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Deadball: Baseball With Dice Pay What You Want
Average Rating:4.8 / 5
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Will P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/11/2022 16:44:09

Deadball is amazingly versatile to play different levels and eras of baseball. Such a fun game that remains in-depth enough to hold my attention, but still simple enough to play without being overly complicated. It's even customizable enough for me to use for a Covid-era all-time great college softball tournament social media project for the NCAA Division II conference that I work for.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Keith T. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/16/2022 19:20:29

I enjoy Baseball and often catach a game or two. However, the length of each game sometimes is too much for me. Deadball came along and it is amazing. The game can go with me and I can continue the game anywhere (the need for space was something I thought would be a restriction but hey, PDF rosters and dice apps means the game is handheld and portable). Not difficult to learn, inclusion of some modifers that takes pure luck off the table, I have had many seasons of fun. With the supplements that have been published, this game is as fresh as the day I purchased it (I believe it was Kickstarter). One of my few games on the table on a regular basis.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by John C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/01/2020 15:54:38

I had to chuckle at the last review because aside from Marshall Burke, a fellow I worked with while going to college, I have never heard anyone who had even heard of Syts-O-Matic Baseball (and they do still exist!). I sort of cut my teeth on Avalon Hill's Status Pro. I loved pitting ancient powerhouse teams against the teams I loved growing up.

This is a MUCH streamlined stats-based game (with plenty of interesting polyhedral die randomization which really feels like it reflects the swings of a team's season).

I'm new to Deadball, but I'm nearly through a fantastic set of series: '63 Dodgers V '81 Dodgers for the NL Time Travel Penant, '63 Yankees V '81 Yankees for AL Time Travel Pennant. Winners play in the Time Travel World Series. I absolutely love the tweaks you get from advanced rules, traits, etc., and it seems impossible that a dice chucker would make you feel and SEE the game unfolding in front of you, but that is exactly what happens.

This is not as math-heavy as many stats-based games, and that's good; it moves right along. At the same time it is grounded in the actual stats, so player strengths (and weaknesses) DO come to the surface.

I love Deadball. :)



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by john n. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/09/2020 10:10:36

Introduction I am coming at this review from a slightly different space than some of you that are reading this. I have played tabletop baseball since the age of 11, when I picked up my first set of Strat-O-Matic Baseball. Along the way, I have played APBA, Sherco, PTP/Dynasty League Baseball, Throwback Baseball 1.0 and countless others. I know there are far more games out there and there are many who have played more than I have, but I feel confident in saying that to me, games were a solo pursuit, a hobby shared by me and me only.

Late last year, I bought the computer version of Strat's baseball game and immersed myself in it. While quite good, it also got me in front of a computer screen for even more time each day. As I got older, it's funny how tired my eyes get now. I also was in a couple leagues and while they are great for some people, they weren't great for me, for a variety of reasons. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was at a place where I wanted to make some changes anyway, especially with my leisure time. I wanted a hobby, that well, was just a hobby again. It wasn't a side hustle, or ultra competitive, it was just fun.

Enter Deadball.

Playing The Game I first got Deadball a year or so ago, but didn't play due to other commitments. Since I was at a place where I was more open minded and willing to learn, I delved back into the basic rulebook. The game runs on a similar mechanic as other baseball games do - the interaction between pitcher and batter. The main difference to me is that the game does not have a 50-50 mechanic, where sometimes you roll on the pitcher's card and other times, the batters. Both pitcher and hitter are incorporated into each interaction, in a simple but sophisticated way.

Each batter's hit numbers are broken into the first two of his batting average. For example, a .300 hitter would be 30; Each pitcher has a die rating that is tied into their ERA rating. For a pitcher who's ERA is say 2.00-2.99, his die may be a D4. Yes, D4 - the game runs on standard RPG dice. So to resolve an at-bat, you would roll two 10-sided dice, and let's say you got 2-0, which is 20, and you would also roll the D4 for the pitcher. If you got a 2, that is a 22; the batter has a probable hit, so you would roll on the hit table. If you got over a 30, say a 44, that is an out. By taking the last number of the roll, 4, you would see that it is a groundout to the second baseman.

If you are familiar with scoring a baseball game, and the positions on the diamond (1-pitcher; 2-catcher, 3-First base), you can appreciate how genius that is. There are additional modifiers too, such as individual player traits - sluggers, slick fielders and pitchers, all have their place and will shine - strange events - I had a game recently that was impacted by vultures, which was a hoot; and the ability to rate any player and any team you want - ANY PLAYER. ANY TEAM - are strengths of this game that are too hard to ignore.

There are currently 4 books - the original, Deadball Year 2; Year 3 and a 1909 version, that all add to the baseball universe in their own way.

Conclusion For me, the biggest impact is how fun this game is. I find myself getting angry at the scorecard when my players don't do well, and I have never, ever, played a game that felt like baseball more than this one, and that is the biggest win. It is amazing solitaire fun. There always seems to be quite a debate from baseball gamers about which game is best. We are baseball fans after all. To me, they all have their place, and the most important thing is, if everyone is having fun, then the game is doing what it is supposed to do.

Overall, it's brilliance lies in its simplicity, much like the real game. You see the ball hit and caught, you will become emotionally invested and you will have fun. There is nothing dead about Deadball. It is amazingly vibrant in so many ways and well worth your time at the park in your mind, solo or with friends.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Jack D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/10/2020 18:58:03

I've wanted to buy this game for years. As a treat to myself this Xmas -- couldn't quite afford that bottle of Lagavulin -- I finally picked up the book and PDF. This game, courtesy of the witty Mr. Akers, did not disappoint. This is a game for people who love baseball.

For my first outing, I generated the Victoria Victrolas, a power-hitting bunch of 20th century ballplayers if ever you saw any. I played my lovable AAAA team from my home town against the 1899 Cleveland Spiders and had a lovely afternoon out of the rain. I enjoyed the easy dice rolling and score keeping so much that I had to have someone join in the fun. I invited my beer-slinging ballpark employee pal over and we proceeded to see Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Star Trek's Buck Bokai, Catfish Hunter and Marco Estrada play baseball together before our eyes. My baseball fiend of a friend enjoyed himself so much we had to play another game right after the first one.

I run a weekly 5e game for friends, and I need some chances to get away from that large (sometimes anxiety-inducingly bloated) game, full of rules and dramatic license. Deadball is the perfect kind of vacation from those hours of hefty game prep. I guarantee that, as you contemplate your team's chances of avoiding the bottom of the division this upcoming baseball season, Deadball will keep your heart beating baseball and your stomach screaming for red hots and cold beer.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Phillip G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/18/2019 01:09:06

I don't mean any hyperbole when I say this may be the most perfect baseball game ever made. It's certainly the best baseball game I've played (and that includes the excellent History Maker Baseball from PLAAY.com). It's not the most statistically in-depth or accurate (I'd say that title belongs to the Strat-O-Matic games), but it is the most accurate to the spirit of the game. This game feels like baseball, there's no other way to describe it. Every pitch, every hit, every out screams "baseball!" I can see Ian White hit back-to-back home runs, I can feel the excitement of the Chickadees as they chase their first-ever pennant.

Everything works together so seamlessly. Games are quick and easy to roll up without losing any of the fun of the real game. The games aren't bogged down by having to check player cards or a dozen charts, but they're not so simple that it doesn't feel like baseball. All of the different dice make me feel like I'm playing an RPG (which I know is what the creator was going for) and I really love that about this game!

Leagues and players are super quick and easy to create. I'd say that after you have everything memorized (which isn't hard), you can roll up an entire league with full rosters in about an hour! The last thing I want to mention is the worldbuilding. Wow, the worldbuilding! I'd kill to see a sourcebook full of nothing but the history of the Southern Circuit! That's how intrigued I am by just the little bit of backstory this game gives us. Every team is listed with its roster and a small bio talking about their prospects for the current year, and it's so well-thought out and interesting that I just want more! Kudos to WM Akers for creating what may be the most faithful tabletop simulation of baseball ever conceived.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by A customer [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/05/2019 18:02:08

The best way to experience baseball short of grabbing a glove.

Baseball has a great many things going for it—it's tense, it's exciting, and it's a strategy game. Few sports so completely mix strategic and tactical planning with needing genuine physical activity to carry those plans out. On the other hand, those things make up perhaps ten minutes of a ninety-minute game. The rest involves watching people stand in a field and sweat.

Baseball With Dice gives you all the tense excitement of wondering if the home-town boys will convert on a double, with the speed and efficiency of Yahtzee, and that's just the start.

Then you get into making your own teams, and growing to love these imaginary people in the same way that you might love your RPG characters, or your little plastic men in a wargaming army. Then you get into deciding who's better, the 1908 Tigers with Ty Cobb leading the way, or the 1927 Yankees, sporting Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. And you realize that I wasn't mincing words above: I'm not talking about the best way to play a single game of baseball. I'm talking about the best way to experience baseball.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Paul G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/21/2018 19:31:50

I wasn't sure about the game when I first saw it. I put it off until Deadball II was out on Kickstarter. I have a buddy who's a huge baseball fan (I'm a fan, but he puts me to shame) and I thought this would be a good game for him for those off-season days when he needs something to entertain him. And while I was at it I got myself a copy.

Possibly the best thing about it is the fact you can easily play solo and not lose anything. While some might argue it's more fun with two players because of the way it's designed (no hidden cards, no secrecy at all - just like a regular baseball game) you can easily simulate two different managers/styles by yourself. The rules are easy to follow, and you don't need anything more than a standard set of gaming dice to play. I was pleasantly surprised that it mimicked the feel of the game - too many sports board/card/dice games just fall flat on that front. Do you bring in a reliever or hope that your starter can get the #8 hitter out and you can get a fresh arm in for the inevitable pinch hitter the opposition is going to put in for their pitcher? Do you try a squeeze play, or let your .300 hitter swing away?

The only negative I have found: I waited and lost far too many months of playing before I actually cracked open the rule book and played my first game. Seriously - this sat on my shelf for a good month before I decided to give it a shot.

I haven't explored anything beyond the basic rules yet but those are plenty enough to keep me coming back for more. I keep lying to myself that I'll just play "one more game". I have been playing so much I finally broke down and laminated a blank scoresheet with heavy laminate so I could just use dry erase markers instead of going through sheet after sheet of paper.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Beau C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/07/2017 01:00:41

I agree with all the five star reviews... this is a great game!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/26/2017 20:59:24

I will preface my review by saying I played both Dungeons and Dragons and Brett Ball (a baseball board game endorsed by George Brett) in the 80s, to give you an idea of my background. I bought this game based on the reviews, and the hopes that I could have a fun baseball simulation to tide me over in the off-season. Thanks to the ease of adapting rosters, I played my first game between the 1927 Yankees (possibly the greatest team of all time) against the 1985 Braves (one of the worst teams of all time). I knew I had a fantastic game when the Braves managed to get Rafael Ramirez (a lifetime .230 hitter, maybe) to third, only to get him thrown out at home on a botched bunt by Rick Mahler. Babe Ruth managed to strike out twice and go 0-4 with a walk in the game, despite his .358 average. Dale Murphy (the Braves All-Star and 2-time MVP) managed 0-5 despite his .300 average and league-leading 37 homers. My starters got tired, my relievers struck out the side, and a few players hit into double plays. In short, it felt like a real baseball game with all of the ebbs-and-flows without any of the "gimmicks" you find in video game simulations of baseball. I highly recommend this game for anyone with RPG experience (and a set of dice) who loves the history of baseball.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Jason T. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/15/2017 17:13:05

It really is crazy how you can feel like you are playing baseball with some dice, paper, and pencil but Deadball really puts you in there. Such a great game and really easy to learn.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by James C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/01/2017 11:38:11

This is a great small game with plenty of action, character and heart. Games run quick and the customiztion make the replay on this infinite. I have just as much fun playing whether I am using this season's current stats for players or a game or simulating a "What if?" game of legends past. Want to see the All-Stars of today compete with the greatest players of yeteryear? No problem. I would recommend for anyone looking for a small, quick (with campaign/immersive possibilities as well).



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Rudy M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/30/2017 23:20:43

This is a great tabletop baseball game. Very easy to learn and also quite realistic.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Adam G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/29/2017 16:19:38

This is the table top baseball game I've been searching for. Quick, easy, realistic, and fun.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Deadball: Baseball With Dice
Publisher: W.M. Akers
by Brian L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/29/2017 10:57:48

Realistic baseball in a quick and easy system. Takes almost no time to learn. Higly recommended.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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