// Section 01

Morning Prep

What to do before your first match. The teams that arrive prepared win the morning; the teams that scramble lose it.

⚠️

First 30 minutes on arrival are the most important of the day. Most technical failures happen in the first match because teams rushed setup. Use this checklist every single event.

Arrival Checklist

Claim your pit and inventory tools

Unpack and lay out every tool. Confirm nothing was left at home. Charge all batteries immediately — even if they "should be charged" from last night.

Run robot through full pre-check

All motors spin correct direction. All sensors respond. Auton runs in practice mode. Brain shows correct build date. Nothing loose on the robot.

Confirm auton slot

Run the auton you plan to use for Match 1 at least twice before matches begin. Confirm it is loaded in the correct slot and performing as expected on the venue tiles.

Submit for inspection early

Get in the inspection line within the first 20 minutes of arrival. An early inspection pass means zero stress about robot legality for the rest of the day.

Brief the whole drive team on the match plan

All three drive team members review the match plan before Match 1. Who calls the timer? Who watches the opponent? What is the endgame cue? Decide before queue, not in queue.

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// Section 02

Queue Protocol

What to do from the moment you are called to queue until the match starts. This is where most teams lose points before the match even begins.

Queue Checklist (5 minutes before match)

Battery check

Over 85% charge. If below, swap now — you have time. Never enter a match with a battery below 70%.

Confirm auton slot

Look at the brain screen together as a drive team. Confirm the correct auton is loaded. Changing it in queue is possible but stressful — avoid it by confirming in the pit.

Talk to your alliance partner

One sentence: "We plan to score on the left side, can you take right?" Or: "Our auton scores the alliance stake — does yours conflict?" Thirty seconds of communication prevents a full match of conflict.

Agree on auton coordination

If both teams have auton, confirm they do not interfere. Who has right of way? What happens if one robot breaks? Decide in queue — never figure it out after the match starts.

Place robot on starting tile

Use your starting jig or a fixed reference. Consistent placement is the biggest single factor in auton reliability at competition.

💡

Pre-match driver routine: Shake out hands. Two slow breaths. Review first move with caller. Eyes on the field during disabled. First action decided before the whistle. Same routine every match.

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// Section 03

Match Day Execution

During the match and between matches. Composure and process beat talent at competition.

During the Match

⏳ Time Calls

Caller announces :45, :30, :15. Driver never checks the timer. These are the only three calls that must happen every single match without fail.

🎯 Endgame Decision

At :25, caller makes the endgame call: "Go for endgame" or "One more cycle." Driver executes without discussion. Decision is made before the match — not during it.

🔄 Recovery

After any mistake: 3-second reset. "That was bad. Moving on." Eyes back to field. Next piece. The mistake is over. Process it after the match — not during it.

🗣 Alliance Communication

Caller communicates with alliance caller — not drivers talking to each other across the field. One communication channel per alliance station.

Between Matches

Log what happened immediately

Take 60 seconds after every match: what worked, what failed, what the score was, battery level, any mechanical issues noticed. Memory degrades fast — log it now.

Fix only what actually broke

Do not rebuild working systems between matches. Fix the specific thing that failed. If nothing broke, charge the battery and leave the robot alone.

Charge the battery

Swap to a charged battery after every match without exception. Never carry a partially discharged battery into a match you can avoid.

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// Section 04

Scoring Quick Reference

Push Back 2025-26. Know every scoring action and its value cold — without looking it up mid-match.

⚠️

This is the current season scoring summary. Always verify against the official game manual — scoring rules can be updated via Q&A rulings during the season.

Key Scoring Actions — Push Back

Action	Points	Notes
Game piece fully in your goal	1 pt each	Must be fully inside, not touching opponents zone boundary
Autonomous Win Point (AWP)	Qualification ranking points	Requires specific auton tasks — read AWP conditions in manual
Autonomous Bonus	+6 pts	Alliance with more points at end of 15s auton wins the bonus
Elevation / Endgame	Check manual	Varies by season — verify exact values and timing requirements

High-Value Decision Rules

Auton bonus is worth 6 points — equivalent to 6 game pieces. A reliable auton that scores the bonus is almost always worth more than a risky auton that might score more pieces but fails.
Opponent possession matters — pieces your opponent cannot score are worth your score plus their loss.
Endgame is time-critical — start at :25 if your mechanism takes more than 10 seconds. Practice the exact timing every session.
Cycle time determines your ceiling — know your exact cycle time from this season. Use it to calculate your theoretical max score per match.

💡

Use the Game Analysis guide to score every action in points per second — this tells you which actions to prioritize. Open Game Analysis →

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