Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

I know you cannot enter the opponent's scoring area, but does anyone know if it's legal to throw an unused ubertube into the opponent's scoring area, so as that it blocks the opponent's robot from moving fully forward, preventing them from scoring? If done correctly, it could stop a lot of elevator mechanisms from getting close enough to the pegs to score. Though they can be pushed out or picked up and moved, it would take time away from your opponents and find a use for the unused ubertubes!

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

As long as the ubertube is outside the zone at the beginning of the throw, when it is still on contact with your robot, I see no rule that would disallow this.

I also don't know of many robots that could perform such a throw quickly enough to take more time from the opponent than it takes from their own scoring efforts.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

Or you can do this.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

But once you get into the elims, there will be very few teams who (EDIT:won't) be able to pick up from the ground.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

I saw 469 unintentionally do it in Detroit.

They finished auto with their second tube (which they didn't score, because of some code bug) still in their claw. They opened the claw, lowered the pneumatic wrist, and lowered the elevator at full speed all at once, which flung the tube many feet. They were next to the tower, and the tube landed right in front of the feeder station. Then again, their elevator is wicked fast.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

All good ideas. We have an arm that works very well. We plan to move it up at maximum speed and release our claw at the moment it hits a 45 degree angle. It should be fast enough to shoot it into the opponent's scoring area from a few feet away.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

I don't think this strategy will prove viable in elims, especially after quarters. Most teams will be able to move the ubertube out of the way in a matter of seconds.

But placing an ubertube in front of the human player station is a great strategy to use against feeders!

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

The question is, though, will we see feeders? I'm not so sure about it, but hey, I'm a freshman, so I don't know. Out of all the matches I've seen so far, there weren't too many feeder robots, and the few there were didn't make it to elims. It's a controversial subject, so I'll just have to wait for the Silicon Veley Regional!

Thanks for your input anyways!

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

Why do you say this? At the regional my team attended and all the webcasts that about 95% of teams can acquire tubes from the ground. In the elimination matches, there will be a lot of good robots. The good robots are the ones who can do the things that the GDC wanted them to do.

So I really don't see why you think that teams won't be able to pick tubes up from the ground.

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

I'm sorry!!!!!! I meant to say that CANNOT pick up from the ground!!!! Most all teams WILL be able to pick up from the ground!

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

2815 ran a strategy like this at Peachtree. We scrapped our dumb-luck-low-row autonomous routine to ensure we didn't mess up our partners' top-row runs (1771 was camera-based, and I think 2415's was line-based).

With nothing else to do with the Ubertube, we would start our matches on the outside of the line and with the tube on the floor up against the opposing tower in an effort to slow down and frustrate their deployment efforts. Didn't mean the tubes stayed there, but they usually didn't travel too far.

During teleop, we also made a few attempts to push ubertubes away from our zone and into our opponents' side of the field (though this was a secondary effort compared to getting logo pieces moving towards us, considering the ludicrous offensive capabilities of our partners and their strong success rates with autonomous).

Re: Using ubertubes to block opponents from scoring
 

Ahhh. Yes, almost all teams can pick up off the ground. The only teams that I saw at the WPI Regional that only used the feeder station was 177. But they could still pick up off the ground.