2015 HINT DISCUSSION

[Wayne TenBrink]

Four team alliances create some interesting possibilities:
1) More "teamwork" based games like Aerial Assist. Four teams could help insulate alliances against a weak or broken member.
2) With more of the robots on the field at any time, match times could be longer. The total number of matches could be reduced, while giving each team the same number of matches.
3) Elimination alliances could be 5 teams (one as the backup bot). That would allow all 40 teams at a district qualifier to be in the eliminations. (I'm not necessarily in favor of that).
4) A four-team alliance would require the field to be about 6 feet wider (one more driver station panel at each end). Doesn't work for two strips of standard width carpet rolls, but maybe the floor won't be carpet...
5) They probably had to modify the field control system to work with the new RoboRio. Convenient time to add a couple more channels for larger alliances.