Robot Combat League National Championship

Who will be the Robot Combat League's National Champions?

The Robot Combat League National Championship will bring the Top Ranked Combat Robots from across North America together to see who is truly the best. 

This year we are partnering with the Discovery Cube, an award winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's science museum committed to serving the needs and interests of children, educators, and the community at large. Discovery Cube is focused on STEM proficiency and is working with the Robot Combat League to promote robotics. For more information, visit discoverycube.org.

 

How are robots selected? 

Robot ranks are calculated based on how well robots place at participating events. You can get the details on how the ranking scores are calculated here. Because the number of non-insect robots is so low, Hobbyweight, Featherweight and Sportsman classes will have open registration. Robot rankings will be used for the tournament seeding.

What weight classes are included? 

The championship event will include robots ranging from 150g Fairyweights to 30lbs including full combat Featherweights.   

How many robots qualify for nationals?

Fairy	Plastics	Ants	Beetles	Hobby	Sportsman	Feather
32	32	32	32	16	16	16

Since we want to put on a good show, every effort will be made to fill out the brackets. Especially for the 12lb and up weight classes where we can accept more than the target numbers.

What if a top ranked bot can't attend the event? 

If a top ranked bot can not attend the championship event, robots further down the list will receive an invite.  So if only the top 12 of 16 Sportsman bots can come, the next 4 in the rankings will be invited. To make sure alternates are invited with enough time to make travel arrangements, we are asking that invited robots let us know if they can attend as soon as possible. 

What is the Event Format? 

For all weight classes, the event will use a true double-elimination format. If a team has two robots that are scheduled to compete, the bots must fight each other so you'll need a radio for each robot.  If both bots are functional but you don't want them to fight each other then the winner will be decided by a coin toss. If a bot truely cannot continue due to damage it will be allowed to forefit at the event organizers discretion.

What are the arenas?

• Fairyweights and Plastic Ants: 4'x6' arena with a metal floor. There is no pit.
• Antweights and Beetleweights: in an 8' hexagon arena with a metal floor. There is no pit.
• Hobbyweights, Sportsman and Featherweights: in a 12'x16' arena with a metal floor. There is no pit.

What are the event rules? 

The championship event will use standard SPARC v1.4 rules and procedures. If your bot competed and gained its points and rank in events using non-SPARC rules, you will need to update your bot to comply with the SPARC rules to compete at the Championship event.

Exposed Batteries:

In an effort to reduce the liklihood of a full-on battery fire, if a robots batteries are completely exposed the referee will stop the match and the decision goes to the judges.

Arena Unsticks:

Each robot gets one un-stick but only if the opposing robot was not the cause for their immobilization. Competitors are strictly forbidden from interacting with the arena to attempt to unstick their robot or influence the match. “Pinballing” poses a danger to self, competitors, and all attendees, and those found to be attempting to influence the arena mid-match will lose by immediate TKO.

Robot Unsticks:

We will follow the standard SPARC procedures. 

Magnets:

Magnets are not allowed in the Plastic Antweight class per SPARC rules. This event will follow the SCAR club rules for magnets since we are using their arenas.  The magnetic forces in a robot can not be strong enough to allow it to stuck upsidedown on a steel plate.

Tip Speed

To keep things safe, we will have a maximum of 250mph tip speed for this event.

Match Duration

We will have standard SPARC 3 minute matches for all weight classes.

 

Builder Schedule

Check and Safety: Upon check-in, please be sure your robot is functional, has proper weapon locks and will pass the fail-safe requirement. If your robot has multiple configurations, you must make weight in one of them to pass safety but robots can be reweighed prior to each match.

Competition times: Tentative! Friday May 2nd - All weight-classes check-in, Noon to 5pm

Saturday May 3rd - Competition Starts at 10am and goes to at least 5pm, possibly later

Sunday May 4th - Competition Starts at 10am and goes until finished

 

Shipping

The Cube will accept "regular sized" packages, which means things in cardboard boxes that are readily liftable. No crates. Also, no batteries or anything flamable or hazardous. The venue will not be able to return packages but there is a FedEx office a few blocks away. If you need to ship something and this doesn't work for you, please contact me directly.

[Name of Mailer]

C/O Discovery Cube OC RCL Nationals

2500 North Main St

Santa Ana, CA 92705

 

Award Ceremonies: Award ceremonies will take place on the day that matches conclude for each weight class.

Discord: More details including pictures of the arenas can be found on the SCAR Discord.

Streaming: The event will be streamed YouTube and Twitch by the SynShop.

Are you interested in getting involved in the event or the Robot Combat League?

We want this event to be a success and to become a regular yearly event.  If you have skills that can help and/or are interested in volunteering please let us know. If you'd like to help or if you have questions, you can contact us at contact@robotcombatleague.net or fill out this short 3-question Google form.