A Uniquely Stronghold Moral Quandry

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Kartoffee

Previously, our team has used our scouting data to help teams in matches we aren't part of. It isn't done strategically, just a service we offer for teams that need help. Is that "borderline"?

Also, T7/T8 don't apply to this. I think of it as CCWM + RP. If you aren't trying to increase one of them, then it would apply. Also, trying to get picked by an alliance is perfectly fine. Playing defense isn't throwing a match.

Question: If we knew that the number one seed was going to pick us, but we wanted the second team to pick us, is it wrong to help them strategize for their last match?
(Assume we already talked to #2)

It's great that you've done that. I think the the situation I called borderline and your question here are pretty similar. There are two points that I find morally questionable: (a) if helping them strategise helps you and (b) you wouldn't normally do this. When both are combined, I find that to be borderline. If it's the sort of thing you do regardless of (a), then even when (a) is true, I would have no problem with it.

[mathking]

What if you alliance is totally outmatched and has a non-functional robot, so you can't capture the tower. You are too far down to be an alliance captain. So you choose to focus on showing that you can score boulders in the hopes that someone picks you rather than on breaching the outerworks? I don't think anyone would say this was immoral, even if the breaching were more likely to garner a ranking point. Doing something valuable in the game to the best of your abilities to highlight why teams should consider you as a partner is part of the larger game that is the who tournament.

Caveat: Were my team in that position and our allies needed the ranking point from a breach for them to be able to be a captain (or at least have a chance to be) we would be playing for the breach first.

[jtrv]

I think that this is absolutely okay. Championships is the event you go to in order to win games. Mentors might say otherwise, but every student is thinking it. They want to win. This is just one completely viable strategy for winning.

And honestly- it probably wouldn't even be noticeable to anyone who doesn't take a second look.

[XaulZan11]

Originally Posted by mathking

What if you alliance is totally outmatched and has a non-functional robot, so you can't capture the tower. You are too far down to be an alliance captain. So you choose to focus on showing that you can score boulders in the hopes that someone picks you rather than on breaching the outerworks? I don't think anyone would say this was immoral, even if the breaching were more likely to garner a ranking point. Doing something valuable in the game to the best of your abilities to highlight why teams should consider you as a partner is part of the larger game that is the who tournament.

I don't see any issue with this. I can't find the post now, but I recall reading that 254 changed their strategy in 2012 after finding themselves outside of picking position to just scoring balls and ignoring all balances to showcase their scoring to 341. If it's good enough for a hall of fame team...