NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager · published
Saturday, 3PM. The stadium is full of over-excited spectators, each chanting to their own tune. A cacophony of noise fills the air as the players walk out of the tunnel and onto the pitch.
Matchday.
Traditionally, a manager has little power once the whistle blows. But in NUTMEG!, the cards are in your hand… literally. In this dossier, we’ll break down the specifics of a matchday so you can avoid slipping up in a high-pressure moment.
Before a game begins, you must focus on the fundamentals, because there truly is no easy game. After building your squad and training your team, the next step in the master plan can be enacted - Boost Cards.
Boost Cards are used on matchdays to alter the chance of outcomes. More on that later.
When playing a broadcasted match, you will receive a Boost Card Pack from your training. These Packs provide you with a set of Boost Cards based on the coaches you have hired, and how you organise the training sessions. For example, if you’re fighting tooth and nail for every point, it may be worth hiring a coach who provides more defensive Boost Cards.
Boost Cards come in a variety of tiers and can be crafted to become stronger and more influential. Combining two Nutmeg cards will create a Heavy Press, doubling the effectiveness. Combining another Nutmeg card with the Heavy Press turns it into a Goal Rush, while a further card evolves Goal Rush into a card that’ll allow a 50% chance for a goal!
With your deck built, it’s time for tactics. The first thing you'll see when choosing to play a game is the team sheets. Here, you can alter your formation using the dial in the middle, as well as select how intense you want your team to go - changing both how the game plays out and the type of additional Boost Cards you automatically gain throughout the match. The intensity can be changed at any point during the game.
Select your starting XI and your impact sub(s) on the side of the board (remember that you can only make one switch per match!), and those not selected for the matchday are at the foot. You can also set one of your scouts to have a sneaky look at an opposition player if you like the look of them.
When you’re happy with your choices, press “Start Game.”
And we’re off! Take a deep breath and get familiar with your technical area. There is a scoreboard at the top of the screen, with a stopwatch in the middle that, when pressed, will fast-forward the game.
To the left is your squad. Substitutes can be made at any point in the game when the ball isn’t in play by clicking on the substitutes to view the squad board, dragging the substitute onto the board, and dropping them to replace another player.
On the right is a notepad that automatically tracks key events - such as goals and cards - alongside showing a top-down sketch of the current attack. Finally, your Boost Cards are at the bottom, and will highlight when you’re able to play them.
To begin a passage of play, known as a run, click on the deck. This will present the current action, followed by three potential actions. Each card will have either ‘US’ or ‘THEM’ to indicate what action corresponds to which team. The most favourable outcome for your team will be listed at the bottom, and the most favourable for the opposition will be at the top. Each card has a percentage chance to be selected. Remember how we said Boost Cards can alter that? Let’s delve into that now.
Boost Cards impact the chance of a favourable outcome, while decreasing the other two by a set amount to compensate. For example, in the GIF below, our most favourable outcome is scoring a Goal at 28%. Using Goal Rush, we increase that chance to 58%, while decreasing Rebound to 15% and Save to 27%.
Likewise, if you’re defending and the opposition has a 26% chance to progress by hitting their Target Man (their most favourable outcome), applying a defensive Boost Card - such as Park The Bus - will increase your favourable outcome (in this instance, Loose Ball) by 10%, while decreasing the neutral option (Forward Clash) and Target Man by 5% each.
If you’re attacking and score a goal, any cards used in that run will return to your hand, but will be worn. These cards - along with any cards you receive via your formation deck - will expire at the end of the game. Any cards you brought in your deck that are unused, however, will be kept, so it’s wise to think about whether you really need to go for that third goal.
A player's stamina will deplete naturally throughout the game, as well as each time a Boost Card is used. When a player is tired, their ability to execute their role will decrease, as seen by the number on their card becoming worse. This, in turn, will reduce the odds of them being able to perform the most favourable outcome on the board.
Stamina management is key - the lads may put in a good shift, but if you want your team to control the tempo, they need to be looked after. A strategic substitution at the right time can flip the odds in your favour, as well as using stamina-replenishing cards like a Water Bottle or a good ol’ Orange Slice.
Sometimes, you may see a flash of lightning as a player performs a "Critical Touch" - bypassing the percentage roll entirely. These Critical Touches happen when a player has been trained on a certain skill, with them becoming more frequent the more proficient they are.
Continue to play until the full-time whistle to snag those three points!
As you can see, every match - and every season - in NUTMEG! is about preparation, tactics, and making the right move at the right time. Train your squad to create the optimal deck of cards for matchday, use your cards smartly, and turn a match in your favour from the touchline. Do all that, and they'll be chanting your name in the terraces in no time...
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