Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

I agree. Being baited into the will be tough for our drivers. But how will you deal with your alliance members clogging up the key with us in front of them.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

I think this thread needs a reminder that there's no h in mecanum. ;)

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

If anything, you should try to contain balls and starve opponents because, as other teams have pointed out, we are going to stay in the key for most of the game, and the rest of the game is grabbing balls. Focus on the latter, and ensuring that the opposing team has a minute amount of balls to use.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

HEY THREAD, REMEMBER THAT THERE'S NO 'H' IN MECANUM!

Good enough?

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

That's a better solution than I was thinking of.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

There are reasons to go mecanum for this strategy, but I don't think you will be more maneuverable with them than a traction drive. Mecanums give up both agility and pushing resistance over the standard rough top. But it's too late to change it anyway.

I like the concept a lot. I think it will need constant tweaking to keep up with the meta game. If your team is prepared to study offensive robots every week and ready to make on the fly changes to adapt and iterate, I'd go for it. Otherwise, it's too much of a gamble.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

Okay, okay, okay. The only thing I have to add to this thread is that Mecanum wheels are not as underpowered as most people make them out to be. While our robot wasn't the best last year, we did make it to nationals with a broken robot playing defense with mecanums. Yes, the wheels have some give, but not if you're applying power to them. You obviously wouldn't beat a purpose-built high-traction bot, but you will be pretty close to evenly matched with everyone else (unless you did something... not right).

Given this, and all other things being equal, I would always choose mecanum wheels due to the maneuverability which is a plus while defending. The only problem this year is that our team is rather short on funding, and our design called for two of the CIMs to be shooting (I still think this is a bad idea).

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

I would make only one change. Tie a string across the front of the top frame, and hang a "deadening cloth" or something of that nature. That way you could "block" shooters that dont make it over 60" when it gets to your robot.

As it stands I don't really see you "blocking" anyone, as even the lowest of shooters need to get above 60" over a 30+" bot if the want a nice arc for shooting.

Nice bot however!

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

The orientation of the wheels seems to be incorrect, unless I'm missing something.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

I was about to mention that. The wheels should form an X when viewed from the top and an "O" when viewed from the bottom.

Re: Team 73 Defensive Bot (Almost There)
 

Thanks for that catch. We will swap the wheels when the pits open at the finger lakes regional.