What are the rule specifications about turning the bottom flag with a ball as well? Will it have the same resistance as the top ones? If so would it be beneficial to have an adjustable launcher that could hit all three from one position?
The flags are identical except for height and there are no rules against turning the low flags with a ball. This would give an advantage because you wouldn’t have to cross the field to the flag if your opponent turned it. Having an adjustable launcher will be very important this year.
all flags must be turned by balls
no, the low flags can be pushed by the robot, only the high flags must be pushed by the balls.
Using the pushing method would also be very inefficient. The low flags are only 3 points total anyway, so taking several seconds to move into position and push them by force is a complete waste of time.
I’m not so sure about that. Imagine this. There are three flags in one column to flip. You load up on balls and approach. From further away you shoot the upper flag. You move forward and shoot the middle flag. Now what? 1) You keep moving forward and tap the lower one. 2) You go find another ball and reposition to shoot the lower flag.
Or, you intake two balls, fire one at the highest flag, fire the second at a lower power to hit the middle flag, and then (1) drive across the entire field to tap the low flag (2) pick up a ball 3 ft away, turn to face the flag, and then shoot it at the low flag. If you can’t aim from a constant position, then pushing it might be viable, but that method in and of itself is inefficient.
I think either strategy is viable, it depends on how close the balls are to you