Power Alliance At Champs: 2014

[nicholsjj]

Here is the thread I made last year for reference: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=116116

The whole idea of this thread is for the people on CD to showcase some teams from their state that are attending champs in order for other people and teams not in that state to have a good idea of the states's toughest teams.

Missouri

Captain: Team 1986: Provides a reliable auto and major assist capability with a deadly finishing and truss shot.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0V_HUZbftM

First Pick: Team 4522: Provides a two shout auto if needed with a fast robot that can shoot the lights out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ByQ...ature=youtu.be

Second Pick: 1806: Provides a reliable auto and assist capability with also a strong drive train. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UB9uyb300M

This alliance was very hard to make with so many great teams from Missouri this year. Good luck to all the "Show-Me" State's competing teams at Worlds.

[Yipyapper]

Ontario (Here we go...)

I could name a dozen teams to be the first two members of the power alliance, but the ones everyone seems to decide unanimously as the top two powerhouses would be:

Captain - Team 1114: Simbotics - The Hall of Fame team has a mostly reliable two-ball hot auto and was either the 1st alliance captain or the 1st pick at all three of their Canadian regionals this year—despite two controversial semi-final exits, their intake is second to none, their finishing/trussing capabilities are amongst the best in FIRST and their strategy smarts are also among the best.

FIRST Pick - Team 2056: OP Robotics - Still haven't lost a regional (19 now), 2056 can pick up their 2-ball one-hot, one-not autonomous if 1114 were to falter, and could provide a hot one-ball if Simbotics' auto works fine. They made and showcased great trussing and shooting skills, as well as a rare example of strong catching capabilities, and provide strong defense on a lot of teams as evidenced by their dominant win in Waterloo. Since 1114 and 2056 already team up every year, this kind of a power alliance really isn't unlikely if they're in the same division.

Second Pick - Team 610: The Coyotes - A close second to the first two teams, it's hard to compare them since they didn't compete against each other this year. The defending world champs have amazing run-and-gun capabilities as well as a strong trussing shot, quick intake and a great two-ball hot auton.

There are so, so, so many amazing teams in Ontario that it's possible to make 5 of these alliances that would crush most other state/provincial alliances, but these three are just the most unreal.

[OZ_341]

Originally Posted by Yipyapper

Ontario (Here we go...)

I could name a dozen teams to be the first two members of the power alliance, but the ones everyone seems to decide unanimously as the top two powerhouses would be:

Captain - Team 1114: Simbotics - The Hall of Fame team has a mostly reliable two-ball hot auto and was either the 1st alliance captain or the 1st pick at all three of their Canadian regionals this year—despite two controversial semi-final exits, their intake is second to none, their finishing/trussing capabilities are amongst the best in FIRST and their strategy smarts are also among the best.

FIRST Pick - Team 2056: OP Robotics - Still haven't lost a regional (19 now), 2056 can pick up their 2-ball one-hot, one-not autonomous if 1114 were to falter, and could provide a hot one-ball if Simbotics' auto works fine. They made and showcased great trussing and shooting skills, as well as a rare example of strong catching capabilities, and provide strong defense on a lot of teams as evidenced by their dominant win in Waterloo. Since 1114 and 2056 already team up every year, this kind of a power alliance really isn't unlikely if they're in the same alliance.

Second Pick - Team 610: The Coyotes - A close second to the first two teams, it's hard to compare them since they didn't compete against each other this year. The defending world champs have amazing run-and-gun capabilities as well as a strong trussing shot, quick intake and a great two-ball hot auton.

There are so, so, so many amazing teams in Ontario that it's possible to make 5 of these alliances that would crush most other state/provincial alliances, but these three are just the most unreal.

This alliance selection is probably applicable to just about any year's game. Always amazing machines.

[czielinski]

The alliance at the Michigan State Championship that won, at least in my opinion, was a great blending team. The alliance captain 27 who would inbound, then play defense, 314 (Megatron Oracles) who would take from the human player, then 33 (killer Bees) would shoot the ball. All three robots have reliable auto modes and worked really well at MSC.

[Joe195]

Ironically, we have already seen the power alliance of CT at NE Champs
230, 177, 4055

230: Extremely accurate 2 Ball auto, and very accurate truss shot. Robot can take a beating from defense and still perform very well. Intake is fast and open for inbound tosses.

177: Another very accurate 2 ball auto. High release point allows bot to shoot over defense. Massive catching area allows it to receive many truss tosses intentionally. Drive train is very powerful and proves this bot to be a fantastic all around player. Overall deadly accuracy in the high goal and quick, fast intake will prove to be the perfect match for 230

4055: Very accurate auto is a must in this game, and 4055 does not hesitate to deliver. Their very quick and simple pick up mechanism is great for inbounding and receiving an assist from an inbounder. Like 230, they have a great, accurate truss shot. If defense proves to be too much for the other 2 bots, they can absolutely take the ball and get it into the high goal. Their drive train absolutely dominates in defense.

I would be scared for anyone who has to face this alliance at champs

[JesseK]

Virginia is fielding some great teams (apologies if I missed a couple):
384, 623, 1610, 1731, 1885, 2363.

384 - any role, but excelled at mid-zone & high goal
623 - inbound-truss + defender. Has medium-speed Mecanum, but also has a very nice blocking wall which really annoys high-goal shooters. Autonomous TBD.
1610 - any role; had to play all of them in elims but was somewhat easily defended via pushing
1731 - excelled at inbound-truss and the 2-bot quick cycle. Has reliable hot goal auton (>75%).
1885 - any role, has a decent high-goal sweet spot and has upgrades for trussing at champs. Has reliable 1-ball autonomous, nearly 100%. Was very hard to push, but had issues with fast 2-speed defenders with a blocking wall
2363 - any role, but excelled at the high goal zone

First attempt based upon video-recorded elims performances only, Virginia
Captain: 2363 - Great 2+ ball autonomous; great drivers; 2-speed drive train to get through defense; has pulled through in clutch moments; can play high goal zone like nobody's business, including receiving bot-to-bot passes and truss catches. Has good experience with quick 3-assist cycles.
First Pick: 384 - Great autonomous; can move through traffic to get to where they need to be, can play instant defense and has a great high-goal sweet spot
Second Pick: Depends on alliance overall strategy. Yet let's pick "all-around" and say 1885 since I have some insider info.
- For defense, 623's truss may get shut down at champs. They'll have a tougher time pushing, so they'll have to aim for the quick inbound pass across the field, then slow incoming offensive machines by blocking.
- For quick 2-bot cycles, definitely 1731. The speed of their drive train, inbound, ground pickup and truss is paramount for this strategy.
- For truss specialists (at champs), 1885 or 1731. 1731 for a powerful truss, 1885 for a loftier truss. Both can make it to the human player from behind the white zone line. 1731's can make it all the way to the other end of the field which is advantageous in clearing defense. 1885's may be slightly easier to catch since there is a lower-powered version of it in addition to the high-powered launch.
- For inter-changeable strategies where robots aren't in the same zone in 2 consecutive matches yet still reliably fill the role, 1885 or 1610 or 1731. 1610 & 1885 have demonstrated a good sweet spot (so long as Spencer is patient and Monica speaks up!) and the ability to get through a crowded situation. 1731 can move in quickly for an accurate shot, yet has two divergent scoring spots (due to a slightly high arc) and can miss if it is in between them. 1610's inbound is really quick which is clutch under heavy defense. As for "working together" all three of these teams have good or great relationships with the other two alliance partners.

[barn34]

Illinois:

In numerical team order, it looks like it would be the following:
1625 - Overall record of 27-3-1 (tie vs. 2481), Winners at Midwest (w/ 2451) (Quality Award), QF at Wisconsin
2451 - Overall record of 25-8-0, Winners at Midwest (w/ 1625) (Excellence in Engineering Award), QF at CIR
2481 - Overall record of 23-8-1 (tie vs. 1625), Winners at Wisconsin (Innovation in Control Award), QF at CIR

This would be an awesomely versatile alliance we would be honored to be a part of. The slick swerve driving twins of 2451 and 2481 would cause both offensive and defensive havoc (and would be virtually interchangable, on the fly, in any role) and 1625 has great truss passing capability to forward the ball down the field quickly and efficiently (they'd also be more than capable of putting the ball in the goal themselves, if needed). All 3 have great hot goal autos, so a perfect 75 points would be on the board before tele-op starts. We had the honor to compete against both teams this year, and it would be great fun to partner up for sure. 1625 and 2451 also partnered up in winning Midwest so the familiarity is there. We also played with 2451 in a very early qualifier match, week 1, at CIR and had great synergy with our twin swerve drives putting up 145 points in a very solid and offensively/defensively balanced victory. Lets see if the division gods make it possible for any of us to team up in St. Louis.

Couple vids:
2451 and 1625 finals matches at Midwest:
F1 - http://youtu.be/lFN73SVZr6o
F2 - http://youtu.be/r_xAUwlJuYA
2481 finals matches at Wisconsin:
F1 - http://youtu.be/pE94RoMd62E
F2 - http://youtu.be/I4AYeJGE5ds (this was with 1 wheel 15 degrees out of alignment, so our driving was uncharactaristically sloppy. a lot of credit goes to our drive team for compensating admirably)

Special shout outs to:
1756 - Finalists at Boilermaker (Imagery Award), SF at CIR (Industrial Design Award)
2081 - SF at CIR (Engineering Excellence Award), QF at Wisconsin (Engineering Inspiration Award)
4296 - Winners at CIR, SF at Wisconsin
5125 - Winners at Midwest (w/ 1625 and 2451) (Highest Rookie Seed Award)

You also can't mention Illinois FRC teams without 111. They had a bit of a rough showing in Wisconsin, but improved greatly for Midwest. I'm banking they'll be charactaristically hitting a high gear when they show up in St. Louis. Can't wait to see the tie-dyed warriors again. It's always an honor to share the field with them. Illinois will be well represented at Championships this year, for sure! Good luck to all the great teams!

[electroken]

Originally Posted by Joe195

Ironically, we have already seen the power alliance of CT at NE Champs
230, 177, 4055

230: Extremely accurate 2 Ball auto, and very accurate truss shot. Robot can take a beating from defense and still perform very well. Intake is fast and open for inbound tosses.

177: Another very accurate 2 ball auto. High release point allows bot to shoot over defense. Massive catching area allows it to receive many truss tosses intentionally. Drive train is very powerful and proves this bot to be a fantastic all around player. Overall deadly accuracy in the high goal and quick, fast intake will prove to be the perfect match for 230

4055: Very accurate auto is a must in this game, and 4055 does not hesitate to deliver. Their very quick and simple pick up mechanism is great for inbounding and receiving an assist from an inbounder. Like 230, they have a great, accurate truss shot. If defense proves to be too much for the other 2 bots, they can absolutely take the ball and get it into the high goal. Their drive train absolutely dominates in defense.

I would be scared for anyone who has to face this alliance at champs

It's an honor just to be included in this conversation, but I wouldn't want to come up against 195, 558, and pick one from 228,2067 or 2168.

195: We affectionately call your robot the hungry hippo. A 2 ball, hot goal auto and that 3-roller intake that can pick up and shoot before anyone sees it coming. The shooter is among the strongest we've seen - just ask the spectators in the 4th row.

558: Quite possibly the ultimate mid-fielder. They're quick with the truss shot, can push just about anything, and can dish out punishing defense. Our banana-shaped front frame rail is evidence enough of that.

228, 2067, and 2168: Any one of these adds an autonomous shot, quick inbounding, trussing, and defense.

The Connecticut State Championship is gonna be a blast!

[Woolly]

Originally Posted by nicholsjj

First Pick: Team 4522: Provides a two shout auto if needed with a fast robot that can shoot the lights out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ByQ...ature=youtu.be

I am now imagining team SCREAM's robot using Unrelenting Force to score balls in the high goal.

Thank you.

[techtiger1]

Florida is sending a formidable alliance of 180,179 and 1592. All three of these machines can truss and score. Drivetrains and auto are as solid as it gets on all three machines as well.

[Max Boord]

Florida:
Captain: 180: Great under-defense truss or high goal shooter.
1st Pick: 179: Good catching robot and high goal shooter. 2 ball hot auto.
2nd Pick: 1592 High goal shooter or in bounder.
3rd Pick:2383: Very good in-bounder with full court ability.

180 and 179 play with 1592 in a 1592-> 180 (truss)->179(catch and high goal) triple assist strategy.

2383 (FCS to human player)-> 180/179 (high goal) Lightning fast double assist.

We have seen these alliances formed in bits and pieces with a range of success including a 305pt match by the 180 and 179 combo.

179, 180's scoring demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbtc...crV58&index=17
2383: http://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2014vari_qf3m1
1592,180 vs 179 and there twin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjPs...9Hg DQxrs7MSz

[lynca]

from the great state of Texas , we could definitely take on Einstein with this alliance

1. 148 - Won 2 regionals, 2-ball auto , amazing driving and scoring
2. 624 - Won 1 regional , 2-ball auto , adjustable range shots
3. 118 - Won 3 regionals and those amazing white bunny ears ! ...

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by lynca

from the great state of Texas , we could definitely take on Einstein with this alliance

1. 148 - Won 2 regionals, 2-ball auto , amazing driving and scoring
2. 624 - Won 1 regional , 2-ball auto , adjustable range shots
3. 118 - Won 3 regionals and those amazing white bunny ears ! ...

This will unlikely happen.
Therefore, throw us in there as a substitute and we'll be fine with it.

[DampRobot]

Cali power alliance:

254 (triple event winner, holder of the world high score without penalties, and one of the best power forwards in FIRST, amazing 3 ball hot auto).
971 (double event winner, undefeated this season, and the other best power forward in FIRST. Played great mid at SVR.)
1678 (best assist bot in Cali, double event winner, amazing at back court, huge traction and defense).

Probably 3/20 best robots in FIRST.

[MrTechCenter]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

Cali power alliance:

254 (triple event winner, holder of the world high score without penalties, and one of the best power forwards in FIRST, amazing 3 ball hot auto).
971 (double event winner, undefeated this season, and the other best power forward in FIRST. Played great mid at SVR.)
1678 (best assist bot in Cali, double event winner, amazing at back court, huge traction and defense).

Probably 3/20 best robots in FIRST.

Agreed, this would be a deadly alliance, I expect to see at least one of these teams on Einstein this year. I feel that California should be split into North/South because there are just so many good teams here. This would be the NorCal alliance hands down. SoCal would probably be:

1717: Great shooter "fin." LA winner and excellent performance at LVR.
330: Great at catching. Very good performance overall.
Toss-up between 3476 and 2485: Both were really great robots.