Number of Balls

[Superllama12]

My team has been searching for the total number of balls throughout the rules and can't find it. Is it twelve (up to two balls per bot at the start) or are more added later? Thanks!

[tim-tim]

One of the rules clarifies it, I forgot which one off hand. There are balls on the ramps as well, making a total of 18 balls in play.

[Red2486]

My team has been looking for it too, but unfortunetly have not be able to find it any where. We are assuming 12 for the time being.

[Superllama12]

If anyone happens upon the rule, please let us know, one of our people who have gone over the rules think that the balls don't start on the center ramp. Do you at least remember which of the five manual sections it was in? Thanks!

[RoboBawler]

From what I read, there are a max of 2 balls in each robot at the start and 2 balls on each of the alliance ramps making a total of 16. If there aren't 2 balls in each robot, the balls that remain go on the center ramp.

[Sean M]

RoboBawler,

There are two on each BRIDGE, not just alliance bridge. See [G05].

[Superllama12]

Aha! 16 balls total. Rule [G05]:

Each Bridge will be preset with two Basketballs. Basketballs allotted to Robots that are not used, will be preset on
the Coopertition Bridge.

So each robot will have up to two balls, and two more will be placed on each the red and blue bridges. If any robot wants to have less than two balls, the rest will go on the center/Coopertition bridge. Thanks for all the comments!

[Sean M]

See that the Coopertition bridge gets two to start with, PLUS additional, unplaced balls. So 18.

[Superllama12]

I think that there's a distinction between the alliance and coopertition bridges, and none naturally start on the Coopertition bridge. I talked with our rules analyzer, who indicated that it seems like 16 because of this distinction between the bridges.

[Sean M]

But the Coopertition Bridge IS a Bridge, and [G05] specifically states that "Each Bridge will be present with two basketballs."

Look at the explanation of [G06], in which it says that Bridges are illuminated if balanced (which implies this includes the Coopertition Bridge is, as expected, a Bridge.).

I agree it is vague, as there aren't any definitions this year, but it's common sense that a Coopertition Bridge is a Bridge, but is different from Alliance Bridges. I believe the GDC may have overlooked clarifying this. Reference [G14]. It is unlikely that ONLY refers to Alliance Bridges.

In other places, they specifically state Alliance Bridge [G25], or Coopertition Bridge [G41], if there is a specific bridge.

[Karibou]

Originally Posted by Sean M

But the Coopertition Bridge IS a Bridge, and [G05] specifically states that "Each Bridge will be present with two basketballs."

Look at the explanation of [G06], in which it says that Bridges are illuminated if balanced (which implies this includes the Coopertition Bridge is, as expected, a Bridge.).

I agree it is vague, as there aren't any definitions this year, but it's common sense that a Coopertition Bridge is a Bridge, but is different from Alliance Bridges. I believe the GDC may have overlooked clarifying this. Reference [G14]. It is unlikely that ONLY refers to Alliance Bridges.

I would agree with this. If you look everywhere else in the rules, if they mean a particular bridge, they specify which bridge the rule applies to.

However, this is a question that we won't be able to answer for sure until the Q&A opens.

[Ninja_Bait]

The animation has 6 balls, two on each bridge.

[StealthMentor]

I do not see anywhere in the rules that says there are, or are not any balls already in the human station either. So there could be more.

[Sean M]

Originally Posted by StealthMentor

I do not see anywhere in the rules that says there are, or are not any balls already in the human station either. So there could be more.

Good point.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by StealthMentor

I do not see anywhere in the rules that says there are, or are not any balls already in the human station either. So there could be more.

It would take a rule change for there to be more. There is no provision anywhere else in the rules that I have seen for allocating more balls. 18 total, that's all she wrote.