Authors: Dylan Curry, Pearl Jain
General Overview
Minne Mini is a regional event that takes place in the offseason of each year. Its goal is to prepare FRC teams in the region for the upcoming build season. Just like MRI we were able to compete with our practice and competitive bots (9902 & 2502). You can identify our second robot by the back bumpers.
The event was a long one. Our matches started at 8:00 am and ended at 6:00 pm as both of our bots were able to go to the semi-finals. Both bots played in eight qualification matches and another two matches in the semi-finals. Over the day, our bots were able to perform very well. While there were slight hiccups every once in a while, our amazing build team was able to fix every mistake that came their way.
During the end of our time at Minne Mini, in our second to last round, we sustained a large amount of damage in the active intake rendering it useless. We tried to fix the robot but we ran out of time and we were not able to bring it onto the field.
The practice bot: Team 9902 Twolon
Infinite Recharge
Two years ago our team was able to build a robot for Infinite Recharge in the six week period. We were one of the luckier teams because we got to participate in one of the regionals, but the 2020 season was cancelled after the pandemic hit.
The field at Minne Mini
The game is somewhat complicated so let’s break it down. Each match has six different teams, and each team can have up to four different players. Each player has a different role the drivers drive the robot in the teleop and endgame phases. The human player helps run the balls back into the game and the coach helps run the entire team and robot.
In the actual game there is a fifteen second phase where the team’s autonomous operates. This is the pre-programmed section of the robot which usually shoots power cells into the lower or higher ports. Once the fifteen seconds end, the drive team takes control and try to get as many goals as possible. Most teams at Minne Mini played the game pretty simple and would collect balls until the time has ticked down to the last thirty seconds. Other teams played a bit more coordinated. Some go for a defensive tactic where they will pressure the enemy alliance bots to a point where they aren’t as accurate. At the last thirty seconds of the game there is a time for the bots to latch on to the “generator” if they manage to do so they will be reward with extra points.
The drive team waiting to enter the field
Qualification Matches
Of the sixteen matches that Talon Robotics participated, in we did really well. There were multiple matches where the robots were able get a double or triple climb.
An impressive triple hang from the blue alliance!
At the end of the qualification matches, we had averaged hitting 3-5 high shots with both bots. The autonomous usually gave us a leg up on the other alliance, and the drivers finished it off with impressive cycles and climbs.
Scouting
A quick training session
The scout team was slow to get members at the beginning of the event as everyone had other matters to attend to. But once the team got started, we were able to get everyone on the tablets. We would have not been able to do our scouting if we didn’t have the scouting app that Andy and Christopher created. Our scouting paid off during alliance selections where our practice bot was the fourth alliance captain.
Scouts hard at work
Semi-Finals
As mentioned earlier, both of our bots were able to get into the semi-finals. Our practice bot (9902) was ranked at fourth place which meant that we were alliance captains. We chose TC Robotics, The Stampede, and Binary Battalion. Our competition bot (2502) got 12th place which would not allow us to be a alliance leader, but we were chosen by The Green Machine. Their alliance consisted of Talon robotics, The Green Machine, Blaze Robotics, and Ultra Violet.
Special Thanks
Minne Mini was the last offseason event Talon will be attending, so it was an important one for us. The event would not have been possible without the hardworking volunteers who set up, run, and clean up the event. Thank you for all your hard work!
If you were unable to attend, Team 2052 KnightKrawlers live streamed the event. You can watch it here: