Competitions & Tournaments
AOW PBEM World Cup 2001 Tournament Rules
Entering the Tournament
The AOW PBEM World Cup 2001 will feature both a Singles (1-vs-1) Event and a Doubles (2-vs-2) Event. Both events are open to all, and are now accepting entries. The closing date for entries is Sunday, September 9th, 2001 at 23:59 EDT (US Eastern Daylight Time). The first round draw will be made Monday, September 10th, and first round games will be distributed on Tuesday, September 11th.
All Contestants
Contestants may enter either or both events, but may enter each event only once. Contestants are requested to submit separate entries for each event. After your entry has been accepted and added to the list of entries, please check to ensure that all details are correct.
Doubles Event Contestants
Contestants who wish to enter the Doubles Event are required to find their own partner. Both partners on a Doubles Team must represent the same country. Only one partner from the Doubles Team should send an email entry for the team. If you wish to enter the Doubles Event, but do not have a partner, then check the list of Singles Event Entries (below) for individuals from your country.
Entering the Singles Event
In order to enter the Singles Event, please submit the following information by email to Angel Cay:
-your AOW Heaven User Name
-your PBEM email address
-the country you are representing
Entering the Doubles Event
In order to enter the Doubles Event, only one partner from the team should please submit the following information by email to Angel Cay:
-your AOW Heaven User Name
-your PBEM email address
-your partner's AOW Heaven User Name
-your partner's PBEM email address
-the country your team is representing
Tournament Format
Both the Singles Event and Doubles Events will follow the same format:
Group Stage
All contestants will be entered into the Group Stage and arranged into Groups of 4 or 5. Each Group will play a single round robin cycle, meaning that each contestant will play every other contestant in his/her group once. All games in the Group Stage will be played simultaneously. After all games in the Group Stage have been completed, either 8 teams (Doubles Event) or 16 Individuals (Singles Event) will advance to the Elimination Rounds based on their win/loss records. The contestant with the best win/loss record in each group will advance to the Elimination Rounds automatically as Group Winner. In the event of a tie, the Group Winner will be determined based on head-to-head record. In the event of an unbreakable 3-way tie, the Group Winner will be determined by random draw. All contestants who have the best record in their group, but lose the tie-breaker process, will also qualify for the Elimination Rounds automatically as Runners Up. If there are still open slots available in the Elimination Rounds after all Group Winners and Runners Up have qualified automatically, then the remaining contestants with the "next best" win/loss records will be entered into a random draw and may qualify for the Elimination Rounds as Wild Cards.
Elimination Rounds
The Elimination Rounds will consist of consecutive rounds including Round of Sixteen (Singles Event only), Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals. During each round every contestant will be paired with one opponent and play a single game of elimination. The contestant who wins the game will advance to the next round, while the contestant who loses will be eliminated.
Game Rules
All games in the tournament will be played by email (PBEM), and will use the Triumph Studios v1.36 (TS136) ruleset. Games will be started by designated Game Starters (Cay, Draco, Frogman, Nojd), but Game Starters will not be allowed to start any game involving either themselves or contestants within their own group. For both the Singles Event and Doubles Event, contestants will be randomly drawn into a schedule which will determine side and race selection for every game. There will be no penalty for restart messages within games, but we ask that all players play honourably and do not cheat. This is meant to be a friendly competition, not qualifying for the Olympics or anything! Players are advised to use passwords to prevent their opponents from "looking ahead". Write your passwrod down, or keep a record of it somewhere so that you don't lose or forget it! Contestants will be required to play their turns promptly after receiving them. Any contestant who holds up a game for more than 3 days without either giving prior notice or without reasonable justification, may be subject to forfeit that game. Upon playing a turn and sending it to the next player, the sending player should post a brief message in the appropriate thread of the PBEM forum stating that the turn has been sent. Threads will be started in the PBEM forum for each Group (not each Game), and all players are asked to check the threads frequently in order to catch games before they get "lost".
Reporting Wins/Losses
Upon completion of a game both contestants (or one player from each team) should report the result of the game to me via email at Angel Cay. Please include the game identification number (ie. SMA01) and the user names of the winning contestant(s). For your own protection you should keep backups of your PBEM game save files. In case of a dispute over the reporting of a won/lost game, it will be necessary to submit the last game save to the Game Starter for that game with your password for that game so that the Game Starter can open the last turn and the dispute may be resolved.
PBEM House Rules
I can't think of any House Rules that would apply to this tournament other than possibly the Incarnate/Archer "cheat". The "Attack on Same Turn" rules don't apply since everyone will be at war for the entire game anyway. Help me out people -- are there any rules or etiquette that people should be aware of?
Prizes for Winners
The Singles Event winner and both members of the winning Doubles Event team will receive HeavenGames T-Shirts as prizes, and will also be awarded custom forum titles designating them as AOW PBEM World Cup 2001 Champions.
Dispute Resolution
If you have any concerns or complaints, please contact either me via email at Angel Cay or any other AOWH staff member. Disputes will be resolved as fairly and promptly as possible by AOWH staff who will hear from all sides involved in the dispute.