Game Setup
  Setup one game of each variant as far as possible, choosing from the two base games DUNE: Imperium (henceforth referred to as "Legacy") and Uprising and expansions Rise of Ix, Immortality and Bloodlines. Judges may randomize or choose at their discretion what table setups will be used, but no duplicate setups will be deployed if it can be avoided. Furthermore, no setup version can exist in two or more copies more than any other setup. The Swordmasters exclusive expansion Battle of Wills may also be deployed to further iterate the number of versions available.

Clarifications
- The Imperium Row and top Techs of IX is determined and revealed before Leaders are picked.
- The first Conflict card remains hidden until Game Start.

Players
  Fill games with four Players as far as possible. As few games as possible should be fielded with only three Players. No games with less than three Players will be fielded.

Table & Seat Allocations
  Players -> Tables -> Seats are randomly assigned through the Swordmasters Tournament System Application (STSA) available on site, just before every new sitting of games.

Player Colours
  Randomly assign and distribute available token colours to each of the Players. Colours are determined by the STSA.

First Player & Play Order
  Randomly select which Player takes the first turn (1st Player). Play order goes clockwise around the table. First Player is determined by the STSA.

Leader Pick Methods
- Legacy: HIDDEN PICKS (6)
- Uprising: HIDDEN PICKS (3)

After all Players have picked their Leaders all Players reveal them simultaneously.

Leader Pick Methods Explained
- HIDDEN PICKS (X):
  X Leaders are randomly removed from the Leader deck. Then the Leaders are given to the Player who plays last in the First Round. That Player selects their Leader secretly from those remaining Leaders, then passes the turn counter-clockwise until all Players have selected their Leaders.

- VOTE OFF(X): (Used in past Tournaments. Not currently in use since 2025 Tournaments)
  Each Player secretly votes off X Leaders they do not want to be pickable this round. The Tournament Organizer receives this information from each player and secretly removes the two Leaders with the most Votes from all Players. In the event of ties, the Tournament Organizer chooses a Leader with tied votes to be removed at their own discretion.

- WILD CARD: (Used in past Tournaments. Not currently in use since 2025 Tournaments)
  Once each Player have chosen their Leaders they make the choice to keep the Leader assigned to them or get one at random from the Hidden Picks Leaders, starting with the First Player. Players will not know in advance which Leader would be randomly assigned to them and if the choice to change is made the choice stands.

Determine Qualifier Scores at End of Game
  Determine each Players' placing as normal: VP > Spice > Solari > Water > Troops in Garrison

VPQ Scores are then determined as follows:
- 1st Place: 3 VPQ + the VP point difference down to 3rd Place.
- 2nd Place: 1 VPQ + the VP point difference down to 3rd Place.
- 3rd Place: None.
- 4th Place: Negative VP point difference up to 3rd Place.

Add Variant Rules Points to each Players Qualifier Score (if applicable).

These are the VP Quality Scores for each individual Player.

Enter each Players' Placing, Leader Choice, VP Score and Tiebreakers in the STSA.

Multiple Qualifier Scores
  A Player can participate in any number of Qualifier Rounds. Only a Players best Qualifier Score will count towards a spot in the Grand Finals.

Determine Seats in the Finals and Semi Finals
  VPQ is used as the primary Ranking value. Tiebreakers are then VP, Spice, Solari, Water and last Troops in Garrison, in that order.

Determine Final Tournament Standings
 A Player's Final Tournament Score is determined in the following order: Final > Semifinal > Placing > Best Tournament Score.

This should effectively create a total list of all Player's and their final Placings in the Tournament.