[smurfgirl]

Originally Posted by Marlfox

Can you possibly quote where you got this from we have conflicting reports from other forums on chief delphi.

Personal experience. I've been to two regionals, there are no tongs in the outpost stations.

Please see Section 7 of the Manual, rule <G40.C>

C. PAYLOAD SPECIALISTS retrieving GAME PIECES passed from the CRATER through
the AIRLOCK / FUELING PORT must use the provided tongs to pick up the GAME
PIECE from the floor. Failure to do so will cause a PENALTY to be assessed.

(The emphasis is mine.) In the game rules, there is no mention of tongs being provided any place other than the airlock/fueling port.


Perhaps your confusion is over the location of the airlock/fueling port and the outpost stations.
Please see Section 6 of the Manual for an illustration of the field. The outpost stations are halfway between the red alliance station and the blue alliance stations, where the drivers stand. There are no tongs there. There is a shield with a hole in it.

6.2.2
OUTPOSTS
The OUTPOSTS are located on the centerline of the CRATER, immediately outside the guardrail. Each of the two OUTPOSTS is assigned to a corresponding ALLIANCE, red or blue. One PAYLOAD SPECIALIST for each ALLIANCE sits at the OUTPOST. The OUTPOST is constructed of a shield, a base plate, and a seat. The shield is made of 1/4-inch polycarbonate, and is 48 inches tall, and 96 inches wide. The shield is intended to protect the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST from accidental incursions into the OUTPOST by any ROBOT parts that may exit from the CRATER. A set of hooks, known as the CELL RACK, is attached to the inside of the shield. The CELL RACK is used to store EMPTY CELLS during the match. There is an opening in the shield through which the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST may pass GAME PIECES to ROBOTS. The seat includes a “seat belt” restraint that holds the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST in position behind the shield. The base plate is 3/4-inch thick plywood to which the shield and seat are attached.

The fueling ports are located at the edges of the alliance stations. There are tongs there.

6.2.4
FUELING PORTS
The corner between the Alliance Station Wall and the Guardrail System includes the AIR LOCK and the FUELING PORT. The FUELING PORT is a 48-inch wide by 19-inch tall opening in the Alliance Station Wall through which the GAME PICES can exit from the CRATER. Protecting this opening is the AIR LOCK, which is constructed of 1-1/2-inch diameter steel pipe, welded to a 1/4-inch base plate that is attached to the carpet. The AIR LOCK is oriented at a 35-degree angle between the Guardrail System and the Alliance Station Wall. The purpose of the AIR LOCK is to prevent ROBOTS, in whole or in part, from passing through the FUELING PORT and contacting any team members. It also helps prevent ROBOTS from getting trapped in the corners of the CRATER.
© FIRST

I hope this helps!