How It Works — Pitch Invasion

Overview

Match Structure

A Pitch Invasion match runs in two 45-minute halves. Each half is broken into a series of possession sequences — one team controls the ball and attempts to advance through the pitch zones until a shot is taken or possession is lost.

The match engine handles progression, transitions, variance events, and goalkeeping automatically through the chart reference system.

01

Build-up Phase

Ball starts at the back. Passing and movement qualities determine how cleanly the team exits their defensive zone.

02

Midfield Phase

Creativity, short and medium passing, and positioning are tested as the team works through the neutral zone.

03

Attacking Phase

Box entry, get-open, scoring, and pace are tested. A clean entry leads to a shot check against the goalkeeper.

The Field

The Pitch Grid

The match unfolds across an 16 × 5 grid. The long axis (16 columns) represents field length — from one goal to the other. The short axis (5 rows) represents width.

Defensive zone

Midfield zone

Attacking zone

Ball

Three territorial bands define the match flow:

Defensive midfield (cols 1–5): where teams build out, press opponents, and defend set-pieces
Neutral midfield (cols 6–12): the contested zone — possession here demands passing precision and creativity
Attacking midfield (cols 13–16): the most dangerous territory — box entry and scoring quality come to the fore

Defensive lines can sit high (compressing the neutral zone) or standard.

Resolution

Duels & Resolution

Every contest in Pitch Invasion is resolved through a two-step process:

1

Compare relevant qualities

The acting player's relevant quality is compared against the defending player's relevant quality. The difference creates a modifier.

2

Roll the D30

A 30-sided die is rolled. The result plus the quality modifier is compared to a threshold on the match engine chart. Meet or exceed the threshold — the action succeeds. Fall short — possession turns or the action fails.

3

Apply variance events

Certain die results trigger special events — VAR reviews, loose balls, rebounds, bookings, injuries, and rare moments. Structure holds. Narrative emerges.

Example Duel

Winger attempts to enter the box. Box Entry: 24 vs defender's Defending: 19. Differential = +5 modifier.

Die roll: 18 + 5 = 23. Threshold: 20. ✓ Box Entry successful. Shot opportunity created.

Tactics

Formations & Modifiers

Each formation applies flat +2 / −2 modifiers to specific qualities before any duel is resolved. This shapes which actions your team excels at — and which carry more risk.

Formation cards are included in the core game. Each shows the full modifier list and a tactical description.

4-4-2

Balanced

No modifiers — baseline formation

4-3-3

Attack

Scoring+2

Box Entry+2

Get Open+2

Tackling−2

Defending−2

4-5-1

Defend

Tackling+2

Defending+2

Marking+2

Scoring−2

Box Entry−2

3-5-2

Control

Short Pass+2

Medium Pass+2

Creativity+2

Pace−2

Recovery−2

4-2-3-1

Press

Work Rate+2

Anticipation+2

Stamina−2

Long Pass−2

5-3-2

Counter

Pace+2

Long Pass+2

Aerial+2

Short Pass−2

Creativity−2

Last Line

Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers are rated independently across six qualities. When a shot occurs, the match engine determines the shot type — routine or highlight — and the relevant GK quality is tested against the attacking player's scoring quality.

Routine Save

Standard shot on target. The most common GK check.

Highlight Save

Close-range, deflected, or difficult shot. Higher difficulty threshold.

Aerial (GK)

Claiming crosses and set-piece deliveries from the air.

Handling

Secure catches vs parries that create rebounds and second-chance opportunities.

Distribution

A strong distribution roll initiates a counter-attack with a pace bonus.

Penalty Save

Separate resolution system. GK Penalty Save vs attacker's Scoring, with die variance.

Long-form Play

Seasons & Long-form Play

Pitch Invasion is designed for sustained play. A single match tests quality. A full season tests structure, depth, and tactical identity.

Home advantage — The home side gains a die modifier on key duels, reflecting crowd pressure and familiarity.
Chemistry — Players who consistently start together develop chemistry that improves their paired quality checks.
Substitution impact — Stamina degrades in the second half. Substitute players enter with full energy and can shift the game's physical balance.
Tactical identity — The formation you choose shapes not just individual matches but how your team accumulates results across a league table.
Endurance — High-press formations drain stamina faster. Teams relying on work rate and pressing must manage their squad depth carefully.

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