Kicking

[MadLordAnarchy]

I can't really buy-in to the OP version as it's such a small change that it wouldn't be enough for me. The concept of it being effectively a clearance I agree on entirely, the mechanic just doesn't move me so I think I'll stick to my own concept.

[DoubleSkulls]

Kick's should always result in a turnover.

Does KoR return work with it?

I really don't like Up & Under working on kick offs. Fast teams will take it very early on since the turnover potential is huge.

Stunty teams will love kicking... so I think it ought to use the team's pass action for the turn to prevent the chuck a fling, kick the ball after him routine.

[Pipey]

Am I reading correctly that every player kicks the ball with exactly the same skill and power whether a zombie or a wardancer or a halfling or griff oberwald. Seems a touch unlikely.

And isn't it too much of a low risk strategy to be able to place the ball anywhere on the field on 'anything but a one'.

I would've thought a short kick (three or four squares) be more accurate than a twenty square boomer?

Looks like a good idea in principle but would need some more specific rules e.g.:

- Kicking ability based on AG and to some extent STR (maybe enough just to say stunties receive a penalty similar to with passing)

- Kicking accuracy correlated with kicking distance in some way


Can you move and kick in the same turn? If you could only kick from a standing start this would restrict the strategy and give the oppo a chance to counter it. Might be worth considering.

The obvious time to kick would be when defending in your own half but in possession of the ball. Don't think kicking would be a great offensive strategy...

All told, it could be interesting. Will look to try it out in practice and see how it works.

[MadLordAnarchy]

- Kicking ability based on AG and to some extent STR (maybe enough just to say stunties receive a penalty similar to with passing)

- Kicking accuracy correlated with kicking distance in some way

I'm going to do what I can to stick in this thread with the same message - this is throwing. For Kicking to be worthwhile, it must be something other than throwing and doing these things makes it just mirror of the pass action.

[Joemanji]

- Kicking ability based on AG and to some extent STR (maybe enough just to say stunties receive a penalty similar to with passing)

- Kicking accuracy correlated with kicking distance in some way

I'm going to do what I can to stick in this thread with the same message - this is throwing. For Kicking to be worthwhile, it must be something other than throwing and doing these things makes it just mirror of the pass action.

Agreed.

[Pipey]

Well obviously there are inherent similarities betweekn kicking and passing: the ball is propelled forward with variable accuracy depending on who's kicking and how far he is trying to kick.

The differences in terms of game mechanics would be:
-No interceptions allowed
-Unlimited distance
-Much less accurate

And possibly:
-Unable to move and kick
-Only ever 'fumble on a 1'


Perhaps kicking could be an AG roll. At further than 13 squares (about longbomb distance?) there is a -1 penalty. An accurate kick scatters D6 squares, an inaccurate kick scatters D8 or even 2D6 squares.


Looks very different from passing to me...

[fire olli]

I like the idea of a Kicking skill.

I think Pippy's idea of only being able to kick if you do not move is very good as well as the stunty idea.

My idea for kick would be to use the pass marker as the lenght of the kick with the following rules.

Short kick (Quick-short pass lenght) Normal AG test, scatters 1d6 and bounce
Long kick (Long-long bomb lenght) AG test with -1, scatters 2d6 and bounce

Also using skills like Pass block and the kick skill should be modified for the new skill.

[Joemanji]

-Unable to move and kick
-Only ever 'fumble on a 1'

The move and kick is interesting, and something to consider. That certainly reflects how kicks work in American Football and Rugby. A skill such as Chip And Charge might allow a player to move then kick. Something to think about.

But a kick is like HMP in that it fumbles on a 1 modified by TZs.

Perhaps kicking could be an AG roll. At further than 13 squares (about longbomb distance?) there is a -1 penalty. An accurate kick scatters D6 squares, an inaccurate kick scatters D8 or even 2D6 squares.

Looks very different from passing to me...

Again, the point of this is for any player (regardless of stats) to just hoof the ball away in a really simple way (rules wise). Hence no AG rolls. Your version would be poor in this sense ... fumbles on a 1-2, inaccurate on 3-4 with 2D6 scatter effectively removing all benefit, 5-6 accurate without roughly 50% odds of ending near the target square

I like the idea of a Kicking skill.

Short kick (Quick-short pass lenght) Normal AG test, scatters 1d6 and bounce
Long kick (Long-long bomb lenght) AG test with -1, scatters 2d6 and bounce

Again, these rules are nice on paper, but offer no benefit it practice. An AG test or 2D6 scatter within throwing range means kicking would just be giving up the ball for no reward.

If the "place ball anywhere and scatter" is too much, then we could instead "place ball anywhere within the throwing template and scatter", but my initial thoughts were that the chance of scattering back is too risking over that short a range. But I am coming around to that slightly ... its only real effect would be to stop people deep in their own half hoofing the length of the field.

[MadLordAnarchy]

-Unable to move and kick
-Only ever 'fumble on a 1'

The move and kick is interesting, and something to consider. That certainly reflects how kicks work in American Football and Rugby. A skill such as Chip And Charge might allow a player to move then kick. Something to think about.

... or even kick then move which would make it something different from other ball actions and more reflective of the kicking game in full contact sports.

[Joemanji]

Yeah awesome.

I didn't want to add too many skills, but that does something very cool.

[JumpingElf]

I think you can use it the same way as "Hail Mary Pass" but the Ball scatters like he does at a Kick off (could be modified with the Skill Kick).

[Pipey]

I think you can use it the same way as "Hail Mary Pass" but the Ball scatters like he does at a Kick off (could be modified with the Skill Kick).

That would be a very succinct way of doing it.

Just add that you can't move and kick . That way hail mary is still unique and more useful.

Kick could affect in the same way it affects a kick off 1=0, 2-3 = 1, 4-5 = 2, 6=3.

This could work well IMO. Needs playtesting.

[JumpingElf]

Sounds good ... I think I'll check it out in my league. But what skill categorie should be used?

[cyagen]

Kicking would be an action, like passing, do not require any skills.

As for kicking speciafic skills, they could be mixed in all categories (gen, str and AG)

Unless you want to start the kicker discussion all over again....

[Pipey]

Don't think an extra set of skills is required to be honest. The effect of kick skill is enough.

Besides I can't see kicking becoming a staple strategy as losing the ball is generally a very bad thing in BB as compared to rugby, Aussie rules etc.

These rules would add an interesting but fairly situation-specific tactical option without having to overhaul the rules significantly.

Should a maximum range be imposed? Not sure. Maybe fluff is a factor? Realistically, how far can a ball be booted?

Would the introduction of kicking force teams to include a full back position even if attacking a ball deep in the opposition half?

Would kicking teams leave potential receivers hanging around the endzone for the end-to-end kick? (like goal mooching in schoolyard soccer!!)

As I say, it needs playtesting.