Originally Posted by dtengineering (Post 1001150)

Not for an on-board sensor.

Jason

Originally Posted by The Lucas (Post 1009639)

In a related "Egregious breaking the rules to gain a strategic advantage" example:

In 2008 (Overdrive), did anyone actually possess an opponent's trackball for an extended period of time to keep them from hurdling at the cost of 1 penalty?

That strategy was discussed, but I dont think anyone actually tried it. There certainly was a risk of a Yellow or Red Card for this egregious behavior.

Hitting an opponent in their zone to break up a Logo is basically the same as intentionality possessing an opponent's trackball in '08. If you are going to intentionality take a penalty, why wait till they have almost completed a Logo? Why don't you just spend the entire match playing D in their zone? It is only 1 penalty in both cases, right?

Strategies like this is the reason the refs have/need the authority to issue cards to discourage any behavior they judge to be out of line (regardless of whether a card is specified in the rules). Break any rule and you can be carded.

I am not a ref but if I was this would be my policy on the matter (and I would make it clear at the driver's meeting):
If your robot is entirely outside of the zone and the opponent is entirely inside their zone there is clearly no legal defense you can play on them. If you then drive into their zone and contact the opposing robot, that is egregious and an automatic Yellow Card.
Too harsh? Remember, a Yellow Card is just a warning, so don't do it again. If it was a mistake, you should not have put yourself in a situation to make that mistake. Next time, stay behind the caution line (it is there to warn you "cross at your own risk").

Perhaps drivers need ask for a clarification of this possible situation at the driver's meeting. I expect all the competition teams in FIRST to read, understand and not intentionally break the rules of the game. I know this expectation will never be met by every competition team but I still expect it.

Originally Posted by fox46 (Post 1010210)

Hmm- don't like that one... So as long as you get your opponent to push you into their scoring area you can harass them all you want?

Originally Posted by The Lucas (Post 1009639)

In 2008 (Overdrive), did anyone actually possess an opponent's trackball for an extended period of time to keep them from hurdling at the cost of 1 penalty?

That strategy was discussed, but I dont think anyone actually tried it. There certainly was a risk of a Yellow or Red Card for this egregious behavior.