Does <R14> making teams "put down their tools" preclude them from practicing after the Fix-It Window?
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<R14> Prior to the competitions: After the close of the “FIX-IT WINDOW” and prior to the competition, the team must put down their tools, cease fabrication of robot parts, and cease all software development. Take this opportunity to rest, recover from the build season, and relax. Teams may scout other teams, gather and exchange information, develop game-playing strategies, collect raw materials, prepare tool kits, plan how to make repairs, etc. in preparation for the upcoming competitions. But no construction or fabrication is allowed.
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Our team definitely believes that this does preclude us from practicing. We even played devil's advocate at our meeting tonight and could never convince ourselves that practicing was within the spirit of Rule R14. During this devil's advocate discussion and to keep with the theme of the year, we had two men on base with no outs. "What if we never pick up a wrench to fix our robot?" was standing on first and "What if someone else repairs anything that breaks on our practice 'bot?" was standing on second. Then, our best hitter had a full-count with the runners going so we'd stay out of a double play. Crack! She hit the hardest line drive to first base that I've ever seen. It came off the bat sounding like this, "Isn't our battery charger a tool. If so and if all of your other silly
let's-cut-n-harden-Billy's-finger-so-it-looks-like-a-7/16-open-ended-wrench ideas are legal, then we can only use the batteries that we charge before the end of the Fix-it Window to run our 'bot. Ohhhhhhhhhhh, the triple play
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We then headed out onto the proverbial field mumbling, "do you think we can buy enough batteries to last us between the fix-it period and competition ... maybe 2,000 batteries would get us through!"
Look forward to your response,
Lucien & 118