[amateurrobotguy]

I am going to put my foot down and say that it is definitely illegal. Above it was mentioned that it is ok if used as a deterrent. So, logically, I will attach a 50 inch saw blade to my bot, claim it was a deterrent and not be disqualified? "Oh, that blade...well...its just a DECORATION!?". If I get in a match with a bot that looks like that, I will petition the referee to dq them. Even though it probably was not intentional to make it a wedge that can flip , it can be employed to entangle a robot and will make it impossible to block them without having their robot wedged under your bot. It doesn't get any clearer than that. If a bot tries to block that bot, and its motor wheels get elevated off the ground because it ran up the wedge, then it is a clear violation of <G25>Section 4-The Game(Namely, entanglement). Entanglement is defined as preventing movement. If my robot can't move, it is entangled. Even though the non-wedge bot ran into the other bot, it was because of the wedge that the robot got entangled. BUT in a later satement that appends to the above stated rule, it states that entanglement is also part of normal gameplay. A ref would have to prove that the wedge was intentionally used to entangle another bot. I believe that any ref will say that it was intentionally used to entangle bots. Pushing low on a robot is ok, but pushing under(as this robot will most likely do) is not. It is an excellent defensive idea, but it is not in the spirit of FIRST and shouldn't be allowed to play. My philosophy is if it is questionable then don't do it.