Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Overview
- Safety/ Behavior
3.1. Safety is Paramount
3.2. Eye Protection
3.3. Participant Behavior
3.4. Spectators - Definitions
4.1. Round
4.2. Match
4.3. Group Stage
4.4. Elimination Bracket
4.5. The Final
4.6. Team Coaches
4.7. Spectator
4.8. Sudden Death
4.9. Referees
4.10. Flag - Scoring
5.1. 1st to Flag
5.2. Player Elimination
5.3. Flag Dash - Equipment
6.1. Safety Glasses
6.2. Blasters
6.3. Chrono Graphing Blasters
6.4. Ammo
6.5. Misc. Equipment - Gameplay
7.1. Emergencies/Injuries
7.2. Whistle Signals
7.3. Pre-Round Start
7.4. Round Start
7.5. Round End
7.6. Match Start/End
7.7. Reloading
7.8. Hits and Eliminations
7.9. Flag
7.10. Penalties
7.11. Equipment Malfunctions - Disputes Raising Procedures
8.3. Teams Can Dispute the Following:
8.4. Procedure for Raising Disputes - Pre-tournament Information
9.1. Team Registration
9.2. Referees/Volunteers - Tournament Logistics
10.1. Field Layout & Cover
10.2. Group Stage, Seeding and Elimination Bracket Details
10.3. Referees/Volunteers
10.4. 3rd Round - Appendix A – Scoring Examples
- Appendix B – Field Layout
2. Overview
2.1. Flag dash is a competitive foam dart game mode in which teams score points by eliminating opposing players, reaching the flag first and running a flag past the opposing team’s goal line.
2.2. Teams compete in 5 V 5 matches in both a Group Stage and elimination bracket.
2.3. Fields feature an axisymmetric layout with multiple solvable routes with cover spaced and angled to enable bounding and suppression tactics. The field layouts are designed to minimize immediate casualties upon game start (i.e. large central cover).
2.4. Last Updated: Mar 8, 2024
3. Safety/ Behavior
3.1. Safety is Paramount
3.1.1. Anyone, player, game runner, or spectator should keep an eye out for safety hazards and report them to the staff immediately.
3.1.2. Medical staff will be on hand to address any injuries that occur during the tournament.
3.2. Eye Protection
3.2.1. All players, referees, and spectators must have eye protection that completely covers the eye area and is impact rated. Tournament organizers will have limited spare eye protection available for distribution.
3.2.2. Spectators do not need eye protection if there is a solid barrier between them and the playing field.
3.3. Participant Behavior
3.3.1. All participants in the tournament, whether players, spectators, coaches, or referees, should be sportsmanlike and positive towards other tournament participants at all times.
3.3.2. Disruptive, abusive, or unsportsmanlike behavior towards other people will not be tolerated and is grounds for removal of the participant from the event at the Head Referee or tournament organizers discretion.
3.3.3. Our referees are community volunteers who have read through the rules and have been deemed qualified by the event host to officiate the tournament. Please treat them with respect, both in their position of authority and as an individual willing to donate their time.
3.4. Spectators
3.4.1. May cheer for teams within the code of conduct and sportsmanlike guidelines.
3.4.2. Spectators must refrain from communicating information that provides an in game advantage to teams.
4. Definitions
4.1. Round
4.1.1. A round is the most basic unit of gameplay and represents a single game played between teams. It includes the time from round start until either a win condition is achieved or the timer runs out.
4.1.2. Rounds have a 2 minute timer
4.2. Match
4.2.1. A match is a series of two or more rounds played by the same teams.
4.2.1.1. The group stage is limited to 2 rounds regardless of team score.
4.3. Group Stage
4.3.1. The Group stage is the 1st portion of the tournament in which teams play to determine seeding in the elimination bracket. Typically teams will participate in 2 to 3 matches as part of this phase depending on the number of total teams registered.
4.4. Elimination Bracket
4.4.1. The elimination bracket is the 2nd half of the tournament where teams compete in a single elimination bracket.
4.4.2. The top 6 teams overall from the group stage will compete in the Elimination bracket
4.4.2.1. See 10.2.2.2. For additional information
4.5. The Final
4.5.1. The final is the last match of the elimination bracket between the two top ranking teams.
4.6. Team Coaches
4.6.1. Team coaches can provide guidance from their team’s side of the field.
4.6.2. They must be one of the rostered team members. See 7.6.1.
4.7. Spectator
4.7.1. Spectators are individuals who are not on the roster of any team or players who are not actively on the playing field.
4.8. Sudden Death
4.8.1. Is a series of 1V1 games.
4.8.1.1. Played if teams are tied after a 3rd round during the elimination bracket.
4.8.1.2. Played if the bottom scoring teams of the Group Stage are tied.
4.9. Referees
4.9.1. Referees are designated officials that watch a match closely to ensure
the rules are adhered to.
4.10. Flag
4.10.1. The flag is a piece of fabric without any pole placed in the center of the field in a clearly visible location.
5. Scoring
5.1. 1st to Flag
5.1.1. The first team to touch the flag scores 2 points
5.2. Player Elimination
5.2.1. Each player eliminated from the opposing team scores 1 point
5.3. Flag Dash
5.3.1. Touching any of the opposing team’s breakout box with the flag is worth 4 points.
5.3.1.1. Note at least one opposing player must still be active for a flag to be scored.
5.3.2. In the event that a player mistakenly touches the flag to their team’s breakout box with the flag then the opposing team will be awarded 4 points.
5.4. See sections 7.5.1.2.1 and 7.11.3 for additional details on special circumstances
5.5. Max possible points a team can score during a round is 10 points
5.5.1. 2 pts for 1st to flag + 4 pts for eliminating 4 opposing players + 4 pts for a flag dash = 10 pts. Note that one of the opposing players must remain alive, otherwise the round would end before the flag could be scored.
5.6. For the Group Stage portion of the tournament, the cumulative points from every round across multiple matches is added to determine the seeding position for the 2nd portion (elimination bracket) of the tournament. See Appendix A for examples.
5.7. For the elimination bracket, the cumulative points from the rounds in a single match are used to determine the winner of the match. The team that wins the match proceeds in the bracket while the losing team is eliminated from the tournament. Points from previous matches have no effect on a team’s advancement during the elimination bracket phase. See Appendix A for examples.
6. Equipment
6.1. Safety Glasses
6.1.1. Must be impact rated eye protection
6.1.2. Players are responsible for ensuring their safety glasses cover their
eyes the entire match.
6.1.2.1. Referees will signal players who lose their safety glasses.
6.1.2.1.1. Players may not proceed playing until their safety glasses have been corrected.
6.1.2.1.2. Only the offending player must stop upon signaling.
6.1.2.2. Players who lose their safety glasses and are unable to replace them quickly will be eliminated at the referee’s discretion.
6.2. Blasters
6.2.1. Players are not allowed to use a secondary blaster during gameplay.
6.2.2. The following types of blasters are allowed:
6.2.2.1. Manual prime spring powered
6.2.2.1.1. 250 FPS Limit
6.2.2.2. Electric Powered blasters (includes flywheels/AEBs/AEGs)
6.2.2.2.1. 200 FPS Limit
6.2.2.3. Any other blaster type is not allowed. This includes but is not limited to:
6.2.2.3.1. HPA/LPA/CO2
6.2.2.3.2. Hand pumped
6.2.2.4. Blasters may not be reloaded by loose darts during gameplay (i.e. no dump pouches full of darts) and should therefore use magazines, clips, hoppers, etc. Speed loaders are acceptable.
6.2.2.5. Tournament organizers reserve the right to deny the use of any blaster.
6.2.3. Each team can register up to 10 blasters during dart check. Teams distribute the blasters amongst their team as they see fit.
6.3. Chrono Graphing Blasters
6.3.1.1. Blasters will be chronographed by tournament staff during dart check, in an as configured for tournament play state. This includes but is not limited to:
6.3.1.1.1. Fully charged batteries for electric blasters
6.3.1.1.2. Players must chronograph each blaster with a unified testing dart, decided by the event organizers.
6.3.1.1.2.1. Players are only required to use the unified testing darts for blaster checks.
6.3.1.1.2.1.1. The unified testing darts will be provided at blaster check.
6.3.1.1.2.1.2. Teams will also be given 300 unified testing darts to self test their blasters at the community chronograph station.
6.3.1.1.2.2. Players may use any legal dart type for their match.
6.3.1.2. Players will fire 3 correctly-read shots per blaster. If any of the shots are more than 10 fps over the limit, or if the average of the 3 shots is over the fps limit, the player will fire another 3 darts. If the blaster fails the second set of 3 shots, it is disqualified.
6.3.1.2.1. Players will be expected to have checked their blaster before blaster check and will not be permitted to readjust their blaster before their upcoming match.
6.3.1.2.2. Disclaimer: Maryland weather and humidity can cause blasters to shoot faster than what you may have chronographed at home, be cautious of this.
6.3.1.3. Tournament staff reserve the right to check any registered blaster at any time to ensure it is compliant with the rules.
6.3.1.4. Players may not modify their blaster or switch to a different dart type after dart check; players caught violating these rules intentionally may be removed from the tournament at the Head Referee’s discretion.
6.4. Ammo
6.4.1. Must be commercially-available foam dart ammo (no homemades or modified darts with the exception of cut down full lengths)
6.4.1.1. Legal ammo includes:
6.4.1.1.1. Soft tipped half and full length darts
6.4.1.1.2. Foam balls (i.e. Rival rounds)
6.4.1.2. Examples of illegal darts include but are not limited to Mega, Mega XL, Rockets, fvj’s, voberry’s, dragon darts, 50 cal foam ball, etc.
6.4.2. Teams must provide their own ammo for tournament play
6.4.3. For each match, a team is allowed 600 pieces of ammo which they may distribute amongst themselves as they see fit (i.e. 3 players start with 120 pieces of ammo, one player starts with 140 pieces of ammo and the remaining player only starts with 100 pieces of ammo). Unused ammo does not carry over between matches.
6.4.3.1. Teams must have sufficient magazines and ammo to preload 600 pieces of ammo prior to the start of a match.
6.4.3.2. There is no reloading between rounds, however teams may redistribute their ammo during the 1 minute between rounds
6.4.3.3. See section 7.7 for details on reloading during matches.
6.4.4. Throwables are not allowed
6.4.5. Official dart sweeps will be announced periodically to allow players to replenish their dart supplies.
6.4.5.1. Players may unofficially dart sweep between matches but must not interfere with the starting of a next match.
6.4.5.2. Any person dart sweeping is entitled to keep what they sweep.
6.4.5.2.1. See section 6.2.4.1.2 for rules on qualifying blasters with ammo type.
6.5. Misc. Equipment
6.5.1. Teams are encouraged but not required to wear similar color clothing to help identify their team (i.e. jerseys).
6.5.2. The following items are not allowed:
6.5.2.1. Radios, flashlights, lasers, pyrotechnic devices, shields, melee weapons, or any other device deemed unsafe or unsuitable by tournament organizers.
6.5.2.2. Metal and plastic cleats
6.5.2.2.1. Appropriate turf shoes are allowed but must be approved by the head ref before being allowed on the field.
7. Gameplay
7.1. Emergencies/Injuries
7.1.1. Any individual who uses safety rules for a gameplay advantage will be
removed from the tournament.
7.1.2. In the event of an injury or safety concern the word “HOLD” should be
yelled, at which point everyone should freeze in place and take a
knee. In addition to yelling “HOLD” the referees will do long whistle
blows, pause the timer, and activate the buzzer.
7.1.2.1. All gameplay should cease as soon as “HOLD” is yelled.
7.1.2.2. Players should verbally echo the “HOLD” announcement.
7.1.2.3. Players are not allowed to reload, consolidate darts or swap
mags during a pause.
7.1.2.3.1. Players keep their current ammo for when the game resumes.
7.1.2.4. If a player is injured any rostered player on the team (including a coach) may become an active player for the rest of the match. If a team uses a coach as a replacement, the team may not replace that coach for the match.
7.1.2.4.1. The replacement will only be allowed the amount of ammo that the injured player had remaining.
7.1.2.5. Resuming of gameplay after safety event
7.1.2.5.1. In general after a safety situation, players start from the bunker in which they were located at the time of the pause. Replacements start in the bunker that the player they replaced was prior to the pause. Any players that were moving between bunkers will return to the bunker that they last left prior to the pause being called. Exact positioning of players will be left to the discretion of thehead referee.
7.1.2.5.2. If the flag is in possession of a player when a pause is called, that player, or their replacement, resumes the game with the flag. If the flag is on the ground, it will stay there when the game play resumes
7.1.3. Intentional physical contact between players is not allowed.
7.1.3.1. Intentional physical contact can result in disqualification from the tournament and loss of points. Penalties will be at the discretion of the head referee.
7.2. Whistle Signals
7.2.1. A long whistle blast indicates the round is over or stopped and can be due to:
7.2.1.1. Emergencies/ Injuries/ Safety issue
7.2.1.2. False starts
7.2.1.3. Victory condition achieved
7.2.2. A short whistle blast is a referee indicating that a player is hit. In addition to blowing the whistle the referee will point at the eliminated player.
7.3. Pre-Round Start
7.3.1. A referee will check that each team is ready.
7.3.2. The flag is reset to the center of the field.
7.4. Round Start
7.4.1. When teams are asked if they are ready, they will have 15 seconds to confirm in the positive.
7.4.1.1. Teams may elect to play down a player(s) if a player is not ready within the allotted time.
7.4.1.1.1. For each player not ready in the allotted time, that player will be eliminated for the round and a point awarded to the opposing team.
7.4.1.1.2. If all 5 players are not ready in the allotted time then the team forfeits the round and 10 points will be awarded to the opposing team.
7.4.1.1.3. See section 7.7.4 for players not fully reloaded
7.4.2. The round begins on the buzzer. There is no countdown.
7.4.3. Players must begin with their feet completely behind the horizontal line of one of their breakout boxes with the muzzle of their blaster touching some part of the breakout box. Once ready has been called, players cannot move until the buzzer is sounded (i.e. no moving from side to side, etc).
7.4.3.1. Repeated infractions for players moving can result in additional penalties at the head referee’s discretion.
7.4.4. Players can not fire their blaster until they have completely entered the playing field.
7.4.5. For false starts see section 7.10.1
7.5. Round End
7.5.1. Any of the following conditions ends the round immediately and no further points can be scored
7.5.1.1. Elimination of a team
7.5.1.2. A flag score
7.5.1.2.1. Players may not forfeit, surrender or step out of bounds to prevent a team from scoring a flag. They may however try to force the other team to tag them out.
7.5.1.3. Round Over
7.5.1.3.1. 2 minute timer running out
7.5.1.4. Active players should not consider the round over until a buzzer is sounded. Sometimes there are delays in verifying all players have been eliminated or a player gets hit prior to passing the goal line with the flag.
7.5.1.4.1. If a flag is scored after a team is eliminated but prior to the buzzer sound, the flag score does not count.
7.5.1.4.2. If a dart is in the air but has not hit a player before the buzzer sounds, that player is not considered eliminated.
7.5.2. Any player that was not eliminated during the round must report to the referee box to indicate that they were still alive.
7.5.2.1. Players who do not report may be counted as eliminated and these eliminations can not be disputed.
7.5.2.2. A player indicating their status as alive when there was clear evidence to the contrary will be deemed as cheating and as penalty will be ejected from the tournament.
7.6. Match Start/End
7.6.1. Team Coach
7.6.1.1. Teams are not required to have coaches, however, when used team coaches must be designated before the start of a match and be on the team’s roster.
7.6.1.2. A team coach may not change during a match but may be changed between matches. See section 7.1.2.4 for exceptions.
7.6.1.3. Each team may designate a maximum of 1 coach from their rostered players for the upcoming match.
7.6.1.4. Coaches/players may not use voice enhancing devices such as but not limited to megaphones, radios, etc.
7.6.1.5. Coaches are limited to their team’s side of the field and may not cross the centerline into the opposing team’s area.
7.6.1.6. Teams may only have 1 coach on the sidelines at any given time.
7.6.2. Teams designate 5 of their rostered players to compete in each match. These can change between matches, but not between rounds in a match. See section 7.1.2.4 for exceptions.
7.6.3. Teams will be randomly assigned a starting side at the beginning of each match.
7.6.4. Teams will switch sides after the 1st round.
7.6.5. There is a 1 minute reset after each round
7.6.6. Tiebreakers
7.6.6.1. Tiebreakers are only performed during the elimination bracket phase. See section 10.2.2 for exceptions.
7.6.6.2. If after the 2nd round the teams are tied, a 3rd round will be played. Teams will be randomly assigned a side to start on for the 3rd round.
7.6.6.2.1. For reloading for round 3 See 10.4.2.
7.6.6.3. In the event that the teams are tied after a 3rd round, the teams will move into sudden death. For sudden death:
7.6.6.3.1. It consists of 3 1v1 rounds. The winner is the best 2 out of 3.
7.6.6.3.2. Each team elects a different player to compete in each of the 1v1 rounds and provides the order in which those players will compete to the head referee. The order can not be changed.
7.6.6.3.3. 1v1 rounds follow the normal rule set with the following exceptions:
7.6.6.3.3.1. Round timer is reduced to 1 minute
7.6.6.3.3.2. No points are awarded for first to flag.
7.6.6.3.3.3. Cumulative points do not apply to sudden death (i.e. a flag dash scoring 4 points only wins that round and doesn’t have any further impact on the tiebreaker).
7.6.6.3.3.4. Players are only issued 15 pieces of ammo. There is no sharing of ammo between players.
7.7. Reloading
7.7.1. There is no reloading loose darts during a round unless instructed to by a head official.
7.7.2. Players may share ammo during game play (such as tossing a mag).
7.7.3. Dart scavenging during gameplay is not allowed. See 6.4.5.
7.7.3.1. Picking up darts outside of gameplay between matches is allowed and can be used to replenish your dart supply before the start of a round.
7.7.3.2. If a dart is dropped and touches the ground during gameplay it is considered dead and can not be used. 7.7.4. If a player is not fully reloaded when the 3rd round is ready to start then they will need to play with what they already have loaded (i.e. they will start the round with less ammo then what they could have used).
7.8. Hits and Eliminations
7.8.1. Ammo must be propelled by a blaster, throwing ammo is strictly prohibited.
7.8.2. Players are expected to play with integrity and self-eliminate when they detect a hit.
7.8.3. Referees will also indicate when they see a player is hit by doing a short whistle blow and pointing at the eliminated player.
7.8.3.1. Players may not argue with the referee on the field. See Section 8 for how to dispute the call.
7.8.3.1.1. Players attempting to argue with a referee will result in a penalty 1 point being deducted from their team’s score.
7.8.3.1.1.1. A repeat offense will result in the player’s ejection from the tournament.
7.8.4. Players do not have the authority to call hits on opposing players. See Section 8 for how to dispute a call.
7.8.5. A hit occurs when ammo directly propelled from a blaster contacts a player, their blaster, or anything the player is wearing or carrying, This includes the flag.
7.8.5.1. If a dart fired by a player is in the air prior to that player being eliminated, that dart is still active and can eliminate players. (i.e. two players can eliminate each other. Commonly called a trade)
7.8.5.2. If a player fires their blaster after being eliminated those darts are considered inactive and do not eliminate players.
7.8.6. Ricochets do not count as a hit.
7.8.7. Friendly fire does not count
7.8.8. Blind firing is not allowed. Players must be able to see the trajectory their dart will travel when firing the blaster.
7.8.8.1. Repeated infractions may result in a player being pulled from the round, resulting in an elimination point for the opposing team
7.8.9. There is no minimum engagement distance. There is no surrendering or mercy kills (i.e. saying bang-bang, hand tagging, etc).
7.8.10. Players who are hit are eliminated, as are players who leave bounds or play unsafely (i.e. leaping over or significantly moving cover or physically endangering other players).
7.8.10.1. There is no respawning.
7.8.10.2. Leaving bounds is defined as any part of a player or equipment on their person coming in contact with the boundary line or ground beyond the line.
7.8.10.2.1. Leaving bounds will immediately result in the elimination of the infracting player
7.8.10.2.2. Intentional self elimination via stepping out of bounds to prevent flag scoring is prohibited. In the event that a player runs out of bounds to prevent a flag score, the opposing team will be awarded the points for both the elimination and the flag score.
7.8.10.2.2.1. This is the one instance where a team can score more than 10 points.
7.8.10.3. No jumping over cover.
7.8.10.3.1. Jumping over cover will immediately result in the elimination of the infracting player.
7.8.11. Eliminated Player Behavior
7.8.11.1. Players who are eliminated should immediately raise their hand.
7.8.11.2. Eliminated players should leave the field by exiting to the nearest boundary line. They should stay in the out of bounds area as they head directly to their team’s designated eliminated player area.
7.8.11.2.1. A player leaving the field should have at least one hand in the air and move at a reasonable pace.
7.8.11.2.2. An eliminated player should make every effort to avoid inhibiting continuing gameplay.
7.8.11.2.3. Eliminated players may not communicate to their remaining team members until they have reached their designated eliminated player area. Once they reach their eliminated player area they may communicate to their teammates but are not allowed to move up and down the field.
7.8.11.3. Eliminated players’ equipment that they are carrying dies with them and should be carried off the field if practical; living players may not borrow ammo, blasters, or other equipment from eliminated players.
7.8.11.3.1. Any equipment on the ground prior to a player being tagged should be left in place. For example if a player drops a mag on the ground prior to being tagged that mag is left in place and can be picked up and used.
7.8.11.3.1.1. Players may not use equipment dropped by the opposing team.
7.8.11.3.2. Players may not pick up blasters that other players have left on the ground.
7.9. Flag
7.9.1. The flag may only be moved with a player’s hand
7.9.1.1. The flag must remain in the player’s hand while they are carrying it and can not be placed inside of gear.
7.9.2. Players who are eliminated must drop the flag immediately where they were hit.
7.9.2.1. If a player’s momentum carries them over the goal line after being tagged it does not count as a score and the flag should be immediately placed in the field where they were tagged.
7.9.2.2. If necessary referees will move the flag to where the player was hit.
7.9.3. The flag may be placed on the ground at any point in the game but
cannot be thrown or kicked.
7.9.4. Players can hand off the flag to other active players.
7.9.5. Players may continue to shoot their blaster while carrying the flag.
7.10. Penalties
7.10.1. False Starts
7.10.1.1. Each team gets 1 warning per match.
7.10.1.1.1. After the warning, any player on that team who commits a starting position infraction will be eliminated from the round and the opposing team will receive a point for each eliminated player.
7.10.1.1.1.1. For example, if team “A” player 1 has a false start then team “A” receives a warning. If team “B” then has a false start, they receive a warning. If team “A” player 2 has a false start after the reset then player 2 is eliminated.
7.10.1.1.1.2. If darts are fired during a false start situation then typically those players will play the round without replenishing those darts. The head referee on occasion may direct otherwise.
7.10.1.1.2. Gameplay resets whenever a warning is provided but for subsequent infractions gameplay continues and the offender is pulled off the field as an eliminated player.
7.10.2. Movement of Cover.
7.10.2.1. Players may not move cover to obtain an in-game advantage, any player observed moving cover intentionally will be eliminated at the referees discretion.
7.10.2.1.1. Players observed moving cover intentionally will be eliminated at the referees discretion.
7.10.2.1.2. In instances where cover starts to fall over a player may hold on to the cover to keep it in the correct position.
7.10.2.1.3. Cover being moved as a result of being touched by the flag during a flag score will have no negative impact on the scoring team.
7.10.2.1.4. Cover being moved during a flag run due to the scoring player directly running into/slamming against/jumping into will result in the score being voided and the player being eliminated.
7.10.2.1.4.1. If a score is voided, play will continue and the flag will be returned to the play area by a referee.
7.10.2.2. Players who run into cover resulting in damage or cause significant movement of the cover will be eliminated at referees discretion.
7.10.3. Cheating
7.10.3.1. Players caught engaging in actions attempting to falsely change the score will be immediately ejected from the tournament.
7.10.4. Miscellaneous Infractions
7.10.4.1. Other infractions whether intentional or unintentional will be left to the head referee on what the corrective action is.
7.11. Equipment Malfunctions
7.11.1. Play does not stop for any equipment malfunction (including blaster jams) unless it poses a safety risk
7.11.2. Players may attempt to fix their equipment while still on the field or choose to continue playing the round without it.
7.11.3. Equipment may be swapped out in between rounds but not during.
8. Disputes Raising Procedures
8.1. Disputes must be placed after the round has completed, and before the start of the following round.
8.2. Each team is allowed 1 dispute during the Group Stage and 1 dispute during the Elimination bracket
8.2.1. Disputes that result in a corrective action do not count against the team’s use of their dispute. For example, if a team disputes that an opposing player was tagged and the dispute coordinator concurs, the team still has their dispute to use later, however if the dispute coordinator disagrees then that team loses their dispute and will not be able to use the dispute process during the rest of the tournament. This limit is intended to ensure the disputing process is undertaken in good faith.
8.2.2. Disputes not used in the Group Stage do not roll over into the
Elimination Bracket.
8.3. Teams Can Dispute the Following:
8.3.1. whether a player was hit or not
8.3.2. when a player was hit
8.3.3. position of the flag when a player was hit
8.3.4. whether the flag was scored before the flag carrier was hit
8.3.5. whether the flag was scored before elimination of a team
8.3.6. whether a player was or had been out of bounds
8.3.7. starting position infraction
8.3.8. Other reasons may be brought up but are left to the discretion of the
dispute coordinator on whether or not to investigate.
8.4. Procedure for Raising Disputes
8.4.1. The team captain is the only person who can officially request a dispute. Other team members need to route any disputes through them but may be present to help explain the dispute.
8.4.2. The teams should locate the dispute coordinator and raise their dispute within 3 minutes of the matches completion. If a team takes too long to raise a dispute then it is at the dispute coordinator’s discretion on whether or not to investigate.
8.4.3. For a dispute, a team will need to provide specific information on what the infraction was, where it was committed (a field layout diagram will be provided to aid in this), and approximately when in the match it occurred.
8.4.4. Once the dispute coordinator has obtained all the details, they will review the available footage and consult with the other referees.
8.4.4.1. The event organizers will have several video cameras livestreaming the event which can aid in the resolution of disputes.
8.4.4.2. Players are allowed to show their own footage to the dispute coordinator to aid in the decision process.
8.4.4.2.1. All video footage must be provided in a timely manner.
8.4.4.2.2. Only footage from the livestream and active players may be submitted.
8.4.5. Dispute Rulings
8.4.5.1. In the event that the dispute coordinator is unable to find any evidence related to the dispute then no corrective action is taken and the ruling from the match stands.
8.4.5.2. In the event that the dispute coordinator finds clear evidence related to the dispute, then they will make a ruling on what the corrective action will be.
8.4.5.3. In the event that the dispute coordinator finds questionable evidence related to the dispute, they may consult with the other referees to get additional opinions before making a ruling.
8.4.6. Once a ruling has been made, the dispute coordinator will inform the team(s) what it is and whether there is any corrective action. No further evidence can be submitted and the ruling can not be overturned.
9. Pre-tournament Information
This section is representative of the way Maryland Foam Tournament is handling logistics, but this could vary at other tournaments playing Flag Dash.
9.1. Team Registration
9.1.1. Teams are allowed to register up to 8 members for the tournament and need at least 5 players to enter the tournament.
9.1.1.1. Teams must have a complete roster in order to register.
9.1.1.2. Players and coaches are limited to a single team.
9.1.2. Players must be age 12 and older. Players under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present at all times, and must play with consent of the parent or guardian.
9.1.3. The day of the tournament teams will need to designate who their team captain is.
9.2. Referees/Volunteers
9.2.1. Volunteers are welcomed, pre-registration is required for volunteers by March 31st email marylandmayhem@marylandfoamalliance.com to apply.
9.2.1.1. Volunteers may not be rostered on any team competing in the tournament.
10. Tournament Logistics
This section is representative of the way Maryland Foam Tournament is handling logistics, but this could vary at other tournaments playing Flag Dash.
10.1. Field Layout & Cover
10.1.1. Possible tournament field layouts are provided in Appendix B to allow teams to practice.
10.1.2. Cover may be constructed from fabric, PVC, inflatables, or other similarly sturdy material.
10.1.3. Each end of the field will contain 3 breakout boxes.
10.1.3.1. Breakout boxes will be 5’x5’ squares constructed out of PVC and fabric.
10.1.4. The starting position may include grids marked by cones or similar objects to denote a starting grid where players must start.
10.1.5. The flag is placed in the center of the field in a clearly visible location.
10.2. Group Stage, Seeding and Elimination Bracket Details
10.2.1. Group Stage
10.2.1.1. Depending on the total number of teams registered for the tournament each team will compete in 4 to 6 matches during the Group Stage phase.
10.2.1.2. Seeding will be decided by event organizers with a team’s placement being based on the host’s knowledge of each teams’ experience.
10.2.1.3. There are no tie breakers during the Group Stage. See section
10.2.2 for exceptions.
10.2.2. Seeding
10.2.2.1. Group Stage
10.2.2.1.1. Teams will be seeded into the group stage based off their experience and history.
10.2.2.1.1.1. Teams may email marylandmayhem@marylandfoamalliance.com if they wish to provide additional experience/history that the MFT team may not have.
10.2.2.2. Elimination Bracket
10.2.2.2.1. Only the top 6 scoring teams from the group stage will proceed into the Elimination bracket.
10.2.2.2.1.1. A team’s score is the cumulative points collected across all their group stage matches.
10.2.2.2.1.2. In the event of tie for the top scoring teams, the decision of who will proceed into the elimination bracket will be based off of match wins.
10.2.2.2.1.2.1. In the event of the top scoring teams also tying in wins, each team will select a single player to compete in a single 1v1 1 minute round. This is similar to sudden death as explained in Section 7.6.6.3.1 to 7.6.6.3.3 except there is only 1 round instead of 3.
10.2.2.2.2. The remaining teams will be eliminated, and will not compete in the elimination bracket.
10.2.3. Elimination Bracket
10.2.3.1. The only exception to the single elimination is for the teams that must compete for 3rd place. (i.e. the losers to the 1st and 2nd place winners will face off to determine 3rd and 4th place).
10.3. Referees/Volunteers
10.3.1. Referees
10.3.1.1. Referees will be chosen by the event organizers.
10.3.1.1.1. Typically at least 6 referees will be present on the field during each round and will be spread out evenly across the playing field.
10.3.1.2. Head Referee(s) will be assigned with the authority to resolve situations not covered by this rule set
10.3.1.3. Training
10.3.1.3.1. A Referees primary role is to detect hit players and rule violations. See 7.10 for penalties.
10.3.1.3.2. Pre-Round/ Round Start
10.3.1.3.2.1. Back line referees ensure that all players are completely behind their breakout boxes with their blaster muzzle touching the breakout box.
10.3.1.3.2.2. The announcer will start the round by asking, “TEAM NAME, are you ready?”. Once both teams acknowledge in the affirmative (See
section 7.4.1 for how to handle teams not ready) they then announce “Listen for the buzzer”. Then either the head referee or a delegate will play the buzzer.
10.3.1.3.2.2.1. A delegate would typically be the person running the timer/scoreboard.
10.3.1.3.3. During Gameplay
10.3.1.3.3.1. Backline referees should watch for false starts as defined in section 7.10.1.
10.3.1.3.3.1.1. False starts include a player crossing the breakout box line or not having their muzzle touching the breakout box prior to the buzzer sound.
10.3.1.3.3.1.2. When a false start occurs the referee should do a long whistle blow to issue a warning or a short whistle blow to eliminate the offending players.
10.3.1.3.3.1.2.1. See 7.10.1 for when to eliminate versus provide a warning.
10.3.1.3.3.2. Referees may step onto the field for the following reasons:
10.3.1.3.3.2.1. Gaining a better view of players.
10.3.1.3.3.2.2. Fixing Cover
10.3.1.3.3.2.3. Moving the flag
10.3.1.3.3.3. A referee notifies a player of their elimination by blowing a short whistle burst and pointing at the eliminated player.
10.3.1.3.3.3.1. A player’s name and number will also be called out if known/visible on player’s gear
10.3.1.3.3.4. Players may not argue a referee call during game play. See section 8 for how disputes should be handled.
10.3.1.3.3.5. If a player does not drop the flag where they were hit then as necessary referees should move the flag to where the player was hit.
10.3.1.3.3.6. Stay out of lines of fire between players.
10.3.1.3.3.7. Do not get too close to players or indicate where a player is to the opposing team.
10.3.1.3.4. End of Round
10.3.1.3.4.1. Once a Referee is confident that the round has ended due to a team elimination or flag score they should make a long whistle blast to indicate to the head referee that the round is over.
10.3.1.3.5. Scorekeepers
10.3.1.3.5.1. At the head referee’s discretion, the person running the timer/ scoreboard may be delegated the task of starting each round provided it has a buzzer.
10.4. 3rd Round
10.4.1. Team Side
10.4.1.1. If a 3rd round is needed a referee should flip a coin to decide which team starts on which side of the field. Do not let the teams call heads or tails but just assign team A to side 1 if heads and side 2 if tails.
10.4.2. Reloading
10.4.2.1. When a 3rd round is required, teams will be given 3 minutes to reload up to 200 rounds.
11. Appendix A – Scoring Examples
11.1. Group Stage Phase
11.1.1. Team A scores:
11.1.1.1. 5 points (2 points in 1st round, 3 in 2nd round) in match 1, 6
points in match 2, 3 points in match 3, and 8 points in match 4.
For a total cumulative points of 22 points during Group Stage
which is used to seed team A into the single elimination
bracket.
11.2. Single-Elimination Phase
11.2.1. Round 1: Team A eliminates 4 opposing players, Team B eliminates 2
opposing players, neither team touches the flag or achieves a flag
push. Team A wins round 1.
11.2.2. Round 2: Team A eliminates 2 opposing players, Team B does not eliminate any opposing players but Team B touches the flag first and achieves a flag push. Team B wins round 2.
11.2.3. Overall Match: Team B wins the match with a cumulative score of 7 pts (for eliminating 2 opposing players, being 1st to the flag, and making a flag dash) compared to the 6 pts (for eliminating 6 opposing players) Team A scored. Team B advances in the tournament and Team A is eliminated.
12. Appendix B – Field Layout
Flag Dash is a game mode created by the Maryland Foam Alliance with rule formatting provided by the Game Mode Repository.
This ruleset falls under the Creative Commons Attribution CC B
Others may distribute, remix, adapt, use commercially and build upon this work, provided they give credit to the Maryland Foam Alliance and Game Mode Repository