Acquiring containers from step during autonomous

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by Donut

A strategy that guarantees the win when max possible points by both alliances are scored will never be overlooked. The GDC made an odd number of recycling cans on the field for a reason.

That said, it's only going to really matter come late playoff rounds at strong competitions. Few alliances will have the firepower to worry about running out of a game piece.

Isn't 10 even?

[Steven Smith]

Yep. Three in each staging zone for the alliances, and four on the step. I could have sworn it was three on the step myself though... rules haven't all sunk in

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

Isn't 10 even?

Yes.

Source

[Donut]

I was thinking of the most a single alliance can possess, completely forgot the other alliance has 3 when posting that total.

[Rypsnort]

The two containers in the middle would not be difficult to reach because there is a gap in the totes in the land fill so you could get to those easily and then wait until the landfill is cleared out to get the other two.

[wilderbuchanan]

Unless some teams develop non wheel robots that can stack a tote every 2 seconds from anywhere on the field ,i don't think it will matter that much. I think teams will target stacking the recycling bins and autonomous because both are worth a lot more.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by wilderbuchanan

Unless some teams develop non wheel robots that can stack a tote every 2 seconds from anywhere on the field ,i don't think it will matter that much. I think teams will target stacking the recycling bins and autonomous because both are worth a lot more.

As noted, this is mostly going to matter to top ranked teams in Elims. Especially at MSC and Champs. The question you have to ask yourself is if you think a #1 or #2 seed is capable of doing more than three 5-6 tote + container stacks. If they are, then you're starving them for points if you can control all 4 of the shared containers.

Also, picking the containers up isn't actually necessary for a denial strategy to work. You just have to get them onto your side of the field. Once they're beyond the step, they're off limits. I wouldn't be surprised to see a specialized auton and mechanism to swipe the two middle containers in autonomous mode and count on winning the race for one of the two outside containers.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

As noted, this is mostly going to matter to top ranked teams in Elims. Especially at MSC and Champs. The question you have to ask yourself is if you think a #1 or #2 seed is capable of doing more than three 5-6 tote + container stacks. If they are, then you're starving them for points if you can control all 4 of the shared containers.

Also, picking the containers up isn't actually necessary for a denial strategy to work. You just have to get them onto your side of the field. Once they're beyond the step, they're off limits. I wouldn't be surprised to see a specialized auton and mechanism to swipe the two middle containers in autonomous mode and count on winning the race for one of the two outside containers.

Presume 3 containers scored atop a stack of 5, each with a piece of litter.

Per stack, that's worth:
5 totes x 2 points ea. -- 10 pts.
5 levels x 4 points / level -- 20 pts.
1 litter x 6 points -- 6 pts.
36 pts.

3 stacks x 36 pts. per stack = 108 points.

Ignoring the additional time required, for better or for worse, presume that 2 containers are taken from the step at some point during the match and the number of totes consumed remains unchanged.

Per stack:
3 totes x 2 points ea. -- 6 pts.
3 levels x 4 points / level -- 12 pts.
1 litter x 6 points -- 6 pts.
24 pts. per stack.

5 stacks x 24 pts. per stack = 120 points.

In many instances, it'll be more efficient for alliances to form more shorter stacks than a few taller ones if containers can be obtained and scored on those stacks. It's easier to make shorter tote stacks and easier to place containers on shorter stacks, as well.

[Bruceb]

keep in mind that starving your opponents of points is of little use especially if you are wasting your own scoring time doing it.
If you can acquire the containers from the step AND score them then you have a winning strategy in my humble opinion.

So if you are aligned with 2 great stackers that can get 3 full stacks and have time left then acquiring the step containers is going to be very valuable.