Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

Wait, really? You can't even get the balls from your own bridge?

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

Here is FRC23 winning a battle. Reportedly, the opposing robot was using pneumatics to push.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d9JgsXzhk0

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

They beat us to the bridge but not by much. Once our drivers realized they weren't going to beat the cannon of 23 with our pnuematic bridge manipulator, they gave up to not waste any more time. If you look at other videos from the Suffield Shakedown there are matches where a pneumatic appendage beats a motor driven appendage. Its going to depend on every teams design.

I'd say that the center bridge during or right after hybrid will be fought over it nearly every match this season.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

Good job on your drivers to give up once the balls were going the other way. An important skill in driving is to know when to alter your strategy. I think 23 got there a hair before you, and had the advantage (that time). I think it will come down to whoever is first, followed by whoever is strongest. One wrong twitch and the cannon might have fallen off the bridge.

Robots who consistently win bridge balls during auto/hybrid will make good partners. I think this discussion also shows that there should never be a reason to not have all your available balls in the robot at the start. A ball balanced on top of your robot that falls to your side of the field is better than a ball lost to the opponent's side if they win a bridge battle.

Bridge battles now need a name. Tip-o-war? (from tug-o-war)

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

QFT.

At Suffield Scrimmage 2168 and 175 were constantly battling for the center bridge. Though we made it there quicker, our device was more difficult to align and lacked necessary torque.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

Or shoot your balls while you are drivng toward the bridge......

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

But you've given your opponents 9 points for the [G25] technical foul.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

QFT.

Make sure your drivers know the rules. This is also why the balls on your color are safe. If your opponent gets them, you get 9 points free. All you have to win is the middle.

Granted, getting the two from your bridge to your side during auto (without accidentally tipping it the other way!) is still helpful

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

With a flexible arm just in case you don't have a lovely turret.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

I forgot the opponent's bridge was off-limits. :o Thanks for the clarification.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

I was trying to do the math ;) - - when I found that this should read
have all 6 balls on your alliance robots score in hybrid mode.

or
have all 3 robots on your alliance score their allocated balls in hybrid mode.

You've already reduced the number of extras to the likely number of 4, I think.

Re: Battle of the Middle Bridge
 

Actually getting the 2 balls from the opponent's bridge every time still nets a 3-point gain if they're both put into the high goal in autonomous. Of course, if 1 ball misses...

We're using flexible passive actuation to pull the bridges down and active actuation to bring the device back into the bot. That way if we lose the battle of the bridge, we don't break anything on the bot. I'll have a reveal collage later this week.

If an alliance doesn't have an autonomous planned for the middle bridge, then that's a mistake -- even if the balls aren't shot off in autonomous, they're still very valuable if they're in possession within the first few seconds of teleop before defense can be a factor.