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| ZBC-Sanctioned Battles The most common type of zoid battle, sanctioned matches are the meat and potatoes of the ZBC’s broadcasted battles. They can take place between either two individual pilots or between two teams, but the latter is far more common. Team matches bring in far more money, as they draw a much larger audience. Pilots receive a small percentage of the ZBC’s profits from broadcasting the matches on major networks. This money is usually enough to cover repairs with a spot of cash left over and rarely enough for a pilot to live on. The Zoids Battle Commission is an organization that regulates and broadcasts zoid battles. Their closest terrestrial equivalent would be the NFL or NBA. It is organized into three major Leagues: Imperial, Republican, and Athenian. Each has slightly different rule sets and regulations governing the battles. As such, a Team and pilot registered in one League cannot normally battle against a Team from another League. While players are allowed only one Team in a League, they may have one Team in each League. Standard ZBC Regulations 1. No pilot may take an action which stands a reasonable chance of resulting in another pilot’s severe injury or death. This includes firing a CPG or CPC directly at a zoid or using anything other than a low-penetration melee attack against the area around a zoid’s cockpit. 2. A team may be composed of up to four pilots and their attendant staff. All must be licensed through the ZBC. 3. No registered zoid pilot may be under the age of eighteen. No staff may be under the age of sixteen. 4. All zoids must be maintained and kept to ZBC-specified standards before entering into a combat. Licenses to modify zoids from this standard are awarded through certain Tournaments, and are sometimes available for purchase. 5. The initial Team transport is loaned out to the Team by the ZBC. They may not alter it until the Team purchases one of their own. Standard transports are incapable of re-arming or re-fitting a zoid. It takes six seconds to re-arm a zoid and eight seconds to re-fit its modifications or CAU. In addition to these rules, the Leagues each have regulations of their own. Imperial League 1. Only three pilots may be fielded in a given combat. 2. Team transports are to remain stationary for the duration of the battle. 3. Zoids may remain in the transport for a maximum of six seconds; the time it takes to re-arm. 4. Absolutely no attacks may be made against the zoid’s cockpit region. The only exception to this rule is the Brachios and Geno Saurer, whose cockpits are in their torsos. Republican League 1. Only three pilots may be fielded in a given combat. 2. The Team transport may be piloted by one of the three fielded pilots. It may not fire on the enemy. 3. Zoids may remain in the transport for a maximum of eighteen seconds, provided it is engaging in re-arming and re-fitting activities. Athenian League 1. While a maximum of three pilots may be on the field at any given time, those pilots may switch out with the standby pilot once. This is referred to as ‘tag-out’ and is usually used to pull a weakened zoid out of combat. 2. The Team transport must remain stationary for the duration of the battle. 3. The zoids in the Team may remain in the transport for a maximum total of twelve seconds. This allows for two zoids to re-arm or for one zoid to be re-fitted. ZBC Tournaments Tournaments are very much like the ZBC-Sanctioned Matches, save for the fact that they involve selected match-ups with the goal of a prize. The majority have prizes other than one for simply winning the overall battle. The standard regulations for the ZBC apply in all of them, and the local League regulations apply in all but the inter-League tournaments. Round-Robin Tournaments The Round-Robin Tournament involves pitting every entrant in the tourney up against every other entrant, and the one with the most overall wins takes the grand prize. Entrants can either be Teams of two or three pilots. In either case, transport use is allowed within the local regulations. Prizes Grand Prize – This prize is awarded to the entrant with the most wins. In case of ties, it is awarded to the winner of the tie-breaker match. The tie-breaker match involves only one pilot from each Team. Second Place – This prize is awarded to the entrants with the second-most wins. Winner’s Circle – The top four entrants receive this prize. It is usually only used in the larger tournaments. Best Battle – This prize is awarded to the two entrants involved in the single best battle in the Tournament. Best Sportsman – These prizes go to one pilot in each entrant Team, the one who helped their Team the most in each battle. It is awarded to each entrant every time they battle. Elimination Tournaments The Elimination Tournament is the more traditional Tourney. It pairs sixteen entrants up into eight matches in the Qualifications, then four in the Quarter-Finals, then two in the Semi-Finals, and then the two remaining entrants battle for the grand prize in the Finals. Entrants can be single pilots or Teams of up to three. Smaller Elimination Tourneys feature individual pilots, while the Royal Cup is an Elimination Tourney with Teams of three pilots. Prizes Grand Prize – This prize is awarded to the entrant with the most wins. In case of ties, it is awarded to the winner of the tie-breaker match. The tie-breaker match involves only one pilot from each Team. Second Place – This prize is awarded to the entrants with the second-most wins. Winner’s Circle – All entrants to reach the Quarter-Finals receive this prize. Best Battle – This prize is awarded to the two entrants involved in the single best battle in the Tournament. This is usually, but not always, the Final. Best Sportsman – These prizes go to one pilot in each entrant Team, the one who helped their Team the most in each battle. It is awarded to each entrant every time they battle. Participation – The smallest prize, this is awarded to all participants who pass the Qualification round. Sponsored Royales The smallest and simplest of the Tourneys, the Sponsored Royale is more commonly referred to as a Big Bad Battle. It is hosted either by the ZBC or a third party and features a usually customized high-powered zoid that the entrants battle against. The entrants are always as individual pilots. While the other matches go for simply the pilots who survive, the Royale goes for the ones who performed the best in the one battle. If there is a Sole Survivor prize, then the battle continues after the so-called Big Bad has gone down. If the match is not ZBC-Sanctioned, which some third-party sponsored royales aren’t, then it does not count for rank nor does it gain pilots the standard prize money. It is standard practice for the sponsor to cover the pilots’ costs. Prizes Best Show – This prize goes to the pilot who performed the most spectacularly in the battle. This is usually the one who dealt the most damage and won the most kills. Top Three – Similar to Best Show, only a smaller prize and awarded to the three pilots who performed the best but did not earn Best Show. It is used only in the larger Royales. Best Sportsman – The most prestigious prize, Best Sportsman usually goes to the pilot who emerged as a leader and directed the other pilots to defeat the Big Bad. Sole Survivor – Rarer than the Bests, but still rather common, Sole Survivor is awarded to the single pilot who survives the free-for-all after the Big Bad’s defeat. Participation – The smallest prize, the prize for Participation is awarded to all participants in the battle. It is usually enough to help cover the cost of repairs. |