Electric Football is a classic tabletop game that has been enjoyed by generations of fans. While the game itself is simple and easy to understand, there is a deeper level of strategy and skill involved in tweaking the bases to run and perform just right. In this post, we'll explore why tweaking your Electric Football bases is so important and how you can do it yourself to get the most out of your game.

Why Tweaking Your Bases is Important

At its core, Electric Football is a game of strategy and precision. In order to win, you need to be able to control your players on the field and make the right moves at the right time. This is where tweaking your bases comes in. By adjusting the spikes or prongs under the base, you can control a lot about how your players move on the field, giving you a significant advantage over your opponents. Tweaking your bases also allows you to customize your players and create a roster that is tailored to your specific playing style. Whether you're looking for speed, agility, or brute strength, tweaking your bases can help you achieve the perfect combination of players for your team.

How To Tweak Your Bases

Tweaking is the process of manipulating the plastic prongs or blades under the base of the miniature players to make them run in a particular way. The placement and angle of the prongs will determine how the players move, and knowing how to manipulate those prongs is the key to coaching an Electric Football team. Tweaking is a crucial aspect of Electric Football and is essential for players who want to get the best performance out of their teams. When it comes to tweaking, there are several levels of manipulation that can range from simple adjustments with your fingers to more advanced techniques using specialized tools. Most people who are new to the game start with simple tweaks, while experienced players use more advanced techniques to get the desired results. One of the most important things to keep in mind when tweaking your player bases is that there are slight variances in manufacturing from one to the other. Even a slight change to the prongs on a base can lead to different results. Additionally, each figure has a slightly different center of balance, so switching one set of bases to another figure type can result in changes as well.

The key to getting the most out of your player bases is to take them on in groups (linemen, running backs, receivers, quarterbacks, etc.). This approach will prevent you from getting overwhelmed with the chaos of tweaking all your players at once. It is important to be patient and persistent when tweaking your bases. It may take several rounds of adjustments and testing to achieve the perfect results. You may even want to keep notes on what adjustments you have made and the results that you have observed so that you can keep track of your progress.

If you're new to tweaking, the best way to get started is by lightly brushing the prongs back with your fingers towards the back of the base, giving them a slight angle rearward. Test the figure/base combination on the field to see what it does naturally. In most cases, it will go forward or turn in a tight circle, but you will likely find some bases that give you the desired result with very little tweaking necessary. Depending on how your base is running, you can adjust the prongs to achieve the desired result. For example, if your base is turning left when you want it to go straight, you can use smooth mouth pliers to lightly pull on the front prong(s) on the left side of the base to make it an even length with the right side prong(s). If you want your base to arch or turn, you can adjust the blades or prongs on one side of the base to be slightly shorter, causing the base to turn or arch in that direction.

Tweaking your Electric Football bases can make a huge difference in the way your players perform on the field. It's a skill that takes time to master, but with practice and patience, you can create a team of players that run and move exactly the way you want them to. By understanding the basics of tweaking, experimenting with different combinations of figures and bases, and learning from the experts, you can take your Electric Football game to the next level. Don't forget to check out the How-To tweaking videos to see the techniques in action and get more tips and tricks from experienced coaches. See you on the miniature gridiron!