[moderated] Brainstorm: Aggressive play rule

[AmyPrib]

G<aggressive play>

Overly Aggressive Play is loosely defined as actions beyond strong defensive pushing and blocking interaction. Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping, or entanglement of robots are not allowed. Accidental tipping is allowed at the discretion of the head referees.
Head referees (with help of other refs judgement) have the right to issue yellow warning cards to any team deemed to have crossed the boundaries of aggressive play at any point in a match. These cards will be carried and tracked throughout the entire competition, including all qualification and elimination/final rounds. A team may receive a maximum of 3 yellow cards. Any warning beyond the 3rd will be a Red/DQ card for each additional occurrence of overly aggressive play.
Teams are encouraged to build their robots robust, using common sense meaning of the word and taking into account game objectives and possible strategies.

I borrowed the yellow card idea because I think it's a great suggestion. It gives a tangible and visible warning to the teams who border on overly aggressive play. It also allows the referees some room to warn without having to immediately make the huge decision of DQing a team for questionable actions.

I feel the yellow cards should be carried throughout the entire event because if you only apply it to 2 or 3 consecutive matches, it gives more opportunities to take advantage of aggressive play. Since we didn't see many calls or blatant aggressive situations this season, I don't see any problem in having the warnings apply to an entire event - it shouldn't become a huge issue. I think it would be sufficient to give a set limitation of warnings. Plus it would be easier to track - 3 yellow is all you get.

I also included parts of the existing rule because I think it's worded well and makes the point of disallowing intentional "battlebot" behavior. And although I think it's unnecessary, I included a statement about "robustness", but it should be simply common sense.
Although "intention" will always be a tough judgement, this would give teams the notice that other people are seeing driving habits on the verge of unacceptable. If they want to discuss it with the ref, that's fine, but at least they weren't DQ'd on the spot, which is worse than a warning. I feel the warning is enough without any "enalty shutdown periods".

Strong defense should be expected to be part of the game and there are plenty of ways to play it without becoming overly aggressive.

[Ken Patton]

G101: Robots are expected to interact on the field. Vigorous and forceful interaction in the play of the game is allowed and expected. Robots should be built to survive these interactions. However, in the interest of gracious professionalism, the following standards will apply:

G101a. Intentional tipping or features which are used to tip other robots are not allowed.
G101b. Unneccessary ramming of other robots is not allowed. Ramming is defined as getting a running start over a distance of more than 24 inches followed by colliding with another robot. Ramming is unneccessary when the robot being rammed is not in the act of scoring or de-scoring. Ramming is unneccessary when the robot being rammed is traversing the field, even if it is on its way to a scoring zone.

Teams should exercise caution when deciding to apply kinetic energy to other robots who are not in the act of scoring.

[Steve W]

G101 - Aggressive play will be defined as play, in the referees mind, that is meant to cause damage to another teams robot. This does not mean that a team who damages another robot did so intentionally. Any team who attempts to damage another teams robot will immediately be shut down and that team will recieve a DQ for that match. If this occurs during the elimination round the alliance will be DQ'd and will not be allowed to continue in the elimination rounds.