[FRC4ME]

First off, I learned that the GDC did a really great job designing the game this year, for several reasons:
-This game involves more strategy than I have ever seen before.
-Offense and defense are finally balanced, as you can't really do one without the other.
-Autonomous is important enough that every team should do it yet simple enough that every team can do it.
-Penalties are not deciding matches as often as last year.
-The human player is very important.

...the list goes on.

As far as things I've learned:
1. DO NOT leave your disable dongle screwed into your competition port when you go out onto the field! This happened to one of our alliance partners at DC. The team was unable to get the dongle off in time; when our other alliance partner tried to help them, both were disabled for being out of position at the start of the match. That was the only qualifying match we lost.

2. Train your PS. Our's threw all four empty cells over the wall during a practice match, netting our alliance 40 points in pentalties. We're lucky it was only a practice match.

3. Be careful with batteries; it's very disappointing to watch the cRIO continuously reset itself because your battery is at 6V.

4. Don't get your trailer jackknifed in the opposing alliance's refueling station corner. This is the worst possible position you can be in on the field. It caused us to lose an elimination match; our robot was flat against the drivers' wall, our trailer was flat against the side wall, and we could not move while the opposing alliance's PS easily scored 5-8 moonrocks.

5. Attempting to win a pushing match is futile. Unless your opponent has absolutely no traction control, you will not get anywhere. Get out of the way and move on.

6. Supercells are more important than I thought they would be, especially in the elimination rounds.

7. This game is very difficult to scout.