So, we can preload either cargo or a panel at the start of a match (in the cargo ship), right? And anything preloaded does not count for points, is it better to pre load the panels, or the cargo?
On the one hand, panels will allow you to score cargo sooner in the game, on the other hand, you lose 16 points immediately because the panels dont count for scoring. (If I’m missing a rule, cite it in a response for me/others to check out)
you only will lose 6 points in total for the null panels. all cargo scored on null plates count to score. Unless you think you can completely score every plate and cargo, or will score that plate in auto, then place plates.
Edit: I am wrong, max loss for all panels is in fact 12.
Preloaded CARGO always counts for points as long as it’s still in the BAY at the end of the match. Remember that CARGO in bays without HATCH PANELS on will be ejected at the end of the 15-second sandstorm period.
A preloaded null HATCH PANEL does not score any points, though. You can choose to have a CARGO ball placed in the BAY in which the null PANEL would have been placed, and will not lose any points for it (though it may take longer to score that BAY)
@Britt there can only be up to 2 null HATCH PANELS in play in any given match. So that’s a 4 point loss, not 6. I misread the text - there are indeed up to 3 null HATCH PANELS in play at a time
See 5.1.1 E and F
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Ah, I misread the text - assumed “team” was “alliance”. So each of the 3 FRC teams will choose to place either a CARGO ball or a HATCH PANEL (or abstain, in which case a CARGO ball will be placed in the BAY). So there will indeed be up to three null HATCH PANELS present for a maximum net loss of 6 points
Nope, it’s a max of 6 hatches.
Each team must prepopulate one (1) CARGO or one (1) Null HATCH PANEL (a HATCH PANEL
marked with white tape and hardware installed to secure Null HATCH PANEL to the CARGO SHIP, see drawing GE-19244) in each of their two (2) designated CARGO SHIP BAYS (designated per the MATCH schedule and per Figure 5-2). Nonstaged Null HATCH PANELS and CARGO are excluded from MATCH play. If no team decision, the BAY will be populated with one (1) CARGO.
Each team is assigned 2 and in each they can choose to put a null patch for a total of 6 null patches or a net loss of 12 points.
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Wow, I have no idea how I missed that.
Bolding the important bits in that section for emphasis:
Each team must prepopulate one (1) CARGO or one (1) Null HATCH PANEL in each of their two (2) designated CARGO SHIP BAYS. Nonstaged Null HATCH PANELS and CARGO are excluded from MATCH play. If no team decision, the BAY will be populated with one (1) CARGO.
So six of the eight bays will have to be prepopulated with either a panel or a ball, and the other two bays at the front of the ship will always have cargo balls loaded.
So you can choose to preload all null panels to make it faster to score cargo - but you give up 12 points for doing so. At the other extreme you can preload cargo in all of the bays and attempt to recollect and re-score it after the 15-second sandstorm period. This will take longer, but will maximize the number of possible points. Or you can do some combination of the two.
Slight correction to what I said earlier. In the rules they refer to the individual and the pairs as Cargo Ship Bays. I hope this will be cleared up in the q&a however for right now as it refers to the individual as the Cargo Ship Bay inside of the rule I would say that it overrides any other reference to a Cargo Ship Bay in another rule.
After having looked at this chart:
If you preload with cargo, you have 5 panels (three on bots and two in load stations) to “patch” 8 holds, so 3 of them would be missing, minimum.
Now the question is, place three cargo and three panels ( and lose 6 points of the 154 point cap, now max 148), OR place 6 cargo and chase 3 down after the sandstorm?
The chart seems to be conflicting with the wording of the rule. The wording of the rule implies there are 6 bays total but the chart seems to indicate there are 3 bays. I expect this to be clarified in future team updates.
It has them circled in sets of 2 to indicate which drive station chooses what loads where.
That’s what I was thinking but I’ve talked to people on my team and they disagree. I personally think that the wording throughout the manual indicates that there can be 6 total panels preloaded but some say it has to be 3 and 3.
Each team must prepopulate 1 CARGO or 1 Null HATCH PANEL in each of their 2 designated CARGO SHIP BAYS. Nonstaged Null HATCH PANELS and
CARGO are excluded from MATCH play. If no team decision, the BAY will be populated with 1 CARGO.
The only changes from this and what is in the manual is the bolded text, and I took out irrelevant information, (see image x, etc.).
I interpreted it as up to 6 of each. We’ll see i guess.
Glossery…
BAY: a container used to hold one (1) CARGO and can be sealed with one (1) HATCH PANEL
“per bay” means more than one bay
So 8 bays (2 preloaded with cargo at front) in the cargo ship
Each team controls two bays (per diagram) at beginning staging of the game and each team can have either cargo or null hatch in each of their two bays, if left empty then field personel will fill your empty bay(s) with cargo. Meaning every bay will have a game piece during sandstorm T-2:35
Any unused staging gamepieces will then be removed from gameplay for that game.
My best interpretation of v0 of the game manual.
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