[sdcantrell56]

If you don't have the resources to build one in the fall and get it working then absolutely rule out swerve next season. However, if you are willing to find the sponsors or whatever it takes to build and program one this fall then you can make an educated guess on whether it will be beneficial in the upcoming season. Worst case is you spend the fall designing and building and programming, teaching everyone along the way and the team becomes much wiser and you don't use the design in the spring. Clearly this isn't a bad thing at all. So go ahead and prototype one and decide for yourself if it's worth it.

As for the weight comment...in many cases it is true but there are definitely ways to make it at least as light as most teams standard 6wd drivetrain. Just have to get a bit creative with the design.