Pushing an opponent stacking cubes in unprotected goal zones

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Tower Takeover (19/20)
1

I’ve been watching a lot of Tower Takeover matches on YouTube since my team is competing next week. In some videos, I’ve seen robots pushing opponents as they are stacking in their unprotected Goal Zone.

I’ve read the Game Manual and <SG3 explicitly refers to protected areas: “Cause Scored Cubes within the opponent’s Protected Zone to no longer meet the definition of Scored (i.e. “knock over their stack”).”

Does anybody know if it is legal to play offensively and give opponents a hard time (Maybe even tipping them? Maybe some cubes fall out ?) as they are stacking in the unprotected zone?

2

This would be considered defensive play, and it is legal.

This is not legal.

This is legal.

The reason teams are able to play defense on robots stacking in the unprotected zone is because if a robot is touching any cubes, they are not considered stacked. Thus, ramming into your opponent right before they drive back will simply give the cubes more acceleration and likely cause them to fall without changing their status (meaning they are not losing the definition of scored).

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3

That explains a lot of the videos I’ve seen, thanks

4

Although do be careful. If you knock cubes out of their robot and out of the field you are violating sg6 and you can be dq’d if you do it multiple times.

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5

or match affecting if you read carefully the latest Q&As by removing game objects that were supposed to be in play. It does get nuanced.

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6

I would also caution teams playing defense of not indirectly contacting the opposing alliance’s goal barriers per <SG3-D>

D- Contact either of the opposing Alliance’s Goal Zones or Barriers.

Minor violations of points A, B, C, or D 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.

This would cause additional scrutiny by the Head Referee as they must for both violations <SG6> and <SG3-D> in defensive play in the unprotected zones.

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7

As well as indirect contact with the Inner Protected Zone

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8

Many of these rules have just been modified/changed recently due to qna’s getting answered I would refer back to here: Can you ram a robot in unprotected zone - discussion of official Q&A answers to get exact answers but to my knowledge if you push a robot and they touch their barrier that is illegal, if you push a robots tray and cubes fall out of the field that is illegal and if cubes are scored and you push them so they touch one that is also illegal.

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