Re: Defensive Strategies
 

I really don't see a way to stop the other team from scoring on you. You could be able to put a lid on your trailer if you still fit in the dimensions but that is all your robot would really be able to do. I really think the best defense is going to be a good offense. Controlling the balls and making sure that you make them in the other alliances trailer before they make them in yours.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

What if you just backed yourself into a corner of the arena and used your robot to block your goal? That could be useful end-game to prevent being supercelled by the other alliance.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

not a bad idea but there is no real corner.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Depends on how good the human players were. 1073 won a playoff match in 2004 when the human player threw a playground ball into the goal from clear across the field at the last second.

But I agree, this is not a bad endgame strategy if you have no other defensive options (i.e. no lid, etc).

e: you do have to keep in mind that there is a red payload specialist on the side of the field and vice versa...there is no location for the robot to be that is more than 20 feet away from a human player...

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Just like 2006, having an alliance smart enough to know when NOT to chuck balls onto the field, missing their targets and providing the opposition more "ammo" in a fruitless, aggravating display of dumb is one of the better defensive strategies you can employ. Yeah, it might look cool to the crowd, but strategically, it's lame.

Deny the opposing alliance as much scoring "ammo" as you can. Conserve your ammo until the opportune time to unload it for maximum gain, or there's so little time left, the opposing alliance cannot "steal" it.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

But as soon as you start restricting its motion from the inside, I'd call that some form of attaching to.


Realistically, I think this will end up in Q&A very quickly. I would expect that the answer would be something to the effect of "As long as no rules on contact outside the bumper zone are violated, it's fine."

Which then means that all one robot has to do to get you in trouble is tangle you up. If it's done enough, you have to modify your design.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

What makes you say that?

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

as of now, and i hope moving forward, that is inncorrect information, unless you can show a rule that spicificly states this situation

your comparing apples to oranges. totally different situations.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

I was thinking about this for a while


how about using air cannons to deflect cells?
How much would it take to actually have an effecton an incoming cell?
Most likely there wouldnt be enough pressure and volume for there to have an effect on an orbitball.


however i dont think it has been tried

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Apologies for the incorrect information, however if you are allowed to descore, then, I would assume descoring from allies is also allowed. If from yourself, then why not your teammates? This would a low a single robot on you team to be designated a "descorer" perhaps with a conveyor-hook settup to simply go up to allies and remove balls through the grates of their trailers. This seems to be against the spirit of the competition, leading to my previous point.

I still believe that it is not a good idea however, as I mentioned before, one moon rock in at the beginning means less room for a super cell to be tossed in during the last 20 seconds.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Technically speaking, from this definition, you could make it so it was impossible to score without getting a cell stuck on one of the outer bars by placing some sort of blocking mechanism at the bottom of your trailer. Because any cells going into the trailer are going to hit the bottom, placing something there will mean that they are supported partially by the robot, and thus are not scored. In turn, any cells stacked on top of them wouldn't be counted, as they are being supported by something other than the trailer and scored cells.

That being said, the GDC seems to be severely limiting what the robot can do outside of its boundaries, and it seems to me that any plausible method of descoring or blocking will probably be made pretty explicitly illegal when the Q&A. It would make sense, considering that most of the ways of blocking and descoring would be reasonably quick and easy, and would mean that a trailer is essential closed to scoring, thus providing an immense advantage and a more boring game.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

I'm not the most familiar person on the board with the rules, but if you can manage to touch only the balls, then I would think you can descore an ally's trailer. It seems logistically impossible/impractical to descore yourself, though I suppose if all your robot did was descore, you could sit in one place and constantly pick out moon rocks, while asking for the occasional push from an ally. I.E. Your robot was simply a 10'' block with an arm reaching to your trailer, no propulsion and nothing but the descoring device. I don't recall there being a rule saying you need to have the ability to move, and in some ways, cutting a alliance's scoring potential down to 2/3rds could be a significant advantage.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Definition of a robot includes a mobility system. This is the first year for such a requirement. (Seciton 8.2) Also, if you can't move (or won't), there is an opposing Payload Specialist right behind you.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

Do you know if there is a speed requirement? If not, then I'm sure it would be possible for a rig letting you move around slowly without taking up much room, and the point of having a self-descorer would be to counteract the effect of that Payload Specialist, if I can make an arm that takes out my balls every second, I would think that I can take more balls out of my trailer, than any but the most spot on accurate payload specialist can put in my trailer. Also, they would be focused on me, meaning that the other team has effectively one Specialist for both of my Ally's. I'm not going to advocate this strategy however, just thinking that it is feasible, if you don't mind being a spoil sport.

Re: Defensive Strategies
 

I didn't see a requirement for a given speed, or a requirement that it work (though I'm sure your partners will thank you for not being a relatively sitting duck).