In the rulebook, <SG10> states that "Robots may not remove Scoring Objects from Goals that do not match their Alliance color". <SC2> clearly identifies an example of a position a pin may take on a stack which is not placed, shown in Figure SC2-1 (pin placed horizontally on a cup without either half of the pin being entirely contained within the concave portion of the cup). However, <SG10> does not specifically specify that scoring objects protected under the rule must be placed or scoring. Our team wanted to clarify this specific case and determine whether or not removing a game element like this was legal.
Extending this, we wanted to ask about the legality of the following:
(a) Removing a cup which is similarly balanced horizontally on top of other game elements without being placed.
(b) Removing a cup which is balanced on top of another cup without a pin in between (or, similarly, a pin balanced on a pin with no cups in between.
(c) Removing a cup which is not affecting the score of the game (ex. transparent part facing downwards, with no pins above, thereby not adding or subtracting points from the game.
Rule <SG9> also states that "Robots may not directly or indirectly interact with the opposing Alliance-colored Goals", and clarifies that this includes placing and removing scoring objects. Would placing a horizontal game element as seen in Figure SC2-1, or any unplaced game elements as stated above count as interaction with these goals? By definition, this is not placed, and it is not an action of descoring, but it forces the opposing alliance to take time to reopen their own alliance's goal for scoring.
We also wanted to ask whether:
(a) If it would be a major violation to accidentally knock over protected scoring elements in an effort to reopen an alliance or neutral goal for scoring by removing a game element that was positioned on the goal but not scored/placed.
(b) If it would be a violation of <SG6> for one of these game elements to fall onto a bot already possessing 1 pin and 1 cup in the action of removing it from the goal.
Thank you so much!