Imagine a match in which Blue 1 is driving toward a live blue ball with its retractable intake extended beyond its frame perimeter, intending to possess the ball. Red 1 drives toward Blue 1, intending to prevent Blue 1 from picking the ball up.
Red 1 and Blue 1 collide, with Blue 1's intake making contact inside Red 1's frame perimeter. Neither team is using a strategy geared towards intentionally damaging the other team's robot. However, part of Red 1 is broken as a result of the collision. The broken piece of the robot sticks out more than 20 in beyond the frame perimeter, and remains attached, but continuously sticking out for the remainder of the match.
What, if any, penalties should be assessed? You make the call.
Other things to consider:
- In this hypothetical scenario, we have the benefit of knowing the teams' states of mind. Since the referees can only infer intent, should this uncertainty affect their ultimate decisions?
- Could the rulings be different in teleoperated mode vs. autonomous mode?
- What if the broken piece oscillated between legal and illegal positions?
- What if the broken piece were detached? (Intentionally or unintentionally, and by whom?)