Fublet
Fublet Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Overview
Fublet - Legends of Football - is the ultimate, highly strategic, easy to learn but hard to master football simulation board game; play a breathtaking match as the head coach of your team; select your eleven starters then grab your trusted blackboard and show them the tactics you're going to use to win this match. But make sure you pick the right choices, also according to their own skills, or you'll fail miserably!
Common Terms Used in This Manual
The Coaches: you and your opponent are the Coaches! To avoid confusion with the teams' players (the cardboard playing pieces), we will refer to you and the other real-life player as the teams' Coaches. All references to players are to the Fublet figures.
PS, MS and MP: abbreviations used respectively for PASS SQUARE, MOVEMENT SQUARE and MOVEMENT POINT.
Components Overview
- 1 Game board
- 32 Football player figures (with stands)
- 32 Football player cards
- 1 Referee's call board
- 10 Tactical boards
- 2 Quick reference cards
- Shot-on-goal tokens
- 2 Movement points markers
- 1 Round speed (pace) token
- 1 Stopwatch token
- 1 Ball token
- Save attempt tokens
- 1 8-sided scatter die
- 4 10-sided dice
- 1 Rulebook
Game Setup
Place the game board on the table. Coaches should sit by the long sides of the board. Put the stopwatch marker on square 0 of the elapsed time bar, the round pace marker on square 1 of the round pace bar and the ball token on the midfield spot.
All shot-on-goal tokens, quick reference cards, referee's call table and the green die must be placed within reach of both coaches.
Each coach chooses a team, inserts each football-player figure of his team into a stand and then sets out his starting eleven in his own half of the field. The five substitutes (bench players) need to be positioned in the specific squares along the touchline. Then, display each football-player card on the table, so that coaches can easily refer to them as needed. Coaches also take 1 (one) black die and 1 (one) white die.
Each coach rolls a die: whoever gets the highest number chooses first one of the 10 available tactical boards; who gets the lowest number will instead take the kick-off. Place your tactical board in front of you and your Movement Points marker (the red cube) on the square marked with 0 (zero).
If you're playing Fublet for the first time, each coach should place his players according to the line-ups suggested in the picture.
Then, the first playing coach places his player number 9 next to the ball and takes the kick-off.
Game Components Description
Game Board
The game board represents a football field divided into 384 PASS SQUARES and 768 MOVEMENT SQUARES. Two dark green vertical lines define, for each team, DEFENSE, MIDFIELD and ATTACK ZONES.
There are 4 OUTSTANDING SHOT areas close to each penalty area, also delimited by dark green lines.
The board also shows the Elapsed Time bar, the Round Pace bar, each team's Bench and the Substitutions Area.
Player Cards and Figures
Player cards display all information and the skills of each player. The player's picture and jersey number are also reported on the corresponding figure. Each card shows: team name, team badge, jersey number, passing skills, technical skills, speed, suggested positions, tactical perception skill, attacking skills and defending skills.
Skill Description
This section describes the individual skills of a player. Refer to the Quick Reference Card to associate icons on the cards to the players' skills.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Short Pass (Passaggio corto) | Ability to perform a short, ground pass (1 to 6 PS) |
| Long Pass (Lancio lungo) | Ability to perform a long, high pass (7 to 12 PS) |
| Cross | Ability to perform a cross inside the opponent's box |
| Dribbling | Ability to dribble an opponent on the spot |
| Speed Dribbling (Dribbling in corsa) | Ability to dribble an opponent while running |
| Ball Control (Controllo palla) | Ability to keep ball possession after receiving a long pass or a cross |
| Finalization (Finalizzazione) | Ability to shoot on goal within the penalty area |
| Long Shot (Tiro da fuori area) | Ability to shot on goal from outside the penalty area |
| Volley (Tiro al volo) | Ability to shot on goal in aerial situations |
| Tackle (Contrasto) | Ability to steal the ball from opponent's feet |
Tactical Boards
The 10 available tactical boards are the essential team management tools. Each board represents a specific playing style or strategy. Eight of them are based on three factors, which title any single board: DEFENSE LINE (low or high), PASSING STYLE (short or long), MENTALITY (defensive or offensive). The remaining two are based on WING PLAY, which can be offensive or defensive.
A DEFENSIVE strategy means boosts on tackling skills while a LONG PASSES based board grants higher movement points earning when a long pass is performed. The more a coach follows the chosen strategy, the more Movement Points (MP) he gains during the Declaration phase, allowing more movement options in dedicated phases.
Each board is also a visual representation of:
- the 5 phases which compose a regular round;
- all possible actions for each phase;
- for every phase, MP earnings and costs and training boosts;
- the MP bar, to keep track of your MPs.
Half-Time Strategy Change
Depending on match result, you might want to change the strategy used so far.
At the end of any half, coaches must once again select their tactical board, choosing from all available boards, including those already used. The first pick always goes to the coach who did not choose first on previous occasion.
Basic Concepts
Scoring a Goal
If a shot on goal is successful and the opponent goalkeeper fails in saving it, shooting team has scored a goal.
Goals can never be scored as a result of a wrong pass, a cross or a deflection. In all these cases the ball is considered out of play, for a corner kick or a goal kick.
Winning the Match
A football match is split into two halves of 45 minutes each. The team with the most goals at the end of the second half wins the match. If the match is tied at the end of the second half, two 15-minutes extra time periods are played. If score is still a draw, a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner.
Ball and Player Movements
In Fublet, a kicked ball always moves through Pass Squares (PS) while a player always moves through Movement Squares (MS). PS are composed of 4 MS and they are separated by three different shades of grass.
IMPORTANT: No more than two players per team are allowed inside a PS.
Players and ball may move in any direction or combination of directions, including diagonally. In any situation, both for the players and the ball, one orthogonal movement always counts as 1 while diagonal movements always count as 1.5. This means that any time you move the ball or a player diagonally, the first movement counts as 1, the second counts as 2, the third counts as 1 again, the fourth counts as 2 and so on.
In the left example G moves diagonally for a total of 6 MS. First move counts as 1; second move as 2 (total 3); third move as 1 (total 4); fourth and final move as 2 again.
In the right example G makes a mixed move of 7 MS. The first 2 movements are orthogonal, therefore they count as 1 each (total 2); the third, being the first diagonal movement, counts as 1 (total 3); the fourth is orthogonal, 1 again (total 4); the fifth, being the second diagonal movement, counts as 2 (total 6); the sixth, third diagonal movement, counts as 1 again. G ran through a total of 7 MS.
Attacking and Defending Teams
The team that has ball possession at the beginning of the round is called the ATTACKING team; the opponent one is called DEFENDING team.
Player in Ball Possession (Ball Carrier)
When a player is in ball possession the ball token is placed underneath his figure.
Round Pace
Round pace is the maximum number of MS all players can run through during movement phases and its value depends on how the ball has been moved at the beginning of each round.
- SHORT PASS and LONG PASS: round pace is set equal to the number of PS the ball has run through;
- KEEP AND RUN and SPEED DRIBBLING: round pace is equal to the number of MS the player has run through;
- CROSS: round pace is always set to 2, regardless of how many PS the ball has travelled;
- FINALIZATION, LONG SHOT and VOLLEY: round pace is always set to 1, regardless of how many PS the ball has travelled.
Examples: P runs with the ball for 7 MS; or P declares and successfully resolves a long pass of 7 PS.
At the end of outcome phase, when ball movement has been defined, move the round pace marker on the corresponding square of the round pace bar.
Each square of the bar shows two numbers: the bigger one is the distance that can be covered with a single movement, the smaller one is the value for zone movements.
In both examples shown above, the closest coach to the round pace bar moves the marker on the square with number 7. For that round, during movement phases, all players can move no more than 7 MS.
Elapsed Time Bar
The small number in round pace bar squares also displays how many game minutes have elapsed during that round. Once the round pace is set, the player closest to the elapsed time bar moves the stopwatch marker for as many minutes as specified by the round pace bar.
Movement Points
In Fublet, the coaches' main resource is represented by MOVEMENT POINTS (MP). In each regular round, during Declaration phase, both coaches earn MP that can be spent during Movement phase or Tactical movement phase, in order to move their players on the field.
When attacking coach declares a short pass, keep and run or speed dribbling action he earns MP ONLY by reaching the minimum round pace requested, shown on the round pace bar by their respective icons.
Coaches keep track of their MP by moving their wooden red cube on their tactical board's MP bar.
No more than 20 MP can be collected. All extra points are considered lost.
Also, at the beginning of each half, MP are reset.
Midweek Training (Boosts)
The boost column, shown in Outcome and Event phases, might display a value in red related to specific skills. This value represents a bonus granted by midweek training and must be applied to the basic value of the same skill before rolling the dice for any skill test.
Bonus and Penalties
After gaining a bonus or a penalty a player's skill value can never be lower than 10 or higher than 90.
Player's Physical Engagement
Except for speed dribbling action, a player occupying a MS can not prevent another player from passing through that MS during a movement. That MS counts as 1 movement for the running player anyway. Only one player at a time, however, can take up a MS.
Skill Tests
Many playing situations require a skill test in order to determine if the player succeeds in his trial. The coach rolls both his 10 sided dice. The test is considered successful when the result is equal or less than the player's skill value involved in the trial.
Championship Rules
If you are playing a Fublet championship, a match can end in a draw, therefore extra time and penalties must not be played.
Normally, for the championship ranking, a win grants 3 points to the winning team and 0 points to the losing team. A draw grants 1 point to both teams.
Round Sequence
A Fublet match is made up of a variable number of rounds. Each round, except for Transition rounds (see below), is divided into 5 phases:
- Declaration
- Outcome
- Movement
- Events
- Tactical movement
When all phases have been completed, the round is over and the match proceeds by starting the declaration phase of the following round.
A necessary condition to start a new regular round is that previous round ends up with a player in ball possession. When this doesn't happen (ball in an empty PS) a special round, called «Transition Round», starts. For detailed rules see dedicated paragraph at page 12.
Kick-off: Kick-off of every half-time is always taken as a free action, that does not start a round. Move the ball to any PS, in your midfield zone, occupied by a teammate. The first round will then start with the declaration of that player.
Phase 1: Declaration + MP Gain
In Declaration phase the player in ball possession must move the ball on the field by «declaring» one of the possible actions displayed in the first column of his tactical board.
- Short pass: a short ground pass, for a maximum of 6 PS.
- Long pass: a high and long pass, for minimum of 7 and a maximum of 12 PS.
- Cross: a high pass that starts from the cross area and ends up inside the penalty area.
- Finalization: a shot on goal taken from inside the penalty area.
- Long Shot: a shot on goal taken from outside the penalty area.
- Keep and Run: the player runs with the ball for a maximum of MS equivalent to his speed (see player card).
- Speed Dribbling: the player runs with the ball, for a maximum of MS equivalent to his speed, challenging one or more opponent players on his way.
According to the declared action, both attacking and defending coaches gain as many MP as specified by the corresponding column (ATT or DEF) of their own tactical board.
MP are always gained depending on the action declared, never on its outcome.
Example: Paul is the coach of the attacking team at the beginning of the round; he declares a 5 PS pass towards a PS occupied by one of his players. According to his tactical board, a short pass lets him earn 5 MP. Bruce, his opponent, is using a tactical board that is defensively weak against short passes. Because of this, and also because of Paul's declaration, Bruce earns only 3 MP.
Phase 2: Outcome
If the action declared in Declaration phase is also displayed in Outcome phase then it must be resolved, in order to determine if it succeeds or not, through a skill test on the corresponding skill adding, if mentioned on the board, any possible training boost.
Phase 3: Movement + MP Use
During Movement phase both coaches move, alternately, their players across the field by spending MP, through 3 possible movement types:
- Single movement: coach can move one of his players for a maximum number of MS equivalent to the round pace value (large number). However, players can never move more than their speed value.
- Zone movement: coach can move all players inside a specific zone (defense, midfield or attack) for a maximum number of MS equivalent to the round pace value (small number).
- Offside: In specific situations defending coach can attempt to push one or more opponent players into an offside position by using an OFFSIDE movement. For detailed rules about offside, see pages 16-17.
Ready and Exhausted Players
Once a player has moved off the field or is receiving a pass or a cross in his PS, he is considered exhausted and his card must be turned 90 degrees sideways. An exhausted player can not move anymore during this round. He can, however, resolve events in Event phase.
At the end of the round all cards, except for those of players who suffered stunned status (see page 16) during the current round, are restored (rotated to their normal upright position) by their coaches, in order to set out the players ready for the next round.
Player Orientation
At the end of any movement, the coach can freely point the moved figure in any direction, without spending additional MP.
Tactically speaking, the orientation of a figure is crucial, as it can determine if future movements will suffer penalties or not.
A player can be rotated on the spot, without moving from his MS: this is considered as a movement anyway and requires MP to be spent.
Backwards Movement
A player can run within a 180° area in front of him with no penalty but, if his desired movement should end up behind him, he suffers a movement penalty of -2. To easily apply the penalty, the coach rotates the figure by 180 degrees on the starting MS and starts counting movements from 3 onwards. When the round pace value is 2 or lower, the player can not run backwards but only spin on itself.
Both in examples a) and b) round pace is 4. In a), player moves straight using all available movement to reach square 4; in b), player uses 2 movements to turn himself on the spot and, with remaining 2 movements, moves to square 4.
Phase 4: Event
In the Event phase, coaches must "resolve" the events or conflicts that may occur. Disputes, challenges, engagements, saves and all actions listed on the tactical boards are possible events. When there are no events to resolve, this phase is skipped. For events and conflicts outcome rules see the dedicated chart at page 14 of this manual.
Phase 5: Tactical Movement
This phase simulates a player's ability to "predict" the action, allowing him to move after the outcome of the Event phase. During the Tactical movement phase, both coaches can move their ready players alternately, only by successfully rolling a skill test on player's tactical perception skill value. Requested MP are spent in any case, whether the test is successful or not.
During the tactical movement phase only single movements are allowed.
Detail Rules
This section details all situations that coaches may encounter during a Fublet match.
Pass
Passing the ball is the core of football teamplay. Players can pass the ball in three ways:
- short pass: from 1 to 6 PS, a quick, short and ground pass
- long pass: from 7 to 12 PS, a slower, long and high pass.
- cross: see next paragraph.
Passage's type is always defined by its declaration and not by its outcome.
Goal kick long pass: When a goalkeeper takes a goal kick, his kick can be 15 PS long.
Cross
Cross is a special type of quick and high pass, used to create goal-scoring efforts by clearing nearby defenders, that is performed from wide positions (all cross-allowed PS are highlighted in the board image) of the field towards any PS inside the penalty area.
Failure of a Pass or a Cross
When a skill test for a pass or a cross fails, the ball does not end its motion in the desired PS but "somewhere" in the surrounding area. In this case, the coach rolls the "scatter" die to determine, starting from the declared PS of destination, in which PS the ball lands. For scatter rule details see page 12.
In the example, G is thinking about 4 possible passes: 1 is a cross; 2 is a successful 3 PS short pass; 3 is a successful 9 PS long pass; 4 is a failed 6 PS short pass. The scatter die, by returning 1, determines the ball to end up one PS towards the opponent goalkeeper. The round pace, in this case, is 5.
Speed Dribbling
By declaring a speed dribbling, a coach makes his player in ball possession run with the ball, challenging with a speed dribbling one or more opponent players, in order to get past them and also prevent them from chasing him. The defending coach can decide not to accept the engagement and let the attacker go. If, however, the engagement is accepted, the challenge must be resolved in the Outcome phase, in order to determine where the ball ends up. In speed dribblings whoever loses the challenge, even if he succeeded in his own skill test, is always stunned. By winning the challenge, the attacker can end his run in the declared MS. If the winner is the defending player, the attacker stops his run in the MS adjacent to the defender, who will be the new ball carrier for the upcoming round.
- A wins the challenge with D and reaches the declared MS. D is stunned.
- A loses the challenge with D and he's forced to stop in the MS next to D. A is stunned and D is the new ball carrier.
- Both A and D fail the challenge, a 1 PS deflection occurs. A and D are stunned.
The round pace is always determined at the end of the challenge, depending on the number of MS actually covered by the ball.
Ball Control
When, after Movement phase, there's only one player in the PS where a long pass or a cross is about to land, in order to keep possession of the ball the coach rolls a skill test on his player's Ball Control skill value. If successful, that player is the new ball carrier, otherwise a scatter occurs and the player gets stunned.
Transition Round
When a round ends up with nobody in ball possession a Transition round begins. Transition round is a special round made of Movement, Event and Tactical movement phases only and follows these specific rules:
- the closest player to the ball, in terms of MS distance, automatically moves to the PS occupied by the ball;
- if two or more opponent players are at the very same distance, they all reach the PS where the loose ball is. In this case, to determine the new ball carrier, a dispute must be resolved in Event phase;
- the number of MS covered by the player (or players) who reach the ball determines the round pace value;
- during the Movement phase coaches can move their players ONLY by zone movements, according to the round pace value;
- no MP are spent for zone movements;
- if during Event phase another scatter should occur, a new Transition round begins, and so on unless a player is in ball possession at the end of the transition round.
Scatter
When a scatter occurs, one of the coaches rolls the green scatter die. The result determines the random direction of the ball. 1 is always the direction of the defending team's goal and so on, proceeding in clockwise order.
Scattering distance depends on the event that triggered the scatter. Below the scattering distances for the most common situations; for any other see the challenges chart at page 14.
- FAILED or DEFLECTED SHORT PASS: 1 PS
- FAILED or DEFLECTED LONG PASS, CROSS or SHOT ON GOAL: 2 PS
- FAILED BALL CONTROL: 2 PS
Shot on Goal
A player who wants to attempt a shot on goal must be in the opponent's half of the pitch and can shoot regardless of his own orientation. A shot is considered a challenge between the attacker's shooting and the goalkeeper's saving skills or the sliding tackle skill of the defender who tries to deflect it.
When a finalization, a long range shot or a volley is declared, the attacking coach draws a 'shooting trajectory', placing a shot-on-goal token on every PS in which he wants the ball to move, starting from the PS occupied by the shooting player and up to one of the 2 goal-line PS. The more tokens are used, the more difficult is the shot, as every shot-on-goal token used determines a penalty. The penalty total amount must be subtracted from the value of the skill involved (depending on the type of shot) before rolling the skill test.
Failing a Shot on Goal Skill Test
The shot on goal skill test must always be rolled first.
- SUCCESS: the shot is good and, if not stopped, will end up in the opponent's goal. Defending coach can now attempt a deflection and/or a save, if conditions allow them.
- FAILURE: the shot misses the opponent's goal and is out of bounds. The match restarts with a free-kick taken by the defending team.
Central or Angled Shots
Every shot can be declared as central or angled.
In the PS where the goalkeeper can dive to intercept the shot (see goalkeeping rules at page 18), the shooting player can opt for an easier central shot or for a harder, or even impossible to save, angled shot.
For a central shot, attacking coach places the save attempt token, flipped on -5 side, in the MS which is closest to the goalkeeper.
For an angled shot, attacking coach places the save attempt token, flipped on -10 side, in the MS which is farther to the goalkeeper.
In the example, two possible solutions of shot on goal. 1) A opts for a central shot towards the near-post, placing the -5 save attempt token in the PS where the goalkeeper dives to his left. The total penalty subtracted from his LONG SHOT skill value is -25. In this case goalkeeper's save penalty is -10. 2) A tries a curved shot towards the far-post, placing -10 save attempt token in the PS where the goalkeeper dives to his right. The total penalty to be subtracted from his LONG SHOT skill value is -35 but, in this case, the goalkeeper's save attempt is much more difficult than case 1, as his diving penalty is -30.
Volley Shots
When a player receives a long pass or a cross, he can perform a volley shot. A volley shot is not declared in Declaration phase but can be called, only in opponent's midfield, and resolved during Event phase. Volley shots follow the same rules of normal shots, penalty due to shot-on-goal tokens must be subtracted from player's volley skill value before rolling the skill test. Defenders, or goalkeeper, in the same PS can try to prevent the attacker's volley shot. In this case a challenge occurs and skill tests are rolled by both coaches on volley's final value (skill value minus penalty) and defender's aerial tackle skill value (or rush out for goalkeepers).
If attacker succeeds against all defenders the same skill test value is used to challenge the goalkeeper's saving attempt.
Outstanding Shots
When a player shoots from behind the outstanding shot lines or from behind the zone lines, for every PS behind these lines shot-on-goal tokens are used flipped on -10 side. Whenever the ball crosses the line tokens are normally used flipped on -5 side.
Chip Shots
When the goalkeeper is off the goal line a player can decide to try a difficult but effective chip shot, chipping the ball over goalie's head. To perform a chip shot the coach must only use shot-on-goal tokens flipped on their -10 side.
In order to save a chip shot the goalkeeper, by diving, must reach the goal-line PS where the ball lands. In chip shots, unlike normal shots, there's no difference between angled and central shots and the save attempt token must always be placed on the last goal-line PS, flipped on -10 side.
Dispute
A dispute occurs when two or more opponent players, at the end of their movements, reach the ball's destination PS, after a pass or a scatter. A dispute is always [the sentence is cut off in the printed rulebook].
Dispute after tactical movement: After tactical movement phase, two or more opponent players could be able to reach a PS where the ball has scattered in event phase. When this scenario occurs, the dispute must be played anyway (like in a normal event phase), in order to determine a ball carrier at the end of the round.
Engagement
An engagement occurs when a defending player tackles the opponent player in ball possession with the purpose of stealing the ball from him. To engage, a defending player must reach one of the 8 MS around the ball carrier and still have at least 1 movement available. In 4 orthogonal MS the coach can choose between a sliding or a regular tackle. In 4 diagonal boxes only a sliding tackle is allowed.
The goalkeeper however, can take action from all 8 boxes, using his rush-out skill.
Examples of frontal (a), lateral (b) or from behind (c) engagements are illustrated.
Challenges
Football is a game of challenges, where all players' skills are consistently tested. In Fublet, challenges are resolved through skill test by both coaches on the involved skills. Challenge outcomes, like in real football, can be very different from time to time, depending on the dice result, on the values of the involved skills and on the type of challenge.
General Tackle Rules and Challenges Chart
- When both coaches' tests are successful, the highest score always wins; in the event of a tie, tests are null and dice must be rerolled.
- In the case of a tackle or engagement, when both coaches are successful, the player who lost the tackle will not be stunned;
- In the case of tackle or engagement, when a foul occurs, the coach who has been fouled can choose between a free kick or applying the Advantage Rule. If he chooses the Advantage Rule, the player who committed foul is always stunned.
- Yellow and red cards are applied to the fouling player only when the opponent decides to choose for the free kick.
The chart below shows all possible challenges in any potential situation that can occur in any phase.
| Situation | Attack Action | Defense Action | Attack Failure | Defense Failure | Att/Def Failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerial dispute | Aerial tackle, Volley | Aerial tackle | Foul | Foul | 1 PS scatter |
| Aerial dispute GK | Aerial tackle, Volley | Rush out | Foul | Foul | 1 PS scatter |
| Ground dispute | Tackle, Dribbling | Dribbling, Tackle | Foul | Foul | 1 PS scatter |
| Engagement | Dribbling | Sliding tackle, Tackle | Foul | Foul |
Referee's Calls
In every case of physical challenge between two players, when one of the skill tests fails while the other is successful, the player who failed the test fouls the other. If the opponent coach opts for the free kick, the player could be booked (yellow card) or even be sent-off (red card), depending on how rough the foul committed is. The higher the failed skill test result is, the more harsh, or even dangerous, his tackle is considered to be by the referee. Check the referee's call board to determine, depending on the type of tackle, if the fouling player deserves a yellow or even red card. In the case of a red card, or a second yellow card, the player is sent-off and his figure is immediately removed from the field. That player can no longer take part in the match.
Free Kicks
When a player gets fouled and his coach decides not to apply the advantage rule, he will take a free kick from the MS where the foul occurred.
Any player, except for goalkeepers, can be chosen to take the free kick. The game can then restart by declaring a pass, a cross or a long range shot on goal.
The defending coach, if he evaluates the free kick as dangerous, can, only as a first tactical positioning action, set a wall. For wall positioning rules see pages 15-16.
Penalty Kicks
If any player commits a foul inside his own penalty area the opponent team wins a penalty kick (if claimed). The attacking coach picks a player to take the penalty and places it in one of the two MS close to the penalty spot. He then places the ball token in one of the two goal-line PS. A penalty kick is a challenge between the finalization skill of the kicking player and the penalty kick skill of the goalkeeper. If the goalkeeper saves the penalty, but does not hold onto the ball, the scatter occurs in the PS where the ball has been placed. All regular shot and save rules are applied, except for shooting penalties, as shot-on-goal tokens are not used.
Throw-ins, Corner Kicks and Goal Kicks
When the ball crosses the touch line or the goal line the ball is out of bounds and play will restart with a throw-in, if the ball crossed a touch line (lines which run the length of the field), a goal kick or a corner kick, by the team that didn't play the ball out, if the ball crossed a goal line (the shorter boundary line) without entering the goal.
If the ball crosses the field's bounds as a consequence of a scatter (for example, after a dispute or a challenge), the highest skill test result determines which player has touched the ball last.
How to take throw-ins: any player, except for goalkeepers, can be chosen to take a throw-in. Place the chosen player and the ball outside the field, next to the PS where the ball has crossed the touch line. Taking a throw-in is considered, and must be resolved, as a SHORT PASS action.
How to take corner kicks: any player, except for goalkeepers, can be chosen to take a corner kick. Place the chosen player and the ball outside the field, next to the MS with the corner arc. Corner kicks can be taken as a cross, a short or a long pass or even as a long range shot.
How to take goal kicks: place your goalkeeper and the ball in a MS close to the top line of the small goalkeeping box (the small area which contains your goal). Goal kicks can be taken as a short or a long pass (max 15 PS).
Tactical Positioning Rules
- Kick off: free positioning for both teams;
- Goal kick: free positioning for both teams;
- Penalty kick: free positioning. However, no players, besides the goalkeeper and the kicker, can be placed inside the penalty area and its arc;
- Throw-in: 2 alternated positionings per team, which depend on maximum speed of each moved player, are allowed, starting from the attacking coach. However, defensive positionings are subject to a skill test on the tactic perception skill of each defending player;
- Free kicks and corner kicks: all defending players within 5 MS from the free/corner kick spot must be immediately moved beyond 5 MS of distance. These automatic moves do not count as tactical positionings.
The coaches can now position their players on the field, according to the alternation order below:
- DEFENDING coach can position any player taken from his DEFENSE ZONE;
- ATTACKING coach can position any player taken from his ATTACK ZONE;
- DEFENDING coach can position any player taken from his MIDFIELD ZONE;
- ATTACKING coach can position any player taken from his MIDFIELD ZONE;
- DEFENDING coach can position any player taken from his ATTACK ZONE;
- ATTACKING coach can position any player taken from his DEFENSE ZONE.
How free/corner kick distance is correctly applied: F is the free-kick spot. A and B are defenders too close to the free-kick spot. They must be moved beyond a 5 MS distance.
Free Kick Wall
The defending coach can choose up to 5 players (goalkeeper excluded) and position them side-by-side as a wall in protection of the goal. Each player displayed grants a WALL VALUE of 10. When the wall is set, if the shot is successful, and only if the declared shot trajectory crosses it, the wall can try a deflection by rolling a skill test on its WALL VALUE and comparing the result with the skill test result of the shot. If the wall wins the challenge, a scatter occurs, from the PS where the ball hits the wall, otherwise the ball flies over it towards the goal.
The players chosen for the wall are immediately exhausted and won't be able to move in any movement phase after the declaration of the shot.
In one example, starting from a LONG SHOT skill value of 75, the challenge is between 50 (75-25) and a wall value of 40. In another example, the shooting player declares a curved shot in order to try to bypass the wall, accepting a higher difficulty of the shot. The wall cannot deflect this shot in any way.
Stun
When a player gets stunned as a consequence of a failed skill test, the coach flips his card face down, to indicate that in the next round he will not be able to move in either of the two movement phases. Only at the end of the following round the player will regain his balance and his card will be flipped face up again. For all stunning conditions see CHALLENGES CHART at page 14.
Deflection of a Pass or Shot
Deflection is a special action that lets a defensive player, who is orthogonally adjacent to an opponent player who has just declared a shot, a pass or a cross, attempt to deflect it. Deflection is a challenge between defender's sliding tackle skill and attacker's involved skill that must be called after attacker's declaration and resolved immediately. If the challenge is won by the defender a scatter occurs from the PS where the defender is, otherwise the deflection fails and the defender is STUNNED. A deflection failure never determines a foul, as the defender is not physically challenging the opponent but is trying to intercept a moving ball.
Offside
In Fublet offside, just like in real-life football, can be attempted when a pass or a cross starts from behind the attack line, ends up beyond the opponent's defensive line and at least one attacker, according to the round pace, is within reach of the PS where the ball has been delivered.
When this scenario occurs the defending team, only as a first call during Movement phase, can perform an offside movement. To make offside effective, identify those defenders who keep the attacker in play and verify that, according to the zone round pace value, they can actually (in case of success) move ahead far enough in order to put the attacker in an offside position. If the movement required is higher than the zone round pace, offside movement can not be called.
Once the offside movement is called, the defending coach rolls a skill test on the tactic perception skill of the defender with the lowest value among all defenders involved in the offside movement: that is, in fact, the player who makes things difficult for the entire defensive unit.
If the test is successful, all defenders involved move beyond the attacker by one MS. After that, these defenders are considered exhausted.
If the test fails, the involved defenders do not move from their starting MS but they are considered exhausted anyway.
If offside movement is successful the attacker can still try to avoid the trap by rolling a skill test on his own tactic perception skill, comparing the dice result with the skill test result rolled by the defensive line. If the challenge is won, the attacker acts timely in order to avoid the offside trap and he will then be free to move towards the ball. Otherwise, the referee will call a free kick from the MS where the attacker has been caught in offside position.
Non offside cases:
- an attacker is within the defensive line, he can reach the ball's destination PS, he has been successfully trapped by the defense but his skill test to avoid the offside was successful;
- an attacker is within or already beyond the defensive line but, according to the round pace value, he can't reach the ball's destination PS;
- when the pass starts its motion from beyond the attackers. Backward passes can never trigger offside.
Offside cases:
- an attacker is within the defensive line, he can reach the ball's destination PS, he has been successfully trapped by the defense and he failed the skill test to avoid the offside;
- an attacker is already beyond the defensive line and, according to the round pace value, he is able to reach the PS where the ball has been delivered.
In these cases the game will then restart with a free kick by the defending team from the MS where the attacking player has been caught in offside position.
Example: A1 declares a pass and he successfully resolves it. The round pace is 5. Blue team's coach, during the movement phase, calls offside on A2; the defenders who keep A2 in play are D1 and D2. A3 is not in a possible offside position because, with a maximum movement of 5 MS allowed by the round pace, he cannot reach the ball. D1's tactic perception skill is 61, D2's skill is 73. The coach will then roll a skill test on 61, obtaining 44, so the test is successful. D1 and D2 will move forward by 2 MS, enough to trap A2 in an offside position.
In this example, red team's coach rolls a skill test on A2's tactic perception skill, the value of which is 66. In this case the dice return a result of 53, successful and higher than defender's coach roll, so A2 manages to avoid the offside trap and is able to move forward to the PS where the ball is headed. In the other example, red team's coach fails the test or obtains a lower result than opponent's coach offside skill test value. Offside is successful and the referee will call a free kick for the blue team, to be taken from A2 MS.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper has a slightly different set of skills compared to the other players. Besides having less passing, attacking, defending and technique skills, he can count on four specific skills, described below (GK).
GK - Save
The ability to dive and deflect a shot heading towards the goalkeeper's goal. When a goalkeeper attempts a save, he can dive for a maximum of 3 MS in any direction, even diagonally, according to the previously mentioned movement rules. Each MS covered by the diving goalkeeper determines a penalty of -10 to be applied to his saving skill value. A correct starting position at the moment of the shot is then essential for the goalkeeper.
When a save is successful a scatter occurs from the MS where the shot has been saved. In this case, if the scatter direction is towards the net, the ball will fly over the crossbar. The game will then restart with a corner kick by the attacking team.
Goalkeeper Movement
During movement and tactical movement phases, goalkeeper can be moved like any other player on the field. However, when a shot on goal is declared, the first MS covered by his diving counts as the movement allowed by the round pace (always 1). The goalkeeper cannot move by 1 MS and then dive for more 3 MS.
GK - Rush Out
The ability of the goalkeeper to tackle an attacker both through a ground or an aerial rush out. When the goalkeeper tackles, engages or gets engaged within the penalty area, the coach always rolls a skill test on goalkeeper's rush out skill. Otherwise, if the goalkeeper engages or tackles outside the penalty area, he'll use his defending skills like any other regular player.
GK - Handling
After every successful rush out or save, the goalkeeper can decide to try to 'catch' the ball or not, by rolling a skill test on his handling skill. The handling skill test is considered a challenge and diving penalties must be applied as well. In order to successfully hold onto the ball, the goalkeeper must obtain a result higher than the opponent's shot result.
If the challenge is won, the goalkeeper holds onto the ball and is the new ball carrier.
If the challenge is lost, a scatter occurs. Unlike the save though, if the scatter direction is towards the net, the ball will end up inside the goal.
Goalkeeper Stun
When a goalkeeper successfully saves a shot, as a consequence of his diving, he is stunned and is forced to skip the movement phase of the next round. However, if the goalkeeper manages to hold onto the ball by catching it, he immediately recovers from his stun, as he can take his time to regain balance, with the ball safe in his hands.
GK - Penalty Kick
The penalty kick skill determines the goalkeeper's ability to save penalty kicks. For detail rules about kicking and saving a penalty kick see Penalty Kicks (page 15).
Substitutions
Each coach can substitute up to 3 players during a match, including extra time. A coach can call a substitution in any moment during a round. The swap between the replaced and the replacing player must be done at the end of the round, right before starting the following one. Remove the player chosen for the substitution from the field and place the substitute in one of the eight MS of the substitution area.
Starting from the next round the 'new' player is effectively in play. A substituted player is definitively out of play and can not be used to substitute another player.
Injuries
When a player performs any kind of action, like a tackle or even a simple short pass, he always takes a risk of getting injured. In any skill test, besides those on tactic perception skill, if the dice result is 25, 50 or 75 the player suffers an injury and he must be substituted by one of the subs from the bench. If no substitutions are left, that team will have to carry on with 10 players until the end of the match.
When a goalkeeper gets injured, and there are no goalkeepers available as subs, you can use any player on the field as the new goalkeeper, replacing his card with the injured goalkeeper's one.
Extra Time
When the stopwatch marker ends on extra time square, current round must be completed. If at the end of the round the ball is inside a penalty box, coaches will keep playing more rounds unless the ball is kicked outside the box, out of play or the attacking team scores a goal.