[Jon Stratis]

minibot scoring: 30, 20, 15, 10. So, if one team gets 1st and 2nd, that's 50 points against 25. While a 25 point deficit looks pretty large, it can be made up pretty easily. If the opposing team can score two ubertubes on the top row, that's 12 points - half the deficit. Score a tube over each of those ubertubes, and that's another 12 points - suddenly it's a 1-point game.

Add to that possible defensive strategies - how difficult would it be to deny one of those awesome minibots access to the tower? You can block their robot from getting there before the end game.

Having great minibots does help the team tremendously. Scoring 50 bonus points (versus 25 on the other team) does give you an advantage... but if you do so to the exclusion of other aspects of the game, you'll lose. Robots designed well will be able to consistently place ubertubes during autonomous, and be able to place a number of other tubes (likely even completing a logo) throughout the match.

Take a robot that can place an ubertube and complete a logo on the top row - 6 for the ubertube, 6 for the tube placed over the ubertube, 3+3 for the other tubes, and another 12 for the logo bonus. That's a total of 30 points. Add even 4th place for the minibot, and that team scores 40 points - more than the team that spent all their efforts on the minibot and ignored scoring on the pegs.

Successful robots this year will be well rounded. They'll be capable of significantly impacting the score in every stage of the game - from scoring ubertubers to scoring regular tubes/blocking opponents from scoring to deploying a minibot. Take the time to think through how you'll cause an impact through the entire game life cycle, and you'll be successful. Going straight to the tower after autonomous to ensure you're in position and ready to deploy in the end game won't get you anywhere.