[EricH]

I'm >< to calling the GDC politicians instead of geniuses.

From Team Update #1:

<G19> After DEPLOYMENT, MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous and move up the POST solely through electric energy provided after DEPLOYMENT by the permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry). Violation: The TOWER on which the MINIBOT is DEPLOYED is disabled. If the MINIBOT is not deployed DEPLOYED on something other than a TOWER, then the ALLIANCE’Ss TOWER upon which the highest RACE SCORE was earned will be discounted.[bluebox]<G19> means that HOSTBOTS are not allowed to launch the MINIBOT up the pole at the TARGET, or otherwise contribute to the vertical movement of the MINIBOT. Energy for vertical movement may not be stored in the MINIBOT before DEPLOYMENT (except that which is contained within the battery and excluding incidental kinetic energy stored in the motors or wheels, but NOT, for example, in a flywheel).[/bluebox]

In other words, you must use the FTC battery.