Hammertime Code of Conduct

A code of conduct is a central guide and reference for all participants. It sets out the expectations of players, the judges’ responsibility, and the organizing staff’s commitment

1. Player Expectations

• Respect: Treat your opponents, other attendees, judges, and organizers with respect.
• Integrity Matters: Play fairly and avoid interpreting rules or manipulating situations for your own advantage.
• Communicate Clearly: Discuss your army’s rules and your intentions openly with your opponent.
• Seek Help: If any issues arise, bring them to the judges or organizers for resolution.
• Respect Rulings: Accept any decisions made by judges or organizers without dispute.
• Fair Time Management: Ensure each player is allocated a fair and even amount of time per match. If one player requests a chess clock, it must be used but cannot be abused.

2. Judge Responsibilities

• Neutrality: Judges should settle disputes fairly and without bias.
• Informed Decisions: Make decisions based on the information available and in the spirit of the game.

3. Organizer Commitments

• Safe Environment: Ensure a welcoming and safe space for all players, regardless of race, gender, or creed.
• Promote Good Sportsmanship: Foster an atmosphere of camaraderie and sportsmanship among participants.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Hammertime has a Zero Tolerance Policy which applies individual behaviour or actions that would be considered inappropriate in any capacity. This includes but is not limited to;

• Violence in any shape or form, this includes physical and verbal threats
• Any form of bullying, discrimination, or intimidation

Violation of any of the above will result in being ejected from an event or league.

Questions about our Code of Conduct? Reach out to us on Discord and DM an Admin.

Infractions, referees, and penalties

Warhammer is a complex and at times counterintuitive tabletop wargame. There are rules, interactions, and elements that increase this are only compounded when playing in a competitive timed environment. That being said, Hammertime believes Warhammer 40k is a social contract between opponents who are there to have fun and enjoy themselves.  

For transparency and simplicity the event referee and/or designated Tournament Organizer will have the final say in penalties. 

Hammertime Tournaments believes in fostering a positive and welcoming Warhammer community. We therefore reserve the right to ask any player, regardless of standing or position, to leave or not participate in an event with sufficient evidence. 

Game Play

The most important rule is to have fun. Communicate with your opponent, behave honourably, and avoid gotcha moments. The Hammertime Code of Conduct (yes, this links you to the top of the page) outlines player, judge, and organizer expectations. Please take a few minutes to review both of these before participating. 

When To Call a Referee

We encourage calling a ref! Even for little things like making a line of sight call, measuring a charge, or explaining pile in and consolidations. A ref acts as an impartial knowledge base of the rules and mediates discrepancies between players. Refs will attempt to do their best to resolve a situation. Refs have the final say in any rules discrepancy. (Keep in mind, we’re all volunteers and humans. The ref *might* get the ruling wrong, but they have the final say in the ruling)

A ref can issue a warning, yellow card, or red card at their discretion following our policies.

The card system

Hammertime tournaments operates on a warning, yellow card, red card system. However – our first goal is to educate and improve the behaviour of players rather than penalize them. The system is simple (in theory) – the first infraction will likely be a verbal warning. A repeated infraction after a warning increases to a yellow card, often with a corresponding points penalty. And finally, a red card, with a corresponding expulsion from the event. If you’ve ever played or watch this sport called “soccer” you might be familiar with the card system.

Of note – infractions from your last event(s) may carry over to your next event. For example, we may learn about an incident at an event and issue a warning between your events. That warning would be in place for your next Hammertime event. Or, we may take into consideration warnings across multiple events and, if an infraction occurs at your next event, issue a yellow card instead of a warning.

We have also added an administrative infraction category called Administratum poena. This is a category of penalties that don’t compound for those administrative mistakes like making a list error, missing the list upload deadline, not meeting the battle ready paint standard, or using dice with special symbols on both the 1’s and the 6’s. This category of infractions allows us to correct those administrative mistakes without stepping into the warning/yellow card/red card territory. After all, the goal of these tournaments is to throw dice and have fun.

The table below summarizes the levels of infractions and associated penalties.

Hammertime Infraction Policy
Level	Examples	Penalty
Administratum poena	List error or late list submission Model not meeting battle ready / WYSIWYG standard Using dice with symbols on 1’s and 6’s	Attempt to correct error rather than levying penalty Small points penalty (eg not painted, list error), forfeit first match (eg no list submitted), or model removed from play (not WYSIWYG) Administrative penalties do not compound
Warning	Abusing playing by intent / angle shooting Sloppy play eg moving 14” on a 12” move Core rules or army error (by experienced player) for advantage	No penalty applied; verbal warning Next warning will likely result in a yellow card
Yellow Card	Intentionally withholding rules information when asked (eg not disclosing fall back and charge) Flagrant or serious core rules error (by experienced player) for advantage Second warning Discussing strategy mid-game with a teammate / coach	Points penalty (20-50 points) or forfeiture of a match (automatic 0-100 loss) Forfeiture of past matches may be applied May be excluded from best general and best overall placing
Red Card	Intentional and flagrant cheating; eg rigged dice, manipulating cards, playing by rules that only exist in your head Violent or abusive behaviour Blatant violation of player code of conduct A second yellow card offence	Expulsion from event Potential ban from future hammertime events

How To Be a Great Opponent

Hammertime feels it’s appropriate to include what we feel makes a great opponent. 

Play. By. Intent

Our feeling on intent is taken directly from James Kelling at Goonhammer. 

• It is mutually understood
• It is reciprocated
• Agreement that the underlying action is or was physically possible

This is a simple but complex scenario of play but inherently, we wish for players to work together to be fair with one another. There are numerous scenarios where you may choose to let an opponent do a ‘takesies-backsies’ in an effort to foster the best game.

Some examples;

Corax is playing Space Marines and forgets to nominate an Oath of the Moment target and is in the movement phase. Corax remembers after he moves the Intercessors 6”. Corax asks his opponent, Perturabo, if he can nominate an Oath of the Moment target. Perturabo allows his opponent to nominate a target. 

Or alternatively;

Corax is playing Space Marines and forgets to nominate an Oath of the Moment target and is in the movement phase. Corax remembers after he moves the Intercessors 10” with a 4” advanced move. This puts his Intercessors now in rapidfire range of Perturabo’s unit of Chosen. Corax asks his opponent, Perturabo, if he can nominate an Oath of the Moment target. Perturabo does not allow his opponent to nominate an Oath of the Moment Target. 

We feel strongly that learning by playing is the best approach to Warhammer. If you make a mistake during play you wish to correct, ask your opponent for permission. Do not assume an opponent will agree. Accept that in some situations you are too far into the match to allow a change.