Thrown litter defense?

[ToddF]

As others have recently pointed out, thrown litter has made a significant difference in week 1 outcomes. There seem to be three big effects of thrown litter.
- short throws cluttering your own side of the field
- long throws clutter the opponents side of the field
- long throws scoring points with unprocessed litter

I'm going to throw out a simple concept for litter defense: the net bot. As far as I can tell, there is no rule against setting a stationary robot against the landfill at the start of the match and setting up a full height net that spans the width of the field. Unless an opposing HP can do a long throw over the net, thrown litter would be completely neutralized. Even better, thrown noodles that hit the net would drop into the landfill, scoring points for the good guys.

The range in abilities between the top performers and the possible third pick bots this year seems pretty wide. I would think a team might guarantee themselves a spot as a third pick if they used their 30 pound weight allowance to bring a net and two poles. Even better, if the net was a roll of COTS netting, and the poles were raw material, the materials might not even count against the weight allowance. Just be sure you can set up the net in under 60 seconds, it is stable enough that it won't tip over out of the field or onto the other side, and connects to your stationary robot somehow (the robot could be one of the pole bases).

How many week one regional outcomes would have changed if an alliance had a netbot on their side?

[WeJohnFriedIt]

One problem that I see with this idea is that the alliance with the net bot would also not be able to score litter points.

[mwmac]

One problem that I see with this idea is that the alliance with the net bot would also not be able to score litter points.

If placed in RC's they would.

[IronicDeadBird]

Return of the Goalie Bot!

Better yet what if we create a robot with a vortex cannon that shoots pool noodles out of the air?
In all seriousness though I think the only issue with this is that you would limit the space on an already cramped field.

[Boltman]

I was thinking the same thing last night along with other upgrades with our 30lbs outside bag after seeing week 1.

I thought it would be good to have a "net" and give it to less than capable robots that were underweight so the could do something. We had a defensive goalie bot that was limited to mainly that role last year, so I am always thinking of defensive and KISS. The net would bounce those noodles into landfill scoring 1 each...but as was mentioned may add to crowding and limiting own noodle options... I sort of shelved it in my head for now. Still working on the other ideas.

Again RC with litter is 6, Thrown is 4 (if scored), then moved to LF is 1 and negates the 4

So there are better options to a point than throwing as that's 2 points less than placed in RC per N

So from a totally statistical standpoint:

In N in RC is a better expected return on investment for capable bots up to # of RC's your alliance has (3-7).

As to the rest... depends on game situation and what alliances are trying to do at the time....to maximize scores.

Basically a team that is "Noodle Throwing" as a main strategy BETTER have a a decent bot too. Otherwise they will be bounced rather quickly in eliminations. Unless they are the alternate bot on alliances 1 and 2...and they make up for the deficient bot HP reliance technique "Noodle Throwing" team got there with.

Saw this earlier they made it and got bounced...no surprise there.

[Wayne TenBrink]

Much of the litter I saw that was on a "scoring" trajectory would have cleared a 78" net located at the edge of the landfill. Litter tends to sail and drop.

[Whippet]

We are currently considering building a small, fast tethered Vex robot (with legal motors) to relocate noodles to the landfill without disturbing the main robot.

[GeeTwo]

Better yet what if we create a robot with a vortex cannon that shoots pool noodles out of the air?
In all seriousness though I think the only issue with this is that you would limit the space on an already cramped field.

and also:

G24 ROBOTS may not cause TOTES, RECYCLING CONTAINERS, and/or LITTER to completely transfer from their side of the FIELD, or from the STEP, onto the opposite side of the FIELD.
VIOLATION: FOUL. If egregious or strategic, RED CARD and offending ROBOT will be DISABLED.

[IronicDeadBird]

and also:

No the vortex cannon would shoot pool noodles flying at you out of the air. They wouldn't shoot noodles back over to the other side. Its completely viable...
Also it wouldn't be viable I try to bring a vortex cannon into every years game to make a point of what is possible and what is practical.

[asid61]

One problem that I see with this idea is that the alliance with the net bot would also not be able to score litter points.

+1. Essentially you make litter points not in cans unviable for both teams, but at the cost of an entire robot.
I noticed the litter tends to fly really high then drop straight down. In those ituations it could pass over the net.

[GeeTwo]

No the vortex cannon would shoot pool noodles flying at you out of the air. They wouldn't shoot noodles back over to the other side. Its completely viable...
Also it wouldn't be viable I try to bring a vortex cannon into every years game to make a point of what is possible and what is practical.

While a vortex cannon would have to be rather large to disrupt a noodle's flight at any range, the real impracticality would be targeting - even if you could aim it fast enough, noodles don't fly straight enough to regularly be where your vortex will be. If you're going to use up all or much of a robot defending against litter, it's much easier and more effective to process it after it falls, preferably with the smallest FRC robot you can build.

[Whippet]

If you're going to use up all or much of a robot defending against litter, it's much easier and more effective to process it after it falls, preferably with the smallest FRC robot you can build.

Or a tiny tethered robot so you don't sacrifice your normal robot!