10 ball auto mode

[Jherbie53]

Originally Posted by Donut

If a robot cannot get all 10 of its balls into the center goal within the first 4 seconds (remember, you have to lock on and give your shooter time to get up to speed in that 4 seconds), then there is no gurantee they will get all 10 in. Your average robot will be able to drive from their starting position to their opponent's in 4 seconds, meaning any robot that takes longer than this is susceptable to defense.

Not moving does not ensure you safe from defense either. Although you will be able to start firing sooner since you don't have to move, and you will be further from your opponents than you might otherwise be, you are now in a known location (it's much easier for opponents to simply charge towards your starting position than to drive out in the middle of the field and hope they hit you as you're moving). They can still hit you where you're sitting too; it takes one good hit to turn your robot and make you miss a few of your shots.

I think a good number of robots will be able to shoot into the center goal in auton, but the numbers made will be more like 3-7 in. Those that consistently shoot in 9 or 10 will find those numbers change very quickly when they come under fire from autonomous modes that are simply "drive forward for 10 seconds".

All of this is true. But no one knows whats going to happen at the competitions. I don't think running into the other team will happen a lot until the finals. Its just not a viable strategy in my mind. If you can't shoot the 3 point goal, and you need to start in one of the back positions so other people can shoot 3 pointers, then defense is probably a good strategy.

But you never know. Defense could decide Nationals. Because until the first competition, nobody really knows how there robot will run with other drivers beating and banging out on the field.