[EricH]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

I think this is your question - You approach the tower from the side. Your minibot deployment mechanism forms an arc, from the hostbot to tower. This arc allows the mnibot to be above the 18" deployment line. Your minibot does not touch the tower until it is below the 18 line.

My perception is that this is legal. You cannot touch the tower above the 18" line. The rule does not say you cannot break the plane that is formed by the 18" line. If it did, the only deployment option would be a straight horizontal launch to the bar.

Chris, I think the Q&A disagrees with you.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=16251