<R1>Good Afternoon, Q/A 1847 states that swapping motors between mechanisms is legal. However, Is it acceptable to have a two completely separate mechanisms for launching triballs (A flywheel and a slapper) that are modular.
The red box of R1 states "To help determine if a Robot is a “separate Robot” or not, use the subsystem definitions found in <R1>. Above that, use common sense as referenced in <G3>. If you can place two Robots on a table next to each other, and they look like two separate legal/complete Robots (i.e., each has the 3 subsystems defined by <R1>), then they are two Robots. Trying to decide if changing a screw, a wheel, or a microcontroller constitutes a separate Robot is missing the intent and spirit of this rule." After swapping the launching mechanisms the robot looks the same but instead of a flywheel it will have a slapper on the back. Would this meet the definition of looking like two separate robots or will the change be negligible enough to be viewed as one robot?
Earlier in R1 it states "Given the above definitions, a minimum Robot for use in any VEX Robotics Competition event (including Skills Challenges) must consist of subsystems 1 and 2 above. Thus, if you are swapping out an entire subsystem 1 or 2, you have now created a second Robot and have Violated this rule." This specifically excludes Subsystem 3 which is the subsystem that the launching mechanisms would fall in to. Is this intentional to allow for a swappable subsystem 3?
Also in R3b it states "All possible functional Robot configurations must be inspected before being used in competition. This especially pertains to modular or swappable mechanisms (per <R1>) and Match starting configurations/sizes (per <R4>)." This excerpt uses the words "Modular or swappable"
Is it correct to assume that you can have a modular launching mechanism as long as the main visual of the robot is similar and it is reinspected and passes?
Thank You