[Bob Steele]

Art makes some interesting points.

I think the simplest thing to do is take any empty trailers off.
Sure you only have two targets for scoring but the other team has only two robots to do scoring. I would have to say though that this would PRECLUDE the other team from using their human player.. So if you don't show up with a robot you don't get to score from your position with a payload specialist. That double hit evens the scoring in my opinion...

the team that is short a trailer is also short a payload specialist and a robot.

I also think the "placebo" robot (unpowered weighted chassis) connected to the robot is worth a look as a solution.

It would only be used in situations where there was an uneven number of robots. In all other times you would just take off the 2 or 4 robotless trailers and proceed with the game. In this way you just have to have one of these at each event.

Example 3 robots don't show up... 2 from blue 1 from red.
To even the field you take off a single blue and a single red trailer.
Hitch up the 3rd empty spot (blue) to the PLACEBO Bot... and let everyone play The single blue robot would have a tough time but it would be aided by three human players but it would still have to deal with only one PLACEBO scoring trailer.

I still think the first option is the best one...
No robot... no human player... no trailer...

You lose the human player but also lose the extra scoring opportunity for the other team...I do believe that allowing a no robot team to play as payload specialists would unbalance the game.

I think many of the teams would consider this an equitable solution.
Of course... many will probably disagree...

Good luck and see you on the field...
We plan on being there every time...and we WILL be checking with our alliance partners AND our Alliance opponents well before each match to see if there is anything we can do to help them get on the field

(This year the Seattle Regional has 25 Rookie teams.... our team AND the rest of the veteran teams there will have to work especially hard to help them all get on the field and stay there....)

oh and pardon me in advance for referring to the Payload Specialist as the human player...old school you know..
All these new terms/names confuse many of us that have been around awhile... you know that we are all really weak and feeble minded...so treat us with kindness...an occasional pat on the head would be nice...