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Originally Posted by Stu Bloom
Sorry Bill, but I have to disagree ...
In this year's game it is legal to push, shove, bump, and even "low speed" ram another robot. In fact, based on the new bumper rules this type of defensive strategy seems to be almost encouraged. There will definitely be some struggles for control of the platform/ramp, and there will definitely be some robots tipping over as a result. It is not illegal for a bot to defend its position, or to keep, or move, another robot off of the ramp. You can't expect a team to just allow their opponents to do whatever they want ... that is called defense ... and REQUIRED by each alliance for at least 40 seconds of each match.
Just because a robot tips as a result of the ramp battle it does not mean the other alliance should be penalized. As I stated in my post above (and this IS only my opinion - open to modification ONLY by my head referees interpretation of the rules) I would not be inclined to penalize a team unless there was clear and unmistakable intent to do harm.
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Stu, I understand your interpretation of the rules, but you are correct, we have a disagreement here. If a robot "sits" on their opponents platform and waits for the "tipsy" opponent to fully cross the field before it interacts with it, I consider that "intent". The offending robot
has knowingly selected a strategy at which the tipsy robot is most vulnerable to tip over. If this isn't the "sole" intent of the strategy, why wait on the platform?
If, however, a robot is on the field and continually harrassing the tipsy bot, as the tipsy bot tries to return to its' platform, the intent is to stop the "tipsy" bot, not to select a point at which it is most vulnerable to tipping. Provided that all other contact is within the rules, I would not consider this strategy as "solely aimed at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or entanglement of ROBOTs".
The fact that the rule allows interaction between robots, and that tipping over may occur during this interaction, doesn't preclude the fact that strategies solely designed to cause tipping aren't still illegal. I fully expect a number of bots to tip during legal battles for mounting the ramp, but for a bot to solely sit and sandbag on the ramp with the intent to tip an opponent as it mounts, I still view as a violation.
As I said previously, this is a strategy of "splitting hairs" over a rule, and they are forcing the referees into a judgement call. Look at the vehement posts from previous years concerning "judgement calls". There are times when the FIRST community doesn't always sound like the FIRST community.
Maybe Carnack should predict that this will be the first major "ticked-off" post of the robot season, once Regionals begin.
For everyone's reference, here is <G22>:
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Originally Posted by Chapter 4, Rev. C
<G22> Intentional ROBOT - ROBOT Interaction - Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping
over, or entanglement of ROBOTs are not in the spirit of the FIRST Robotics Competition and are not
allowed. However, AIM HIGH is a highly interactive game, and some appropriate contact is allowed
subject to the following guidelines:
• Rule <R35> in Section 5.3.4 establishes ROBOT BUMPER ZONEs. Any contact within this zone
is generally acceptable, with the exception of high speed long distance ramming. If two ROBOTs
choose not to use bumpers, and they contact such that simultaneous contact occurs both in and out of
the BUMPER ZONE, then this contact is considered within the BUMPER ZONE.
• Contact outside of the BUMPER ZONE is generally not acceptable, and the offending ROBOT will
be assessed a 5-point penalty, and may be disqualified from the match if the offense is particularly
egregious or if it results in substantial damage to another ROBOT. Incidental contact will not be
penalized. Contact outside the BUMPER ZONE that is a result of tipping caused by contact within
the BUMPER ZONE will be considered incidental contact.
• If a ROBOT extends outside of its 28 inch by 38 inch starting footprint, it is responsible for the
extension’s contact with other ROBOTs and must not use the extension to contact other ROBOTs
outside of the BUMPER ZONE. Likewise, other ROBOTs will not be responsible for contact with
the extension outside of the BUMPER ZONE. Again, incidental contact will not be penalized.
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