WINNING A REGIONAL
REACHING EINSTEIN
STRATEGY
FIRST Team 20 – The Rocketeers
OVERVIEW
 Analyze all scoring possibilities and combinations
 Solo
 1 Functioning Teammate
 Full-court shooting
 2 Functional Teammates
 Defense
 Best Strategy
 What Robot to build!
 Feedback
SOLO- ONLY US SCORING
 Simply running cycles to score- no truss
 Keeps possession, low scoring. Baseline
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 2/4 (assuming effective catcher)
 Driving to Score: 5
 Shooting: 2 (assuming sweet spot shooter)
 Driving back: 5
 Summary: 14 seconds/cycle -> 10 Cycles -> 100 pts
 + 2 Robots
 Takeaway: Skilled drivers, great catcher, sweet spot shooter
SOLO + TRUSS
 Passing over the truss to ourselves
 Increases scoring and time, more defendable
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 2/4 (assuming effective catcher)
 Lining With Truss + Shooting: 2
 Driving to Ball: 4
 Possession: 3
 Shooting + In position: 4
 Driving back: 5
 Summary: 20 seconds/cycle -> 7 Cycles -> 140 pts
 + 2 Robots
 Takeaway: More points, more defendable. Need SSS
SOLO + SELF-CATCH
 Same idea, but more reliable because you keep possession
 Saves time
 Cycle Time: 15 seconds -> 9 Cycles -> 180 pts
 + 2 Robots
 Takeaways: Best solo strategy b/c reliability
1 GROUND ASSIST + TRUSS
 We get assisted, shoot over truss to ourselves + score
 Assuming partner can only possess, we get an assist
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 3 (avg)
 Assisting + Possession: 4
 Line with Truss + Shoot: 3
 Driving to ball + Possession: 7
 Shooting Position + Shooting: 4
 Ball Return: 3 (time it takes pedestal -> release)
 Summary: 24 seconds/cycle -> 5-6 Cycles -> 150-180 pts
 + 1 Robot
 Takeaway: SSS. Basic strategy with weak partner
 Variant: Regurgitating. Less defendable, more reliable
ASSIST + TRUSS (2 SHOOTERS)
 2 robots with shooters, saves time
 One shoots over truss, one shoots to score
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 3 (avg)
 Lining shot + shooting: 4
 Possession: 3
 Shooting Position + Shooting: 4-7 (depending on shooter speed)
 Ball Return: 3
 Summary: 17 seconds/cycle -> 8 Cycles -> 240 pts
 + 1 Robot
 Takeaway: Skilled drivers, great catcher, sweet spot shooter
ASSIST + CATCH (HAIL MARY)
 Same as previous, but with catch and farther shot
 Keeps possession, reduced time because ball goes farther
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 3
 Lining Up Shot + Shot: 5
 Settling: 1 (assuming good catcher)
 Lining Up Shot + Shot: 4-7 (depends on shooter)
 Ball Return: 3
 Summary: 16-19 seconds/cycle -> 7-9 Cycles -> 280, 320,
360 pts
 + 1 Robot
 Takeaway: Requires long shooter and great catcher. Catcher
must have sweet spot shooter.
HAIL CARL
 Same as Hail Mary, but full court and stationary robots
 Indefensible and reduces time, guarantees catch
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession: 2
 Shooting: 5
 Settling Time: 2
 Shooting: 2-5
 Ball Return: 3
 Summary: 14-17 seconds/cycle -> 8-10 Cycles
 Low Goal (31): 248, 279, 310 pts
 High Goal (40): 320, 360, 400 pts
 + 1 Robot
 Takeaway: Best strategy, if we can get a full court shooter and a
modular ramp/catcher to attach to a partner
 Variant: Full court shot uses backboard + ramp, saves time and robot
 12-13 seconds, 11-13 cycles, 341, 372, 403 pts (low goal)
3 ASSIST GROUND
 Ball passed along ground, thrown over truss
 Catch and no catch
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession:2
 Pass: 2
 Possession: 3
 Line Up Shot + Truss Shot: 4
 Possession: 3
 Line Up Goal + Shot: 4
 Ball Return: 3
 Summary: 21 seconds/cycle -> 6-7 Cycles
 No Catch: 300 pts
 Catch: 420 pts
 + 0 Robots
 Takeaway: Need 3 effective robots and at least one good shooter.
 Defense is huge
DEFENSE
 Huge role in cycle times and strategies
1.
Interfere with ground passes
2.
Block aerial passes
3.
Under truss defense (push under truss)
4.
Corner bumping while shooting
5.
Blocking shooting position
6.
Preventing possession (feeding, after over truss)
7.
Goalie (not effective)
 Let’s see the effect
3 ASSIST GROUND (WITH DEFENSE)
 Ball passed along ground, thrown over truss
 Catch and no catch
 Scoring Analysis (all time in seconds)
 Possession:2 (assume great robots can’t be defended here)
 Pass: 2 (6) Interfering with ground pass
 Possession: 3
 Line Up Shot + Truss Shot: 4 (-10 pts) Push under truss so no truss points
 Possession: 3 (5) Hitting the ball, getting in the catching position
 Line Up Goal + Shot: 4
 Ball Return: 3
 Summary: 27 seconds/cycle -> 4-5 Cycles
 No Catch/Truss: 200-250 pts
 50% truss + catch: 240-320 pts
 + 0 Robots
 Takeaway: 1 Defensive robot can reduce points by 25-40%
 Defense is still huge and important to considering strategies
3 AERIAL ASSISTS
 Same as previous but harder to defend (and do!)
 Also keeps possession, reduces time. But way harder.
 Summary: 19 seconds/cycle -> 7 Cycles -> 420 pts
 + 0 Robots
 Takeaway: Best competing strategy (we’ll see in
eliminations)
 Need gentle passing launchers, SSS, 3 great catchers
 Still can be under truss defended
 Corner bumping defense throws off passes
SUMMARY
 Full court shooter is worth trying to build
 Regardless of strategy, a great catcher is critical
 Sweet spot shooter is necessary for us to score quickly
 2 ball auto critical for solo strategies
 Defense will be HUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE
SCOUTING
 One of THE most important groups you can be a part of this
year
 Strategy is everything
 What do the drivers need?
 What the opponents will do, how many points they’ll score, how they’ll play
 What can our partners do
 WHAT DO WE DO TO WIN?
 Build a database of the teams at the competition based on
real results
 Practical scouting sheets
 Dedicated scouts who want to win
 And are willing to work