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(Note: This page has been updated for the 2026 season.)
Like 2024, our registration will be a lottery system, with an option to apply for a reservation for builders who can only make a limited number of events.


'''Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.'''
NHRL is growing, and we need to update our registration system to help make our events the best they can be. We know there were some pain points with registration in 2024, and we’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months reviewing data and trends, and consulting with members of the community across experience levels, team sizes, and weight classes, to try to improve the system for 2025. We have modified the registration system to address some of the key pain points and complaints we received, and will continue to modify it during the 2025 season.


You can register for events at the [[NHRL Registration Hub]].
We want to put on the best event we can possibly run. One of the key trends/points of feedback we received was regarding an increased number of dropouts and qualifying-round forfeits under the lottery system. The best event is one where as many builders as possible get to participate in all the fights they’re scheduled for. High rates of dropouts and forfeits mean fewer fights overall and fewer opportunities for competitors to get real match experience with their bots. Dropouts also significantly increase the workload on our team, and they reduce our ability to hype up bots and builders leading up to the event. Qualifying-round forfeits are unfair to builders on the waitlist who could have made it, but weren’t selected.


Note that this system may change and evolve throughout the 2026 season.
As a result, we are increasing penalties for dropping out for an event to try to deter people from registering without finished bots or travel arrangements.


==Registration==
Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.
We offer 2 events for public registration: the '''NHRL Open''' for 3lb, 12lb, and 30lb, and '''NHRL XP''', for less experienced and more casual competitors. NHRL XP is for the 3lb weight class only, for the time being. Both events happen on the same day at the NHRL House of Havoc.


Because of overwhelming demand, we have registration caps at our NHRL events.
There are two ways to register:
* Entering the selection lottery. This is for most competitors. Some competitors will be randomly selected to compete, while others will be waitlisted, and fill in whenever there's a dropout.
* Applying for a reservation to bypass the lottery. This is for long-distance competitors, or competitors who can only make one or two events.


* 3lb Open: 80 bots
==Selection lottery==
* 3lb XP: 16 bots
The selection lottery is the most common way to register for an event. It typically opens about 8 weeks before an event, and stays open for one week. Lottery entry typically opens on a Monday and close on the following Sunday. We will, on occasion, open the lottery closer to or further out from an event due to extenuating circumstances, so please ensure you have email and Discord notifications set up if you’re hoping to register for a specific event.
* 12lb Open: 32 bots
* 30lb Open: 32 bots (up from 20 last year)


Registration opens about 8 weeks before the event (sooner for the January and February events). It closes about 7 weeks before the event, and selections are announced about 6.5 weeks before the event.
When the lottery entry closes, we will select Main Drivers randomly, weighting for drivers that have not had a chance to fight with us this season.


Registration requires a $75 deposit. You will get it back as long as you are able to make it to your first-round prelim fight.
If you do not get selected for a spot, you will be placed on the waitlist.

This way, it doesn't matter if you sign up immediately when the lottery entry opens, just before it closes, or any time in between. You will have the same chances to be selected for the event.

We announce the drivers that were selected about 6 and a half weeks before the event. This gives long-distance builders over six weeks to make travel arrangements.

Our deposit is now $75 per Main Driver per weight class. This deposit will not be refunded immediately if you are not selected; instead, you will be put on the waitlist.

You will get your deposit back if:
* You are selected for the event, pass bot inspection before your first fight, and compete in your first fight without a forfeit.
* You are on the waitlist and drop out before you are called to come off the waitlist.
* You are still on the waitlist on the day of the event.
* (Rare) You are selected, but drop out for reasons outside your control.
** Sickness, weather, or family emergencies count for this. Repeated illness or emergencies affecting your entry may impact future chances.
** Not having parts delivered in time, or blowing up a motor during testing, do not count for this. If you have a hard-to-replace part, like a custom hubmotor, please have a plan for what to do if that part breaks just before the event.

You will not get your deposit back if:
* You are selected for the event, but drop out.
* You are selected for the event, but forfeit your first fight.
* You are called off the waitilst, but cannot make the event.


==Selection==
==Selection==
Selections are generally announced 6 weeks before the event (it will be a shorter turnaround for the February and March events). Selection is by driver, not bot, although the bot registered is a factor.
Our registration caps will be:

* For 3lb: 96 bots (unchanged from 2024)
* For 12lb: 32 bots (8 more than 2024)
* For 30lb: 16 bots (unchanged from 2024)

In the unlikely event that we get 24 or fewer entries in 12lb, we may choose to increase the the 30lb field by 8 bots. If we get 8 or fewer entries in 30lb, we may choose to increase the 12lb field by 8 bots.

When the lottery closes, Main Drivers in each weight class will be separated into the following buckets:

* Bucket 0: Approved reservations. These are all drivers whose reservations have been approved. This will generally be about 25% of the bots selected, but that percentage may change depending on the number of reservations we get.
* Bucket 1: Debuts. These will be 15% of the field. It will be held for Main Drivers who have not competed at NHRL in the past 12 months. A Main Driver whose selection chances have been reduced (see below) will not be selected here.
* Bucket 2: Not participated in last 2 events. This will be 40% of the field. This will be for Main Drivers who did not compete, either through being selected or called from the waitlist, in the last 2 NHRL Open events (not including World Championships). A Main Driver whose selection chances have been reduced (see below) will not be selected here.
* Bucket 3: All other drivers. This will be about 20% of the field, but will vary depending on the number of drivers in Bucket 0, and if any bucket runs out of drivers. This will be all Main Drivers not selected in any of the above buckets.

During selection, if a Main Driver in a bucket is not selected, they will drop to the next bucket and still be eligible to be selected. If we run out of Main Drivers to select from a given bucket, we will go to the next bucket, with the extra picks going into Bucket 3.

Selected and waitlisted drivers will be announced on the Wednesday after the lottery entry closes.

We may update the order, criteria, or distribution of these slots throughout the year.


Selection will be a lottery, with 2 buckets.
If we see a driver, captain, or team member is trying to get around the selection process by bad-faith means, that person may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including being banned from events as a main driver or team member.


The first bucket will be made up of:
==Waitlist==
* All competitors in good standing who have been Main Driver of a bot that is currently-ranked.
All unselected Main Drivers will be placed into the waitlist in a random order.
* (3lb only) All competitors in good standing who have earned at least 10,000 XP.


Anyone in the first bucket must be able and willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships with their entered bot, barring an unexpected emergency or life event.
Main Drivers may withdraw from the waitlist at any time without penalty and get their refund deposited, so long as they have not been called from the waitlist. Note that it’s common for several drivers to be called from the waitlist at once, so please don’t wait until you’re at top of the waitlist to withdraw!


The second bucket will be everyone else.
==Reduced selection chances==


If there is a waitlist, then any unselected competitors from the first bucket will be at the top in random order, followed by unselected competitors from the second bucket.
Certain actions may cause a driver to have their selection chances reduced. These actions are:


==Good standing==
* The Main Driver has withdrawn from 2 Open events between the event's minor dropout deadline (usually 3 weeks before the event) and the event's major dropout deadline (1 week before the event).
A competitor is in good standing if they meet all of the following criteria:
* The Main Driver has withdrawn from an event after that event's major dropout deadline.
* In one event, the Main Driver has forfeited both their first-round and second-round qualifier fights.
* (3lb only) In two consecutive events, the Main Driver forfeited their first-round and/or second-round qualifier fight.
** In the above two cases, we reserve the right to take action retrospectively if we deem it that a competitor has not forfeited, but has clearly tried to take other means to avoid fighting.
* The Main Driver has accumulated a certain threshold of demerit points (TBD), or has engaged in disciplinary or unsportsmanlike behavior at an NHRL event, or in one of our public online spaces (like the NHRL Discord or our YouTube chat).


These reduced selection chances will apply per Main Driver per weight class, and will last for 2 Open events.
* They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights at the last 2 NHRL events at that weight class.
* They have not dropped out after registering in the last 2 NHRL events at that weight class.
* They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights or dropped out after registering at multiple events in the last 12 months at that weight class.
* They have not been disqualified from NHRL events in the past 6 months due to demerits, or forfeited multiple fights due to excessive TKO points in any weight class.
* They have not acted improperly with a timeout, or ban in the NHRL Discord in the past 6 months.


==NHRL XP==
A Main Driver who does not show up at an event and does not tell us beforehand will be banned from competing at NHRL Open events in all weight classes for 6 months.
NHRL XP is a separate 3lb tournament we run on the same day we run NHRL Open. It is open to any competitor, regardless of experience. We encourage inexperienced competitors to cut their teeth here.


The XP tournament will use the same format as the Open tournament, with a 3-round prelim feeding a single-elimination bracket. Additionally, competitors that go 0-2 in the Open prelims may sign up to compete in the XP single-elimination bracket, if they want more stick time.
A Main Driver banned from our Discord for rules violations will be banned from our events for the length of their Discord ban.


After each event, competitors gain XP for the following.
If a builder does not think they can bring enough spares to make it past their first fight, then we recommend they cut their teeth elsewhere before registering to compete at an NHRL open.


{| class="wikitable"
==Event Reservation==
! Achievement !! XP
|-
| Made first fight || 500
|-
| Made it to bracket || 1500
|-
| Made semifinals || 2000
|-
| Made final || 2500
|-
| Won event || 3500
|-
| Forfeit in prelims first round || -2000
|-
| Forfeit in prelims second or third round || -1000
|-
| Forfeit in bracket || -500
|}


A competitor who reaches 10,000 XP becomes eligible to be selected for Open.
As in 2024, we are offering event reservation to competitors for whom travel and logistics limit the possible dates they can attend (long distance flights, visa letters, etc.). If you can potentially attend most events on the schedule and travel doesn’t require extensive planning on your end, we ask that you use the open lottery system instead.


==2026 reservations==
Any Main Driver may only be included in one reservation for the entire year.
Reservations at NHRL will work differently in 2026.


Reservations for 2026 will open on January 26 (this date is subject to change). Any competitor in good standing in a weight class may reserve for ONE event in that weight class, starting with our April event.
If your reservation is approved, you will receive a code to enter into the open lottery form, which will let you bypass the lottery. Your reservation is not complete until you fill out the lottery form.


You no longer need to apply for a reservation and give a reason. (This policy is subject to change if we get a lot of dropouts and/or forfeits from competitors who have made reservations.)
You will still need to pay the $75 deposit for each approved reservation. Like any other selected competitor, you will get the deposit back if you pass bot inspection and compete in your first-round qualifier fight.


You may reserve once in multiple weight classes, as long as you are in good standing for those weight classes. You may reserve in different weight classes at the same event or different events, if you wish, as long as you only reserve once per weight class.
If your reservation is approved and you drop out before the event, you will lose your reservation for the rest of the season, unless you dropped out for especially extenuating circumstances.


Each reservation is by Main Driver, just like registration.
All other penalties for dropping out and forfeiting apply.


At 3lb, NHRL reserves the right to place any competitor in the XP tournament if we feel they would not be a good match for the Open tournament.
If there is one specific event that is best for you to fight at, you may contact us to apply for a spot for it before open lottery begins. There may be situations where we cannot honor your request (e.g. other reservations met the cap for that weight class), but in most cases, we should be able to reserve a spot for you. Note that we may close reservations several weeks or months before the event if we have a lot of reservations.


For the time being, you may reserve a spot in the Open tournament at 12lb or 30lb regardless of experience. This policy is subject to change if we get a lot of dropouts and/or forfeits from inexperienced competitors who made reservations at 12lb or 30lb.
[https://form.typeform.com/to/ItEOzTR6 Go here to apply for an event reservation.]


You will make your reservation through the NHRL Registration Hub. Reservations will now require the regular $75 deposit at the time of reservation.
==More detail about these changes==
We know this is a big change from how we operated in the past, but as NHRL grows and the competitiveness of not only participating in, but getting into each event increases, we are having to learn as we go on nailing the right balance to ensure we can be open to as many builders as possible.


Reservations cannot be moved. Please do not reserve a spot unless you are absolutely sure you can make it.
In addition to our already scheduled Open events, we are planning to run some events aimed toward newer builders. These will be perfect for newer builders and returning builders looking to test out a new design or design change in a lower-risk environment. We will make additional announcements about these events soon.


Reservations for any given event will close, at latest, the Friday before that event's lottery opens. RESERVATIONS MAY CLOSE EARLY DUE TO HIGH DEMAND. We will make a best effort to give at least 24 hours warning via email if we need to close reservations for an event early; however, we cannot guarantee that much notice if demand is overwhelming.
Second, NHRL is rolling out initiatives that will support robot fighting programs in local communities around the country. Especially if you’re looking to fight with a 3lb bot for the first time, we suggest checking out your local leagues. Many of them run 3lb events, and they’re a great place to make sure your bot is event-ready before you sign up for an NHRL Open. https://www.robotcombatevents.com and https://buildersdb.com are great resources for this.


[[Category:Information]]
Third, if you’re close to Norwalk, you can email hello@nhrl.io and arrange a date when you can come by during business hours and test your bot out in one of our cages. Please do not show up without getting approval from us first, as our cages and workshop are not always available every day.

Latest revision as of 20:40, 14 January 2026

(Note: This page has been updated for the 2026 season.)

Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.

You can register for events at the NHRL Registration Hub.

Note that this system may change and evolve throughout the 2026 season.

Registration

We offer 2 events for public registration: the NHRL Open for 3lb, 12lb, and 30lb, and NHRL XP, for less experienced and more casual competitors. NHRL XP is for the 3lb weight class only, for the time being. Both events happen on the same day at the NHRL House of Havoc.

Because of overwhelming demand, we have registration caps at our NHRL events.

  • 3lb Open: 80 bots
  • 3lb XP: 16 bots
  • 12lb Open: 32 bots
  • 30lb Open: 32 bots (up from 20 last year)

Registration opens about 8 weeks before the event (sooner for the January and February events). It closes about 7 weeks before the event, and selections are announced about 6.5 weeks before the event.

Registration requires a $75 deposit. You will get it back as long as you are able to make it to your first-round prelim fight.

Selection

Selections are generally announced 6 weeks before the event (it will be a shorter turnaround for the February and March events). Selection is by driver, not bot, although the bot registered is a factor.

Selection will be a lottery, with 2 buckets.

The first bucket will be made up of:

  • All competitors in good standing who have been Main Driver of a bot that is currently-ranked.
  • (3lb only) All competitors in good standing who have earned at least 10,000 XP.

Anyone in the first bucket must be able and willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships with their entered bot, barring an unexpected emergency or life event.

The second bucket will be everyone else.

If there is a waitlist, then any unselected competitors from the first bucket will be at the top in random order, followed by unselected competitors from the second bucket.

Good standing

A competitor is in good standing if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights at the last 2 NHRL events at that weight class.
  • They have not dropped out after registering in the last 2 NHRL events at that weight class.
  • They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights or dropped out after registering at multiple events in the last 12 months at that weight class.
  • They have not been disqualified from NHRL events in the past 6 months due to demerits, or forfeited multiple fights due to excessive TKO points in any weight class.
  • They have not acted improperly with a timeout, or ban in the NHRL Discord in the past 6 months.

NHRL XP

NHRL XP is a separate 3lb tournament we run on the same day we run NHRL Open. It is open to any competitor, regardless of experience. We encourage inexperienced competitors to cut their teeth here.

The XP tournament will use the same format as the Open tournament, with a 3-round prelim feeding a single-elimination bracket. Additionally, competitors that go 0-2 in the Open prelims may sign up to compete in the XP single-elimination bracket, if they want more stick time.

After each event, competitors gain XP for the following.

Achievement XP
Made first fight 500
Made it to bracket 1500
Made semifinals 2000
Made final 2500
Won event 3500
Forfeit in prelims first round -2000
Forfeit in prelims second or third round -1000
Forfeit in bracket -500

A competitor who reaches 10,000 XP becomes eligible to be selected for Open.

2026 reservations

Reservations at NHRL will work differently in 2026.

Reservations for 2026 will open on January 26 (this date is subject to change). Any competitor in good standing in a weight class may reserve for ONE event in that weight class, starting with our April event.

You no longer need to apply for a reservation and give a reason. (This policy is subject to change if we get a lot of dropouts and/or forfeits from competitors who have made reservations.)

You may reserve once in multiple weight classes, as long as you are in good standing for those weight classes. You may reserve in different weight classes at the same event or different events, if you wish, as long as you only reserve once per weight class.

Each reservation is by Main Driver, just like registration.

At 3lb, NHRL reserves the right to place any competitor in the XP tournament if we feel they would not be a good match for the Open tournament.

For the time being, you may reserve a spot in the Open tournament at 12lb or 30lb regardless of experience. This policy is subject to change if we get a lot of dropouts and/or forfeits from inexperienced competitors who made reservations at 12lb or 30lb.

You will make your reservation through the NHRL Registration Hub. Reservations will now require the regular $75 deposit at the time of reservation.

Reservations cannot be moved. Please do not reserve a spot unless you are absolutely sure you can make it.

Reservations for any given event will close, at latest, the Friday before that event's lottery opens. RESERVATIONS MAY CLOSE EARLY DUE TO HIGH DEMAND. We will make a best effort to give at least 24 hours warning via email if we need to close reservations for an event early; however, we cannot guarantee that much notice if demand is overwhelming.

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