Best/Strangest Defense Techniques

[Joe Ross]

There was a team at Las Vegas that grabbed a spoiler in the opening seconds of the match and then played defense the rest of the match, not ever really trying to score the spoiler. It confused the opposition the first few times.

[Zach Wydick]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

There was a team at Las Vegas that grabbed a spoiler in the opening seconds of the match and then played defense the rest of the match, not ever really trying to score the spoiler. It confused the opposition the first few times.

Ya, that was our team. We scored it once or twice i think, and it does cause some confusion with the other team. We tried it Week 1 at Portland and had 2 other robots focus in on us while our teammates scored. Works pretty well.

-Zach Wydick

[Stephi Rae]

Originally Posted by Zach Wydick

Ya, that was our team. We scored it once or twice i think, and it does cause some confusion with the other team. We tried it Week 1 at Portland and had 2 other robots focus in on us while our teammates scored. Works pretty well.

-Zach Wydick

To add to zach's comment. Yeah that was us, and we scored the spoiler three times during the quarters, semi's, finals... then we also almost scored it another time on an empty spider leg, but we were able to get it off and keep going with it... that was pretty interesting. Holding the spoiler made it easier to block more area because we have a stationary arm with a rotating jaw (grabber). In portland it was like a magnet, we were automatically double teamed everytime we took out a spoiler, giving our alliance partners free reign over the rack. In vegas that didn't happen quite as often, but as I said, it gave us more blocking power, and we could score the spoiler when the time came for it. All in all worked pretty well.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Stephi Rae

To add to zach's comment. Yeah that was us, and we scored the spoiler three times during the quarters, semi's, finals... then we also almost scored it another time on an empty spider leg, but we were able to get it off and keep going with it... that was pretty interesting. Holding the spoiler made it easier to block more area because we have a stationary arm with a rotating jaw (grabber). In portland it was like a magnet, we were automatically double teamed everytime we took out a spoiler, giving our alliance partners free reign over the rack. In vegas that didn't happen quite as often, but as I said, it gave us more blocking power, and we could score the spoiler when the time came for it. All in all worked pretty well.

Since our robot seems to play a defensive role even though it can score well, I think I'll be adding the "skunkworks spoiler" to my bag of tricks for galileo.

[Zach Wydick]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Since our robot seems to play a defensive role even though it can score well, I think I'll be adding the "skunkworks spoiler" to my bag of tricks for galileo.

I hope it works well for you. Just remember to pose a threat and not wander around aimlessly lol

[Stephi Rae]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Since our robot seems to play a defensive role even though it can score well, I think I'll be adding the "skunkworks spoiler" to my bag of tricks for galileo.

hey that's a good name for it! and it follows our colors too, how about that... It's all in the black and white... let us know how it works out for you...

[A_Reed]

Um....we went went with the Aluminum Magnet option this year... LoL

[ericand]

Originally Posted by Stephi Rae

To add to zach's comment. Yeah that was us, and we scored the spoiler three times during the quarters, semi's, finals... then we also almost scored it another time on an empty spider leg, but we were able to get it off and keep going with it... that was pretty interesting. Holding the spoiler made it easier to block more area because we have a stationary arm with a rotating jaw (grabber). In portland it was like a magnet, we were automatically double teamed everytime we took out a spoiler, giving our alliance partners free reign over the rack. In vegas that didn't happen quite as often, but as I said, it gave us more blocking power, and we could score the spoiler when the time came for it. All in all worked pretty well.

Actually, if an alliance partner is nearby to score over the spoiler (that is on a leg by itself) this can be a good thing. The ringer on the outside of the spoiler counts and the spoiler on the inside makes the leg full (and thus not spoilable). The inside spoiler can't be removed because doing so would require descoring the ringer - so you have a situation that is equivilant to a keeper. I wouldn't expect this situation to arise very often.

[Stephi Rae]

Originally Posted by ericand

Actually, if an alliance partner is nearby to score over the spoiler (that is on a leg by itself) this can be a good thing. The ringer on the outside of the spoiler counts and the spoiler on the inside makes the leg full (and thus not spoilable). The inside spoiler can't be removed because doing so would require descoring the ringer - so you have a situation that is equivilant to a keeper. I wouldn't expect this situation to arise very often.

That's a good point... we may look into that for future use... It would have to be quick though so the opposing alliance couldn't get there first... hmmmm...

[ericand]

Originally Posted by Zach Wydick

Ya, that was our team. We scored it once or twice i think, and it does cause some confusion with the other team. We tried it Week 1 at Portland and had 2 other robots focus in on us while our teammates scored. Works pretty well.

-Zach Wydick

I know team 1425 appreciated it.

[Billfred]

We applied three tactics at Palmetto, in descending order of use:

1) Get between them and the rack. When we're one of the faster robots out there (which appeared to be often), this is not especially hard.
2) Clip a corner (or the end of a side, your choice). You don't have to move the whole robot, just enough to throw them off course.
3) Textbook brute-force pushing match. Sometimes, you just wind up in a textbook pushing match. Sometimes, you even win.

Not imaginative, but it was enough for a robot with a bad arm (and, in nearly two qualification matches, a dead drive system) to seed 12th and pick.