ROBOT GAME­RULEBOOK

Robot
Game
MissionVideo

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Robot Game Rulebook

FIRST ® LEGO® LEAGUE GLOBAL SPONSORSCHALLENGE DIVISION SPONSOR

SUBMERGEDSM

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Welcome!
Welcome to FIRST ® DIVESM presented by Qualcomm
season. This year’s FIRST LEGO® League challenge
is called SUBMERGEDSM. Your team will work together
on many different tasks in preparation for an incredible
experience at your event.
This Robot Game Rulebook will be your guide inunderstanding and playing the robot game. Containedin this guide are the missions, rules, and links to theresources you need to be successful in the robot game.

In addition to the Robot Game Rulebook, we
recommend teams use the Engineering Notebook,which can be used as a guide foryour team’s journey throughout
the season. It also provides
inspiration for the innovation
project and can be a helpful
judging resource.

Engineering
Notebook

FIRST ® Core Values

4

We explore newskills and ideas.

We respect
each other andembrace ourdifferences.

We use creativity
and persistence tosolve problems.

We are stronger
when we work
together.

We apply what welearn to improve
our world.

We enjoy andcelebrate what wedo!

Robot Game Rulebook I IntroductionFIRST ® LEGO® League Challenge Overview
At an event, your team’s
performance will be evaluatedbased on four equally weighted
components, each accountingfor 25% of your total score. The
three components of Core Values,
Robot Design, and Innovation
Project will be evaluated during

CORE VALUES
Demonstrate FIRST ® Core Valuesin everything you do. Your team will
be evaluated during the robot gameand the judging session.

Your team will:• Apply teamwork and discovery to explore the challenge.
• Innovate with new ideas about your robot and project.
• Show how your team and your solutions will have an impact and be
inclusive!
• Celebrate by having fun in everything you do!

ROBOT DESIGNYour team will prepare a short
explanation on your robot design,
programs, and strategy.

Your team will:• Identify your mission strategy.
• Design your robot and programs and create an effective plan.
• Create your robot and coding solution.
• Iterate, test, and improve your robot and program.
• Communicate your robot design process and everyone’s contributions.

ROBOT GAMEYour team will have three
2.5-minute matches to complete as
many missions as possible.

Your team will:• Build the mission models and set up the field mat.
• Review the missions and rules.
• Design and build a robot.
• Explore building and coding skills while practicing with your robot on
the mat.
• Compete at an event!

INNOVATION PROJECTYour team will prepare a live,
engaging presentation to explain
the work you have done on yourinnovation project.

the judging session. Your robot’s
performance will be evaluatedseparately during the Robot Game.

Your team will:• Identify and research a problem.
• Design a new solution or improve an existing one based on your selectedidea, brainstorming, and plan.
• Create a model, drawing, or prototype.
• Iterate on your solution by sharing it with others and collecting feedback.
• Communicate your solution’s potential impact.

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The Robot Game
Here’s a general overview of how the FIRST ® LEGO® League robot game is played:team works together to design and build a
1. Your
LEGO robot. The robot operates autonomously,®

meaning that it will will follow pre-programmed
instructions that your team writes to complete
missions on the robot game field. The goal is
to earn as many points as possible within a
2.5-minute match.

2.

During a match, your team earns points as yourrobot completes missions, or tasks. Missions
are represented by LEGO® models, referred toas mission models, that are positioned aroundthe field. Missions can challenge the robot tomanipulate objects, activate mechanisms, ormove items to designated areas.

team launches your robot from one of the
3. Yourlaunch areas, contained in home. The robot
should be programmed and prepared with
the necessary attachments to accomplish themission(s) your team is attempting.

your job to strategize and determine the4. It’sorder and approach your team will use tocomplete missions and maximize your score.
You may choose to focus on specific high-scoring
missions or aim for a combination of missions toaccumulate points.

requirements must be visible at the end
5. Missionof the match to score, unless otherwise stated in
the mission.

competitions, you will have three matches to
6. Inshowwhat your robot can do. Each round offers

an opportunity to improve your score and yourstrategies. Only your team’s best score of thethree official matches counts toward awards andadvancement. Ties are broken using second andthird best scores.

LEGO League cares about not only the
7. FIRST
robot’s performance but also how you express

Core Values through Gracious Professionalism ®.
Referees at the event will evaluate your Gracious
Professionalism at every official match.

For a full understanding of the robot game, please review the robot game rules found at the end of this guide.

Home

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Left Launch
Area

Robot Game Rulebook I Introduction

Right Launch
Area

Home

SUBMERGEDSM
Get ready to dive deep into the oceanic abyss, as
this year’s robot game will take you through a thrillingadventure of varying habitats found in different ocean
layers. Starting from the sunlight zone, your team willplunge headfirst into a coral reef that is in dire needof restoration. As you venture farther down into thetwilight and midnight zones, you’ll retrieve an artifact
from a sunken ship, which will surely put your skills to
the test.

The real challenge awaits you in the deepest trenchesof the abyss where you’ll explore a mysterious cold
seep. Finally, you’ll return to the twilight zone to further
your research and uncover the secrets lurking beneaththe ocean’s surface. Get ready to embark on an
unforgettable journey of discovery!

Inside the Challenge Set
Inside your annual challenge set, you will find achallenge mat, 3M™ Dual Lock™ Reclosable
Fastener, and your team’s mission models. The

mission models will come in numbered bags and must
be built by your team using the Mission Model Building
Instructions.
Field Mat

3M™ Dual
Lock™
Reclosable
Fastener

LEGO® Mission
ModelsCaution: The robot interacts with mission models
on the field for points, so it is important to build
the models exactly as shown in the building
instructions. Practicing with incorrect models
can be problematic and affect your gameplay
experience. Work as a team to build the models
and check each other’s work as you build.

Use the link on the next
page to begin building
your mission models.

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GETTING STARTED | HELPFUL LINKS
your mission models using the Mission
1. Build
Model Building Instructions. The mission

models are the official objects the robot interacts
with as part of the game.

2.

Decide whether to put your field mat on a table
or on the floor. You can use the Optional Table
Building Instructions to build your own table.

up your field by following the Field Setup
3. SetVideo.

4.

Read the Missions and Rules sections of thisguide, found on the following pages, and watch
the Robot Game Mission Video.
The Missions section describes each mission
model and how your team can earn points
during the game by interacting with them.

for Updates. This is a running list of official
5. Check
rules, clarifications, and amendments. Refer tothe Updates often and carefully.

your score throughout the season using the
6. Track
Official Scoring Calculator.
out our other helpful resources, such as
7. Checkthe Event Preparation Video, the Robot Path
Diagram, and the Classroom Scoresheet!

For additional help building and coding
your robot, check out the LEGO® Education
SPIKE™ App. Within the app, a guided mission
is provided, where you will learn how toprogram and complete Mission 10: “Send over
the Submersible”.

The Rules section describes how to play thegame, including how a match is run, what ateam can and cannot do, and how to score!

Scan theQR code toaccess the boldresources listed
above.

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Robot Game Rulebook I IntroductionWatch theMission Video
here!

Missions
ARE YOU READY TO PLAY THE­S UBMERGEDSM ROBOT GAME?!

Complete as many missions as you can to score points! The missions are explained here.

02
04
01

03
14

14 10

14

06
07

15

12

11

13

05
09
08

Equipment Inspection
No Equipment Constraint:
When this symbol appears
in the top-right corner ofa mission, the following
constraint is applied:• Before the match, there will be an equipment
inspection. If your robot and all equipment
fit completely in one launch area and undera height limit of 12 in. (305 mm) during thisinspection...................................................... 20“No equipment may betouching any part of thismission model at the end of
the match to score for thismission.”Missions

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01 Coral Nursery

02 Shark

Cave

Coral
Buds

Coral
Tree
Support

Shark

Coral
Tree

Holder

Secure new coral structures to grow in the nursery until
they are strong enough for transport to the reef.
• If the coral tree is hanging on the coral tree
support .........................................................
• Bonus: and the bottom of the coral tree isin its holder ..............................................
• If the coral buds are flipped up ......................

20
10
added
20

03 Coral Reef
Coral
Reef
SupportThe shark was just tagged for research - release it backinto its habitat.
itat• If the shark is no longer
Shark Hab
touching the cave ......... 20• If the shark is touching
the mat and is at least
partly in the shark
habitat .......................... 10

04 Scuba Diver
Scuba
Diver

Reef
Segments

Coral
Reef

Carefully mount the new coral structure without
damaging other nearby reef segments.
• If the coral reef is flipped up, not touching themat ................................................................. 20• If a reef segment is standing upright, outsideof home, and touching the mat ........................ 5 each10

Robot Game Rulebook I Missions

Help the scuba diver transport new coral from thenursery to the reef.
• If the scuba diver is no longer touching the coral
nursery ................................................................. 20• If the scuba diver is hanging on the coral reef
support ................................................................. 20
The “coral nursery” includes any part of the Mission 1
mission model.

05 Angler Fish

06 Raise the Mast
Mast

Angle
Fish rLatch
Guide the angler fish back to its unexpected home
within the shipwreck.
• If the angler fish is latched within the shipwreck .... 30

07 Kraken’s Treasure

Raise the mast to restore the sunken shipwreck andexplore what is inside.
• If the shipwreck’s mast is completely raised .......... 30
The shipwreck’s mast is considered raised when
the latch prevents it from returning to its starting
position.

08 Artificial Habitat
Crab

Mast
Latch

ure
TreasesthCRetrieve the chest from the shipwreck to reveal thehistory and treasure it holds.
• If the treasure chest iscompletely outside thekraken’s nest................ 20

en’s

Krak

Nest

Rearrange the artificial habitat stacks to create safe
homes for the crabs and other sea creatures in thisarea.
• If an artificial habitat stack segment is
10completely flat and upright ............................... each
There are four segments of the artificial habitat
stack, each defined by its yellow base. A segment is
considered upright when the crab is above its yellow
base.

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09 Unexpected Encounter

10 Send over theSubmersible

wn
UnknotureaerCYellowFlag
leSubmersib

An unknown creature has attached itself to the AUV!
Safely release it and deliver it to the cold seep.

Cold Seep• If the unknown creatureis released ................... 20• If the unknown creature
is at least partly in thecold seep ..................... 10

11 Sonar Discovery

Some waters are too difficult to reach with larger ships.
Send the submersible to explore the opposing field’swaters.
• If your team’s yellow flag is down .......................... 30• If the submersible is clearly closer to the opposing
field ....................................................................... 10
Teams may not block the opposing team.
It is not possible to earn the bonus in remotecompetitions or if there is no opposing team.

12 Feed the Whale
Krill

s

Whale

Use the ship’s sonar technology to scan thesurroundings for nearby objects or animals.
• If one whale is revealed .................................. 20• Bonus: If both whales are revealed ................ 10
added

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Robot Game Rulebook I Missions

Krill are a whale’s favorite food! Collect the krill andfeed them to the hungry whale.
• Krill at least partly in the whale’s mouth ............ 10each13 Change Shipping Lanes

14 Sample Collection
Water
Sample

Kelp
ForestSeabedSample

Seab

ed

Tride
n

t

Adjust the cargo ship’s route to safely avoid whale
migration routes by moving to another shipping lane.
• If the ship is in the new shipping lane, touching
the mat ................................................................. 20

15 Research VesselPort’s
Latch

Plank
SamptonleCollect samples and artifacts from around the mat sothey can be analyzed by scientists in the lab.
• If the water sample is completely outside thewater sample area ......................................... 5• If the seabed sample is no longer touching
the seabed ..................................................... 10• If the plankton sample is no longer touching
the kelp forest ................................................ 10
If a piece of theWater Sample Area trident is no longer
touching the
shipwreck................. 20
Bonus: If bothpieces are nolonger touching the10
shipwreck................. added

Precision Tokens

Cargo
Area

h
Researcl
Vesse
Loop
Securely dock the ship that contains the samples andartifacts your team has collected.
If any of the following are at least partly in the
research vessel’s cargo area:• Sample(s) ....................................................... 5 each
• Trident Part(s) ................................................. 5 each
• Treasure Chest ............................................... 5• If the port’s latch is at least partly in the
research vessel’s loop .................................... 20

You begin the match with six
precision tokens worth 50 points.
If you interrupt the robot outsideof home, the referee willremove one token. You earnpoints for the number oftokens remaining at the endof the match. If the number
remaining is:(See Rules 17 and 18.)
1: 10, 2: 15, 3: 25,
4: 35, 5: 50, 6: 50

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RulesIMPORTANT!
• All robot game wording means precisely and only what it says.
Don’t overthink it!
• If a detail is not mentioned, it does not matter.
• If a situation arises that makes the referee’s decision unclear or
hard to call, you get the benefit of the doubt.
• If rules, missions, or the field setup needs adjustment or
clarification, a Challenge Update will be issued during theseason superseding previous materials. It’s important to notethat updates will apply only to events occurring after theirrelease and should not be used to alter the results of past
events.

Updates• At an event, your head referee makes the final decision. Text
always has authority over pictures. (Videos and emails
have no authority when scoring.)

Gracious Professionalism ®
displayed at the robot game tablechanges only if a referee observes
above-and-beyond sportsmanship,awarding an EXCEEDS score (4points), or lesser sportsmanship,awarding a DEVELOPING score (2points).

If a team does not show up for theirmatch, they will score no points
for Gracious Professionalism.
However, if a team arrives and does
not run the robot but does explain
what has happened, they can get
a Gracious Professionalism scoreof 2, 3, or 4 points depending on
the Gracious Professionalism they
demonstrate.

• Equipment: Everything teams
bring to the match. (See Rules,
Before the Match for moredetails.)• Launch: When technicians
activate the robot from completely
within a launch area to cause it tomove autonomously.

• Robot: Your controller and any
equipment combined with it andintended to not separate from it,
unless by hand.

• Field: This consists of the borderwalls and everything inside them.
The mat, the mission models, andthe home areas are all part of the
field.

• Match: The 2.5 minutes when
the robot completes as many
missions as possible to earnpoints.

• Technicians: Team members
standing at the table who arehandling the robot during a match.

DEVELOPINGACCOMPLISHED

Gracious Professionalism points
will be added to the total Core
Values score from judging.
Every team starts each matchwith an ACCOMPLISHED score(3 points), and this is the score
most matches will yield. The score

EXCEEDS

Glossary• Interruption: When technicians
interact with the robot, or anything
touching it, after launch.

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Robot Game Rulebook I Rules• Mission: One or more tasks thatcan be completed for points.
Teams may try missions in any
order or combination.

BEFORE THE MATCH | EQUIPMENT
The equipment a team brings to the robot game field,
such as the robot and its attachments or accessories,
must meet the following guidelines:
equipment must be LEGO building pieces, in
1. Alloriginal factory condition.
®

Exception: LEGO string and pneumatic tubes
may be cut to length.

Controller
Maximum of one in any one
match.

may use as many non-electric LEGO
2. Teams
pieces from any set as they’d like.
LEGO equipment is allowed only as
3. Electric
described and shown below. (The LEGO®

Education SPIKE Prime is shown, but LEGO®
Education SPIKETM Essential, MINDSTORMS®
EV3, MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor, Powered
Up, and equivalent NXT and RCX are also
allowed.)TM

MotorsMaximum of four (any mix)in any one match.

Sensors
Only touch/force, color,distance/ultrasonic, andgyro sensors are allowed(any mix and number) in any
one match.

can also use LEGO wires, one controller’s
4. Teams
power pack or six AA batteries, and one microSD

may bring one sheet of notebook paper
6. Teams
per home area for program notes. This does not

can use any software or programming
5. Teams
language. Robots must be autonomous during

or duplicate mission models are not
7. Additional
allowed.

card.

the match. No remote controllers of any type areallowed.

count as equipment.

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Home
Left Launch Area
Right Launch Area

BEFORE THE MATCH | MATCH SETUP
At events, matches will be played on official tables.
Before the match begins, teams will need to pass the
pre-match inspection and set all their equipment inplace.
the team’s equipment must fit into the two
8. Alllaunch areas and fit under a height limit of 12

in. (305 mm). However, if the team can fit all
their equipment into just one launch area undera height limit of 12 in. (305 mm), they will earn
20 points.

9.

Teams will not be given additional storage
space. Storage tables or trolleys are notallowed. Everything must stay on the table
or in the hands of the technicians. The areas
to the left and right of the mat can be used tostore equipment and measure approximately
6.75 in. (171 mm) by 45 in. (1,143 mm) (actual
measurements may vary). Equipment stored
on the table may extend past the left and rightwalls only, as needed.

the team has passed inspection, they
10. After
will be given a couple of minutes to set up.

They start by distributing their equipment andloose mission model(s) between the two home16

Robot Game Rulebook I Rules

areas. (Sometimes, mission models must startin a specific home area. See Field Setup for
more details.) Next, they place their robot into
the launch area they wish to start from. Anyremaining time should be used to adjust the
robot and equipment for the first launch, tocalibrate sensors using any part of the mat,and to ask the referee to check anything on thefield.
members must then divide into two
11. Teamgroups and position one group on each sideof the field (left and right). These members
cannot switch sides during the match. Teamsof:• Four or more: Position two technicians at
each home area. All other team members
must stand back. Teams may never havemore than two technicians at a single homearea, but team members may swap places
with technician(s) from the same side at any
time.
• Three: Position two technicians on one side
and one on the other (team choice).
• Two: Position one technician on each side.

DURING THE MATCH | INSIDE HOME
is split into two areas. Each home area
12. Home
contains its own launch area.

13.

Technicians may use their hands on the robot,
equipment, and mission models when these
are completely within their home area.

14. Technicians may not:• Hand anything from one home area to theother.
• Touch anything outside of their home area,
except for interrupting the robot.
• Cause anything to move or extend outside
this area, except for launching the robot.

15. When launching:• Technicians may not keep anything frommoving.
• The robot and anything it is about to movemust fit completely inside the launch area.

any launch, technicians should allow the
16. After
robot and anything it is in contact with to return
completely into home before interrupting it.
(See Rules, Outside Home for more details.)

Points scored in these ways will not count.

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DURING THE MATCH | OUTSIDE HOME
technicians interrupt their robot, it must be
17. Ifrelaunched.
If the robot or anything it was incontact with at the time of the interruption was
outside home (even partly), the team loses one
precision token.
If the robot or any object(s) it was in contact
with were:• Partly outside home: They must be
brought into that home area.
• Completely outside home: Teams may
hand them to either home area.
• Any returned object that was obtained
outside home after the robot was last
launched must be given to the referee forthe remainder of the match.
Exception: If the team does not plan to launchagain, they may stop their robot in place
without losing a precision token. The robot andanything it is in contact with should remain inplace where it was interrupted.

a piece of equipment or a mission model is
18. Ifdropped
or left outside of home by the robot,
wait for it to come to rest. If it rests:• Completely outside home: It stays as is
unless the robot moves it.
• Partly inside home: It stays as is unlessthe robot moves it. Alternatively, at any time,
the technicians may remove it by hand. If
the object removed by hand is a mission
model, it must be given to the referee forthe remainder of the match. If the object isequipment, it must be taken into that homearea, and the team will lose one precision
token.
may not interrupt their robot in such a
19. Teams
way that they earn points from it. Points scoredin these ways will not count.

may not separate the Dual Lock, take
20. Teams
models apart, or break a mission model. If

a mission model is combined with anything(including the robot), the combination must
be loose or simple enough that, if asked to,a technician could free the mission model in
perfect original condition in a single motion.
Points scored using combinations that fail thistest will not count.

may not interfere with the opposing field
21. Teams
or robot unless there is a mission exception.
Points failed or lost due to interference willscore automatically for the other team.

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Robot Game Rulebook I Rules

AFTER THE MATCH | SCORING
2.5 minutes, the match ends. Technicians
22. Aftermust stop their robot and touch nothing else.
This is when scoring begins.

scoring, all mission requirements must be
23. Forvisible at the end of the match unless a method
was required in the mission.

something is required to be “completely
24. Whenin” an area, the lines and airspace above thatarea count as “in” unless otherwise mentioned.

a team cannot run their robot, they can still
25. Ifgain
Gracious Professionalism points by®

explaining the situation or being present at thematch.

referee will document the results of the
26. Thematch with the team. When there is agreementon the results, it becomes official. If noagreement is reached, the head referee makes
the final decision. Only the team’s best scoreof the three official matches counts toward
awards and advancement. Ties are broken
using second and third best scores. In the caseof a three-way tie, local tournament officials will
decide what to do.

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LEGO, the LEGO logo, the SPIKE logo, MINDSTORMS and the MINDSTORMS logo are trademarks of the/sont des marques de commerce
du/son marcas registradas de LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved/Tous droits réservés/Todos los derechos reservados.
FIRST ®, the FIRST ® logo, Coopertition ®, Gracious Professionalism ®, and FIRST ® DIVESM are trademarks of For Inspiration and Recognitionof Science and Technology (FIRST). LEGO® is a registered trademark of the LEGO Group. FIRST ® LEGO® League and SUBMERGEDSM arejointly held trademarks of FIRST and the LEGO Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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