Answered: Legal defense of elevation

[reflxshn]

<SG11> Robots may not be in the opposing Alliance’s Climbing Zone during the last thirty seconds (0:30) of the Match. Furthermore, during the period, Robots may not contact an opposing Robot that is contacting a partner Robot that is fully within the volume of the Climbing Zone. Minor violations of this rule that do not affect the match will result in a warning. Egregious (match affecting) offenses will result in a Disqualification. Teams that receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the head referee’s discretion.

I’ve read the previous responses and just wanted to be sure I have this correctly (both for a team I mentor as well as a tournament I will help host). An apposing team may attempt to block a robots return to their climbing zone for the purposes thwarting of a lift as long as they do not enter the climbing zone. If they are “pushed” into the climbing zone, they must exit immediately. Once a returning robot has entered the zone and is in contact with their alliance partner (assuming it is fully in the climbing area) they may no longer touch either robot.

1. Is the tape considered part of the loading zone?
2. If pushed into their opponent zone must they leave by any available route, or can they attempt to leave by pushing into their opponent (making the case that they were being blocked from leave in their preferred direction though other options are available)?
3. If a team is attempting to block a returning robot and either enters the zone on their own, does not leave immediately or violates the contact rules, this team should be disqualified if it reasonable that they impeded the successful lift and these points would have changed the outcome of the match.

The high point value but few teams successfully performing lifts speaks to technical challenge of lifting another robot (especially of unknown specifications). It would seem inconsistent with the offensive nature of the game to reward a defensive and technically inferior design/process as simple keeping their a robot between their opponents.

[Karthik]

@reflxshn

1. Is the tape considered part of the loading zone?

Yes. This is stated in the definition of the Loading Zone.

@VEX Robotics Competition Nothing But Net Game Manual

Loading Zone – The area formed by the outer edges of the diagonal tape lines across the Alliance Starting Tiles and the field perimeter bounding the Alliance Station corners of the field.

@reflxshn

2. If pushed into their opponent zone must they leave by any available route, or can they attempt to leave by pushing into their opponent (making the case that they were being blocked from leave in their preferred direction though other options are available)?

They can leave by any route they wish, but they must do so immediately. If their opponent prevents them from leaving, while not in the process of trying to Elevate or be Elevated, this would be a violation of <SG13>, an intentional strategy causing their opponent to violate a rule.

@VEX Robotics Competition Nothing But Net Game Manual

<SG13> Intentional strategies causing an opponent to violate a rule are not permitted, and will not result in a foul on the opposing alliance. Minor violations of this rule that do not affect the match will result in a warning. Egregious (match affecting) offenses will result in a Disqualification. Teams that receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the head referee’s discretion.

@reflxshn

3. If a team is attempting to block a returning robot and either enters the zone on their own, does not leave immediately or violates the contact rules, this team should be disqualified if it reasonable that they impeded the successful lift and these points would have changed the outcome of the match.

Yes, this is correct.