I. Definitions

1. Clan: Participating teams will be referred to as "Clan". Each Clan must consist of at least 5 players.


2. Team Captain: A Team Captain is an eligible player responsible for a Clan and is the entity that will receive the prize if its team wins.


3. Player: Each player belongs to one and only one clan within the ESL SCCL series.


4. Headadmin: The Headadmin is the Official designated by the ESL SCCL Series as such. The Headadmin is the final authority on all rules.


5. Leagueadmin: Leagueadmins are persons designated by the ESL SCCL Series for the purpose of administering, monitoring and judging any aspect of the ESL SCCL Series.


6. Matchadmin: Matchadmins are persons designated by the ESL SCCL Series to observe and administer matches.


7. Match: A match consists of a set of 4 one vs. one (1on1) and 1 two vs. two (2on2) games. Matches are being played between 2 clans.


8. Game: A game is part of a match and being played between either 2 (1on1) or 4 (2on2) players. The first player who achieves 2 victories wins the game.

II. General

1. These rules apply to all players and clans participating in the ESL SCCL Series. When registering the clans and their players agree to have read, understood and accepted the rules, as well as to regularly check for updates, additions, etc.


2. Players are expected to be courteous and respectful of their fellow gamers and admins. Extreme cases of bad manner will be punished with all possible severity.


3. Admins reserve the right to change or modify these rules, and in special cases make decisions not covered by these rules to preserve the spirit of competition.


4. An updated list of the official ESL SCCL Series staff is always available on the ESL SCCL Series homepage.


5. Clans are responsible to complete their clan and player profiles as well as to keep them up to date.


6. Every player must upload an adequate picture of himself within 10 days after joining the clan. Ignoring this, can result in Penalty Points for the clan. Furthermore every player must enter his Battle.Net ID in his ESL SCCL Series profile and always use the account written in the profile when playing in the ESL SCCL Series. If he fails to enter the Battle.Net ID before an upcoming season, the clan will receive 0.5 Penalty Points for every 48 hours it is delayed. Using a wrong account when playing in the ESL SCCL Series will cost 1 Penalty Point for every clanwar concerned, no matter if it was done in one or multiple games.


7. The ESL SCCL Series is not responsible for additional agreements between players or clans and these agreements are only allowed if they do not violate any of the existing rules. There is no way that the ESL SCCL Series is going to enforce an agreement.


8. These channels are important to the ESL SCCL Series and its clans:


• Public IRC channel: #SCCL on irc://irc.quakenet.org


• Private players IRC channel: #SCCL-players on irc://irc.quakenet.org
• Private battle.net channel: "op SCCL-1, op SCCL-2 ..." in europe battle.net


9. Each team-captain has to put the IRC channel #SCCL-players in his perform (auto-join) list. We also recommend that all online SCCL players idle in that channel.

III. StarCraft: Broodwar

1. Maps: Valid map choices for 1vs1 games are all maps of the ESL SCCL Series 1vs1 mappool:
   
   
   
   • (2)Ride of Valkyries
   
   
   • (3)Rush Hour
   
   
   • (4)Luna
   
   
   • (4)Gaia
   
   
   • (4)Estrella
   
   
   • (4)R-Point
   
   
   • (4)815
   
   
   
   For 2vs2 games valid map choices are:
   
   
   
   • (4)Luna
   
   
   • (4)Gaia
   
   
   • (4)Estrella
   
   
   • (4)R-Point
   
   
   • (4)815
   
   


2. Games are to be played on the StarCraft: Broodwar version of the maps. It is not allowed to play on map versions that differ from the the official SCCL maps that can be downloaded on the ESL SCCL series page.


3. Games are to be played on the Northrend Battle.net server (Europe). It is possible to play on a different server if both clans agree to it and a ESL SCCL Series official has been informed. It is not allowed to play any ESL SCCL Series matches by using a 3rd party program such as "Hamachi".


4. Modifying the behaviour of StarCraft: Broodwar in any way and/or using third party programs which give the user an advantage over other players will be considered as cheating and punished.

IV. Competition System

1. The competition consists of 3 parts:
   
   
   
   • Qualification
   
   
   • The regular ESL SCCL Series season
   
   
   • Playoffs
   
   

V. Qualification

1. Clans which like to participate in the ESL SCCL Series will have to apply in written form until two weeks before the qualification starts.


2. Qualification matches are being played according to the cup (knock-out) system. The team which wins a qualification match qualifies for the next stage. When a team is defeated twice in the qualification it will be eliminated from the competition.


3. The participating clans from the previous ESL SCCL Series season will be seeded on the top 4 seeds according to their ranking in the previous regular season


4. The four top ranked clans of the Qualification will be qualified for the next ESL SCCL Series season.

VI. The Regular ESL SCCL Series season

1. The regular season consists of 12 clans. Each clan must play 11 matches per season, once against each one of the other clans.


2. Matches are to be played between Thursday 0:01 am CET and Wednesday 11:59 pm CET once a week. This period is being referred to as "playday".


3. If a clan is not able to continue the regular ESL SCCL Series season it might be replaced by another clan that will continue the season with the current amount of points of the leaving clan. In case that the clan can or will not be replaced all clanwars against this clan will be erased and count as if they never happened.


4. The six top-ranked clans after each regular season will be qualified for the playoffs as well as for the succeeding ESL SCCL Series season.


5. The clans with the ranks 7 - 10 will have to play a playdown match, consisting of #7 vs #10 and #8 vs #9. Both matches winner's will be requalified for the suceeding ESL SCCL Series season, the loser's will have to play the next season's qualification tournament, but start the tournament in the 2nd round


6. The better ranked teams deserve the right to decide on the random maps for the playdown match, but have to notify an ESL SCCL series supervisor or headadmin at least one week prior to the playweek the match happens in. Once this deadline passed, the ESL SCCL series will randomly draw the maps.


7. The clans with the ranks 11 and 12 will have to play the next season's qualification tournament and will start in round 1.


8. Clans are ranked by how many points they achieved in the regular season according to X.b.


9. If two clans have the same amount of points at the end of the season the one clan who won the match between those two clans will be the higher ranked one.


10. If three or more clans got the same amount of points at the end of the season, the first criterion to determine who will be the higher ranked one, is the number of direct matches won. The 2nd criterion is the amount of points a clan gained in the two direct matches. The 3rd criterion is the map difference score during the whole season. If all those criteria's do not lead to a decision, a rematch between all the teams affected will decide.

VII. Playoffs

1. At the end of a season, the top 6 clans will go into the Playoffs.


2. The clans finishing the regular season as 1st and 2nd qualify directly for the semi-final, which will be played online.


3. The quarter-final matches in the Playoffs will be played online and consist of the team ranked 3rd vs. the team ranked 6th and the team ranked 4th vs. the team ranked 5th. The winner of #4 vs. #5 will meet #1 and the winner of #3 vs. #6 will meet #2 in the semi-finals.


4. The better ranked teams deserve the right to decide on the random maps in the quarter-final playoff round, but have to notify an ESL SCCL series supervisor or headadmin at least one week prior to the playweek the match happens in. Once this deadline passed, the ESL SCCL series will randomly draw the maps.


5. The quarter-finals will be played in single-elimation.


6. The clans losing the quarter-final matches will play a match in order to determine the 5th and 6th place. The better ranked team (based on the regular season) deserves the right to decide on the random maps in the quarter-final playoff round, but have to notify an ESL SCCL series supervisor or headadmin at least one week prior to the playweek the match happens in. Once this deadline passed, the ESL SCCL series will randomly draw the maps.


7. The semi-finals and any further rounds will be played in double-elimination.


8. If a clan that qualified for the Playoffs will not be able to attend them with at least 4 player's, the clan captain must notify a headadmin or supervisor about this matter before the end of Playday 11. As a result the team will begin the upcoming ESL SCCL Series season with a 4 Point disadvantage. Any notification at a later point will lead to an exlusion from the upcoming ESL SCCL Series season.


9. A clan obviously using a much weaker team for the online Playoffs can be punished with a score disadvantage for the upcoming ESL SCCL Series season in extreme cases.


10. In case a clan qualified for the Playoffs withdraws from the Playoffs before the end of Playday 11, the teams ranked behind the withdrawing team will move up one rank at the end of the season up to the 7th place becoming #6 and thus being able to participate in the Playoffs. However the Playdown ranks remain untouched, meaning the previous ranked 7th team still has to play its Playdown match.


11. In case a clan that qualified for the quarter-finals of the Playoffs withdraws from the Playoffs after the end of Playday 11 it will not be replaced


12. In case a clan that qualified for the semi-finals of the Playoffs withdraws from the Playoffs after the end of Playday 11 it will be replaced with the #5 ranked team of the Playoffs, no matter if the quarter-finals have been started or not.


13. In case the notification for the clan ranked 5th to participate in the online Playoffs is less than 3 weeks prior to the start of the online Playoffs, the team may decide not to attend the Playoffs without further punishment and the clan ranked 6th will get the chance to take over the spot, but will not be forced to take over the spot as well.

VIII. Scheduling

1. Each clan is obligated to autonomously schedule its match together with its opposing clan before the Playday begins.


2. The SCCL officials will enforce a date in case the both clans are not able to agree on a certain date which usually will be Sunday 19.00 CET.


3. Scheduling matches beyond a playday period is not allowed, unless its permitted by an ESL SCCL Series Supervisor or Headadmin due to special circumstances.


4. For each 24 hours the match is scheduled beyond a playday scheduling deadline, both clans receive 1 penalty point. In case a clan feels, that only the opposing clan caused this situation, it may send a formal complainment to a headadmin or supervisor within 48 hours in order to eventually remove the penalty point.


5. On each Playday the SCCL will chose a "Match of the week" and provide this match with special coverage. The date for this match will be determined by the SCCL, unless the participating clans agree on another date at least one week before the actual Playday begins. "Match of the week"-games can not be postponed under any circumstances.


6. Each match has to be played as a whole. Postponing single games is not allowed. A game is being considered as "postponed" when it would start later than 3 hours after the scheduled begin of the match and when it is disrupting the flow of a match, i.e. making the opposing team wait more than 45 minutes.


7. Each clan receives 5 wildcards during the regular season, which can be traded in to postpone a game. A team may only trade in one wildcard per Playday. If a player is missing who is supposed to play both 1on1 and 2on2 games, the clan is allowed to replace that player in the 2on2 game without having to draw a wildcard or asking the opponent for permission. Each saved wildcard at the end of the regular season will remove two penalty points. A wildcard must be announced to the opponents and to the admins 20 minutes after the official date at the latest (1v1). A team can wildcard a 2v2 player after the 1on1s are done (if the 1on1s are played first) and before the 2on2 is to be started.


8. Postponed games can be played until 4 days after the end of a playday (Sunday, 11:59 pm). For each 24 hours (beginning monday 00:01 am after the original deadline)a game is being played beyond the playday deadline, both clans receive 1 penalty point. In case a clan feels, that only the opposing clan caused this situation,it may send a formal complainment to a headadmin or supervisor within 48 hours in order to eventually remove the penalty point. When clans use wildcards for postponing they have to reschedule it with the opposing team captain. When a clan has no wildcards left any postponed game will be punished with 2 penalty points.


9. When a clan has forfeited a match twice during a season, the clan may be removed from the ESL SCCL Series due to inactivity.


10. Clans dropping out of a running season may not play in the next season's qualifier.


11. A clan can ask for a default win 40 minutes after the opponent failed to show for a scheduled match. Dont forget to take screenshots with "/time" in it.


12. Matches or games being covered by a ESL-TV broadcast cannot be postponed under any cirumstances.

IX. Lineups

1. A team is responsible for the correctness of its lineups and has to choose a lineup for each match and enter it in their administration tool. The lineup has to be chosen until 30 minutes before the according match starts. A clan receives a penalty point, if its lineup is delayed more than 10 minutes.


2. The lineups of both clans will be published on the ESL SCCL Series homepage 30 minutes before the match starts.


3. Lineups cannot be changed anymore after they have been published unless both clans agree to it.


4. It is not allowed for a player to play 2 1on1's in one match. It is however allowed for one player to play a 1on1 and a 2on2 game in a match.


5. When a clan in the ESL SCCL Series acquires a new player (who has not been part of any SCCL team in the current season), this player will not be allowed to play for his new clan on the next playday or in the next qualification / playoff round. (If a player joins during a playday, he is not allowed to play on the current and the next playday).


6. Clans may only acquire players from other SCCL clans in the week before the playdays 1, 5 and 9. Players acquired outside of one of the transfer periods may only play after the next transfer period has passed. Players acquired during a transfer period may play right away with the exception of not being allowed to play vs clans they already played vs with their old clan in the same competition stage.


7. A person is a SCCL player if he or she is or has been listed in the clanroster of the current season on the ESL SCCL Serie's website.


8. For the ESL SCCL Series, a player "joins" a new clan when he is added to the new clan's roster.


9. Any player a clan wants to use in the playoffs or playdowns, has to be part of the team before playday 9 begins.


10. According to I.c, a player can't be member of more than one clan at any time.

X. Matches

1. Matches and games are being played according to I g,h. It is suggested to play the 2 vs. 2 game first.


2. For each game won a clan receives 1 point. The clan which achieves more than two points, wins the match, the opposing one loses.


3. The lineup has to be chosen according to IX - Lineups.


4. In order to improve the communication between the clans and admins each clan should send a responsible person 30 minutes before a clanwar actually starts into channel #SCCL-players. That person should be available from then on until 30 minutes after the last game has been played.


5. 6 hours after the end of a game a clan receives 1/2 penalty point for each replay it failed to upload.


6. 48 hours after the end of a match a clan receives another 1/2 penalty point for each replay it failed to upload. (Any replay uploaded later than that will not result in removing penalty points.)

XI. Games

1. Games are to be played according to I.h.


2. All games have to be played with the most up to date version of "StarCraft: Broodwar". The game speed hast to be "fastest" (7).


3. The first map will be randomly chosen and announced by the SCCL. The second map is being chosen by the loser of the first map. The third map is being chosen by the loser of the second map.


4. The pool of available maps can be found in III - StarCraft: Broodwar.


5. No map may be played more than once in a single game.


6. Observers are only allowed, when both players agree on it. It is however not allowed to chat in games which are being covered by a ESL-TV broadcast.


7. Players aren't allowed to have any kind of contact with other people while playing (except for their allies while playing 2on2).


8. Admins of the ESL SCCL Series, shoutcasters and reporters of our partner sites have the undeniable right to observe. Constantly kicking those people out of games can result in penalty points in extreme cases.


9. In case the players can not agree on a host, admins will decide.


10. In case of a disconnect from a player during the first 3 minutes, the game is to be restarted with the exactly same settings as the first one. If a player disconnects at a later point it counts as a loss in a 1on1 game. In 2on2 games the remaining second player is free to finish the game without his partner.


11. In case a host disconnects and the game cannot be continued with another host, the game needs to be replayed unless the player's can agree otherwise. If one player had a clear advantage at the time the disconnect happened, a League - or Headadmin may decide to give the player a direct win.


12. League & Headadmins reserve the right to decide for a rematch in case a player with a clear advantage disconnected, in order to preserve the spirit of competition.


13. All SCCL players are obligated to save all replays of every game they play in the ESL SCCL Series and immediately send them to their team captain afterwards or upload them directly on the ESL SCCL Series page.

XI. Penalty Points and Punishments

1. For every 3 penalty points the clan's score points will be substracted by one.


2. Any violation of the ESL SCCL Series rules may be punished with all possible severity.


3. Cheating in the ESL SCCL Series will be punished with all possible severity.


4. Fraud and deception of the ESL SCCL Series officials in any way will be punished with all possible severity.

XII. Bugusing & Tricks

1. Observer on Turret is allowed.


2. Any type of Lurker-Hold is allowed.


3. Breaking through a unit-wall (e.g. at opponents ramp) with peons is allowed (defensive & offensive).


4. Allied Mines is forbidden.


5. Exploiting any other known or unknown bugs is not permitted.