When Can a Fastbreak Occur (Advanced Game)

The rules concerning the Fastbreak offense in the Advanced game can be a little confusing. Specifically, in regard to exactly when the Fastbreak can occur when a team is playing a fastbreak offense.

There are four sections of the rules that we have to look at when it comes to when a fastbreak can occur:

17.0 FASTBREAK OFFENSE

17.1 A Fastbreak situation occurs after all missed field goals where the defensive team controls the rebound, except if the defensive team is credited with a team rebound.

Alright, that's crystal clear, nothing ambiguous there.

17.5 A Fastbreak may be used only after a missed field goal attempt. All other outcomes are followed by use of the Normal offensive mode.

Oops! If anybody was actually editing the 2014 edition of the rules booklet, they certainly didn't read the previous section of the rules.

16.0 READINGS FOUND IN PLAYER'S DEFENSE COLUMN 

16.1 STEAL 

16.12 He may attempt to score off the steal. In this instance, he rolls three dice and refers to the F (Fastbreak) COLUMN of the stealer for shot results. He may also decide not to attempt a shot. In this instance, he refers to the last discarded advanced action deck card's CONTROL section. If his team is in a Normal offense, he refers to "Normal" CONTROL. If his team is in a Fastbreak offense, he refers to "Fastbbreak" CONTROL.

So, obviously, a Fastbreak may be used in a situation other than after a missed field goal attempt; after a steal result from a player's Defense column. Ah, but we're not out of Mirkwood yet.

12.0 READINGS OCCURRING IN PASSING COLUMN OF PLAYER'S CARD 

STOLEN - Ball is stolen from passer by opposing defensive player (except in Fastbreak situations to be discussed later). No shot is attempted as defense assumes offensive posture, and refers to CONTROL section of last discarded action deck card.

So here is were the rules inject some more ambiguity into the whole "when can a Fastbreak occur" question. The STOLEN section of rule 12.0 simply states that you refer to the CONTROL section of the last discarded action deck card after a Stolen result, but it fails to state which CONTROL section to refer to. Because of that omission, one could assume that it depends on whether your team is in a Normal offense or a Fastbreak offense.

But recall that rule 16.12, regarding a Steal result, unequivocally states that if a team is in a Normal offense then you refer to "Normal" CONTROL, and if in a Fastbreak offense then you refer to "Fastbreak" CONTROL after a Steal result from the Defense column (assuming the stealing player does not attempt to score off the steal). Because of that very clear distinction in rule 16.12, but nary a peep regarding the Fastbreak in the STOLEN section of rule 12.0 (nor any mention of a player being able to try to score directly from a Stolen result), I believe that the intention is that the Fastbreak cannot occur after a Stolen result from a player's passing column

I believe that the above referenced rules were actually intended as follows:

17.1 A Fastbreak situation occurs after all missed field goals where the defensive team controls the rebound, except if the defensive team is credited with a team rebound, and after a Steal result from a player's Defense column, if the player does not attempt to score off the steal. 

17.5 A Fastbreak may be used only after a missed field goal attempt or after a Steal result from a player's Defense column, if the player does not attempt to score off the steal. All other outcomes are followed by use of the Normal offensive mode. 

12.0 READINGS OCCURRING IN PASSING COLUMN OF PLAYER'S CARD

STOLEN - Ball is stolen from passer by opposing defensive player (except in Fastbreak situations to be discussed later). No shot is attempted as defense assumes offensive posture, and refers to the Normal CONTROL section of last discarded action deck card; no Fastbreak may occur.

 So, at this point, you may be asking "why would the rules allow the Fastbreak after a Steal result from the Defense column, but not after a Stolen result from the Passing column?" A very good question indeed! I actually have two theories on that; one, Strat-O-Matic believed (and rightly so) that there would be WAY too many Fastbreak shots occurring in the game if the Fastbreak (and direct Fastbreak shots) could occur after both Stolen and Steal results. Or two, they just wanted to differentiate between the two types of plays; A Steal being a takeaway giving the offense more of an advantage than a defender just grabbing an errant pass.