Last updated by M. Polcen (1/11/24)

Redscape Formula Racing House Rules

A PBEM racing simulation based on the Championship Formula Racing board game

1. Game Rules

Redscape Formula Racing follows the official rules for Championship Formula Racing, an updated version of the Avalon Hill classic Speed Circuit. The official rules for Championship Formula Racing are available here: CFR Rules

2. PBEM Rules
   

1. Race Marshall (RM)

1. All car plots shall be emailed to the RM by the published deadlines.
2. The RM is responsible for adjudicating the turn in a timely manner or otherwise notify drivers if a delay is necessary.
3. The RM may play as long as the RM’s plot for the subsequent turn is emailed to a trustworthy third party (not playing in the game) or a time-stamped dropbox prior to receiving plots from the field.

2. Car Plots

1. Deadlines

1. Plots will not be accepted past the published turn deadline.
2. The driver will incur an NPR.

2. The following template is the suggested format for car plots.  

3. Link to template: Redscape Plot Template
4. Use of the template is not required, however, any format used must, at a minimum, include speed.
5. If any part of the template is left blank the defaults are as follows:

1. End lane = inside (1)
2. Wear = as implied by the plot
3. Skill = 0
4. Corner = highest speed available
5. Slipstream/Pass/Block = N
6. For unexpected events, wear is used prior to using the tables.
7. If dice must be used, the RM will use the friendliest dice possible, and as many skill points as eligible.
8. If using the optional pitting rules, cars will not enter the pits.

1. If a car is already in the pits, the turn will progress as normal. If tire selection is to be made, the car will automatically reselect the current tire type.

6. Multiple plots may be submitted as long as each plot has the same speed.
7. Written explanations of intent are encouraged if you believe your orders need clarity or multiple plots are submitted.
8. If the plotted speed exceeds a vehicle's capabilities (e.g. +40 over Acc, Start, or Top speed), the vehicle will be re-plotted at the next highest possible speed.
9. It is often advisable to provide multiple routes through a corner or through traffic. In the event that the preferred route(s) are unavailable, the RM will take the car through an alternate route using the following guidelines:

1. The RM will attempt to navigate the car through a corner using the same or less wear than called for in the original plot, regardless of how the wear is used (braking and/or cornering).
2. If the RM must make a decision on whether to spend wear to take a slower lane through a corner vs wear for late braking, the RM will give preference to spending wear on the corner speed. If necessary, the RM will spend less wear than plotted to avoid late braking.
3. If conditions on the track require a late brake, the RM will brake before a corner if there is room.
4. The RM will, whenever possible, spend wear before rolling dice (cornering, deceleration).
5. Dice Use:

1. The RM will avoid dice unless absolutely necessary.
2. If required, the RM will always use the friendliest dice possible (brakes before chance).
3. If there is a dice roll in a prefered route, the RM will use the same skill as indicated in the original preference, otherwise will use as much skill as possible.

6. Unless indicated in a preferred route, the RM will not attempt a forced pass or to block passing attempts.

10. (Optional) Driver Defaults:

1. RMs may employ a survey or questionnaire prior to the start of the race that allows a driver to select default actions in a number of scenarios.
2. Submitted plots will always take precedence over the defaults.
3. If a Driver Default has been provided, the RM will use the submitted defaults in place of guidelines in rules II.B.4 and II.B.8.

11. Build Errors:

1. Underbuilt cars (using less than the build points allotted)

1. Add missing point(s) to wear.
2. Add missing point(s) to skill.

2. Overbuilt cars (using more than the build points allotted)

1. Remove points from wear.
2. Remove points from skill.

3. NPR’s (No Plot Received)

1. Car movement

1. Overall goals

1.  Realistic and reasonable car plot
2. Minimal wear usage (with an exception)
3. Avoid dice rolls
4. Plotted speed based on rules and track, not traffic
5. Penalties incur loss of wear

2. Straights

1. Speed plot based on

1. Maximize acceleration & top speed
2. If corner is coming up, plot based on

1. Braking attribute of car
2. Subject to rule I.c.i. (below)

2. Actual movement:

1. Set up racing line
2. Outermost and green lines have preference
3. Innermost lane
4. No slip usage allowed

3. Upcoming corners

1. Speed plot based on

1. The greater of

1. Highest corner speed inclusive of racing lines
2. Highest corner speed +20 or +40 if it allows for the completion of a corner (exit row)

2. Wear must be available to pay for corner
3. Speed may be reduced if corners beyond the first come into play this turn or next

1. A 2nd corner shall only be entered in the same turn if total wear expenditures do not exceed two for the turn.
2. If a 2nd corner would be encountered on the following turn, the car must be able to enter it safely based on its current deceleration.

2. Actual movement

1. Use the route associated with the plot if possible
2. If not possible

1. Use alternate routes from highest speed to lowest
2. Use corner wear prior to late braking

3. Priority: Corner wear, late braking wear, late braking roll, corner roll

4. Special Situations

1. Build

1. Default build

1. Top (0); Acc (1); Dec (1); Start (0); Wear (0); Skill (0)
2. Apply NPR penalty

2. Starting grid bid

1. Default bid = 0
2. No NPR penalty

3. Turn one

1. Speed plot based upon Start Speed
2. Apply NPR penalty

2. Dice rolls

1. Avoid when possible
2. If a roll is necessary, use the following skill as available:

1. Brake – 2 skill
2. Chance – 3 skill

3. When more than one dice roll is required, reserve skill for chance roll if insufficient skill is available for both rolls

3. Wear penalties

1. 1st NPR = 0 wear (warning only)
2. 2nd NPR = 1 wear
3. 3rd NPR = 2 wear
4. 4th NPR = removal from track
5. Apply penalties at end of plot (i.e. take wear for corners & braking prior to assessing penalty)
6. If insufficient wear is available for penalty payment

1. 1 wear – spin at end of turn
2. 2 wear – spin at end of turn and damage brakes (-20 mph to attribute)

4. Limits

1. Three NPR’s in a single lap will result in a DQ.
2. Four NPR’s in a single race will result in a DQ.
3. DQ’d cars will be pulled off the track immediately and will not affect other cars.
4. Multiple DQ’s in league play:

1. Two consecutive: League expulsion
2. Two or more, non consecutive: Commissioner discretion

4. Dice Rolls

1. For races where the RM is also a driver:

1. When dice rolls are required, the RM will utilize an online dice server where results can be directly emailed both to the RM and someone other than the RM.
2. At minimum, the dice roll results will be sent to the RM and the affected driver(s).

2. For races with an independent RM:

1. When dice rolls are required, the RM will utilize an online dice server where results can be directly emailed to the RM.
2. The RM will keep the results and make the emails available at the request of the drivers.
3. At the RM’s discretion, results can also be emailed directly to the affected driver(s).
4. All dice rolls shall be emailed directly from the dice server to both the RM and affected driver.
5. Currently, the preferred dice roller is http://www.pbegames.com/roller/

3. Errata

1. When using a d100 for a starting bid tie-break, a result of ‘00’ = 100.

5. Adjudication Errors

1. RMs work to ensure correct processing of turns, but errors may still occur.
2. If you spot an error, please notify the RM immediately.
3. If the error has a wide impact (for instance, car placement), then the RM will announce it to all drivers ASAP, and provide any corrections.
4. If the error has limited impact (for instance, a driver’s wear total is incorrect due to wear use not properly recorded), the RM may correct the issue with the next results distribution.
5. Errors discovered after the next turn has been published.

1. Resource errors (wear and/or skill) can be corrected prior to the publication of the third turn past the turn in which the error occurred but no corrections will be made after the third turn.
2. Car placement errors will NOT be corrected beyond publication of the turn following the error.

3. Redscape Grand Prix

6. A Grand Prix shall consist of 3 races of 3 laps each (exceptions shall be made to this policy if warranted by unusual track lengths).

1. The Grand Prix uses CFR’s Core Rules, without optional rules for Pitting, Weather, or Historical/Ghost Drivers.
2. New cars are built for each race.
3. Points shall be awarded in each race according to the following schedule:

1. 1st place = 25 points
2. 2nd place = 18
3. 3rd place = 15
4. 4th place = 12
5. 5th place = 10
6. 6th place = 8
7. 7th place = 6
8. 8th place = 4
9. 9th place = 2
10. 10th place = 1

1. There will be no points awarded for any place beyond 10th.
2. There will be no points awarded for a DNF or DQ.
3. The driver with the most accumulated points in all three races wins the Grand Prix.

7. Circuits

1. A Grand Prix may consists of multiple circuits.
2. Circuits will be designated C1,C2, etc… based on when they are formed.
3. After each season, drivers will be relegated to the next lower circuit (higher number) or promoted to the next higher circuit (lower number).
4. Promotions and relegations are based upon Grand Prix points.

1. Tiebreaker #1: Best finish
2. Tiebreaker #2: Second best finish
3. Tiebreaker #3: Finish in most recent race

5. Two circuits: Six relegations and six promotions.
6. Three or more circuits: Four relegations and four promotions.
7. Drivers may only race in one Grand Prix circuit at a time.
8. There is no ‘in-season’ movement of drivers between circuits.

8. Tracks

1. Avalon Hill tracks:  http://lucidphoenix.com/sc/tracks/avalonhillIndex.asp
2. Doug Schulz’s tracks:  http://lucidphoenix.com/sc/tracks/currentIndex.asp

4. Non-Grand Prix Races

9. As CFR on Redscape has grown, several non-Grand Prix races have been introduced to try new tracks or rule variations, or as a “dry run” for new RMs.
10. Non-Grand Prix races are encouraged to follow the House Rules whenever possible, but some variations/exhibition races may follow other rules.
11. If a race is run under a modified rule set, it is the responsibility of the RM to state clearly the rules when the race is announced.
12. Common rule variations: Alternate Starting Method, Pitting option, Weather Rules, Historical/Ghost drivers.
    

5. Sportsmanship

13. Racing in the RFR League is a privilege and we rely upon your honor to abide by the rules.
14. “Table Talk” is encouraged, but must be in public via the designated race forum or reply-to-all email.

1. Private discussion regarding the on track movements of any car, race strategies, race tactics, race advice, etc.. - via any communication method - is considered collusion, and is prohibited.
2. The spirit of the rule is that you can say what you want in public but use discretion in private. If you chat privately about the race in general, fine. Just don’t cross the line into creating advantages for yourself or friends.

15. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes personal attacks or treating your fellow drivers disrespectfully. Legal actions on the track that disadvantage competitors are not deemed to be unsportsmanlike. (e.g. moving to block a racing line from use by other drivers)
16. The use of multiple identities within an individual race or in the Redscape Grand Prix (across any circuit) is prohibited.
17. Complaints of unsportsmanlike conduct will be investigated by RFR officials.
18. Breaking of these rules may result in removal from the league.