Since 2014’s game is NOT a water game, (sadly) for this year’s game, is it possible to block a pass, haven’t found anything in the Manual so far.
I see nothing in the rules against it.
One interesting bit though is:
An opponent ROBOT that contacts, but fails to stop a BALL from going over the TRUSS or in a GOAL has not caused either of these actions and does not invalidate the SCORE.
This means that if a blue robot throws its blue ball, and it hits a red bot, but still goes over the truss, its still a blue score, not a red score because the red bot touched it last.
In a similar situation, if that blue robot throws its ball, and it hits a red robot and bounces away, and doesn’t go over the truss, it’s not counted because it didn’t go over.
So yes, you can block a pass.
G25: ROBOTS on the same ALLIANCE may not blockade the FIELD in an attempt to stop the flow of the MATCH. This rule has no effect on individual ROBOT-ROBOT interaction.
Violation: TECHNICAL FOUL
I think this means that we are allowed to block and push other robots like in the past (just not pinning), but we can’t block the entire field.
The manual says that “An ALLIANCE may not POSSESS their opponent’s BALLS. The following criteria define POSSESSION :
A) “carrying” (moving while supporting BALLS in or on the ROBOT),
B) “herding” (repeated pushing or bumping),
C) “launching” (impelling BALLS to a desired location or direction), and
D) “trapping” (overt isolation or holding one or more BALLS against a FIELD element or ROBOT in an attempt to shield them).
Violation: TECHNICAL FOUL per instance.”
So I think that blocking is not allowed, but it is iffy.
G12 An ALLIANCE may not POSSESS their opponent’s BALLS. The following criteria define POSSESSION :
A) “carrying” (moving while supporting BALLS in or on the ROBOT),
B) “herding” (repeated pushing or bumping),
C) “launching” (impelling BALLS to a desired location or direction), and
D) “trapping” (overt isolation or holding one or more BALLS against a FIELD element or ROBOT in an attempt to shield them).
Violation: TECHNICAL FOUL per instance. Examples of BALL interaction that are not POSSESSION are A. “bulldozing” (inadvertently coming in contact with BALLS that happen to be in the path of the ROBOT as it moves about the FIELD) and B. “deflecting” (being hit by a propelled BALL that bounces or rolls off the ROBOT). A BALL that becomes unintentionally lodged on a ROBOT will be considered POSSESSED by the ROBOT. It is important to design your ROBOT so that it is impossible to inadvertently or intentionally POSSESS an opponent’s BALL.
So I think you can. Just be cautious to follow the g12 CRITERIA.
Yes you can.
If it bounces off the opponent’s robot, but the opponent’s robot doesn’t carry, herd, launch, or trap the robot, then it would be valid.
Take for example if the opponent robot gets in the way of a ball, the ball is thrown, and it bounces off the robot and away. It does not count as herding since it is not repeated bumping.