[EricH]

All right, so we load up the robot with some of those plastic air tanks that seem to be becoming quite popular, put the fastest legal compressor we can find on there, fill the tanks (using one battery) in the pits, come out to the field, and start driving around.

Now, how do we steer?
Servos are legal, so let's make life easy on ourselves. 3-wheeled robot, one pivoting wheel controlled by a bunch of ganged servos.

Directional control front/back: Easy, just reverse the up-down cylinder without warning.

Cantilevered shafts would be a must, just about, or some really funny axles, but that's doable, I think.

Now, the manipulator: Springs, servos, gravity, and whatever air is left over from the drivetrain. Anyone want to give this year's game a shot so far?