Is “ramming” other robots allowed?
For example, if an opposing robot were about to score and you wanted to stop them, would it be legal to drive your robot as fast as possible into a robot to move it to prevent the robot from scoring?
Karthik
October 20, 2011, 10:04am
2
Carcabob:
Is “ramming” other robots allowed?
For example, if an opposing robot were about to score and you wanted to stop them, would it be legal to drive your robot as fast as possible into a robot to move it to prevent the robot from scoring?
Any strategy such as this one could fall under rule <G11> of the VEX Gateway Game Manual .
<G11> Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or Entanglement of Robots are not part of the ethos of the VEX Robotics Competition and are not allowed. However, VEX Gateway is an interactive game. Some incidental tipping, Entanglement, and damage may occur as a part of normal game play. If the tipping, Entanglement, or damage is ruled to be intentional or egregious, the offending team may be disqualified from that Match. Repeated offenses could result in a team being Disqualified from the remainder of the competition.
VEX Gateway is intended to be an offensive game. Teams who partake in solely defensive strategies will undergo extra scrutiny in regards to <G11>. In the case where referees are forced to make a judgment call on interaction between a defensive and offensive Robot, the referees will err on the side of the offensive Robot. All teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots. This goes for teams who are driving recklessly and potentially causing damage, but also goes for teams who drive around with a small wheel base and arm extended. Teams should design their Robots such that they are not tipped over or damaged by minor contact.
Thus, ramming may not be illegal in general, there is a large chance a referee may view egregious cases of ramming as a violation of this rule.