TRMN:BlackSphinxCup:ChallengeRules

Challenge Rules (Applicable to ALL Challenges)

In order to be compliant with the Black Sphinx Cup, the fleet cup’s challenges must adhere to the following rules.

• The fleet commander must designate a challenge director to run the challenge. This can be any member of the fleet’s staff, or the fleet commander themselves. It is suggested that a fleet staff Intelligence officer performs this duty.
• Each chapter must select one challenge liaison to keep records for their chapter. This may be any member of the chapter with the approval of their CO.
• The challenge liaison is responsible for accurately keeping records for their chapter and submitting them to the fleet cup’s challenge director by the deadline.
• Chapter liaisons must conduct and submit their records as a spreadsheet for each challenge as detailed below.
• Chapters may, and are encouraged too, submit reports to the challenge director frequently to provide updates on standings during the challenge period.
• The deadline for records submission shall be before midnight of the SEVENTH day after the END of the challenge period. No records will be accepted after this cutoff.
• Fleet challenge directors are required to determine, and publicly name, the winner of each challenge within 15 days of the end of each challenge.
• Fleet directors are required to submit a fleet After-Action Report to the 1SL staff Intelligence officer no later than 15 days after the end of each challenge.
• Each challenge must be held in one of three challenge periods, as determined by the fleet commander. A challenge period is a three-month period where one challenge is conducted at a time, with buffer for follow up and preparation for the next challenge.
• The challenge periods must adhere to the following schedule:

Challenge period 1: February 15th–May 15th

Challenge period 2: May 30th–August 30th

Challenge period 3: September 15th–December 15th

• No extensions will be permitted.
• Fleet commanders may choose to repeat the same challenge for multiple periods.
• Only full chapters may participate in the fleet cup challenges. A full chapter is defined as any hyper-capable naval unit or LAC under the command of that fleet’s fleet commander.
• If a chapter upgrades to a larger vessel between challenge periods and retains 90% of their previous crew listed at the end of the previous challenge, the previous challenge win will carry over and be credited to the newly upgraded chapter. If the 90% threshold is not met, the situation will be reviewed and ruled upon by the staff Intelligence officer for the First Space Lord and a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• If a chapter downgrades to a smaller vessel between challenge periods, their previous challenge win will carry over and credited to the newly upgraded chapter.
• If a chapter changes fleets between challenge periods, their previously earned competition points will transfer with the chapter to the new fleet.
• If a chapter changes fleets during an active challenge, their current progress will transfer with the chapter.
• At the end of EACH challenge period, the officially listed CO, XO, and bosun of a participating chapter must have met their rank testing requirements.
• Chapters who submit a final challenge report or submission whose current CO, XO, and/or bosun have not met their rank testing requirements will be disqualified from the challenge. It is the responsibility of the fleet commander to confirm that these rank testing requirements have been met before declaring a winner for each challenge and for the overall cup.
• Only the training activities or contributions of officially listed members of a specific chapter on the TRMN Medusa database may be submitted for that chapter.
• If a member moves chapters during the challenge period, they must be removed from their previous chapter’s challenge records. As members change chapters, their Civil Affairs volunteer records move with them. As such, the final report from a chapter must only include their current official members’ records. It is the responsibility of the challenge director to check and confirm that these final reports are accurate.
• Members of a chapter may choose to volunteer in a group capacity or individually.
• It is highly recommended that members take photos, video, or other media to document their challenge activities and include these in their reports. This is not a rule, just a recommendation that could further bolster their portfolio for the Black Sphinx Cup.
• When possible and appropriate, it is suggested that members wear TRMN-related attire, such as a convention minimum uniform, while performing their challenge activities. This is not a rule, just a recommendation that could further bolster their portfolio for the Black Sphinx Cup.
• Each challenge will be scored, based on the reporting method outlined in the description and rules for each challenge.
• Any efforts made prior to or after the challenge period WILL NOT BE COUNTED.

Additional Guidelines

The 1SL Office recommends that the fleet commander consult with both their staff and chapter COs prior to choosing which three challenges will constitute their fleet cup. Buy-in and consent from the chapters of a fleet are essential to making the fleet cup a success.

It is recommended that the fleet commander appoint a fleet challenge coordinator to assume responsibility of the fleet cup. The 1SL Office suggests appointing the fleet staff Intelligence officer, chief of staff, flag captain, or other fleet command staff member.

The 1SL Office recommends that the fleet commander or designated subordinate confer with the Office of the First Space Lord prior to conducting their fleet cup in order to assure that they are compliant with the rules of the Black Sphinx Cup.

Please keep in mind that you are seeking to compete to be named the most impressive chapter of your fleet and/ or TRMN as a whole. Choosing a balanced set of challenges that will allow chapters to convey this in more than one way could be essential. For example: In the Black Sphinx Cup, a chapter that has won their fleet cup by means of three consecutive Reading challenges, or only TRMN training or qualification-based challenges, will likely not fare well against another chapter that won their cup with three distinctly different types of challenges, particularly those in the spirit of volunteer or charity activity or a creative focus.

Grace Period

Some challenges require members be issued an award or qualification from an officer unrelated to the Black Sphinx Cup in order to be considered qualified. The First Space Lord’s Office recognizes and understands that delays can and do occur in the issuance of awards and certifications through no fault of the individual member. The First Space Lord’s Office also recognizes that some awards are issued on a set schedule which falls outside of challenge periods. To account for those possible delays and schedules, the Space Warfare and Astrocontrol challenges have had a grace period established, the rules for which are found in each challenge’s rule sheet. If a fleet is embarked on a challenge which has a grace period, the Office of the First Space Lord will work with the issuing authority of the awards or certification for the challenge to ensure that they are issued ini a timely manner and within the grace period.

Ambiguity Clause

In any instance that the Black Sphinx Cup rules, or the specific rules of approved challenges, are found to be unclear or ambiguous by a fleet commander or their subordinate, it is essential that they immediately confer with the First Space Lord’s staff Intelligence officer (intel@1SL.trmn.org). A final ruling will be made by the Office of the First Space Lord and must be adhered to. Failure to adhere to this ruling will result in the fleet being made ineligible for the Black Sphinx Cup. If a fleet is found to have made their own interpretations of the rules without consulting the Office of the First Space Lord, they will be made ineligible for the Black Sphinx Cup.

Conflict of Interest Clause

In the event that the First Space Lord, 1SL chief of staff, and/or 1SL staff Intelligence officer is a member of a chapter up for consideration in the Black Sphinx Cup, they will recuse themselves from the awards process, to be replaced by the next most senior member of the First Space Lord’s staff.

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