<G23> Causing PENALTIES - A ROBOT’s action shall not cause an opposing ROBOT to break a rule and thus incur penalties. Any rule violations committed by the affected ROBOT shall be excused, and no penalties will be assigned. For example, an opposing ROBOT may not be pushed into another ROBOT in an attempt to cause a IMPEDING situation and violation of Rule <G40> by the opponent, nor may a TRACKBALL be placed intentionally on an opposing ROBOT for the purpose of causing the opponent to violate Rule <G26>.
I have three questions regarding G23:
1: If Redabot causes Blueabot into a situation where Blueabot would have been given a penalty, G23 protects Blueabot. Does Redabot get any kind of penalty?
2: If Redabot pushes Blueabot partially or completely into the quadrant behind Blueabot, does Blueabot get to stay in that quadrant without a penalty? Possible Game Situation: Blueabot wants to stay in that quadrant behind it now that it is there to grab a trackball.
3: If Redabot pushes Blueabot completely into the next quadrant, can Blueabot go back into the previous quadrant without a penalty? Possible Game Situation: Blueabot was trying to grab a trackball before it was pushed into the next quadrant and wants to go back and get it without going all the way around the track.
My short answers are: 1: No, 2: Yes, 3: I want it to be Yes, but I am affraid it will be No.
There are no provisions for giving penalties for <G23>, so 1 appears to be no.
2 is questionable… yes seems sensible, but I would double-check that on Q&A. The problem there is that any other way of handling the situation would just be making up rules… there are no additional penalties for continuing clockwise after you’ve broken the plane of the line.
3 is definitely no. Being pushed into the next quadrant is not a penalty, and thus has nothing to do with <G23>. Regardless of how you crossed a line, if under your own power you break the plane of a line you’ve already crossed, you run afoul of the direction-of-traffic rule.
1: Appears to be mostly good for bots playing deffense.
2: Appears to be mostly good for bots playing offense.
3: Appears to be very good for bots playing deffense.