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How to Play APBA Football

Despite the popularity of video and computer games today, board games continue to enjoy a small, but faithful following. Utilizing dice rolls and historical player statistics to determine what occurs on each play and, ultimately, the outcome of the game, APBA Football is no exception.
So, turn off the TV, clear the table, set up the game and let's play.

Instructions

- 1
  Create your team's lineup. Choose the players that will take the field against your opponent in one of two ways. The easiest approach is to use the default lineup as suggested by the game maker. Otherwise, you can compare your bench players with the suggested lineup and make substitutions. Each player is rated from 1 to 5; 5 is the top rating. You can find a player rating after his name on the player card.
- 2
  Flip a coin to determine who will receive the opening kickoff.
- 3
  Announce who the kicker is if you are kicking off, or name both a primary returner and a secondary returner if you are receiving the kick. The kicking team rolls two dice; one is a large red die and the other is a small white die. Read the dice roll starting with the red die. A roll of one on the red die and a five on the white die is 15. Look up 15 in black on the kicker's player card and match the result listed there to the kicking chart for the kick distance and to whom it was kicked.
- 4
  Roll the two dice to return the kick. Read the dice in the same manner as the kickoff, look on the player card for the number of the dice roll and check the result against the return chart for the final outcome.
- 5
  Prepare for the first play from scrimmage. The offensive team selects a play card from the available selection and places it face down on the table. The defensive team selects either a standard defense, a defense geared to stop the run or one geared to stop the pass. Reveal the offensive play and roll the dice.
- 6
  Check the running back player card if you chose a running play. Find the number of the dice roll on the player card and check the running chart for the outcome of the play, which is dependent on the defensive team's formation. If the defense called for a run, you'll probably be stopped for a short gain.
- 7
  Announce your intended receiver if you chose a passing play. After rolling the dice, read the dice roll on the quarterback player card under the passing column and consult the passing chart for the result of the play. If you caught the defense in a run formation and you chose your top receiver, the result could be a long gain.
- 8
  Continue the game for 30 plays to end the first quarter. Each successive quarter is 30 plays for a total of 120 to complete the game.

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