Fair warning: Geekery ahead.

So, I love card games and have a hobby of designing them. I finally got around to making the football card game for tailgating that I've had in the back of my mind for a while. Here are the rules...in subsequent posts I'll put up the GSU cards I've made for it so far.

If anyone here wanted to make cards for players on their teams...well, that'd be awesome. I can send the template and whatnot to anyone interested, although I'm sure others have much more in the way of skills in that department.

...

Card Table Football

This game can be played with just a standard deck of cards and zero player cards. When you first learn the game, you may prefer to play it this way and slowly work in player cards one or two at a time. For the standard game, each coach selects five player cards to represent the focus of their team. One of these cards must be a quarterback.

If a player card has an ability that can be used once per half or once per game, indicate that it has been used by turning the card sideways. At the beginning of the next half, if appropriate, turn it upright again.

Basic Rules

Shuffle the deck and deal five cards to each player. Flip a coin or something to determine who gets the ball first.

Drives are carried out in a series of attempts. Note that these don’t necessarily represent individual plays, but tendencies of the offense. The suits each have different meanings:

Hearts = Rushing offense
Diamonds = Passing offense
Spades = Rush defense
Clubs = Pass defense

For value purposes, face cards count as 10, and aces can be 1 or 11.

To start an attempt, the offensive coach may play any number of offensive cards (hearts or diamonds) to the table. The defensive coach may then play defensive cards that match the type of offense in play. If the defensive coach’s cards exceed the offensive cards in value, it’s a failed attempt. (Note that ties go to the offense.) Two failed pass attempts or one failed run attempt stops a drive. On a pass attempt, if the defensive coach matches the offensive value exactly, it’s an interception.

Two successful attempts in a drive scores a touchdown (plus extra point).

A coach may choose not to play an offensive card (or may not have one). In this case, they must play at least one card of any suit in order to “throw away” the ball. This counts as a failed pass.

If a coach plays at least one offensive card, and their opponent can’t play a defensive card of any type (even if it doesn’t match the type of offense), the drive automatically ends in a touchdown.

After each attempt, both coaches may discard any number of cards and draw up to a new hand of five cards. The coach about to be on offensive does this first.

If a drive is stopped after one success, the offensive coach may attempt a field goal. Without drawing a new hand, they may play one card of any suit. The field goal can be stopped if the defensive coach can play a single card of greater value. Any drive that doesn’t end with a score, interception, or field goal attempt is treated as a punt situation.

Going through the deck once is one half of play. After drawing all cards, coaches may still play cards from their hands until there are no viable plays left. For the second half, reshuffle all cards and deal out new hands of five to each coach.

  Panther cards 1.jpg (Size: 110.61 KB / Downloads: 31)

  Panther cards 2.jpg (Size: 99.39 KB / Downloads: 17)

  Panther cards 3.jpg (Size: 55.75 KB / Downloads: 17)

No need to make up a Georgia Southern deck... it's just the trick deck you get form the magic shop where every card is the ace of hearts.

Ok I actually think this is amazing, one question though.

When playing with more than 2 people are you playing against the dealer (offense) or the person to your left? Or across the table from you? Any clarification on that?

(09-03-2015 09:14 AM)soar#417 Wrote:  Ok I actually think this is amazing, one question though.

When playing with more than 2 people are you playing against the dealer (offense) or the person to your left? Or across the table from you? Any clarification on that?

Hmm. I've never actually played it with more than two, but it seems like an easy enough tweak. My first inclination would be that everyone makes their offensive plays against the person to their left, and that's the only opponent that plays defense against them. (Then only those two players get to discard and redraw after the attempt.)

Coaches aren't going to get as many drives that way, so it may be preferable to go through the deck more than twice.

A free-for-all could also be fun, where when you're on offense, you just choose which opponent you'll drive against. OR...maybe anyone can play defense to an offensive attempt...in which case games are bound to be really low-scoring.

At any rate, if you try it out at all, I'd love to know what works and what doesn't (including what's in the "core rules")!

I like the nods to MTG in this explanation. Do you play MTG or Hearthstone by any chance?

(09-03-2015 09:43 AM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  I like the nods to MTG in this explanation. Do you play MTG or Hearthstone by any chance?

Yep! I think MTG is one of the greatest games ever designed, and Hearthstone has done an amazing job turning that model into an engaging online game. Hard to find time to play MTG like I used to, and unfortunately I just don't enjoy it much online. Hearthstone is my go-to activity for clearing my mind, though...and the free-to-play model fits my budget just fine! (Although I recently discovered that Dominion has a great online version...that's a damn clever game, too.)

(09-03-2015 09:50 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 09:43 AM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  I like the nods to MTG in this explanation. Do you play MTG or Hearthstone by any chance?

Yep! I think MTG is one of the greatest games ever designed, and Hearthstone has done an amazing job turning that model into an engaging online game. Hard to find time to play MTG like I used to, and unfortunately I just don't enjoy it much online. Hearthstone is my go-to activity for clearing my mind, though...and the free-to-play model fits my budget just fine! (Although I recently discovered that Dominion has a great online version...that's a damn clever game, too.)

Well met!

Never played MTG, but I've played Hearthstone since beta. Huge fan of the game.

(09-03-2015 10:02 AM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  Well met!

Never played MTG, but I've played Hearthstone since beta. Huge fan of the game.

Haha! Greetings, traveler. Feel free to add me...I'm labmix#1337 (think I have that number right). Not on a ton these days with the new semester starting, but looking forward to trying out the new TGT cards.

EDIT: Wait a minute! I'm actually labmix#1307. That other number probably has to be earned!

(09-03-2015 10:05 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 10:02 AM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  Well met!

Never played MTG, but I've played Hearthstone since beta. Huge fan of the game.

Haha! Greetings, traveler. Feel free to add me...I'm labmix#1337 (think I have that number right). Not on a ton these days with the new semester starting, but looking forward to trying out the new TGT cards.

EDIT: Wait a minute! I'm actually labmix#1307. That other number probably has to be earned!

Sorry. Had to add something. The fact I posted this gif and not another one shows that I am growing, evolving. That counts for something right? The game looks interesting though.

Interesting, but I wouldn't call it a tailgating game.

(09-03-2015 09:50 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 09:43 AM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  I like the nods to MTG in this explanation. Do you play MTG or Hearthstone by any chance?

Yep! I think MTG is one of the greatest games ever designed, and Hearthstone has done an amazing job turning that model into an engaging online game. Hard to find time to play MTG like I used to, and unfortunately I just don't enjoy it much online. Hearthstone is my go-to activity for clearing my mind, though...and the free-to-play model fits my budget just fine! (Although I recently discovered that Dominion has a great online version...that's a damn clever game, too.)

Geesh, CFB games start tonight. Have things spiraled so low this summer that fantasy card games can fill the void?

(09-03-2015 10:48 AM)Beltfan Wrote:  Geesh, CFB games start tonight. Have things spiraled so low this summer that fantasy card games can fill the void?

Yep! Crazy that any hobby other than being a college football fan has value in this life o'mine. Thankfully my priorities can be reordered starting today!

(09-03-2015 10:17 AM)StanMolsonMan Wrote:  

Sorry. Had to add something. The fact I posted this gif and not another one shows that I am growing, evolving. That counts for something right? The game looks interesting though.

Have to admit I'm curious as to what the other one would be. Is it obvious?

So where do I use my hugely OP Eldrazi to murder all the players on both teams?

(09-03-2015 11:42 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(09-03-2015 10:17 AM)StanMolsonMan Wrote:  

Sorry. Had to add something. The fact I posted this gif and not another one shows that I am growing, evolving. That counts for something right? The game looks interesting though.

Have to admit I'm curious as to what the other one would be. Is it obvious?

You asked...

(09-03-2015 12:07 PM)StanMolsonMan Wrote:  You asked...

Oh yeah!

Guilty...

(09-03-2015 11:45 AM)Klak Wrote:  So where do I use my hugely OP Eldrazi to murder all the players on both teams?

The Ndamukong Suh card is thankfully banned in all sanctioned formats.