October 2024 Freestyle format

In September, we revealed a new Freestyle format. We will bring it back in October!

In the past, we’ve run a single-elimination Freestyle tournament. The issue with this was that because we wanted to make sure all 3lb bots eliminated from qualifiers got a chance to participate, we had to start it late in the day.

We also haven’t been able to give our 12lb or 30lb bots many chances to fight outside the main tournament.

Our new Freestyle format fixes this! Here’s how it will work.

Arrive at the NHRL facility by 9 am so you can go through the bot inspection process. Note that parking may get hard to find later in the morning. Please attend the 11 am Freestyle builder meeting. You will be informed before the event if you have a table for the whole day, if you need to split a table at the start of the day, or if you have a table for only part of the day.

We will start 3lb Freestyle fights at 1 pm, and 12lb and 30lb Freestyle fights at 3 pm. It will not be a tournament. Instead, starting at about 11 am, you'll be able to request a fight at the Freestyle desk. Look for the plastic ballot box at the pit desk. You may fight Freestyle as long as you are a waitlisted bot with a pit table, or all your bots have been eliminated from the tournament. If you are driving bots in multiple weight classes, please do not sign up for a Freestyle fight unless all your bots have been eliminated.

There are two ways you can get into a Freestyle fight. First, if you know who you're fighting, you can always go to the Freestyle desk and request that specific matchup as a grudge fight. All involved drivers must be at the Freestyle desk, and they must all be ready to fight. You may schedule a rumble this way.

Second, if you want a matchup randomly assigned to you, and you are ready to fight, drop your pog off at the Freestyle desk. If you have a 3lb bot, drop your pog into the plastic ballot box. If you have a 12lb or 30lb bot, hand your pog to the person at the Freestyle desk and tell them what weight class you're fighting in. Again, please don't drop your pog off unless you're ready to fight.

At regular points in the day, we will randomly pull pogs to determine matchups. We'll do this at least once an hour.

We will run rumbles between 5:30 and 7 pm. Keep an eye on the whiteboard next to the Freestyle desk. You'll be able to sign up for a rumble then.

Unfortunately, we cannot allow flamethrower bots to use their weapons during Freestyle fights. If you want to fight Freestyle with your flamethrower bot, you must remove your fuel tank before the fight. We allow competitors with no active weapons to fight Freestyle, for now.

We will finish Freestyle fights at around 8 pm, give or take an hour, depending on interest.

We’re hoping that this Freestyle format will give you more opportunities to fight in more weight classes.