First game in the books, I didn’t really bother to keep accurate stats.

September 4th, 1983

Final score:

Broncos 24
Steelers 21

Pittsburgh scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to tie the game, and Rich Karlis kicked a 30 yard field goal as time ran out to win the game.

With a 21-0 lead I took out Elway in the second half.  While both QBs threw 4 INTs each in the first half, Steve DeBerg threw one that resulted in a scoring drive to tie the game.

But the veteran marched the team down the field in a 2 minute drive that resulted in the game winning field goal.

This game felt more like an actual football game as it unfolded than most if not all of the previous football games that I’ve played on the tabletop.

It took me the better part of 12 hours over 2 days to play this one, but I’m sure I can cut the play time down considerably.

I gotta come up with a better scoresheet or stat tracking system during the game.  I was taking additional notes on a small yellow note pad in addition to the APBA scoresheet.

Next up: the Broncos go to Baltimore to play the team that originally drafted John Elway.

Stay tuned!

The football game arrived a day later than I had anticipated.

And I never imagined that I would own all 5 of these games.

Continue reading →

If this tracking update is right, APBA Football will be arriving tomorrow.

I’ve been playing many tabletop sports games over the years, and while full play baseball is my go-to, I would tend to play quick play games in most everything else, football in particular.

I found the grind of playing Inside Blitz and Second Season to be a little grueling, resulting in my not completing the 1967 Broncos replay with any haste, even with quick play games like Second Season Express (which really isn’t what I consider quick play, to be honest).

But lately I find myself playing both APBA Soccer and APBA Hockey, which are definitely *not* quick play games, and I found myself enjoying the game as it played out in pseudo-real time, like the baseball games that I’d been playing.

And after watching a few YouTube videos about APBA Football, I decided to take the plunge, knowing full well that play-by-play football games take the longest to play.

The first Second Season Football game that I played out took the better part of 2 weekends to complete, mainly because I was still learning how to play.  Inside Blitz took about 1/2 that time once I got the hang of the flow of the game.  Second Season Express takes maybe an hour or more to play a game, at the most.

In comparison, I can finish a baseball game (any game engine/system) in about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes, on average.  Quick play games (soccer, hockey) generally take me about the same amount of time, as does a shorter race in Red White & Blue Racin’.  APBA Hockey and Soccer can take up to a couple of hours per game.

And admittedly, I have never finished a full play basketball game.  Highlight Maker Hoops is more like a quick play game than a full basketball game, and I’ve not touched that one in a while.

So I’m ready to try APBA Football, which may take the same amount of time to play as a real NFL game, but if the experience is fun, as I’ve heard it is from YouTubers, it’ll be worth the time to me.

Stay tuned!

The greatest NFL QB draft ever.

John Elway’s rookie season.

The Raiders win the Super Bowl.

Stay tuned!