Ball Hogs

[Swampdude]

Usually each years game leaves enough objectives on the field to keep each member of an alliance busy.
ie.
07 = plenty of ringers
06 = plenty of poof balls
05 = plenty of tetras
04 = plenty of big and smal balls
03 - lots of bins
etc.

This year, 3 bots and 2 balls

Obviously if you want to win you need to handle the balls. So now when it comes to determining who on your alliance gets to do the bulk of the handling. How well do you think teams will stick to the plan? the term, ball hog comes to mind. I can see a pretty big problem in that, if I think my bot should have more access to our alliances balls than say, 1 or both of my alliance partners, how do we make that happen? To ask an alliance partner to minimize their interaction with the ball, so that we have more access to them, will/can be offensive. But if you're coming up on a ball and your alliance partner is attempting to handle it, at a pace much less capable than yours, what do you do? Take it from them? or pass it in the name of GP and go for the 2 pt lap?

Yes there are strategies that employ the uses of each members capabilities, but many times, teams are determined to use a feature on their bot, regardless of its capability. We all need to work together, but I think this year more than ever, it will mean a win or loss if we don't put faith in each other.

BTW - I don't mean to say this is 179's MO. This will be a fast paced game with quick decision making happening. I think it's the knee jerk reactions that will break down alliance functionality. Like, do I bump the ball across now or pass it so team x can come up behind me and hurdle it?