Season 9

Official Rules

v1.2 — Last updated October 11, 2026

Mechacademy — Season 9

Official Tournament Rules & Format

A coaching-focused Mechabellum league. Coaches mentor students through a Swiss-format regular season, then the best players get drafted into teams for live playoff broadcasts.

Version 1.2 — Last updated October 11, 2026

Mechacademy — Season 9

1. Tournament Overview


Tournament Name	Mechacademy — Season 9
Game	Mechabellum
Format	Individual regular season (Swiss) → Draft → Team playoffs
Regular Season	5 weeks of weekly Bo3 matches
Playoffs	Draft event + single-elimination bracket (Saturdays, TO-scheduled)
Regular Season Dates	October 26 – November 29, 2026
Playoff Dates	November 30 (Draft), December 5 (Semis, Saturday 11am EST) & December 12 (Finals, Saturday 11am EST)
Broadcast	Community streamers + live on Twitch at twitch.tv/oddz01
Communication	Discord (required)
Registration	October 12–25, 2026 at mecha.academy/register

Mechacademy is a community event built around growth and mentorship. Season 9 introduces a new format: an individual regular season where coaches freely mentor any player, followed by a live draft where the best performers get pulled into teams for a team playoff bracket.

What's new in Season 9: individual competition all season (no pre-made teams), free-agent coaching, Swiss-format pairing, a community streaming hub, and a draft-based playoff system.

2. Roles: Players & Coaches

2.1 Players

Players compete in the regular season as individuals. Each week you play one Bo3 match against a similarly-skilled opponent. Your individual record determines your standing and your chances of being drafted for playoffs.

Players must provide their current MMR when applying.
After registration closes, all players are split into two brackets: Open and Advanced, divided at the MMR median.
Players only face opponents within their own bracket.

2.2 Coaches

Coaches are free agents for the entire regular season. They are not assigned to specific players or teams. Instead, they help any player who wants coaching: reviewing replays, running practice games, and offering advice.

Coaches register on the website alongside players.
Coaches are encouraged to stream matches, review replays, and publish guides or analysis to grow their channel and help the community learn (see Section 11).
During the playoff draft, coaches draft players into teams. The relationships built during the regular season influence these picks.
Coaches do not play in any matches. In the playoffs, each team has 2 coaches whose role is to prepare the team and coach live during the Game 5 decider.

3. Registration & Brackets

3.1 Registration

Registration is open October 12–25, 2026 at mecha.academy/register. Sign in with Discord and fill out the form:

In-Game Name: your Mechabellum name
Region: your Mechabellum server (101, 201, 301, 401, or 501)
Timezone: used to schedule matches at reasonable hours
MMR: your current Mechabellum MMR
Role: Player or Coach
Stream Handle (optional): your Twitch, YouTube, or other streaming channel

After registering, you'll appear on the public roster immediately.

3.2 Brackets

After registration closes, the TO splits all registered players into two brackets based on MMR:

Open: bottom half by MMR. This field combines the Rookie and Intermediate ranks into a single competitive bracket.
Advanced: top half by MMR

Coaches are not assigned to a bracket. Bracket assignments are final for the regular season.

3.3 Late Registration

After registration closes, new signups are not accepted for the current season. There is no waitlist and no mid-season joining.

4. Regular Season Format

The regular season runs 5 weeks (October 26 – November 29). Each week:

Matchups are published on Monday using Swiss pairing within each bracket.
Players are matched against opponents with a similar win/loss record.
If possible, the system avoids repeat matchups and prefers region/timezone proximity.
Each player plays one Bo3 match per week. Players coordinate during the week, with Saturday as the default play day.
If there's an odd number of players in a bracket, one player gets a BYE (counts as a win).

Players play within their own bracket only. Open players face Open players, and Advanced players face Advanced players.

5. Match Format (Best of 3)

Each regular season match is a best of 3. The first player to win 2 games wins the match.

Game	Notes
Game 1	Standard 1v1
Game 2	Standard 1v1
Game 3	Only played if tied 1–1

All games are standard 1v1 Mechabellum matches.
There are no skill-bracket-specific game rules in the regular season. Both players just play.
The match ends as soon as one player reaches 2 game wins.
Spectator delay is mandatory. Both players must enable the in-game spectator delay setting before the match starts. This prevents stream sniping and ensures fair play when matches are spectated or streamed.

6. Scheduling & Availability

6.1 Time Slot Selection

Each week, once matchups are published on Monday:

Both players log into the website and see their opponent.
Each player selects available time slots from the options presented (generated based on both players' timezone overlap).
The system finds an overlapping slot and confirms the match time.
The confirmed time appears on the public schedule.

6.2 If No Overlap

If the system cannot find overlapping availability, the TO is notified and will work with both players to find a solution. In extreme cases, the match may need to be rescheduled or defaults applied.

6.3 Match Window

Regular season match weeks run Monday through Sunday. Matchups are published each Monday. Players coordinate during the week to find a time, with Saturday as the default play day. All regular season matches must be completed by end of day Sunday.

Playoff matches are different. Semifinals and the Grand Final are TO-scheduled (not player-scheduled). All playoff matches take place on Saturdays at 11am EST, broadcast live. Drafted players must be available for the scheduled broadcast windows on December 5 (Semifinals) and December 12 (Grand Final).

7. Results & Replays

7.1 Submitting Results

The winner of each match is responsible for submitting the result on the website:

Log in and go to your match.
Enter the score (2-0 or 2-1).
Upload the replay file (required).

7.2 Replay Uploads

Replay files must be uploaded for every match (files are under 3MB).
Replays are stored publicly and can be viewed by anyone. Over time they become a learning resource for the whole community.
If a replay cannot be uploaded, submit a screenshot or a note explaining why.

7.3 Result Deadline

Results must be submitted by end of day Sunday of the match week. If neither player submits, the TO may investigate and apply defaults.

8. Coaching Rules

8.1 Regular Season: No Live Coaching

During regular season Bo3 matches, the active player may not receive any coaching or outside input during their games.

Once a game begins, the player is on their own.
Coaches and other players may not communicate strategy, unit choices, spending, counter-picks, or any other in-game advice while a game is in progress.
The player should be in a position where they cannot hear live coaching during their game.

8.2 Practice & Prep

Coaches are free to help players between matches: reviewing replays, running practice games, and building strategy. This is the core of Mechacademy. The coaching happens in prep, not live.

8.3 Playoffs: Full Team Coaching (Game 5 Only)

In the playoff Bo5 format, Games 1–4 are played solo with no live coaching. Game 5 is the only time live coaching is allowed all season. It is a full-team effort: the entire team, including coaches, is in voice together and may coach the active student in real time. See Section 10.

9. Playoffs: Draft & Bracket

9.1 Draft Pool

After the 5-week regular season, coaches select 8 Open players and 8 Advanced players (16 total) for the playoff draft. Selection is based on regular season standings, but coaches have discretion — this allows flexibility when multiple players have similar records. The final draft pool is announced after the regular season ends.

9.2 The Draft

A live draft event is broadcast on stream (November 30). Coaches draft the selected players into teams. The draft takes place the day after the regular season ends, giving players 5 days to prepare for the semifinals.

Each team gets 2 coaches and 2 players per bracket (2 Open + 2 Advanced = 4 players, 2 coaches).
The draft considers regular season performance, region/timezone compatibility, and the coaching relationships built during the season.
The draft is a broadcast moment. Expect drama, strategy, and storylines.

9.3 Playoff Bracket

The drafted teams play a single-elimination bracket:

Draft (November 30): Live draft event, broadcast.
Semifinals (December 5, Saturday, 11am EST): 2 Bo5 series, broadcast live.
Grand Final (December 12, Saturday, 11am EST): 1 Bo5 series, broadcast live.

Seeding is determined by the regular season records of the team's drafted players.

10. Playoff Match Format (Best of 5)

Each playoff series is a best of 5. The first team to win 3 games wins the series. Games are played in this order:

Game	Players	Notes
Game 1	Open player vs. Open player
Game 2	Open player vs. Open player
Game 3	Advanced player vs. Advanced player
Game 4	Advanced player vs. Advanced player
Game 5	Student vs. Student	Tiebreaker only, each team's choice of student

All four students play in Games 1–4. Each student plays exactly two matches.
Game 5 is only played if the series is tied 2–2. It is a single deciding 1v1 between students chosen by each team. The chosen student may be one who already played earlier in the series. Coaches do not play.
Each team declares its Game 5 student once the series reaches 2–2. The pick is made blind: neither team knows the other's choice until the game begins.
No live coaching during Games 1–4. Game 5 is a full-team effort: the entire team, including coaches, is in voice together and may coach the active student in real time. This is the only time live coaching is allowed.

11. Community Streaming & Media

11.1 Everyone Can Stream

All regular season matches are open for spectating. Anyone can spectate matches and stream them on their own channel, whether they're a player, coach, or just a community member.

Coaches are strongly encouraged to stream their students' matches.
Community streamers can browse the schedule and pick matches to cast.
Use the hashtag #mechacademy in your stream title or description.

Because the full match schedule is public, anyone can see exactly when every game is being played, jump in to spectate or cast it live, or download the replay afterward and break it down on their own channel.

11.2 Auto-Fetch

The website automatically pulls in content tagged #mechacademy:

YouTube: videos tagged or titled with #mechacademy are fetched and displayed on the Media page.
Twitch VODs: VODs tagged with #mechacademy are fetched and displayed.
Live streams are not auto-detected. Streamers can submit their live stream link on the schedule page.

11.3 Media Hub

All collected content lives on the Media page at mecha.academy/media. This includes auto-fetched YouTube videos, Twitch VODs, community-submitted stream links, and uploaded replays.

The Media library is a learning resource for the entire Mechabellum community, not just Mechacademy participants. Anyone at any skill level should be able to come here to study the game. Any Mechabellum learning content is welcome: match VODs, coaching sessions, guides, tutorials, analysis, and tier lists. If it helps players improve, tag it #mechacademy and it can be featured here. Admins review submissions and may remove anything that doesn't fit the learning focus.

11.4 Broadcast & Create

Anyone can create and share content: coaches, students, or community members. Coaches are not required to attend every series during the regular season, and students are not required to just play. That freedom is an opportunity: use it to create content and grow your channel while helping the community improve.

Stream a match. The public schedule shows when every game is played. Pick one, hop in, and cast it live on your channel.
Review a replay. Replays are uploaded after every match and stored publicly. Download any of them and break the game down on stream or in a video.
Record your coaching sessions. Students should record their prep sessions, replay reviews, and practice games, and coaches should allow and encourage it. These are some of the most valuable learning content there is. (As a courtesy, check with your coach before publishing a session.)
Publish a guide, tutorial, or analysis. Share your knowledge and give rising players something to learn from.

Tag everything #mechacademy so it gets featured on the Media page and players can find you. There is no exclusivity: multiple streamers can cover the same match, and recorded content is always welcome.

12. Standings

12.1 Regular Season Standings

Standings are tracked per bracket (Open and Advanced) throughout the regular season. Players are ranked by:

Series wins (most wins first)
Game win differential (total game wins minus game losses)
Total game wins

The roster page shows live standings once matches begin. Standings inform the coaches' draft picks for playoffs but do not guarantee qualification.

13. Attendance & Drops

13.1 No-Shows

If a player fails to play their match and does not communicate with the TO:

First offense: Warning + match forfeit (opponent gets the win).
Second offense: Player is dropped from the season.

13.2 Dropping Out

If a player needs to withdraw:

Notify the TO immediately via Discord.
The player is marked as dropped.

13.3 Self-Report

Players can self-report withdrawal through the website or by notifying a TO on Discord.

14. Broadcast Rules

14.1 Playoffs

All playoff matches (semifinals and grand final) are broadcast live on twitch.tv/oddz01 at 11am EST on Saturdays. Drafted players must be available for December 5 (Semifinals) and December 12 (Grand Final).

14.2 Regular Season

Regular season matches are broadcast by community streamers and/or the players themselves. The official Mechacademy broadcast focuses on the playoffs.

14.3 Permissions

Participants grant permission for their gameplay and appearances to be broadcast and used in highlight or recap content related to Mechacademy.

15. Conduct & Sportsmanship

Treat everyone with respect. Trash talk and competitive banter are fine; targeted harassment, slurs, or personal attacks are not.
Win and lose graciously. Acknowledge good plays, be a fair competitor.
Play in good faith. Intentional stalling, exploiting bugs, or unsportsmanlike behaviour will not be tolerated.
Respect the no-coaching rule. Feeding advice during live games is cheating.
Support the learning environment. This event exists to help players improve.
Respect the broadcast. Behaviour that reflects poorly on the community may result in disciplinary action.

Violations may result in a warning, game/series forfeit, or removal from the tournament.

16. Rulings & Disputes

The Tournament Organizer (TO) has final authority over all rulings and disputes.
Disconnects: If a player disconnects during a match, the game will be restarted unless the outcome is clearly determined, at the TO's discretion.
Bugs or exploits: If a known bug or exploit is used intentionally, the offending player may forfeit the match.
All ruling requests should be submitted to a TO through the Mechacademy Discord server.

Mechacademy Season 9 — Rules v1.2 — Last updated October 11, 2026 Questions? Reach out to the Tournament Organizers through the Mechacademy Discord server.