Blocking 2 ball autons

[evanperryg]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

All of the 2 ball autons I have seen use the low bar, grab the farthest ball off the center line after dropping their preload. It seems to me that the best way to disrupt the 2 ball is to beat them to the ball. This can either be through intaking it yourself or by just knocking it out of the way. All of this sounds easy, but the robot orientation is strange because of the secret passage and you have the same restrictions of not being able to cross the center line.

I would like to introduce the "no twoball boogaloo:"
You start at the opposite side of the field from your low bar, facing towards the opposite wall. Then, drive down the center line knocking all the boulders out of position. Then, collect the last one, drive under your low bar and shoot a high goal. #einsteinstrats

[Eric Scheuing]

Originally Posted by evanperryg

You start at the opposite side of the field from your low bar, facing towards the opposite wall. Then, drive down the center line knocking all the boulders out of position. Then, collect the last one, drive under your low bar and shoot a high goal. #einsteinstrats

This is pretty much what I was envisioning when I saw the 2-ball auto go. You just have to be careful not to cross that center line!

[BenHildy]

Originally Posted by Eric Scheuing

This is pretty much what I was envisioning when I saw the 2-ball auto go. You just have to be careful not to cross that center line!

Very much so. I've seen far too many penalties given to teams because of crossing the centerline in auto. It's sad, really. I sometimes feel imprisoned by the inability to cross that tape in auto. But yet again, it's still better than last year! This year we just have to get creative for defensive autos!

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by evanperryg

I would like to introduce the "no twoball boogaloo:"
You start at the opposite side of the field from your low bar, facing towards the opposite wall. Then, drive down the center line knocking all the boulders out of position. Then, collect the last one, drive under your low bar and shoot a high goal. #einsteinstrats

Interesting idea for auton, but consider what it does to teleop.

There is no way to push a ball out of the way in auton without pushing it towards the outer works that the opponents are consistently crossing. This means that in teleop, if those balls are near those outer works they are effectively the opposing alliance's balls. At that point, for you to retrieve them you run the risk of contacting the opponent when they're in the outer works.

This is why defense bots at high levels need a great intake - they need to steal the balls from the midzone first so they don't plow them the wrong direction as they move across for defense.

[BoilerMentor]

Originally Posted by JesseK

There is no way to push a ball out of the way in auton without pushing it towards the outer works that the opponents are consistently crossing. This means that in teleop, if those balls are near those outer works they are effectively the opposing alliance's balls. At that point, for you to retrieve them you run the risk of contacting the opponent when they're in the outer works.

I'd argue having the boulders against the outer works that you're trying to cross is actually a larger obstacle to most teams than it is an aid. If the boulders are in that position care must be taken in crossing, because a poorly positioned boulder plus a hasty crossing can equal a tortuga, or at a minimum a robot getting tied up with a ball for some portion of teleop.

******Qualification: What follows below is probably not a particularly gracious or professional choice in the strategy department and I wouldn't endorse it. I'm simply observing that it could be a possibility*******

In fact, that may become a part of the strategy. If an alliance were to push the boulder into the opponents outer works while they're trying to complete a secondary auto crossing they could end up tied up for the rest of the match, eliminating significant scoring potential and making breach difficult (if a defense is obstructed by the incapacitated robot) and capture an impossibility