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Quick Reference Guide

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Section 1

Introduction

Overview

This section provides an introduction to the VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) and V5RC High Stakes.

The VEX V5 Robotics Competition

Our world faces a serious problem. It’s a problem that, without explicit and intentional action, will eventually stagnate global progress and lead to a workforce that is unmotivated and ill-equipped to solve its future problems. As the world grows more technologically complex, the challenges we face every day will continue to escalate along with it. A cell phone has more failure modes than a landline. The internals of an electric vehicle are more difficult to comprehend than a V8 combustion engine. Unmanned drone legislation is more nuanced than defining a maximum speed limit.

Dubbed “the STEM problem,” the situation is equally simple to understand, yet difficult to solve. In many cases, the traditional methods of teaching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) will not be enough to adequately prepare students for this complex world. This is often coupled with the unfortunate reality that by the time they reach an age capable of grasping these critical topics, students may have already determined that they are “not cool” or “boring.” Without the skills or passion necessary to approach these problems in an educated manner, you cannot possibly expect to be productive in making forward progress or even sustaining the status quo.

The VEX V5 Robotics Competition exists to solve this problem. Through its uniquely engaging combination of teamwork, problem solving, and scientific discovery, the study of competitive robotics encompasses aspects of STEM. You’re not building VEX robots because your future job will involve tightening shaft collars on a metal bar—you’re executing an engineering design and problem-solving process that resembles the same mindset used by rocket scientists, brain surgeons, and inventors around the world. VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes is not just a game that we invented because it is fun to play—it is a vehicle for teaching (and testing) teamwork and perseverance in the face of hardship, and provides a methodology to approach and solve new challenges with confidence.

Contained in this manual are the rules that shape V5RC High Stakes. These rules are designed to simulate the constraints that will outline any real-world project. They are intended to promote creativity without punishing innovation. They are balanced to promote fair play while encouraging competition.

We encourage you to keep in mind that a VEX V5 Robotics Competition game is more than just a set of game objectives worth varying amounts of points. It is an opportunity to hone the lifelong skills that will characterize the problem-solving leaders of tomorrow.

Good luck, and we’ll see you on the playing field!

Sincerely,

The VEX Robotics Game Design Committee, composed of members from the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, DWAB Technology, and VEX Robotics

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V5RC High Stakes: A Primer

VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes is played on a 12’x12’ square Field, set up as illustrated in the figures throughout.

In Head-to-Head Matches, two (2) Alliances—one (1) “red” and one (1) “blue”—composed of two (2) Teams each, compete in Matches consisting of a fifteen (15) second Autonomous Period followed by a one minute and forty-five second (1:45) Driver Controlled Period.

The object of the game is to attain a higher score than the opposing Alliance by Scoring Rings on Stakes, Placing Mobile Goals, and Climbing at the end of the Match.

An Autonomous Win Point is awarded to any Alliance that completes four (4) assigned tasks by the end of the Autonomous Period.

An Autonomous Bonus is awarded to the Alliance that has the most points at the end of the Autonomous Period.

Teams may also compete in Robot Skills Matches, where one (1) Robot tries to score as many points as possible. See Section 5 for more information.

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About the Game Manual - A Note from the GDC

This Game Manual contains everything there is to know about this season’s game, V5RC High Stakes. It is intended to be a resource for all Teams, Head Referees, Event Partners, and other members of the V5RC community.

The rules contained in the following pages can be thought of as “constraints” that define this game, just as engineers begin any design project by defining their constraints. At the beginning of a season, “constraints” are all we have. We don’t know what the winning Robot, best strategy, or most-frequently-violated rule will be any more than you do. Isn’t that exciting?

When exploring a new game, please approach this Game Manual with that mentality of looking at rules as “constraints.” The Game Manual contains the full and complete list of constraints that are available for a competitor to strategize, design, and build their Robots.

Obviously, all Teams must adhere to these rules, and any stated intents of these rules. However, beyond that, there is no “right” way to play. There are no hidden restrictions, assumptions, or intended interpretations beyond what is written here. So, it is up to you, the competitor, to find the path through these constraints that best suits your team’s goals and ambitions.

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Updates

This manual will have a series of “major” and “minor” updates over the course of the season. Each version is official and must be used in official V5RC events until the release of the next version, upon which the previous version becomes void.

The latest version of the Game Manual can always be found at: https://link.vex.com/docs/24-25/v5rc-high-stakes/GameManual

Known major release dates are as follows:

April 30, 2024	Version 0.1	Initial game release
May 14, 2024	N/A	Official Q&A system opens
June 4, 2024	Version 0.2	Minor typographical errors or formatting issues found in the initial release. Very few rule changes are expected
June 25, 2024	Version 1.0	May include gameplay or rule changes inspired by input from the official Q&A system and the VEX community
August 6, 2024	Version 1.1	Clarification / minor update
Sept. 3, 2024	Version 2.0	May include gameplay or rule changes inspired by early-season events
Oct. 8, 2024	Version 2.1	Clarification / minor update
Dec. 3, 2024	Version 2.2	Clarification / minor update
January 28, 2025	Version 3.0	May include gameplay or rule changes inspired by mid-season events
April 2, 2025	Version 4.0	May include gameplay or rule changes pertaining specifically to the VEX Robotics World Championship

In addition to these known major updates, there may also be unscheduled updates released throughout the season if deemed critical by the GDC. Any unscheduled updates will always be released on a Tuesday, no later than 5:00 PM CST (11:00 PM GMT). These updates will be announced via the VEX Forum, automatically pushed to the V5RC Hub app, and shared via VEX Robotics / REC Foundation social media & email marketing channels.

Game Manual updates are effective immediately upon release; it is every Team’s responsibility to be familiar with all rules and updates. There are no “grace periods” if an update prohibits a previously legal part, mechanism, or strategy.

Note: REC Foundation Regional Support Managers will contact Event Partners involved with multi-week league events that “cross over” an update, and/or Event Region Championships that occur within 2 weeks of an update. If a rule change impacts their event (such as a Robot which previously passed inspection no longer being legal), these cases will be reviewed individually depending on the context of the event and the rule that has changed. Exceptions may also be available for non-US championship events that occur within one (1) week of an update. These are the only possible “grace period” exceptions.

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The Q&A System

When first reviewing a new robotics game, it is natural to have questions about situations which may not be immediately clear. Navigating the Game Manual and seeking out answers to these questions is an important part of learning a new game. In many cases, the answer may just be in a different place than you first thought—or, if there is no rule explicitly prohibiting a gameplay strategy, then that usually means it is legal!

However, if a Team is still unable to find an answer to their question after closely reviewing the relevant rules, then every Team has the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations and clarifications in the VEX Robotics Question & Answer System. These questions may be posted by an Adult via the RobotEvents account that is associated with that Team.

All responses in this Q&A system should be treated as official rulings from the VEX Robotics Game Design Committee, and they represent the correct and official interpretation of the VEX V5 Robotics Competition Rules. The Q&A system is the only source besides the Game Manual for official rulings and clarifications, and is functionally an extension of the Game Manual. Like Game Manual updates, Q&A rulings are effective immediately upon release.

The VEX V5 Robotics Competition Question & Answer System can be found here.

Before posting on the Q&A system, be sure to review the Q&A Usage Guidelines.

1. Read and search the manual before posting.
2. Read and search existing Q&As before posting.
3. Quote the applicable rule from the latest version of the manual in your question.
4. Make a separate post for each question.
5. Use specific and appropriate question titles.
6. Questions will (mostly) be answered in the order they were received.
7. This system is the only source for official rules clarifications.

If there are any conflicts between the Game Manual and other supplemental materials (e.g., Referee Certification courses, the V5RC Hub app, etc.), the most current version of the Game Manual takes precedence.

Similarly, it can never be assumed that definitions, rules, or other materials from previous seasons apply to the current game. Q&A responses from previous seasons are not considered official rulings for the current game. Any relevant clarifications that are needed should always be re-asked in the current season’s Q&A.

Field Overview

The VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes field consists of the following:

• Five (5) Mobile Goals, each with one (1) Stake
• Four (4) Wall Stakes, one (1) per Alliance and two (2) neutral
• One (1) Ladder, with three (3) Levels and one (1) High Stake
• Forty-eight (48) Rings, twenty-four (24) of each color
• Four (4) Corners, two (2) Positive and two (2) Negative

Note: The illustrations in this section of the Game Manual are intended to provide a general visual understanding of the game. Teams should refer to official field specifications, found in Appendix A, for exact field dimensions, a full field bill of materials, and exact details of field construction.

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General Definitions

Adult – Anyone who is not a Student or another defined term (e.g., Head Referee).

Alliance – A pre-assigned grouping of two (2) Teams that are paired together during a given Match.

Alliance Station – The designated regions where the Drive Team Members must remain for the duration of the Match.

Autonomous Bonus – A point bonus awarded to the Alliance that has earned the most points at the end of the Autonomous Period. See <SC2> for more information.

Autonomous Win Point – An additional Win Point awarded to any Alliance that has completed a defined set of tasks at the end of the Autonomous Period of a Qualification Match. See <SC8> for more information.

Disablement – A penalty applied to a Team for a safety Violation. A Team that receives a Disablement is not allowed to operate their Robot for the remainder of the Match, and the Drive Team Member(s) will be asked to place their controller(s) on the ground.

Disqualification – A penalty applied to a Team for a Major Violation. A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Qualification Match receives zero (0) Win Points, (0) Autonomous Win Points, (0) Autonomous Points, and (0) Strength of Schedule Points. When a Team receives a Disqualification in an Elimination Match, the entire Alliance is Disqualified and they receive a loss for the Match. At a Head Referee’s discretion, repeated Violations and/or Disqualifications for a single Team may lead to its Disqualification for the entire tournament (see <T8>). A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Driving Skills Match or Autonomous Coding Skills Match receives a score of zero (0) for that Robot Skills Match.

Drive Team Member(s) – A Student who stands in the Alliance Station during a Match. Adults are not allowed to be Drive Team Members. See rules <G8>, <G9>, and <G10>.

Entanglement – A Robot status. A Robot is Entangled if it has grabbed, hooked, or attached to an opposing Robot or a Field Element. See rule <G13>.

Field – The entire playing Field, comprising the Floor and the Field Perimeter.

Field Element – The Field, white tape, Ladder, Wall Stakes, and all supporting structures or accessories (such as Alliance Station posts, field monitors, etc.).

Field Perimeter – The outer part of the Field, made up of twelve (12) straight sections.

Floor – The interior flat part of the playing Field, made up of six (6) grey foam field tiles wide by six (6) grey foam field tiles long (totaling thirty-six (36) field tiles) that are within the Field Perimeter.

Game Design Committee (GDC) – The creators of V5RC High Stakes, and authors of this Game Manual. The GDC is the only official source for rules clarifications and Q&A responses; see Section 1.

Holding – A Robot status; see rule <G16> for more information. A Robot is considered to be Holding if it meets any of the following criteria during a Match:

• Trapping – Limiting the movement of an opponent Robot to a small or confined area of the Field, approximately the size of one foam field tile or less, without an avenue for escape. Note that if a Robot is not attempting to escape, it is not considered Trapped.
• Pinning – Preventing the movement of an opponent Robot through contact with the Field Perimeter, a Field or Game Element, or another Robot.
• Lifting – Controlling an opponent’s movements by raising or tilting the opponent’s Robot off of the foam tiles.

Match – A set time period, consisting of Autonomous and/or Driver Controlled Periods, during which Teams play a defined version of High Stakes to earn points. See Section 4.

• 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.

*Note: The time periods in VAIRC are referred to as the Isolation Period and the Interaction Period.

Robot – A machine that has passed inspection, designed by Student Team Members to execute one or more tasks autonomously and/or by remote control from a Drive Team Member.

Student – A person is considered a Student if they meet both of the following criteria:

1. Anyone who is earning or has earned credit toward a secondary school (i.e., high school) diploma, certificate, or other equivalent during the six (6) months preceding the VEX Robotics World Championship. Courses earning credits leading up to high school would satisfy this requirement.
2. Anyone born after May 1, 2005 (i.e., who will be 19 or younger at VEX Worlds 2025). Eligibility may also be granted based on a disability that has delayed education by at least one year.
   
   
   • Middle School Student – A Student born after May 1, 2009 (i.e., who will be 15 or younger at VEX Worlds 2025). Any Students who meet this criteria may also compete as High School Students.
   • High School Student – Any eligible Student that is not a Middle School Student.

Team – One or more Students make up a Team.

• A Team is classified as a Middle School Team if all members are Middle School Students.
• A Team is classified as a High School Team if any of its members are High School Students, or if the Team is made up of Middle School Students who declare themselves “playing up” as High School Students by registering their Team as a High School Team.
• Once a Team has competed in an event as a High School Team, that Team may not change back to a Middle School Team for the remainder of the season.
• Teams may be associated with schools, community/youth organizations, or groups of neighborhood Students.

In the context of this Game Manual, Teams contain three types of Student roles related to Robot build, design, and coding. See <G2> and <G4> for more information. Adults may not fulfill any of these roles.

• Builder – The Student(s) on the Team who assemble(s) the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach the Builder(s) how to use concepts or tools associated with Robot construction, but may never work on the Robot without the Builder(s) present and actively participating.
• Coder – The Student(s) on the Team who write(s) the computer code that is downloaded onto the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach the Coder(s) how to use concepts or tools associated with programming, but may never work on the code that goes on the Robot without the Coder(s) present and actively participating.
• Designer – The Student(s) on the Team who design(s) the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach the Designer(s) how to use concepts or tools associated with design, but may never work on the design of the Robot without the Designer(s) present and actively participating.

Violation – The act of breaking a rule in the Game Manual.

• Minor Violation – A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification.
  
  
  • Accidental, momentary, or otherwise non Match Affecting Violations are usually Minor Violations.
  • Minor Violations usually result in a verbal warning from the Head Referee during the Match, which should serve to inform the Team that a rule is being Violated before it escalates to a Major Violation.
• Major Violation – A Violation which results in a Disqualification.
  
  
  • Unless otherwise noted in a rule, all Match Affecting Violations are Major Violations.
  • If noted in the rule, egregious or intentional Violations may also be Major Violations.
  • Multiple Minor Violations within a Match or tournament may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
• Match Affecting – A Violation which changes the winning and losing Alliance in the Match.
  
  
  • Multiple Violations within a Match can cumulatively become Match Affecting.
  • When evaluating if a Violation was Match Affecting, Head Referees will focus primarily on any Robot actions that were directly related to the Violation.
  • Determining whether a Violation was Match Affecting can only be done once the Match is complete and the scores have been calculated.

Some rules include Violation Notes in red italicized text to denote special circumstances or provide additional clarifications. If no Violation Notes are found in a given rule, then it should be assumed that the above “default” definitions apply.

To determine whether a Violation may have been Match Affecting, check whether the Team who committed the Violation won or lost the Match. If they did not win the Match, then the Violation could not have been Match Affecting, and it was very likely a Minor Violation.

See the flowchart below for more information.

Figure V-1: The process for determining whether or not an infraction should result in a Major Violation or Minor Violation.

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Game-Specific Definitions

Autonomous Line – The pair of white tape lines that run across the Field, and the space between those lines. See <SG7> for more information.

Corner – One of four 12" (304.8 mm) x 12" (304.8 mm) triangular sections of the Field in which Mobile Goals can be Placed. Each Corner is an infinitely tall three-dimensional volume bordered by the inner edges of the Field Perimeter and the outer edge of the associated white tape line.

• Negative Corner - A Corner of the Field, designated by the “-” sign on the stickers applied to the top of the Field Perimeter. See <SC5> and <SC6>.
• Positive Corner - A Corner of the Field, designated by the “+” sign on the stickers applied to the top of the Field Perimeter. See <SC5> and <SC6>.

Climb – A Robot action. A Robot is considered to be Climbing if it has intentionally grasped, grabbed, or attached itself to the bottom/black rung of the Ladder and/or a higher point of the Ladder. In most cases, this means a Robot mechanism will be reacting against multiple sides of a rung or vertical section in an effort to latch, clamp, or hook onto the Ladder. See <SC7> for the criteria for a Robot to be considered to have Climbed to a Level.

Ladder – A 36” (914.4 mm) x 36” (914.4 mm) x 46” (1168.4 mm) structure located in the center of the field. The Ladder has four vertical posts, and three sets of horizontal rungs at 18” (457.2 mm), 32” (812.8 mm), and 46” (1168.4 mm) to denote the three Climbing Levels. There is also a single High Stake atop the vertical post nearest the audience side of the Field, at the 180 degree mark on a GPS strip. All supporting structures, hardware, and the High Stake are considered part of the Ladder.

Level – A status used for scoring and expansion rules. See <SC7> and <SG3>.

Mobile Goal – One of five (5) large Scoring Objects, each with a Stake in the center. Mobile Goals are hexagonal, with a maximal diameter of 10” (254 mm) and an overall height of 14.5” (368.3 mm). The Stake is considered part of the Mobile Goal.

Figure MG-1: A depiction of a Mobile Goal.

Placed – A Mobile Goal status. See <SC5>.

Plane - An imaginary horizontal surface that divides the vertical space between two Levels, and expands infinitely across the Field.

Plowing – A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Robot is considered to be Plowing a Scoring Object if the Robot is intentionally moving it in a preferred direction with a flat or convex face of the Robot, or with another Scoring Object.

Possession – A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Scoring Object is considered Possessed by a Robot if a Robot’s change in direction would result in controlled movement of the Scoring Object. This typically requires at least one of the following to be true:

• The Scoring Object is fully supported by the Robot.
• The Robot is moving the Scoring Object in a preferred direction with a concave face of the Robot (or inside of a concave angle formed by multiple mechanisms/faces of the Robot).
• The Robot is holding the Scoring Object against the Floor or a Field Element.

Ring – A hollow red or blue torus-shaped plastic object with an outer diameter of 7” (177.8 mm), an inner “hole” diameter of 3” (76.2 mm), and a thickness (or “tube diameter”) of 2” (50.8 mm).

Figure R-1: A depiction of red and blue Rings.

Scored – A Ring status. See <SC3>.

Scoring Object – A Ring or Mobile Goal.

Stake – A vertical ½” (12.7 mm) Schedule 40 PVC pipe (gray, red, or blue) with a compliant barb at the top, used for Scoring Rings. There are ten (10) Stakes:

• Five (5) neutral Stakes in Mobile Goals, which fit six (6) Rings each
• Two (2) Alliance Wall Stakes, one per Alliance, which fit two (2) Rings each
• Two (2) neutral Wall Stakes, which fit six (6) Rings each
• One (1) neutral High Stake, which fits one (1) Ring

Starting Line – An infinite vertical plane aligned with the outside edge (closest to the Ladder) of the white tape line that runs parallel to each Alliance Station. See <SG1>.

Top Ring – A Ring status. See <SC4>.

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Scoring

Autonomous Bonus	6 Points
Each Ring Scored on a Stake	1 Point
Each Top Ring on a Stake	3 Points
Ring Scored on High Stake	See <SC9>
Climb - Level 1	3 Points
Climb - Level 2	6 Points
Climb - Level 3	12 Points
Each Ring Scored on a Mobile Goal / Stake that has been Placed in a Corner	See <SC6>

<SC1> All Scoring statuses are evaluated after the Match ends. Scores are calculated 5 seconds after the Match ends, or once all Scoring Objects, Field Elements, and Robots on the Field come to rest, whichever comes first.

1. This 5 second delay is intended to be the only permitted “benefit of the doubt” for last-second scoring actions. If an object or Robot is still in motion and “too close to call” between two states at the 5-second mark, then the less advantageous of the two states should be awarded to the Robot(s) in question. For example:
   
   
   1. A Robot which has Climbed on the Ladder but is slowly drooping down, and crosses a Level threshold right at 5 seconds, would be considered in the lower of the two Levels.
   2. A Ring which slowly slides out of a Robot’s mechanism and lands on a Stake right at 5 seconds would not be considered Scored.
2. At the end of the Match, the on-screen timer displayed by Tournament Manager will hold the current Match information and “0:00” for 5 seconds before moving to queue the next Match. This should be the primary 5-second visual cue used by Teams and Head Referees.
3. This 5 second delay is only intended to be a “benefit of the doubt” grace period, not an extra 5 seconds of Match time. Robots which are designed to strategically exploit this grace period will receive a Minor Violation, and any post-Match movement will not be included in score calculation (i.e., the Match will be scored as it was at 0:00).

<SC2> Scoring of the Autonomous Bonus is evaluated immediately after the Autonomous Period ends (i.e., once all Scoring Objects, Field Elements, and Robots on the Field come to rest).

1. Climb points and Corner modifiers are not included in the calculation of an Alliance’s score for the purposes of determining the Autonomous Bonus.
2. If the Autonomous Period ends in a tie, including a zero-to-zero tie, each Alliance will receive an Autonomous Bonus of three (3) points.
3. Any rule Violations, Major or Minor, during the Autonomous Period will result in the Autonomous Bonus being awarded to the other Alliance. If both Alliances violate rules during the Autonomous Period, no Autonomous Bonus will be awarded.

<SC3> A Ring is considered Scored on a Stake if it meets the following criteria:

1. The Ring is “encircling” a Stake. In this context, “encircling” means that any part of the Stake is at least partially within the volume defined by the inner edges of the Ring.
   
   
   1. Each Ring can only be counted for points once, even in cases where the Ring qualifies as Scored on multiple Stakes
   2. If multiple Stakes are encircled by the same Ring, Top Rings will not be awarded for those Stakes
   3. If multiple Stakes are encircled by the same Ring and either of those Stakes is on a Mobile Goal that is Placed in a corner, that Ring should earn the points for the Stake that is not Placed in the Corner (i.e., that Ring should be Scored as 1 point, and not modified by the Corner). Intentionally causing a Ring to be Scored on multiple Stakes will, at minimum, receive a Minor Violation
2. The Stake does not exceed its total permitted number of Rings (see definition of Stake). In the event of too many Rings on a Stake, the “highest” Rings will be removed.

Note: There is no requirement for a Mobile Goal to be upright in order for its Rings to be considered Scored. Contact with any other Field Elements or Rings is irrelevant.

<SC4> A Ring is considered a Top Ring if it meets the following criteria:

1. The Ring is Scored on a Stake (i.e., meets all criteria in <SC3>).
2. The Ring is the furthest Scored Ring from a given Stake’s base (i.e., Mobile Goal base or Field Perimeter wall).
3. There is no minimum number of Rings required; if only one Ring is Scored on a Stake, then it is still considered that Stake’s Top Ring.

Note: A Ring that is considered a Top Ring does not also receive points for being Scored on a Stake; i.e., that Ring is worth 3 points, not a total of “3 + 1” points.

Note 2: If a Top Ring cannot be determined, but the two Rings in question are of the same color, then either of them may be considered the Top Ring. If the two Rings in question are of opposite colors, then that Stake will have no Top Rings.

<SC5> A Mobile Goal is considered Placed in a Corner if it meets the following criteria:

1. The Mobile Goal base is contacting the Floor or a white tape line.
2. Some portion of the flexible top of the Mobile Goal's Stake is higher than the top edge of the Field Perimeter.
3. The Mobile Goal base is breaking the plane of the Corner.

Note: Only one Mobile Goal may be considered Placed in each Corner. If multiple Mobile Goals meet the above requirements in the same Corner, the following criteria will be used as a series of "tiebreakers" to determine which Mobile Goal is Placed. If a Head Referee determines that a tiebreaker is visually too close to call, the Mobile Goals will remain tied and the Head Referee should move to the next tiebreaker.

1. The Mobile Goal whose base extends farthest into the Corner is Placed. See Figure SC5-1.
2. The Mobile Goal whose Stake is most vertical (perpendicular to the Floor) is Placed.
3. The Mobile Goal whose flexible top extends farthest into the Corner is Placed.
4. If multiple Mobile Goals are still tied for the above criteria, then no Mobile Goal is considered Placed in this Corner.

Figure SC5-1: Per the first tiebreaker, and as shown by the arrows in the image, the base of the left Mobile Goal extends farther into the Corner. Therefore, the left Mobile Goal would be considered Placed in this Corner. Referees should assess this criteria by looking straight down onto the Corner and tape line. The distance represented by the arrows is evaluated perpendicular to the tape line.

<SC6> A Mobile Goal that has been Placed will result in the following Corner modifiers to its Scored Rings:

1. Placed in a Positive Corner
   
   
   1. Values of all Scored Rings on the Mobile Goal will be doubled. Scored Rings will receive two (2) points, and Scored Top Rings will receive six (6) points.
2. Placed in a Negative Corner
   
   
   1. Values of all Scored Rings on the Mobile Goal will be set to zero points.
   2. For each Ring, an equivalent amount of points will be removed from that Alliance’s other Scored Rings. Scored Rings will remove (1) point, and Scored Top Rings will remove three (3) points.
   3. This negator only applies to an Alliance’s “Ring points.” Points received for Climbing and the Autonomous Bonus cannot be removed.

Note: The impact of Corner modifiers is subject to change in any of the major Game Manual updates (June 25, 2024; September 3, 2024; January 28, 2025; and/or April 2, 2025).

<SC7> A Robot is considered to have Climbed to a Level if it meets the following criteria:

1. The Robot is contacting the Ladder.
2. The Robot is not contacting any other Field Elements, including the gray foam tiles.
3. The Robot is not contacting any Mobile Goals.
4. The Robot’s lowest point is past that Level’s minimum height from the gray foam tiles.
   
   
   1. Each Level corresponds to a vertical section of the Ladder. For example, a Level 1 Climb represents a Robot whose lowest point is above the foam tiles, but not higher than the black rung of the Ladder.

<SC8> An Autonomous Win Point is awarded to any Alliance that ends the Autonomous Period with the following tasks completed, and that has not broken any rules during the Autonomous Period:

1. At least three (3) Scored Rings of the Alliance's color
2. A minimum of two (2) Stakes on the Alliance's side of the Autonomous Line with at least (1) Ring of the Alliance's color Scored
3. Neither Robot contacting / breaking the plane of the Starting Line
4. At least One (1) Robot contacting the Ladder
   
   

For events which qualify directly to the World Championship (e.g., Event Region Championships and Signature Events), the following tasks must be completed for an Alliance to receive an Autonomous Win Point. The standard criteria above still apply to all other events.

1. At least four (4) Scored Rings of the Alliance's color.
2. A minimum of three (3) Stakes on the Alliance's side of the Autonomous Line with at least one (1) Ring of the Alliance's color Scored.
3. At least one Ring of the Alliance's color Scored on the Alliance's Wall Stake.
4. Neither Robot contacting / breaking the plane of the Starting Line.
5. At least one (1) Robot contacting the Ladder.

<SC9> A High Stake bonus is available to an Alliance that ends the Match with a Ring Scored on the High Stake. Each Robot from that Alliance which has earned points for a Climb will receive an additional two (2) points for that Climb.

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Safety Rules

<S1> Be safe out there. If at any time the Robot operation or Team actions are deemed unsafe or have damaged a Field Element, Scoring Object, or the Field, the offending Team may receive a Disablement and/or Disqualification at the discretion of the Head Referee. The Robot will require re-inspection as described in rule <R3> before it may take the field again.

Violation Notes: Major <S1> Violations should be reported to and/or discussed with the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<S2> Students must be accompanied by an Adult. No Student may attend a VEX V5 Robotics Competition event without a responsible Adult supervising them. The Adult must obey all rules and be careful to not violate Student-centered policies, but must be present for the full duration of the event in the case of an emergency. Violations of this rule may result in removal from the event.

Violation Notes: Major <S2> Violations should be reported to the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<S3> Stay inside the field. If a Robot is completely out-of-bounds (outside the Field), it will receive a Disablement for the remainder of the Match.

Note: The intent of this rule is not to penalize Robots for having mechanisms that inadvertently cross the Field Perimeter during normal game play.

<S4> Wear safety glasses. All Drive Team Members must wear safety glasses or glasses with side shields while in the Alliance Stations during Matches. While in the pit area, it is highly recommended that all Team members wear safety glasses.

---

General Game Rules

<G1> Treat everyone with respect. All Teams are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner while competing in VEX V5 Robotics Competition events. If a Team or any of its members (Students or any Adults associated with the Team) are disrespectful or uncivil to event staff, volunteers, or fellow competitors, they may receive a Disqualification from a current or upcoming Match. Team conduct pertaining to <G1> may also impact a Team’s eligibility for judged awards. Repeated or extreme violations of <G1> could result in a Team being Disqualified from an entire event, depending on the severity of the situation.

This rule exists alongside the REC Foundation Code of Conduct. Violation of the Code of Conduct can be considered a Major Violation of <G1> and can result in Disqualification from a current Match, an upcoming Match, an entire event, or (in extreme cases) an entire competition season. The Code of Conduct can be found here.

More information regarding the event Code of Conduct process can be found here.

Violation Notes:

• Any Violation of <G1> may be considered Major Violations and should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Teams at risk of a Major <G1> Violation due to multiple disrespectful or uncivil behaviors will usually receive a “final warning”, although the Head Referee is not required to provide one.
• All Major <G1> Violations/Disqualifications should be reported to and/or discussed with the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<G2> V5RC is a student-centered program. V5RC is a student-centered program. Adults should not make decisions about the Robot’s build, design, or gameplay, and should not provide an unfair advantage by providing ‘help’ that is beyond the Student' independent abilities. Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understanding of their Robot’s design, construction, and programming to judges or event staff.

This rule operates in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy, which is available in the REC Library for Teams to reference throughout the season.

Violation Notes: Potential Violations of this rule will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. By definition, all Violations of this rule become Match Affecting as soon as a Robot which was built or coded by an Adult wins a Match. All reported and/or suspected <G2> Violations should be reported to the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<G3> Use common sense. When reading and applying the various rules in this document, please remember that common sense always applies in the VEX V5 Robotics Competition.

<G4> The Robot must represent the skill level of the Team. Each Team must include Drive Team Members, Coder(s), Designer(s), and Builder(s). Many also include notebooker(s). No Student may fulfill any of these roles for more than one VEX V5 Robotics Competition Team in a given competition season. Students may have more than one role on the Team, e.g., the Designer may also be the Builder, the Coder and a Drive Team Member.

1. Team members may move from one Team to another for non-strategic reasons outside of the Team’s control.
   
   
   1. Examples of permissible moves may include, but are not limited to, illness, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, or combining/splitting Teams.
   2. Examples of strategic moves in Violation of this rule may include, but are not limited to, one Coder “switching” Teams in order to write the same program for multiple Robots, or one Student writing the Engineering Notebook for multiple Teams.
   3. If a Student leaves a Team to join another Team, <G4> still applies to the Students remaining on the previous Team. For example, if a Coder leaves a Team, then that Team’s Robot must still represent the skill level of the Team without that Coder. One way to accomplish this would be to ensure that the Coder teaches or trains a “replacement” Coder in their absence.

Points ii and iii are intended to represent real-world situations that are found in industry engineering. If a vital member of a professional engineering team were to suddenly leave, the remaining members of the team should still be capable of working on / maintaining their project.



2. When a Team qualifies for a Championship event (e.g., States, Nationals, Worlds, etc.) the Students on the Team attending the Championship event are expected to be the same Students on the Team that was awarded the spot. Students can be added as support to the Team, but may not be added as Drive Team Members or Coders for the Team.
   
   
   1. An exception is allowed if only one member of the Team is able to attend the event. The Team can make a single substitution of a Drive Team Member or Coder for the Championship event with another Student, even if that Student has competed on a different Team. This Student will now be on this new Team and may not substitute back to the original Team during the season.
      

Violation Notes: Violations of this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy as noted in <G2>, and the REC Foundation Code of Conduct as noted in <G1>. All reported and/or suspected <G4> Violations should be reported to the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<G5> Robots begin the Match in the starting volume. At the beginning of a Match, each Robot must be smaller than a volume of 18” (457.2 mm) long by 18” (457.2 mm) wide by 18” (457.2 mm) tall.

Note: Using external influences, such as preloads or the Field Perimeter, to maintain a Robot’s starting size is only acceptable if the Robot would still satisfy the constraints of <R4> and pass inspection without these influences.

Violation Notes: Any Violation of this rule will result in the Robot being removed from the field prior to the start of the Match, and rules <R3d> and <T5> will apply until the situation is corrected.

<G6> Keep your Robots together. Robots may not intentionally detach parts during the Match or leave mechanisms on the Field.

Note: Parts which become detached unintentionally are a Minor Violation, are no longer considered “part of a Robot,” and should be ignored for the purposes of any rules which involve Robot contact or location (e.g., Scoring) or Robot size.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule should be rare, as Robots should never be designed to intentionally violate it. Minor Violations are usually due to Robots being damaged during gameplay, such as a wheel falling off.

<G7> Don’t clamp your Robot to the Field. Robots may not intentionally grasp, grapple, or attach to any Field Elements other than the Ladder. Strategies with mechanisms that react against multiple sides of a Field Element in an effort to latch or clamp onto said Field Element are prohibited. The intent of this rule is to prevent Teams from both unintentionally damaging the Field and/or from anchoring themselves to the Field in locations other than the Ladder.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule should be rare, as Robots should never be designed to intentionally violate it.

<G8> Only Drive Team Members, and only in the Alliance Station. During a Match, each Team may have up to three (3) Drive Team Members in their Alliance Station, and all Drive Team Members must remain in their Alliance Station for the duration of the Match.

Drive Team Members are prohibited from any of the following actions during a Match:

1. Bringing/using any sort of communication devices into the Alliance Station. Non-headphone devices with communication features turned off (e.g., a phone in airplane mode) are allowed.
2. Standing on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the Field is on the floor or elevated.
3. Bringing/using additional materials to simplify the game challenge during a Match.
4. To ensure that Drive Team Members are aware of verbal calls or warnings during a Match (as an application of rules <T1>, <G1>, <S1>, and <G3>), powered headphones, earbuds, and passive earpieces connected to electronic devices cannot be worn/used in the Alliance Station except as required by an officially approved accommodation request.

Note: Drive Team Members are the only Team members that are allowed to be in the Alliance Station during a Match.

Note 2: During a Match, Robots may be operated only by the Drive Team Members and/or by software running on the Robot’s control system, in accordance with <R27> and <G10>.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Match Affecting, and could invoke Violations of other rules, such as <G1>, <G2>, or <G4>.

<G9> Hands out of the field. Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intentional contact with any Scoring Objects, Field Elements, or Robots during a Match, apart from the contact specified in <G9a>.

1. During the Driver Controlled Period, Drive Team Members may only touch their own Robot if the Robot has not moved at all during the Match. Touching the Robot in this case is permitted only for the following reasons:
   
   
   1. Turning the Robot on or off
   2. Plugging in a battery
   3. Plugging in a V5 Robot Radio
   4. Touching the V5 Robot Brain screen, such as to start a program
2. Drive Team Members are not permitted to break the plane of the Field Perimeter at any time during the Match, apart from the actions described above.
3. Transitive contact, such as contact with the Field Perimeter that causes the Field Perimeter to contact Field Elements or Scoring Objects inside of the Field, could be considered a Violation of this rule.
   

Note: Any concerns regarding Field Element or Scoring Object starting positions should be raised with the Head Referee prior to the Match. Team members may never adjust Scoring Objects or Field Elements themselves.

<G10> Controllers must stay connected to the field. Prior to the beginning of each Match, Drive Team Members must plug their V5 Controller into the field’s control system. This cable must remain plugged in for the duration of the Match, and may not be removed until the “all-clear” has been given for Drive Team Members to retrieve their Robots. See <T23> for more information regarding field control system options.

Violation Notes: The intent of this rule is to ensure that Robots abide by commands sent by the tournament software. Temporarily removing the cable to assist with mid-Match troubleshooting, with an Event Partner or other event technical staff present and assisting, would not be considered a Violation.

<G11> Autonomous means “no humans.” During the Autonomous Period, Drive Team Members are not permitted to interact with the Robots in any way, directly or indirectly. This could include, but is not limited to:

• Activating any controls on their V5 Controllers
• Unplugging or otherwise manually interfering with the field connection in any way
• Manually triggering sensors (including the Vision Sensor) in any way, even without touching them

Note: In extreme cases, with permission from the Head Referee, Teams may Disable their Robot during the Autonomous Period by holding the power button on their V5 Controller. This exception is only intended for egregious safety- or damage-related circumstances; disabling an autonomous routine for strategic purposes would still be considered a Violation of <G11>.

Violation Notes: See <G12>.

<G12> All rules still apply in the Autonomous Period. Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times, including during the Autonomous Period. Any Violations , Major or Minor, during the Autonomous Period will result in the Autonomous Bonus being awarded to the other Alliance. If both Alliances violate rules during the Autonomous Period, no Autonomous Bonus will be awarded.

Violation Note: In general, Minor Violations of SG rules that occur during the Autonomous Period should only affect the outcome of the Autonomous Period (i.e., the Alliance can’t win the Autonomous Bonus or earn an Autonomous Win Point) and should not be considered when determining whether a Violation has been repeated during the event.

If a Head Referee determines that a Violation of an SG or G rule during the Autonomous Period was intentional/strategic rather than accidental/situational, they should be recorded as Minor or Major Violations and considered when determining whether a Violation has been repeated during the event..

<G13> Don’t destroy other Robots. But, be prepared to encounter defense. Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or Entanglement of opposing Robots are not part of the ethos of the VEX V5 Robotics Competition and are not allowed.

1. V5RC High Stakes is intended to be an offensive game. Teams that partake in solely defensive or destructive strategies will not have the protections implied by <G13> (see <G14>). However, defensive play which does not involve destructive or illegal strategies is still within the spirit of this rule.
2. V5RC High Stakes is also intended to be an interactive game. Some incidental tipping, Entanglement, and damage may occur as a part of normal gameplay without Violation. It will be up to the Head Referee’s discretion whether the interaction was incidental or intentional.
3. A Team is responsible for the actions of its Robot at all times, including the Autonomous Period. This applies both to Teams that are driving recklessly or potentially causing damage, and to Teams that drive around with a small wheel base. A Team should design its Robot such that it is not easily tipped over or damaged by minor contact.

Violation Notes:

• Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Match Affecting. Intentional and/or egregious tipping, Entanglement, or damage may be considered a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.

• Repeated Violations within a Match or tournament could be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or <S1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.
  

<G14> Offensive Robots get the “benefit of the doubt.” In a case where Head Referees are forced to make a judgment call regarding a destructive interaction between a defensive and offensive Robot, or an interaction which results in a questionable Violation, referees will decide in favor of the offensive Robot.

<G15> You can’t force an opponent into a penalty. Intentional strategies that cause an opponent to break a rule are not permitted, and will not result in a Violation for the opposing Alliance.

Violation Notes: In most cases, if a Team causes their opponent to break a rule, the Head Referee will simply not enforce the penalty on that opponent, and it will be considered a Minor Violation for the guilty Team. However, if the forced situation becomes Match Affecting in favor of the guilty Team, it will be considered a Major Violation.

<G16> No Holding for more than a 5-count. A Robot may not Hold an opposing Robot for more than a 5-count during the Driver Controlled Period.

For the purposes of this rule, a “count” is defined as an interval of time that is approximately one second in duration, and “counted-out” by Head Referees verbally.

A Holding count is over when at least one of the following conditions is met:

1. The two Robots are separated by at least two (2) feet (approximately one foam tile).
2. Either Robot has moved at least two (2) feet away (approximately 1 tile) from the location where the Trapping or Pinning count began.
   
   
   1. In the case of Lifting, this location is measured from where the Lifted Robot is released, not from where the Lifting began.
3. The Holding Robot becomes Trapped or Pinned by a different Robot.
   
   
   1. In this case, the original count would end, and a new count would begin for the newly Held Robot.
4. In the case of Trapping, if an avenue of escape becomes available due to changing circumstances in the Match.

After a Holding count ends, a Robot may not resume Holding the same Robot again for another 5-count. If a Team resumes Holding the same Robot within that 5-count, the original count will resume from where it ended.

<G17> Use Scoring Objects to play the game. Scoring Objects may not be used to accomplish actions that would be otherwise illegal if they were attempted by Robot mechanisms. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Interfering with an opponent’s Autonomous routine per <SG8>
• Interfering with an opponent’s Climb per <SG9>

Violation Notes: If a rule is Violated through the use of a Scoring Object instead of a Robot mechanism, it should be evaluated as though the rule in question had been Violated by a Robot mechanism.

---

Specific Game Rules

<SG1> Starting a Match. Prior to the start of each Match, the Robot must be placed such that it is:

1. Contacting / “breaking the plane” of their Alliance’s Starting Line. See Figure SG1-1.
2. Not contacting any Scoring Objects other than a maximum of one (1) preload. See rule <SG5>.
3. Not contacting any other Robots.
4. Completely stationary (i.e., no motors or other mechanisms in motion).

Violation Notes: The Match will not begin until the conditions in this rule are met. If a Robot cannot meet these conditions in a timely manner, the Robot will be removed from the Field and rules <R3d> and <T5> will apply until the situation is corrected.

Figure SG1-1: An overhead view of the Field, with the Starting Lines highlighted green.

<SG2> Horizontal expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may only expand beyond their starting size and configuration within the following criteria:

1. Robots may never exceed an overall footprint of 24” x 18”. For reference, 24” is roughly the width of one foam field tile.
2. From the Robot’s perspective, only one “X/Y” direction may expand outside of the starting configuration during the Match (i.e., the Robot can’t get both wider and longer). This single expansion direction must be identified and measured during Robot inspection, as shown in the figures below.
3. Vertical expansion is addressed separately by rule <SG3>. Robots may expand both horizontally and vertically; the top of the Robot is not considered an “X/Y” direction in the context of this rule.

Note: Horizontal expansion is measured from the Robot’s perspective; i.e., it does “rotate with the Robot.” Robots that tip over, or rotate while Climbing, are still restricted to expanding “from the one side” in the chosen direction that was measured during inspection.

Note 2: Intentionally exploiting a loophole in vertical expansion to get past the horizontal expansion limit is not allowed, and should be considered a Violation of rule <SG2>. The overall intent of the expansion rules is to prevent wall bots and/or Climbs that skip rungs, and to avoid penalizing Robots that tip or slip slightly while Climbing.

Violation Notes: Incidental minor infractions out of non-expansion sides that occur during a Match are only considered Minor Violations. Repeated Minor Violations should only escalate to a Major Violation in extreme circumstances. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Loose wires

• Broken zip ties / rubber bands

• Bent or broken mechanical components that are not used for strategic gains

<SG3> Vertical expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand vertically, but may never contact and/or break more than two Planes of the Ladder at any given time. For the purposes of this rule, the Floor is considered a Level.

1. For a Robot that is on the Floor (i.e., not Climbing), this is effectively a height limit of 32”, the distance between the Floor and the top of the gray rung of the Ladder.
2. This vertical limit is measured from the perspective of the Field; i.e., it does not “rotate with the Robot.”
3. Levels and Planes coincide with the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the Ladder rungs, but expand infinitely and are not limited to the volume of the Ladder.
   
   
   1. Each Level corresponds to a vertical section of the Ladder.
      
      
      1. Level 0: 0”, the Floor tiles
      2. Level 1: less than 18.16”, from the Floor to the top of the black rung
      3. Level 2: 18.17”-32.16”, from the top of the black rung to the top of the gray rung
      4. Level 3: 32.17: to 46.16 inches, from the top of the gray rung to the top of the yellow rung
      5. Level 4: ≥46.17 inches, above the yellow rung
   2. Each plane marks the dividing line between two Levels.
      
      
      1. Plane 0: Floor tiles
      2. Plane 1-2: top edge of the black rung of the Ladder
      3. Plane 2-3: top edge of the gray rung of the Ladder
      4. Plane 3-4: top edge of the yellow rung of the Ladder
   The intent of this rule is to prohibit Teams from “skipping a Level”. Robots cannot contact or break three Planes, or contact two non-sequential Levels, without violating this rule.
   
   

   Violation Notes: If a Robot falls or “droops” after the Match ends and leads to an <SG3> Violation, this will likely be considered a Minor Violation, provided no other rules are Violated. Their Climb will be Scored where they come to rest; see <SC1>.

   

   Figure SG3-1: Examples of legal and illegal vertical expansion.

   
   
   

   <SG4> Keep Scoring Objects in the field. Teams may not intentionally or strategically remove Mobile Goals or their opponent’s Rings from the field. Rings that leave the Field during Match play will be returned to the Field by a referee such that they satisfy the following conditions:

   
   
   1. Contacting the Field Perimeter wall on the side that coincides with their Alliance Station.
   2. Contacting the Floor.
   3. Not contacting a Mobile Goal.
   4. Not contacting a Robot.
   5. Not contacting a Corner.

   Note: If a Mobile Goal leaves the Field, a referee should return it to the Field in a position on the Autonomous Line. Any Rings which were Scored on this Mobile Goal will be returned to the Field as described above.

   Violation Notes:
   

   • After a Team’s third Violation of this rule (either Major or Minor), all subsequent Violations of this rule will immediately escalate to a Major Violation.

   • Any Team that removes three (3) or more of their opponent's Rings from the Field in a single Match will receive a Major Violation.

   • If it is not clear which Robot was the last to contact the Ring, the Team with a color that is opposite to the Ring will receive a Violation

   • Due to the difficulty of determining Match Affecting implications of this rule, most Violations should be considered Minor. However, blatantly intentional and/or Match Affecting Violations (especially during Elimination Matches) may still immediately escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion. For example, a Top Ring that is removed with 5 seconds remaining by an Alliance who wins the Match by 1 point.

   • Any Team who removes a Mobile Goal from the Field will immediately receive a Major Violation.

   
   
   Significant Q&As:
   
   

   • 2059 - Removing Rings from the Field while descoring is a Violation
   
   
   

   <SG5> Each Robot gets one Ring as a preload. Prior to the start of each Match, each preload that is used must be placed such that it is:

   
   
   1. Contacting one Robot of the same Alliance color as the preload.
   2. Not contacting the same Robot as another preload.
   3. Not contacting or encircling a Stake or any other Scoring Objects.

   Note: If a Robot is not present for their Match, then that Robot’s preload may be placed prior to the Match such that it satisfies the criteria listed in <SG4>.

   Violation Notes: See <SG1>.

   
   
   

   <SG6> Possession is limited to two Rings and one Mobile Goal. Robots may not have Possession of more than two (2) Rings at once. Robots may not have Possession of more than one (1) Mobile Goal at once. Robots in Violation of this rule must immediately stop all actions except for attempting to remove the excess Scoring Objects.

   If they are unable to remove the excess Scoring Objects, then they must return to a legal starting position (as described by <SG1>). They will not be eligible to receive points for Climbing. Any offensive or defensive interactions with Mobile Goals, Stakes, and Corners will be included in Match Affecting calculations.

   
   
   1. Rings on a Stake are not included in a Robot’s Possession count. For the purposes of this rule, “on a Stake” means that the Ring meets the criteria for a Scored Ring, even if it is being contacted by a Robot.
   2. Plowing multiple Mobile Goals is permitted. However, Plowing an additional Mobile Goal while also Possessing one is considered a Violation of this rule due to the extremely high likelihood of accidental/implied Possession. Teams which employ Plowing strategies are encouraged to clearly demonstrate that none of the Mobile Goals are being Possessed, e.g., by using a flat face of the Robot with no active mechanisms.

   Violation Notes:

   Any egregious or clearly intentional Violation by an Alliance who wins the Match will be considered aMajor Violation. Examples of “clearly intentional” Violations include, but are not limited to:

   • Possessing two or more Mobile Goals in a single Corner.
   • Continuing to play other portions of the game (e.g., defensive maneuvers, Climbing) without returning to a starting position for the majority of the Match.
   • “Accidentally” Possessing an egregious amount of opponent Rings.
   • Possessing six Rings, and Scoring them onto one Stake with a single action.
   • “Removing excess Scoring Objects” directly into Placed/Scored states
   • For the purposes of Match Affecting calculations that don't fall within the previous note (e.g., tied a Match), each Ring Scored during a Possession violation should be considered worth a value of 2 points. These values are not added or removed from the actual score. As with all Match Affecting calculations, only the winner’s points should be considered. If these points were enough to change the offending Alliance's score from a loss to either a win or a tie, it is Match Affecting. If they would have won the Match even without these points, it’s not Match Affecting. For example, a Robot is in Possession of three Rings and Scores one; this should be calculated as 2 points when considering whether it was Match Affecting (once the Robot is down to two Rings, they’re no longer in Violation of rule <SG6>;).
   • In a Robot Skills Match, Scoring a Ring or Placing a Mobile Goal into a Corner while in Violation of Possession limits will be considered a Score Affecting Violation and will result in a score of 0 for that Match
   
   
   If your Robot is carrying a Mobile Goal, you can't manipulate other Mobile Goals until you put down the one you're carrying. Period.
   
   
   
   Significant Q&As:
   
   

   • 2011 - Any Ring(s) removed from a Stake can count toward Possession
   • 2013 - Guarding a Mobile Goal isn’t the same as Possessing (or Plowing) it
   • 2026 - Possession is not transitive through other Robots
   
   
   

   <SG7> Don’t cross the Autonomous Line. During the Autonomous Period, Robots may not contact foam tiles, Scoring Objects, or Field Elements which are on the opposing Alliance’s side of the Autonomous Line.

   Note: Scoring Objects and Wall Stakes that contact or are positioned above the Autonomous Line are not considered to be on either side, and may be utilized by either Alliance during the Autonomous Period.

   Violation Notes:
   

   • All Violations of this rule (Major or Minor) will result in the Autonomous Bonus being awarded to the opposing Alliance. See <SG8b> for a potential exception caused by Autonomous Line interactions.

   • Intentional, strategic, or egregious Violations, such as intentional contact with an opposing Robot while contacting the foam tiles on the opposing side of the Autonomous Line, will be considered Major Violations.

   Significant Q&As:
   
   

   • 2066 - Pushing a Ring across the Autonomous Line isn’t automatically a Violation
   
   
   
   

   <SG8> Engage with the Autonomous Line at your own risk. Any Robot who engages with Scoring Objects and/or Wall Stakes on the Autonomous Line should be aware that opponent Robots may also choose to do the same. Per <G11> and <G12>, Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times.
   
   During the Autonomous Period, when Robots from opposing Alliances are both engaged with the same Scoring Object or Wall Stake:
   

   1. If a possible <G13> Violation occurs (e.g., damage, Entanglement, or tipping over), a judgment call will be made by the Head Referee within the context of <G13> and <G14> (just as it would if the interaction had occurred during the Driver Controlled Period).
   2. Incidental Violations of <SG7> will not be penalized, nor will they result in an automatic loss of the Autonomous Bonus as described by <G12>. However, this allowance only applies when opposing Robots are interacting with the same element.
   3. Intentional, strategic, repeated, or egregious offenses may still be deemed a Violation of <G12>, <G13>, <G14>, <SG7>, <G1>, and / or <S1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.

   These gameplay elements are intended to be utilized by either Alliance during the Autonomous Period. This will inevitably result in Robot-on-Robot interactions, both incidental and intentional. The overarching intent of <SG8> is for the vast majority of these interactions to result in no rule Violations and/or penalties for either Alliance, just as no rules Violations occur in 99% of Driver Controlled interactions.

   
   
   
   

   <SG9> Don’t remove opponents from the Ladder. There are no rules explicitly prohibiting incidental contact between Climbing Robots. However, if contact does occur, the principles behind rules <G13>, <G14>, and <G15> still apply. Intentional or egregious strategies aimed solely at damage or tipping are not allowed (in this context, “tipping” can be equated with “removing an opponent from the Ladder”). Teams cannot negate an opponent's Climb by contacting their Robot with a Mobile Goal, and an affected Climb will still be Scored. Doing so will result in a Minor Violation for the offending Team, assuming no other rules are broken and no damage is caused to the opponent.

   The core intent of this rule is the paragraph above. Everything that follows this red box is meant to provide guidance for interpreting questionable/incidental interactions, similar to how <G14> is used for ground level interactions. These are not explicit/absolute “hard lines” that supersede an obvious Violation. If a Robot has a mechanism designed to violently kick opponents off of the Ladder, none of the factors below can protect them.

   
   

   If a destructive incident occurs that requires a Head Referee judgment call between two Robots, the following factors may be used to determine “benefit of the doubt”.

   1. If the two Robots are not at the same Level, the higher Robot has the “right of way.”
      
      
      1. Point A especially applies if one Robot is not Climbing, i.e., is still in contact with the Floor. Driving directly into a Climbing Robot will always incur a Minor Violation at a minimum, even if no damage occurs.
   2. If a Robot is contacting the horizontal rungs of the Ladder facing their Alliance Station, they should generally be considered in a more “offensive” or “safe” position.
   3. Teams are responsible for their own Robots. Climbing mechanisms should be robust. If a Robot is not firmly attached to the Ladder, or has a history of falling without any opponent interaction, it will be difficult to claim that later damage was an opponent’s fault.
   4. Teams should expect possible interaction between Robots when engaging with the High Stake. These interactions will be treated similarly as two Robots engaging with the Autonomous Line in <SG8>; other than repeated/egregious cases, this contact/damage is likely to be ruled incidental.

   Teams can use this rule as a gradient of “risk tolerance” when designing Climbing mechanisms or playing Matches.

   • Low risk = Be the first Robot up, have a robust build, stay on your side of the Ladder, avoid the High Stake. Low chance of interacting with others intentionally or accidentally.
   • High risk = Last-second dash up to de-score the High Stake. Technically possible to accomplish legally, but you’re not allowed to be surprised when an accident is not ruled in your favor.
   
   

   Violation Notes:

   • This rule exists as an application of <G13> that is specific to Climbing. Violations should be treated effectively the same as Violations of <G13>.

   • As with <G13>, Major Violations are not required to be Match Affecting, at the Head Referee’s discretion.

   
   
   

   <SG10> Alliance Wall Stakes are protected. Robots may not directly or indirectly interact with the opponent’s Alliance Wall Stake. This includes both Scoring and/or removing Rings of either color.

   For the purposes of this rule, “Score” (and “remove”) means causing them to satisfy (or no longer satisfy) the criteria listed in <SC3>.

   If a Ring of the opposing color ends the Match in a Scored position on an Alliance Wall Stake, that Ring should not be considered as Scored, and will not earn points for either Alliance (it will still, however, count toward the maximum number of 2 Rings that can be placed on an Alliance Wall Stake).

   
   
   

   <SG11> <Positive corners are protected during the endgame. During the last fifteen (15) seconds of a Match, Robots may not contact Mobile Goals that are Placed in the Positive Corners of the Field, may not contact Rings that are Scored on Mobile Goals Placed in the Positive Corners of the Field, and may not Place Mobile Goals or Score Rings in the Positive Corners of the Field. During this protected period, Robots can remove Mobile Goals that are not Placed and Rings that are not Scored from the Positive Corners of the Field, provided that the interaction does not affect the Placed/Scored status of any protected Mobile Goals or Rings.

   Violation Notes: Intentional, strategic, or egregious Violations will be considered Major Violations.

   ---

Inspection Rules

<R1> One Robot per Team. Only one (1) Robot will be allowed to compete per Team at a given event in the VEX V5 Robotics Competition. Though it is expected that Teams will make changes to their Robot at the competition, a Team is limited to only one (1) Robot at a given event. A VEX Robot, for the purposes of the VEX V5 Robotics Competition, has the following subsystems:

• Subsystem 1: Mobile robotic base including wheels, tracks, legs, or any other mechanism that allows the Robot to navigate the majority of the flat playing field surface. For a stationary Robot, the robotic base without wheels would be considered Subsystem 1.
• Subsystem 2: Power and control system that includes a legal VEX battery, a legal VEX control system, and associated motors for the mobile robotic base.
• Subsystem 3: Additional mechanisms (and associated motors) that allow manipulation of Rings, Field Elements, or Climbing the Ladder.

Given the above definitions, a minimum Robot for use in any VEX V5 Robotics Competition event (including Skills Challenges) must consist of subsystems 1 and 2 above. Thus, if you are swapping out an entire subsystem 1 or 2, you have now created a second Robot and have Violated this rule.

1. Teams may not compete with one Robot while a second is being modified or assembled at a competition.
2. Teams may not have an assembled second Robot on-hand at a competition that is used to repair or swap parts with the first Robot.
3. Teams may not switch back and forth between multiple Robots during a competition. This includes using different Robots for Skills Challenges, Qualification Matches, and/or Elimination Matches.
4. Multiple Teams may not use the same Robot. Once a Robot has competed under a given Team number at an event, it is “their” Robot; no other Teams may compete with it.

<R2> Robots must represent the Team’s skill level. The Robot must be designed, built, and programmed by members of the Team. Adults are expected to mentor and teach design, building, and Programming Skills to the Students on the Team, but may not design, build, or program that Team’s Robot. See rules <G2> and <G4>.

<R3> Robots must pass inspection. Every Robot will be required to pass a full inspection before being cleared to compete. This inspection will ensure that all Robot rules and regulations are met. Initial inspections will take place during team registration/practice time. Noncompliance with any Robot design or construction rule will result in removal from Matches or Disqualification of the Robot at an event until the Robot is brought back into compliance, as described in the following subclauses.

1. Significant changes to a Robot, such as a partial or full swap of Subsystem 3, must be re-inspected before the Robot may compete again.
2. All possible functional Robot configurations must be inspected before being used in competition. This especially pertains to modular or swappable mechanisms (per <R1>) and Match starting configurations/sizes (per <R4>).
3. Teams may be requested to submit to spot inspections by Head Referees. Refusal to submit will result in Disqualification.
   
   
   1. If a Robot is determined to be in Violation of a Robot rule before a Match begins, the Robot will be removed from the Field. A Drive Team Member may remain at the Field so that the Team does not get assessed a “no-show” (per <T5>).
4. Robots which have not passed inspection (i.e., that may be in Violation of one or more Robot rules) will not be permitted to play in any Matches until they have done so. <T5> will apply to any Matches that occur until the Robot has passed inspection.
5. If a Robot has passed inspection, but is later confirmed to be in Violation of a Robot rule during or immediately following a Match by a Head Referee, they will be Disqualified from that Match. This is the only Match that will be affected; any prior Matches that have already been completed will not be revisited. <R3d> will apply until the Violation is remedied and the Team is re-inspected.
6. All Inspection Rules are to be enforced within the discretion of the Head Referee within a given event. Robot legality at one event does not automatically imply legality at future events. Robots which rely on “edge-case” interpretations of subjective rules, such as whether a decoration is “non-functional” or not, should expect additional scrutiny during inspection.

<R4> Robots must fit within an 18” x 18” x 18” volume.

1. Compliance with this rule must be checked using the official VEX Robotics On-Field Robot Expansion Sizing Tool.
2. Any restraints used to maintain starting size (i.e., zip ties, rubber bands, etc.) must remain attached to the Robot for the duration of the Match, per <G6>.
3. For the purposes of this rule, it can be assumed that Robots will be inspected and begin each Match on a flat standard foam field tile.

The official sizing tool is intentionally manufactured with a slightly oversized tolerance. Therefore, any contact with the sizing tool (i.e., a “paper test”) while being measured should be considered a clear indication that a Robot is outside of the permitted size. This tolerance also provides a slight “leeway” for minor protrusions, such as screw heads or zip ties.

Other tools, such as custom sizing boxes or the legacy non-expanding VEX Sizing Tool (276-2086), may be used for informal checks. However, in the event of a conflict or “close call,” a check with the official On-Field Robot Expansion Sizing Tool takes precedence.

<R5> Robots may only expand horizontally in one direction. Robots who choose to expand horizontally must demonstrably meet all criteria listed in rule <SG2>. The configuration / “expansion direction” that is measured during inspection must also be the direction used during Match play.

<R6> Robots must be safe. The following types of mechanisms and components are NOT allowed:

1. Those that could potentially damage Field Elements or Scoring Objects.
2. Those that could potentially damage other competing Robots.
3. Those that pose an unnecessary risk of Entanglement with other Robots or Field Elements.
4. Those that could pose a potential safety hazard to Drive Team Members, event staff, or other humans.

<R7> Robots are built from the VEX V5 system. Robots may be built ONLY using official VEX V5 components, unless otherwise specifically noted within these rules. Product pages on the VEX Robotics website should be used as the official definitive source for determining if a product is a “V5 component.”

1. Products from the VEXpro, VEX EXP, VEX IQ, VEX GO, VEX 123, VEX CTE, VEX AIM, VEX AIR, or VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product lines cannot be used for Robot construction, unless specifically allowed by a clause of <R7> or “cross-listed” as part of the VEX V5 Product lines. For example, Flex Wheels and VersaHubs are VEXpro components that can be found on the VEX “Flex Wheels” page, and specific sizes are thus legal.
   

   * The HEXBUG brand is a registered trademark belonging to Spin Master Corp

2. The following electronics from the VEX Cortex control system are not permitted:

   SKU	Description
   276-2192	VEXnet Joystick
   276-1891	VEXnet Partner Joystick
   276-2194	VEX ARM® Cortex-based Microcontroller
   276-2245 / 276-3245	VEXnet Key 1.0 / 2.0
   276-2177	2-Wire Motor 393
   276-2162	3-Wire Servo
   276-2210	VEX Flashlight
   276-2193	Motor Controller 29

3. The following electronics from the VEX Cortex control system are permitted:

   SKU	Description
   276-2174 / 276-4859	Limit Switch V1 / V2
   276-2159	Bumper Switch
   276-2156	Optical Shaft Encoder
   276-2216	Potentiometer
   276-2155	Ultrasonic Range Finder
   276-2176	LED Indicator
   276-2333	Yaw Rate Gyroscope
   276-2332	Analog Accelerometer V1.0
   276-2154	Line Tracker
   276-1380	Jumper
   276-2158	Light Sensor

4. Components that are unique to the V5 Workcell / CTE product line are not permitted. This includes the following:

   SKU	Description
   276-7151	Robot Arm Metal
   276-7152	Robot Brain Mount
   276-7153	Input Output Conveyor
   276-7720	Disc Feeder
   276-7047	V5 Electromagnet

5. VEX IQ pins are permitted.
6. Components obtained from the V5 beta program, including V5 beta firmware, are not legal for competition use.
   
   
   1. All V5 beta hardware can be identified by its lighter gray pre-production color. Robot Brains, Robot Batteries, Controllers, and Vision Sensors from the V5 beta have a “BETA TEST” stamp on them. Smart Motors and Radios do not have this stamp, but can still be identified by color.
7. Components from the VEXplorer kit that are not found in modern VEX V5 kits are not permitted. These include (but may not be limited to) electronics, wheels, non-standard gears, and plastic connectors.
8. Legacy / discontinued products are only permitted if they are explicitly listed in this game manual, or still listed as V5RC or VRC legal on the VEX Robotics website.

<R8> Certain non-VEX components are allowed. Robots are allowed the following additional “non-VEX” components:

1. Any material strictly used as a color filter or a color marker for a legal sensor, such as the VEX Light Sensor or the VEX V5 Vision Sensor.
2. Any non-aerosol-based grease or lubricating compound, when used in extreme moderation on surfaces and locations that do NOT contact the playing field walls, foam field surface, Scoring Objects, or other Robots. Grease or lubricant applied directly to V5 Smart Motors or Smart Motor cartridges is prohibited.
3. Anti-static compound, when used in extreme moderation (i.e., such that it does not leave residue on Field Elements, Scoring Objects, or other Robots).
4. Hot glue when used to secure cable connections.
5. An unlimited amount of rope/string, no thicker than 1/4” (6.35 mm).
6. Commercially available items used solely for bundling or wrapping of 2-wire, 3-wire, 4-wire, or V5 Smart Cables, and/or pneumatic tubing are allowed. These items must solely be used for the purposes of cable/tubing protection, organization, or management. This includes but is not limited to electrical tape, cable carrier, cable track, etc. It is up to inspectors to determine whether a component is serving a function beyond protecting and managing cables and tubing.
7. Non-functional 3D printed license plates, per <R9> and <R10>, are permitted. This includes any supporting structures whose sole purpose is to hold, mount, or display an official license plate.
8. Rubber bands that are identical in length and thickness to those included in the VEX V5 product line (#32, #64, and 117B).
9. Pneumatic components with identical SMC manufacturer part numbers to those listed on the VEX website. For more detail regarding legal pneumatic components, see the Legal VEX Pneumatics Summary document.
10. Zip ties with identical dimensions as those included in the VEX V5 product line.
11. A Micro SD card installed in the V5 Robot Brain.

See this REC Library article for more information.

<R9> Decorations are allowed. Teams may add non-functional decorations, provided that they do not affect Robot performance in any significant way or affect the outcome of the Match. These decorations must be in the spirit of the competition. Inspectors will have final say in what is considered “non-functional.” Unless otherwise specified below, non-functional decorations are governed by all standard Robot rules.

To be considered “non-functional,” any guards, decals, or other decorations must be backed by legal materials that provide the same functionality. For example, if a Robot has a giant decal that prevents Scoring Objects from falling out of the Robot, the decal must be backed by VEX material that would also prevent the Scoring Objects from falling out. A simple way to check this is to determine if removing the decoration would impact the performance of the Robot in any way.

1. Anodizing and painting of parts is considered a legal nonfunctional decoration.
2. Small cameras are permitted as non-functional decorations, provided that any transmitting functions or wireless communications are disabled. Unusually large cameras being used as ballast are not permitted.
3. VEX electronics may not be used as non-functional decorations.
4. Decorations that visually mimic Field Elements or Scoring Objects, or that could otherwise interfere with an opponent’s Vision Sensor, are considered functional and are not permitted. The Inspector and Head Referee will make the final decision on whether a given decoration or mechanism violates this rule.
5. Internal power sources (e.g., for a small blinking light) are permitted, provided that no other rules are violated and this source only provides power to the non-functional decoration (i.e., does not directly or indirectly influence any functional portions of the Robot).
6. Decorations which provide feedback to the Robot (e.g., by influencing legal sensors) would be considered “functional,” and are not permitted.
7. Decorations which provide visual feedback to Drive Team Members (e.g., decorative lighting) are permitted, provided that they do not violate any other rules and serve no other function (e.g., structural support).

<R10> Officially registered Team numbers must be displayed on Robot license plates. To participate in an official VEX V5 Robotics Competition event, a Team must first register on robotevents.com and receive a V5RC Team number. This Team number must be displayed on the Robot using license plates. Teams may choose to use the official V5RC License Plate Kit, or may create their own.

1. License plates must be placed on a minimum of two (2) horizontally opposing sides of the Robot (i.e., the top of a Robot is not considered a “side”), and must remain visible and attached for the entirety of the Match.
2. Robots must use plates that match their Alliance color for each Match (i.e., red Alliance Robots must have their red plates on for the Match). It must be abundantly clear which color Alliance the Robot belongs to.
   
   
   1. If both colors of license plates are mounted on a Robot, then the incorrect color must be covered, taped over, or otherwise obscured. Since license plates are considered non-functional decorations, this is a legal non-functional use of tape.
3. License plates are considered non-functional decorations (per <R9>), and must fulfill all relevant Robot rules (e.g., they must fit within the 18” cube, cannot functionally change the stability or rigidity of the Robot, cause Entanglement, etc.).
4. Team numbers must be in white font, and clearly legible.
5. License plates must be at least 2.48 inches (63 mm) tall and 4.48 inches (114 mm) wide, i.e., at least the height/width dimensions of the plates in the V5RC License Plate Kit.

<R11> Let go of Scoring Objects after the Match. Robots must be designed to permit easy removal of Scoring Objects from any mechanism without requiring the Robot to have power after a Match.

<R12> Robots have one Brain. Robots must ONLY use one (1) VEX V5 Robot Brain (276-4810). Any other microcontrollers or processing devices are not allowed, even as non-functional decorations.

This includes microcontrollers that are part of other VEX product lines, such as VEX Cortex, VEX EXP, VEXpro, VEX CTE, VEX RCR, VEX IQ, VEX GO, or VEX Robotics by HEXBUG. This also includes devices that are unrelated to VEX, such as Raspberry Pi or Arduino devices.

<R13> Motors are limited. Robots may use any combination of VEX V5 Smart Motors (11W) (276-4840) and EXP Smart Motors (5.5W) (276-4842), within the following criteria:

1. The combined power of all motors (11W & 5.5W) must not exceed 88W. This limit applies to all motors on the Robot, even those which are not plugged in.
2. V5 Smart Motors, and EXP Smart Motors connected to Smart Ports, are the only motors that may be used with a V5 Robot Brain. The 3-wire ports may not be used to control motors of any kind.

Example	A	B	C	D	E
Qty of 11W Motors	8	7	6	5	0
Qty of 5.5 Motors	0	2	4	6	16

<R14> Electrical power comes from VEX batteries only. Robots may use one (1) V5 Robot Battery (276-4811) to power the V5 Robot Brain.

1. No other sources of electrical power are permitted, unless used as part of a non-functional decoration per <R9e>.
2. There are no legal power expanders for the V5 Robot Battery.
3. V5 Robot Batteries may only be charged by a V5 Robot Battery Charger (276-4812 or 276-4841).
4. V5 Wireless Controllers may only be powered by their internal rechargeable battery.
   
   
   1. Teams are permitted to have an external power source (such as a rechargeable battery pack) plugged into their V5 Controller during a Match, provided that this power source is connected safely and does not violate any other rules, such as <G10> or <R16>.
   2. Some events may choose to provide field power for V5 Wireless Controllers. If this is provided for all Teams at the event, then this is a legal power source for the wireless remotes.

<R15> No modifications to electronic or pneumatic components are allowed. Motors (including the V5 Smart Motor firmware), microcontrollers (including V5 Robot Brain firmware), cables, sensors, controllers, battery packs, reservoirs, solenoids, pneumatic cylinders, and any other electrical or pneumatics component of the VEX platform may NOT be altered from their original state in ANY way.

1. External wires on VEX 2-wire or 3-wire electrical components may be repaired by soldering or using twist/crimp connectors, electrical tape, or shrink tubing such that the original functionality and length are not modified in any way.
   
   
   1. Wire used in repairs must be identical to VEX wire.
   2. Teams make these repairs at their own risk; incorrect wiring may have undesired results.
2. Teams must use VEXos version 1.1.3 or newer, found at https://link.vex.com/firmware. Custom firmware modifications are not permitted.
   
   
   1. The minimum version requirement is subject to change over the course of the season.
   2. When the minimum version is updated, Teams have a two week (14 calendar day) grace period from the time the minimum version is changed to update their firmware to the latest minimum version.
   3. VEX reserves the right to deem any firmware update critical, and remove the allowable grace period.
3. Teams may make the following modifications to the V5 / EXP Smart Motor’s user-serviceable features. This list is all-inclusive; no other modifications are permitted. Where applicable, the components listed below (in the specific applications listed below) are permissible exceptions to <R21> Clauses c.ii.-c.iv. also apply to EXP Smart Motors (5.5W).
   
   
   1. Replacing the gear cartridge with other official cartridges.
   2. Removing or replacing the screws from the V5 Smart Motor Cap (276-6780).
   3. Removing or replacing the threaded mounting inserts (276-6781).
   4. Aesthetic/non-functional labeling (e.g., markers, stickers, paint, etc.).
4. V5 Smart Motors (11W) must use an official VEX V5 gear cartridge. For the purposes of this rule, the gear cartridges found within the V5 Smart Motor are considered “part of the motor.” Therefore, any physical or functional modifications to official gear cartridges is not permitted. 11w V5 Smart Motors may only use official VEX motor cartridges.
5. For the purposes of this rule, the V5 Smart Motor Cap is not considered “part of the motor.” Therefore, <R16> applies.

Tournament Definitions

Alliance Captain – One of the Teams with the privilege of inviting another available Team to form an Alliance for the Elimination Matches. See <T18>.

Alliance Selection – The process of choosing the permanent Alliances for the Elimination Matches. Alliance Selection proceeds as follows:

1. The highest-ranked Team at the end of Qualification Matches becomes the first Alliance Captain.
2. The Alliance Captain invites another Team to join their Alliance.
3. The invited Team Representative either accepts or declines as outlined in <T18>.
4. The next-highest-ranked Team becomes the next Alliance Captain.
5. Alliance Captains continue to select their Alliances in this order until all Alliances are formed for the Elimination Matches.

Autonomous Points (AP) – The second basis of ranking Teams. An Alliance who wins the Autonomous Bonus during a Qualification Match earns six (6) Autonomous Points. In the event of a tie, both Alliances will receive three (3) Autonomous Points.

Autonomous Win Point – One (1) Win Point (WP) given to an Alliance that completes the tasks described in <SC8>, by the end of the Autonomous Period. Both Alliances can earn this WP if both Alliances accomplish this task.

Bye – A situation in which an Alliance automatically advances to the next round of tournament play without competing.

Elimination Bracket – A schedule of Elimination Matches for eight (8) to sixteen (16) Alliances. See <T19>.

Elimination Match – A Match used in the process of determining the champion Alliance. Alliances of two (2) Teams face off according to the Elimination Bracket; the winning Alliance moves on to the next round.

Event Partner – The volunteer VEX V5 Robotics Competition tournament coordinator who serves as an overall manager for the volunteers, venue, event materials, and all other event considerations. Event Partners serve as the official liaison between the REC Foundation, the event volunteers, and event attendees.

Head Referee – A certified impartial volunteer responsible for enforcing the rules in this manual as written. Head Referees are the only individuals who may discuss ruling interpretations or scoring questions with Teams at an event. Large events (e.g., Signature Events, World Championships, etc.) might include multiple Head Referees at the Event Partner’s discretion.

Match Schedule – A list of Matches that is generated at the start of an event. The Match Schedule includes the predetermined, randomly-paired Alliances that will be competing in each Qualification Match, and the expected start times for these Matches. The Match Schedule may be subject to change at the Event Partner’s discretion.

Figure MS-1: An example of a Qualification Match Schedule

Practice Match – A Match used to provide time for Teams and volunteers to get acquainted with the official playing field and procedures. Practice Matches earn Teams zero (0) Win Points, Autonomous Points, and Strength of Schedule Points.

Qualification Match – A Match used to determine Team rankings for Alliance Selection. Each Qualification Match consists of two Alliances competing to earn Win Points, Autonomous Points, and Strength of Schedule Points.

Scorekeeper Referee – An impartial volunteer responsible for tallying scores at the end of a Match. Scorekeeper Referees do not make ruling interpretations, and should redirect any Team questions regarding rules or scores to a Head Referee.

Strength of Schedule Points (SP) – The third basis of ranking Teams. Strength of Schedule Points are equivalent to the score of the losing Alliance in a Qualification Match. In the event of a tie, both Alliances receive SPs equal to the tie score. If both Teams on an Alliance are Disqualified, the Teams on the not Disqualified Alliance will receive their own score as SPs for that Match.

Time Out – A single break period no greater than three minutes (3:00) allotted for each Alliance during the Elimination Bracket. See <T9>.

Win Points (WP) – The first basis of ranking Teams. Teams will receive zero (0), one (1), two (2), or three (3) Win Points for each Qualification Match. Unless a Team is Disqualified, both Teams on an Alliance always earn the same number of WPs.

• One (1) WP is awarded for completing the Autonomous Win Point task(s).
• Two (2) WPs are awarded for winning a Qualification Match.
• One (1) WP is awarded for tying a Qualification Match.
• Zero (0) WPs are awarded for losing a Qualification Match.

Win Percentage (WP) – Replaces Win Points in a league event. Win Percentage is calculated by the number of wins divided by the number of Qualification Matches the Team plays. In cases of a tie, the Team is given a 0.5 number of “wins” for that match. The Autonomous Win Point is also considered 0.5 “wins,” added to the total number of wins.

---

Tournament Rules

<T1> Head Referees have ultimate and final authority on all gameplay ruling decisions during the competition.

1. Scorekeeper Referees score the Match, and may serve as observers or advisers for Head Referees, but may not determine any rules or infractions directly.
2. When issuing a Major Violation or Minor Violation to a Team, Head Referees must provide the rule number of the specific rule that has been Violated, and record the Violation on the Match Anomaly Log.
3. Major Violations of the REC Foundation Code of Conduct and other rules related to the Code of Conduct require additional escalation beyond the Head Referee’s initial ruling, including (but not limited to) investigation by REC Foundation representatives. Rules <S1>, <S2>, <G1>, <G2>, <G4>, and <R28> are the rules for which this escalation may be required.
4. Event Partners may not overrule a Head Referee’s decision.
5. Every Qualification Match and Elimination Match must be watched by a certified Head Referee. Head Referees may only watch one Match at a time; if multiple Matches are happening simultaneously on separate fields, each field must have its own Head Referee.

<T2> Head Referees must be qualified. V5RC Head Referees must have the following qualifications:

1. Be at least 20 years of age.
2. Be approved by the Event Partner.
3. Be an REC Foundation Certified V5RC Head Referee for the current season. Visit this KB article for more details.

Note: Scorekeeper Referees must be at least 15 years of age, and must be approved by the Event Partner.

<T3> The Drive Team is permitted to immediately appeal a Head Referee’s ruling. If Drive Team Members wish to dispute a score or ruling, they must stay in the Alliance Station until the Head Referee from the Match talks with them. The Head Referee may choose to meet with the Drive Team Members at another location and/or at a later time so that the Head Referee has time to reference materials or resources to help with the decision. Once the Head Referee announces that their decision has been made final, the issue is over and no more appeals may be made (See rule <T1>).

1. Head Referees may not review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a score or ruling.
2. Head Referees are the only individuals permitted to explain a rule, Disqualification, Violation, warning, or other penalty to the Teams. Teams should never consult other field personnel, including Scorekeeper Referees, regarding a ruling clarification.

Communication and conflict resolution skills are an important life skill for Students to practice and learn. In VEX V5 Robotics Competitions, we expect Students to practice proper conflict resolution using the proper chain of command. Violations of this rule may be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or the Code of Conduct.

<T4> The Event Partner has ultimate authority regarding all non-gameplay decisions during an event The Game Manual is intended to provide a set of rules for successfully playing V5RC High Stakes; it is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of guidelines for running a VEX V5 Robotics Competition event. Rules such as, but not limited to, the following examples are at the discretion of the Event Partner and should be treated with the same respect as the Game Manual.

• Venue access
• Pit spaces
• Health and safety
• Team registration and/or competition eligibility
• Team conduct away from competition fields

<T5> A Team’s Robot and/or Drive Team Member should attend every Match. A Robot or a Student member of the Team must report to the field for the Team’s assigned Match, even if the Robot is not functional. If no Student Drive Team Members report to the Field, the Team will be considered a “no-show” and receive zero (0) WPs, AWPs, APs, and SPs.

<T6> Robots at the field must be ready to play. If a Team brings their Robot to the Field, it must be prepared to play (e.g., batteries charged, sized within the starting size constraint, displaying only the correct Alliance-color license plates, etc.).

1. Teams who use VEX pneumatics must have their systems charged before they place the Robot on the Field.
2. Robots must be placed on the Field promptly. Repeated failure to do so could result in a Violation of <G1>. The exact definition of the term “promptly” is at the discretion of the Head Referee and Event Partner, who will consider event schedule, previous warnings or delays, etc.
3. If a Robot is delaying the scheduled start of a Match, it may be removed from the Field at the discretion of the Head Referee and Event Partner. A Drive Team Member may remain at the Field so that the Team does not get assessed a “no-show” (per <T5>).

<T7> Match replays are allowed, but rare. Match replays (i.e., playing a Match over again from its start) must be agreed upon by both the Event Partner and Head Referee, and will only be issued in the most extreme circumstances. Some example situations that may warrant a Match replay are as follows:

1. Match Affecting “field fault” issues.
   
   
   1. Scoring Objects not starting in the correct positions.
   2. Tape lines lifting.
   3. Field Elements detaching or moving beyond normal tolerances (not as a result of Robot interactions).
   4. The Autonomous Period or Driver Controlled Period ending early.
   5. Field control disconnecting or disabling Robots. Note, this is sometimes confused with a Robot whose motors have overheated, or bent pins on a controller’s competition port causing intermittent drop-outs. In general, any true field fault will impact both Alliances simultaneously, not one Robot at a time.
2. Match Affecting game rule issues.
   
   
   1. Head Referee Disables a Robot for a misinterpretation of a rule Violation.
   2. Head Referee starts the Driver Controlled Period of the Match without determining the outcome of the Autonomous Period winner.
   3. The Field is reset before a score is determined.

<T8> Disqualifications. When a Team receives a Disqualification in a Qualification Match, they receive a score of zero (0) for the Match, as well as zero (0) Win Points, Autonomous Win Points, Autonomous Points, and Strength of Schedule Points.

1. If the Team receiving the Disqualification is on the winning Alliance, then Teams on the opposing Alliance who are not also Disqualified will receive the win for the Match and two (2) WP.
   
   
   1. The Team’s non-Disqualified Alliance Partner is unaffected, i.e. they will receive the win for the Match and two (2) WP.
2. If the Match was a tie, then each Team on the opposing Alliance (the Alliance that did not receive the Disqualification) will receive the win for the Match and two (2) WP. If both Alliances have a Team receiving a Disqualification, then all non-Disqualified Teams will receive a tie for the Match and one (1) WP.
3. Autonomous Win Points are not given to Teams that receive a Disqualification, and are not automatically awarded to the opposing Alliance.

When a Team is Disqualified in an Elimination Match, the entire Alliance is Disqualified; they receive a loss for the Match, and the opposing Alliance is awarded the win. If both Alliances receive a Disqualification in an Elimination Match, both Alliances receive a loss and will play another Match to determine a winner.

Note: If a Team is Disqualified in a Robot Skills Match, a score of zero (0) will be recorded for that Match.

<T9> Each Elimination Alliance gets one Time Out. Each Elimination Alliance gets one Time Out. Each Alliance may request one (1) Time Out during the Elimination Bracket. The Time Out will be served at the time of the Alliance’s next upcoming Match. Alliances must request their Time Out between Elimination Matches, as permitted by the Head Referee and Event Partner; they may not use their Time Out during a Match, for another Alliance’s Match, or after they have been eliminated.

<T10> Be prepared for minor field variance. Field Element tolerances and Scoring Objects may vary from specified locations/dimensions; Teams are encouraged to design their Robot accordingly. Please make sure to check Appendix A for more specific nominal dimensions and tolerances.

1. Field Element tolerances may vary from nominal by up to ±1.0”.
2. Rings and Mobile Goal placement at the beginning of the Match may vary from nominal by up to ±1” (25.4 mm).
3. Ladder Rung Heights may vary from nominal by up to ±1” (25.4 mm).
4. Rings have a nominal weight of .25lbs and may vary by +/- .075lbs (113.4g +/- 34g)
5. Mobile Goals have a nominal weight of 2lbs and may vary by +/- .075lbs (907g +/- 34g).
6. Wall Stake Height and Mobile Goal Heights may vary from nominal by up to ±1” (25.4 mm).
7. Mobile Goals should be positioned with flat edges facing the audience and Head Referee sides of the Field (as shown in figures throughout the game manual), with minor variance in rotation.
   

<T11> Fields may be repaired at the Event Partner’s discretion. All competition fields at an event must be set up in accordance with the specifications in Appendix A and/or other applicable Sections. Minor aesthetic customizations or repairs are permitted, provided that they do not impact gameplay (see <T4>).

Examples of permissible modifications include, but are not limited to:

• Applying threadlocker to Field Element mounting hardware
• Using non-VEX white electrical tape to add required lines to the Field
• Using standard 1/2” Schedule 40 PVC pipe to replace a damaged Wall Stake

Examples of prohibited modifications include, but are not limited to:

• Unofficial Field Perimeter walls, additional structural elements inside of the Field Perimeter, or unofficial/replica Field Elements
• Additional VEX structural parts attached to a Field Element
• Replacing the opaque field walls on the VEX Portable Competition Field Perimeter with transparent panels
• Using PVC pipe of a different size or thickness to replace a damaged section of the Ladder, Mobile Goal, or Wall Stake
  

Any specific repairs and/or modifications which pertain to the current season’s game will be documented in this rule and Appendix A, as needed.

<T12> The red Alliance places last. The red Alliance has the right to place its Robots on the Field last in both Qualification Matches and Elimination Matches. Once a Team has placed its Robot on the Field, its position cannot be readjusted prior to the Match. If a Team chooses to reposition their Robot after it has already been placed, the opposing Alliance will also be given the opportunity to reposition their Robots promptly.

<T13> Qualification Matches follow the Match schedule. A Qualification Match Schedule will be available on the day of competition. The Match Schedule will indicate Alliance partners, Match pairings, and Alliance colors for each Match. For tournaments with multiple fields, the schedule will indicate which Field each Match will take place on. The Match Schedule is subject to change at the Event Partner’s discretion. Any multi-division event must be approved by the REC Foundation RSM prior to the event, and divisions must be assigned in sequential order by Team number.

<T14> Each Team will have at least six Qualification Matches.

1. When in a tournament, the tournament must have a minimum of six (6) Qualification Matches per Team for a standard tournament or eight (8) Qualification Matches per championship event. The suggested amount of Qualification Matches per Team for a standard tournament is eight (8) and up to ten (10) for a championship event.
2. When in a league, there must be at least three (3) league ranking sessions, with at least one (1) week between sessions. Each session must have a minimum of two (2) Qualification Matches per Team. The suggested amount of Qualification Matches per Team for a standard league ranking session is four (4). Leagues will have a championship session where elimination rounds will be played. Event Partners may choose to have Qualification Matches as part of their championship session.

<T15> Qualification Matches contribute to a Team’s ranking for Alliance Selection.

1. When in a tournament, every Team will be ranked based on the same number of Qualification Matches.
2. When in a league, every Team will be ranked based on the number of Matches played. Teams that participate at least 60% of the total Matches available will be ranked above Teams that participate in less than 60% of the total Matches available; e.g., if the league offers 3 ranking sessions with 4 Qualification Matches per Team, Teams that participate in 8 or more Matches will be ranked higher than Teams who participate in 7 or fewer Matches. Being a no-show to a Match that a Team is scheduled in still constitutes participation for these calculations.
3. In some cases, a Team will be asked to play an additional Qualification Match. The extra Match will be identified on the Match Schedule with an asterisk; WPs, APs, and SPs for that Qualification Match will not impact a Team’s ranking, and will not affect participation percentage for leagues.
   
   
   1. Teams are reminded that <G1> is always in effect and Teams are expected to behave as if the additional Qualification Match counted.
   2. In Leagues, Teams may have a different number of Qualification Matches. Rankings are determined by the Win Percentage, which is the number of wins divided by the number of Qualification Matches that Teams have played.

<T16> Qualification Match tiebreakers. Team rankings are determined throughout Qualification Matches as follows:

1. Average Win Points (WP / Number of Matches played)
2. Average Autonomous Points (AP / Number of Matches played)
3. Average Strength of Schedule Points (SP / Number of Matches played)
4. Highest Match score
5. Second highest Match score
6. Random electronic draw

<T17> Send a Student representative to Alliance Selection. Each Team must send one (1) Student representative to the playing field (or other designated area) to participate in Alliance Selection. If the Team Representative fails to report in for Alliance Selection, their Team will be ineligible for participation in the Alliance Selection process.

<T18> Each Team may only be invited once to join one Alliance. If a Team representative declines an Alliance Captain’s invitation during Alliance Selection, that Team is no longer eligible to be selected by another Alliance Captain. However, they are still eligible to play Elimination Matches as an Alliance Captain.

For example:

• Alliance Captain 1 invites Team ABC to join their Alliance.
• Team ABC declines the invitation.
• No other Alliance Captains may invite Team ABC to join their Alliance.
• However, Team ABC may still form their own Alliance, if Team ABC ranked high enough after Qualification Matches to become an Alliance Captain.

Note: Alliances must have two Teams, and there are no “do-overs” during Alliance Selection. If enough Teams decline their invitations such that the full number of Alliances cannot be filled, the event will proceed with a reduced number of Alliances.

<T19> Elimination Matches follow the Elimination Bracket. A sixteen (16) Alliance bracket plays as shown in Figure T19-1:

If an event is run with fewer than sixteen (16) Alliances, then they will use the bracket shown above, with Byes awarded when there is no applicable Alliance. For example, in a tournament with twelve (12) Alliances, Alliances 1, 2, 3, & 4 would automatically advance to the Quarterfinals.

Thus, an eight (8) Alliance bracket would run as shown in Figure T19-2:

1. Any Elimination Matches that ends in a tied score with at least one Scored Ring and/or one Robot that has Climbed to a Level will result in a tiebreaker Match.
2. Any Elimination Matches that ends in a tied score with no Scored Rings and no Robots that have Climbed to a Level may be decided by the quantity of Mobile Goals that are fully on each side of the Autonomous Line. The Alliance with a higher quantity of Mobile Goals completely on their side of the Autonomous Line, and not in contact with the Autonomous Line, at the end of the Match should be awarded the value of 1 Scored Top Ring for that Match. If the Alliances have an equal number of Mobile Goals on their side of the Autonomous Line, a tiebreaker Match should be played.
3. In a "Best of 1" Elimination Round, the higher-seeded Alliance will advance and be declared the winner under the following guidelines.
   
   
   1. After two (2) ties in a non-Finals Match
   2. After three (3) ties in a Finals Match
4. In a ”Best of 3” Elimination Round, the higher-seeded Alliance will advance and be declared the winner under the following guidelines.
   
   
   1. After three (3) ties in a round in which neither Alliance has yet won a Match (0-0).
   2. After two (2) ties in a round in which each Alliance has won a single Match (1-1).
5. After two (2) ties in a “Best of 3” Elimination Round in which one Alliance has won a single Match (1-0), the Alliance with one (1) win will be declared the winner.

<T20> Elimination Matches are a blend of “Best of 1” and “Best of 3.” “Best of 1” means that the winning Alliance in each Match advances to the next round of the Elimination Bracket. “Best of 3” means that the first Alliance to reach two wins will advance.

See the Flowchart in Figure T20-1 for more information.

Figure T20-1: The process for determining how Elimination Matches should be played.

<T21> Small tournaments may have fewer Alliances. The number of Alliances for a given event is determined as follows:

# of Teams	# of Elimination Alliances
32+	16
24-31	12
16-23	8
<16	# of Teams divided by 2, less any remainder

<T22> Fields at an event must be consistent with each other. There are many types of permissible aesthetic and/or logistical modifications that may be made to competition fields at the Event Partner’s discretion. If an event has multiple Head-to-Head competition Fields, they must all incorporate the same permissible/applicable modifications. For example, if one field is elevated, then all Head-to-Head competition Fields must be elevated to the same height.

Examples of these modifications may include, but are not limited to:

• Elevating the playing Field off of the Floor (common heights are 12” to 24” [30.5cm to 61cm])
• Field control systems (see <T23>)
• Field display monitors
• Field Perimeter decorations (e.g., LED lights, sponsor decals on polycarbonate panels)
• Field Perimeter type (see <T24>)
• Utilizing the VEX GPS Field Code Strips

Note: If an event has dedicated fields for Skills Challenge Matches, there is no requirement for them to have the same consistent modifications as the Head-to-Head Fields. See <RSC8> for more details.

<T23> There are three types of field control that may be used:

1. A VEXnet Field Controller controlled by Tournament Manager, which connects to a Controller’s competition port via ethernet cable.
2. A V5 Event Brain controlled by Tournament Manager, which connects to a Controller via Smart Cable.
3. A VEXnet Competition Switch, which connects to a Controller’s competition port via Cat-5 cable, may only be used in Practice Matches, Robot Skills Matches, and Leagues, and only under extreme circumstances.

If an event has multiple Fields, then all Fields of the same game type must use the same control system, in accordance with <T23> and <RSC8>. For example, it would be permissible for Head-to-Head competition Fields to use V5 Event Brains, and for Skills Challenge Fields to use VEXnet Field Controllers. However, it would not be permissible for one Head-to-Head Field to use a V5 Event Brain while another Head-to-Head Field uses a VEXnet Field Controller.

Note: Official Qualifying Events may only use the official, unmodified version of Tournament Manager for field control, along with approved hardware and networking solutions found in the REC Library.

Note 2: Add-ons that abide by the TM Public API guidelines are permitted. Once add-ons are enabled, the software is no longer supported by the REC Foundation, VEX Robotics, or DWAB Technologies; any necessary troubleshooting will be done at the user’s own risk.

<T24> There are two types of Field Perimeter that may be used:

1. VEX Metal Competition Field Perimeter (SKU 278-1501)
2. VEX Portable Competition Field Perimeter (SKU 276-8242)

See Appendix A for more details.

If an event has multiple Fields, then all fields of the same game type must use the same Field Perimeter type, in accordance with <T22> and <RSC8>. For example, it would be permissible for Head-to-Head competition Fields to use metal Field Perimeters, and for Skills Challenge Fields to use Portable Field Perimeters. However, it would not be permissible for one Head-to-Head field to use a metal Field Perimeter, while other Head-to-Head fields use Portable Field Perimeters.

Note: See <RSC8> for more details specific to Skills Challenge fields.

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Robot Skills Challenge Definitions

All definitions from “The Game” section of the manual apply to the Robot Skills Challenge, unless otherwise specified.

Driving Skills Match – A Driving Skills Match consists of a sixty-second (1:00) 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.

Autonomous Coding Skills Match – An Autonomous Coding Skills Match consists of a sixty-second (1:00) 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.

Robot Skills Match – A Driving Skills Match or Autonomous Coding Skills Match.

Skills Stop Time – The time remaining in a Robot Skills Match when a Team ends the Match early.

1. If a Team does not end the Match early, they receive a default Skills Stop Time of 0.
2. The moment when the Match ends early is defined as the moment when the Robot is “Disabled” by the field control system. See the “Skills Stop Time” section for more details.
3. If a V5 Robot Brain or Tournament Manager display is being used for Field control, then the Skills Stop Time is the time shown on the display when the Match is ended early (i.e. in 1-second increments).
4. If a VEXnet Competition Switch is being used for Field control, in conjunction with a manual timer that counts down to 0 with greater accuracy than 1-second increments, then the time shown on the timer should be rounded up to the nearest second. For example, if the Robot is Disabled and the timer shows 25.2 seconds, then the Skills Stop Time should be recorded as 26.

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Robot Skills Challenge Rules

<RSC1> All rules from “The Game” section of the manual apply to the Robot Skills Challenge, unless otherwise specified in this section.

Violation Note:

• In the Robot Skills Challenge, the standard definition of Match Affecting does not apply, since there is no winner and loser. When evaluating whether a rule Violation should be classified as a Major Violation or Minor Violation in the context of this criteria, the term “score affecting” can be substituted for “Match Affecting”. A Violation is considered “score affecting” if it resulted in a net increase of that Team’s score at the end of the Match.
• Violations of rules that occur during a Robot Skills Matches should only affect the outcome of that Match and should not be considered when determining whether a Violation has been repeated during the event.
• For the purposes of <G14> and <G15> in interactions where a Robot is attempting to remove Scored Rings from a Neutral Wall Stake and drops one or more of their opponent’s Rings out of the Field due to defensive interactions from that opponent, the Robot that is actively attempting to Score or de-Score Rings will get the benefit of the doubt provided by rule <G14>.
• For the purposes of Match Affecting calculations that don't fall within the previous note (e.g., tied a Match), each Ring Scored during a Possession violation should be considered worth a value of 2 points. These values are not added or removed from the actual score. As with all Match Affecting calculations, only the winner’s points should be considered. If these points were enough to change the offending Alliance's score from a loss to either a win or a tie, it is Match Affecting. If they would have won the Match even without these points, it’s not Match Affecting. For example, a Robot is in Possession of three Rings and Scores one; this should be calculated as 2 points when considering whether it was Match Affecting (once the Robot is down to two Rings, they’re no longer in Violation of rule <SG6>;).

<RSC2> Teams may play Robot Skills Matches on a first-come, first-served basis, or by a pre-scheduled method determined by the Event Partner. Each Team will get the opportunity to play up to three (3) Driving Skills Matches and three (3) Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

Teams should review the event agenda and their Match Schedule to determine when the best possible time is to complete their Robot Skills Matches. If the Robot Skills Challenge area closes before a Team has completed all six (6) Robot Skills Matches, but it is determined that there was adequate time given, then the Team will automatically forfeit those unused Matches.

<RSC3> Robots must start the Robot Skills Match in a legal starting position for the red Alliance.

1. All Drive Team Members must remain in the red Alliance Station for the duration of the Match.
2. Robots must meet all of the criteria listed in rule <SG1>.
3. Teams must use one (1) red Alliance preload as described in rule <SG5>.
4. The two (2) blue Alliance preload Rings are not used in Robot Skills Matches.
5. Rule <SG10> does not apply, and Teams may freely use the blue Alliance wall Stake.
6. Rule <SG11> does not apply.

<RSC4> Blue Rings may only be Scored as Top Rings on Stakes. Each Blue Ring only has a point value if it meets all of the following criteria::

1. All red Rings in the Match have been Scored on Stakes and have point values.
2. At least one red Ring is Scored below the blue Ring on that Stake.
3. There is only one blue Ring on that Stake.
4. No red Rings are Scored above the blue Ring on that Stake.
5. Red Rings may also be Scored as Top Rings on Stakes, but rule <RSC5> applies.

<RSC5> Any red Ring Scored above a blue Ring on the same Stake will not have a point value.

<RSC6> If any Ring is Scored on a Stake but does not have a point value based on rule <RSC4> or <RSC5>, no Ring on that Stake will earn points as a Top Ring.

<RSC7> No Corner Modifiers.

1. There are no Positive Corners or Negative Corners in Robot Skills Matches.
2. Each Mobile Goal Placed in a Corner will receive 5 points. Rule <SC5> and its note still apply, and only one Mobile Goal may be Placed in each Corner.

<RSC8> There is no requirement that Skills Challenge Fields have the same consistent modifications as the Head-to-Head Fields. For example, there is no requirement that all Skills Challenge Fields are elevated to the same height as Head-to-Head Fields. However, all Skills Challenge Fields at a single event must use the same type of field control and Field Perimeter, as described in rules <T23> and <T24>.

It is strongly recommended/preferred that all Skills Challenge Fields are consistent with each other, but this may not be the case in extreme circumstances.

In order to use non-conforming Head-to-Head Fields for Skills Challenge runs (e.g., during lunch), the following steps should be taken:

• Teams must be informed that the Head-to-Head Fields may have some differences from the Skills Challenge Fields (e.g., they might not have GPS strips).
• Teams must be given an opportunity to select which type of Field they want to use, i.e. they cannot be required to use the Head-to-Head Field for any Skills Challenge run.

<RSC9> There is no penalty for removing Mobile Goals or Rings from the Field during a Robot Skills Match. Any Ring that leaves the Field should be returned such that it satisfies clauses A-E of rule <SG4>. A Mobile Goal that leaves the Field should be returned to a position on the Autonomous Line. Any Rings that were Scored on this Mobile Goal should be returned such that they satisfy clauses A-E of rule <SG4>.

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Robot Skills Challenge Scoring

Each Ring Scored on a Stake	1 Point*
Each Top Ring on a Stake	3 Points*
Climb - Level 1	3 Points
Climb - Level 2	6 Points
Climb - Level 3	12 Points
Mobile Goal Placed in a Corner	5 Points

*Note: Blue Rings only count for points if all red Rings are Scored on Stakes, and blue Rings are only eligible for use as Top Rings that are Scored on top of red Rings. See rules <RSC4>, <RSC5>, and <RSC6> for additional information.

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Skills Stop Time

If a Team wishes to end their Robot Skills Match early, they may elect to record a Skills Stop Time. This is used as a tiebreaker for Robot Skills Challenge rankings. A Skills Stop Time does not affect a Team’s score for a given Robot Skills Match.

• Teams who intend to attempt a Skills Stop Time must “opt-in” by verbally confirming with the Scorekeeper Referee prior to the Robot Skills Match. If no notification is given prior to the start of the Match, then the Team forfeits their option to record a Skills Stop Time for that Match.
  
  
  • This conversation should include informing the Scorekeeper Referee which Drive Team Member will signal the stop. The Match may only be ended early by a Drive Team Member for that Match.
  • If a Team runs multiple Robot Skills Matches in a row, they must reconfirm their Skills Stop Time choice with the Scorekeeper Referee prior to each Match.
  • Any questions regarding a Skills Stop Time should be reviewed and settled immediately following the Match. <T1> and <T3> apply to Robot Skills Matches.
• If the event is utilizing a V5 Robot Brain or the TM Mobile app for Robot Skills Challenge Field control, a Drive Team Member may elect to start and stop their own Robot Skills Matches.
  
  
  • This V5 Robot Brain or other device running the TM Mobile app will be used to start the Robot Skills Matches (i.e., “enable” the Robot), end the Robot Skills Match (i.e., “Disable” the Robot), and display the official Skills Stop Time to be recorded.
  • This V5 Robot Brain must be running the official field control user program.
  • For more information regarding the use of a V5 Robot Brain for Robot Skills Challenge Field control, and to download the official field control user program, visit this VEX Knowledge Base article.
  • For more information regarding the use of TM Mobile for field control, see the Tournament Manager documentation.
• At events which do not have a V5 Robot Brain or the TM Mobile App available for Robot Skills Challenge Field control, Drive Team Members and field staff must agree prior to the Match on the signal that will be used to end the Match early.
  
  
  • As noted in the definition of Skills Stop Time, the moment when the Match ends early is defined as the moment when the Robot is “Disabled” by the field control system.
  • The agreed-upon signal must be both verbal and visual, such as Drive Team Members crossing their arms in an “X” or placing their V5 Controller(s) on the ground.
  • The signal must be given by a Drive Team Member who is standing in the Alliance Station.
  • It is recommended that Drive Team Members also provide verbal notice that they are approaching their Skills Stop Time, such as by counting out “3-2-1-stop.”
• It is at the Event Partner’s discretion which method will be used to record Skills Stop Times at a given event. The chosen method must be communicated prior to the event (such as during the event meeting), and made equally available to all Teams.
  • If an event intends to use a manual timekeeping method, a Team may not bring their own V5 Robot Brain just for use during their own Robot Skills Match.
  • If an event intends to utilize a V5 Robot Brain, all Teams must use the same V5 Robot Brain for all Robot Skills Matches on a given Field.
  • If an event is using multiple fields for Robot Skills Matches, the same method must be used at all Fields, as described in rule <RSC8>. Multiple V5 Robot Brains may be used as needed (e.g., a “Field 1 Brain” and a “Field 2 Brain”).
  • The default “Drive” program accessed from a V5 Controller is intended for practice only, and may not be used for an official Robot Skills Match.
• If a Team chooses to utilize / record a Skills Stop Time, the 5-second grace period described in rule <SC1> does not apply.

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Robot Skills Challenge Ranking at Events

For each Robot Skills Match, Teams are awarded a score as described in the Robot Skills Challenge Scoring section, and an optional Skills Stop Time as described in the Skills Stop Time section. Teams will be ranked based on the following tiebreakers:

1. Sum of highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score and highest Driving Skills Match score.
2. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
3. Second-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
4. Second-highest Driving Skills Match score.
5. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match and highest Driving Skills Match (i.e., the Matches in point 1).
6. Highest Skills Stop Time from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match (i.e., the Match in point 2).
7. Third-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
8. Third-highest Driving Skills Match score.
9. If a tie cannot be broken after all above criteria, then the following ordered criteria will be used to determine which Team had the “best” Autonomous Coding Skills Match:
   
   
   1. Number of Rings Scored
   2. Number of Mobile Goals Scored
   3. Climb Level (for VURC & VAIRC, Climb Level of the highest Robot)

• If the tie still isn’t broken, the same process in Step 9 will be applied to each Team’s best Driving Skills Match.
• If the tie still isn’t broken, events may choose to allow Teams to have one more deciding Driving Skills Match, to be ranked according to the standard criteria above, or declare both Teams the Robot Skills Challenge Winner.

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Robot Skills Challenge Ranking Globally

Teams will be ranked globally based on their Robot Skills scores from Tournaments and Leagues that upload results to robotevents.com, according to the following tiebreakers:

1. Highest Robot Skills score (combined Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match Score from a single event).
2. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score (from any event).
3. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from the Robot Skills Matches used for point 1.
4. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Autonomous Coding Skills Match used for point 2.
5. Highest Driving Skills Match score (from any event).
6. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Driving Skills Match score used for point 5.
7. Earliest posting of the Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
   
   
   1. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later time, all else being equal.
8. Earliest posting of the Highest Driving Skills Match score.
   
   
   1. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later time, all else being equal.

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League Events

At league events in which Teams may submit Robot Skills Challenge scores across multiple days / sessions, the Robot Skills scores (combined highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match scores) used for rankings will be calculated from Matches within the same session.

For example, consider the following scores for a hypothetical Team across two league event sessions:

	Autonomous Coding Skills Match	Driving Skills Match	Robot Skills Score
Session 1	100	100	200
Session 2	150	40	190

This Team would have a Robot Skills score of 200 for this event, and their scores from Session 1 would be used for the Event and Global tiebreakers listed in the above two sections.

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Event Information

Several of the University partners participating in VURC will be holding tournament events in addition to the capstone competition at the 2024 VEX Robotics World Championship. Refer to https://www.robotevents.com/ for event details, pricing, and registration info for VURC events.

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Game, Robot, and Tournament Rules

VURC uses the VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes Field with no modifications. Anyone that has a VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes Field can use it for a VURC event or Team. Please consult the VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes Game Manual for the basic set of competition rules and details.

All of the standard Game, Robot, & Tournament rules apply, except for the modifications listed in this document. In the event of a rules conflict, the rules listed in this document and rulings on the VURC Q&A take precedence.

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VURC Definitions

Additional Electronics - Any sensor, processor, or other electronic component used in Robot construction, and connected to the V5 Robot Brain, that is not sold by VEX Robotics. Examples could include commercially-available devices (e.g., Raspberry Pi) or custom devices designed and fabricated by the Team. See <VUR10> for more details.

Fabricated Part - Any component used in Robot construction that is fabricated by Team members. See <VUR3>, <VUR4>, and <VUR5> for more details.

Raw Stock - Stock materials purchased from third-party vendors that may be used to create Fabricated Parts. See <VUR4>.

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Rule Modifications: Field Setup

The VURC playing Field is set up differently than a Head-to-Head VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes Match, with the following modifications as shown below.

• The VEX GPS code strip must be installed on the Field
• Modified Field layout

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Rule Modifications: Game

<VUG1> Different expansion. The intentions behind rules <SG2> and <SG3> apply, with the following clarifications:

1. The 24” Robot may not expand horizontally outside this 24” x 24” limit at any time during the Match.
2. The 15” Robot may expand horizontally with the same “one direction” rule as <SG2>. It may never exceed an overall footprint of 24” x 15”.
3. The intent of rule <SG3> applies to both Robots. Neither Robot may contact or "break the Plane" of three Levels, or two non-sequential Levels, at any time.

Note: It may be physically possible for a 24” Robot to incidentally violate rule <SG3>, even without expanding vertically. Unintentional / minor infractions that only involve breaking a third plane will not be penalized, provided that clause C of this rule is followed at all times.

<VUG2> Different climbing. All rules and point values pertaining to Climbing apply as written, with the following modifications:

1. Clause A of <SC7> does not apply to all Robots in a VURC Match. Robots are not required to be contacting the Ladder at the end of the Match in order to receive points for Climbing. Robots not contacting the Ladder or foam tiles must be contacting another Robot from their Team that meets all criteria of <SC7>.
2. A Robot which meets all other Climbing requirements, but is not contacting the Ladder at the end of the Match, will have their Climbing points doubled.
   
   
   1. For example, when both Robots reach a standard Level 2, the Team would receive 12 points total (6 per Robot). If instead, both Robots have reached Level 2 and one of them is not contacting the Ladder, the Team should receive 18 points total (6 + 12).
3. In the context of rule <SG9>, a Robot which is in the process of Climbing without contacting the Ladder should be considered more “offensive” or “safe”.
4. A Robot that is contacting another Robot from their Team that meets all criteria of <SC7> will receive the Climbing protections provided by rule <SG9>.

<VUG3> Different autonomous. Rule <SC2> applies as-written, except for clause A. Climb points and Corner modifiers are included in Autonomous Bonus calculations.

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Rule Modifications: Robot

<VUR1> Teams may use two (2) Robots in each Match.

1. Both Robots may only be built from the following materials:
   
   
   1. Official VEX Robotics products (see <VUR2>
   2. Fabricated Parts made by the Team (see <VUR3> through <VUR7>)
   3. Commercially-available springs, fasteners and bearings (see <VUR8>, <VUR9>, and <VUR14>).
   4. A legal electronics system (see <VUR10> and <VUR11>)
   5. Any legal Additional Electronics (see <VUR12>)
   6. A legal pneumatics system (see <VUR13>)
2. One Robot must be smaller than 24” x 24” x 24” at the start of the Match
3. One Robot must be smaller than 15” x 15” x 15” at the start of the Match

Note: <SG2> applies as written to both Robots.

<VUR2> Teams may use any official VEX Robotics products, other than the exceptions listed in the tables below, to construct their Robot. This includes those from the VEXpro, VEX EXP, VEX IQ, VEX GO, VEX 123, VEX CTE, VEX AIM, VEX AIR, or VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product lines. To determine if a product is “official” or not, refer to www.vexrobotics.com. Rule <R16> applies, and most modifications to non-electrical components are allowed.

SKU	Description
217-8080	Talon SRX
217-9191	Victor SPX
217-9090	Victor SP
217-4243	Pneumatic Control Module
217-4244	Power Distribution Panel
217-4245	Voltage Regulator Module
217-4347	775pro
217-2000	CIM Motor
217-3371	Mini CIM Motor
217-3351	BAG Motor
217-6515	Falcon 500

This rule takes precedence over all other rules regarding Raw Stock and/or Fabricated Parts, such as <VUR5>.

* The HEXBUG brand is a registered trademark belonging to Spin Master Corp

<VUR3> Fabricated Parts may be made by applying the following manufacturing processes to legal Raw Stock:

1. Additive manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing.
2. Subtractive manufacturing processes, such as cutting, drilling, routing, or machining.
3. Bending, such as sheet metal braking or thermoforming.
4. Attaching materials to one another, such as welding or chemically bonding (e.g., epoxy).
5. Molding of non-metals, such as injecting polyurethane into a 3D printed mold.

<VUR4> Fabricated Parts must be made from legal Raw Stock. To be considered Raw Stock, the material must be purchased in one of the following forms before undergoing the fabrication processes listed in <VUR3>:

	Type	Shape / Profile	Examples
1	Sheet	Flat Plane	Sheet metal ⅛” polycarbonate sheet Plywood
2	Solid Billet	“Thick” rectangular beam / block	4” x 4” x 6” solid aluminum billet 2” x 2” x 2” acetal block
3	Solid Bar	“Thin” rectangular beam	2x4 wood planks ¼” x 3” aluminum bars
4	Hollow Bar	Hollow rectangular beam	1” x 1”, 1/32” wall aluminum box tube
5	Solid Rod	Cylinder	¼” steel rod ¼” acetal rod
6	Hollow Rod / Tube	Hollow Cylinder	Copper tubing PVC pipe
7	Angle	90° “L” shape	1” x 1”, 1/16” thickness aluminum angle
8	U- / C-Channel	“U” or “C”. See this Q&A.	1/4” High x 1” Wide Aluminum U-Channel
9	Non-Metal 3D Printer Filament	Thin cylinder	PLA or TPU filament Composite nylon filament (e.g. Markforged OnyxTM)
10	Synthetic Polymer used for Molding	Liquid	Polyurethane Silicone

<VUR5> The following material types are not considered Raw Stock, and are therefore not permitted:

	Type	Examples
1	Any otherwise-legal Raw Stock that has been post-processed by drilling, machining, or otherwise removing material	Angle aluminum with regularly-spaced holes or slots Perforated sheet metal
2	Extrusions that do not fall under one of the categories listed in <VUR4>	Non-rectangular aluminum extrusions, such as 80/20, T-slot, or Octanorm Gear stock
3	Assembled items (or pre-arranged kits of unassembled items) that form a single, more complex component	Gearboxes Claw mechanisms Swerve drive modules
4	Commercial Off-the-Shelf items that are intended to be used with minimal modification	Wheels Gears Timing belts and pulleys
5	Materials that are intended to be cast or sintered	Resin / powdered-bed 3D printing Molten aluminum used for sand casting

Note: <VUR2> takes precedence over this rule. Materials purchased from VEX Robotics that fall under one of these categories (e.g., VersaFrame pre-drilled extrusion) are permitted.

<VUR6> Fabricated Parts may not be made from Raw Stock which poses a safety or damage risk to the event, other Teams, or Field Elements. Examples of prohibited materials include, but are not limited to:

1. Any material intended to produce flames or pyrotechnic effects
2. Any material that is liquid at the time of the Match. Examples include hydraulic fluids, oils, greases, liquid mercury, and tire sealant
   
   
   1. This does not include fabrication processes that involve the use of liquids, such as milling coolant or epoxy
3. Any matter that shatters or otherwise presents an excessive field/safety hazard upon failure. Examples include fiberglass, acrylic, and carbon fiber sheet/tube stock
   
   
   1. This rule refers specifically to material legality itself. Any potentially unsafe mechanisms made from legal Raw Stock may still be addressed by <S1> and <R6>

<VUR7> Fabricated Parts must be made by Team members. Any Fabricated Parts must be accompanied by documentation that demonstrates the Team’s design and construction process for that Fabricated Part.

1. The minimum acceptable form of documentation is an engineering drawing with multiple views for the part in question. These drawings may be included in a Team’s Engineering Notebook or in a standalone appendix to the Engineering Notebook
2. Any Fabricated Part must have been entirely designed and produced by Team members. For example, parts ordered by the Team and 3D printed by a third party would be prohibited
3. Teams will be required to provide this documentation as requested by inspectors, Head Referees, or judges at any time at an event. Failure to provide acceptable documentation will result in the part being deemed illegal for use; therefore, <R3>, <R28>, and/or <G1> will apply

<VUR8> Teams may use commercially available springs on their Robots. For the purposes of this rule, a “spring” is any device used for storing and releasing elastic potential energy. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Compression, tension, torsion, constant force, or conical springs made from spring steel
2. Springs made from elastic thread or rubber, such as surgical tubing, bungee cords, or stretchable braided rope
3. Closed-loop (pneumatic) gas shocks

Note: Gas shocks are not considered pneumatic devices in the context of <VUR13>. Gas shocks may not be modified in any way.

<VUR9> Teams may use commercially available fastener hardware on their Robot. Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Screws, nuts, rivets
• Hinges, pins, rod ends, threaded rods, hose clamps
• Ancillary fastener accessories, such as washers or spacers
• Adhesives such as epoxy, glue, or tape (when used to join together two parts)

If the primary function of the part is not “fastening”, then <VUR5>, <VUR6>, and/or <VUR7> take precedence over this rule. Illegal examples include (but are not limited to):

• A prefabricated non-VEX wheel, even though it may technically connect tread to a shaft
• 80/20 extrusion; other items get “fastened to it”, it is not the part doing the “fastening”
• Using grip tape to improve wheel traction

<VUR10> Each Robot must utilize exactly one (1) V5 Robot Brain and up to two (2) V5 Robot Radios connected to a V5 Controller.

1. Teams must abide by the power rules noted in <R14> and <VUR12c>
2. Wireless communication between Robots is permitted if using legal V5 Robot Brains / Robot Radios. No other types of wireless communication protocols (e.g., radio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) are permitted

<VUR11> There is no restriction on the number of V5 Smart Motors (11W) [276-4840] and/or EXP Smart Motors (5.5W) [276-4842] that Robots may use. No other motors, servos, or electronic actuators are permitted, including those sold by VEX (e.g., the 2-Wire 393 Motor).

Note 1: Rule <R15> still applies in VURC. Teams may not modify Smart Motors, and must use official/unmodified gear cartridges

Note 2: Commercially available pneumatic actuators and pneumatic solenoids are permitted within the guidelines of <VUR13>

Note 3: Legal Additional Electronics may include their own motor, servo, or actuator, per <VUR12>

<VUR12> There is no restriction on sensors and other Additional Electronics that Robots may use for sensing and processing, except as follows:

1. Sensors and Additional Electronics MUST be connected to the V5 Robot Brain via any of the externally accessible ports (i.e., without any modification to the microcontroller). A sensor may be connected to a processing unit which then connects to the V5 Robot Brain
2. Sensors and Additional Electronics CANNOT directly electrically interface with VEX motors and / or solenoid
3. The additional sensors and electronics may only receive power from any of the following:
   
   
   1. Directly from the V5 Robot Brain via any externally accessible port
   2. From an additional lithium ion, lithium iron or nickel metal hydride battery pack (only one (1) additional battery can be used for sensor/processing power). This additional battery pack must operate at a maximum of 12 volts nominal
4. Only the V5 Battery can power the V5 Brain
5. Additional Electronics which include a low-powered motor as an integral part of their primary sensing/processing function, such as an external processor’s cooling fan or a spinning sensor, are permissible
   
   
   1. Standalone motors which serve no additional sensing or processing functionality (e.g., using a commercially-available brushless motor in a drivetrain) are not considered legal Additional Electronics, and would be considered a Violation of <VUR11>
6. Pneumatic solenoids are the only types of solenoids that are permitted as Additional Electronics. Solenoids used for any purpose other than opening and closing a pneumatic valve are considered an actuator and therefore prohibited, per <VUR11>

<VUR13> Teams may utilize an unlimited amount of the following commercially available pneumatic components: cylinders, actuators, valves, gauges, storage tanks, regulators, manifolds, tubing, and solenoids.

1. Pneumatic devices may only be charged to a maximum of 100 psi
2. Compressors or any other forms of “on-Robot” charging are not permitted
3. All commercial components must be rated for 100 psi or higher. Teams should be prepared to provide documentation that verifies these ratings to inspectors if requested
4. Components must not be modified from their original state, other than the following exceptions:
   
   
   1. Cutting pneumatic tubing or wiring to length; assembling components using pre-existing threads, brackets, or fittings; or minor cosmetic labels
5. If commercially available 12V solenoids are used, these are considered Additional Electronics and must therefore satisfy all conditions listed in <VUR12>. 12V solenoids may be either powered by an additional power source (per <VUR12c>), or by a 5V-12V step-up converter from the V5 Robot Brain. If an external power source (or other Additional Electronics device) is used to interface with the solenoid, Teams MUST be able to demonstrate that there is no way for the solenoid to receive power while the Robot is receiving a Disabled state from the field controller

<VUR14> Teams may use commercially available bearings on their Robot. For the purpose of this rule, a ‘bearing’ is a part that supports external loads, reduces friction, and improves efficiency by facilitating smooth dynamic motion between components. Legal examples include (but are not limited to):

• Parts supporting rotational motion: radial bearings, roller bearings, thrust bearings, needle bearings, one-way bearings, bushings, etc.
• Parts supporting linear motion: linear bearings, linear slides, drawer slides, etc.

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Rule Modifications: Tournament

<VUT1> Instead of a 2-Team Alliance format, VURC Matches will be played 1-Team vs. 1-Team. Each Team will use two (2) Robots in each Match.

1. Teams are allowed to build as many Robots as they would like, but only two (2)—one of each size as described in <VUR1>—may be brought from the pit to the playing field for any Match.
2. All Robots must pass inspection before they are allowed to compete.

<VUT2> Qualification Matches will be conducted in the same manner as in a V5RC tournament, but in the revised 1v1 format described in <VUT1>.

<VUT3> Elimination Matches will be conducted in the same manner as in a V5RC tournament, but without an Alliance Selection. At the end of the competition, one Team will emerge as the tournament champion.

<VUT4> The Autonomous Period at the beginning of each Head-to-Head Match will be 30 seconds (0:30).

1. Human interaction with Robots during the Autonomous Period is strictly prohibited.
2. If both Teams complete their routines before 30 seconds have elapsed, they have the option to signal that they wish to end the Autonomous Period early. Both Teams and the Head Referee must all agree on the “early stop.” This is not a requirement, and the option must have been established for all Teams at the event, such as during the event meeting.

<VUT5> The Driver Controlled Period is shortened to 90 seconds (1:30) and immediately follows the Autonomous Period.

<VUT6> Each Robot is allowed up to three (3) Drive Team Members in the Alliance Station during a Match, as modified from <G8>.

<VUT7> VURC Student eligibility.

1. All VURC Team members MUST be matriculated in a post-secondary school OR have earned a post-secondary education diploma, certificate, or other equivalent during the six (6) months preceding the VEX Robotics World Championship. The intent of this rule is to permit Students graduating mid-year to still be able to finish their competition season.
2. Professionals not enrolled in post-secondary education are not eligible to participate on a VURC Team.
3. Students who meet the age requirements for V5RC and who are simultaneously earning credits toward a secondary school diploma and enrolled in post-secondary courses are not eligible to participate on a VURC Team.
4. VURC Team members may only be on exactly one (1) VURC Team for the season. See <G4>.

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Rule Modifications: Robot Skills Challenge

All rules apply from Section 5: Robot Skills Challenge and Section 6: VURC, with no modifications other than those noted below.Teams are permitted to use both Robots, with up to three (3) Drive Team Members each in their VURC Robot Skills Challenge Matches, per <VUT1> , <VUT6>, and <VUR1>.

<VURS1> The VURC Robot Skills Challenge playing field layout differs from the layout for V5RC Robot Skills Matches, with the following modifications:

• Different starting locations for Rings and Mobile Goals
• Additional blue Rings are used

<VURS2> Both Robots must start the Robot Skills Match in legal starting positions for the red Alliance. All other portions of rule <SG1> apply.

<VURS3> There are no preloads in VURC Robot Skills Matches.

<VURS4> Each blue Ring only has a point value if:

• All red Rings in the Match have been Scored on Stakes and have point values
• At least one red Ring is Scored below the blue Ring(s) on that Stake
• No red Rings are Scored above the blue Ring(s) on that Stake

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Team Composition

We want to see Universities face off in a global head-to-head competition. Schools are not limited to one Team, and a Team may consist of multiple colleges, but we hope that each Team identifies with and proudly represents one (1) post-secondary institution. (e.g., “Clarkson University” vs. “UC Santa Barbara”). Of course, college-level “club” Teams and mixed composition Teams are encouraged to join! However, as noted in <VUT7>, Students who have not yet graduated secondary school are not eligible to participate in VURC, even if they are “dual-enrolled” or taking post-secondary courses.

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Rule Modifications: Field Setup

The VEX AI Robotics Competition uses a standard V5RC High Stakes Field, set up the same as a VURC Match, as shown below and in Section 6.

A VEX GPS Code Strip and opaque field panels are required for VAIRC Matches. Although the V5RC Portable Field Perimeter is preferred, as it already meets these criteria, a metal field perimeter may be used if modified accordingly.

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Game Definitions

Base Team - A V5RC or VURC Team whose members also compete in VAIRC on a Crossover Team.

Crossover Team - A VAIRC Team whose members also compete on a V5RC or VURC base Team. See rules <VAIR3> and <VAIT3>.

Interaction Period - The 90-second (1:30) time period that follows the Isolation Period after the winner of the Isolation Period has been determined. Robots react only to sensor inputs and to commands pre-programmed by the Students into the Robot control system and can interact with the entire Field during the Interaction Period. The Interaction Period replaces the Driver Controlled Period that occurs in V5RC and VURC Matches.

Isolation Bonus – A point bonus of six (6) points awarded to the Team that has earned the most points at the end of the Isolation Period. The Isolation Bonus replaces the Autonomous Bonus.

Isolation Win Point – One (1) Win Point (WP) given to an Alliance that has completed the Autonomous Win POint criteria set forth in rule <SC8>. The Isolation Win Point replaces the Autonomous Win Point.

Isolation Period - A 30-second (0:30) time period during which Robots operate only on their side of the Field and react only to sensor inputs and to commands pre-programmed by the Students into the Robot control system. This Isolation Period replaces the Autonomous Period normally found in a VURC Match.

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Rule Modifications: Game

<VAIG1> All <VUGx>, <SCx>, and <Sx> and rules apply as written. All <Gx> and <SGx> rules apply as written, except for those modified below or by <VUGx> rules.

Note: All references assume that the terms “Autonomous Period” and “Driver Controlled Period” are replaced with “Isolation Period” and “Interaction Period”, respectively.

<VAIG2> As noted by <G11>, Drive Team Members are not permitted to interact with their Robots in any way while they are operating autonomously (i.e., during the entirety of a VAIRC Match). The following exceptions are permitted:

1. Using a V5 Controller to disable a Robot which is engaging in reckless or unsafe behavior. Robots which are disabled may not be re-enabled for the rest of the Match.

<VAIG3> Just as V5RC and VURC Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots during the Autonomous Period, VAIRC Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots throughout the entirety of a VAIRC Match. Excessive or egregious Violations of the following rules may result in a Major Violation / Disqualification, as well as the Head Referee directing a Team to disable their Robot:

1. <G13> Don’t destroy other Robots
2. <G16> No Holding for more than a 5-count
3. <SG7> Don’t cross the Autonomous Line

In the context of this rule, “excessive or egregious” refers to a Violation or interaction that the Head Referee has judged to be out of the Robot’s control and/or is not showing any signs of improvement. Examples may include, but are not limited to:

• Holding an opponent for 15+ seconds
• Repeated Violations of <SG7> across multiple Matches

Based on game play in prior VAIRC seasons, it is recommended that Teams add lines of code that will attempt to back their Robot up or remove it from a situation if the Robot doesn’t move after a specified number of seconds. This can help prevent Disqualifications for extended Holding.

<VAIG4> In VAIRC head-to-head Matches, each Alliance’s Robots may only Climb the portions of the Ladder that are on their Alliance’s side of the Autonomous Line.

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