Active Weapon Rule?

[Revsmin]

Just heard about this being introduced for FWs for the UK Champs, is it true?

[SamO]

I really hope it isn't!!!!
If it is I think I might cry

[Revsmin]

Same here, the amount I've invested in making Ricochet spinner proof

[SamO]

To be honest, I can't see the need for a change.
There have been numerous robots like Tiny Toon that have been very successful.
And if their changing it because they say ram bots are boring, there not. Flippers can be just as boring, if not more so (fights only lasting a few seconds!)

[botmad]

There is NOTHING in the build rules or comp guids that suggests this ......
So I would say not true .....
Also as part of the FRA committee not heard anything about it ....

Pete...

[maddox10]

It's something that came up in the past, and was a thing Mentorn introduced in the last series.

It's not in the rules, and even if it would appear now, it won't be in effect for a while.

[harry hills]

Where exactly did you hear this Jarvis?

[typhoon_driver]

I'm in favor. Nothing worse than spending thousands building an impressive spinner to be knocked out the arena by a hardox box that i could knock together in an afternoon. Box on box matches are dull, end of.

[Revsmin]

@Pete - Thats relieving, I agree with Sam, rammers can be entertaining!
@Haz - Heard it from Craig Danby at Newport, he said he was building a FW Tanto but didn't because of something about an active weapon rule.

[SamO]

If I remember correctly, Will Thomas said something about the Robo Challenge guys wanting to introduce the active weapon rule. He went onto say that if they did choose to do this, the FRA would not allow them to host the official championships, it would have to be their own tournament.

I'm not sure if that's right though, I was quite early in the morning when he said it and wasn't really awake

[craig_colliass]

I should wait for the Robo challenge guys to answer this question for you,

From my point of view. I don't mind either way as I have both types. they could do both active weapon only and all inclusive if they wanted to.

As far as spinners not wanting steel boxes, I would say All is fair in love and Robot Wars.

[TeamPsyclone]

I believe one of the problems with an active weapon rules, is that with the lack of allowed "Spinny Devices", the already small enough base of usable weapons on the weight classes will shorten, until either everyone uses the same, or there's 30 of each. Though the solution of making up new effective weapons sounds good, it's not easy, as many experienced builders, and beginners alike looking for something new know.

[teamshock]

It was mentioned at the AGM at Whitwick this year that Robochallenge had proposed an active weapon rule. This was voted against by the members of the FRA. So the final decision was that Robochallenge could still introduce the rule for their events but they would not fall within the FRA guidelines.

Thats what I seem to remember anyway so feel free to correct me.

[typhoon_driver]

So the guidelines need changing, hmmmm.......

[Max]

In some ways it makes sense- bots without an active weapon although entertaining have all the other events in the years to get out and play, but for spinners this event is their only chance to get out so it seems fair to stop these other, sometime less entertaining, push bots to make more space and time for the spinners.
To solve this you could open up the sign up to active weapon robots and then opening it up to all robots if there are spaces left.