Percentage-based passing
 

NOTE: Revised tables and better explaination below.

I have played some games using the passing sticks, and while I love the idea, some of my friends that I play against disliked how a defender could hit a hotspot on the board and pick off a short pass from across the field. Also, there was no way to throw curl routes (with the receiver remaining stationary). I am developing a way of using passing sticks and dice to pass with.

To start, the offensive coach places a ball using the passing stick. Then, the distance of the nearest defender is measured to the ball. The offensive coach rolls a 20-sided die. Based on how far away the defender is (compared to the offensive player), a certain number or higher equals a completion, and a certain number or lower equals an interception. For example, if a 14 yard passing stick were used, and the defender was 17 yards from the ball target, a roll of 9 or higher would be a completion, and a roll of 1 would be an interception. I have also incorporated bullet passing and curl route techniques. However, this is still a work in progress. I will keep tweaking the numbers (there isn't many stats to go off of for completion % based on distance of throw), and if anyone is interested, I'll post the tables.

I realize that this doesn't take each receiver's and defender's speed into account, but I think it will reduce my friends' complaining. :D

yes!!!!
 

interested post the tables!!!

Here they are...
 

revised tables below)

(Note: I use a 20-sided die that came with a Battleball board game, and use 6 different passing sticks: 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 yards, labled 1-6 respectively. The first number in parenthesis is the minimum roll for a completion; the second number is the maximum roll for an interception. For defender's distance to ball, if the defender is 7 yards from the ball and a 5 yard stick was used, the distance is +2, and so on.)

Bullet passes
 

For curl routes, just treat the stationary receiver as the ball target and use the nearest defender's distance to the receiver, minus the length of the passing stick that would normally be used (see more detailed explaination below). You can throw either a normal or bullet pass to a stationary receiver as long as you use the correct charts. Remember, these numbers will almost defintely change. If it seems like it is too easy or two hard to complete a pass, I will tweak the numbers to even the balance.thmbsp$

Bump
 

Any feedback/ideas would be appreciated. thmbsp$

Revised
 

I moved the charts, see below.

Big discovery (imo)
 

I was playing a game against a friend and he asked why he had to throw the ball the length of the passing stick or a completely stationary pass. Turns out, there's no reason why!

With these charts, you can put down the ball marker wherever you want (except farther than the passing stick used); the defenders still get to move the entire length of the passing stick. Distance is measured in the same way. The dice are still rolled in accordance to the passing stick used by the defender. This allows the QB to better place his pass and can better simulate curl routes and other similar routes.

Bump
 

Not trying to be a pain; this is just my first real rule modification and wondered what you guys thought about it. Constructive criticism is welcomed.

Clarification Passing chart
 

Hey

Ran across this post while I was looking for a a way to better pass with new players. Can you explain your charts a little further? If you place the ball down and the defender is 10yds from the ball. And a 15yd stick is used, what would I need to roll to complete the pass? Just trying to understand the chart.

Thx

interesting wargaming rules !
 

your dices charts are very interesting. Sounds like the days I was playing wargames :D


Personaly I try to keep the game on a coaching/training level, and not include "skills" (ttqb, tdq, etc...)


So I use a dice for kicks too. But I'm using a basic 6faces dice.

TD extrapoint : 2-6

field goal :

0-20 : 2-6 on the dice
20-30 : 3-6
30-40 : 4-6
40-50 : 5-6
50-60: 6
60-more : impossible (I know the record is 60 and something, but...it's so rare that I didn't want to simulate it).


1 on the dice is ALWAYS a critical failure (like we say in wargames :D ). To simulate the rare but real big mistakes of the kicking team, or the possible defense interception/ball punches.


I don't understand that point :confused: If you allow the receiver to pivot, and allow to angle the passing stick, you can easily simulate curls, turns or whatever complex WR runs, no ?

Personaly, on my big board I just allow to angle the stick (to allow passing completion for WR with loop bases). But the receiver can't be pivoted.

I don't allow receiver pivot anymore, since it can be a unfair advantage to offense on my big board (certainly caused by our lack of experience in defense strategy, but for now...it's better like that. )

Examples
 

The chart is labeled 1-6 for passing sticks, which represents the distances i use, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 yards. So lets say a 14yd stick (#4 on the chart) was used. The offensive player places the ball anywhere from 0-14 yards from his player and moves his player to the ball. NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PLACE THE BALL 14 YARDS FROM THE RECEIVERS CURRENT POSITION. YOU CAN PLACE IT ANYWHERE UP TO THE STICK DISTANCE. The defense then moves the nearest defender up to the same distance as the stick; so the defender can move 14 yards towards the ball/receiver. If the defender was 10 yds from the ball AFTER moving his 14 yards (he was originally 24 yards away, then moved 14 yards closer), going by the revised charts, you would need to roll a 3 to complete the pass, and there is no chance of an interception. NOTE: If a defender ends up more than 10 yards away, you still use the 10 yd chart (though this is uncommon). Another example: 8yd stick, but the defender is 7 yards away. This is the number 2 stick on the chart, so you find 2 and -1yd and see that you need to roll a 11 to complete the pass and if you roll a 3 or less it is an interception. If the defender is closer or the same distance as the passing stick (number on chart is 0 or negative), as in this case, if the pass is completed the receiver is down on the spot. NOTE: If a pass is determined to be complete, then all defenders can move the same distance of the stick in any direction (if it was a 14 yard stick they can all move 14 yards in any direction), offensive players may not move. I hope this helps, if you have any more questions just ask.

Yes, you can do curl routes with sticks, but the receiver must run back toward the line of scrimmage to catch the ball (if you use a 14 yard stick he must run back 14 yards). In this method, he can simply turn, wait for the ball, catch it and then head upfield. The defenders still move toward him, simulating the ball in the air, but he is not required to run back the full length of the stick (though he can if he wants to). If you watch the NFL on curl routes that is what they do: turn, maybe take a few steps towards the ball, but then wait for it. Hope this clears things up.

Reposting of charts
 

To clean things up these are the final charts.

Normal
-----------1--------2--------3--------4--------5--------6
+10yd---(2,0)-----(2,0)----(3,0)-----(3,0)----(4,0)-----(4,0)----+10yd
+9yd----(2,0)-----(3,0)----(3,0)-----(4,0)----(4,0)-----(5,0)----+9yd
+8yd----(3,0)-----(3,0)----(4,0)-----(4,0)----(5,0)-----(6,0)----+8yd
+7yd----(3,0)-----(4,0)----(4,0)-----(5,0)----(6,0)-----(7,1)----+7yd
+6yd----(4,0)-----(4,0)----(5,0)-----(6,0)----(7,1)-----(8,2)----+6yd
+5yd----(4,0)-----(5,0)----(6,0)-----(7,1)----(8,2)-----(9,2)----+5yd
+4yd----(5,0)-----(6,0)----(7,1)-----(8,2)----(9,2)-----(10,3)---+4yd
+3yd----(6,0)----(7,1)-----(8,2)-----(9,2)----(10,3)----(11,3)---+3yd
+2yd----(7,1)----(8,2)-----(9,2)----(10,3)----(11,3)----(12,4)---+2yd
+1yd----(8,2)----(9,2)----(10,3)----(11,3)----(12,4)----(13,4)---+1yd
Even----(9,2)----(10,3)---(11,3)----(12,4)----(13,4)----(14,5)----Even
-1yd----(10,3)---(11,3)---(12,4)----(13,4)----(14,5)----(15,5)---(-)1yd

For bullet passes, the offense uses the next passing stick down from the normal measurement and this chart. (For example, if the measurement is normally for a 8-yard passing stick, the offense uses a 5-yd stick.)
Bullet
-----------1--------2--------3--------4--------5
+10yd----(3,0)----(4,0)---- (4,0)---- (5,0)---- (6,0)---- +10yd
+9yd---- (4,0)---- (4,0)---- (5,0)---- (6,0)---- (7,1)---- +9yd
+8yd---- (4,0)----(5,0)---- (6,0)---- (7,1)---- (8,2)---- +8yd
+7yd---- (5,0)---- (6,0)---- (7,1)---- (8,2)---- (9,2)---- +7yd
+6yd---- (6,0)---- (7,1)---- (8,2)---- (9,2)---- (10,3)---+6yd
+5yd---- (7,1)---- (8,2)---- (9,2)---- (10,3)---(11,3)----+5yd
+4yd---- (8,2)---- (9,2)---- (10,3)---(11,3)---(12,4)----+4yd
+3yd---- (9,2)----(10,3)---(11,3)----(12,4)----(13,4)----+3yd
+2yd---- (10,3)---(11,3)---(12,4)----(13,4)----(14,5)----+2yd
+1yd---- (11,3)---(12,4)---(13,4)----(14,5)----(15,5)----+1yd
Even---- (12,4)---(13,4)---(14,5)----(15,5)----(16,6)----Even
-1yd---- (13,4)---(14,5)---(15,5)----(16,6)----(17,6)---(-)1yd

This is based off of Jason Hanson's career FG stats. The number shown is the minimum roll needed on the 20-sided die for a field goal to be good.

Line of scrimmage---Minimum number needed

`````1-12``````````````Automatic
`````13-20`````````````````2
`````21-23`````````````````3
`````24-25`````````````````4
`````26-27`````````````````5
`````28-29`````````````````6
`````30-31`````````````````7
``````32```````````````````8
``````33```````````````````9
``````34``````````````````10
``````35``````````````````11
``````36``````````````````12
``````37``````````````````13
``````38``````````````````14
``````39``````````````````15
``````40``````````````````16
``````41``````````````````17
``````42``````````````````18
``````43``````````````````19
``````44``````````````````20

bump
 

in case you missed it phillyfanatic

I have also been thinking about something like this, but in a different way, for my upcoming college and pro solitaire leagues.

Let's take 2 d6, one red, one white.

Those familiar with APBA games will be familiar with this, they are read as Red-#, White-#, so as to create 36 possibilities (11-16, 21-26, 31-36, 41-46, 51-56, 61-66).

Not coincidentally, 36 pass attempts is a good number per team per game, for an uncomplicated average.

Now, I don't use stick passing at all in solitaire. I throw all passes. That would lead to astronomical completion %'s, however, for all QBs in the league without some modification. And there'd almost never be interceptions (I've thrown 4 in face-to-face league play in 9 seasons).

So, in incorporating dice into my solo league, I've decided that I'm going to try the following. Before all passes (I'm not worried about the distance of the pass), I roll the two dice:

R - W: Result
1 - 1: Interception. Defender nearest intended receiver intercepts, returns if not engaged.
2 - 1: Incomplete.
2 - 2: Incomplete.
3 - 1: Incomplete.
1 - 2: Incomplete.
1 - 3: Incomplete.
5 - 6: Incomplete.
6 - 5: Incomplete.
6 - 6: Interception. Defender nearest intended receiver intercepts, and is down there, no return possible.

That's 9 of the 36 possible combos. Leaving a 27/36 chance (75%) of actually throwing the pass with the TTQB. But given I hit roughly 80% of the time when physically throwing the pass, that means that roughly 5 of the 27 actual attempts will be incomplete (or intercepted if I really mess up).

So, on average, 22/36 passes should be complete, or 61%. For modern day college and even pro football, this is about where I'd like it to be. It will fluctuate from game to game of course, but over a season, I think it's a pretty good level. I then have a system already in place (it may be included in my ECFA Solitaire Rules from many years ago that many of you have), regarding defensive play on the ball based on distance of the pass, etc.

I will also use dice rolls after each play to determine penalties, fumbles, injuries (pro only), etc. I guess it's sort of simliar to the shkthbx: idea, but I've never really played under that style, so I'm kind of making it up as I go.

Roo $br# $br# $br# $br# $br#

that's am interesting idea, but the purpose of my chart is to level the playing field for when i play against my friends, who are much more casual (don't own a board, etc.) This and multi-stop help it to be a more strategic, balanced game.

Passing
 

In my youth, none of my friends could make the TTQB work. After a school class on dice rolls and fractions and percentages we came up with an idea. On passes we would roll 2 d6 dice and count the total. 2 through 6 was an incompletion. 7 through 12 was a completion. The completion % came out to 55% which was the NFL average. After 1 season we came up with new rules. If you roll a 2 it is an interception, if you roll a 12 it is a touchdown. It sped up game play and it was something we could agree on.$cch$