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Version 13 - January 3, 2021
0. Rally Types
There are three types of table-top rally:
Plotting Rallies
These require that competitors
plot a route from the instructions on a Route Card, and then
mark it on a digital map. When finished the "regularity"
route is submitted for automatic marking. Penalties are applied
for incorrectly visiting undisclosed Passage Controls (PCs) and
Time Controls (TCs) on the master route, and for the
distances/"time" variation between TCs.
Real-Time Rallies
As
well as plotting a route from a Route Card (but not always, because some are
pre-defined), competitors are required to control the speed of
their car around the route to maintain average speeds
(Regularity Rally), adhere to a time schedule (Road Rally) or
beat target times (Stage Rally). The rally takes place in
real-time with an elapsed time of approximately 30 minutes.
Penalties are applied for incorrectly visiting Secret Checks
(SCs), Codeboards (CBs) Passage Controls
(PCs) and Time Controls (TCs) on the master route, and for any
real-time early/lateness at TCs.
Driving Tests
The
Driving Tests simulate those you might encounter on a regularity
rally. You are required to follow a marked course in the correct
direction without hitting any route-defining obstacles.
Penalties are applied for hitting obstacles or exceeding the
target time.
1. Maps
The route for a rally must be plotted (or will
be displayed) on the supplied maps. These
will usually be based upon Ordnance Survey's 1:50000
scale maps. Occasionally other map sets like Google maps or Open
Street maps may be used.
At any time the currently displayed map area may be printed from
the plotting screen.
Other map sources such as paper maps may be
consulted but the solution for the Route Card(s) must be based
upon those supplied. See also Regulation 8 below.
2. Map Solutions
When you need to plot a route
you will be required to mark this on a web browser
version of the map. Follow the procedures and guidance given in
Rally Procedures.
On
Plotting rallies you
will be able to save your plotted route and revisit to make changes
as many times as you wish.
When you are happy with the result
you submit your solution for marking. Your number of marking
submisions will usually be one.
The marking will take place automatically and you will receive
immediate notification of your penalties.
On Real-Time rallies you will see any penalties applied
as the rally progresses.
3. Sections/Legs
Each event will typically contain 6/12
Sections/Legs
(100 for La Slog or Jogle) of varying difficulty. The easier map sections will use common
road rally navigation - tulips, herringbones, spot heights, map
references, grid squares etc - to define the required route. The
harder map sections may use cryptic puzzles. Some Legs on
Real-Time Rallies will have a pre-plotted route.
The most exact positioning of any via
references (OS British National Grid - BNG, Latitude/Longitude,
What3Words) should be vewed at the highest zoom level of map
available to you.
Each
Plotting Rally will start at a TC and finish at a TC or End of
Regularity (EoR), and along the route there will be undisclosed Passage
Controls (PCs) and Time Controls (TCs) to be visited. Penalties will be applied for not
visiting PCs or TCs
correctly.
"Time" penalties will be applied for taking a shorter
or longer route than
necessary between TCs.
Each Real-Time Rally will start at a TC and finish at a
TC. Regularities and Road Sections will have Passage
Controls (PCs), Secret Checks (SCs), Codeboards (CBs) and Time Controls (TCs) to be visited. Penalties
will be applied for not visiting PCs, SCs, CBs or TCs correctly and being
late/early at TCs. Stages will not have (manned) PCs and will be
timed to the finish TC.
To correctly visit a control it must passed through with the correct direction of approach and
departure, and be visited in the correct order.
Each Driving-Test will require you to follow a marked
course in the correct direction without hitting any
route-defining obstacles.
Competitors should attempt all sections/legs. However, the
highest total penalty sections may be discarded in
calculating a competitor's overall penalties. This will be set
for each event.
Sections are standalone i.e. the route on on one section will
not necessarily link to the previous or next.
The sections can be answered in any order and at any time
between the opening and closing times of a competition.
All sections may be attempted any number of times, but
only the first atempt will count towards a competition score.
4a. Penalties (Plotting Rallies)
Not attempting and the maximum penalty - 6000 marks/seconds.
(600 for La Slog or Jogle)
For each PC incorrectly visited (missed, incorrect approach or
departure) - 300 marks/seconds.
For each TC incorrectly visited (missed, incorrect approach or
departure) - 600 marks/seconds.
Taking a hint(s) on a Route Card -
penalties vary up to a total maximum of 3000 marks/seconds.
Sections between TCs are termed Regularities, "timed" to the
second and you will be penalised for "early" or "late" arrival.
Time Penalties:
"Time penalties" will be applied at TCs by comparing the
distance of your route from the previous TC with the distance of
the ideal route. For every whole second you are "early/late" at
TCs you will be penalised 1 mark/minute.
Example:
It is assumed that you will abide by UK road rally rules and
"drive" at an average speed of 30 mph. So, if the
correct route on a route card between two TCs is, say, 10 miles, you
should "take" 20 minutes.
Suppose you made a mistake with your marked route
solution (perhaps you went round an unnecessary loop) and the
distance you travelled was 11.15 miles instead of 10 miles. At 30 mph your journey
would
take 22 minutes 18 seconds. Being timed to the
second you would be 2 minutes 18 seconds late and would be
penalised 138 marks/seconds.
Note Timed to the second, you are
effectively allowed a tolerance of 0.0083 miles difference from
the master route before being penalised. This allows your
plotted route to be slightly different from the master route
without penalty.
Final event positions will be decided on decreasing overall
total penalties.
Ties on total penalties will be decided by the "furthest
cleanest" principle and then by the least overall time taken.
4b. Penalties (Real-Time Rallies)
Not attempting and the maximum penalty -
6000 marks/seconds.
For each PC or SC incorrectly visited (more than once, missed, incorrect approach or
departure) - 300 marks/seconds.
For each CB incorrectly recorded - 300 marks/seconds.
For each TC incorrectly visited (more than once, missed, incorrect approach or
departure) - 600 marks/seconds.
If at any time during the rally you are OTL (Over Total
Lateness), you will be excluded and incur a penalty for each
unvisited control.
The OTL time is calculated as the time you are due at
the last TC on a rally plus your OTL allowance. By default the
allowance is 15 minutes.
On a Regularity Rally: For every second early or late at a TC -
1 mark/second.
On a Road Rally: For every whole minute late at a TC - 60 marks/seconds.
On a Road Rally: For every whole minute early at a TC - 120
marks/seconds.
On a Road Rally (Selective): For every whole
second late at a TC - 1 mark/second.
Note The last TC
section on a Road Rally will be termed a Selective and will be
timed to the nearest second.
On a Stage Rally: For every second taken over the target time -
1 mark/second.
Final event positions will be decided on decreasing overall
total penalties.
Ties on total penalties will be decided by the "furthest
cleanest" principle.
4c. Penalties (Driving Tests)
Not attempting a test, wrong test and the maximum penalty on a
test -
6000 marks/seconds.
For every second taken* over target time - 1 mark/second.
* 5 seconds are added each time any test "furniture" is hit.
5. Classes
Competitors may be divided into separate experience classes: Masters,
Experts, Novices and Beginners; and there may be token class awards in each event
and the overall Championship.
Classes are usually automatically allocated based upon a competitor's
experience.
6. Route Card Plotting
Unless otherwise stated each
route card should be plotted using only the given information
and in the order given, implied or necessary to solve the route
card.
By default the shortest route (unless otherwise stated) consistent with this information
should be plotted between each successive point (a point being a
specific location on the route, with or without directional
information) subject to any
constraints imposed by the map boundary, earlier route, or the mapping software e.g. one-way streets
or unmarkable roads. For example: "Go via
A B C" means take the shortest route from A to B, then the
shortest route from B to C; NOT the shortest route overall from
A to C via B.
For the La Slog and Jogle events, the shortest overall
distance between the start TC and end TC will be required.
If the abbreviation LWR (Long Way
Round) is used as an instruction, the longest valid route should be
taken between the previous instruction and the following
instruction.
Where a particular map feature is used solely on the route card, e.g. spot heights, then all other similar features must
be avoided.
Features/references which are to be avoided will be enclosed in brackets
(like this).
Images may be displayed on the plotting map as a replacement
and/or supplement to the information in a route card. Currently
these may take the form of directional arrows near the required
route or transparent circles or squares on the route to be
followed. Hovering over the images may provide additional pop-up
imformation. When a Leg is based upon an Ordnance Survey map,
such images must be viewed at the maximum OS 1:50000 scale
(Zoom 7) to determine their placement and scope - unless otherwise
stated.
The following PDF files provide OS
legends, symbols and abbreviations which may be referenced on
Route Cards.
1:50000 Legend
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1:25000 Legend
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Abbreviations
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Additional 1:25000 Symbols
7. Single Use of Roads
No junction (including
some crossroads) or section of road may be used more than once
(judged by the navigable geocoded points). Regarding geocoded
points: you will need to zoom the map to its highest scale and
switch on the feature to display the geocoded points. If there
is no overlap of points on two paths through a junction (e.g.
turning left at a crossroads from opposite directions), then
that junction may be used twice.
8. Permitted Roads
On an Ordnance Survey map a route will only use
Roads as
defined on the map legend as
 . Paths, and roads under construction,
are to be ignored unless otherwise stated.
(aka PROW) are to be ignored unless otherwise stated.
Only roads and paths that are visible (at 1:50000 scale
on OS maps) and navigable by AutoP(i)lot will be used in the navigation and on
the route solution, unless otherwise specified. However, lower
scale maps may be used to mark route refinements such as the
course through indistinct junctions, to eliminate "off-routers"
and to force AutoP(i)lot to use coloured roads on CRO sections.
When passing through junctions you will
be expected to mark a point somewhere before and
after the
junction to guide AutoP(i)lot where to go, not at the junction. If AP
takes SWR or LWR at the junction, "triangled" or otherwise - let
it, that's what was intended. If you force an unnecessary SWR or
LWR you may incur unwanted time penalties.
9. White/Coloured Roads
On Ordnance Survey maps:
White coloured roads (defined as
Other road, drive or track on the OS legend) including green
sections through woods and those that follow the course of
Public Rights of Way (PROW) may be used on any route card
except where the section specifies Coloured Roads Only (CRO).
White roads, where it is not possible to mark their use with
AutoP(i)lot, shall be deemed impassable.
Paths and PROWs may not be used unless specifically
mentioned.
Coloured roads are defined as Blue (Motorway - M), Green
(Primary Route - P), Red (A), Orange/Brown (O/B) or Yellow (C).
10. Dual Carriageways
A dual-carriageway as defined
on the map legend, is to be regarded as two separate roads and
cannot be used in the wrong direction (Note to foreign
entrants: we drive on the left hand side of the road in the
UK). Entry to, or exit from dual carriageways, where the line
of the road is unbroken is not permitted. U-turns through gaps
in the central reservation are permitted.
All these manoeuvres are subject to those permitted by
AutoP(i)lot.
11. Roundabouts
Roundabouts are to be treated as you
would normally (in the UK) i.e. travel clockwise. Roundabouts
are defined as any circular or elliptical island in the centre
of the road.
12. No Through Roads (NTR)
a) All roads leading off the
edge of the map or defined plotting area are no through roads
(NTR). They should be ignored in the navigation unless specifically instructed to the
contrary. However, route cards may start
or finish on a NTR.
b)
All roads passing through buildings shall be regarded as no
through roads.
c) All roads that are broken by lettering or
bridges (but appearing the other side) should be treated as
continuous.
d) All gates, should be ignored, i.e. assumed to be
open.
e)
Roads that lead into permanently, fixed in position overprinted areas on
OS 1:50000 maps (like the name of the event, Route Card or
Ordnance Survey notices and logos - typically top left or bottom left)
should also be treated as NTRs.
f) Out-of-bounds areas (usually referred to as Black Spots)
may be defined by map references - the default being a 50 metre
radius; grid/km squares, map features or descriptions. They may
be specifically mentioned or indicated by brackets (see 6.
above). They will not be shown on the map so they must be taken
into account when plotting a route. Such areas don't break roads
and make them NTRs.
g) Road Block areas will be defined by
images overlayed on the map (not TC or PC symbols). The extent (the opque part) of a
static image and the extent covered by an animated image act as
visual versions of Black Spots. Such extents do break roads and
make them NTRs. The extents must be viewed at the maximum scale
available (but use 1:50000 scale (Zoom 7) for OS maps) to
determine their placement and scope, unless otherwise specified.
13. Parallel Roads
Roads running parallel with no
broken connecting line shall be deemed to not connect.
14. Spot Heights
On OS maps:
Spot heights are defined as being
part of the route only when the actual spot (or circle) is
visible on
the road. In particular note that some Cycle Network symbols on
more recent maps will have hidden an original spot and these
will not be referenced in the navigation. Those on the central
reservation of dual-carriageways are classified as being
off-road. Triangulation Pillars are only used when specifically
stated.
15. Grid Lines
On OS maps:
Grid Lines are deemed to have been
crossed if both tramlines of the road cross the line.
16. Features "on" Roads
Where certain map features
need to be visited such as letters/numbers, church symbols,
green circles, red diamonds, telephone markers etc. they are
deemed to be on the route if the extent of the feature touches
or breaks the edge of the road.
17. Bridges/Railways/Fords
On OS maps:
Where reference is made to
bridges, they only count where at least one side of the bridge
symbol is actually shown. Bear in mind that over a cutting or
embankment, the bridge symbol often delimits the extent of the
cutting or embankment. Footbridges count as bridges. A viaduct
is defined as a bridge with two bridge symbols.
Where reference is made to fords, they only count where the
word 'Ford' is present.
18. Map Segments
When the Route Card is presented as a set of map segments to be
found and plotted between, you must use all roads shown on each
map segment, unless a road shown is a NTR.
19. Crossroads
On OS maps (as shown below):
A junction is determined as a crossroads
(4 or more junctions converging) or staggered crossroads
when a continuation of any road culminating at the crossroads
would intersect with a road on the opposite side.
However, this is visual guidance only for OS maps. For
the definitive statement of whether a crossroads can be multiply
used in plotting - see 7. above.
20. Compass Bearings
All compass bearings are based
on grid North unless otherwise stated.
21. Abbreviations
As well as the legend on the map
these
abbreviations (and others for you to discover) may be used
on the Route Cards.
22. World Ranking Points
World ranking points will be allocated based upon an overall
classification on a competitive event.
23. Arbitration
The organisers reserve the right to
appoint an arbiter should there be any dispute over a section. or
cancel or amend any section should the need arise.
24. Queries
Specific queries concerning the
routes/Route Cards cannot be answered, but general enquiries
will be answered via the appropriate
TTR Forum.
Do not expect instant answers since the organisers have lives
outside of running table-top rallies.
25. Rule Changes
Any material changes to these rules
will be annotated here, and shown in a
Bulletin, Forum or Notice Board.
26. Individual Effort
The competition is open to
individuals and their individual effort. Group or joint entries
will not be accepted. Enlisting the assistance of another
person or competitor to help solve the Route Cards is not
permitted and may lead to a competitor's exclusion from the
results.
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