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

Usage Guidelines All Questions

1530: <SG1><SG4><G17> Legality of Preload Placements

Dale Nacianceno
6-Jun-2023

<SG1> Starting a Match. Prior to the start of each Match, the Robot must be placed such that it is:

[…]

c. Not contacting any other gray foam field tiles, including the Match Load Zones. d. Not contacting any Triballs other than a maximum of one (1) Preload. See rule <SG4>. e. Not contacting any other Robots. f. Not contacting any Barriers or Elevation Bars. i. Contact with the field perimeter and/or Match Load Bars is permitted, but not required. g. Completely stationary (i.e., no motors or other mechanisms are in motion).

<SG4> Each Robot gets one Alliance Triball as a Preload. Prior to the start of each Match, each Alliance Triball/Preload that is used must be placed such that it is: a. Contacting one Robot of the same Alliance color as the Preload.

<G17> Use Triballs to play the game. Triballs may not be used to accomplish actions that would be otherwise illegal if they were attempted by Robot mechanisms (e.g., interfering with an opponent’s Autonomous routine per <SG9>.)

  1. Can a Preload start in a Match Load Zone? Or does <G17> disallow it as per <SG1c>?
  2. Can a Preload start contacting a Triball? Or does <G17> disallow it as per <SG1d>?
  3. Can a Preload of one Robot touch the Preload of another Robot? Or does <G17> disallow it as per <SG1e>?
G17   SG1   SG4  
Answered by committee
23-Jun-2023

Preloads would generally fall under the caveat listed in the "red box" of G17, quoted here for reference:

The intent of this rule is to prohibit Teams from using Triballs as “gloves” to loophole any rule that states “a Robot may not [do some action]”. This rule is not intended to be taken in its most extreme literal interpretation, where any interaction between a Triball and a Robot needs to be scrutinized with the same intensity as if it were a Robot.

Yes, each of the scenarios listed in your question would be permissible. The requirements listed in SG4 should be the primary factor that Head Referees use to determine Preload legality.