At home in the Pre-Con
This year's 18xx event will allow play in 1830,
1856, 1861 and 1880, as well as 1870, 1846
and 18EU (as voted in by email). The 18xx event
will be held from Saturday through Monday of the pre-convention
weekend. There will be four preliminary rounds, two each on Saturday
and Sunday, with a semifinal and a Final round on Monday. All
games can be played in any prelim, but it is suggested that shorter
games be played during the first prelim each day, and longer
games during the last prelim. Emphsis will be placed on making
all games 4-player whenever possible, since this will be the
preferred format for the semifinal and Final. [For example, if
23 players appear for a round, with nine players for 1856
and 14 for 1830, the games will be apportioned as follows:
1856: a 4- and a 5-player game; 1830: a 4-player
and two 5-player games. If eight of those 23 players want to
play 1856, the division becomes 1856: two 4-player
games; 1830: three 4-player and a 3-player game.] Players
will be placed in games at random, except that players that have
met in previous rounds will be moved where possible.
The top seeded winners, plus alternates, of all preliminary
rounds will advance to the 16-player semifinals Monday morning.
If there are fewer than 16 preliminary round winners, enough
runner-ups (seeded by the MESE criteria given below) will advance
to make 16 semifinalists. If there are more than 16 winners that
attend the semis, one or more semis will be expanded to include
them. Semifinalists will be seeded by the MESE criteria and placed
in the four semifinal games according to 1st-8th-9th-16th, 2nd-7th-10th-15th,
3rd-6th-11th-14th, and 4th-5th-12th-13th. Players in each semifinal
game will vote on which game to play, by secret ballot. Any game
is eligible for voting. Once a game receives a majority of votes
from the semi participants, it will become the designated option
for that game. If the players cannot agree to play that game,
they will play the default game of 1830 (classic). Voting
among the finalists for the Final game will be conducted in the
same way. The winners of the semifinal games will advance to
a Final Monday night. If necessary, semifinalist runners-up can
move up (again, seeded by percentage of the winning total), to
ensure a minimum 4-player Final.
The WBC Multiple Entry-Single Elimination (MESE) seeding criteria
are: 1) Most wins; 2) Win in first heat entered; 3) Win in second
heat entered; 4) Win in third heat entered; 5) Win in fourth
heat entered; 6) percentage of winning score; 7) average finish
in all heats entered; 8) high dice roll. For all ties, criteria
will be checked in order.
Optional rules in force for each game will be announced by
email to all who inquire, and before the start of each round.
The time limit for all rounds, the semifinal, and the Final round
is 6 hours, with more time available in the evening sessions.
No stock round will begin within 30 minutes of the round conclusion.
In the last 15 minutes of a round, only route running, revenue
collection, and train purchases may be conducted (tile placement,
tile upgrade, or token placement will not be permitted). Unless
there is a player bankruptcy, rounds conclude at the end of that
series of operating rounds.
Let me know if you have any questions,
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