Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Like it has been said before one of the most powerful robots at nationals will not even be on this list. The way the matches are done this year could make a great team look mediocre, but the thing is when you get into eliminations and have a selected alliance pairing to favor your strategy your robot that didnt stand out could shine its way all the way to einstein. And whoever has been to a regional this year knows exactly how rough these matches are this year since they changed how they form alliances, this is why you see powerhouse teams seeded high at one regional and low at the next. You actually need a little bit of luck on your side in order to be a top 8 team. One robot can only do so much, especially if the opposing three got the luck when it came to the pairings for that match.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

That's really quite true, especially after going to WMR and seeing how low teams 111 and 67 were and yet both of them were picked for alliances. I think with this game though, almost every team has an equal shot to be picked for alliances and deadly, because alliances in elimination will have a more specific strategy in mind, which can be available and adaptable to most robotss. (It's kinda early for me, so this sounds like word-vomit in my head.. honestly, I'm really not this incompetant.)

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

The biggest threat is the alliance that comes out of Galileo. They have the deepest field of all four divisons this year. Watch Out Archimedes and Newton I think your dominance might end this year.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

NEWTON OR BUST!!!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Biggest threat in Atlanta? Lightning.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

he has a point.........that would shut down any bot........no matter how good you are.....lol

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

people are worried about an alliance of 1114 and 330 in Curie, but i think i came up with a even worse alliance,
...From Galileo
2056+25+84, thats the alliance thats my worst fear right now, 2056 and 25 can attack from ANYWHERE on the field, and 84 has the pushing power to knock defenders out of their way.

people are ranting about 1114 but no one is talking about their latest product thanks to mentoring, 2056. in my opinion, they are clearly one of the elite teams in Galileo, the shouldn't be ranked lower than 5.

25 is always good, they have potential, all they need is the right alliance

84 has that infinity drive train giving them all the pushing power they need, if they clear up some room for these 2 other offensive machines, they can possibly slice through the Galileo division eliminations like butter.

Thats what the people and teams in Galileo should be afraid of

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Galileo is so deep, there could be 3-4 similar alliances that are as strong as this one... all with different teams.

Andy B.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Thanks, for the kind words.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

*biased*
I think that 2234 is a great defense bot we can push the rack without trying to and have stopped any scoring in sevral matches!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

84 kept everyone off of the rack so that 341 and 181 could put up lots of tubes.

We lost one elimination match on our way to the Philly Championship. That was the match that 84 didn't move.

Chuck 84 is awesome!!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

An alliance between 2056 and 1114 will be very dangerous and its hard for me to imagine how stron those teams will be with a good ramp\defence robot if 1114 take of their ramps and get even a better drivetrain that would just be very very dangerous...
if they get 176 i cant see anyone beating them...

A great team from israel is 1574

VCU its the awkward turtles (2108), along with 116 and 1610

team buzz are also a very got machine as always...

25, 233,330 are also amazing.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

A team to look out for is 85, they have a really cool elevator arm and it is very affective at scoring, although they aren't the most successful team as of now they have the potential to be a real power house.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

you should see the Israeli regional winning alliance between 1574,1657 and 1950...
1574 was the best scorer of the regional only probem wsa it wasnt too hard to block.

therefore 1950 and 1657 simlpy stood and didnt let any opposing robot pass to their own half of the field, eaqch one blocking a different side of the rack and letting 1574 scoring 5-6 tubes on 2 hights, sometimes even 7 tubes and 40 seconds to the end 1950 lifting 1657 on their ramps giving 30 points more...that has simply worked every time they used this strategy...dont know if it will work in Atlanta in a match Vs. good scoring alliance but its not a bad option...
.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

There has been alot of discussion about how good teams like 1114, 330 have been this year... but have a look at the divison they are in!

you got 67, 121, 126 the best of the best roller claw teams (only missing 100). The great advantage of the roller claw is how easy it is to pick up with defense, its great for the elimination rounds so watch out for these three.

Then you got even more great scorers in this division; 195, 118, 176, 357, 365, 469, 1305(these are the ones i know of...)

Then you got great ramps: 180, 48, 469, and many more.

Even more great D! 48, 1305, 830, 716, and more.

1114 and 330 will be lucky to even get out of their own division... though it may be easier together. It will all come down to alliance picking, thats where the champs are won and lost, great teams are nothing without great alliances.

edit: Alex made a great point earlier that I would like to remind everyone of....

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I agree.. they'll do well, but only if they select the correct alliance, and then execute their (properly selected) strategy very well each time they go up to bat. Same goes for everyone else. Once the robots are refined, the alliance is as good as can be had, given seeding, its then all about the doing.. and the question would be, "are you doing the right thing?"

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

You're absolutely right. Even an alliance with the three best robots ever built will not win against the next three if strategy isn't played out properly. In the end, its about dealing with what you have and playing to your strengths and against the opponent's weaknesses--even if that means changing up strategies between matches or on the fly.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

The other big threat is the 4-5-6 seeds. These are the most likely to win each division (except Galileo). If I am 4-5-6 I get the last of the elite teams and usually the last of the good teams for my partners. Lets say were on Galileo, 469 seeds fourth, picks 234 (Yes I think they still will be there) and then picks 60/1270/any other good team for their third partner. The second pick will be better than any that 1114/330 can get for their third partner. I excluded Galileo because the field is the deepest I have ever seen for a division. There is a good chance they will have three really good robots.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Its extremely presumptuous to say what division is and isnt deep. Some robots will perform better than they did in regionals, some will perform worse. Our job is to scout and use strategy to our advantage.

That said, the teams that fly under the radar, silently winning matches in ninja-like style will be the ones that end up on top. Let the "elite teams" beat each other up. Let 2056 and 1114 get double and triple teamed. The teams that aren't hyped up, but which are still good, are the ones that will show up on Einstein.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Absolutely agreed. Using the same 2-scorer, 1-defender model:
56, 45, 703
217, 503, 488
1251, 229, 294
1126, 1902, 379
etc. etc. etc.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

man. you guys apparently will be surprised by 1583!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

i think that chuck 84 is goin' to be a big threat.:)

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I think that this is absolutely the truth... and this year game is totally based int this...good strategies being well executed... a "medium" alliance with this can win against a wonderful alliance that can't execute well its stategy...

that's the reason i loved this year game!! well done strategies are the key!

and i think... we'll have some surprises in the championship... i can't say who... but i don't think that the competition this year will be restricted to the "elite teams"...

good lucky for all... and see you in atlanta next week!!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I think both of us are just a little bit biased ;)

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I would sure hope they would, cause they wouldn't want their lexan cracked again by your's truly. :D

But, even without bumpers these guys are awesome.

P.S. 272 are a pretty awesome team, as are 79, 1902, 997, 330.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

All I remember quite well is team 100 and team 190, from Silicon Valley regional.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

The biggest threat in Atlanta will not by any robot, by a person or group of people. The biggest threat will be the alliance that can strategize the best. They will have to know their opponents, design, and implement a strategy for each match. I'd take the decent alliance with the good strategy over the better alliance without the strategy in any match, and much moreso in Atlanta.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I def. agree with you! In Philly after a long night of scouting we chose the 35th and 19th ranked teams. We looked at our defensive and ramp ability and decided to choose 2 scoring robots. Because of our choice, we never even had to use our ramp. You have to look at each robots potential and strength, NOT RANK!!!! We had amazing alliance partners that we could work with too, which is extremley important!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

I agree whole-heartedly with the above posts on how it will be an alliance who wins, not a team. It seems last year was a bit more independent, you could have one crazy good team and two OK pushers, and it would win ever time. Now though, if even the "least" of the robots on your team goes down before they can be useful, you are almost guaranteed a loss no matter how "poor" the other team is. It's really quite remarkable how the GDC made this game so alliance dependant.

Thank's GDC!!

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Guys, you are saying defense bot? How about 997? Double lifter with very strong defensive driving system and stratagy. Yes of course their bot is not stable and can be tipped over easily, but their ability to push and flawlessly double lift is something that cannot be underestimated

They both won portland and davis regional flawlessly

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

BEWARE INDIANA TEAMS!!!:D :D :D

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

BUT MIKE CHUCK 84 IS GOIN TO WIN

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

OMG MY TEAM IS GOING TO PWN ALL YOU N00BS!!!

....guys hold off on tooting your own horn please... its getting a little extreme on this thread. If your team is that amazing I am sure someone else will notice and mention your team. In the spirit of GP and (my sanity) trying not to look obnoxious please refrain from continually reminding us of the amazingness of your team. As much as we would like it these forums are not here to pimp your own team's name... and serve a much more useful purpose.

/Steps off stage

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Not really true.
you could say that out of the two competitions we were on of the 6 teams that played the most matches. More then almost any other 2 teams.
We were only tipped over once, and the team that did it ALSO tipped 100 in the same match >.>
That was the one and only time we were on our side, and they got a yellow flag for rough defensive play.

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Indeed. Mike, Ethan, chill out a bit, please. We certainly wouldn't be talking like that to the other teams in person, would we?

Anyways, the Infinity Drive is one awesome bit of machinery, and I hope everyone stops by the pits to take a gander at it and maybe exchange some knowledge. We can all learn a lot from each other, and come back next year. Frankly, there are only a few types of engineering that really help for more than one year, and one of them is the drive train. That's what's so important about the Infinity Drive. Not that It'll PWN TEH OTHER TEAMS! but that everyone can get some inspiration for the years after this.

Also, we darn well better not forget about the real reason we won Philly. Scouting and strategy. We spent hours upon hours looking at all the other teams, and we knew how to beat them. I suggest that every attendee to the Championship make sure you know who you're going against, as it helps a ton.

Bah, I'm ranting, aren't I? :P

Re: biggest threat in atlanta
 

Exactly! I would add only one more thing--they can change strategy immediately to counter a better strategy. Strategy, strategy, strategy is the way to play. (Of course, your alliance has to have the ability to play the strategy, or you have to base your strategy in your alliance capabilities, but that should be the easy part.)