This topic contains the official rules of The Cogs as of the 26th of March 2013. There's been a bit of confusion so let's get this all cleared up.
The Cogs Standings
Currently split into three distinct 'tiers', plus two newcomer spots that aren't officially part of The Cogs, the Standings look a little confusing on first glance... But let's break them down.
Tier One is the simplest. The Champion's Cog; This is spot #1. This tier does not rotate and the Champion team play every week to maintain their position.
Tier Two contains the Challenger teams. These are the top tier teams that are contenders for the Champion's Cog. Positions #2, #3 and #4 are present in this Cog and rotate on a weekly basis to determine which of the Challenger teams play to advance or defend their spot on a given week.
At the end of the week a team's Spot is rotated and reduced by 1. (#2 -> #3, #3 -> #4)
The team currently at #4 will be moved to #2
Tier Three is the Upcomer's cog, and features five slots ranging from #5-#9. This is the lowest official spot in The Cogs, but is certainly not to be sniffed at. Once again, this Cog rotates weekly to determine which two teams play that week.
At the end of the week a team's Spot is rotated and reduced by 1. (#5 -> #6, #6 -> #7, #7 -> #8, #8 -> #9)
The team currently at #9 will be moved to #5
The Newcomer's slot is split into two positions. #10a and #10b. Both of these teams should be capable of playing on the week, and the position is granted based on a first-come, first-serve signup list in The Cogs forum.
Advancement and Dropping
Each week, three matches are played. They are as follows.
Champion vs Challenger: Spot #1 vs Spot #2. Winner advances.
In the event that #1 can't play, #2 and #3 will play for spot #1 instead. In this instance, #1 will be moved to spot #3.
In the event that #2 can't play, #1 and #3 will play for spot #1 instead. In this instance, #2 will be moved to spot #3
Upcomer's Advancement: Spot #4 vs Spot #5. Winner advances.
In the event that #4 can't play, #5 and #6 will play for spot #4 instead. In this instance, #4 will be moved to spot #5
In the event that #5 can't play, #4 and #6 will play for spot #4 instead. In this instance, the loser will be placed in spot #6
Newcomer's Proving Ground: Spot #9 vs Spot #10a. Winner advances. Loser is removed from The Cogs
In the event that #9 can't play, #10a and #10b will play for spot #9 instead. In this instance, #9 is removed from The Cogs
In the event that #10a can't play, #9 and #10b will play for spot #9 instead. In this instance, #10a is removed from The Cogs
In the event that multiple matches are dropped or there are deemed to be too many fractured and impotent teams within The Cogs, a grand tournament in the style of Fjords will be held. Teams will be seeded with the positions gained within The Cogs. The tournament results will determine the Cog positions of each team.
Maps
Maps are randomly selected from the current pool of 2v2 deathmatch maps in the game. In the event of more 2v2 deathmatch maps being added, they will immediately be added to the map pool.
A map may not be randomly selected more than once per week. This means that Match 1 could be on any of the four current maps. Match 2 could be on the remaining three maps and Match 3 could be either of the two remaining maps. The maps are selected using a RNG and revealed three days before they are due to be played.
Match Specifics
Currently we are unable to enforce any ship or weapon-related mandates... And so a team is permitted to switch their builds and roles right up until the last second of the lobby's countdown timer. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN PERIL. If a ship is incorrectly fitted due to last second switching, the match WILL NOT be restarted. You have been warned.
There are currently no plans to include a time limit, despite some of them lasting for longer than your average cricket match. (I'm looking at you, Paddling). This relies on the players and teams not exploiting this to ridiculous proportions. If it is deemed appropriate at a later stage, reasonable countermeasures to team-dickery will be put into place. Likewise, repeated use of areas, tricks or glitches deemed unfair by Muse consensus will have consequences. Play it straight.
Each match is played to Five kills, standard deathmatch rules, on an American server. To prevent ghosting, the spectator slots are limited to unaffiliated Cogs staff only. That means no crew CAs too. Really.
Crew and Substitutes
Each team has to have a complete roster of eight members. Two captains and six crew, spread across two ships. Failure to provide a full crew roster on the day of an event is ground for an automatic loss and a compromise match. (Sidenote: Museosaurs are special case. I've mulled it over and there's no way that we can boot Bubbles and the devs out of The Cogs without serious hammer related repercussions. Also: We like the Muse guys.)
Substitutes and Backups are permitted, but they are not permitted to play for more than one team a week. This is to prevent floating players that switch teams and play every week, although it's not perfect. Players caught skirting this and playing for multiple other teams during their team's off-weeks to boost their positions will be dealt with. Let teams rise and fall on their own merits, not on the merits of their substitutes.
It was about time I got around to writing the official rules... Though I've probably forgotten quite a few things. Still, this is why we're a community. If you have any questions or feel that it's missing a section, post below or find me in-game, on Steam or on Skype. Just don't expect much from me... I'm still sick.
Stay safe.
