Is it legal to block an opponent's shot into the hive?

According to Q&A 2: Legality of Shot Blockers, blocking or defending shots taken are not specifically disallowed by the BIOBUZZ rules.

However, Rule G407 and Rule G408 require a SCORING ELEMENT to be CONTROLLED for it to count towards the holding limits and potentially be a violation. If the ROBOT action meets the definition of CONTROL, then the ROBOT may be at risk of violating G407 or G408 while interacting with SCORING ELEMENTS.

Also, note that Rule G417 states that ROBOTS may not meddle with the HIVE Structure, but this rule does not explicitly address blocking shots.

Please refer to the official Competition Manual for the most up-to-date rules and regulations.

Sources
- Q&A 10: Penalty for Shooting Nectar into the wrong hive
- Q&A 2: Legality of Shot Blockers
- G417 ROBOTS may not meddle with the HIVE Structure.
- Breaking Down BIOBUZZ Strategies | FTC Live | FIRST Tech Challenge — 15:11 to 17:43 — FUN Robotics Network
- Q&A 13: Rule G408 - control of opponent nectar