Hello and welcome back to another edition of the TSW World Cup, everyone's favourite (maybe) festive forum game! As the number of routes in TSW continues to grow, we have now exceeded the limit on poll entries (25) for Europe and the UK, so both have been split into two threads. In Europe's case, this is split between North and South just to make things interesting. "North" is not geographical (hence why LGV Med. is here), but instead refers to the territory of Aldi Nord supermarkets. Because why wouldn't it? Let's take a look at the groups. Group A Rapid Transit - 2023: Group Stage (0 Votes) - 2024: Group Stage (1 Vote) Dresden - Leipzig - Debutant SFS Köln - Aachen - 2023: Quarter Finals (lost to Dresden-Riesa) - 2024: 2nd Round (lost to Dresden-Riesa) Rhein Ruhr Osten - 2023: Group Stage (6 Votes) - 2024: Group Stage (14 Votes) Group B Ruhr Sieg Nord - 2023: Group Stage (18 Votes) - 2024: Quarter Finals (lost to Salzburg-Rosenheim) LGV Méditerranée - 2023: Group Stage (6 votes) - 2024: Group Stage (11 votes) Tharandter Rampe - 2023: 2nd Round (lost to Dresden-Riesa) - 2024: Group Stage (6 votes) Bremen - Oldenburg - 2023: Group Stage (7 votes) - 2024: 2nd Round (lost to Salzburg-Rosenheim) Group C Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr - 2023: Group Stage (8 votes) - 2024: Group Stage (12 votes) Hamburg - Lübeck - 2023: Group Stage (14 votes) - 2024: Group Stage (8 votes) Spoorlijn Zwolle - Groningen - Debutant SFS Kassel - Würzburg - 2023: 2nd Round (lost to Main Spessart Bahn) - 2024: Group Stage (11 Votes) As you can see 2024 was quite a rough year for the 'Northern' routes, with only three moving into the knockout rounds and only one, RSN, getting to Round 3 (Quarter Finals). Salzburg-Rosenheim was doing numbers against these sides too, as was Dresden-Riesa which is now happily in retirement. So, let's finish up here by taking a look at the format. Four routes (group winners + best runner-up) qualify for the next round automatically. The other two runners-up will enter a playoff against the third-places in the Southern section, leaving five routes, with two progressing. In Round 2 the 12 Routes will be split into two, unseeded groups of 6, north and south combined. The bottom two routes in each are then eliminated, leaving 8 routes in total. After that, the 8 routes will be split into 1v1 clashes (amongst each other) and enter a bracket with the other regions, until there are two routes left which will enter the Semi-Finals, finally going up against a UK/US route. Rules You are allocated three (3) votes in this poll. You do not have to use them all but it is requested that you use one per group as half the fun of this tournament is the group structure. There are blank options, if you want to spoil your ballot then use them if you want. They are there solely for spacing out the poll to make it more obvious where each group starts. You cannot change your vote after you submit it so choose wisely. This poll will be open for 48 hours (until roughly 10am UK time, Sunday 14th).
Keep track of results and future rounds in the TSWWC Master Thread: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/the-tsw-world-cup-season-three.77086/page-6
