If you take one of the pool noodles with the hole, insert a 1/2 in PVC pipe and wrap the whole deal in Duct tape you have a bauffer(
)
these are used as weapons in youth combat(
) in the
SCA they are nearly ind3estructible and cheap to make, they are still somewhat flexible but stiff like dried spaghetti and the hint seems to me as though it is strongly hinting about pool noodles.
also the hint states:
"a game piece obsessed with a shovel's show
and seeing Montana's green heights"
it makes it sound as though the piece is obsessed with the shovels show and montana's green heights this could mean the the 5 bots will be the game peices, perhaps small and green seeking, or you have to retreive something that is up high and green and depsosit it in the little 'bot.