The 1 st Annual
Siege Engine Competition

Quasi-official Rules Page

Outline:

The rules are still loosly organized. However, the concepts below pretty much cover the rules as they will appear in the final cut. If there are any questions, please contact the Rangemaster for more information. This is also the contact for entering the competition, and making any suggestions for rules modifications, exceptions, and venue suggestions.

Purpose:

To restore the long lost art of Siege Engine design and construction. Specifically, to build an affordable means of throwing a small payload a long distance. In this case, the payload will be one (1) twelve ounce (12 oz) can of cheap, evil smelling, beer. Otherwise known as Fizzbeer. The target distance is 1/2 mile (812 Meters).

Cost:

The siege engines should be "affordable", something that a team with reasonable resources could build for at most a few hundred dollars. Since different people have different resources on tap, the judges will look over every entry and decide whether it could be done within our "reasonable" price guidelines.

The Patriarch hereby declares these to be the rules of the Siege Engine competition:

2) Entry Fees: The Clan MacDude is a non-profit in the truest sense of the words. We have no dues, membership fees, or any inetntion of officially collecting money. While we gladly take donations to help cover the cost of food, fuel, refreshments, etc., we do not require donations. It is our intention to make the Siege Engine Competition a FREE event. However, there is a very real possibility that insurance and venue fees will require us to charge some nominal fee for the competition - and we're gonna go through a LOT of fizzbeer!

2a) While we can make no promisses, we intend to keep costs minimal. The Official Entry Fee is one (1) case of beer or diet soda per team. Individual competitors in the "Limited" class (see rule #4) are required to ante up a minimum of one (1) sixpack of fizzbeer or diet soda.

2b) In the event that we are required to charge actual money for this event, competitors will be notified in advance of the fees and will be given the opportunity to withdraw from the competition. If any fees are incurred, the entry fee will be the incurred cost (Venue, Insurance (if we actually get it) etc.) divided by the number of teams entered.

Note on 2b) The published version of this rule will change when, and if, we determine these fees. As it is written now, this rule applies to entries received before the costs are finalized.

2b.1) To keep individuals competing in the "Limited" class from paying a disproportinate cost, they will be combined into "groups" equal to the size of the average team entry for the purposes of computation. This cost will then be subdivided down to the individual competitors.

3) Payload: The official standard payload will be one can of fizzbeer (12 ounce ( 355 ml) beer can, massing ~ 375 g) to be randomly selected from a pile of ammunition..

3a) On impact, the payload must be 'bare.' Any wadding, packing, carrier, sabot, etc., must be clear of the payload by a distance of not less than one (1) meter as measured from the center of the can.

3b) Each payload will carry a small identification sticker on the bottom of the can. ID stickers will be issued to each team by the Rangemaster or a designated representitive. The ID sticker MUST be on the bottom of the projectile or the launch will not count for competition. This is the only way payloads will be identified down range. This is the only exception to rule 1a.

3c) Payloads must remain intact during flight. The original contents of the payload must remain within the confines of the payload until impact. After impact, "Payload splater" will count for points in the Style category.

3d) Alternately, competitors may select a can of cheap, foul-smelling, diet soda from the ammunition pile. This rule is to accomodate competitors who, for whatever reason, do not feel comfortable flinging beer across the landscape. Rules 2a - 2c still apply when a competitor opts to compete under rule 2d.

Note on rule 3d) This rule is here for one reason, and one reason only. To promote open competition. Since this is a team event, and competitors are allowed from ALL walks of life, age groups, and organizations, this rule is to accomodate competitors who may encounter legal complications dealing with alchaholic beverages. (i.e. if you're under age, we highly recommend you compete under rule 3d!)

4) Classes: There are numerous ways to build a siege engine, and some of them are far more involved and cost intensive than others. To "level" the playing field, competitors will find thier launchers grouped into three classes. If there are not sufficient entries to fill a class (minimum of 3) entrants in that class will get bumped into the next higher class. If a "top" class does not have enough entries, they may be allowed to compete in a lower class if ALL competitors in that class permit.

4a) Limited: This class is restricted to "Gerbilator" type launchers. These devices are also known as "spud guns," "butane cannons," etc. These are, typically, the smallest and lightest launchers in competition. As such, these devices must be capable of being fired hand held by a single operator. However, during competition, a tripod is allowed to provide adaquate stability.

Note on 4a) The Rangemaster may require a demonstration of compliance with the hand held rule. However, it is permissible to demonstrate this rule firing a "light load" (i.e. less propellant than used for a competition launch) but the device still must be able clear 100 meters to certify compliance. Discarding sabot, wadding, etc is allowed, keeping in mind rules 3a and 4d.

4a.1) Construction: The primary construction material for launchers in the limited class is PVC or ABS pipe. (Black or White sprinkler or plumbing pipe) Minimum rating is "Schedule 40" (280 psi burst pressure). Any appropriate fittings are permissible.

4a.2) Fuel: The valid gas mixes for launchers in the Limited class are Butane/air, Propane/air, Alchohol/air, compressed air, nitrogen (liquid or compressed), and CO₂ (frozen or compressed) (CO₂ may be transported in liquid form, but the cylinder MUST have a regulator which limits the output pressure to 250 PSI or less.) Other inert gasses may be substituted for CO₂ or N₂.

4a.3) Prohibited Fuels: Pure oxygen (combined with any other gas), Acetelene, solid explosives (i.e. Gunpowder, C4, etc.) and flamible liquids are specifically NOT ALLOWED!

4b) Open: This class is primarily for "conventional" or "classic" siege engines. Catapults, trebuchets, ballista, cannon, etc. Gerbilator type weapons are not excluded from this class, however, they should be competing in the Limited class to keep the field level.

4b.1) Construction: Materials in this class are limited to "conventional" construction materials. Wood, iron, steel, aluminum, PVC, glass reinforced plastic (fiberglass), etc. Exotic materials such as Titanium, Carbon Fibre, Kevlar, etc., are not allowed.

4b.2) Fuel: While the word 'fuel' may be perfectly appropriate, we are refering to the method of energy storage here. Conventional siege engines are mostly tension devices, so all forms of mechanical energy storage are allowed. Cannon type launchers may use any LEGAL means of energy storage (In case you were wondering, C4 is not legal in this context), provided they comply with rule 6.

4b.2a) The "fuel" for any launcher in the Open class MUST remain with the launcher. This means that you can have a catapult launched glider, but an engine powered aircraft or rocket is not allowed. Note that all "carrier" type launchers are subject to rule 4d.

4c) Unlimited: This class is just what it says. It's where the big guns go to play. Got a permit for a 105mm field howitzer? Load it up for fizzbeer and bring it along! This class removes all of the limits you find in the other classes - with the exception of Rule 3a - including the $500 dollar limit.

4c.1) Construction: Anything goes.

4c.2) Fuel: Just about anything goes. Fuels in the Unlimited Class are not limited to rule 4b.2, however, safety is ALWAYS an issue. If the Rangermasters determine that a competitor's fuel posses an active hazard, they will be disqualified from competition. (Hydrazine is a good example...)

4b.2a) The Rangemaster reserves the right to disqualify "Orion" type boosters utilizing radioactive fuels. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't sweat it. If you DO know what I'm talking about, well...) Powered aircraft are permitted in this class as long as a launch complies with rule 3a.

4c.3) Awards: The Unlimited class is for demonstration only. Competitors are not elegible for any official awards.

4d) Carriers: Any "carrier" type launcher (RC plane, rocket, glider, kite, etc.) is subject to "The Gauntlet." In other words, every Clansman (or Clansbabe) in range gets to take a Gerbilator and try to shoot it down before it reaches the impact point. Also, the can will only be measured sans carrier (see rule 3a). So make sure your RC plane or glider is a bomber, not a Kamakazi. (If the carrier and the can land together, the whole launch doesn't count!)

4d.1) The Gauntlet: is NOT at a fixed location. Other competitors (and even spectators) can take pot shots at the carrier anywhere along its flight path.

5) Portability: The siege engine must be transportable by two people. They can make multiple trips but, if challenged, must be prepared to carry any component of the engine. The total mass of any siege engine may not exceed 5 metric tons. Note: This rule effectively rules out most military grade launchers, including, but not limited to, self propelled field artillary.

5a) Porters: The team leader is allowed to designate any two (willing) people to transport the Engine.

5b) Exception: Competitors in the Unlimited Class are not subject to this rule.

6) Safety: All siege engines will be subject to a safety inspection by an adhoc committee. No weapon may compete until it has been approved. The committe may reject any entry for any reason. (note, the Clan makes no pretense of being anything like a democracy) While we sincerely hope every entry will be allowed to compete, we are far more concerned with the safety of our competitors and spectators. If YOU think the thing is dangerous, leave it in the transporter!

6a) Design Review: The design and construction of any entry must beet the approval of the Rangemasters - either the Patriarch (Mike) or Vas MacDeferns (Larry) before the event.

6a.1) The Rangemasters may designate a technical review board to approve entries. Members of this board act in concert with the Rangemasters - who do not give up the right to exclude an entry on a safety issue.

6b) Military hardware competing in the Unlimited class (see rule 4c) MUST have the appropriate permits for both the device and any charges it utilizes to propel the designated payload.

These rules are complete as of 8 March1997. They will probably expand to sound even more official. However, no matter how the rules expand, there are only two that really matter. a: The can must land alone. b: The launcher must be safe. Anything else is just gravy. The class structure is there to keep it all together.