American baseball was on its last legs as n 2041, Robotic players were lthough it is very hard for a Natural a spectator sport. Football had become Iintroduced to get more offense back Ato get into the league, those that the predominant national pastime. into the game. These Robots were do are very popular. Many Naturals That is until the year 2032 – the year similar to designated hitters in that have named themselves after the great baseball decided to revolutionize the they were only used to bat and did not players of pre-2032 baseball by taking game and regain the throne! field. However, recent reports indicate a first and last name borrowed from fielding ‘Bots are on the way. different star players of the past. The tarting in 2032, baseball games were fans love them and their presence on the Sshortened to 6 innings. ow, in 2045, human players are team ensures good revenue! Nstill in the game and known as itchers were encouraged to have Naturals. They are the best fielders by Pbionic arm implants to improve far but are sorely challenged when it The stage is now set! their pitching. These Cyborgs, or ‘Borgs comes to hitting and pitching. Some The fans are energized and root as they are now affectionately known, Naturals have learned to hit by swinging fanatically for their new favorites were immediately popular and soon before the pitcher starts his windup, Be they ‘Bots, ‘Borgs or Naturals! ruled the league. which gives them a chance to hit the ball. Welcome to the World of Baseball Highlights 2045! 1 Components • (1) Rule Book • (4) 15-card Starting Decks: ◆ San Francisco ◆ Los Angeles ◆ Boston ◆ New York • (1) 60-card Free Agent Deck • (4) Player Stadium Mats • (4) Player Aid Placards • Stadium Components ◆ (4) Sets of Wood Pawns (Batters/Base Runners) in each of 3 colors (White, Blue, Red) ◆ (4) Runs Scored Markers ◆ (4) Games Won Markers ◆ (4) Home Field Markers Baseball Card Features Revenue Player Pennant: Cost to Purchase Generated: Name, City & Player: In GREEN Team Color In RED Diamond Circle Hit Boxes: Represent the potential Player Type: Hits (0, 1, 2 or 3) & types Natural, Robot or (Single, Double, Triple, Cyborg Homerun) this player can generate. Hit Boxes do not come into eect Immediate until the opponent’s Action Box: next Immediate Action Executed immediately Box is executed. The when the card is Immediate Action on played. Box Shading the opponent’s next Color and Letter Icon card play may aect denote (D)efensive, these potential or (O)ensive and “threatened” hits. (S)pecial Immediate Actions Speed Icon: White = Slow, Pinch Hitter Card Deck Blue = Average, Icon & Number Red = Fast 2 Player Stadium Mat Features Minor Leages: Runs Scored Players Sent to Minor Games Won Track Leagues are placed Track face down here. Lineup: Base Runner Pawns Place Team Deck move around the here. Purchased bases as shown by players go on top the Red Arrows in after the buy round. the diagram. Each Base Runner that returns to Home Field Home Plate scores Pennant Marker 1 Run and is removed. Dugout: Immediate Actions Place played Team like Pick O, Double Cards here after Play, Stolen Base, purchasing new and Clutch can players. aect Base Runners. Home Plate: On Deck Circle: In Play Box: Place Batter Pawns Place Card for Pinch Play Cards from your for Threatened Hits Hitter on the On Hand here. Here Deck Circle. Single to 1st When Resolving Hits, the Batter Pawn is Double to 2nd moved from the Batters Box at Home Plate to Triple to 3rd the appropriate base and is now referred to Homerun as a Base Runner. Score and remove Running the Bases Base Runners move around the bases according to their speed. • Slow Base Runners (White): Slow Base Runners advance the number of bases equal to the hit. (For example: Advance 1 base on a Single, 2 bases on a Double, 3 bases on a Triple.) • Average Base Runners (Blue): Average Base Runners advance the number of bases equal to the hit (same as Slow runners). However, an Average Base Runner on second base (scoring position) will score on a Single. • Fast Base Runners (Red): Fast Base Runners always advance 1 more base than the Hit (For example: Advance 2 bases on a single, 3 bases on a double) Only 1 Base Runner can occupy a base and Base Runners cannot pass one another. Base Runners may not be able to advance their full number of bases because of a slower runner in front of them. 3 Object of the game Baseball Highlights 2045 is played as a series of 4 to 7 minute mini-games (see page 9-11 for modes of play). In a mini-game, each players draws and plays a six-card line-up drawn from his 15-card roster of active players. At the end of the mini-game, a winner is determined, new players are bought from the Buy Row and players from the mini-game are sent to the Minor Leagues to maintain a 15- card roster of players. The player who wins the most mini-games in the pre-determined series is the overall winner. Game Set Up Players first agree on a game mode (see page 9). We will assume here a standard 2-player game in the rules. • Each player takes a Player Stadium Mat and chooses the front (right-handed) or back (left-handed) side to use. Each player also selects a Starting Team Deck of 15 players as well as a set of Runs Scored and Games Won Markers. Place the Run and Score Markers on their tracks at “0”. They will be used to track Runs Scored and Games Won during the game. • Determine the first Home Team player randomly (Perhaps the last person to have hit a home run!) The Home Team Player places his Pennant marker Home side up on the space provided on the player’s Stadium Mat and the other player places his Pennant marker Visitor side up. As the Home team changes during the series players will flip the Pennant markers to the reverse side. • Each player shuffles their starting team and places the deck face down on the Line Up space (draw deck) on their Player Stadium Mat. Cards are drawn from there and placed Free Agent Deck & 6 card Buy Row & Player 1 in the hand. Player Stadium Mats ◆ Each player draws the top 6 cards from their deck into their hand. These cards represent their team for the entire mini-game. (The only other cards that will enter the game will be from selecting an On Deck player and from Pinch Hitting.) ◆ As played, cards are stacked face up on the In Play space. ◆ Discards from Pinch Hitting are placed in the Dugout Space (discard pile). • Shuffle the 60-card Free Agent deck and put 6 players face up in a BUY ROW to the side so that both players can easily see them. • Keep the red, white and blue wood pawns for tracking Batters and Base Runners within easy reach of each player. ◆ During the game the White, Blue and Red pawns are used to place Batters at Home Plate and then promote them to Base Runners due to successful Hits. Player 2 4 Pre Mini-Game Set Up Learning how to use the On Deck Circle is a key factor in Before each Mini-game do the following: separating the Major League Stars from the Rookies. • Any purchased Free Agents and any unused On Selecting the card to put On Deck card should be placed on top of your draw Deck is a very important part deck. (Skip this step if this is the first mini-game) of the game. At first you will not know all the • Draw the top 6 cards into your hand for the next strategy that goes into this. Here are some tips to mini-game. (If you ever need to draw a card and get you started! your Lineup is empty, reshuffle your Dugout to • Line up a Big Hitter to use in the current or next create a new Lineup deck.) game • Players may decide to put one card from their hand • Hide a key player you just bought so your face down on or under the On Deck Circle of their opponent will not be sure whether it will be in Player Stadium Mat. If so, player draws the next the game, card from his deck to replenish his hand to 6 cards. • Consider the impact on your revenue for the Buy Players Phase You may always look at your On Deck card. You • Setup for the Visitor Save Option may NOT peek at your Lineup. Play Ball! Mini-Game Turn Summary Overview: Players alternate card play as Note: The new card played cannot be used as follows: a Pinch Hitter. 1. The active player plays a card from his hand 2. The active player resolves his Immediate to his In Play Box. Action Box, if applicable. 2. The active player resolves his Immediate a) If the Immediate Action box is blank on Action Box, if applicable. the card, skip this step 3. The opponent’s threatened hits are resolved, b) If this is the Visiting Team’s first card play if applicable. of the mini-game, there will usually be no 4. The active player places Batters to represent Immediate Action possible as there are no his threatened hits from his Hit Boxes. men on base and the opponent has not yet played a card.