Tactical Updates

The latest SITuation REPorts from the field:

• SITREP 3: Arrival Info, etc.
• SITREP 2: Deals, Meals, Games, etc.
• SITREP 1: Battleplans Updates...

BattleCry SITREP 3, dtg 8May08/2300Z

"Arrival Info, etc."

1. Free BattleCry Warrior parking is available on WPI property but not in the unloading/Quad area, please check the updated parking page and look to BattleCry Staff for assistance upon arrival.
2. One adult member from each team should enter the lobby of Harrington Auditorium to begin your registration process.
3. Upon check-in, your team and robot may then proceed outside Harrington toward the athletic fields then to the right, down the ramp and through the doors to the pit area. To avoid congestion, please do not drive vehicles down this ramp.
4. Upon Arrival:
• Check your team in
• Pay any remaining balance due (check preferred: "WPI/BattleCry")
• Receive your information packet with pre-purchased event t-shirts and dinner tickets
• Hand in your Dorm Policy paperwork and get your room keys (if staying on campus)
• Sign up for "Special Operations Contest" (optional)
• Sign up for campus tours (optional)
5. Report to Pit Boss table in pit area for any needed pit assistance, directions to machine shop, and to sign up for your team’s practice times.
6. Pay-as-you-go breakfast items are available Saturday in the snack bar (on gym level, by pit area).
7. There will be a limited number of BattleCry 9 T-shirts for sale @ $10 at the registration table. There is a limited number of additional Battle Ration lunches (for Saturday) may be purchased in the snack bar area. NOTE: The campus Food Court will NOT be open on Saturday.
8. If you are staying at the BC hotel (Crown Plaza) and plan on using their shuttle service, please make these arrangements with the hotel directly (508-791-1600, 800-628-4240).

BattleCry SITREP 2, dtg 29May08/2200Z

"Deals, Meals, Games, etc."

1. Battlefield Reconnaissance. For your advance scouts to get the "lay of the land", campus tours will be available departing from the registration area at 1615 and 1630 on Friday and again at 1130 and 1230 on Saturday. Sign up at registration table.
2. Friday Evening R&R (Rest and Relaxation). The Friday night campaign ends and the pits close at 2100, but then the teams can enjoy the evening from 2100-2300 by jumping into any of the following FREE activities centered in and around the Campus Center (CC)--participants in the asterisked items can compete for raffle tickets and win prizes to be given out on Saturday.
   • Ice Cream Sundae Bar: Make your own ice cream creations and take them around to any of the other activities.
   • Bowling*: The WPI bowling lanes (all 6 lanes!) will be open exclusively for BC Warriors. Shoes and bowling balls are provided and we can accommodate 30 players at a time on a first-come/first-serve basis.
   • CRUD*: Play Team 190's post-battle favorite on 3 CRUD tables in the CC's 1st floor Game Rm. Rules and training will be provided to teams who want to learn to play.
   • Press Your Luck*: Test your knowledge and avoid Whammies in the Odeum A.
   • Guerrilla Improv*: WPI's own improvisational comedy troop, watch and participate in the Odeum after the Ice Cream Sundae Bar.
   • DDR*: Dance the night away in the Class 0f 1946 Lounge.
   • KAREOKE*: Show your "Gracious Amateurism" in front of the mic on the Forkey Commons Stage.
   • Wii Bowling*: Bowling for those who prefer (slightly!) less exercise.
   • Wii Tennis*: Play tennis with your fellow team members or other teams.
   • Guitar Hero*: Outplay everyone else while showing off your rock star moves.
   • Mario Kart Wii*: Find out who really is the best driver on your team.
   • Darts: Borrow equipment from the CC staff, play in the Game Rm.
   • Foosball: Two tables in the Game Rm.
   • Pinball: Machines in the Game Rm - ok, you do have to bring quarters here if you want to play.
   • Campus Book Store: Ok, gotta bring money here also, but they will be open for your shopping/browsing pleasure!
3. Battle Rations. As part of your entry fee you get:
   • 10 Free Friday night BBQ dinner and Ice Cream Sundae Bar
   • 10 Free Saturday team lunches

   Teams may order additional lunches or dinners by logging into their accounts and changing the order. The cutoff time for meal changes is 0700 Monday, 5 May. Then the order must go to our caterer. There will also be a concession stand operating from 0700-1600 on Saturday on the main floor of the gym offering light snacks and beverages.

   The Battle Ration Kit

   BBQ Dinner (Friday)

   You get a choice of two hamburgers, veggi-burgers, or hot dogs. In addition there are rolls, potato chips, watermelon, salad with dressing, and your choice of drinks.

   BBQ meals will be available from 1800-1930 with 10 free meals for each participating team. Additional dinners (with later ice cream sundae bar) are $13.00; to guarantee their availability you need to preorder them. We cannot guarantee that there will be unreserved dinners available for purchase.

   Ice Cream Sundae Bar (Friday)

   Ice cream and assorted toppings will be served starting at 2100 during the evening R&R activities. The cost of the sundaes is included with the dinners so anyone getting a BBQ dinner will also be entitled to ice cream.

   Lunch (Saturday)

   You get a choice of ham, turkey, roast beef, or vegetarian sandwich on a fresh-baked bulky roll, a bag potato chips, fresh whole fruit, two fresh-baked cookies and your choice of beverage. The first 10 lunches for each team are free! There will also be a limited supply of these selections (quantity/selections cannot be guaranteed) available on Saturday in the snack bar in Harrington. Pre-ordered meals will be delivered to each pit table at 1130 on Saturday.

4. Robot Drivers Contest (Special Operations Award): During the Friday dinner break, there will be a special robot operations contest. Each round, four teams will go head-to-head on two identical race courses. Identical Vex robots will be provided; drivers may choose between arcade-style and tank steering. Drivers will be required to navigate a track and squeeze over bridges, being sure not to capsize themselves, for three laps. At the end of one minute, thirty seconds, if no robot has successfully completed the three laps, the robot farthest along the track will proceed to the finals.
5. RoboCoach Contest (Air Superiority Award): During the Saturday lunch break, there will be a special on-field contest for robocoaches. Teams will complete in alliances (as determined during in the finals selection). Alliances that wish to participate must sign up at immediately after the selection process. All equipment and personal safety gear for this event will be provided by BC staff.
6. Video Opportunities: There will be multiple video cameras running throughout BC9 that will be under the control of our mixing crew. The entire competition will be available on live streaming video and should be archived and available at this site, match-by-match for at least nine months after the event.
7. NEMO Meeting: For all you mentors that want to know the latest news from the Non-Engineering Mentor Organization, pop on into the Campus Center from 1000-1100 on Sat. Contact Kathiek@firstnemo.org to register.

BattleCry SITREP 1, dtg 10Apr08/1200Z

1. Registration

   Please confirm your plans as soon as possible. We have many teams on the ready reserves list and out of courtesy to them, would like to update their status ASAP. All payments are due by 25 Apr to hold your spot. If there are any teams that can't accommodate this please contact the staff at battlecry@wpi.edu.

   All registered BC9 Warriors need to completely fill out their registration information ASAP. To help with this process you should log into your team account and fill in all the remaining information on all the pages (except dorm rooms for teams not using them). Payment information can be found on the Invoice page of the registration web site.

   Note

   BC9 is a 2-day tournament. We encourage all teams to come both days and take advantage of the Friday barbeque, ice cream social, and team party, as well as the 2 or 3 qualifying matches on Friday. Unlike previous years, we will NOT run a separate (and painfully-derived) tournament schedule for each day-the match schedule will assume that all teams will be here for both days.

2. Game Tweaks

   See Rules of Engagement

3. Awards and Decorations

   By Battlestaff decry, the following have been established for BC 9:

   • Campaign Medals - One per each team that arrives on scene
   • Medal of Honor - Judges' award to team that does the "most with the least"
   • Purple Heart - Judges' award to team that becomes most grievously injured through valiant campaign effort
   • Engineering Excellence - Judges' award for best overall robot design in terms of quality, creativity, and control
   • Noncombatant Service - Judges' award for most outstanding team spirit displayed during the finals by a team eliminated during the eighth- finals
   • General Staff - Judges' special recognition awards (3), criteria TBD
   • Awesome Offense - People's choice award to team with most scoring potential/performance
   • Dominating Defense - People's choice award to team with best score-neutralizing or score-denial potential/performance
   • Best BattleCry - Emcee's award for best spirit shown by a team during combat
   • Special Operations - To the team that fields the best operator in the Friday mini-robot contest
   • Air Superiority - To the alliance that fields the top robocoaches in the Saturday contest
   • Top Gun - To the number one seed in qualifying
   • Runners-Up - To each team on the three-team alliance defeated in the final match
   • Victors - To each team on the three-team alliance that wins the tournament
   • BattleCry STAR - Special Team Appreciation & Recognition award, adult mentor award presented by team selected by STAR reviewers (see below)

4. BattleCry STAR

   Student team members are encouraged to submit nominations for their outstanding adult mentor. These nominations are due by 2 May (electronic format preferred to stafford@wpi.edu, 500 words or less) and will be reviewed and judged by past STAR winners. Student members of the winning team will be notified by 4 May and offered the opportunity to publicly announce their champion during the awards ceremony.

5. Robot Photos

   Please upload photos of your robot using the photo upload page at the registration site. The photos should clearly show your robot and be full resolution .jpg images from your camera.