The future of the Ersatz VASLeague

WuWei

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Tobias
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Draft version of the new rules:

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The Ersatz VASLeague is an individual ASL tournament played over the internet via VASSAL/VASL. It is a substitute for the original VASLeague that took place until 2019. The goal is to provide players from around the world with a friendly competition and the chance to meet new players and learn from them. You can participate if you commit to play the required number of ASL games (4 per year) in the required time (8 weeks per game) each season. Familiarity with the rules is required, but you don't have to be an experienced or good player.

The Tournament Director (TD) is Tobias (WuWei on the Gamesquad forum), serving as a steward until the rightful TD Enrico will return one day.
Official announcements and discussions take place on the Gamesquad forum: Ersatz VASLeague 2021. LINK
You can also write to asl@randpatrouille.de for questions and clarifications.

If you want to participate: Read the rules down below (at least the tl;dr version) and register! LINK (registration isn't open yet!)

Rules (tl;dr)

  1. Four times a year, you get assigned and opponent. You'll receive an email with contact information, deadline and a link to report your result.
  2. Contact your opponent, agree on a scenario, sides and times to play.
  3. Play the scenario. This might take more than one session. Be nice to each other.
  4. Report the result by using the provided link.
  5. At the end of the year, there's a ranking of the players in your league. The best players get promoted to the next higher league, the worst players are put back in the next lower league.

Rules (complete version)

1 Organization

1.1 Season: There is one tournament season each year, usually starting in January and lasting until October. The tournament season is composed of 4 rounds. Each round lasts 8 weeks. There will be a delay between the end of the previous round and the start of the next one.

1.2 Sub Leagues: The VASLeague is divided into five sub leagues. At the top is the TOP League, with players from around the world. Below that are the three regional leagues, the EAST (for the American East, time zone UTC-3 to UTC-6), WEST (for the American West, time zone UTC-6 to UTC-8) and the EUO League (for Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, basically, the rest of the world). Below that is he SLL, the Second Line League with players from around the world.
1.21 New players start in the SLL.
1.22 Players are assigned to regions based on their time zone. Changing to a different regional league is possible at the disgression of the TD.
1.23 Promotions/relegations: The last three players in the TOP league are relegated to their respective regional leagues [EXC: if there are resignations from the TOP league, the number of relegations is reduced accordingly]. The best player from each regional league is promoted to the TOP league. Promotions and relegations between the SLL and the regional leagues are made on a year by year basis and depend on the number of players and the number of relegations from the TOP league into that league.
1.24 Promotions are voluntary. It is also possible to voluntarily drop back to lower leagues between seasons.
1.25 Additional changes and shifting around of players may be neccessary for organizational reasons and are done by the TD after confering with the affected player(s).

1.3 The Swiss System is used for pairing and ranking.
1.31 One point is awarded for a victory and half a point for a draw.
1.32 Tiebreaker: If two or more players finish the league with the same number of points, they will be ranked using the following methods, from a) to d), until the tie is broken:
a) If there are exactly two players with the same number of points and they actually played against each other: The result of that game.
b) The sum of points of opponents met, not counting the worst and the best (Median-Buchholz tiebreaker).
c) Number of the round of the first game lost (the later the better).
d) Randomization.

1.4 Registration: Players from last season are registered automatically. New players can registration by using the web interface: LINK (registration isn't open yet)

1.5 Resignation: Just inform the TD beforehand that you won't be part of the VASLeague any more. If you can, please finish the season or at least your current game.

1.6 Costs: Taking part in the VASLeague is free of charge.

2. Mode of play

The rules in this section (2.1-2.3) define the default mode of play. They can be freely altered if - and ONLY if - both players agree on it.
2.1 VASL: The matches will be played live on the VASL server (no play by email).
2.11 Delayed Notes: Secret information [EX: HIP units, fortifications, chosen reinforcement groups, ...] have to be recorded using the built-in "delayed" notes tool.
2.12 Dice: Use the built-in dice of the VASL module.
2.2 IFT: Use the IFT, not the IIFT.
2.3 Scenarios and sides are freely chosen by the players, balances included. Any scenario may be chosen [EXC: SK scenarios are NA]. It is strongly recommended to choose scenarios according to the time and the experience both players have.
2.4 Voice chat: Using some type of voice or video chat (Skype, Discord, ...) is recommended.

3. Results

3.1 The standard way to arrive at a result is to finish the game on time and check the Victory Condition of the scenario played.
3.2 If players can't finish the game, it's up to them to determine the result.
3.21 If one player is mainly responsible for the missed game or for a delay that makes it impossible to end the scenario in time, he should admit his fault and give the win to the opponent.
3.22 Players can discuss the situation on the board and planned courses of action to determin the most likely outcome of the game. They can also break it down to a few critical dice rolls and resolve the game that way [EX: "Let's just resolve this one Melee. If I lose it, it looks really bad for me and I'll give you the win, but if I survive it, the game is open and we should agree on a draw."]
3.23 Players should agree on a draw if there's no party at fault and no player in a clear winning position.
3.3 When the players can't agree on the result of a game not finished, the TD will - with the help of volunteer judges - set the result.
3.31 Players have to provide the TD with all neccessary information to make a judgement [EX: savefiles, screenshots depicting concealed and HIP units, boresighted locations, ...]. They should also include a brief discussion about their plans and explain what the point of contestion is between them regarding the most likely outcome.
3.32 The game will be judged as a draw unless there's really convincing arguments to the contrary.

4. Reporting

4.1 Results have to be reported before the end of the round using the web form. A individual link for the game will be provided in the email announcing the pairing for the coming round. This is the ONLY valid method to report a result. (Only one player has to report the result. Traditionally, that's the winner's job.)
4.2 The deadline for each round is not negotiable. There usually will be a delay of a few days between the official end of the round and the time the TD shuts off the reporting links and starts working on the next round. Reported results are accepted as long as the link works. Feel free to use this time to finish a game or report a result, but don't count on that delay.
4.3 If no result is reported when the round closes, the game counts as a forfeit for both players.
[Pro tip: Report a preliminary result if you can't finish the game until a few days after the deadline. You can correct it as long as the round is open, and if the round closes before that, you at least have reported something, so the game doesn't count as forfeit.]

4. Forfeits
A forfeited game is a game not played at all. An interrupted game or a game not finished in time as well as an early resign after the game has just started is treated simply as a lost game IF you have reported a result. A game without any reported result is counted as forfeited.
4.1 No player can win any league or be promoted to a higher league in that season if he has any forfeit.
4.2 A player is cancelled from the league if he forfeits the first game of the season and/or he forfeits two games in a season.

5. DUMMY Players

If there's an odd number of players in a sub league, one active player from the bottom ranks is assigned a DUMMY to play against. This counts as a win for this player. If possible, nobody will get the DUMMY more than once per season.

6. Prizes
6.1 If you want to donate a price, please contact the TD.

7. Data processing and publishing of information

The data you provide is stored and processed by the TD and is used to faciliate the VASLeague. The email address you provide is given ONLY to the opponents you are assigned to so that you can arrange your games. The name you give (pseudonyms are allowed) and the information about your played games (scenario, sides played, result, ...) will be published. By participating in the Ersatz VASLeague, you agree to this.

Have fun!
The Ersatz VASLeague TD, December 2020

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Comments and suggestions are welcome, but the chance that there will be substantial changes are small. I plan to open registration for new players this weekend or next week.
 

The Magnus

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Flavius Magnus Maximus Augustus II
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Draft version of the new rules

Rules (tl;dr)

Rules (complete version)
Great, i am definitely in (although I did not and will not read the ”complete version Of the rules” 😎😎😎).
 
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