Hitting the flag with a ball clarification.

[fruitarian]

So, I was thinking if you need to hit the flag with a ball would it be allowed if you just keep a ball in your intake with part of the ball exposed. And with this exposed part of the ball can you hit the flag with that without ever releasing the ball?

[AlexM_4478X]

@fruitarian

So, I was thinking if you need to hit the flag with a ball would it be allowed if you just keep a ball in your intake with part of the ball exposed. And with this exposed part of the ball can you hit the flag with that without ever releasing the ball?

You could, except your robot would have to extend above 18" outside the expansion zone.
I also just remembered the rule that you can’t touch the high flags with a ball that your robot is also touching

[lacsap]

@fruitarian

So, I was thinking if you need to hit the flag with a ball would it be allowed if you just keep a ball in your intake with part of the ball exposed. And with this exposed part of the ball can you hit the flag with that without ever releasing the ball?

I would highly recommend reading the Game Manual -

<SG7> Use Game Objects for gameplay. Scoring Objects cannot be used to accomplish actions that would be otherwise illegal if they were attempted by Robot mechanisms.

a. High Flags may only be contacted by Balls that are not being contacted by a Robot.

Minor violations of this rule that do not affect the Match will result in a warning.

Match Affecting offenses will result in a Disqualification. Teams that receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the Head Referee’s discretion.

<SG7> Clearly prohibits this.

[AlexM_4478X]

@lacsap

I would highly recommend reading the Game Manual

I agree, many of threads could be eliminated by reading the manual. I also suggest using the search feature, because this same topic has been asked in many threads before.
For example: Flag Toggling Clarification - VRC > Turning Point (18/19) - VEX Forum This thread is active at the same exact time, with nearly the same title. It wouldn’t be hard to find your answer here

[lacsap]

@AlexM_4478X

I agree, many of threads could be eliminated by reading the manual. I also suggest using the search feature, because this same topic has been asked in many threads before.

t’is the season…

[AlexM_4478X]

@lacsap

t’is the season…

I know a 43 page manual seems daunting but please… about half of it is old stuff, and the rest is pretty important. I feel like many teams who didnt read the manual will head to their first competition with a robot that focuses on an action that is actually illegal

[lacsap]

@AlexM_4478X

I know a 43 page manual seems daunting but please… about half of it is old stuff, and the rest is pretty important. I feel like many teams who didnt read the manual will head to their first competition with a robot that focuses on an action that is actually illegal

That’s ok - just another problem for them to solve after they fail inspection Seriously, I think every season we go through this recently, and then you get the teams that say they need to go to a forum where they don’t have to deal with such stuff … but we must remember, we were all there once upon a time asking such questions.

Ask away! Hopefully, I can offer a good answer and not scare you away.

My teams are still digesting the manual… and can not answer them … yet!

[AlexM_4478X]

@lacsap

… but we must remember, we were all there once upon a time asking such questions.

Quite true! It’s odd for my to think that there are people who have very little experience with Vex, because after 5 years, building robots and becoming very invested in the game has become second nature

[fruitarian]

What if you extend your intake so that it will hit the flag and still be in the expansion zone?

[Naman]

@fruitarian

What if you extend your intake so that it will hit the flag and still be in the expansion zone?

This would be out of the 36 inch size limit.

[Mark_Finley]

@fruitarian

What if you extend your intake so that it will hit the flag and still be in the expansion zone?

High flags may only be toggled via contact with a ball that is not contacting a robot I believe.

[callen]

@Mark Finley

High flags may only be toggled via contact with a ball that is not contacting a robot I believe.

That is correct. This is explicitly disallowed.

There are several ways to hold a ball and hit the flag with it without violating other rules. They just all violate this rule since you can’t be touching the ball when it hits the flag.