Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

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New England District- Waterbury:
Waterbury has the potential to be brutal this year, but it will be highly dependent on who shows up the most ready. This is one of the deepest events in New England with a large pack of upper and mid tier teams all looking to prove they have what it takes to take on Stronghold. People often talk about "East Coast Defense" and if there was any District to see how it will be played in 2016, this is the one. Based on Suffield Shakedown it looks like 177 is back in form with a solid drivetrain and a high release catapult. The last time 558 got to build a powerful drivetrain, they brutalized their way to the finals of the NE DCMP, word is they have a derivative of that same drivetrain tucked into their low bar robot. Team 228 put together a tank of a robot this year, and their choice to play it a little more simple then they have in the past should pay off big early in the season. 176 Built one of the few tall robots we've seen so far, with a CD7 intake and a rumored scaling device. The Gaelhawks (230) have a habit of starting the season off on a good foot, and you can expect them to show up ready to run in week 1. 2170 and 2836 both had breakout seasons last year, and rumor has it Beta picked up a long time mentor from 176. 1071 came to scrimmage able to pop shots into the high goal and look promising if they can get it all dialed in. A collection of teams have been building momentum over the past few seasons and one would be smart to keep your eyes on the likes of 236, 999, 1991, 1124, 3525, 3719, 4055, and 4557.

Originally Posted by Ubiquity (Post 1550835)

A thoughtful analysis and discussion. I always like to look at the big picture. Just as a first pass I looked at the average qualifier scores from Week 0.5.

Average winning score 74.37209302
Average losing score 49.13953488

Margin: 25.23255814


So I think a good approach to the game would be to answer the following question:

How do we outscore the opposing alliance by 25 points?

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

The North Carolinian talent will have a chance to begin to show off what they're really capable of.

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

New England District- Granite State:
Usual Suspects- 78
Change in leadership- 3467
Ready for Action- 131, 5687
Dark Horse- 238

Originally Posted by Nathan Streeter (Post 1550949)

Also expect 88, 95, 138, 811, 2342, and 4905 to be playing into the elimination rounds... all 6 are looking to build on 2015 seasons that saw them fielding competitive robots that earned their way to the New England Championship... and beyond, for some teams!

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

MAR District- Hatboro-Horsham:
Mid-Atlantic Powerhouses- 1640, 2590
Aiming to contend- 25, 341, 2607, 2016, 2729
Looking to become sophomore standouts- 5407

MAR District- Mount Olive:
Hosts hoping to avoid any issues- 11, 193
Looking to build off of landmark 2015 success- 1403, 1923
Always in the hunt- 303, 222, 1676
Not flashy, but can produce results- 56, 1143, 4285

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

North Carolina District- Guilford:
This event marks the start of districts in North Carolina and is certainly going to be a strange weekend. The local teams will be getting used to the new format, and they have some outside help to show them how it's done. Three of the best teams from Indiana will be making the long drive to Guilford this weekend. 234, 1501, and 5188 are looking to get their machines tuned, their drivers practiced, and prepare for their own districts back home. With a lot of mostly unknown local factors, these teams could very likely end up facing each other in playoffs. The North Carolinian talent will have a chance to begin to show off what they're really capable of. Districts will allow these teams to learn and grow, iterating throughout their season. Case in point, 900 didn't have the strongest start out of the gate at Palmetto, but the Zebracorns are a team well known for their ability to adapt. They were a bit top heavy last weekend, but played some strong defense while working out bugs. If they can get their shooter working, the vision processing should help give them an edge. Shore up their CG issues, and they may have a strong shot come eliminations. Another team likely to be boasting complimentary software features is 2665. In the past the Platypi have shown that they can get an edge through programming, don't be surprised if they show up with a vision-processing solution too. Probably one of the most promising local teams this season has to be 1533. With their "Strange" drivebase of a swerve with a tank strapped on it, they are looking to breach their way to a high seed this weekend. This robot has a lot of utility and should compliment most styles of play come playoffs. 3791 did well without much funding last year, with money in their pockets and a keen eye for strategy, expect them to go even farther. Other local teams to keep an eye out for this weekend, that will likely be above the curve: 1225, 2059, and 2642.

Originally Posted by marshall (Post 1550960)

I'm shocked we got a mention here since we aren't playing this weekend. We'll be watching though and best of luck to all of the teams in NC. It's a fun game so we know you'll enjoy playing it!

Originally Posted by marshall (Post 1550960)

I'm shocked we got a mention here since we aren't playing this weekend. We'll be watching though and best of luck to all of the teams in NC. It's a fun game so we know you'll enjoy playing it!

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley (Post 1550951)

My money for #1 seed at GSD? Team #238. You heard it here first!

-Brando

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

Predictions Week One: Overlooking the Outerworks
Bear metal’s week 1 jitters look to be the only thing between them and a solid finish this weekend.

Originally Posted by Austin2046 (Post 1551013)

Although we tend to improve our robots greatly throughout the season, our first events have typically been good to us.

Originally Posted by Mitchb705 (Post 1550986)

I was wondering the same thing. I got really excited for a minute and thought that I had missed your name on the teams participating. Also who is 3791? A quick blue alliance search shows that they folded in 2012. I am assuming you meant team 3971, Kai Orbus. I know my team cannot wait to compete in the first ever NC District event.

Originally Posted by Looking Forward (Post 1550719)

Greater Toronto Central
Top of the pack - 188, 3683
Swerving over from QC - 3360
Contenders- 781, 1310, 1325, 1511, 2852