Robot Fightin' Workshop - 23 July 2022

After the successful inaugural event in March we wanted to run a beginners’ event to help get a few newbies get into the apparently intimidating but actually secretly quite easy and very fun sport of robot fighting.

The day started with an engaging intro talk by Sam Roberts, going through a potted history of combat robotics, Robot Wars and the associated events, describing plans for the day, and dispensing valuable advice.

Workshop

For the first part of the day, our 7 new beginners’ teams – a good mix of individuals and pairs – were given a starter kit and let loose to construct their robots. The kit contained:

• 2 x motors plus 3d printed cradles
• Speed controller
• Laser-cut wooden chassis
• 2x 3d printed wedges to attach superstructure
• 2x wheels (extra chunky wheels were available for £1 extra)
• Rechargeable NiMH battery plus connector cable

The whole was controlled through a rather nifty receiver controlled by a phone app over the WiFi (the price of a transmitter otherwise being something of a barrier to entry).

After a few hours of activity our robot roster was complete. There was a fantastic array of imaginative designs – going in we’d been a bit worried we’d end up with seven identical robots but instead the competitors were:

The (new) competitors

Robot	Roboteer(s)	Comments
Adam Antweight	Gareth	If you feared there would be no 80s new wave themed robots then FEAR NO MORE
Bog Marley	Andrew	Cleverly repurposed plumbing bot
Evil Kermit	Lynn & Charlie	Charming yet psychopathic frog bot
Johnny 5	Paul M	An aerodynamic wedge reminiscent of Series 1 Robot Wars champion Roadblock
The Killer	Patrick & son	Armoured with packing foam and duct tape and as such INDESTRUCTIBLE
Mr Confusion	Paul T	Went for the obvious “twitchy almond-headed android on the roof” design
The Wooden Box	Christophe	Well, it’s a wooden box. But with wheels!

Joined by veterans Auntie Hamps, Battle Bunny, Big Loader, Chewdas Priest, Thwack Sabbath, Time for Crab! and reigning champion Alice Scooper, the battles began.

Battles!

All the battles are up on YouTube here but here’s a summary in glorious text:

Round 1

Adam Antweight vs Bog Marley

A cagey start without much contact after which Adam Antweight almost drives itself out of the arena. The two then find themselves in a dance of death for a while, but an unexpected development sees one of Adam Antweight’s wheels come loose – but it’s not immobilised and continues dragging its semi-autonomous innards about the place. The fight continues until a cunning feint sees Bog Marley drive clean out of the arena! Which goes to show, never give up just because your wheel falls off of its own free will. Winner: Adam Antweight by ring out

Big Loader vs Alice Scooper

Big Loader is an exciting new design by veteran roboteer Steve, capable of running at almost any orientation. After an even start, alas, one of its tracks comes a bit loose and Alice Scooper is able to push the Loader out of the arena. Winner: Alice Scooper by ring out

Thwack Sabbath vs Chewdas Priest

A Designed for Demise (those are the ones with the bad metal puns) deathmatch sees the twitchy Priest almost drive itself out of the arena a couple of times before Thwack Sabbath drives (or is pushed, it’s hard to tell) off the side. Winner: Chewdas Priest by ring out

Mr Confusion vs The Wooden Box

The two biggest robots hurl themselves at each other for a bit before the Wooden Box is pitched upon its unfortunately extremely flat wooden sides. Winner: Mr Confusion by immobilisation

Auntie Hamps vs Time for Crab!

OK so perhaps Auntie Hamps is actually the biggest robot. In the first clash Time for Crab! is able to bend one of Auntie’s wheels at an upsetting angle – and with the resulting lack of control it’s an easy job for Crab! to push it off the side. Winner: Time for Crab! by ring out

Battle Bunny vs Johnny 5

Johnny 5 almost drives out of the arena immediately, but is able to pull back at the last moment. It seems this is the done thing, as Battle Bunny follows suit, but this time isn’t able to save itself from oblivion. Winner: Johnny 5 by ring out

Evil Kermit vs The Killer

Evil Kermit sprints out of the blocks with great enthusiasm. Its clever cable tie legs prevent it leaving the arena and tempt The Killer into a foolhardy charge, leaving it suspended out of the arena and just touching the ground… Winner: Evil Kermit by ring out

Round 2

Johnny 5 vs The Wooden Box

A lightning elimination as Johnny 5 speeds under the Wooden Box’s front wedges and flings it over the arena wall in the first 2 seconds! Winner: Johnny 5 by ring out

Evil Kermit vs Mr Confusion

Mr Confusion is brutally decapitated early on, before some closely matched pushing about punctuated by Mr Confusion briefly getting stuck on one of Evil Kermit’s feet. Eventually Evil Kermit almost drives out the arena only to be saved by its legs, before Mr Confusion helps it the rest of the way out. Winner: Mr Confusion by ring out

Adam Antweight vs The Killer

A few cagey early encounters soon lead to a glancing blow from the Killer knocking Adam Antweight out of the arena! Winner: The Killer by ring out

Chewdas Priest vs Bog Marley

Chewdas Priest immediately flings Bog Marley out of the arena with a cool sort of roundhouse-grab-fling manoeuvre. Another lightning quick fight. Winner: Chewdas Priest by ring out

Time for Crab! vs Alice Scooper

Alice Scooper unwisely drives straight into the waiting claws of the Crab! and is only able to struggle as it is dumped over the side. Winner: Time for Crab! by ring out

Thwack Sabbath vs Auntie Hamps

A few early thwacks before Auntie Hamps is gently chaperoned off the edge by Thwack Sabbath. Winner: Thwack Sabbath by ring out

Battle Bunny vs Big Loader

Some really good early flips got in by Battle Bunny are initially frustrated by Big Loader’s ability to run in almost any orientation, but appear to finally get Big Loader stuck on its… roof? I’m not sure. But some wild spinning eventually gets it............ back on track. It catches Battle Bunny in its scoop for a bit, but is unable to make good. Then, Big Loader gets stuck on its roof again, this time of its own accord, before Battle Bunny manages to find the one way Big Loader can be immobilised, where it’s finally counted out. A very close run fight! Winner: Battle Bunny by immobilisation

Round 3

Auntie Hamps vs Big Loader

Big Loader is straight back in the arena, but to begin with it can’t find purchase on the big wheel of Auntie Hamps. A few clashes ensue before Auntie Hamps twirls its way out of the arena! Tina Turner, watching on from dangerously close to the arena, is slain. Winner: Big Loader by ring out

The Wooden Box vs Bog Marley

These two heavyweights initially miss each other entirely and both slam into the arena wall. A few more slams, this time into each other, result in Bog Marley sitting motionless in the corner where it’s counted out. Winner: The Wooden Box by immobilisation

Chewdas Priest vs Time for Crab!

It’s jaw versus claw as Chewdas Priest grabs a hold of Time for Crab! before it can fully open its maw. Locked in a deadly embrace, the two leave the arena together but examination of the footage shows that the Crab! hit the ground first. Winner: Chewdas Priest by ring out

Mr Confusion vs Johnny 5

Mr Confusion loses his head again early on, but once again comes out on top when Johnny 5 obligingly drives out of the arena a little later. Winner: Mr Confusion by ring out

Battle Bunny vs Thwack Sabbath

Battle Bunny gets some good flips in but Thwack Sabbath cares not for your primitive human concepts of “the right way up”. Battle Bunny itself winds up upside down more than once, but its mighty flipper arms soon have it running again. After a bit of pushing and shoving it becomes apparent Battle Bunny has stopped moving… the count has just begun when it returns to life. Unfortunately it’s not long before Battle Bunny stops moving again and this time it’s counted out. Winner: Thwack Sabbath by immobilisation

Alice Scooper vs The Killer

The two robots charge at each other but Alice Scooper is soon able to use its 4 wheel drive oomph to scoop The Killer out of the arena. Winner: Alice Scooper by ring out

Evil Kermit vs Adam Antweight

A frenetic two or three seconds of charging about before the two robots leave the arena almost simultaneously, without once making contact. It’s a close run thing but Evil Kermit hits the ground first. Winner: Adam Antweight by ring out