Overview

Guild Ball is a miniature tabletop game of mob football set in the Empire of the Free Cities. Two coaches each field a team of guild members competing on a pitch. Players score victory points by making goals (kicking the ball past the goal line) and by taking out opposing players. The first team to 12 VP wins. The game combines sports tactics with combat mechanics.

Components

• Miniature models (team-specific)
• Profile cards for each model
• Dice (d6)
• Ball marker
• Tokens and markers (influence, conditions, momentum)
• Measuring tools
• Pitch/playing field
• Goal posts (2)
• Terrain pieces

Setup

1. Pick teams: Each coach selects a guild and chooses 6 models (1 captain, 1 mascot, 4 squad members).
2. Set up pitch: Place terrain as agreed. Place goal posts at opposite ends.
3. Choose Game Plans: Each coach selects game plan cards.
4. Kick Off: One team kicks the ball to the other. The receiving team deploys first, then the kicking team.

Turn Structure

Each turn follows this sequence:

1. Maintenance Phase

• Generate influence: Each model generates its base INF.
• Allocate influence: Distribute total team influence among your models (each model has a max INF cap).
• Remove expired effects and conditions.

2. Activation Phase

• Coaches alternate activating one model at a time.
• Each model spends influence to perform actions during its activation.
• Continue until all models have activated.

3. End Phase

• Resolve end-of-turn effects.
• Determine initiative for next turn using momentum (team with more momentum chooses who goes first).

Actions

Actions cost influence to perform:

Movement

• Jog (free): Move up to base MOV distance.
• Sprint (1 INF): Move up to max MOV distance (cannot also make an attack this activation).
• Charge (2 INF): Move up to max MOV and make one attack (must end engaging a model).

Attacks

• Attack (1 INF): Roll TAC dice vs target’s DEF. Each die meeting/exceeding DEF is a hit. Subtract ARM from total hits. Remaining hits are applied to the playbook to select results (damage, pushes, dodges, knockdowns, etc.).

Ball Actions

• Kick (1 INF): Roll KICK dice to pass or shoot at goal.
• Pass: Kick the ball to a friendly model. Target number based on range.
• Shot on Goal (1 INF): Kick the ball at the goal post. TN 4+. If successful, score a goal (4 VP).
• Snap To: When the ball marker moves within 1” of a model, it automatically picks it up.

Character Plays

• Cost INF or are triggered from playbook results.
• Provide special abilities unique to each model.

Heroic and Legendary Plays

• Heroic Play (1 Momentum): Powerful one-use-per-turn ability.
• Legendary Play: Extremely powerful, once-per-game ability.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

First team to 12 VP wins.

Scoring VP: | Event | VP | |——-|—–| | Goal scored | 4 VP | | Take Out (enemy model reduced to 0 HP) | 2 VP (1 VP for mascots) |

After a Goal

• Ball is returned via a Goal Kick by the conceding team.
• The scoring model is removed and returns during the next Maintenance Phase.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Momentum: Earned from successful attacks and passes. Spent on bonus actions like healing, counter-attacks, snap shots, and heroic plays. Team with more momentum at end of turn wins initiative.
• Parting Blow: When a model leaves an enemy’s melee zone, the enemy gets a free attack.
• Engaging: Models within 1” of an enemy are engaging. Engaged models suffer penalties when trying to kick.
• Conditions: Knocked Down, Poisoned, Burning, Bleeding, Snared – each has specific penalties and removal conditions.
• Taken Out models: Return to the pitch during the next Maintenance Phase after being taken out.
• Terrain: Barriers block movement, rough ground reduces movement, forests block line of sight, obstacles can be climbed.
• Interception: Models can attempt to intercept passes that cross their melee zone.
• Playbook: Each model has a unique playbook showing results for different hit levels. Coaches choose one result equal to or below their net hit total.
• ARM: Reduces the number of successful hits before consulting the playbook.

Player Reference

Model Stats:

• MOV (movement), TAC (attack dice), KICK (kick dice/range), DEF (defensive target number), ARM (armor), INF (influence generation/max)

VP targets: Goals = 4 VP, Takeouts = 2 VP (1 for mascots), Win at 12 VP

Influence costs: Sprint = 1, Charge = 2, Attack = 1, Kick = 1, Character Plays = varies

Momentum uses: Initiative, bonus time (reroll), heroic plays, healing, counter-attacks