[Looking Forward]

The last time we played with inner tubes, Einstein was a defensive struggle. Even 1902's surefire autonomous wasn't converting. And we also had the last red card we've seen on Einstein.

This year has the potential to be as great as the finals in 2010, or as hard to watch as those in 2007. How the game evolves in each of the divisions will likely dictate how the play unfolds on Einstein. Desperation plays can change up alliances' strategies, but the diminishing returns on tube scoring and the weight of the minibots should give alliances' hope in each match.

Many matches are going to be decided by minibots and will go right down to the wire. The term "coin flip" has been bandied about a lot, and that may be a fair approximation of what can happen at this level of play with the minibots. What will be even more interesting is to see how early teams begin to set up next to the pole. Whether they tread the fine line to try and squeeze in an extra tube or two, or go early to avoid defense and ensure they can get their best minibot teams to the pole. A lot of that may depend on alliance composition.

All twelve teams will be capable of scoring tubes, but it might not be the primary function of all of them in each match. Tube control will be critical, but that doesn't always mean tube starvation. Human players will be critical, and if someone can land tubes in positions where their alliance will have better access to get them rapidly, efficiently, and without significant interference, they're going to have a distinct advantage.

Minibot sharing will hopefully show its full potential here, and not only within the alliances. It will be curious if anyone gets a minibot from another team in their division and how the deployment (and respect for the 10-second mark) can make a huge difference rather than the minibots themselves. But no minibot or deployment mechanism is 100% foolproof, and when defense and pressure is thrown into the mix it will be spectacular to watch.

Ultimately, as it will through the whole event, execution will determine the winner. It did last year as 294, 67, and 177 were nearly flawless in their execution and 1114, 469, and 2041 had to battle against some bad luck and key mistakes.

One things' for certain. There's going to be a moment that makes people go, "wow, did that just happen?"

ARCHIMEDES:
The Bobcats won't be on the board in the 2nd round this year, they're going to seed well enough to be picking high. They chose 2016 and 931 and utilize a well rounded game and consistency to power past the competition. The combination of 330 and one of the Michigan teams give them a tough run in the finals, but 177 makes it six years in a row.
177/2016/931

CURIE:
2056 and 67 pair up and are the favorites at lunch on Saturday, but they end up being beaten in the finals. 987 seeds high and picks Winnovation for their combination of smooth scoring and minibot. 768 rounds out the alliance. Its close throughout the finals, but some good fortune leads to minibot victories and the division.
987/1625/768

GALILEO:
1114's streak of #1 seeds ends, but Wildstang invites them on to the #1 alliance anyway. 70 doesn't get left out of the eliminations on Galileo this time, as they end up completing the alliance. They're taken to 3 matches at least once, but that combination of lethal minibots and consistent scoring is too much to handle.
111/1114/70

NEWTON:
A mid-tier team seeds first with a little scheduling luck, and ends up splitting up some of the powers. 233 is a 4-6 captain and selects 2415 and 1676. The road to Einstein isn't easy, but they endure past the likes of 148 and 234 during their run.
233/2415/1676

EINSTEIN:
AvC, GvN in the first round.

987/1625/768 top 177/2016/931 in three close matches.
111/1114/70 best 233/2415/1676 in two matches, though neither have much separation between the two alliances.

111/1114/70 beat 987/1625/768 in three matches after Curie takes the first one via minibots.



Don't like the predictions?
Go out there and prove 'em wrong.