Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

Does anybody know of the best defensive robots throughout all of FIRST? Like, not just pinning other robots, but actually preventing them from scoring, or taking away points if legal.

Thanks!

EDIT: Links would be appreciated! Thanks!

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

The best defensive bot was also the best offensive bot IMO, team 71, the BEAST from 2002.

So awesome.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

179 Children of the Swamp from 2007 deserves a shout out with their amazing defense that held some very potent robots to little to no tubes.

190 Gompei and the Herd from WPI in 2004 was extremely well at both blocking other robots from hanging but stealing the opponents doubler ball and then placing it on their own goal. Genius!

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

Team Crush 1011 was an amazing defender at Arizona this year. It got them all the way to the top 10 in the rankings and made them an alliance captain.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

Rosie Robotics 839 from 2010. Toughest Defense we've seen. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TeamThru.../3/Azqfuw4GRpI

http://www.youtube.com/user/TeamThru.../5/80VPnWXZ4Og

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

I'll second the FRC839 at the CT regional in 2010, watching the constantly hound and eventually place 1501 in a goal was quite a sight to see.

As well as FRC190 2004, with the ability to climb up the field, hang in auto, block the entire bar and then decap the bonus ball was nothing short of impressive.

FRC177 2006, I drove with an against them quite a few times that year, there ability to get in the way (and flip people legally) was smart, tough, driving. If I remember correctly there's a "Greatest Hits" video out there somewhere. (Bobcats are known for their East Coast defense, though this years robot was a scoring machine)

And who can forget Truck Town Thunder, "No one pushes Truck Town"

Notable Mention: FRC703 in 2007 solid defense with even better ramps.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

288 RoboDawgs in 2000 was a great defensive machine. They had an appendage that looked like a chainsaw that they would insert into the goal between the pipes, turn it on, and drive the length of the goal removing every ball in the goal.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

I forgot my favorite of all time. It was the 1997 machine from current team 148. They held their tubes in scoring position while they spun the goal around. Usually they spun the goal enough to keep their robot between the goal and any robot attempting to score, but if they needed to they could just spin it really fact so no one could score.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned 68's 2003 robot (before it was deemed illegal).

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/14988

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

IIRC the Rhode Warriors 1997 robot had a legal robot flipping mechanism.

This was the time when games were rougher and no one had bumpers and high speed collisions were legal and expected.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

This year, 973 stood out pretty clearly on Einstein.

The best 2010 defenders were third zone bots that could actually control the game from the back. 3138 and 294 did it like few others, even the elite teams, could.

2009 defense was less about the robot and much more about the driver, but 247 was very good.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

Team 25 in 2000. Their robot was aptly named "Cradle-Robber"

http://www.raiderrobotix.org/robots/
(scroll down to 2000)

edit:

CD-Media has a few pictures of them in action-
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/13151



They would park on top of the ramp, pick balls out of the opposing alliance's cradle, and drop them in their own, while blocking other teams from hanging on the pull-up bar. Ultimate defense.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

111 in 2003

45 in 1999

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

Although it isn't defense, there was a team in 2008 that built a robot that picked up a track ball on a huge rotating boom, parked near the middle of the field, and then spun the boom and the ball over the whole field. Scoring the trackball about every 2 seconds, Ultimate defense through ultimate offense. Too bad they were disqualified.

Re: Best defensive robots throughout FIRST
 

It was 190, but they were pushing the line of legality, and not legal at some events. Anyone who got a chance to see it would have to agree the infinite rotation of the arm, and many of the other features were quite impressive from an engineering standpoint.