[Bob Steele]

We have done both but we keep coming back to a basic strong shifting six wheel drive. It is really a resource allocation issue.

I will say that a performing swerve is a wonderful demo robot... It consistently amazes everyone in how it can do what it does.

If you embark on swerve I would encourage you to make it a summer / fall project with no expectations of using it for that year's game. Refine your idea and your programming... do prototyping.... work out your bugs and put it in your arsenal of mechanisms you have refined.

It does come down to resources though... if you have a machine shop you can rely on, your own or a sponsor's, good student designers and good mentor designers for them to work with and the financial resources to do the prototyping by all means go for it.

I liken a swerve drive to the Queen on the chessboard...
A good one is hard to beat... its two weaknesses are reliability because of the complexity and software AND the relative difficulty of making a shifting one.

It can be done but it is tough....

It could be a great achievement for your team though, and something for your students to come together with and be proud of ....

That, alone is a good reason to do anything....

The workhorse of premier drivetrains is the six wheel drop center shifting drive base.
I guess it would be the Rook of the chessboard...or the Bishop...
A well driven one can be devastating in offense and defense..... and they are relatively easy to maintain and keep in the game.

We did a mechanum drive once....... once.... (Does that make it the Knight of the chessboard?....lol not really ... if it could jump over other robots maybe...)

your mileage can certainly vary.....

Most of all find something your students can be inspired by participating in the design and fabrication....