Can the control panel Position Control already be on the correct color?

Just wondering if the randomizing of the Control Panel color can fall on the color it’s already set to?
So we wouldn’t have to spin it at all? Or if it is on Red and FMS says Red are you required to spin in at least 1/2 turn?
Couldn’t find a topic on it here.

The control panel goal color is given to both alliances once 1 alliance has completed stage 2 (29 cell minimum + rotation). This color is randomly generated from the 3 colors that the sensor doesn’t currently see

Example: Blue alliance finishes their rotation control and the color sensor lands on green. A random one of the 3 others - blue, red, or yellow - will be sent by FMS to the alliances

Because the goal color is picked from those not under the wheel, the scenario you described will almost never happen. There is an edge case where the alliance that has not yet completed stage 2 gets a color and then happens to end rotation control (spinning 3-5 times) on that color, but that should not be counted on as a strategy for achieving stage 3 position control

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There isn’t a topic, because it’s already clearly stated in the Game Manual.

POSITION CONTROL: Rotate CONTROL PANEL so a specified color aligns with the sensor for at least five (5) seconds. Once either ALLIANCE reaches Stage 3 CAPACITY, FMS relays a specified color (randomly selected by FMS and one (1) of the three (3) colors not currently read by the ALLIANCE’S TRENCH color sensor) to all OPERATOR CONSOLES simultaneously. The specified color may not be the same for both ALLIANCES. See Table 3-4 for details on how the TRENCH light is used during POSTION CONTROL.

(Incidentally, there’s an edge case in the blue box below that. You may find it interesting.)

Also of interest: Q201 from the Q&A.

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From Q 201:

If you are the second alliance to reach Stage 3, the color would have been sent to your Driver’s Station prior to reaching Stage 3, so if the Control Panel were already on that color, it would not have to move.

So this is interesting. Indicates that the stage will just advance 5 seconds after the appropriate number of PCs are scored?

Only in the unlikely case that all of this happens in the 2:30 of a match:

  1. The opposing alliance reaches stage 3 before you activate stage 2.
  2. Your activation of stage 2 ends up on the color selected for you by FMS.
  3. You then complete stage 3 before the match ends.

Fitting the first and third into 2:30 sounds pretty unlikely, then divide by 4 for the second.

Hope is not a strategy.

Wait… so i thought wrong?

I always thought it had to be the balls scored before the control panel in both stages 2 and 3?

This really is an edge case I don’t expect to happen all season. Alliance A completes stage 3 before alliance B activates stage 2 with enough time left for Alliance B to activate stage 2 and score enough PC in the remainder of the match to complete stage 3, and lucks out that they ended up on the right color. This calls for some supreme awesomeness from both alliances, with a severe hiccup in the first half of the match from alliance B. And a 3:1 against bit of luck.

My point is dont you have to do 29 balls then the rotation, 20 more balls then the position? Or is it possible to do 29, rotation and position regardless of the 20 balls in stage 3?

It is possible that you could only manipulate the CONTROL PANEL once to achieve both activation actions, but only if you are way behind the other alliance. As I see it, this means they would have to be really fast the first two-thirds of the match, and you would have to be really, really fast the last third.

‘Doing’ (scoring) Position Control is technically just being on the color, not moving to it. So if you knew during Rotation Control, you could (deliberately or not) stop on your Position color. FMS would then automatically “do” Position Control scoring, after reaching Stage 3 Capacity, without you having to “do” anything else. This sequence doesn’t conflict with:

CONTROL PANEL requirements (i.e. ROTATION CONTROL AND POSITION CONTROL) are not evaluated until the respective stage is at CAPACITY. A stage may be ACTIVATED once it reaches CAPACITY, and a stage must be ACTIVATED before the next stage can begin charging.

…Because unlike Rotation, Position Control doesn’t technically require moving the spinner (per Q&A, but above; manual definition somewhat opaque).

Caveat: opponents can disturb your spinner (if not trench tagged) after pre-Position Control, though the fact that you’d done so at all would be non-obvious. I expect this to happen even less than the one-ish time pre-Positioning might.

G12. Leave the opponent’s CONTROL PANEL alone. A ROBOT may not contact the opponent’s CONTROL PANEL, either directly, or transitively through a POWER CELL, if
…A. the opponent ROBOT is contacting that CONTROL PANEL, and
…B. the opponent’s POWER PORT has reached CAPACITY
Violation: In Qualifications MATCHES, opponents are awarded one (1) SHIELD GENERATOR ENERGIZED Ranking Point if not completed at the conclusion of the MATCH. In Playoff MATCHES, TECH FOUL.

ETA: Slightly more commonly, yes, you can set Position Control whenever you want after you have your color, understanding that opponents can move it whenever they want provided you <don’t trench tag them> OR <are not both at capacity and touching it>.

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