2008 Ultimate Alliance

[Cory]

1114, 217, 148

[R.C.]

i would like 233, 1323 and 100

[Anonymous User]

I think any alliance with the numbers 1114 and 16 in it would be unstoppable!

[Donut]

For me the ultimate alliance this year is 1114/x/y, since 1114 is the only team that really sticks out above all the elite players of this year (maybe 1114/217/1024? 1114/330/148? who knows).

But none of these alliances really have much of a hope of occurring, as I expect at least 2 (more likely all 3) to be in the top 8 in their division or to be easy first round picks.

I think the actual winning alliance at the Championships is going to be a 5th-8th division seeded alliance, captained by either a team performing well enough to get noticed but not spectacular enough to be considered one of the dominate top teams (25, 39, 111, 254, 1625) or by one of the highly publicized robots of this year having an off match or two in qualifiers (27, 217, 233, 330, 968, 987, 1024, 1114, 1126, 1717, etc.). There are so many good hurdlers out there that in at least one division a low captain will be able to pick another robot of almost equal hurdling ability (say 5-6 hurdles per match), but will have first or second choice at the good lap runners or herders (of which there are very few and will almost be guaranteed to be passed up in the first round for hurdlers). I'm a firm believer in alliance play and that 3 well above average robots will be able to defeat 1 or even 2 phenomenal robots with no supporting alliance, and that having a partner that doesn't need a trackball will be essential.

So I'm hoping to see something like 118/39/1986, 1625/100/207, 118/33/60, and who knows what else. The last bot is really up in the air to me as lap runners/herders don't seem to be getting that much publicity aside from 148 (and unfortunately I think they're going to do well enough to get in the top 8 in their division, and I don't think there'll be 2 good enough hurdlers for them to pick up out there).

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by Donut

For me the ultimate alliance this year is 1114/x/y, since 1114 is the only team that really sticks out above all the elite players of this year (maybe 1114/217/1024? 1114/330/148? who knows).

But none of these alliances really have much of a hope of occurring, as I expect at least 2 (more likely all 3) to be in the top 8 in their division or to be easy first round picks.

I think the actual winning alliance at the Championships is going to be a 5th-8th division seeded alliance, captained by either a team performing well enough to get noticed but not spectacular enough to be considered one of the dominate top teams (25, 39, 111, 254, 1625) or by one of the highly publicized robots of this year having an off match or two in qualifiers (27, 217, 233, 330, 968, 987, 1024, 1114, 1126, 1717, etc.). There are so many good hurdlers out there that in at least one division a low captain will be able to pick another robot of almost equal hurdling ability (say 5-6 hurdles per match), but will have first or second choice at the good lap runners or herders (of which there are very few and will almost be guaranteed to be passed up in the first round for hurdlers). I'm a firm believer in alliance play and that 3 well above average robots will be able to defeat 1 or even 2 phenomenal robots with no supporting alliance, and that having a partner that doesn't need a trackball will be essential.

So I'm hoping to see something like 118/39/1986, 1625/100/207, 118/33/60, and who knows what else. The last bot is really up in the air to me as lap runners/herders don't seem to be getting that much publicity aside from 148 (and unfortunately I think they're going to do well enough to get in the top 8 in their division, and I don't think there'll be 2 good enough hurdlers for them to pick up out there).

Your rationale makes sense. However, I would be more inclined to agree with it in last year's game. Teams picking late could get a good ringer bot first round and take the "best" ramp (bonus robot) on the way back. Since bonus points were huge last year, it decided many matches.
I think at CMP, there will be more than 24 good hurdlers, lap/racer bots to go around per division. I'm not entirely convinced that a #1 seed with a first pick will be at a disadvantage once the 3rd alliance partner choices comes around. I still think 3 hurdling robots are the way to go that have decent speed and great autonomous.
1024 has proven that they can take on an average team (or an alliance with no auto) by themselves during auto period.

[Starke]

Originally Posted by Jaybee1405

What alliance of any three robots would be absolutely unbeatable this year? I know it's only week 2 but this is based on what we've seen so far.

Mine would be 217, 1114, and 118. Maybe 58, 118, and 121?

Who is your ultimate alliance??

I would agree you mostly here. I would think that an ultimate alliance would be one with there hurdlers that are also fast with doing laps. This is because the opposing alliance can never predict what robot is going to have the ball. Also, I would say this alliance would want one arm hurdler to be able to place at the end for the bonus. From this, I would say the ultimate alliance would be 1114, 217, and 121.

[sgreco]

An important thing to keep in mind is that more than two hurdlers on one team may be overkill, I think two good hurdlers and a speed bot with a solid hybrid mode. If some form of an ultimate alliance were formed I could see 12-14 lines in Hybrid, both balls knocked off, and 10 hurdles(maybe more). An individual robot can't do much better than putting up numbers like both balls and 5 lines in hybrid and 6 or 7 hurdles in a match.(oh...wait that sounds like 1114) any team with 1114 is an ultimate alliance.

Regardless of a speed bot I would think three hurdlers would be 1114, 103 and 217. In saying this i'nm not taking anything away from 118, 25, 27, 40,20,121,126, 968, 987,1024 and some others as well.

[waialua359]

This thread has two tangents.
Who you think is the ultimate alliance and who we think will do successfully well at CMP.
The discussion will get more interesting once the divisions are setup. It's too bad we are going to have to wait a week longer now due to that week 6 regional.
Cant wait to see what everyone says once that's setup.

I think the Hawaii regional this past week had arguably 5 of the top 12 robots in the world. Bragging rights of a top score of 148 in the finals match.

The Poofs, Pink and RAWC are long overdue for a world title.
Pink and Raider Robotix certainly with an all around robot with their hybrid mode. Even these teams agreed that once 368, kika mana fine tunes their hybrid mode, they are very very good. they will certainly be scouted, choosing or be chosen this year at CMP as an alliance partner.

[mark johnson]

The bottom line is this,if 217 THE THUNDERCHICKENS, and 1114 THE SIMBOTS team up ,FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!! With these two awsome teams and scoring machines together,with the masterminds of Paul and Karthik lights out 8,9,10! Add another good scorer that can lap or play some D and you have a powerhouse!!!!!!!