Pinning the Goal

[DaringCommander]

My team was discussing the strategy of pinning the goal against a wall, so that nobody can touch it, when I realized that I don't know any rules regarding the matter. Everyone say that it's perfectly legal but I remember someone saying that it falls under the rules for pinning. They are most likely right but I wan't to check.

[Andy Baker]

Simply pinning the goal against the wall and/or the side rail sounds legal to me. Actually, this will happen in many matches.

Here's another scenario to think about:

The area gets more gray when a robot is on the wall or against the rail and there is another robot who is pinning the confined robot with the goal. I also see this happening alot. There's gonna be 2 robots fighting over 1 goal, and one robot will be pushed into the wall or the side rail.

Even though the goal is between the 2 robots, is this pinning?

I would think so.

Does this seem right?

Andy B.

[JVN]

It seems right, but I think that in the spirit of the new competition, if both teams are attached to the goal, the refs will let just about anything slide. The robots are fighting for the goal, if they are both attached it's a tug-o-war and anything goes...

That's just what I think will happen.

~JVN

[Wayne Doenges]

IMHO, I think that if a ref calls it pinning than the robot that is pinned should have tolet goof the goal and than try to get it back after it lets go.
What do you all think?

Wayne Doenges

[kevinw]

I don't think a team should be allowed to use the goal to pin a robot.

If a robot does not handle the goals and is being pinned by a goal controlling robot holding a goal, then this is clearly the same as one robot pinning another.

If a robot does handle the goals but is not holding the goal that is being used by another robot to pin the first robot, then this is clearly the same as one robot pinning another.

If both robots are holding the goal, then I do not believe you can claim that either robot is being pinned, regardless of their position on the field.

[Hubicki]

I agree. If a robot uses a goal as a medium for pinning, then it clearly is a violation. Any intentional attempt to immobilize another robot (such as this) will most likely be called as a foul by the referee. However, a robot attached to the goal is voluntarily engaging in the tug o war, and thus is entering at their own risk into the skirmish.

[Hubicki]

The first update DQ8 clears the question up nicely

[DaringCommander]

I don't mean pinning a robot with a goal just the pinning the goal. If it is against the wall nobody can take it from you can they?

[Hubicki]

I'm sorry that I misunderstood you. There's no rule against it that I know of. It's a strategy of questionable effectiveness. Yes, if you would rather take a bullet for that goal than have someone else take it, that would probably work in most cases. Of course, you would need to be careful of any robots that have "the torque of God" or reinforced titanium goal grabbers that could pry the goal from between you and the wall . In all seriousness though, if it's too early in the match, you may be adversly affecting your alliance's field position, which is crucial to effectively playing a match. However, if you're thinking of pinning a goal at the end of the match to secure 10+ points for either alliance, then go for it! Just be aware of the home zones.
~Hubicki~