[Waffles]

It's not necessarily the BASE. When you "deploy":

DEPLOYMENT – the act of positioning a MINIBOT on a TOWER. DEPLOYMENT starts when the MINIBOT breaks the vertical projection of the TOWER BASE circumference during the END GAME. (Related form, DEPLOY, verb)

DEPLOYMENT LINE – located on the POST, approximately 18 inches above the top surface of the BASE.

These are the Manual definitions.

I believe you have an 18" buffer zone on which you PLACE the minibot.

(Otherwise, correct me if I'm wrong)