put 2 cards next to this deck (in this case the sponsor deck).
- Action with a 100% chance of success (black diamond): put 1 white die on the schedule card.
- Free action with a 100% chance of success (black circle with 0): you don't have to spend a die. Use only once per turn per action.
Tests
- Morale test (morale icon): success if at least one of the dice is equal to or higher than the value of the morale track.
- Popularity test (heart icon): success if at least one of the dice is equal to or higher than the value of the popularity track.
- Fitness test (fitness icon): success if at least one of the dice is equal to or higher than the value of the fitness track.
- Dice value test (e.g. "3+"): success if at least one of the dice is equal to or higher than the value shown (in this case a 3).
- Personal talk test (the cycle icon with an arrow): choose 1 of the 3 tracks (morale, popularity, fitness). At least one of the dice has to be higher than the current value of this track. If you succeed: +1 on this track.
- Form test: success if the die is higher than the current value of the form track. Every coin (-1) puts a +1 on the die roll, before you throw it. When you don't succeed, you won't have to pay it.
Your Turn (Summary)
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Board meeting (ignore phase 1 during first turn)
- Take a board meeting card. Use the red die (+1 or 2 white dice) for the dilemma.
- Execute the other events on the card. You only have to execute the lower part when the given condition is true (for example: fitness below 3).
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Planning actions
- You can do a maximum of 3 actions. Put the used dice on the schedule card.
- Possible actions:
- Take a card from your network (player, sponsor, staff, tactics).
- Execute staff actions (actions printed on your staff cards).
- Personal talks (personal talk action, once per turn).
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Select players and (de)activate tactics
- Select your 10 players for the match by using the green cubes.
- Decide if you want to use your selected tactics card or not by switching it ON/OFF. If you put it ON, move the cube on the tactics track one space up.
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The match
- Play the match. Put the green cubes on the players of your opponent if you like. Use the score board to keep track of the goals scored.
Dice
- The red die must be used during phase 1.
- White dice can be used during phases 1, 2 and 5.
- The green die must be used during phase 5.
- Add 1 white die to better your chances: choose the outcome of one of the dice.
- Add 2 white dice to succeed automatically: you decide the outcome.
Re-roll
Once per turn you may re-roll all of your dice (phase 2). Pay: morale -1.