1) Hosts decide before the game starts if the game is a ladder game. A game with non-banned players who all (or all except one) have at least one game recorded on the ladder website's leaderboards or steam chat reports channel is assumed to be a ladder game unless otherwise specified. Ladder games follow standard rules. Hosts may amend these rules if they inform the players before the game begins. As a player, if you check in to the multiplayer setup screen, you agree to standard ladder rules, plus whatever amendments the host has made.

2) In the case of small disputes and judgments, the host should decide the outcome. For example, whether to allow a particular player to play, or whether to reload in the case of a bug. If you disagree with the host’s decision, you may appeal to a moderator after the game.

3) In the event of a dispute regarding the rules, the decision will be settled by moderators. Moderators can decide the outcome of the match (one team wins, or a scrap). They may also ban players who have broken the rules.

4) Games may be played as free for alls, or in teams. Teams must have an even number of players. 2v3 or 3v4 matches can’t be reported to the ladder, nor can games with more than 2 teams.

5) Team game ends when one team is eliminated, when the turn counter expires, when one team agrees to concede, or if players agree to a scrap. In a free for all, the game ends when only one player is left, if players agree to a scrap, when the turn timer has expired, or if the living players unanimously reach an agreement to “call the game”. This means ending the game, and assigning the place value of living players based on what people agree to. The placing of dead players cannot be changed through “calling the game”.

6) Quits will be logged. In the case of a quit, players must either agree to a scrap/concession, play on, or find a sub (of equal/lower ELO) for the player who quits. The game must still be reported.

The second quit in 4 months is an automatic 36 hour ban. The third is a 72 hour ban. Anything past that is a 5 day ban. These bans are effective as soon as they are announced by a moderator in the mod rulings steam channel. Games played with the banned player within the duration of their ban are non-ladder.

Quits may also be given by moderators for other bad behaviour, such as teamkilling, excessive flaming, etc.

7) Teams with 4 players may agree to concede as long as 3 players agree to do so. Teams with 3 remaining players may agree to concede as long as 2 players agree to do so. Concessions when 2 players remain on a team must be unanimous. Games with 5 or more players may be scrapped if all but one player agrees/are indifferent to it (NOT one player per team). Scrap votes with 4 or fewer players must be unanimous.

8) If the turn counter expires in a team game, the winner of a match will be determined by the sum of the score of all living players on each team, plus the decayed score of dead players via the histogram. Not the score of the player upon death. Also, in the modern mode, if a player dies, that player’s score (or decayed score) is cut in half. If a player loses their capital, they have 5 turns to retake or replant it. If by end of turn, 5 turns after the initial capture, they have not done so, their score (or decayed score) is cut in half.

9) Scoring rules for a free for all game must be agreed upon before the game begins.

10) Players who lag or drop excessively may be forced to be substituted. Hosts, teams, and moderators should work together to make the decision.

11) During a reload, both teams have 15 minutes to gather their team. They may also choose a substitute of no higher than 150 ELO above the original player. If a player subs, the game is still reported. If the subber’s team wins, the game is reported with the subber. If the subber’s team loses, the game is reported with the original player. This is to encourage subbing, and discourage quitting. When reloading, players are strongly encouraged to at least attempt to make the same moves as before the reload. If a unit died before the reload, but did not after the reload, disband it.

12) Cheats, trainers, and banned bugs are prohibited. A list of some banned tactics is available here. Notably, this includes a prohibition of end of turn stack attacks against cities, and against abusing the empty city bug.

13) Harassment (repeated insults/flaming that the recipient does not want) in public chat groups is forbidden. Flaming or insults to team members in ladder game will be taken especially seriously, since it interferes with competitive teamplay. If it happens, screenshot it and send it to a mod.

14) MPTs or QCs where one player spawns alone on an island, or 2 or more players of the same team spawn on the same island, should be automatically scrapped, and are invalid reports. If 2 players of opposite teams spawn alone on the same island, that game is valid and should continue and be scored as normal. No other exceptions.

15) Coaching is encouraged but must be done in a way that doesn’t interfere with fair competition. In ladder games, if you will be receiving multiple pieces of advice from a non-teammate who has an ELO of more than 200 above yours, this must be disclosed before teams are made.

This rule set is not meant to be inclusive of all bad behavior. An example of bad behavior not included in these rules is refusing to concede a game that is clearly lost. If players are behaving poorly in ways not explicitly prohibited by the rules, other players may refuse to play with them, and hosts may refuse to let them in their games.