by Chloe Schwartz

Welcome to the First Robotics Competition of 2016: FRC Stronghold! The object of the game: score as many points as you can, into either low or high goals of your opponent’s tower, using boulders (dodgeballs). If you get above eight points, surround the tower to capture it and gain one rank point! Robots must cross defenses, including a low bar (positioned in the same place each match) three random obstacles, and one barrier chosen by the audience. This game is a combination and culmination of the challenges of years past- look up matches from 2011 through 2015 and you’re bound to find similarities.

It’s already week four of Build Season, which means The Fighting Unicorns have only three weeks left before we’re no longer allowed to touch our robot. With a working chassis1 and finalized intake and wheel prototypes, driver trials are just around the corner. Our strategy is to breach as many of the defenses as possible – which is done by crossing them twice – and taking shots at the low goal on our opponent’s tower.

The next major date coming up for the team is Epic Weekend, or, as most people call it, Winter Weekend. The four days off are our chance to get as much work done as possible before FIRST calls hands off on the robot. Stay tuned for more updates, and go Unicorns!