Is Defense A Great Strategy?

[meng]

@Math Dragon

<G13> Intentional strategies causing an opponent to violate a rule are not permitted, and will not
result in an infraction on the opposing alliance.

This rule seems to imply that if a robot seems to “push you in a way that makes what you are doing illegal,” that would fall under “causing an opponent to violate a rule,” and the robot that was pushed would not be penalized. I would go so far as to say that if a defending robot was pushed into the starting bar (and held there), that would constitute pinning and a five second count would be initiated.

Your interpretation is not correct.
This situation has been answered.

Answered: Blocking Opponents from Entering Zones

Basically, if the defensive robot is trying to stop the offensive robot from scoring into its own zone, and got pushed to the starting bar, the defensive robot will or might be DQ.

If the offensive robot, with no intention to score, but pushed the defensive robot to the starting bar, then the offensive robot will be at fault.

@Math Dragon

And just to clarify your second point, any contact with a robot touching its own starting bar will not result in a disqualification unless the contact is deemed match affecting. Though, as a defensive robot proponent myself, I’d be happy to give an opposing robot free reign over their own five point zone.

Trust me… when come to high stake matches, you dont even want to be in a situation that requires the referee to decide if it is match affecting or not.

Now, I am not against defensive robot, in fact, one of my teams had a wallbot during Singvex, but I still think there is no point having a pure defensive robot this season.
For this season, I just can’t see how a purely defensive robot can guarantee a win (during Worlds eliminations rounds).

@Math Dragon

I think that strategies involving a mix of both offense and defense will be prominent throughout the season, given that defense can be as easy as stacking cones in front of an opponent’s mobile goal, forcing them to drive around or go for a different objective.

Not sure if I have understood you - are you referring to stacking cones on the mobile goals in front of an opponent’s mobile goal?
If yes - then it might cause a mild inconvenience for the opposing alliance, but it won’t be a deal-breaker.

If you are referring to just putting the cones on top of another cone in front of the opponent’s mobile goal, then by definition, the cones are not stacked.