Design & Competition Rules

UPDATED OCTOBER 2023.

ROBOT DESIGN RULES:

  1. ELECTRONICS AND POWER SUPPLIES
    1. Motors must be LEGO Brand and unmodified.
    2. Speed controllers and receivers may be any standard Lego control system, third-party compatible system, or custom built control system. Custom built systems must be cleared with organizers prior to competition.
    1. LEGO Brand IR receivers are discouraged, as they are easily disrupted by interference from fluorescent lighting
    2. Battery packs and power supplies may be third party or LEGO brand.
    3. Batteries may not be left exposed. Housings must have covers or shields to protect internal components. For instance, a AA battery box MUST use its supplied protective covers.
  2. BUILD LIMITS
    1. Robot must fit in a 45x45x45 stud box.
    2. The weight limit is 2 Pounds (907 grams).
    3. Robots using non-wheeled locomotion receive a 25% increase on their weight limit. Omniwheels/mecanum wheels also qualify for this bonus.
    4. The number of electronic components used is unlimited.
    5. The use of tape or glue is prohibited. However, tape or heat-shrink may be used to insulate exposed or damaged wires or other electronic components in danger of shorting.
    6. LEGO brand String, LEGO brand and third-party elastic bands are permitted, as long as they are used for movement or functionality. They may not be primarily used to permanently tie pieces together, or as a way that could potentially interfere with an opponent’s function. For instance, using an elastic as a means of weapon locomotion is allowed. Wrapping armor in layers of elastics is not allowed. As an additional example, using string to jam up an opponent’s internal mechanisms is also not allowed. Elastic bands MUST be actual elastic bands. They cannot be things like hair ties or bungee cord.
    7. Unless otherwise noted as an exception, the robot must use unmodified, LEGO brand parts.
    8. Damaged parts are not considered modified. As long as a damaged part is assumed to serve its original purpose, it shouldn’t be considered a modified part. A damaged part should not be used in a different role that it was physically incapable of doing in its undamaged state.
    9. Robots using only non-modified Lego battery packs receive a 25% increase on their weight limit. This includes the Lego PUp, EV3, etc. module. This is a one-time weight bonus, and is only for a battery pack being used as a power source.
    10. Weight bonuses can be stacked unless otherwise stated. Percentage increases are calculated off the base weight limit of 907g(2 pounds).
    11. For special consideration: due to part “metal train axle x1687” being discontinued in 2019, third party alternatives to this piece are allowed, as long as they are indistinguishable from the original part(Brick Tracks). This is an essential part for weighting weapons.
    12. For special consideration: due to discontinuation of Power Functions, third party “clones” of the following Power Function motors; M, L, XL, and Train are allowed. Clone motors must resemble their LEGO counterparts, not be altered from their original mechanical state, and not deviate above more than 50% the rpm and/or torque of standard LEGO equivalents. A weight penalty of 15g will be applied against the robot’s weight limit, PER CLONE MOTOR. Clone AAA PF boxes are allowed without penalty.
    13. For special consideration: Third party PoweredUp extension cables and lighting effects ARE PERMITTED without penalty.
  3. *APPROVED* SPECIAL 2023 EVENT RULE
    1. Allowance of Buwizz motors is PERMITTED. There will be a 45g weight penalty PER BUWIZZ MOTOR applied against the robot’s weight limit.
  4. WEAPONS
    1. Prohibited weapons include but may not be limited to:
      • Fire, heat, or weapons designed to alter the temperature properties of the opponent.
      • Liquids.
      • Magnets.
      • Devices intended to interfere with radio connectivity between the controller and receiver.
      • Devices intended to obscure or blind the vision of the operators.
      • Devices intended to entangle or otherwise render parts of the opponent as jammed or immovable, including nets, detachable harpoons and tow cables, debris intentionally dropped on the floor, such as, but not limited to ball bearings or pins.
      • A device intended to deliberately damage the arena
    2. Robot MUST have an active weapon. An active weapon is defined as:
      • being independently powered from the drivetrain of the robot
      • having a form of locomotion designed to overpower your opponent
      • Able to be activated by the operator’s remote control. Automation is allowed, but must be able to be overridden by the operator
    3. Metal is prohibited as a weapon contact tip.
    4. Using unmodified battery packs as weapon weights is allowed but may only be filled with batteries.
    5. If a LEGO pneumatics system is used to power a singular, primary weapon, the robot will receive a 10% weight bonus. Usage of pneumatics as a singular, primary weapon on a robot will negate any weight penalties.
    6. Any LEGO pneumatic parts are allowed to have custom bored diameters in their air nozzles.
  5. COSMETICS
    1. A robot may use a bonus of 35 grams of weight for cosmetic purposes only. This extra weight can in no way affect the functionality of your robot, or your competitor’s. For instance, this weight cannot be used to add mass to a weapon, or extra layers of armor. It is for decorative purposes only. Your opponent may request that any amount of decorative pieces be removed prior to the fight. Cosmetic weight must be inspected by the organizer prior to tournament.
    2. A competitor may use pigments and stickers to decorate their robot. These decorations may not cover over pinholes and seams, or otherwise affect how parts would normally separate. For instance, if a sticker covers over two or more parts, that sticker must be cut up to reveal the seams of the parts that it is adhered to.
    3. LED lights count as cosmetic.

MULTI-BOTS:

  1. You may operate more than one robot registered under the same name, simultaneously in the arena as long as:
    • the total weight of the bots is equal to the total allowed weight of a single competitor(base total 907g).
    • A multi-bot gains a one-time total weight bonus of 25%. All other applicable weight bonuses contribute to the total weight, not weight per bot.
    • A multi-bot will be counted as incapacitated if 66% of the robot’s total weight is deemed inoperable. This does not include debris dislodged from a competitor, but rather the full weight of a robot as determined at weigh-in.
    • A multi-bot using both third-party and standard Lego power sources, may use the one-time, 25% weight bonus(calculated from the total base weight limit of 907g) for standard Lego power sources, and is applicable only to the robot using the standard Lego power source. If a multi-bot is using only standard Lego power sources, the one-time 25% weight bonus (calculated from the base weight limit of 907g) may be applied in any way(including being shared as any ratio amongst any of the multi-bots).
    • Non-wheeled 25% weight bonus is one-time use, and does not stack. It can only be applied to non-wheeled bots, and can be spread across any applicable robots within the multi-bot.
    • Generally, a multibot should share similar aesthetic markings, colouration, or shape in order for the audience to discern who is fighting who.

COMPETITION RULES

LIABILITY:

  1. Once a competing robot is placed in the arena, the operator and/or owner of said competing robot hereby acknowledges that their opponents and the competition organizers will be in no way responsible for any broken/damaged components to their entrant.
  2. Once a competing robot is placed in the arena, no further functionality can be amended on it than its base state that it is currently in. Only drive function and connectivity function can be altered once placed in the arena.
  3. Operators/owners assume all responsibility for their entrant.
  4. Tournament organizers reserve the right to reject a robot from the tournament for safety concerns, unsportsmanlike conduct or other.
  5. Building a combat robot can be hazardous(yes, even in plastic play-brick form). You are responsible for your safety and those around you.

ARENA:

  1. The arena shall consist of an 8’ x 8’ enclosure.
  2. There will be four transparent walls made of impact resistant plastic separating the audience and the arena interior. The roof consists of impact resistant plastic.
  3. A lower, reinforced barricade shall surround the interior to prevent direct weapon impacts against the walls.
  4. There may be arena hazards and obstacles concealed within the floor and along the walls.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT:

  1. Saturday (Day1) will consist of a Group Stage format to determine playoff contenders.
  2. There will be no more than four(4) competitors per group.
  3. Each competitor will fight against the other competitors in their group no more than once. There will be three fight sessions over Day 1.
  4. Competitors in each group will be seeded based on NUMBER OF WINS into the playoffs on Sunday(Day 2), comprising of sixteen(16) competitors total. Any vacant spots in the Top 16 will be filled with wildcards.
  5. Tie breakers will be determined, in order, by number of wins, then KOs, head-to-heads, and finally TOTAL Judge’s Decision points. Any remaining tiebreakers will be determined by a single rumble, with the top-showing competitors advancing.
  6. Sunday (Day 2) will consist of a head-to-head playoff. Winners of each round will advance through the Winner’s Bracket. A loss will end a competitor’s playoff run.
  7. Teams with multiple entries whose entrants are matched against each other will reserve the decision to choose a secondary driver. At the discretion of the organizer, multiple self-head-to-head fights during playoffs may be rematched.
  8. Participants competing with multiple in-house robots in the Battle Bricks roster must decide which robot they solely wish to compete with, should any of their entrants match against each other in the playoffs.
  9. During playoffs, in the event that a competitor is not able to load their bot into the arena on-time, that competitor will forfeit their spot to the next highest placed competitor, or bot who’d been previously defeated by the forfeiting competitor.

RUMBLES(2023):

  1. A Rumble Tournament will take place over the final two sessions of Day 2.
  2. Rumble competitors will be determined by order in which robots were first knocked out. Operators driving more than one robot may only choose one robot to drive during the Rumbles tournament. Any remaining holes will be filled with robots based on end-of-day operational functionality.
  3. The winner of each preliminary rumble, chosen by audience vote, will advance to the Grand Rumble.
  4. The winner of the Grand Rumble will be chosen by audience vote.

MATCH LENGTH:

  1. A match’s duration will take no longer than 1:45 minutes
  2. A match may end prior to 1:45 minutes if:
    • a competitor is rendered incapacitated
    • a competitor forfeits before or during the match
    • a serious safety issue has occurred
  3. A false start may occur if one or more robots is inoperable at the beginning of the match. The match will be restarted if that occurs.

DURING THE MATCH:

  1. The goal of all competitors is to defeat their opponent by incapacitating and/or disabling them. In the event that this cannot be achieved within the allotted match time limit, then either competitor will be scored and judged on control, aggression, and damage inflicted upon their opponent.
  2. Either competitors will stand on the same arena side as the referee during the duration of the match.
  3. A weapon must not be moving until the match begins. This also applies to match pauses.
  4. Several events may occur to competitors during the match and are defined as follows:
    • Pin: A competitor may hold their opponent in a way where they are unable to move for up to 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, an official will tell the competitor to release their opponent. For instance, you may push your opponent against a wall and hold them there for 10 seconds.
    • Grapple: A competitor may hold and control their opponent in a way where the competitor is able to move around the arena and manipulate their opponent’s mobility. This is different from a pin, whereas a competitor committing the grapple is moving around the arena. A grapple can be held for up to 20 seconds.
    • Pause/Unstick: If a multibot’s LiPo/LiIon battery becomes completely separated, a match pause will occur to remove the battery from the arena, should the loss of the battery not deem the multibot incapacitated.
    • When either competitor are unable to free themselves from each other after 10 seconds. Officials will pause the match to pull either robots apart. The match will be resumed after this has occurred, with a timed countdown to the match restart.

    • Incapacitated: A competitor in unable to move. A 10 second countdown will begin before they are knocked out, at the referee’s discretion. Roughly, 10 seconds before the official 10 second count out will give a competitor time to regain control.
    • Directional Movement: Unless pinned or grappled, an operator must always be able to show that they have control over their robot at an official’s discretion. This is determined by a competitor demonstrating their ability to move towards their opponent. A competitor unable to demonstrate this will be considered incapacitated and 10 second countdown will begin before they are knocked out.
    • Knockout: When a competitor is incapacitated after 10 seconds, and counted out by the referee, they will be considered knocked out. That competitor loses the match. If a competitor has any LiPo/LiIon batteries completely separated from their robot, or any naked batteries that have been strewn on the floor, they will be considered immediately knocked out without any prior countdown.
    • Tap out/Forfeit: When a competitor requests to immediately end the fight. That competitor loses the match. The competitor will tap the timer button and put their controller down. THERE ARE NO TAPOUTS WHEN FACING TOURNAMENT ELIMINATION.

JUDGING:

If a match does not end in a knockout, the winner shall be determined through a point system graded by three judges. The points system is based on three categories, with a total of 11 points awarded, spread over both competitors as follows:

  1. WEAPON EFFECT – up to 5 total points: determined by the use of one’s primary weapon, followed by secondary weapon. This includes, but is not limited to total damage. Includes ANY intent to disable and overpower an opponent. Self-inflicted damage is weighted the least. Ramming/wedge use is also counted as weapon effect.
  2. TEMPO – up to 3 total points: determined by demonstration of controlling the pace and tempo of the match over the opponent, and demonstrating strategy.
  3. AGGRESSION – up to 3 total points: determined by the intended use of one’s weapon and how frequent a competitor is engaging their weapon with the opponent.

    During multi-robot rumble matches, a winner will be determined by a crowd vote based on cheering.

GOOD FAITH RULES:

  1. In good faith and in the spirit of sportsmanlike conduct, operators shall exercise restraint from causing excessive damage to their opponents at their own discretion. This would apply particularly in the case of when their opponent is in the process of being counted out for a knockout.
  2. Competitors shall not intentionally attack batteries that may be strewn on the arena floor. If a competitor deliberately does so, they will face an immediate ban. This does not include accidental hits.
  3. Remember that this tournament is put on as a show for the audience and the hosting convention. Be mindful of those around you including the audience and your fellow competitors.
  4. Organizers will not outright ban competitors that do not perfectly meet all of the building criteria listed above. We encourage everyone to build to the best of their abilities with the intent of making exciting matches. Our end goal is to entertain the public and promote robot fighting within the AFOL community.
  5. Anyone or organization adapting these rules will assume liability for their interpretation.