Strategy Concept: Feeder-Bot

[Erin Rapacki]

I was tempted to keep this strategy concept to myself, but I think it will give many teams who built a box-bot that couldn't shoot an advantage in match play:

I was thinking...

- How many teams who built shooters actually have the sensor target working well?
- How many teams who built shooters have to hold a specific area of the field in order to make the shot?
- How long does would it take for a shooter-bot to refill on balls from the field?
- (How many points would that take away from lack of time?)

The concept...

- Bots that are designed to only score balls in the lower goals by having an infeed/outfeed roller that interfaces with the floor could outfeed balls into a shooter-bot's infeed during match play.
- Therefore, the shooter-bot can maintain their position while the box-bot continuously picks up balls and delivers them.

Call THAT Teamwork!

[Billfred]

1293 had a similar concept after Kickoff. It never really developed, largely because of fear of incompatability with other robots. But if we can effectively move balls to a better shooter penguin-style (watch March of the Penguins if you don't get it), I'm game.

[Peter Matteson]

We joked about an up to three team combo along that lines.

The problem was the offload becomes a defensive taget that is hard to defend with this years robot interaction rules. This year isn't a "you may have touched another robot so I threw the penalty flag year."

[insub2]

our team would be the shooter of that allience. what would you say we should do to accept the balls? how do you put balls in the corner goals? how do you think other bots will?

[Erin Rapacki]

Originally Posted by insub2

our team would be the shooter of that allience. what would you say we should do to accept the balls? how do you put balls in the corner goals? how do you think other bots will?

If your robot works with rollers or a conveyor, keep it on as if you were driving around the field picking up balls (but you're staying in the same place). The Box-Bot would sit right next to the Shooter-Bot (only a few inches apart) and put their rollers/conveyor in reverse to "put the balls back on the floor" (if even for a split second). As the balls roll out of the Box-Bot the Shooter-Bot would be picking them up.

Out one bot, and into the other.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Erin Rapacki

If your robot works with rollers or a conveyor, keep it on as if you were driving around the field picking up balls (but you're staying in the same place). The Box-Bot would sit right next to the Shooter-Bot (only a few inches apart) and put their rollers/conveyor in reverse to "put the balls back on the floor" (if even for a split second). As the balls roll out of the Box-Bot the Shooter-Bot would be picking them up.

Out one bot, and into the other.

Erin,

I believe alot of teams will find shooting is much harder than they originally expected it to be (ex. Stack Attack ), and this strategy will be played out more and more as teams realize which robots can shoot consistently. An alliance of one great shooter, one great herder, and one great defensive bot will be a winning alliance.

[Heretic121]

see tom i would orginally agree with you because at the first regional *LAST YEAR* that WAS the strategy...

2 offense 1 defense...

but i have a feeling as week 2+3 come along the lower alliances 6-8 *ones who get first 2nd round pick* will be trying to pick up another offensive bot as apposed to a defensive one... but we shall see mr tom... we shall all see...

[Bill Moore]

Originally Posted by Heretic121

see tom i would orginally agree with you because at the first regional *LAST YEAR* that WAS the strategy...

2 offense 1 defense...

but i have a feeling as week 2+3 come along the lower alliances 6-8 *ones who get first 2nd round pick* will be trying to pick up another offensive bot as apposed to a defensive one... but we shall see mr tom... we shall all see...

I agree, playoffs will seek additional offensive bots as second picks. You never know what Freak incident will take your best offensive bot out of competition.

At Philly last year, the Cybersonics robot, one of the best offensive bots at the regional, and the first bot selected in the playoffs, had a tetra tragically get stuck in a position that they could not release it. They had to result to defense for the remainder of the match, and the alliance was defeated.

This years game is highly tied to offensive capabilities, just as last years was. You won't descore your opponents points and then go run for the ramp, like Stack Attack's game flaw allowed. The ultra-fast offensive bots (like the Cybersonics and Robbe Xtreme last year) will continually give ground and drive around any defender to a different goal. They've been doing it for years, and they'll do it again this year.

If you plan to play defense against them, I hope your human player has a good arm, cause the player will have plenty of balls to feed to your robot.

Guaranteed!