Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
Inspiring students, one robot at a time.

This Q&A is Read Only.

Official Q&A: VRC 2023-2024: Over Under

Usage Guidelines All Questions

Interaction with Opposing Alliance Match Load Zone


Tina Ngo (Event Partner)
4-Sep-2023

Hello,

are teams allowed to add or remove triballs from the opposing alliance's match load zone with their robots? If a red alliance team member loads up the match load zone with triballs, are the blue alliance robots allowed to retrieve these triballs? <SG6> only states the action of match loading, but it does not state alliance requirements.

Is it possible for the red team to match load onto a blue alliance robot? We had a match where a blue and red robot was at the blue alliance match load zone, as the blue team members were loading their robot with a triball, a red alliance robot pushed the blue robot out of the way, resulting in the red robot being loaded with a triball.

If such an event occurs, will the red alliance be safe from violations of possession<SG7> and match load requirements stated in SG6 as it would be forcing the opponent into a penalty <G15>?

If a team intentionally match loads onto a opposing alliance robot to introduce triballs into the field without damaging the opposing robot or causing them to have a penalty, would this be a violation?

Alternatively, are teams allowed to descore triballs in the offensive zone by pushing triballs into the match load zone? would it matter if they are descoring into their own alliance or opposing alliance match load zones?

Answered by committee
4-Oct-2023

Thank you for your questions.

are teams allowed to add or remove triballs from the opposing alliance's match load zone with their robots? If a red alliance team member loads up the match load zone with triballs, are the blue alliance robots allowed to retrieve these triballs?

There are no rules that prohibit these actions; therefore, they are legal.

Is it possible for the red team to match load onto a blue alliance robot?

No. Clause #2 of rule <SG6> allows a Drive Team Member to introduce a Triball (bold added for emphasis) “By placing the Match Load gently onto a Robot from the Drive Team Member’s Alliance.”

If such an event occurs, will the red alliance be safe from violations of possession <SG7> and match load requirements stated in <SG6> as it would be forcing the opponent into a penalty <G15>?

If a red Alliance Drive Team Member puts a Match Load onto a blue Robot, it is a Violation of rules <SG6> and <G9>. Rule <G15> would protect the blue Robot from a Possession penalty if the blue Robot is already in Possession of one Triball.

However, if the blue Robot intentionally adds another Triball to the Robot while in Possession of one (regardless of how the first came to be there), it is a Violation of the Possession limit in <SG7> and rule <G15> will not apply.

Alternatively, are teams allowed to descore triballs in the offensive zone by pushing triballs into the match load zone? would it matter if they are descoring into their own alliance or opposing alliance match load zones?

There are no rules that prohibit pushing Triballs from Offensive Zones into Match Load Zones.