Secret Passage

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Fields

The rule is not used quite right here.
The manual says launching is putting the ball in the air.

This does not prohibit you from using an over sized hockey stick to keep the balls on your opponents side of the field. Crossing other boundaries is quite clear that the hockey stick would not be allowed, but it is absent here.

As such this WOULD provide nearly a choke point as you can quickly knock balls into play but their ONE defender would have to take each ball ONE at a time across at least to the neutral zone.

I believe the aim of the contact foul rule (though clarification would help) is to prohibit a squatter from doing just that, but still let them take that risk.

Next time, read the original question. For parking in front of the chute and launching, as originally stated, it's a tech foul per boulder. The Secret Passage is not part of the Courtyard. Clear?

Now, to go to YOUR scenario, do you REALLY think that you can block ALL the entry chutes with a 15" long stick and still be parked outside the Secret Passage the whole time? Nope. You can block one Embrasure and maybe the Brattice. You'll have to enter the Passage to block the other. Also, you run the risk of being ruled as controlling >1 Boulder, AKA a Foul. (A smart HP will be very good at avoiding you, too.)

[Fields]

Originally Posted by EricH

Next time, read the original question. For parking in front of the chute and launching, as originally stated, it's a tech foul per boulder. The Secret Passage is not part of the Courtyard. Clear?

Now, to go to YOUR scenario, do you REALLY think that you can block ALL the entry chutes with a 15" long stick and still be parked outside the Secret Passage the whole time? Nope. You can block one Embrasure and maybe the Brattice. You'll have to enter the Passage to block the other. Also, you run the risk of being ruled as controlling >1 Boulder, AKA a Foul. (A smart HP will be very good at avoiding you, too.)

This discussion has gone farther than the original question with reading the past 5 pages. Yes, launching is illegal still, but pushing the boulder over the 1" divider is not.

We can have hockey stick that is actually much bigger than 15". The frame perimeter max is 120". even with a square frame that is 30" per side. 15" stick/net/pusher/etc. allowed at every side and you're now 60" wide. The passage is 53.5" wide.

Neglecting the contact rules for a moment (since there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus yet). The only thing you would have to watch out for is accidentally controlling more than one boulder.

This is not a true choke hold since you can't take the shots yourself, but until the contact rules are fully understood, you can keep the boulders in play at your opponents side of the field.