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Unread 22-02-2002, 16:52
Joe Johnson's Avatar Unsung FIRST Hero
Joe Johnson Joe Johnson is offline
Engineer at Medrobotics
AKA: Dr. Joe
FRC #0088 (TJ2)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: May 2001
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Raynham, MA
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Here is my point...

My point is not that I would want to take a zero rather than give them a 20X3 Qualifying Points.

Here is what my point is: It is perfectly fair to get your score to zero in an attempt to make the OTHER alliance either score some points for you or give a goal to let you score for yourself.

This strategy counts on the rational behaviour of your opponents. By giving them the option between a zero QP win and a potential loss with some points, you may be able to get your opponent to let you in the game.

I am NOT saying that this is a good strategy or that it is the strategy that I am actually advocating. What I am saying is that it is a perfectly valid part of the game.

The purpose of the 3X QP rule is that FIRST wants matches to be somewhat of a balanced affair. I think that given the rule it is not sneaky or underhanded or evil for a team to try to utilize that rule to try to win a match or to try to maximize their QP total.

Here is how I think such a strategy is likely to play out. Assuming Alliance A has all 3 goals in their control and Alliance B has no hope of gaining control of any of these goals.

Alliance B has the option of scoring points for themselves and losing 30-20 (assuming that it takes both A robots to hold the goals in place and that they don't have multi-zone capabilities) or taking 0.

If they take the 0, Alliance A has several options.

They can back their robots into the home zone of Alliance B, thus making the score 30-20, but... this a risky thing because if Alliance B runs home at the last minute, Alliance B could sneak out a 40-30 win.

Alliance A could choose to have one of their robots put a goal or 2 into scoring position for Alliance B but again that is a risky strategy because a B robot could head home or it could perhaps drop a bunch of balls in the goal or it could do some other sneaky thing.

The thing that makes this interesting is that no matter what Alliance A chooses, it will create SOME kind of opportunity for Alliance B. It may pay off or it may end up a disaster. Either way it is a part of the game as far as I veiw things.

I think that this is going to be part of the wonderful excitement of this year's game.

Joe J.
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