clarification on rules

[Garfie489]

On the note of LiPO fires, id just like to make a suggestion for the rules.

In the case where a robot is on fire (or poses a safety hazard), the instincts of the roboteer wanting to continue and win, and everyone elses health and safety concerns obviously contradict. The robot could go on till the end of the fight, but from others viewpoint its best not to.

In motor racing they have a black and orange dot flag, which tells the driver to return to the pits to repair that particular damage, from which point they may continue in the race. Could we have a similar rule where an EO or official can declare a match suspended, with the offending robot removed and allowed to replace certain components (ie batteries, but not motors) with identical parts (if available) and then the fight resumes. (obviously other fights may be going on in the meantime).

How we do this would require discussion - Are the robots placed in Parc Ferme where no work can be done on them, or are they allowed to recharge and regas so on - but i just think its something worth considering, because it was only because Mouldy and Alan effectively agreed a fight to end that it did. Whereas he could have continued and filled the entire arena with smoke, and he shouldnt be punished for that.

Same actually happened in Defector vs 720 - 720 started smoking (not as much as LH3 by a long way). However if that had developed into alot of smoke, it would be good to be able to suspend the fight and get it out of there ASAP. Below is a video of that fight, and you can see the reaction it gets from the various officials and given the power to suspend the match, then if it had gotten worse it could easily be removed and delt with, without automatically making the said robot forfeit. (i realize 720s problem was motor related which should not be allowed to be replaced, however if it had been something else smoking the result may have been different)



Note: Relevant bit at 2:25