Strategic Kickoff for Push Back – VEX V5 2025–2026

When Push Back comes to shove… What’s your robot going to do?

Although we witnessed our final moments in the Dallas Dome this past week, the end of this era marks the beginning of a new season filled with opportunity: The 2025–2026 VEX V5 game, Push Back, is finally here. 

But now it’s time for excitement to turn into execution. Let’s talk strategy, how to win, and fast.

If you aren’t already familiar with the core rules, watch the official game reveal video.

Game Analysis Approach: Winning in Early-season

To maximize early-season wins in Push Back, teams must go beyond surface-level understanding and uncover the hidden mechanics of the game. We’ll be diving deep into the official game manual (GM) in this analysis.

Finding the right strategy and design for early-season tournaments is crucial to be successful in VEX. The first tournaments often bring smaller brackets and fewer veteran teams, providing a prime opportunity to secure early qualifications. And who doesn’t love qualifying early? You can relax knowing that your spot in a Worlds qualifying event is guaranteed. But more importantly, you can experiment and focus on finding the most optimal strategies and designs before other teams even get a chance.

But how do you arrive at this position in the first place? 

This article explores Push Back through the lens of competitive readiness in the early game. With each section, we’ll explore the strategic implications that will help your team make informed decisions that lead to real wins, FAST.

Deep Dive:

This game is volatile by design: leads can disappear in the blink of an eye, and small missteps can spiral into devastation… It’s a “tug of war mechanic,” as Bailey Kahl of the Game Design Committee explained during the Field walkthrough.

As a result, robots and strategies that win will have to exploit this mechanic, and master the art of timing

Enter scene: Time-Weighted Scoring

Time-weighted scoring refers to how the value of scoring actions changes depending on when in the match they occur. While each point has a fixed value in the rules (e.g., 3 points per Block), the strategic value of those points shifts dramatically based on time left in the match. 

In Push Back, this concept originates from three main factors:

1. Scoring is Evaluated Only at the End

As usual for every game, <SC1> states all scoring is locked and counted only after the match ends. This means:

  • A Block in a Goal during the match doesn’t count unless it’s still there when the match ends.
  • You can score a lot early on, but it risks your opponent removing or overtaking your scoring in the final moments.

The last 20 seconds become critically important. A team that can control Goals at the end, even if they trailed earlier, can completely flip the result in their favor.

2. Control Bonuses Depend on the Final State

Control Bonuses are awarded to the alliance that has the majority of Blocks in a Goal at the end of the match.

  • This means a team could be “winning” a Goal early, but if it loses majority control late, they not only lose their points, but the points swing to the other alliance.

Defense or rapid cycles in the final seconds are disproportionately valuable. Teams that are built to strike fast and decisively at the end have an advantage.

3. High-Impact Endgame Bonuses

“Tense, last-second decisions will have to be made” – Connor Mulkey of the GDC

  • Parking one robot = 8 points
  • Parking both = 30 points
    This MASSIVE bonus (particularly for dual parks) can override even moderate scoring differences earlier in the match from fighting for goal control.

A bot that can guarantee a park in the last 5 seconds, or prevent an opponent from doing so, can shift the result even if it didn’t dominate the match.

Strategic Takeaway

Time-weighted scoring means:

  • Early game is about setting up field control and disrupting your opponent.
  • Mid-game is about cycling efficiently and positioning for the endgame.
  • Endgame is everything. Your robot must be built to make strong, fast plays in the last 20 seconds.

But this is just the theory. To put it into practice, teams will have to apply key concepts throughout their matches to increase their chances of winning.

1. Resource Control

Resource control means more than just scoring Blocks. It’s about deciding who gets access to scoring potential and when. Since Blocks are limited (88 total, 44 per alliance), and possession is unrestricted (see <SG6>), managing availability over time becomes a form of power.

  • “Starve the enemy” by rapidly collecting or clearing Blocks early to prevent your opponent from having scoring opportunities later in the match. By reducing your opponents potential, you are scoring.
  • “Drop and retake”: Score just enough to get a Goal advantage, but always save some for later if control is lost to quickly recapture.
  • Buzzer Beater: Having blocks in your bot (from preloads or loaders) in the last 20 seconds means faster last-minute cycles. That’s how you swing Control Bonuses and hit critical scoring right before the match ends, leaving your opponent with too little time to react.

2. Defense and Disrupting Opponents

Disruption isn’t about aggression for its own sake; it’s a response tool that prevents your opponent from capitalizing on time-weighted scoring.

In Push Back, you can win without outscoring if you deny your opponent’s late-game plan.

  • Block off access to key field zones or elements. If your opponents can’t get to the Blocks or Goals, they can’t score. Execute Resource Control and collect the blocks before they can.
  • “Stagger defense”: While your alliance scores throughout the match, you buy them time by slowing both opponents with quick, calculated bumps right as your opponents go to score.
  • “Park denial”: If you know you have the Goal advantage, a perfectly-timed block of your opponent’s Park Zone, using robot placement or bumping (legally), can prevent them from swinging the score and guarantee you victory.

3. Autonomous Period

We also can’t forget about the Autonomous period. It too plays a crucial role in setting you up for success in a match.

Auton Scoring Opportunities:

  • 10-point Autonomous Bonus to the alliance that scores the most during auton
  • Autonomous Win Point (AWP) if you complete all of the following:
    • Score at least 7 Blocks
    • Use 3 different Goals
    • Remove Blocks from both Loaders (as outlined in <SC6>)

Resource Control Advantage: Auton routines can place blocks or your bot in a better position to collect or defend once Driver Control starts.

Spend enough time to build an auton that gives you the advantage in the early phase of the game and also in the tournament using Win Points.

4. Endgame Positioning

As you know, the Park Zone bonus can deliver a massive swing:

According to Section <SC4> of the Game Manual:

  • Robots must be fully or partially in their alliance’s Park Zone.
  • They must not be contacting any Blocks, Goals, or opposing robots.

If you park one and your opponent parks both, you’re now down 22 points. That’s the equivalent of 7+ Blocks. A fast and efficient scoring machine, but that can’t park, is a robot that might lose you the match.

  • The Final 10 Seconds Rule: Treat the last ten seconds like an autonomous parking zone. No more scoring. Just execute the park. Ensuring you don’t park too soon, but have enough time to do so.
  • Double Park Coordination: Communicate clearly with your alliance partner about who parks first, who adjusts, and how you avoid blocking each other; ideally before the match.

Pro Tip: Practice “clock awareness” drills where drivers rehearse the last 15 seconds repeatedly. Parking in the final seconds should become instinct.

By applying these concepts within the Time-weighted strategy, you will find that your scoring and defensive actions will be executed at the right moment during each phase of the match, and your opponents will be left panicking to respond.

Summary: The Crucial Role of Timing in Push Back

In Push Back, the timing of your actions is just as important as the actions themselves. While the point values are fixed (3 points per Block, 10 for autonomous, up to 30 for parking, etc.), the impact of those points is highly dependent on when you earn them. This makes timing a strategic asset that your team must plan, design, and drive around.

Control time, and you control the outcome

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