Super Cells.

[Koko Ed]

In my opinion Super Cells will end up being a non-factor. High scoring team will score so much with moon rocks every match that they won't even bother with Super Cells. 20 seconds and the transporting of empty cells one at a time make it too too time consuming to receive with to small a time window to effectively use.

[bduddy]

Originally Posted by BigWhiteYeti

Twenty seconds goes by a lot faster than people sometimes think. Going to one fueling station to the other to pick up four supercells will take time; and you still have to find a victim for your 60 point strike. I think doing two per match is more realistic, unless you are desperate or you have an amazing bot.

Who says you have to go back and forth? Why not hand all the super cells over to the same station?

[Mojoman]

So can you pick up and use super cells that have been thrown by the other team but missed? that would mean that you could also steal the other teams empty cells to get more super cells.

[Jake177]

<G13> SUPER CELL Starting Positions – Prior to the MATCH, two (2) SUPER CELLS (as modified, if necessary, by Rule <G14>) will be located just outside the ARENA and adjacent to each FUELING STATION.

Originally Posted by bduddy

Who says you have to go back and forth? Why not hand all the super cells over to the same station?

Each station only has two super cells (fewer if <G14> is in effect). This means that in order to pick up all four of your alliance's super cells you must go to both refueling stations.

Originally Posted by Mojoman

So can you pick up and use super cells that have been thrown by the other team but missed? that would mean that you could also steal the other teams empty cells to get more super cells.

The only way to score more than four super cells is to intercept the other alliance's in the last 20 seconds. It doesn't matter if you manage to control all eight empty cells, you can still only trade four of them in for super cells.

As for my opinion, I agree that super cells will decide very few matches. I think that a good team will be able to score 8 moon rocks in the time it would take to transfer an empty cell. In order to reliably bring an empty cell from your outpost to a refueling station your robot will have to stop twice (once to gain control of it and once to deliver it). If your opponent can score four moon rocks in the trailer behind you each time you stop, then it's not worth it. You've allowed them to score 16 points on you for the possibility of scoring 15 points if you can score the super cell.

[Mike Schreiber]

I disagree a robot with a front mounted harvesting device that can simply run over the balls to pick them up will be easily able to pick up an empty cell (without stopping) that is dropped to the ground moments before the robot arrives at the outpost. The robot can than continue moving and possibly even turn (with the traction from the carpet) and get it to the fueling station. I don't think moving an empty cell is any different than moving a moon rock to fueling station and we know many teams will be simply doing that.

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

In my opinion Super Cells will end up being a non-factor. High scoring team will score so much with moon rocks every match that they won't even bother with Super Cells. 20 seconds and the transporting of empty cells one at a time make it too too time consuming to receive with to small a time window to effectively use.

I agree with this, but I do expect that teams will go for it.

I feel like Super Cells are like the 10 point balls from Raising the Bar, they do really nothing in the grand scheme. However, there is a difference between the 5 pt and 10pt balls in Raising the Bar and the 2pt and 15 pt orbit balls.

[teampronto]

It is also important that we figure out the max number of moon rocks that will FIT in a trailer. If 4 Super Cells get more points than moon rocks that can fit in the trailer I think my game strategy is a good one.

[Jake177]

Originally Posted by ICanCountTo19

I disagree a robot with a front mounted harvesting device that can simply run over the balls to pick them up will be easily able to pick up an empty cell (without stopping) that is dropped to the ground moments before the robot arrives at the outpost. The robot can than continue moving and possibly even turn (with the traction from the carpet) and get it to the fueling station.

I would be very impressed if I saw a robot that could do this. If I were an outpost human player, I would not want to put an empty cell into play unless I was sure that only a robot from my alliance could gain control of it. Based on my past experience and the limited interaction I've had with the orbit balls, I don't think a ground harvester can give you that reliability.

[Dr Theta]

There is one thing that everyone seems to be ignoring and that is the field itself, we are making the assumption that gameplay will not involve the outer edges of the arena based on previous events. I think that the appeal of traction with the carpeting on the outer edge of the field will draw a little more focus to the edge of the field. Therefore finding a robot in one of the corners of the field may not be as difficult as everyone is expecting. That and the fact that some teams will be relying on their human players by recycling moonstones to their corners of the field.

[Lesman]

Can you have a hole in your robot that lines up with the outpost portal so you can just shove the thing right into your bot without risking it falling on the ground and being stolen? And wouldn't that make it very quick and painless? If you happen to be near your outpost, get on the carpet, drive past the portal, stop for a second (with the traction from the carpet) and keep going? Build up momentum on the carpet, and then swerve onto the regolith in a straight line to an alliance fueling station. That should take what? 10 seconds? And if you have a passive ball collector you could pick up some balls while you do it, especially if you do this right after a dump. It seems like it could be effective.

[BaldGuy]

I almost hate to ask this question but here goes:

"where in the rules does it say a Robot can score a Super Cell?"

In Section 7.3.4.3 Handling Games Pieces-

<G20> Handling Moon Rocks can be scored by Robot or Payload Specialists
<G23> Super Cell Scoring - The Payload Specialist can Score a Super Cell.

No where does it say a Robot can Score a Super Cell.

[GaryVoshol]

Where does it say a robot cannot handle and score a Super Cell? That which is not prohibited is allowed, at least until a Q&A or Rule revision changes it to being prohibited.

<G23> SUPER CELL scoring – During the last 20 seconds of the MATCH, the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST may launch the available SUPER CELLS over the Alliance Station Wall and into the CRATER. The PAYLOAD SPECIALIST can SCORE a SUPER CELL by launching it into a TRAILER. If a SUPER CELL is launched into the CRATER before the last 20 seconds of the MATCH, then two (2) PENALTIES will be assigned.

That word "can" is simply affirming the Super Cell can be scored directly by a PS. It doesn't say "must".

[BaldGuy]

Actually I see it as the Scoring of the Super Cell has been clearly defined. It has it's own Rule called <G23> Super Cell Scoring. I'll try to post the Q& when it come up on the 7th.