[JonathanZur1836]

Scouting has definitely grown in the past few years especially, its moved on from just pencil & paper to complicated programs that rate teams based on the information given, which is really cool.

However, even with all of this, I think that it is even more effective to just watch the matches and record the results and strategy of individual teams; NOT because teams may lie or exaggerate, but because when selecting final alliances, you don't just want to be set on the powerhouse teams, as they are often in the top 8 or picked in the first few selections.

It is important to watch teams in action so that you can determine if they fit in your game strategy or have the capability to fit your strategy. Also, it allows you to pay attention to strengths and weaknesses of other teams so that if you are strong in one skill yet lacking in another, you can scout for teams that will balance it out (no pun intended). This way, you can assemble a dynamic final alliance with strategies and capabilities in line.

Don't get me wrong here, pit to pit scouting is getting more advanced every year, and it is effective in many ways, but watching the matches should definitely be looked at as a viable and successful way of scouting.

-Jonathan Zur