Baptism by Spire Tournament
Preface
The Baptism by Spire Tournament can be considered a restrictive tournament when compared to the current format of the Cogs League and similar tournament structures. However, this Tournament has been designed with key and deliberate choices to promote three things:
1) The inclusion of new and upcoming competitive teams
2) The branching out of the competitive scene, with the goal of providing new viewer and competitor experiences outside of the normal ‘meta gameplay’
3) The expansion in the viewer base of newer streamers, and the consolidation of larger viewer bases in the further established channels
This following document aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the Baptism by Spire Tournament and its rules. This document will refrain from needless jargon. From this point forward, this document will use the words ‘Match’ and ‘Game’. A Game is part of the set of 3 that a team needs to win. A Match is all Games grouped together in that bracket. An understanding of the game and critical terminology will be assumed.
Tournament Rules
Match Rules
1) Each Match will be a best of 3 in the following maps: Game One: Paritian Rumble, Game Two: Duel at Dawn, Game Three: Labyrinth.
2) Each Game will consist of 2 ships on each team.
3) Before Game One, crew members are sorted into their ships. After Game One, crew members are locked into their ships, and cannot be traded between ships. In the case of a substitution, the substitute will be treated as a normal member of the team in the position of the person they replace.
4) Once substituted into a crew, a substitute cannot be replaced, even by the crew member they originally substituted for. This will last for the rest of the Match. The original crew member can reenter the team for the next Match. A maximum of 8 substitutes will be allowed per team throughout the entire Tournament. This is an effort to prevent the exploitation of crew swapping.
5) Once the Game starts, players begin to play- there is no pause for disconnected players nor for players that are spending too much time loading in. This will keep each Match moving along and will also remove potential bias.
6) The loser of the Match is eliminated, via a single elimination system.
7) Games have a time limit of 30 minutes. After this amount of time has elapsed, the team with the highest score wins the Game. If the score is tied, the Game enters sudden-death. If the Game lasts more than 45 minutes, both teams are disqualified. There will be a warning at the beginning of Sudden Death. The time limit does not apply for Game Three.
8.) The winner of the Match will progress further up the tournament bracket.
Loadout Restrictions
The Baptism by Spire Tournament is the first competition that features a restriction on weapon Loadouts. The rules are as follows:
1) The ONLY ship that may be used in the Tournament is the Spire.
2) All weapons can be used at some point during the Tournament, but the availability of each weapon depends on its previous usage in that Match.
3) Rules apply for the usage of Medium weapons and Light weapons. Due to the complicated nature of these rules, they have their own subsection, which follows this.
Medium Weapon Rules
Medium Weapons cannot be shared by the two ships on a Team in the same Game- two LumberSpires on the same team is not a valid build.
Once a Medium Weapon has been used in Game One, it is unavailable for use in Game Two on that team. This means that either Spire in Game Two cannot use a Medium Weapon that was used in Game One on their team.
In Game Three, all Medium Weapons are unlocked and available, but with one condition: Medium weapon pairings cannot recur from previously in the Match.
For example, this means that a Lumberjack can be reused in Game Three, but the other Spire on the team cannot use the same Medium weapon that was used with it in a previous Game. If Game One had a Lumberjack and a Hwacha, Game Three cannot have a Lumberjack and a Hwacha. However, a Lumberjack and a Heavy Flak would be acceptable.
Example Medium Weapon Loadout (One Match)
Game One
LumberSpire FlakSpire
Game Two
HwachaSpire CarronadeSpire
Game Three
LumberSpire HwachaSpire
This is an Example of a completely valid set of builds.
An Example of an incorrect set:
Game One
LumberSpire FlakSpire
Game Two
FlakSpire LumberSpire
Game Three
CarronadeSpire HwachaSpire
This set of builds is incorrect as both the Lumberjack and Heavy Flak reappear in Game Two, having been used in Game One. A misconception is that swapping the Medium Guns on the ships is valid. It is not, but it is an understandable mistake.
Light Weapon Rules
A Light Weapon cannot be present on a single ship more than once.
Once a Light Weapon has been used in either Game One or Game Two, it cannot be used in subsequent Games, including Game Three
A team cannot repeat a weapon on both ships in the same Game. For example- Spire A and Spire B cannot both have a Gatling as a Light Weapons in the same Game. The exception to this rule is Game Three, where repeats are allowed so long as the Light Weapons conform to the rules above.
Example Light Weapon Loadout (One Match)
Game One
Spire A Spire B
Gatling Mercury
Flare Carronade
Mortar Flamethrower
Game Two
Spire A Spire B
Mercury Gatling
Carronade Flare
Flamethrower Mortar
Game Three
Spire A Spire B
Harpoon Harpoon
M.Launcher M.Launcher
Echidna Echidna
This is an example of a valid set of builds
Rules regarding Teams
Coalitions will be allowed between clans- as long as it is a full 2v2 team with or without substitutes, any number of different clans can play as a single team. Those not part of a clan can also join the tournament- everyone is allowed to enter as long as a team has two full ships. If a group has enough players for only one ship, then they should leave a post below in the comments and search for another!
A player cannot play on multiple teams.
A team name will have to be made for organization in the brackets. Team ClanA + ClanB is not exciting enough. Team Doug is.
Tournament Structure
To be determined as teams sign up. It will be standard team vs. team matchups with no L bracket. There is no limit to the amount of teams that can enter the tournament.
Rules Governing Byes
The presence of Byes in the Baptism By Spire Tournament depends on the number of entries. If Byes are introduced, they will be distributed to teams randomly according to a number randomizer.
Progression System
By winning a Match, a Team will progress further in the tournament. This progression takes the form of advancing up through the brackets. The number of brackets and therefore potential Matches will depend on the number of teams entered into the Tournament. Once a team has progressed several brackets, they will be playing in a finals Match. These Matches, Quarter, Semi or Final, will determine the Teams that enter the Championship Match. The winner of the Championship Match will receive the ‘Trophy Prizes’, while the loser of the Match will receive the ‘Consolation Prizes’.
If a match is lost, the losing team does not move up the bracket, and they will play no further matches.
PRIZES
The First Place Team will receive one of each of these fabulous ‘Trophy Prizes’ to be divided up amongst its members :
Sid Meier’s Civilization III
Sonic The Hedgehog
Worms
Killing Floor
Super Hexagon
Garry’s Mod
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
MVP’s Prize: Secret of the Magic Crystal
The Second Place Team receives the following grossly incandescent ‘Consolation Prizes’:
Dota 2
Dota 2
Dota 2
Dota 2
Dota 2
Dota 2
Dota 2
The nearly MVP’s Prize: Dota 2
How to Enter
To enter the tournament, a full and correct entry form* must be sent in by July 30th to mxtaube@googlemail.com. Likewise, please confirm your interest by making a post below. The Baptism By Spire Tournament will take place August 3rd (Saturday) at 10:30am eastern time. Depending on the amount of entries, the Tournament may be extended to a second bout on August 10th (Saturday) at 10:30am eastern time. Within a day or two of the closed entries, we will create the brackets and make them public.
Entry Form*
Baptism By Spire Tournament Entry Form
* Required
Enter the name of your Group/Team/Clan *
Full Name and preferred abbreviation would be helpful
What type of Team are you? *
Clan
Team made just for this tournament
Coalition between two (or more) Clans
Single ship looking for a second ship.
Other:
List all of the primary members of Ship A, not Substitutes *
Make sure to split the members into Crew and Captains.
List all of the primary members of Ship B (if applicable)
Make sure to split the members into Crew and Captains.
List all of the Substitutes for your Team (8 maximum) *
Display your Loadouts (both ships) for the first Game of your first Match. Include both Light and Medium weapons *
Please read the rules thoroughly. If there is anything you do not understand, email BaptismBySpire@gmail.com
Display your Loadouts (both ships) for the second Game of your first Match. Include both Light and Medium weapons *
Please read the rules thoroughly. If there is anything you do not understand, email BaptismBySpire@gmail.com
Display your Loadouts (both ships) for the third Game of your first Match. Include both Light and Medium weapons. *
Please read the rules thoroughly. If there is anything you do not understand, email BaptismBySpire@gmail.com
For questions about the tournament, leave a comment on this forum post or email BaptismBySpire@gmail.com!
Acknowledgements:
-Muse- Cullen (Co-organiser + Prizes)
AhhBisseto (Prizes)
Mattisamo (Prizes)
Chrinus (Test Dummy)
Rex Hamilton (Test Dummy)
-Muse- Morbie (Wise Sage)
Squash (Test Ducky)
