Quote:
Originally Posted by waialua359
I disagree with this statement. There are many superior drivetrains that we know of and will see this year that can plow through any defense with power AND speed. They wont waste time playing defense, because they'll be too busy scoring a ton on offense.
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So you think defense has no role to play in this game? Wow, harsh. What about in the endgame, when there are two towers for three robots? Assuming the minibots are created equal, doesn't it make the most sense to have the robot with the strongest drive train be the one that's playing defense on other teams to stop them from reaching their towers? All you need to do is slow them down by enough to put their minibot below your alliances' minibots in the scoring. The endgame really starts before the endgame starts, if you catch my drift.
Assuming that the "powerful" bot is as good a scorer as you predict, and assuming that it has a competent partner, then by endgame the top two rows will probably be full. It's entirely unreasonable to expect to score more than three tubes in the last 15 seconds of the match (otherwise, you would have a completely full rack already). Three tubes low + logo bonus = six points gained.
Physical defense by such a powerful drivetrain would probably completely shut down, and at least significantly slow, an opposing minibot. If you can slow them down so much as one place, you will at least reduce their endgame score by five points and increase yours by five. So the least possible return given by playing defense in endgame is almost double the maximum return of offense in endgame. I think that's a pretty solid reason to play some defense.
Even in the teleop game, I think defense will be seen. If your robot fills up the goals faster than your opponents can, then fill up the top two layers and stop them from doing the same. Stopping your opponent from completing a logo by placing one tube on the middle is 8 points, which is worth more than making three trips back and forth across the field to score a logo low.
We have accepted that defense is a role we are not going to be able to play and do not particularly want to play. That doesn't mean defense isn't important.