[GaryVoshol]

The short-handed alliance does their best. It gives the team a chance to show their stuff.

The full-strength alliance plays their game. The only concession they make is that since it is probably not necessary, they may be less aggressive. No need to take a chance on hurting your own robot, or even worse the sole survivor on the other team.

Which is precisely what Alliances 1 and 7 did at GLR when ThunderChickens couldn't move in F1 and F3 at GLR. (Although it was 2v3, not 1v3)