1. General Information

1.1 Important Notes

Here is a summary of the most important points of the rules. You should read all the rules, but just in case, here are the most important reminders:
You need to keep your email address updated in your GameArena account, which is how we'll send you critical information.
You need to make sure your GameArena nickname is the same (or very close) as your soldier name in BF3. That is how everyone knows you are eligible to play in a match.
You need to check the GameArena Battlefield 3 Forum, that's how you'll get updates about the ladder and give us feedback about what you do and don't like.
You should use the chat in 'The Arena' whenever you play, that's how you can talk to other players and get answers to urgent questions.
Please don't lodge trivial disputes after a match. Disputes will be decided based on what is fair and what is best for the ladder, not who has the best lawyer.

To join your match server start Battlelog and search for the name of the server which is located in the match email. Make sure no filters are selected and type the server name into the search box. You can also just type GameArena and search through the list to find your server.
If you are banned from GameArena's public servers you can't play in a match.
Punkbuster will be running on the Match Servers, so you need to keep it up to date on your computer.
Captains need to agree on the scores after the match then enter them immediately, and make sure they get an email confirmation of the score entry.

1.2 Definitions

Team Captain: Any of the players marked as a captain on the team roster.
Player: Any player marked as 'enrolled' on the team roster.
Eligible Player: Any player marked as 'enrolled' on the team roster.
Ladder Manager: Any of the people noted on the ladder rankings page as a ladder manager and any GameArena staff member.
Challenging Team: The lower ranked team in a challenge, the one who submits the challenge.
Defending Team: The higher ranked team in a challenge, the one who responds to the challenge.
Contact email address: The email address found in the 'Email & Contact Information' section of your account on the GameArena website.
Challenge Height: 50% or 7 ranks, see the Ladder Structure for more information.

1.3 Match

Format will be 16v16.
Each match consists of a pre-game warm up and 2 rounds.
The pre-game warm up is no more than 10 minutes.
There will be no break between rounds.
Each team must have at least 12 eligible players on their side to start the match.
Each team must have no more than 16 eligible players connected to the server at any time.
The defending team will be US for the first round.
Teams will play one round as US and one round as Russia.
The team with the most tickets from combined rounds will be the winner.
e.g. Team A scores 100 tickets to Team B 0 for the first round. Second round Team A scores 0 tickets and Team B scores 110 tickets. Team B is the winner with 110 tickets compared to Team A on 100.
Both Team captains are required to screenshot the final score page as evidence if a dispute is logged.
Both Captains need to agree on the final score after the end of the match and write that agreement into global chat.

1.4 Communication with GameArena

All players must keep their contact email address current and check it regularly.

1.5 The Role of Ladder Managers

The Ladder Managers have three general roles:
• to resolve disputes,
• to communicate with the players, and
• to run the finals.

Ladder Managers have complete discretion in the enforcement of these rules as long as they are fair and act in the best interest of the ladder.

2. Challenges

Please see the Ladder Structure page for details on the ladder system http://www.gamearena.com.au/pc/games/title/battlefield-3/ladder/index.php?action=genrules

3. Matches

3.1 Pre-Game Warm-up

The pre-game warm up begins as soon as the match server is available and lasts no more than 10 minutes. The defending team will be on the US side first. During the pre-game warm up both teams must join the correct side.

If either team is not ready to start at the end of the pre-game warm up they may request a 5 minute extension from the other team. The other team is not required to grant this request. No further extensions are permitted. A team that is not ready to start at the end of the pre-game warm up forfeits the match.

3.2 "Ready to Start"

To be ready to start Round 1, a team must have at least 12 and no more than 16 eligible players connected to the server, those players must be on the correct side for the pre-game warm up, and the team captain must advise the other captain that the team is ready.

3.3 Rounds 1 and 2

When both teams are ready to start (or the pre-game warm up time has run out) both team captains should say "Round 1 Live", then one of the captains should restart the map. Once the map has restarted, Round 1 has started. Once Round 1 is completed the map will restart and Round 2 begins. There is no break between rounds, and the server will automatically swap the teams between rounds.

3.4 Scoring and Post-Match.

Captains of both teams are required to take a screenshot of the finals score for each round. The score is then tallied up and at the end of the match both team captains will confirm the score in global chat before leaving the server. Captains should take a screenshot of the other captain's agreement to the score to be entered.

Captains of both teams must immediately enter the agreed score in the GameArena ladder system. Failure to do this may result in one or both teams forfeiting the match. Captains must check their Contact email address to confirm that they have received email confirmation of the score entry. If a score is not entered by the due time then the team may forfeit the match.

3.5 Disputes

Team Captains may choose to dispute the result of the match rather than entering a score. This should only be done for one reason; that a breach of the rules affected the probable outcome of the match. An example of this would be a team having a player spawn on the wrong side at the start of a round, or a team using an ineligible player to reach the minimum number of players needed to start.

Disputes must be supported by evidence (screenshots, videos). Disputes not supported by evidence will be dismissed, and any team that disputes a result without evidence may suffer a penalty.

Rules breaches that would probably not affect the outcome of the match (such as abusive behaviour, a player on the wrong side for a few seconds during a round, or 1 ineligible player on a full team of 16) should be brought to the attention of the ladder managers after the team captain has entered the agreed score.

Rule breaches that would normally result in a dispute but are not supported by evidence may be brought to the attention of the ladder managers after the team captain has entered the agreed score.

Disputes and other rule breaches will be decided on principles of fairness.

4. Resolving Server Problems

4.1 Contacting Ladder Managers

In the event of any problems, both Team Captains should attempt to contact a Ladder Manager immediately by using the Arena chat program. Any instructions from a Ladder Manager overrule the guides given in this section.

4.2 If the match server fails to start

If a server fails to start within 15 minutes of the match booking time and no Ladder Manager is available the match will be cancelled. Both Team Captains should immediately enter a dispute noting the server did not start.

4.3 If the match server crashes during the match

If the match server crashes and no Ladder Manager are available, teams should wait 10 minutes. If the server has not restarted after 10 minutes the match will be cancelled. If the server does restart teams have 5 minutes from the restart of the server to be "Ready to Start".

If the server crashes during a round, the score of that incomplete round is ignored and the round is replayed. If the server crashed during Round 2, the pre-crash score from Round 1 is kept and only Round 2 is replayed.

5. Player and Team Behaviour

5.1 Player Behaviour

Players are bound by the GameArena Terms & Conditions and Code of Conduct. Breaches of these may be punished. A ban from the GameArena public servers will prevent them from playing in ladder matches.
Captains are responsible for the actions and behaviour of their team.

5.2 Team Behaviour

Teams must not profit or tolerate breaches of the rules by their members. Where a team has tolerated or profited from a rule breach by one of its members it may suffer a reduction in its rank or removal from the ladder.

6. Battlefield 3 Specific Rules

6.1 Potential Changes

As the software used to run the match servers changes, these rules will be adapted in consultation with the community. These changes will be discussed ahead of time, and if controversial, teams may be polled for their opinions.

6.2 Weapon Unlocks

The 16v16 ladder will utilise weapon unlocks specific to the base game and will not include the B2K weapons.

6.3 Accessing prohibited Areas

No player will use the MAV to gain an unfair advantage such as riding on top of the MAV to an area that is not accessible by foot(Normal means). Any teams using this will result in possibly forfeiting the match.

7. Finals

7.1 Roster Lock Date

At some point an announcement will be made that to be an eligible player for the finals, a player must be enrolled by a certain date, called the roster lock date. That announcement will be made at least 14 days before the Roster Lock date.

7.2 End of Season Date.

At some point an announcement will be made that no further challenges will be allowed after a certain date, called the end of season date. After all challenges are completed, the finals will commence.

7.3 General

The format, number of teams and other information about the finals will be announced on the Roster Lock Date.

7.4 Challenging Team

When the finals format is decided the team mentioned first will be the challenging team.
Therefore the second named team will defend and start on the US side first.

8. Technical Information

8.1 How to join the match server.

The server booking email will give you the name of the server and the join password.
In your game browser, uncheck all option boxes in the “filter options” section of your server browser.
Select “Oceania” from menu.
In the “server name” field box, type the first part of the server name from your booking email.
Join the server that matches the server name from your booking email.
Input the join password when prompted.

8.2 How to use rcon to restart the map (to start Round 1)

Team captains will be issued server details including the rcon port and password required to administer the server. The rcon is only to be used to restart the map and nothing else. Ensure any plug-ins such as auto kicks and auto announcers are turned off. Failure to do this may result in the offending team forfeiting the match. Any abuse of the rcon tool will result in team a forfeit.

8.3 Stat collections and in game rcon

Match stats will be collected through out the ladder and available for teams to view. The stats will be available from www.adsastats.com There will be an option to use the in game rcon command. To check to see if the stats/rcon script is operational simply type @info in chat, this will display the script version and what is enabled. To restart the round type @restart in chat, this will restart the current round. @restart is to be used in accordance with rule 3.3. All restarts are logged and any abuse of the in game rcon system will result in the team forfeiting.

8.4 Server Settings

Game Mode: Conquest
Friendly Fire: ON
Kill Cam: OFF
Unlocks: ON
3D Spotting: OFF
Mini Map: ON
Mini Map Spotting: ON
Idle Kicker: 0
Team Balance: OFF
Ranked Status: OFF
Team Kill Kicks: 0
Regenerative Health: ON
Spawn on Squad leader only: OFF
3RD Person Cam: ON
Punkbuster: ON

8.5 Map choices

Code Name Size(64p/32p) Ticket %
MP_001 Grand Bazaar 64p 70
MP_003 Teheran Highway 64p 70
MP_007 Caspian Border 32p 100%
MP_011 Seine Crossing 64p 70
MP_012 Operation Firestorm 32p 100%
MP_013 Damavand Peak 64p 70
MP_017 Noshahr Canals 64p 70
MP_018 Kharg Island 32p 100%
MP_Subway Operation Metro 32p 100%
XP1_001 Strike At Karkand 32p 100%
Xp1_002 Gulf Of Oman 32p 100%
XP1_003 Sharqi Peninsula 32p 100%
XP1_004 Wake Island 32p 100%

8.6 Map Selections

Selection 1
Grand Bazaar
Seine Crossing
Operation Metro
Strike At Karkand
Teheran Highway

Selection 2
Caspian Border
Damavand Peak
Noshahr Canals
Gulf Of Oman
Sharqi Peninsula

Selection 3
Operation Firestorm
Kharg Island
Wake Island