YMTC: Redabot "Clangs" Tetras Together

[Ryan M.]

I'm going to have to say penalty on this one. I don't have a specific rule to back it up, but here's a reason for my call: The rule that you have to leave the loading zone before getting another tetra only works if you entered the zone in the first place. I believe that actions should be called consistently, so if you allow a "tetra nock" to legally get a tetra from the loading station, you've allowed the teams to circumvent the rule.

--EDIT--
Sorry if this repeats something someone else has said. I started it this morning, but then I had to go to school...

[Rombus]

Wait wait wait, IS the tetra comming off the autoloader or is it staying on?

If it stays on: no penalty
if it comes off: penality

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Is a tetra required for weigh in?
Is a tetra required for size check?
Is the tetra you hold required to be "in profile" at the start of the match?

A tetra is obviously not "part of" a robot. Neither was a First Frenzy doubler ball last year, but it was still considered an "extension of" the robot while it was being carried. It looks like Q&A 1789 gives a tetra similar status this year.

Originally Posted by Rombus

Wait wait wait, IS the tetra comming off the autoloader or is it staying on?

It doesn't matter. The rule says a robot may not touch the tetra at the Loading Station unless the robot is in the Loading Zone. Whether or not the tetra leaves the Loading Station due to the touch is not relevant to the penalty.

[JohnnyB]

I'm gonna have to go with penalty. Even if its unintentional, it still happened. Your control of the robot, and the robot itself, is responsible for the "bump" itself

[Brandon Holley]

Even if the intent of the robot wasnt to dislodge the tetra from the loader, it is STILL a penalty.

Whether it stays on the loader, or falls off, its the same penalty because the rule specifically states TOUCHES a loading zone tetra.

I'd say its just an unfortunate penalty that the team would have to endur.

[Goldeye]

If there is no reason to think the team is trying to hit that tetra, and it either falls out of play or stays normally on the autoloader, it should not be a penalty. If the tetra falls into play, it has to be called a penalty. It has consistantly been said that slight accidents will not be punished; a robot got bumped slightly (was not moved at all) while in the loading zone during elim rounds at peachtree, and there was no penalty. There's your precedent.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Goldeye

If there is no reason to think the team is trying to hit that tetra, and it either falls out of play or stays normally on the autoloader, it should not be a penalty. If the tetra falls into play, it has to be called a penalty. It has consistantly been said that slight accidents will not be punished; a robot got bumped slightly (was not moved at all) while in the loading zone during elim rounds at peachtree, and there was no penalty. There's your precedent.

Robot-robot contact is diffrent then what we are talking about here and precendent does not change the rules. We are discussing a situation and the result based upon the rules as written.

In any event, here are the rules regarding your situation. See G15 and Update 4.

Originally Posted by <G15>

A ROBOT may not interfere with an opposing ROBOT while any part of the opposing ROBOT is touching its LOADING ZONE and the ROBOT is in the process of retrieving/receiving a TETRA. It is intended that TETRAS be introduced into play as rapidly as the alliance ROBOTS are able to retrieve and utilize them. Violations will result in a 30-point penalty (i.e. three 10-point penalty flags will be thrown) to the offending alliance.

Originally Posted by Update 4

Example 3 Robot "BLUE01" is in the red alliance loading zone, blocking access to the zone. Robot "RED01" approaches the loading zone to retrieve a tetra. BLUE01 decides to move out of the way. As RED01 enters the loading zone, BLUE01 is leaving the zone, and they lightly contact each other. RED01 then retrieves the tetra. No penalty is assessed to either alliance, because only incidental contact occurred, and BLUE01 did not interfere with the RED01 efforts to retrieve the tetra.