---

Highlander Spring '24 Changes!

The following are changes that will debut in Highlander Spring '24.

Map Pool

Below you'll find the Spring '24 Map Pool.

Highlander Spring '24 Map Pool:
Upward
Swiftwater
Vigil
Summercoast
Steel
Product
Ashville
Proot

While we're still trying to stick to our initiative of a smaller, more refined map pool, we listened to player feedback requesting more maps and have come to a middle ground. This season we'll be adding one more stopwatch map for a total of 8 Maps.

Proot & Summercoast

This season we'll be adding Proot and Summercoast to our Map Pool. Proot has been in high demand since it was removed after Autumn '24. It is a well-designed map that had high vote totals throughout all of our recent polls so it makes a lot of sense for us to add it back into the pool. As for Summercoast, it was the most requested map for addition into regular season after Experimental Cup 3. The map also had a very high pick rate in playoffs throughout the cup cementing the idea of adding into the Map Pool.

Warmtic & Daenam

With the addition of Proot we have decided to say goodbye to Warmtic for now with it being the most disliked map in the Winter '24 Season's Map Pool. These two maps always seem to be neck and neck in terms of liked-ness by the community so it would come as no shock if we saw these maps being swapped in and out again in the future. While Daenam was our second highest requested map from Experimental Cup 3, the feedback we've received from players has led us to believe that the map is not ready to be played in a regular season of ozfortress Highlander at this stage in time.

---

Whitelist Changes

Natascha Unchained

The Natascha will be unbanned for Highlander Spring '24. Our poll feedback from the Experimental Cup outlined a trend of players either not noticing it being used or realizing how minimal its impact was overall during their matches. However, we will be monitoring its usage and players thoughts on it throughout the entirety of Spring '24.

Loch-n-Load Locked up

The Loch-n-Load will be banned for Highlander Spring '24. In the Experimental Cup poll data, players stated that the weapon's absence from competition was quite noticeable. Yet, the votes for removing it from the Spring '24 season was only slightly greater than votes wanting it to remain unbanned. Thus, we discussed the choice to ban it internally with advisors, after which we came to the conclusion that we will be banning the weapon due to its oppressive presence in competition. Like the Natascha, we will monitoring players thoughts about the choice to remove it and see if it will be worth bringing it back in subsequent ozfortress Highlander competitions.

---

Playoffs

Playoff Size

We intend to expand playoffs to include more teams with division's sizes of 8 teams or greater having a playoffs bracket that houses a total of 6 teams. The playoff's bracket would behavior in the same fashion as the Division 1 bracket used during Experimental Cup 3. Divisions of 7 or fewer teams will still use the tried and true Page Playoff system however. This is to encourage teams to put effort in all season long to make playoffs and gives more teams to opportunity to finish higher with in the season's rankings.

Bronze Final

After its popularity in the Experimental Cup we've decided to offer teams a Bronze Final that will occur in the same week as our Grand Finals. This match between 3rd and 4th place will be forfeitable in its introductory season with team being allowed to forfeit the match. However, which ever team ends up forfeiting the match will ultimately finish the season in 4th place. Depending on its potential and popularity we may incorporate it in future seasons beyond Spring '24.

ABBA in all Divisions

For all playoff matches moving forward, ABBA will be on by default for all divisions. This decision has come after seeing its popularity and positive reception in Round 4's ABBA match of Winter '24 and the Grand/Bronze Finals of Experimental Cup 3. However, if both teams decide they don't want to play ABBA in their playoff's match, they may disable it for all stopwatch maps. Meaning, ABBA is either on for all stopwatch maps, or off, for all stopwatch maps. This won't be a pick-n-mix, you can't mix and match your sweets. KOTH (King of the Hill) with still be played as a first to 3 rounds won (BO5) per map.

Tiebreaker Metric

We'll be keeping the site scoring metrics we used at the end of the last season of Highlander. However, come playoffs we will be using a metric contrived by League admin redja that takes individual team's win rates and compare it to their potential win rate if the site scoring fails to display distinct rankings come playoffs. Below is the order of tiebreakers used to determine playoff standings;

1. Map Points
2. Direct encounter
3. Round Win rate Calculation

---

Rosters & Transfers

Roster Size for Signups

Last season we capped the roster size for signups at 12 allowing teams to transfer in the remainder of their players at a later date for a total roster size of 15. Moving forward we will be allowing teams to sign up with the full 15-player roster at the start of the season.

Transfer Windows

After trialing fortnightly transfer windows last season we will be returning to weekly windows. With this in mind, teams will only be allowed to transfer in 2 players per window as opposed to the 3 players they were allowed to transfer in last season.

---

Signups Close Soon!

Don't forget that Signups close this Saturday! If you require any assistance such as finding a team, finding players or any other sort of assistance. Please reach out to our Highlander Admins or alternatively open a support ticket in our discord and we'll get back to you ASAP.

---

Global Ruleset Changes

Global Ruleset changes are on the way and should be live with a news post in the next couple of days. Due to the limited time this off-season, we are quite busy but working to get everything out.