[EricH]

If you have 2 VEX sets, give 2 groups 1 day for the following challenge: Build a prototype drivetrain. 1 group gets holonomic. 1 group gets swerve. Use standard small green wheels for each drive.

Then, at the end of the day, the head-to-head: pushing, obstacle course, and a sumo match against each other. (Stay in X area. First out, either through pushing or through dodging too much, loses. Best 2 out of 3 or however you want to do it.)

This will give a scale comparison of the two. And yes, it is possible to build a swerve in VEX.

330 did something similar back in 2005 with a mecanum vs. a 6WD "drop". A full-scale kitbot mecanum drive went up against our 4WD 2003 robot in a match situation--and lost.

The match will do several things: It will expose the strengths and weaknesses of both systems. It will give practice with both. If you do it right, you've even got the code for both. And, there will be one of two final results: Either you'll see that you're wrong, or they'll see that swerve is superior.