My strategic opinions on what went down in Arizona;
Disclaimer: The $500 200-200 offer is not analyzed here; the strategy and theory in question is analyzed in regard to winning the match with the decision to go no defense is.
1. You won't see this strategy of stationary robots with no obvious attempt to help their alliance (ie setting up for assists, catches, defense, counter defense) at regionals, distict champs or anywhere else this season.
Exceptional defense whas won and will continue to win matches in Aerial Assist. At TVR the second and third seeds (250, 5030) were teams that specialized in targeting 1 team and locking them down during that match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkdWLP7qrzc
This is the Finals 1 of TVR where 250 completely dominates 1126 the whole match. No exaggeration.
Granted the blue alliancein Arizona might not have been able to execute such a strategy but other posts suggesting that this might become a trend are completely absurd when defense can be played like this against some teams.
I haven't even mentioned zone defense which continues to be powerful as long as the defender is effective and still assumes a healthy balance between offensive and defensive responsibilities.
2. Part of the reason why many are appalled by AZCL F2 is the amount of defense applied in other regionals esp when you compare vastly different fields of defenders and attackers across events. The defense played in F1 was ineffective; it lacked any sort of hard ramming during shots and blocking passes and inbounds which have caused the game to be dubbed "Aerial Assault".
3. I disagree with the blue alliance's
strategic (bolded for emphasis, this is a strategic analysis only) decision to participate in a no defense shoot-out as the best route for winning the match. It has been stated and also heavily assumed that the blue allianced was "outgunned" and not favored to win the match or a shootout senerio based on the robots and chemistry involved. Following F1 instead of going for less defense I would have tried more: a more physical and aggressive defense would have at least pushed Red to adapt or play through it to accumulate assists and score them. In addition to breaking red's rhythm a lower score which comes with defensive based matches favors blue who needs to catch up after auton. Putting 2 robots on defense has the potential to the MOV much more than emgaging in a shootout.
Just my opinions. I would like to hear what others thing in regards to the all offense strategy and my post.
Arizona is a hotspot right now. I advise everyone think twice before posting esp. when GP is called into question.
~Nick
__________________
2015:

Montreal Regional Chairman's Award
2014:

Finger Lakes Regional Chairman's Award, Tech Valley EI
2013:

Boston Regional Winners with
125 and
126
2012:

Connecticut Regional Engineering Inspiration Award