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3. Match Rules

3.1. League Configs must be used for all matches​

All ETF2L matches have to be played with up-to-date versions of our League Configs.

3.2. Status & Scoreboard screenshots required​

One member of each team has to take a console status screenshot before a match starts, and after every player switch made by a team during an official. A screenshot of the final score has to be taken at the end of every map/round. Please note that a scoreboard screenshot is not sufficient for all Attack & Defense maps as it does not show the winner – the screenshot explicitly declaring one team to be the winner is required instead. Screenshots should be uploaded while submitting the result, but can also be [uploaded] by either team leader at a later date.

If any map screenshots are missing after the match result deadline and its result has not yet been verified by the teams, both will receive a Minor Warning. Missing console status screenshots will be punished with a Minor Warning even if the teams verify the result. Repeated violations of this rule during a competition, regardless of the type of missing screenshot, will be punished with Major Warnings.

For the status screenshots to be readable by the SteamID parser bot, the screenshots are required to be taken on the Windows version of Team Fortress 2 with the default console font, Lucida Console, in use. Custom HUDs can potentially have different console fonts that cannot be read even when used on Windows OS. We recommend teams and players to ensure that the console font in use by their Team Fortress 2 clients is the default; additionally, we recommend teams to have at least one player running the Windows version of Team Fortress 2 in order to take the necessary screenshots, as OSX and Linux game clients have a different console font in use by default which cannot be parsed by the bot.

Warnings for missing screenshots can be removed by providing the missing screenshot and contacting an admin afterwards.

3.3. A delay of 15 minutes is allowed​

A match may be delayed by no longer than 15 minutes. If a team fails to ready up with an eligible team present on the server 15 minutes after the match was supposed to start, the opposing team may claim a Default Win.

After a map change, both teams have up to 10 minutes to organise, starting when the first player rejoins the server. If a team fails to ready up with an eligible team present on the server after a switch, the opposing team can claim a Default Win for the single map/round concerned, instead of for the entire match. In official matches with multiple map series (i.e. officials in playoffs stages), any remaining maps that need to be played after claiming a single map Default Win must still be played.

In order to claim a Default Win, please take a console status screenshot of your team being available on the server at match time, gather any evidence you think concludes the case (e.g. demo files, server logs) and contact a League Admin about the issue on [ETF2L’s Discord server] as soon as possible.

3.4. Maps need to be played in the set order​

Maps are required to be played in the order they are displayed on the official match page, from left to right. Teams may play already set season/cup maps in a different order if they choose to, but only if both teams agree.

3.5. Deciding sides​

If teams cannot agree which team plays RED and which team plays BLU, they must perform a Heavy Fist Fight. [Explanation]

Note: no unlocks may be used during a Heavy Fist Fight. Only the stock Fists are allowed.

3.6. Hijacking teams is not allowed​

Definition:

Players who have joined the team before the Provisional Tiers have been published are considered verified by the league. Any player joining after that is considered new and unverified by the league.

Provisional tier publishing time will be announced ahead of time, players added anytime after this will count as a late joiner for hijacking purposes.

Standard:

In 6v6 it is allowed to play with 2 players counting as new. In Highlander it is allowed to play with 4 players counting as new.

Breaking the rules:

If you go past these limits your team will be punished with:

  • Teams breaking the hijacking limit by 1 will receive a Minor Warning for the first offense. Further offense will be followed by a Major Warning.

  • Teams breaking the hijacking limit by 2 will receive a Major Warning for the first offense. Further offense result in a default loss.

  • Teams breaking the hijacking limit by 3 or more will result in a default loss.

Appeal:

In order to allow leniency for teams that are forced to change their lineups, team leaders are required to contact League Admins on [ETF2L’s Discord server] when facing extreme roster changes.

Each case will be dealt with individually and all factors will be taken into account.

3.7. Skill Contribution​

Definition:

A team’s active line-up may only consist of a limited amount of higher skilled players that joined after the Provisional Tiers were published. A point system is used to determine this restriction. A player will be given one point for each tier of experience higher than the division of the team the player joins. Highlander and 6v6 experience will count as equivalent between gamemodes.

A player’s experience will be determined in accordance with rule 2.7 Player Experience

Standard:

  • In 6v6, teams have a limit of 1 point. Premiership Grand Finalists are not allowed to join a team below Premiership as a late joiner.

  • In Highlander, teams have a limit of 2 points. Premiership Grand Finalists are not allowed to join a Division 1/High or below Highlander team as a late joiner on the class they played that Premiership Grand Finals on.

Breaking the rules:

  • Teams breaking the skill limit by +1 will receive a Minor Warning for the first offense. Further offenses will result in a default loss.

  • Teams breaking the skill limit by +2 or more will have their match results reviewed. The circumstances of the rulebreak will be considered when the deterimining punishment.

Breaking the rule during playoff games will result in a default loss.

Appeal: Please contact League Admin Staff on [ETF2L’s Discord server] if you need your case to be reviewed. The lengths of inactivity will be taken into consideration when making decisions.

Note: Cups (pre-season cups, one-day cups, nations’ cup etc.) do not count towards skill contribution.

3.7.1. All previous experience will be taken into account in the Division 6/Open/Fresh Meat tier​

This rule applies to the Division 6/Open/Fresh Meat tier, given that a Division 5/Low tier is currently in play.

For players who joined a team in the lowest skill tier (i.e. Division 6/Open/Fresh Meat) after a competition’s Provisional Tiers are published, all of their previous experience in applicable competitions in any tier higher than Division 6/Open/Fresh Meat (this includes the Division 5/Low tier in 6v6) will be taken into account towards skill contribution.

3.8. Player changes during a match​

Teams are allowed to switch players during the match, with or without a pause, only once per map, as long as the joining player is rostered on that team or has been approved as a merc by the opposing team. However, using this to bypass spawn times is strictly forbidden. Furthermore, a team may under no circumstances have more than six players on the server for 6v6, and no more than nine for Highlander.

Teams are allowed to switch as many players as they would like after a map change as long as they are entered correctly on the team roster or have been approved as a merc by the opposing team.

3.9. Only authorized spectators allowed​

Only spectators authorized by ETF2L, or for the use of SourceTV, are allowed. Any third party who is caught relaying match information to a team via in-game spectate or similar means (ghosting), and/or teams who intentionally acquire information in this manner are subject to punishments including warnings, match or round overturns and/or league bans depending on the severity of the offense.

3.9.1. No Live Coaching allowed​

During an ongoing official teams may not receive specific match directions or guidance by third parties who are not directly involved in the match themselves (e.g. with the help of screensharing, voice communication channels, by watching a player’s POV in person etc.). These kind of interactions must be limited to periods before and after a match, during pauses or in-between rounds.

3.9.2. Streaming official matches​

Players are free to stream their matches on any streaming service. While we do not condone stream sniping, we will not punish any offenders as it is a risk players willingly take by streaming their matches. Teams are expected to understand this risk. We suggest adding a stream delay of at least two minutes and taking further measures to reduce the possibility of getting stream sniped (e.g. muting the stream during pauses).

3.10. Pauses & Breaks​

3.10.1 Pauses​

– Reason

Teams may request a pause at any time during a match. If you need to pause, you must clearly request a pause using in-game chat (e.g.: “Pause please”). The other team is then required to pause at the first appropriate time (e.g. not in the middle of a push) within 15 seconds.

Most common reasons for requesting a pause are:

  • One or several players experience a computer issue (game crash, internet loss, computer crash, vocal server died, etc).
  • A game update occurred during the official forcing players to update their game and get a new server.
  • One or several players don’t feel well.
  • Match is not going well and a team wants a tactical pause.

Only the team that originally requested the pause may resume the game. The game may not be resumed under any circumstances without the approval of both teams.

Each team has the right to one pause per map. However, if explicitly allowed by one of the teams, their opponents may pause multiple times per map and have longer pauses if required. If your opponent allows a pause longer than five minutes, or more than one pause, you are expected to extend the same courtesy to them.

– Duration

Pauses may not last more than 5 minutes during a map.

– Penalties

Not responding to a pause request or abusing pause duration during a match may lead to penalties like a Minor Warning or, in extreme cases, a Major Warning and a Default Loss for the map.

3.10.2 Break​

– Reason

A short break is allowed between maps and rounds and can last longer if both team agree.

– Duration

Breaks between the maps may not last more than 10 minutes. In case of Golden Cap and/or Stopwatch maps (i.e. cp_steel/pl_upward) breaks between the rounds may not last more than 5 minutes.

– Penalties

Failing to resume the game in time or abusing the breaks duration during a match may lead to penalties like a Minor Warning or, in extreme cases, a Major Warning and a Default Loss for the map.

3.11. Picks & Bans Matches​

Teams have to announce on the match pages the results of the pick/bans (meaning the maps that will be played) at least 48 hours before the official date of the match. If one team reaches out for the pick/ban process and the other team does not respond within the 48 hour pick/ban deadline, the team that reaches out will get the first ban from the other team.

If one of the two teams keeps being uncooperative up until 4 hours before the match is scheduled, the other team will get to choose all the maps for the relevant official.

If there are any issues, contact a League Admin on [ETF2L’s Discord server] as soon as possible. Before the official, match comments must be used to display any official agreements.

3.12. Weapons and Hats rules​

Specific whitelists are used during the season for each format. To see the full list of what weapons, cosmetics and taunts are allowed in official matches check the [6v6] and [Highlander] whitelist.tf overviews. The ETF2L whitelist matching the competition must be used during all of its official matches, in any competition.

Hats and misc items in general are allowed. Unique and unusual hats are also allowed. All misc items that grant Pyrovision, all noisemakers, all noise-making miscs and the Bombinomicon are banned.

3.12.1. Weapons reskins allowed​

All weapon reskins (e.g. Lugermorph, Holy Mackerel, Original, Frying Pan, Iron Curtain, Golden Wrench, Big Kill, Enthusiast’s Timepiece, all Festive/Festivized/Australium weapons) are allowed.

3.12.2. Taunts​

Only default weapon taunts and taunts with fixed durations (i.e. taunts that cannot be toggled) are allowed.

3.13 Match Disputes​

If a team wishes to dispute a results or report any incident during an official match they have a total of seven days. Past this time the results will remain untouched.

  • Examples:
    • Default Mercs
    • Unallowed Mercs
    • Use of bugs and exploits

3.14 Teams must wait out the SourceTV broadcast delay in all matches casted by an organisation​

Teams must wait out the SourceTV broadcast delay before changing maps in all matches casted by an organisation (tv_delaymapchange_protect 1). If the server was rented, the reservation may not be ended early before the cast has finished covering the last round. The team responsible for an early map change or a reservation being ended early will be punished with a Minor Warning. Repeated violations of this rule will be punished with Major Warnings.