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Unread 25-01-2017, 01:36
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*Rachelle* *Rachelle* is offline
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FRC #3787 (Wild Robotocats)
Team Role: Student
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Rookie Year: 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 72
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Re: Vetting defensive picks

When looking for a defensive robot, talking to the team itself isn't my first go-to.

Match scouting is gonna tell you most of what you need to know.

Look at their drive style- are they slower to respond or are they proactive in their driving? Some teams are good at just getting in the way of others in the midst of their offense, this can speak to their skill.

Is it apparent that they know the defensive rules?- For example, sometimes you can see their coach or co-driver watching the ref for a countdown. Fouls in elims can often be the difference between win or loss. It is generally apparent if the driver is timid in his movements or intentional with them.

Overall pit/match- Is the robot robust? All you need for a defensive bot is a good driver and a robot that isn't going to fall apart on impact. (Or maybe their bumpers keep falling off and there's an easy way to fix it)

Find the gem- Sometimes a robot won't be great offensively and will slip through the cracks of scouting. They may only play defense in one match for various reasons. In this case, again take a look at their drive style and refer to the other points I mentioned.

When talking to the team- It's usually easy to tell in a conversation with the drive team their knowledge. You can ask if they are willing to play defense, but I try to listen to tone on this one. Some will be a wishy-washy yes, others will be excited to tell you about it. This more refers to the Driver's knowledge on rules again and whether the driver knows how to drive defensively (I guess I keep coming back to drive style and rules knowledge). I saw one robot defend against two robots quite effectively last year.

Last point, yes, it might be good to ask about cheesecaking. Whether adding a net or something else. Actually, some teams may have one made and just not bring it out until elims.
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FRC: 2015 Glacier Peak and Shorewood Event Quality Award, 2015 Shorewood Finalist, 3x 2015 Pit Safety Award and Hard Hat Pin Award
FTC: 2016/17 Interleague Winner, 2016/17 Interleague Think Award Winner, 2016/17 Interleague Control/Inspire Finalist
"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."
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