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Official Q&A: VEX U Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Push Back
3052: Match Load Block Availability during Driver Skills and Autonomous Skills Matches
Hi GDC, a couple of quick questions regarding the availability of Match Load Blocks/Match Loads in Vex U Driver Skills and Autonomous Skills matches.
RSC3g states:
Robot Skills Matches do not include Match Load Blocks.
Immediately afterward, VURS1(different tape for Vex U), VURS2, and VURS3 (Both regarding the use of two robots by one team) are mentioned as guidelines for differences in application of this rule. These rules do not contain any mentions of use of match loads.
However, VUG3 states:
Different availability of Loaders. Drive Team Members may add Match Load Blocks to the Loaders adjacent to their Alliance Station during the Autonomous Period and Driver Controlled Period of the Match.
Combining this rule definition with the definition of "Match" as:
A set time period, consisting of a Autonomous Period and/or Driver Controlled Periods, during which Teams play a defined version of Push Back to earn points.
- Autonomous Period - A time period during which Robots operate and react only to sensor inputs and pre-programmed commands.
- Driver Controlled Period - A time period during which Drive Team Members operate their Robot via remote control.
As well as the definition for "Driving Skills Match" in the "Robot Skills Challenge Definitions" as:
A Driving Skills Match consists of a sixty-second (one minute) Driver Controlled Period. There is no Autonomous Period. Teams can elect to end their run early if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
And the definition for "Autonomous Coding Skills Match" in the "Robot Skills Challenge Definitions" as:
An Autonomous Coding Skills Match consists of a sixty-second )(one minute) Autonomous Period. There is no Driver Controlled Period. Teams can elect to end their run early if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
Based on these definitions, Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills matches are covered under the "or" condition of being a match, counting as "Driver Controlled" and "Autonomous" Periods. Therefore, in Vex U skills matches, match loads would be available during robot skills matches. Just looking for some clarification regarding this. Am I misinterpreting any of the above clauses?
The statement in the VURC Robot Skills Challenge section of the game manual that is most pertinent to your question is, "All rules apply from V5RC Section 4: Robot Skills Challenge, with no modifications other than those noted below." The modifications in the three rules related specifically to VURC Skills Matches do not include any changes to Match Load Blocks.
Clause G of rule <RSC3>, "Robot Skills Matches do not include Match Load Blocks", therefore applies.
VURC Robot Skills Matches do not include Match Load Blocks.