FAQ

The Answers You Need

No. We ask that teams respect the facility and refrain from hanging or otherwise affixing signs, banners, and other promotional material to facility surfaces, floors, and structures.

Can we hang team banners?

While we will be making some attempt to assess scores at the end of each match, this event is a scrimmage. The main objective is to allow teams to test our their machines, practice running cycles, and figure out what they need to do to prepare themselves for upcoming competition events. Points are unofficial and will not contribute to your ranking at Regional Competitions.

Do our scores count?

Each team will be scheduled for 6 to 10 matches.

We anticipate running matches for about 5 hours, with approximately 7 to 10 minute cycle times. Teams ready and wanting additional matches can enter the fill-in-line and be substituted in for teams that are unable to make their match.

How many matches will we play?

That's okay! We'd much rather you discover that your robot is overweight or violates a rule at our event than at a far-away regional competition. You'll still be able to compete in our scrimmage (provided there aren't serious safety issues) and test out your machines. It's better you practice driving and break things here than at the official competition.

What if our robot is illegal?

Yes! Test out your scouting and data analytics systems, as long as your being courteous to other guests and spectators around you. Any powered electronics (laptops, servers, etc.) must be self-powered. Do not run extension cables to the stands or create other safety concerns.

Can we scout from the stands?

No!

You will not be able to do this at official competition events, and we are not allowing it at ours. These networks are known to interfere with robots and the Field Management System (FMS).

We understand that you may want to share scouting data or communicate information with others - please use your mobile cell networks or develop alternative solutions that do not disrupt our ability to run an effective event.

Can we set up hotspots or wifi networks?

We recommend teams limit themselves to 10 people in the Aux gym at a time. Charger Robotics will not be strictly enforcing this rule, but may ask teams to reduce individuals in the pits if it poses a safety or traffic flow issue.

Is the number of people allowed in the Pits limited?

Charger Robotics will issue refunds for teams unable to make the event through Saturday, Februrary 8, 2025.

Please let us know (admin@chargerrobotics.org) early so that teams on the wait list have an opportunity to organize themselves and compete in your place.

Our robot broke. Can we get a refund?

EVENT INFO

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FAQ

February 16, 2025

Charger Robotics is hosting the 25th annual Sussex Scrimmage, an unofficial "week zero" FIRST Robotics Competition event that allows 25 FRC teams to accelerate their competitive readiness by:

artificially shortening the (now endless) build season

providing a forum for training, idea-sharing, and knowledge transfer

offering inspection stations and match play to test machines, practice driving, and catch issues early

boosting team member enthusiasm and morale with a fun atmosphere
FREE to the public!
Individual attendees (spectators, team members, and the general public) do not need to purchase tickets to gain entry.
FRC Team Registration
Participating FRC teams pay a registration fee to help Charger Robotics offset the costs of custodians, facilities, rentals, snow removal, etc. The registration fee is $300 per team.

Contact admin@chargerrobotics.org to register and join the waitlist. Charger Robotics will send an invoice with instructions for payment.
This event is hosted by Charger Robotics at Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin.

Hamilton High School

W220N6151 Town Line Rd

Sussex, WI 53089
Directions from I-94

Take Exit 295 and turn North onto Redford Blvd "F"

Turn right onto Lisbon Rd "K" (East)

Turn left onto Town Line Rd (North)

HHS will be on your left (past Casey's)

Directions from I-41

Take Exit 46 and turn West onto Silver Spring Dr "VV"

Turn right onto Town Line Rd (North)

HHS will be on your left (past Casey's)
There are a variety of activities to keep guests entertained in addition to the FIRST Robotics Competition Week Zero Scrimmage in the main Gymnasium.

Participate in robot scouting discussions

Create some STEM Crafts for kids

See some FIRST Tech Challenge robots

Interact with FIRST LEGO League members

Listen to teams practice and discuss their Impact Award presentations
FRC teams and individuals assisting with loading/unloading their team's robot and pit materials should park and enter from the East "Main" Entrance.

Spectators and the general public should also park and enter from the East "Main" Entrance, but may also park in the South parking lots and enter through the "Cafeteria" Entrance.

Note: There is an active construction site near the South "Cafeteria" Entrance, which may cause disruption or detours to parking and entry compared to maps shown here.
7:00 AM: Charger Robotics Crew arrives

7:30 AM: Team Load-in

Pits Open

8:00 AM: Driver Meeting (on field)

8:20 AM: Field open for Calibration

9:00 AM: Opening Ceremonies

9:20 AM: FRC matches begin

9:30 AM: Topic Discussions (Scouting, Impact, Dean's List) start

11:00 AM: Lunch break

Topic Discussions (Scouting, Impact, Dean's List) end
FLL & FTC Demonstrations begin

12:00 PM: FRC matches resume

4:20 PM: Closing Ceremonies

4:45 PM: Pits close

8:00 PM: Facility closed, doors locked

The schedule is subject to change. All times are estimated based on the flow of events. See Pit Administration for updated times.
Charger Robotics will use NEXUS for FRC at the Sussex Scrimmage.

Teams will receive a QR code for their team at Pit Administration, and additional QR codes will be posted throughout the facility for the general public to see match information and any schedule delays.

A match schedule will be generated for the event. Teams are asked to promptly queue for their matches as directed - or - communicate to event queuers that they will be unavailable for a match. Teams who are not present 1 match before their scheduled match may be replaced by a team in the fill-in-line.

Teams with robots ready to play additional matches are invited to wait in the fill-in-line to replace teams that are unable to participate in a match. This event is very early in the season, and it's not unusual for one or more robots to miss a match after experiencing software or hardware failures.
Match Schedule
Blue Alliance
Concessions are available courtesy of the Charger Robotics Booster club.

Credit Card payments are preferred and strongly encouraged.

There is an hour planned into the schedule for lunch. Help keep the lines short and flowing by reviewing the menu ahead of time and having payment ready.
We have capacity for approximately 30 FRC teams to participate in the Sussex Scrimmage.

The following teams are currently expected to attend the 2025 event:

#171 - Cheese Curd Herd (Platteville, WI)

#537 - Charger Robotics (Sussex, WI)

#706 - Cyberhawks (Hartland, WI)

#930 - Mukwonago BEARs (Mukwonago, WI)

#1091 - Oriole Assault (Hartford, WI)

#1259 - Paradigm Shift (Pewaukee, WI) *

#1306 - BadgerBOTS (Middleton, WI)

#1714 - MORE Robotics (Milwaukee, WI)

#1716 - Redbird Robotics (De Pere, WI)

#1792 - Round Table Robotics (Oak Creek, WI)

#2062 - CORE (Waukesha, WI)

#2077 - Laser Robotics (Wales, WI)

#2202 - BEAST Robotics (Brookfield, WI)

#2506 - Saber Robotics (Franklin, WI)

#2826 - WAVE Robotics (Oshkosh, WI)

#2830 - Riverside RoboTigers (Milwaukee, WI)

#3381 - Droid Rage (Valders, WI)

#5096 - Teutonic Force (Germantown, WI)

#5148 - New Berlin Blitz (New Berlin, WI)

#5586 - Bond Brigade (Kiel, WI)

#6223 - Arsenal Engineering (Menomonee Falls, WI)

#6381 - Red Raider Robotics (Sheboygan, WI)

#6421 - WarriorBots (Muskego, WI)

#6574 - Ferradermis (Whitewater, WI)

#7103 - Robo Remedy (Manitowoc, WI)

#7619 - Illumiboti (Manitowoc, WI)

#8701 - GRAFFITI (Greendale, WI)

#9578 - Player One (Green Bay, WI)

#10430 - Solar Chill Robotics (West Bend, WI)

* Payment confirmed in process

*** Awaiting Payment
Can't make it?
Build season is tough on a lot of teams, and sometimes things don't come together in time to participate (or break right before our event).

Contact admin@chargerrobotics.org if your team is unable to attend so that we can issue refunds and allow a waitlist team to participate in your place.
Join the Waitlist
Didn't register in time? Contact admin@chargerrobotics.org to join our waitlist.

Teams often have major issues with their robots or cancel in the days leading up to the event. If a spot opens up, we'll get you in! If not, you can always attend as spectators!

Current Waitlist:

[none]
Please remember your Gracious Professionalism and be courteous to others who are trying to load-in or load-out.

Teams are encouraged to arrive between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM. This will minimize the number of teams attempting to navigate HHS hallways with heavy materials, toolboxes, and robots around the general public.

NEW LOAD-IN LOCATION FOR 2026!
Teams are asked to Stage & Load-In from the East side of the building (Overhead Doors). This path is wider and features double doors without dividers the entire pathway, which should minimize damage caused by teams loading in and out.

Charger Robotics members will be available to direct teams to their pit locations and assist with unloading pit materials and robots in the loading area if needed. Teams are asked to quickly move their busses, trailers, and team vehicles following load-out to minimize wait times.

We ask everyone to be patient and work with us as we try to move everyone through the process as efficiently as possible.
Our previous FMS and the combination of unmanaged network setup and WIFI5 band congestion sometimes lead to robots stuttering, delayed matches, or abandoning the FMS in favor of direct driver station to robot connectivity. Charger Robotics has made significant off-season investment in networking equipment and have been hard at work setting up and testing multi-robot connectivity our FMS.

This year's Sussex Scrimmage playing field will be running the Cheesy Arena Field Management System (FMS) with the VH-109 radios.

Cheesy Arena FMS was developed by Team 254 and provides a user-friendly interface for managing matches, displaying scores, and handling other event logistics. Teams will experience a very similar feel and process flow to the official FIRST FMS, although through a more streamlined and efficient format. Chargers have been testing this all season with significantly more success than in previous years.

Upon arrival, teams can head to the dedicated Radio Configuration Station to configure their Vivid-Hosting VH-109 radios for the event.

Charger Robotics has received an official VH-113 field access point (and backup), and have successfully deployed & tested it with our field electronics. Several tablets are located around the FRC Playing Field to indicate correct team positions, match timing, team status indicators, and when it's clear to enter and reset the field.

Note: Team accessible A-stops and E-stops, scoring, and referee integration have not yet been completed. Expect your robot to be E-stopped or the entire match to be aborted if your robot is moving during autonomous or teleop in a way that can cause damage to the field, leave the field, or cause other damage or safety related concerns.
Pit Dimensions

Each FRC team will have an assigned pit work space.

The majority of pits will be in the Auxiliary Gymnasium, and will be approximately 10 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and 10 feet high.

The remaining pits (including FRC #537) will be in the Woodshop, and will have pits approximately 10 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and 8 feet high.

Some pits may have slightly less space or height than others due to layout constraints and event logistics.

As teams drop out or cancel their spot before the event, teams positioned in the Woodshop will be moved to the Aux Gymnasium.

Please bring safety glasses and power extension cords or power strips!

Pit Announcements

Pit Announcements will be placed through FRC.NEXUS.

https://frc.nexus/en/event/2025ss/display/pit

Electrical Power

Pit spaces will have access to a power source and will be within the range of Pit Administration announcements. Pit power has been reconfigured for a better experience for 2025 and beyond. Note that pit electricity supply currently varies, with 4 to 6 teams sharing a 20 amp circuit. Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure all pits have adequate power, and we do not anticipate power interruption. Teams with a "super pit" or intent to charge banks of 12 batteries simultaneously may be asked to lower power draw to prevent power interruption to teams in neighboring pits. Use gracious professionalism and alert event staff if issues arise.

Tables

Teams will also be provided a table upon request. Tables may vary in size and construction due to the number of teams attending. Charger Robotics requests that teams respect the table surfaces to minimize the likelihood of damage.

Queuing QR Codes

Each team will have a team-specific QR code slip temporarily taped to your pit table or otherwise located at your pit area. Up to 5 people on each team can use this QR code to sign up to receive queuing notifications through FRC.NEXUS.

This is the same system utilized at competition events, and physical queuing will be limited. Teams from the "Fill-in" line will take the spot of teams that miss getting to their queued position for a scheduled match before it reaches "on-deck" status.
Please encourage others to engage in safe behaviors and help identify and report any unsafe or hazardous conditions to a mentor and Event Staff. When in doubt, please consult the FIRST Safety Manual: ftc-frc-safety-manual.pdf

All teams are asked to please outfit all members, mentors, parents, and visitors associated with their teams with the proper protective gear and eyewear while in or near the pits, robots and robot carts, and the playing field.

Extra safety glasses and hand-sanitizer should be packed along with your robot and drive station. There will be a limited number of safety glasses and supplies available at pit admin for guests and VIPs.

A First Aid station is available at FRC #537's pit and pit admin table for basic needs, simple cuts, abrasions, burns, and splinters. There are additional health treatment centers nearby should urgent, non-emergency needs arise:

Froedtert FastCare Walk-In Clinic at the Sussex Meijer
N51W24953 Lisbon Rd, Sussex, WI 53089

Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital
W180 N8085, Town Hall Rd, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

Froedtert Community Hospital - Pewaukee
209 Pewaukee Rd, Pewaukee, WI 53072
Due to the number of teams registered for our event this year, some changes were made to pit layout and the number of bleachers to improve the safety and flow of people and materials during the event.

Teams are expected to bring their own carts or dollies to transport their robots from the pits to the field. Drive team and technicians in control of the robot carts should follow field manager instructions regarding placement of the carts before, during, and after matches.

The main gymnasium will have a form of gym guard floor covering to help protect the basketball court floors. While reasonable efforts will be made to keep the seams of the tarps as flat and smooth as possible, heavy carts and foot traffic can sometimes cause sections to lift ridges and bunch up. Please be cognizant and report any tripping hazards or tarp issues to event staff.
Charger Robotics is offering limited machine shop services to teams in need of manufactured items during the event.

Simply go to Pit Administration and a Charger Robotics crew member will escort you to the Machine Shop.

Note: Due to district insurance policies, Charger Robotics members must be the ones performing work on stationary powered machines.
As this is the first event most FRC teams are participating in this season, design limitations or forgotten components are often discovered for the first time. It is not unusual for teams to be in need of parts and supplies.

Ace Hardware in Sussex, Wisconsin is the closest.

There are several Menards, Fleet Farm, Lowes, Home Depot, True Value, and other hardware and home improvement stores within a 15 minute drive.
Assisted by FRC #2506 - Saber Robotics!

The purpose of the Scouting Discussion is to give teams the opportunity to share ideas, understand the value of different intelligence gathering, data acquisition, and data analysis methods, and to participate in Q&A sessions with other teams.

The Scouting and Data Analysis Discussion will be in the lower Informational Media Center (IMC) between 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of FIRST’s most outstanding secondary school students, the Kamen family sponsors awards for selected 10th or 11th grade students known as the FIRST Robotics Competition® and the FIRST Tech Challenge FIRST Dean’s List Award.

The purpose of the Dean's List Discussion is to give individual students who were nominated by their teams for the Dean’s List Award the opportunity to share ideas, practice their interview skills, and participate in Q&A sessions with other teams and previous Dean's List nominees.

The Dean's List Discussion will be in the Informational Media Center (IMC) between 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
Assisted by FRC #2202 - BEAST Robotics!

The Impact Award is the most prestigious award at FIRST, it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST. It was created to keep the central focus of FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encouraging more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders.

The purpose of the Impact Award Exchange is to give teams who are applying for the Impact Award the opportunity to share ideas, practice their presentations, and participate in Q&A sessions with other teams.

The Impact Award Exchange will be in the Little Theater between 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
This event includes a live stream for remote viewing through Charger Television's YouTube channel. Additional match footage and gameplay may become available on Sussex Scrimmage (2025) - The Blue Alliance.
Video Link
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