[YMTC]: Breaking robots

[nuclearnerd]

Originally Posted by Racer26

There is still the clause at the end of the G28 blue box that says "unless the actions of the damaged ROBOT are the catalyst for the damage." Red 1 certainly catalysed that damage. They were playing defense on Blue 1.

I'm not sure I follow this line of reasoning. If you read "catalyze" too broadly, then every robot with an outstretched appendage gets a right of way - any defender / offender that gets hit by the appendage on the way risks being called a "catalyst" to their own damage.

Personally, I would set the "fault" line at "inside/outside" the frame perimeter. It seems more in keeping with the original bumper rules, and the blue box in G27: "Teams are encouraged to be cautious in their use of such appendages when engaging in ROBOT to ROBOT MATCH play". Think of appendages as weapons - you have an extra burden of care when you deploy one.

That, of course, runs the risk of teams performing "suicide attacks" against appendages to try to draw damage, but I think that's much less likely (and easier to spot).