Age of Empires 2 — Rules

Foreword

This ruleset consists of the General Event Rules of BEING ESPORTS Events and the specific ruleset for the Age of Empires II event “The Bastion.” We strive to keep this ruleset up to date at all times.

The ruleset forms the basis for the execution and organization of the event by the administration team (short: admins). However, admin decisions may also be made outside of or contrary to this ruleset if circumstances require it or if certain behavior is not explicitly covered herein.

If you have questions regarding the ruleset, please open a support ticket on our Discord server.

Only players who have participated in the event may submit a complaint regarding a rule or rule violation.

This ruleset may be changed or expanded without prior notice.

1. General Rules

1.1 Definition and Purpose

“The Bastion” is a league format in the game Age of Empires II, consisting of three phases: Qualification, League Phase, and Finals. Its purpose is to create a competitive esports format within the D/A/CH AoE II community.

The event is organized by BEING ESPORTS, a registered brand of Being X GmbH. World’s Edge is not involved in or responsible for any organization, execution, rulesets, GDPR matters, decisions, or other aspects related to the event.

1.2 General

BEING ESPORTS is used as a term for the administration team of Being X GmbH.

The BEING ESPORTS tournament and league administration reserves the right to make decisions in special cases outside of or even contrary to this ruleset in order to ensure fair play and smooth event operation.

Any violation of this ruleset by participants may be punished. Penalties range from warnings to exclusion from BEING ESPORTS events.

1.3 Code of Conduct

By registering for and participating in a BEING ESPORTS event, participants commit to observing and complying with the following code of conduct.

Each participant must behave respectfully toward representatives of BEING ESPORTS, the press, spectators, event partners and sponsors, other players, and all other participants and interested parties related to the event.

Participants also represent BEING ESPORTS and its partners and should take this responsibility seriously. This applies to behavior in-game, in chat programs, support tickets, messaging services, comments, social media, and other communication platforms.

We expect players to follow these core principles and values:

Empathy & compassion: Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Integrity: Be honest, play fair, and commit to your role – deception and fraud will not be tolerated.
Respect: Show respect to all people, especially teammates, competitors, spectators, and tournament organizers.
Courage: Show courage and stand up for what is right and just.

No participant may engage in any form of humiliation or bullying, including but not limited to:

Harassment or verbal abuse related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, origin, ethnic background, appearance, age, nationality, or religion
Stalking or intimidation (online or physical)
Spamming, hate raiding, hijacking, or intentional negative disruption of others’ channels
Publishing or threatening to publish private data or information of others without consent (“doxxing”)
Unwanted sexualization (including sexual comments, jokes, or advances)
Encouraging behavior described above

Violations of this code of conduct may be punished. Repeated or particularly severe violations may result in exclusion from all BEING ESPORTS events.

1.3.1 Insults and Harassment

All insults or other inappropriate textual or verbal behavior during a BEING ESPORTS match or on BEING ESPORTS platforms may be punished without notification or report by another participant. This includes, but is not limited to: in-game chat, website communication, guestbook entries, forum posts, chat platforms (e.g., Discord), comments, support tickets, names, and game IDs.

Misconduct occurring outside BEING ESPORTS platforms may be reported but may not always be considered or punished.

Any misconduct toward BEING ESPORTS members (e.g., referees or administrators) will be strictly sanctioned. Losing control of one’s temper toward league officials is considered highly unprofessional behavior and may lead to penalties up to disqualification. This also applies to trolling, sarcastic remarks, and disrespectful communication.

1.4 Game Client

In general, the use of any programs not part of the original game that modify or influence it is prohibited unless explicitly permitted in this ruleset or by a BEING ESPORTS admin decision.

All external voice chat programs (e.g., Discord, Teamspeak) are permitted.

Custom key changes are allowed as long as they do not alter the game in a way that provides an unintended unfair advantage.

1.5 Hardware, Technology & Software

All players are responsible for installing the latest version of Age of Empires II. All updates must be installed by the time the player is required to be ready to play. Players must ensure they have access to AoE II servers at all times.

Delays caused by outdated hardware are not considered a valid reason for match delays or postponements, except if the update was not made available by the publisher at least 24 hours in advance.

Players are fully responsible for functional technology (e.g., hardware, internet). Limited or no consideration can be given to technical issues during the event unless they are server-side issues caused by the publisher or tournament organizer. Such cases are handled individually.

1.6 Internal Tournament Communication

All texts and information exchanged in communication with BEING ESPORTS may not be published without consent, especially direct communication such as support tickets.

1.7 Language

The official language of all BEING ESPORTS D/A/CH events is German. Players should therefore be able to communicate in German. English may be accepted as a secondary language in special cases.

1.8 Deception and Fraud

Even the attempt to deceive or defraud a BEING ESPORTS team member or other players may be punished. This includes, but is not limited to, false information, impersonation, and submission of falsified data.

1.9 Cheating

All forms of cheating in BEING ESPORTS events are prohibited and will be punished even at the attempt stage. Players convicted of cheating in other tournaments may also be punished in BEING ESPORTS events depending on evidence and rulings.

PLEASE NOTE: Publicly submitted evidence (e.g., demos or screenshots) will never be accepted. Violations must be reported via support ticket.

The use of any unlisted third-party software, scripts, or cheating methods (e.g., maphacks) is strictly prohibited.

Intentional abuse of bugs or glitches that bypass game mechanics or provide unfair advantages is also prohibited.

Watching or listening to event broadcasts during one’s own matches is strictly forbidden and will be penalized.

1.10 Distribution of Cheats

Offering, distributing, or referencing cheat providers or cheating software on BEING ESPORTS channels or platforms is strictly prohibited, including mentioning websites, logos, or similar content.

1.11 Doping

Any form of physical or psychological doping in BEING ESPORTS events is prohibited.

1.12 Bribery & Match Fixing

Attempts at bribery (e.g., opposing team, BEING ESPORTS members) or unfair manipulation of competition (e.g., match fixing) may be punished.

1.13 Betting Fraud

No player, manager, or affiliated organization participating in “The Bastion” league may engage in betting or gambling related to the league, including cooperation with third parties or sharing betting-relevant information. Betting against one’s own organization will be punished immediately.

1.14 Repeated Violations

Repeated violations of this ruleset may result in harsher penalties.

1.15 Penalty Catalogue

Penalties are determined on a case-by-case basis, considering all circumstances. Appeals may be submitted via support ticket within 7 days after penalty announcement, though appeals do not guarantee penalty reduction or reversal.

Possible penalties include (but are not limited to):

Warning
Point/map loss
Suspension for a certain number of matches
Suspension and disqualification from the current event
Suspension and disqualification from future events
General ban from all BEING ESPORTS events
Forfeiture of prize money entitlement

1.16 Participation in Events with Prizes

Unless explicitly permitted, employees of Being X GmbH, BEING ESPORTS members involved in event organization, their relatives, volunteers, subcontractors, and others with potential conflicts of interest (e.g., partner or sponsor employees) may not participate in prize-bearing events.

Prize events are defined as any BEING ESPORTS events offering monetary or non-monetary rewards.

2. Tournament Rules “The Bastion”

2.1 Eligibility

Any player aged 12 or older with a current residence in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, or holding a valid passport from these countries, may participate in “The Bastion.”

Prize money payouts can only be made to individuals over 18 with a valid tax number in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.

2.2 Platforms & Accounts

Each participant requires a legal copy of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition in good standing and a working internet connection.

Each player must join the event Discord, which serves as the primary information and support platform. Support outside Discord tickets is not guaranteed.
Players should keep their regular or most well-known nickname on Discord to ensure identification and support.

2.3 Matchdays, Sign-Up & Check-In

All match dates are announced in advance via Discord and the BEING ESPORTS website. Short-notice changes are possible but will be communicated as early as possible.

Qualifier matches require sign-up within announced registration periods.

On all matchdays except qualifiers, players must be ready 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

If a player is absent at the scheduled time, they have 20 minutes before the match is awarded as a default win to the opponent, subject to admin discretion.

Players should proactively open a support ticket if they know they will not be ready 30 minutes before match time.

Both players must meet in a temporary Discord voice channel at match time and remain there until the match ends. Only players involved in the match may be present during drafts and games.

2.4 Multi-Accounting & Account Sharing

Only the owner of an AoE II account may participate with it. Each player may register only one account and must use it throughout the entire event.

2.5 Nicknames & Team Names

Changing nicknames during an ongoing tournament is prohibited unless approved via support ticket. Playing under an incorrect in-game name may result in penalties.

Nicknames must comply with the code of conduct and are prohibited if they:

Are protected by third parties
Closely resemble registered trademarks
Violate moral or sportsmanship principles
Violate BEING ESPORTS conduct rules
Violate applicable law
Closely resemble real individuals
Are purely commercial, vulgar, degrading, obscene, antisemitic, racist, or abusive

Circumventing these rules (e.g., replacing letters with numbers) is considered fraud.

Admins may require nickname changes.

Sponsor tags are allowed unless sponsors operate in prohibited sectors (see 2.6).

2.6 Player Sponsors

Players may advertise sponsors in their nicknames unless the sponsors operate in the following sectors:

Pornography
Tobacco
Weapons or ammunition
Illegal drugs or related paraphernalia
Scam websites
Online casinos or gambling sites
Other RTS games
Other esports tournament organizers
Political campaigns or parties
Alcohol

2.7 Player Obligations

By registering, players agree to this ruleset and all admin decisions. Interpretation and rulings are solely the responsibility of the admin team.

Players confirm eligibility and ability to prove it (e.g., ID verification via video call). No copies or recordings of IDs are stored.

Players consent to the use of their nicknames, player images, stream excerpts, and social media content for journalistic purposes related to the event.

During the league phase, players must use the BEING ESPORTS Discord. Admins may join channels at any time.

Division 1 players must provide a broadcast-ready player photo and relevant social media upon request.

2.8 Tournament System

The “The Bastion” league is divided into four phases:

Open Qualifier
League Phase
Playoffs
Relegation

2.8.1 Open Qualifier

The Open Qualifiers have no participant limit. All eligible players may participate regardless of their Elo rating.

The goal of the qualifier is to identify the Top 16 players of the DACH scene.

The Top 8 of the qualifier advance to Division 1
Places 9–16 qualify for Division 2
Place 17 and below do not qualify for “The Bastion”

Places 1–8 (Round of 8 and beyond) are not played out.

The Open Qualifier is played in a Single Elimination bracket. Early rounds are played in Best of 3 (Bo3) format.

The Round of 32 and Round of 16 are played in Best of 5 (Bo5) format.

The qualifier takes place from March 9 to March 15.

To provide maximum flexibility for participants, only match deadlines are set. Players are required to begin communication about scheduling immediately after their next opponent is known.

If a player fails to do so, the opponent may request a default win (def-win).

The final decision in such cases is made by the admin team based on the situation.

2.8.2 League Phase

In the league phase, the 8 qualified players compete in a round-robin table.

Rankings are determined by the number of maps won—the more maps won, the higher the placement.

Each player plays once against every other player in their division in a 3-Map “Play All 3” format (all three maps are played even if the score reaches 2–0).

After all matches are completed:

Places 1 & 2 (Division 1) advance to the Semifinals
Places 3–6 (Division 1) advance to the Quarterfinals
Places 7 & 8 (Division 1) enter Relegation Division 1/2
Places 1–4 (Division 2) enter Relegation Division 1/2
Places 5 & 6 (Division 2) remain in Division 2
Places 7 & 8 (Division 2) enter Relegation Division 2/3 (AoE 2 Germany)

The regular league weeks (one matchday per week) take place from March 23 to May 10.

During this time, one Division 1 match is broadcast officially every Monday at 7:00 PM. These matches are scheduled flexibly with Division 1 players after qualification.

Each weekly matchday must be completed by Sunday at 11:59 PM.

The regular matchday is Monday at 7:00 PM, but may be rescheduled by mutual agreement.

The final scheduled time for each individual match must be set at least 48 hours before matchday (by Saturday at 7:00 PM) on the community Discord.

For this purpose, a dedicated match channel is created for every match, visible only to the two players and the AoE II admin team.

If communication issues arise, the admins must be informed immediately via the BEING ESPORTS Discord server.

2.8.3 Playoffs

The Division 1 playoffs up to and including the final (Quarterfinals and Semifinals) take place between May 10 and May 20.
The date of the Grand Final will be announced later.

All playoff matches are played in Best of 5 (Bo5) format.

2.8.4 Relegation

All information and dates regarding the two relegation stages will be announced at a later time.

2.9 Tiebreakers

If two players in Division 1 or 2 finish the regular season with identical points, the head-to-head match result serves as the tiebreaker.

If three players are tied exactly, the number of Map 1 wins is used as the next tiebreaker.

If this still does not resolve the tie, the qualifier seed is used as the final tiebreaker.

2.10 Map Pool

The map pool for “The Bastion” Season 1 consists of the following 12 maps:

Arabia
Arena
Chaos Pit
Coast to Mountain
Crownwood
Golden Lakes
Morass
Pacific Islands
Rampart
Ring of Reeds
Stranded
Thames

The standard versions of each map are used (3 Villager start).

Division 1, Division 2, and the AoE 2 Germany project all use the same map pool.

The map pack for “The Bastion Season 1” can be found here: https://www.ageofempires.com/mods/details/459291/

2.11 Broadcast

BEING ESPORTS holds the exclusive right to live broadcast “The Bastion” matches.

Each regular league week features one official match broadcast live on Monday at 7:00 PM on the official BEING ESPORTS Twitch and YouTube channels.

All other matches are open to official community casters.

All streamers and content creators, regardless of platform, may apply for community caster status via the BEING ESPORTS Community Discord through a simple application process.

BEING ESPORTS’ primary goal is to build a sustainable community and ecosystem. Community casters therefore receive:

A graphics kit installable within minutes to standardize broadcasts
Promotion of their matches on the official league website and BEING ESPORTS social media
Free or discounted tickets to potential future offline events
For standout casters: opportunities to cast matches as part of professional productions
For standout casters: opportunities to participate in official final broadcasts (online and/or offline)

If “The Bastion” gains sponsors in the future, community casters must also promote them during broadcasts.

Community streams must additionally promote the main broadcast and the league in their chat using a command (e.g. !Bastion).

The command text is customizable but must include the official BEING ESPORTS website and the main cast: www.twitch.tv/beingesports

The tournament logo must be visible on stream at all times.

The stream title must include: “The Bastion by BEING ESPORTS”.

Watch parties or rebroadcasts require prior approval from BEING ESPORTS.

POV streams are allowed but must use a minimum delay of 2 minutes.

If both players mutually agree to stream without delay, this may be permitted; however, this decision cannot be revoked retroactively.

Official broadcasters may request a reasonable break between maps without giving a reason.

Players may request breaks of up to 5 minutes between maps.

If exceeded, the opponent may file a protest and request a default win. The final decision lies with the admin team.

2.12 Chatting While Alive (Anti-Spoiler)

Players are not allowed to write any messages in stream chats (e.g. Twitch) while their game is still ongoing due to stream delay.

Violations will initially result in chat bans. Repeated violations may result in harsher penalties.

2.13 Drafts

2.14 Pauses

Players may pause a game only in case of technical issues affecting gameplay.

Pauses for rest breaks are prohibited. The player who pauses the game must also resume it. Before resuming, the opponent must confirm readiness.

Abuse of timeouts may result in penalties.

2.15 Result Reporting

Replays and drafts for Division 1 and Division 2 matches must be uploaded as follows.

The Replay Packer generates:

A ZIP file
A Discord-ready message

These must be posted together in the designated channels:

Division 1: CHANNELS TO BE ADDED
Division 2: CHANNELS TO BE ADDED

Post format:

Player 1 ||2 - 1|| Player 2
Bracket
Best of X
Civ Draft:
Map Draft:
ZIP file from Replay Packer

2.16 Prize Money Distribution

1st Place: €250
2nd Place: €150
3rd Place: €100
4th–8th Place: No prize money

2.17 Claiming Prizes

To claim a prize, players must respond to BEING ESPORTS’ contact request via Discord support ticket and follow the provided instructions.

Players will be asked to submit all required data securely.

Prize money will be paid out no earlier than 4 weeks after the event ends.

Legal recourse is excluded. If a prize is not claimed within 8 weeks of contact, the entitlement expires. A prize is considered claimed once all required payout information has been submitted.

2.18 Data Protection Policy

Being X GmbH and BEING ESPORTS act as a journalistic medium in the context of entertainment, performance, and sports broadcasting and are therefore not required to explicitly inform each participant about the use of non-sensitive personal data for event-related reporting.

Account data and links may be collected during the event and shared with third parties involved in tournament operations (e.g. Liquipedia). These data are not used for marketing or sales purposes. BEING ESPORTS members will never request passwords or other sensitive data.

For prize payouts, the following data may be requested:

Name
Address
Bank details
Tax number
Email address
Phone number

These data are used exclusively for prize payouts and for no other purpose, and will not be shared with third parties for other uses. This constitutes BEING ESPORTS’ legitimate interest in data processing.

3. Game Rules and Settings

3.1 Lobby Settings

The following settings must be used when creating the lobby:

Lobby Name:

“The Bastion – Player Name vs Player Name”

Lobby Type: Unranked

Visibility: Public

Players: 2

[ ] Co-op Campaign
[X] Allow Spectators
[X] Hide Civilizations

Delay: 2 minutes

(except if both players agree to no delay, e.g. for POV streams)

Server: Standard
Data Set: Definitive Edition

Game Settings:

Mode: Random Map
Civilization Set: Age of Empires II
Map Size: Tiny (2 Players) [120]
AI Difficulty: Standard
Resources: Standard
Population Limit: 200
Game Speed: Normal
Reveal Map: Normal
Starting Age: Standard
Ending Age: Standard
Treaty Length: None
Victory: Conquest

Advanced Options:

[X] Lock Teams
[X] Team Together
[X] Team Positions
[X] Shared Exploration
[ ] Handicap
[X] Lock Speed
[ ] Allow Cheats
[ ] Turbo Mode
[ ] All Technologies
[ ] Imperial Wars
[ ] Sudden Death
[ ] Regicide
[X] Record Game
[ ] Ancient Mode

3.2 In-Game Bugs and Exploits

Players are not allowed to continuously “stack” melee units in a small area (e.g. via patrol stacking) or patrol into the enemy with Stand Ground enabled in order to force advantageous engagements.

Exception:

Ranged units that deal melee damage via projectiles are excluded from this rule, including:

Ax Throwers
Gbeto
Mameluke
Chakram Thrower

3.3 Game Restarts

Players do not have unlimited restarts.

A restart may be requested if the map is faulty or not generated as intended.

The restart must be called within the first 6 in-game minutes
After a restart, civilizations and colors must remain the same
Admins may call a restart at any time

Valid restart conditions include:

More than 50% of a player’s gold, stone, or berry resources are unreachable
A herd animal or wild animal belonging to a player is unreachable
A player-controlled unit is trapped and cannot move
Villagers that are trapped but can still gather and deliver resources are excluded
A player-owned object (building, animal, villager, etc.) was not spawned in the correct quantity
The required number of relics was not generated
No starting sheep are visible at game start (Does not apply to all maps, e.g. Nomad starts)
Nomad start: Initial Town Centers are within enemy range

3.4 Laming

There are no special rules regarding laming.

3.5 Nomad

On Nomad maps, attacking enemy villagers (including walling them in) is only allowed after the player’s own Town Center has been built.

3.6 Incorrect Civilizations

If a player selects a civilization that is not permitted, the game must be restarted.

The opposing player may then choose any civilization from the full civilization pool to replace the incorrectly selected civilization.

3.7 Disconnects (Drops)

In the event of a disconnect:

Players should attempt to restore the game
If restoration is not possible, a player may resign if the game appears already lost
If neither player resigns, an admin decides how to proceed

In all cases:

Players must leave the game without revealing the map
The recording must not be viewed before a rehost

3.8 Miscellaneous

Admins may request access to a participant’s point-of-view (POV) at any time.

4. Final Provisions

The ruleset for “The Bastion” league is exhaustively defined by this document.
The rules may be changed at any time without prior notice.

The invalidity of individual sections does not affect the validity of the entire ruleset.
If a section is invalid or incomplete, the tournament organizer may decide outside of or contrary to this ruleset. A correction or amendment must then be made as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

All wording and the entire text are the property of Being X GmbH. It may not be copied, reproduced, or modified without consent. Unauthorized copying, distribution, sale, or other unapproved use of this material, including all images and logos, is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.