Value & Credibility of 4th robots on an Alliance

[TheBoulderite]

The fourth robot isn't always a pickup from the very bottom of the capability pool or rankings. For example, our alliance at IRI consisted of 1241, 133, and 868. 1241 was ranked 30th, 133 was ranked 29th, and 868 was ranked 20th. While we had 1241 and 133 play, 868 could easily have substituted for one of the two. 868 could put up a lot of high goals, on par with the other robots in our alliance.

[Ernst]

Originally Posted by TheBoulderite

The fourth robot isn't always a pickup from the very bottom of the capability pool or rankings. For example, our alliance at IRI consisted of 1241, 133, and 868. 1241 was ranked 30th, 133 was ranked 29th, and 868 was ranked 20th. While we had 1241 and 133 play, 868 could easily have substituted for one of the two. 868 could put up a lot of high goals, on par with the other robots in our alliance.

um

Originally Posted by TheBoulderite

at IRI

[TheBoulderite]

Originally Posted by Ernst

um

It may have been at IRI, but it goes to show that the fourth bot isn't completely useless.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by TheBoulderite

It may have been at IRI, but it goes to show that the fourth bot isn't completely useless.

A 4th bot at IRI is an early second-round pick at worst anywhere else.


I do know of some cases of an AC sitting out, but the one I most remember happened back in the 2v2, 3/alliance days when the AC swapped out with the 3rd robot and the 2nd robot played every match. That one resulted in a regional win (AZ '04).

[BrennanB]

Originally Posted by Ernst

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Originally Posted by TheBoulderite View Post
at IRI

As opposed to the hundreds of regional/district events that have 4 robot alliances?

Like what the heck? You can't use the regional level baseline and apply that to 4 robots on an alliance, because they aren't remotely comparable. Obviously.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by BrennanB

As opposed to the hundreds of regional/district events that have 4 robot alliances?

Like what the heck? You can't use the regional level baseline and apply that to 4 robots on an alliance, because they aren't remotely comparable. Obviously.

*chuckle*

OK, serious question: How many total 4-robot alliances were there at the regional/district level (and DCMPs) this season? I can account for one (at Ventura, semis IIRC).

Now, how many were there at CMP? (64)
IRI? (8)

I don't think I'd be willing to bet on IRI having more 4-team alliances than the entire regional/district level, but I'll go with IRI having more than the regional portion of that.

[blueyoshi256]

Just wanted to weigh in on the "When should the captain sit out" discussion.

We were the captain of the 4th seed on Tesla. We played exactly 1 match in Elims, because that was the best strategy.
Both 2415 and 3130 could shoot from the outerworks. 3042 was a crazy good defense bot (see SF for proof). Our bot had only rarely been enough of a threat to warrant defense, so we weren't great against it (we got in off of the waitlist, and made a massive upgrade). It made sense to run 3130, 2415, and 3042 in elims, so we did.

As an additional bonus, our robot has technically never played in a match and lost at champs (more from luck than anything else).