As a Box-owner (BonX, for those who remember) i find the endless debate on wedges to be as boring as the wedges themselves.

A wedgebot is simply put the finest K.I.S.S. example there is.

However there is a big difference in wedgebots, on one side you have the wedge-pushers (the starting level of FW robots, using the cheap and simple drillmotors) and on the other side you have the wedge-rammers (the BonX/Tiny Toon/Alpha a-like, using high end custom drivetrains to get as much speed and torque out of the bots as possible, while having enough armor to withstand most damage).

The biggest problem I see with the current competition isn't the wedges, it's the OOTA-possibility of the arena and the amount of flippers we're running today. The occasional Pit favors the wedges, i must admit.

But face it, if you don't have a wedge/low ground-clearance, you'll get thrown out of the arena in no-time, losing the match. Spinners solve this problem with the simple reason that they hit first and harder (hoping they stay in the arena after the hit).

It's the rock-paper-scissors game, except here it's the Pusher/Spinner/Flipper/Axe/Crusher variety. Every rules-set and arena set-up will favor some design above others. Currently it's the Pusher (Pit) / Flipper (OOTA) / Spinner (Good old KE). Putting the price into the equation quickly reveals that the pusher will be the cheaper one to built...

Limiting the amount of energy in the robots (Gas of KE) and removing the PIT and OOTA from the arena will level the advantages of each robot-type, but be prepared to have some long and boring 'fights'. I think there is no ideal setup, but each setup will result in a certain equilibrium of robots. Just pick the equilibrium you like.