MAR Regional Champs

[orthoravioli]

I was just looking at the MAR rankings and am getting ready to watch some very exciting matches coming up at MAR champs!

There are well over 16 robots capable of making six stacks - some on the verge of three (1640, 2590, 303, 1403, 1218).

Solid landfill robots (1218, 225).

Stackers with RC stealing capabilities (1676, 365, 225, 4460, 321).

MAR breached the 200 point qual match this weekend at North Brunswick (2590, 4285, 219) after coming close at other MAR districts.

Playoff/Final matches top off at 189 (1281,1640, 5113) - 2590 did it also with 3360 and 5443 in Montreal.

MAR robots have done well outside the region (2590 winner Montreal, 4575 winner Queen City, 1923 EI NY Tech Valley, 2016 EI South Florida, 11 Finalist Hawaii, 1676 QF Waterloo, 341 SF Vegas).

What is the X factor or strategy for MAR? How high will the Qual scores go? Will coopertition be a given or an afterthought - we have seen both this year in districts? Will Autonomous points tip the playoff scores? Does the fight extend to the step? Will teams be bringing their Cheesecaking skills (4460)?

My apologies if I forgot anyone - So many to note!

[AGPapa]

MAR Champs looks pretty exciting this year; for the first time there is no team that’s clearly above everyone else.
For those of you who haven’t had the chance to follow MAR closely, here are videos of some of the top teams.

2590:
This is the match that set the high score for quals in MAR. Nemesis builds three capped stacks of six.
2590 won the Hatboro and North Brunswick Districts, as well as the Montreal Regional

1640:
To win the Lenape-Seneca District, Sabotage puts up two capped stacks of 6 and one capped stack of five.
1640 was a finalist at Hatboro and won the Lenape-Seneca District

1218:
This match set the high score for playoffs in MAR. Vulcan makes two capped stacks of five from the landfill and a capped stack of two.
1218 was a quarterfinalist at Hatboro, and won the Springside-Chestnut Hill and Lenape Districts

225:
In this match Tech Fire does a tote stack autonomous; they’re one of the few teams in MAR who can do that. They also consistently make two capped stacks of four from the landfill. And while you don’t see it this in the video, they can also grab containers off of the step in autonomous.
225 won Springside-Chestnut Hill and Upper Darby

1403:
Cougar Robotics builds three capped stacks of five in the Bridgewater-Raritan District Finals.
1403 was a finalist at Hatboro and won Bridgewater.

303:
TEST team consistently makes two capped stacks of six from the human player. Here they are, doing their usual, in the North Brunswick finals.
303 was a quarterfinalist at Mt. Olive, semifinalist at the Tech Valley Regional, and winner at the North Brunswick District

2607:
Here are the Fighting RoboVikings making a co-op stack and a capped stack of six way back in week 1.
2607 won Hatboro and Upper Darby

[Jscout11]

I think an exhibition match of the top 6 teams like they did in PNW this last weekend would be awesome. Could even do PA (225, 2607, 1640) v NJ (2590, 1403, 303)

[GKrotkov]

Originally Posted by AGPapa

In this match Tech Fire does a tote stack autonomous; they’re the only team in MAR who can do that.

Actually, 2607 demonstrated a 3 tote stack autonomous at Upper Darby:

https://youtu.be/ejxd2bmLn3s?t=17380

[orthoravioli]

PA v. NJ!

[orthoravioli]

On second thought...

Exhibition was not universally lauded at PNW

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=136362

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Jscout11

I think an exhibition match of the top 6 teams like they did in PNW this last weekend would be awesome. Could even do PA (225, 2607, 1640) v NJ (2590, 1403, 303)

Poor Delaware.

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Poor Delaware.

One of these days, Delaware will get 3 of the 4 (maybe more in future) teams qualified.

Welcome to the Iron Mechs (5684), the 3rd rookie to join the field. Got a chance to partner with you guys at SCH, glad to see you make it to the next level in only your first year.

Judging by @RVR87Diablo tweets, I don't think our friends on Diablo (87) will be joining us. Anyone know any other likely invitation declines?

[George A.]

So I am personally of the mindset that MAR champs is completely open this year.

There isn't that one or two game changing robot that if they align would be impossible to beat like there were in years past.

It's prolly going to come down to good second round picks. If you have 2 great HP robots who will get the halfway decent landfill bot?

Either way I'm really excited for Thursday.

[Gdeaver]

It'll come down to the RC's. Who gets them.

[Josh Goodman]

Originally Posted by George A.

There were some designs at North Brunswick that were downright laughable and one got disabled for being so dangerous.

QFT. A noble effort of the guys from 869 to retrofit that grabber onto a rookie, but it unfortunately was super dangerous, illegal, and a pre-match time suck.

I'm excited to watch the ever-increasing excitement of the center-can battles, but please remember to stay safe. If not for your robot's sake, for your head referee!

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by George A.

There were some designs at North Brunswick that were downright laughable and one got disabled for being so dangerous.

Originally Posted by Josh Goodman

QFT. A noble effort of the guys from 869 to retrofit that grabber onto a rookie, but it unfortunately was super dangerous, illegal, and a pre-match time suck.

Please don't assign that hook entirely to 869, especially if you consider it a failure.

Our last-minute attempt to give 5666, a team we knew well (from working under 1923's wings all build season), a way to contribute to the alliance and get a shot at MARCMP, was a result of both 1923 and 869 working together with 5666 to see if they could make something work.

Sorry that it wasn't perfect, but I don't think it's appropriate to call anyone, especially a rookie team, laughable. I think coming home with Rookie All-Star proved they're a pretty fantastic bunch of kids.

They learned a lot from the playoff experience, so I consider it a success.

[Brian Maher]

My team canburgled on the Finalist alliance of North Brunswick (Parallel MORTiverse). It became an exciting challenge trying to scout the other canburglars in playoffs and prevent them from getting their preferred containers. As a historically defensive team, it's fun to play the defense game again while greatly increasing our own scoring potential.

[George A.]

Originally Posted by Libby K

Please don't assign that hook entirely to 869, especially if you consider it a failure.

Our last-minute attempt to give 5666, a team we knew well (from working under 1923's wings all build season), a way to contribute to the alliance and get a shot at MARCMP, was a result of both 1923 and 869 working together with 5666 to see if they could make something work.

Sorry that it wasn't perfect, but I don't think it's appropriate to call anyone, especially a rookie team, laughable. I think coming home with Rookie All-Star proved they're a pretty fantastic bunch of kids.

They learned a lot from the playoff experience, so I consider it a success.

I didn't mean to degrade anyone's effort. That was not my intention. I also didn't call out any particular team number in my comment. Full disclosure I discussed how ludicrous the hook on 3340 looked in its first match saying to a mentor on my team (who helped them install it) that it reminded me of the hook you'd see in a movie to drag someone off of a stage.

Again, I apologize if my comment came off too brash.

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by George A.

I didn't mean to degrade anyone's effort. That was not my intention. I also didn't call out any particular team number in my comment. Full disclosure I discussed how ludicrous the hook on 3340 looked in its first match saying to a mentor on my team (who helped them install it) that it reminded me of the hook you'd see in a movie to drag someone off of a stage.

Again, I apologize if my comment came off too brash.

It's all good - I get it, but I'm also defensive of them by nature... I remember when 1923 was made fun of by other teams at NJ when we were rookies, and I'd just have hated for them to see that exchange without your background.

Ours looked like a terrifying angry scythe. I think I'd take the Vaudeville Hook instead...