Rules for a casual pick-up robotics game

[kenfox]

A sector is clear only when all flags are cleared. An alliance can control any flag, not just their own. A robot can control multiple flags. You guessed all the answers the way we intended.

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

I see a possible choke hold strategy - designing a robot that surrounds a bunch of flags but does not carry them off the floor, and can put down legs ... pile all the flags inside and park in the other alliance's sector (or on the line between two sectors).

Ouch! You are right. Any ideas how to solve that? Maybe treat any flag entering a robot's frame perimeter as if it left the field? It still doesn't eliminate a robot locking on to flags and sitting there though.

We're trying to make the flags a highly contested game piece that can be manipulated in a variety of ways.

On the neutral zone issue: if your "stick" were a regular push broom, and you add the rule that it can only be in the "neutral zone" when the bristles are on the floor (at both ends), this should be safer than having players enter the neutral zone.

I like it. Plus it gives teams a reason to bring brooms to clean the field.