# Robot Wars



## Artaxerxes (Jan 13, 2016)

Its coming back, its all coming back

Robot Wars rebooted by BBC2


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## stdP (Jan 13, 2016)

A purpose-built "bulletproof" arena up in Glasgow, eh? Because nothing says ingenuity and violence like Scotland  Hopefully they'll allow for some more creative weaponry this time around as in the original robot wars it usually felt like two tortoises clad in aluminium foil would circle one another, occasionally scratch each others paint, and then one would randomly die of mechanical failure.

<insert obligatory Spaced youtube embded>


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## NoXion (Jan 13, 2016)

Oh yessss. I will definitely be checking this out.

I hope that this time they do more to acknowledge that there is in fact a robot combat scene outside of the show. It took me years after watching the original show to find that out.


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## 8den (Jan 13, 2016)

It hasn't gone away Charles is still hosting some kind of international robot wars (no not robot wars in international waters where there are no rules) but a robot wars sort of World Cup. My 3yo is obsessed with it.


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## DotCommunist (Jan 13, 2016)

so  long as they bring back a new and improved Sir Killalot


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## Nine Bob Note (Jan 13, 2016)

Favourite (non-house) robot poll, dammit! 

I'd probably go with hypnodisk, as it was the first that could actually do serious damage. I think Razer debuted first, but its pincer was more trouble than it was worth.


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## DotCommunist (Jan 13, 2016)

Nine Bob Note said:


> Favourite (non-house) robot poll, dammit!
> 
> I'd probably go with hypnodisk, as it was the first that could actually do serious damage. I think Razer debuted first, but its pincer was more trouble than it was worth.


hypnodisc is the first one I saw that fucked other peoples machines up properly rather than lamely fucking up some bad soldering and causing a breakdown, or nudging it into a pit. That disc must have been going great guns co it was proper smash. Note they didn't menace it with the house robots often (bash could have taken it with the fire but killalot would have been fucked)


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## Artaxerxes (Jan 13, 2016)

DotCommunist said:


> hypnodisc is the first one I saw that fucked other peoples machines up properly rather than lamely fucking up some bad soldering and causing a breakdown, or nudging it into a pit. That disc must have been going great guns co it was proper smash. Note they didn't menace it with the house robots often (bash could have taken it with the fire but killalot would have been fucked)



Hypnodisc was a fucking bombshell when it came in, it really just went mental and inspired fear in the little 12 year old opponents hearts. It tore things to shreds.

Lovely dovely.


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## NoXion (Jan 13, 2016)

Sgt Bash's flamethrower looked impressive but I don't remember it doing all that much damage except to especially flammable robots like Diotoir.

Chaos 2 was a particularly brilliant machine - powerful flipper, good looking and only cost £250. Bit of a glass jaw but you can't have everything.


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## J Ed (Jan 13, 2016)

cant fucking wait I used to love Robot Wars

Is there going to be a drone round!?!


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## Artaxerxes (Jan 13, 2016)

NoXion said:


> Oh yessss. I will definitely be checking this out.
> 
> I hope that this time they do more t
> o acknowledge that there is in fact a robot combat scene outside of the show. It took me years after watching the original show to find that out.



I just found this, its amazing







Nine Bob Note said:


> Favourite (non-house) robot poll, dammit!
> 
> I'd probably go with hypnodisk, as it was the first that could actually do serious damage. I think Razer debuted first, but its pincer was more trouble than it was worth.



Never impressed by Razer tbh. I can't add a poll now sadly 

Wheely Big Cheese was fun, Nemesis was lame but bless the lads for trying to persevere with a furry robot all those series.


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## DotCommunist (Jan 13, 2016)

vaugely recall cheering this bastard on a lot


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## DotCommunist (Jan 13, 2016)

J Ed said:


> cant fucking wait I used to love Robot Wars
> 
> Is there going to be a drone round!?!


if there isn't there bloody well should be. Hard to see how they'd get safety clearences for armoured combat drones to fight in front of a crowd but we can dream


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## J Ed (Jan 13, 2016)

They could close an area off with bullet-proof glass or something like an ice hockey rink. Get BAE to sponsor it


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## NoXion (Jan 13, 2016)

Aren't arena robots already drones technically speaking? The only difference is that they're ground vehicles rather than flyers. Hard to see how that would work, since pretty much every combat robot league prohibits ranged weapons/untethered projectiles. Two aerial drones bumping into each other would go badly for both of them.


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## J Ed (Jan 13, 2016)

NoXion said:


> Aren't arena robots already drones technically speaking? The only difference is that they're ground vehicles rather than flyers. Hard to see how that would work, since pretty much every combat robot league prohibits ranged weapons/untethered projectiles. Two aerial drones bumping into each other would go badly for both of them.




Oh well probably for the best for the future of humanity..


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## NoXion (Jan 13, 2016)

J Ed said:


> Oh well probably for the best for the future of humanity..



It's when they start operating autonomously that we should truly start worrying.

Uh oh.


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## stdP (Jan 13, 2016)

NoXion said:


> pretty much every combat robot league prohibits ranged weapons/untethered projectiles



Well that just made me feel more miserable. However I've just spoken to my tax-avoidance consultant who's an expert on loopholes and he informs me that contact-adhesive limpet mines, taser-style electrical discharge weapons and various forms of harpoon-based improngination all seem to be valid ways around that particular impasse.


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## NoXion (Jan 13, 2016)

stdP said:


> Well that just made me feel more miserable. However I've just spoken to my tax-avoidance consultant who's an expert on loopholes and he informs me that contact-adhesive limpet mines, taser-style electrical discharge weapons and various forms of harpoon-based improngination all seem to be valid ways around that particular impasse.



Some bad news there I'm afraid; explosives and high-voltage electrical discharge weapons are also prohibited. It's Elfin Safety gorn maaaaaad!  

A tethered harpoon would be permissible though.


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## J Ed (Jan 13, 2016)




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## Artaxerxes (Jan 13, 2016)

NoXion said:


> Aren't arena robots already drones technically speaking? The only difference is that they're ground vehicles rather than flyers. Hard to see how that would work, since pretty much every combat robot league prohibits ranged weapons/untethered projectiles. Two aerial drones bumping into each other would go badly for both of them.




I will see a drone with a chainsaw attachment in my lifetime, I know it.

*tinkers*


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## J Ed (Jan 13, 2016)




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## rich! (Jan 13, 2016)

Just got an email from them: do we want to go in for it, do we know anyone who does, do we want to be in the audience...


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## SamSav (Jan 14, 2016)

Perfect, this was my favourite program years ago.


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## rubbershoes (Jan 14, 2016)

Hypnodisc was always the best. 

Axes and spikes never did anything

The one with the big claw on front was dull


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## DotCommunist (Jan 14, 2016)

looks like the cast of Friends are re-uniting for one las 2 hour special in memory of someone or other. Veteran showrunner iirc

so the 90s are coming back in a big way


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## Santino (Jan 14, 2016)

This is the kind of _content-rich factual entertainment_ that we've been looking for.


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 3, 2016)

Robot Wars: Dara O Briain and Angela Scanlon announced as hosts - BBC News

Shame I was hoping for Ray Von from Phoenix Nights


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## zoooo (Feb 3, 2016)

Typical, a pretty lady for the boys, and we get... Dara.
(No offence Dara, you're a nice bloke and all that.)

Quite nice that they're both Irish, actually.


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## stavros (Jul 17, 2016)

Starts next week. I wasn't a obsessive viewer, but I'm up for a bit of early 00s nostalgia.


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## steveo87 (Jul 17, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> Robot Wars: Dara O Briain and Angela Scanlon announced as hosts - BBC News
> 
> Shame I was hoping for Ray Von from Phoenix Nights


Read that as Angela Rippen then... 
That's a career change....


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## Skyfallsz (Jul 17, 2016)

on with the wars


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## Me76 (Jul 18, 2016)

I know someone who's brother has a robot on the show.  Apparently he's tipped for the top.


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## Dandred (Jul 18, 2016)

When does this start?


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## DaveCinzano (Jul 18, 2016)

Dandred said:


> When does this start?


29 August 1997


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## Dandred (Jul 18, 2016)

DaveCinzano said:


> 29 August 1997



Cute, the question would have been 'When did this start?' for your answer. 

When does this start again?


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## Yata (Jul 18, 2016)

Dandred said:


> Cute, the question would have been 'When did this start?' for your answer.
> 
> When does this start again?


24th at 8 on BBC2
There will be shrapnel: the return of Robot Wars


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## stavros (Jul 18, 2016)

I think the concept of the programme has the slight air of being conceived of in a Norfolk travel tavern, but in a good way.


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## BandWagon (Jul 18, 2016)

Really looking forward to this.


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## Libertad (Jul 18, 2016)

stavros said:


> I think the concept of the programme has the slight air of being conceived of in a Norfolk travel tavern, but in a good way.



Robot tennis?


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## BandWagon (Jul 24, 2016)

Quite good.


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## starfish (Jul 24, 2016)

Carbide!!! Surely i cant be the only one.


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## D'wards (Jul 25, 2016)

It was quite good. I like the way it hasn't moved on in the slightest in 20 years - just robots hitting each other, technology can't improve that just yet


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## Greebozz (Jul 25, 2016)

D'wards said:


> It was quite good. I like the way it hasn't moved on in the slightest in 20 years - just robots hitting each other, technology can't improve that just yet


Oh but it has absolutely thank god.  I love Craig Charles but I was found his interactions with the contestants and his ringmaster hyper bowl a little awkward.  Now they have a really slick confident comedian presenter but they kept all the good aspects of the old show.

The new format of having multiple battles is absolute genius, it negates the frustration of a robot losing to quickly due to poor luck or mechanical failure.

Basically I think it's better than I could have ever dreams of.  Also you can really see the advance in motors and battery technology.  Absolutely brilliant.


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## Nine Bob Note (Jul 25, 2016)

Glad Razor went out first round. All that power, weaponry and experience, and they go straight after the robot build by two school kids and their dad 

Shame Behemoth had to go (and well done Dara for pronouncing the word correctly for the first time in the show's history). Would have been better, I think, to have two robots from each show go through to the next stage.


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## Dandred (Jul 25, 2016)

Twas great!


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## ska invita (Jul 25, 2016)

that robot with two little side robots....isnt that three robots? Seems a bit dodgy to me!


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## BandWagon (Jul 25, 2016)

I thought the Nuts robot was brilliant. It got decimated and they still patched it up and got it out there, and it kept going right to the end.


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## stavros (Jul 25, 2016)

Very silly, but very entertaining. Less shots of the crowd and more of the destruction though, please.


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## BandWagon (Jul 25, 2016)

stavros said:


> Very silly, but very entertaining. Less shots of the crowd and more the destruction though, please.


Yeah, that's a good point.


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## BandWagon (Jul 31, 2016)

Tonight's episode was pretty good, I thought.


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## Nine Bob Note (Jul 31, 2016)

Jeez, the crowd are pissing me right off with their interminable "In the pit! In the pit!" No, how about we see some fucking fighting instead!? 

That an a useless pile of scrap has gone through to the final


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## N_igma (Jul 31, 2016)

This has brought me right back to my childhood. I'm glad pretty much nothing has changed and the fact they have brought back all the old house robots nostalgia for the win.

When it first came out me and my friend decided we would enter a robot and win the whole thing. We got a remote control car an cello taped a load of nails to it. Probably the worst robot ever so the idea was swiftly abandoned.


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## binka (Jul 31, 2016)

The robots that flip are so boring they should be banned - only robots that properly smash and destroy should be allowed on. I'd do a robot that had a hydraulic ram with a 12 inch diamond tip drill bit on the end to get right inside and fuck shit up.


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## gosub (Jul 31, 2016)

flying drone that drops petrol bombs ftw


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## D'wards (Aug 1, 2016)

Oxyacetylene torch fitted on the front - ave that Sgt Slaughter!


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## Nine Bob Note (Aug 1, 2016)

Watching the first series now on YT. Clarkson was very good. Team Mortis were whiny dicks


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## stavros (Aug 1, 2016)

binka said:


> fuck shit up.



That should be its name too.


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## Me76 (Aug 1, 2016)

The guy in the orange waistcoat driving Nuts was my colleague's brother.  Delightfully nerdy


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## stavros (Aug 2, 2016)

Me76 said:


> The guy in the orange waistcoat driving Nuts was my colleague's brother.  Delightfully nerdy



Oooh, get you! Hob-nobbing with the glitterati.


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## stdP (Aug 3, 2016)

stavros said:


> That should be its name too.



The Fuckest Uppest, shirley?


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## editor (Aug 21, 2016)

I quite like this show.


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## stavros (Aug 22, 2016)

I liked the wild card getting back in and then winning the thing. It looked a bit pathetic at first glance, but that drum on its front was fucking lethal.


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## The Boy (Aug 30, 2016)

No comment on the winner?

Thought the runner up's weapon was absolutely beast.  Shame they had problems keeping it running - without it they didn't really have anything else as they lacked the power to shove other robots.


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## D'wards (Sep 4, 2016)

Heads up, at 8pm on Spike Tv (a Freeview channel) they are showing Battle Bots - the American version.
According to the Guardian its bigger and brasher with more shouting. But it looks like it might be simpler, with just straight one on one battles and no house robots. They reckoned these robots are a lot more violent than the UK ones.


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## DotCommunist (Mar 14, 2017)

so I eventually got round to this. Better than the original-less of the blue peter about it. Was good to see an absolutely sore loser who stormed off without shaking hands, like a twat and a big baby. The mot expensive robot wars robot operated by team posh got merked. Victory. And the build quality all round is vastly improved. One of the bots had the flipper to throw an unloaded transit van. More of this.


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## salem (Mar 14, 2017)

I haven't seen this in ages but have seen the gif of the bloke storming off which is fucking brilliant


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## wayward bob (Mar 14, 2017)

that was fucking classic


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## DotCommunist (Mar 14, 2017)

that he can't face front and give a fixed smile_ for children _just makes it all the funnier


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## rubbershoes (Mar 14, 2017)

Aftershock is impressively destructive


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## DotCommunist (Mar 15, 2017)

yeah it was him that did Team Posh's robot in


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## stavros (Mar 17, 2017)

This would be a superb show if they edited it down to at least 45 minutes, or even half an hour. Keep in the bouts, but cut down a bit on the replays and back stories.


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## ska invita (Mar 18, 2017)

rubbershoes said:


> Aftershock is impressively destructive


it was deadly, but I dont think its come up against a good flipper yet...though its only vulnerable from the sides, and the sides are short....clever design

Great series so far


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## The Boy (Apr 4, 2017)

ska invita said:


> it was deadly, but I *dont think its come up against a good flipper yet..*.though its only vulnerable from the sides, and the sides are short....clever design
> 
> Great series so far



And the best flipper got monstered by Carbide.   Who is looking hard as fucking nails, though apart from Apollo it was a pretty weak heat.


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## The Boy (Apr 22, 2017)

Everyone got bored then?  Shame. 

Carbide is a beat of a machine.  Will be interesting to see if flippers have had their day.


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## ska invita (Apr 22, 2017)

The Boy said:


> Everyone got bored then?  Shame.
> 
> Carbide is a beat of a machine.  Will be interesting to see if flippers have had their day.


I watched the whole lot...carbide was too good...it felt a bit like a potential end of robot wars, like no one else would ever win again.

there was a little segment about how they built it and they were clearly on another level in terms of engineering equipment etc that went into it.

carbide is like when Pete sampras was paying tennis


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## DotCommunist (Apr 23, 2017)

I watched it all. I have to say I don't like it when theres a robot and a mini nrobot. Maybe in the rules but I still think its cheating


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## Pseudopsycho (Apr 23, 2017)

I love the carnage of spinners; like when the shards of armour punched through the protective screens. I do still enjoy a good flip though. I don't think it's the end of RW - I'm old enough to remember when Razer came along and (literally) crushed all opposition...


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## DotCommunist (Apr 23, 2017)

Pseudopsycho said:


> I love the carnage of spinners; like when the shards of armour punched through the protective screens. I do still enjoy a good flip though. I don't think it's the end of RW - I'm old enough to remember when Razer came along and (literally) crushed all opposition...


same as, it was not just powerful, it was beautifully designed. Craig Charles as ringmaster


interesting thing about the spinners that non engineer brain me didn't think of, when the hit something going full whack a shit lot of force goes back into the bot. They must have shock proofing or something


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## Gromit (Apr 23, 2017)

Robot Wars has engineering restrictions to keep it open to middle classes boffins in their garden sheds. 

The problem within that is that innovation has pretty much hit its peak so now it's just who can build the best spinner v wedge flipper. 

I'd like to see restrictions lifted and projectile weapons alllowed. Guns, rockets and flamethrowers. 

You'd have to do away with the live arena side audience though for that.


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## Pseudopsycho (Apr 23, 2017)

I think an electrified harpoon should do the trick. Maybe they should take the masterchef route and have amateurs (current restrictions) celebs (cost limit) and "Professionals" - anything goes up to a weight limit, say the same as Sir Killalot. 

Dara, if you're reading I want 5% and it's yours.


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## ska invita (Apr 23, 2017)

I was thinking some kind of short circuiting electrical zapper...


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## DotCommunist (Apr 23, 2017)

if you introduce ECM it will become an arms race. We'll be stuck looking at the sight of two robots having a staring match until one starts moving and the other starts smoking.


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## gosub (Apr 23, 2017)

Gromit said:


> Robot Wars has engineering restrictions to keep it open to middle classes boffins in their garden sheds.
> 
> The problem within that is that innovation has pretty much hit its peak so now it's just who can build the best spinner v wedge flipper.
> 
> ...



Phht.  You'd win it with a waterpistol.


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## gosub (Apr 23, 2017)

ska invita said:


> I was thinking some kind of short circuiting electrical zapper...


That would be a waterpistol.


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## Calamity1971 (Oct 22, 2017)

New series tonight at 8pm 
New robot called Donald Thump?


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## stavros (Oct 23, 2017)

I enjoyed the show last night more than the previous series. The way Apollo just flung that mini-bot out of the arena was awesome. The Royal Rumble promises to be good too.


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## KeeperofDragons (Oct 24, 2017)

Matilda's had a make over


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## ska invita (Oct 26, 2017)

The final of round 1 Apollo v Behemoth might well be the best fight ive ever seen on robot wars


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## Calamity1971 (Oct 26, 2017)

After last year's strop by behemoth I wanted apollo to win. Can't wait for carbide.


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## DotCommunist (Oct 26, 2017)

I'm not a big fan of swarms so it was satisfying to see behemoth just beat them all.


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## DotCommunist (Oct 26, 2017)

Calamity1971 said:


> After last year's strop by behemoth I wanted apollo to win. Can't wait for carbide.


given how rock Apollo's flip is I can only assume one of behemoths qualities is being a tough as fuck build, that fight could have gone either way. That Gabriel was a penis.


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## DotCommunist (Oct 31, 2017)

so I see they've allowed flail type mechanisms to intefer with the spinner robots, only it doesn't mork because the flails just get chewed and spat out by the spinner.


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## stavros (Nov 1, 2017)

I am enjoying this a lot. I do wonder if his fellow sports commentators rib Jonathan Pearce for his manic proclamations.


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## clandestino (Nov 1, 2017)

I watch this with my kids - such a great show! The Apollo vs Behemoth battle was superb. I was convinced Apollo would walk it.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 7, 2017)

that posh team with the young tory need to be gone. 'not just entering robot wars, looking for engineers to join our multi national team yeah' fuck off.

some weak robots last ep, one proving that with spinners maybe bigger isn't better.


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## Santino (Nov 7, 2017)

Last week's episode (the Sunday before Halloween) was one of the best ever.


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## stavros (Nov 8, 2017)

The school team never really got going, but fair play to them.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 9, 2017)

stavros said:


> The school team never really got going, but fair play to them.


open tracks is surely a massive weak point but they had a good go, esp when they borrowed a frontpiece


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## ska invita (Nov 9, 2017)

any theories about Prof Sharkeys fist salute?


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## stavros (Nov 9, 2017)

I don't think I like the Fog of War. I get the gimmick, but it means we can't as much destruction.


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## ska invita (Nov 9, 2017)

stavros said:


> I don't think I like the Fog of War. I get the gimmick, but it means we can't as much destruction.


yeah nothing ever really happens. maybe it should be linked with letting the house robots out


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## KeeperofDragons (Nov 9, 2017)

ska invita said:


> yeah nothing ever really happens. maybe it should be linked with letting the house robots out


Now that would be good


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## KeeperofDragons (Nov 9, 2017)

stavros said:


> The school team never really got going, but fair play to them.


They were very mature & were  really enjoying themselves, looking forward to seeing them in the next series


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## ska invita (Nov 9, 2017)

KeeperofDragons said:


> They were very mature & were  really enjoying themselves, looking forward to seeing them in the next series


i think they made it to the ten robot knock out in the final episode -so can be seen sooner than that!


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## KeeperofDragons (Nov 9, 2017)

ska invita said:


> i think they made it to the ten robot knock out in the final episode -so can be seen sooner than that!


The did but I think they will be better next time round. It's great to see young engineers coming through


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## stavros (Nov 11, 2017)

ska invita said:


> i think they made it to the ten robot knock out in the final episode -so can be seen sooner than that!



I am well hyped for that. Hopefully it'll be proper carnage.


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## stavros (Nov 13, 2017)

I enjoyed Concussion smashing the fuck out of the two beer kegs.


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## clandestino (Nov 13, 2017)

stavros said:


> I don't think I like the Fog of War. I get the gimmick, but it means we can't as much destruction.



I agree - it's a nice idea on paper, but in reality it just holds up the game for a bit.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 14, 2017)

I wanted the kegs to win because they were a)cool and b) save the whales


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## stavros (Nov 20, 2017)

It was a bit shit that they bumped it off last night for tennis. Sorry, tennis fans, but I just want to see the Royal Rumble.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 27, 2017)

Mangnetar or carbide for the trophy I think. I wanted thor to win because regional solidarity but megnatar is the better looking robot, cosmetically and in performance. carbide v magnetar for the cup perhaps


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## stavros (Nov 27, 2017)

"I don't like the term 'Boy Genius' (but I'm not going to question it if people repeat it ad nauseam)."


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## Calamity1971 (Nov 27, 2017)

'people call me boy genius, but I don't like that'. Well why mention it then was my reaction. If it does come down to carbide and him I want carbide to win.


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## DotCommunist (Nov 27, 2017)

He's a funny haircut  as well but his machine is next level, looks good and performs. Anything can happen in the arena etc but I recon it'll come down to the two spinners unless any of the flippers manage some hoofing out of the arena moves


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## Santino (Nov 27, 2017)

Thor was hard done by there.


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## KeeperofDragons (Nov 28, 2017)

Matilda's was on  evil form


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## DotCommunist (Nov 28, 2017)

when thor went down though, he fell like a god, the c02 hand gone again so it slammed to the floor in a cloud of gas. Great way to go out.


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## stavros (Nov 29, 2017)

KeeperofDragons said:


> Matilda's was on  evil form



Jonathan Pearce seems to have an odd affinity for her, speaking as if they've been out on dates.


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## KeeperofDragons (Dec 3, 2017)

Loved the 10 robot melee & that final fight woo


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## DotCommunist (Dec 3, 2017)

nuts taking out carbide was a goodun. Some top fights all round including a firey death


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## mx wcfc (Dec 3, 2017)

Having just realised that I've missed it, I think I'd better put this thread on ignore and ask Mrs mx to explain to me how how to watch telly programmes on the internet.


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## Libertad (Dec 3, 2017)

mx wcfc said:


> Having just realised that I've missed it, I think I'd better put this thread on ignore and ask Mrs mx to explain to me how how to watch telly programmes on the internet.



Here you go: Robot Wars - Series 10: Episode 6


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## InfoBurner (Dec 4, 2017)

The whole series has been stunning. I remember sitting through hours of the old Craig Charles ones, waiting for Hypnodisc or Razor to show up to cause some actual damage. 

Now there's shredded shrapnel everywhere and even the arena isn't safe. This sport (?) has come a long way. Dara and Angela seem well up for it too.


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## DotCommunist (Dec 4, 2017)

InfoBurner said:


> I remember sitting through hours of the old Craig Charles ones, waiting for Hypnodisc or Razor to show up to cause some actual damage.


Nuts proving that even the semi blue peters jobs can still fluke it to the final and give the favourites a bloody nose tho


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## Santino (Dec 4, 2017)

I think Nuts actually swayed the outcome by breaking Carbide's chain. They didn't really recover from that.


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## DotCommunist (Dec 4, 2017)

Rapid that left in flames was £25,000 worth of robot lol.


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## stavros (Dec 5, 2017)

InfoBurner said:


> I remember sitting through hours of the old Craig Charles ones



Clarkson could barely stay awake when he presented it.

Definitely the best series since the comeback.


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## ska invita (Dec 5, 2017)

SPOILERS

I dont know if i've gone soft in the head but i think that whole final episode was the most exciting, entertaining and moving sporting event ive ever watched  every round was pure drama. Total underdogs won one! The rich twats got whooped (in a fashion too)! Several 'ooh they're out of it' and then comeback to win it moments! The final had yet more underdog action and destiny! Michaels face when he won it! All too much. Amazing stuff.


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## existentialist (Dec 5, 2017)

ska invita said:


> SPOILERS
> 
> I dont know if i've gone soft in the head but i think that whole final episode was the most exciting, entertaining and moving sporting event ive ever watched  every round was pure drama. Total underdogs won one! The rich twats got whooped (in a fashion too)! Several 'ooh they're out of it' and then comeback to win it moments! The final had yet more underdog action and destiny! Michaels face when he won it! All too much. Amazing stuff.


I think you're right. I remember watching the early shows, and if a robot made it to the end of the round without dropping dead, it was remarkable. Now, there are robots being flung all over the arena, and they just keep coming back.

I think the professionalism and sportsmanship is admirable, too - it's obvious that it's incredibly competitive, but teams still seemed to be able to be gracious in defeat, as well as lots of behind-the-scenes helping out and co-operation. Proper warms the cockles of yer proverbials, so it does.


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## ska invita (Dec 5, 2017)

existentialist said:


> I think you're right. I remember watching the early shows, and if a robot made it to the end of the round without dropping dead, it was remarkable. Now, there are robots being flung all over the arena, and they just keep coming back.
> 
> I think the professionalism and sportsmanship is admirable, too - it's obvious that it's incredibly competitive, but teams still seemed to be able to be gracious in defeat, as well as lots of behind-the-scenes helping out and co-operation. Proper warms the cockles of yer proverbials, so it does.


couldnt agree more...and on top of the professionalism some great amateurism, and not without real implications in the competition. And so far the two most expensive robots, Rapid and another one I cant remember now, both got schooled.
i have to say something got in my eye at the end there...great story with him dropping out of school for this, wanting it almost literally his whole life etc.


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## ska invita (Dec 5, 2017)

this sums it all up for me


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## existentialist (Dec 5, 2017)

ska invita said:


> this sums it all up for me


TBF, that was an unusual occurrence. I think I heard that it was something one of his team-mates said that pissed him off, but it wasn't a good look, and I must admit I found myself waiting for the flounce this time around. To his credit, he seems to have mellowed out a lot since then.


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## Calamity1971 (Dec 5, 2017)

ska invita said:


> this sums it all up for me


That plum is never going to live that down, and quite rightly too.


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## ska invita (Dec 5, 2017)

existentialist said:


> TBF, that was an unusual occurrence. I think I heard that it was something one of his team-mates said that pissed him off, but it wasn't a good look, and I must admit I found myself waiting for the flounce this time around. To his credit, he seems to have mellowed out a lot since then.


i didnt mean to rub in the flounce - more loving the underdog possibilities and the overall drama! he is a little on edge that  behemoth guy tbh.


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## mx wcfc (Dec 5, 2017)

Just watched the final episode - brilliant - I must admit I wanted the slightly geeky bloke to win, but what a show all the way through.  That 10 bot eliminator was a stroke of genius.  More big battles like that please.  

Would it hurt do you think to have a schools/6th form colleges series? It might not make as good telly (or would it?)  - - give the kids a chance and encourage the next generation?

Anyway, I saw Robot Wars live once - my daughter was about 6 at the time and she absolutely insisted we got tickets. Honest, she did.  I didn't want to go at all.


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## ska invita (Dec 5, 2017)

mx wcfc said:


> Just watched the final episode - brilliant - I must admit I wanted the slightly geeky bloke to win, but what a show all the way through.  That 10 bot eliminator was a stroke of genius.  More big battles like that please.
> 
> Would it hurt do you think to have a schools/6th form colleges series? It might not make as good telly (or would it?)  - - give the kids a chance and encourage the next generation?
> 
> Anyway, I saw Robot Wars live once - my daughter was about 6 at the time and she absolutely insisted we got tickets. Honest, she did.  I didn't want to go at all.


love that idea of a sixth from one. Maybe with a spending cap in place too.

by geeky bloke do you mean the guy with the fringe and his parents? i rooted for him mostly, and really liked his robot...MAgnetar i think it was called
the first three way fight with eruption, rapid, and magnetar was a brilliant one...in the scheme of things im glad eruption won it so could get through to the finals
though Magnetar v Behemoth, magnetar had it won - behemoth was stuck there and somehow he threw it away at the end. unbelievable turnaround


thinking about that final final bout it was like a Rocky fight....Eruption got pummelled and somehow managed to last the course and come out fighting in the 9th. Ali in rumble in the jungle too


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## DotCommunist (Dec 6, 2017)

Santino said:


> I think Nuts actually swayed the outcome by breaking Carbide's chain. They didn't really recover from that.



apparently what we didn't see was after Carbides next fight (when they'd fixed the chain', cease was called but they couldn't spin it down. Killalot had to pin carbide to the wall so a safety bod could come in and remove a special pin to stop the spinner.

so yeah, sounds like it was fucked


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## ska invita (Dec 6, 2017)

tbf all robots take damage from earlier rounds and have to deal with it - endurance is part of it. Nuts2 were great value. Minibot triggering the pit with Behemoth on it was slapstick gold


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## DotCommunist (Dec 6, 2017)

yeah Anton took that well, for him. Just look of comedy suprise as it sank down lol


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## existentialist (Dec 6, 2017)

DotCommunist said:


> apparently what we didn't see was after Carbides next fight (when they'd fixed the chain', cease was called but they couldn't spin it down. Killalot had to pin carbide to the wall so a safety bod could come in and remove a special pin to stop the spinner.
> 
> so yeah, sounds like it was fucked


Actually, I think I did spot that the spinner was still going strong after cease was called, but I never thought any more of it.

The safety implications of the whole thing are pretty massive - you look at some of these robots people are building in their garages, and you do wonder how many of them are as safety-conscious at home as they have to be in the show...


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## ska invita (Dec 6, 2017)

existentialist said:


> Actually, I think I did spot that the spinner was still going strong after cease was called, but I never thought any more of it.
> 
> The safety implications of the whole thing are pretty massive - you look at some of these robots people are building in their garages, and you do wonder how many of them are as safety-conscious at home as they have to be in the show...


ive noticed some people say "we've never tested it before", and i guess that night be a factor in why


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## DotCommunist (Dec 6, 2017)

existentialist said:


> Actually, I think I did spot that the spinner was still going strong after cease was called, but I never thought any more of it.
> 
> The safety implications of the whole thing are pretty massive - you look at some of these robots people are building in their garages, and you do wonder how many of them are as safety-conscious at home as they have to be in the show...


its all fun and games till someone loses a limb

it also apparently took the best part of 2 hours to clear the smoke and make the arena safe after team posh's 25k robot was reduced to burning hulk


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## Santino (Dec 6, 2017)

I bet it's deathly dull to be in the audience. Sitting around for 8-9 hours for about 15 minutes of actual fighting.


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## existentialist (Dec 6, 2017)

DotCommunist said:


> its all fun and games till someone loses a limb


With some of those robots, that would be alarmingly easy. Carbide running amok would be cold sweat territory.

Even those flippers could do some terrible damage, but I guess that's true even of robot without a weapon - 100kg of robot bashing into you at 15mph is going to smart.



DotCommunist said:


> it also apparently took the best part of 2 hours to clear the smoke and make the arena safe after team posh's 25k robot was reduced to burning hulk


Yeah, we don't get to see that bit of it all! It was a pretty impressive fire - I'm assuming they were on lithium batteries and something short-circuited - lots of smoke, and then that "secondary" fire. I've just been reading the regs about battery charging, and there's a good level of healthy paranoia about the whole deal. Probably worse than having cans of petrol around the place...



Santino said:


> I bet it's deathly dull to be in the audience. Sitting around for 8-9 hours for about 15 minutes of actual fighting.


I've done a couple of televised choral things, and yes, there is a lot of hanging about in between, even for the performers. It must be worse for the audience.


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## NoXion (Dec 6, 2017)

I've been catching up with some of the new series. It's awesome to see how far the engineering of fighting robots has progressed since the early days. I notice that spinning weapons seem to have become common. While it does make for impressive fights, I wish there was a design or strategy that could balance that out. Spinners can be very destructive and that means some interesting robots end up having no chance.


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## clandestino (Dec 10, 2017)

ska invita said:


> SPOILERS
> 
> I dont know if i've gone soft in the head but i think that whole final episode was the most exciting, entertaining and moving sporting event ive ever watched  every round was pure drama. Total underdogs won one! The rich twats got whooped (in a fashion too)! Several 'ooh they're out of it' and then comeback to win it moments! The final had yet more underdog action and destiny! Michaels face when he won it! All too much. Amazing stuff.



Totally agree! We're a week behind so just watched it now. What a final! So much drama, excitement, upsets - Nuts taking out Carbide, Eruption winning the 10 robot rumble, and then the whole thing. And Carbide losing with such good grace. Loved it all.


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## ska invita (Dec 10, 2017)

NoXion said:


> I've been catching up with some of the new series. It's awesome to see how far the engineering of fighting robots has progressed since the early days. I notice that spinning weapons seem to have become common. While it does make for impressive fights, I wish there was a design or strategy that could balance that out. Spinners can be very destructive and that means some interesting robots end up having no chance.


its spinners v flippers basically
more flails to block the spinners needed...that was a development this year


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## DotCommunist (Dec 10, 2017)

ska invita said:


> its spinners v flippers basically


which makes for an interesting dynamic imo. You get at the end a test of driving and endurance, I mean endurance over the course of a show. Behemoth is easily one of the sturdiest bots. I was sceptical about flails and minibots in the past but nuts has shown it can work with a bit of jam.
I've been reserving judgement on fog of war but I think it should go, it adds nothing.


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## Calamity1971 (Dec 10, 2017)

Fog of war is completely useless, neither side engages cos they can't see owt. The only ones that may benefit are certain spinners who need to get up to full speed again.


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## ska invita (Dec 10, 2017)

i reckon the kids probably love FOOOOG	 OF	  WAAAAAARRRRRRRRR


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## stavros (Dec 11, 2017)

And it sounds like it gives Jonathan Pearce a massive hard-on.


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## ska invita (Dec 11, 2017)

I read somewhere there is a lower power league ... anyone know anything about that? a bit more amateur level robot wars sounds quite fun


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## stavros (Dec 30, 2017)

Tomorrow night BBC2 has a Robot Wars World Series, with Eruption, Big Nipper, Concussion and Thor taking on those from America, Canada, the Netherlands and, worryingly, Russia.


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## mx wcfc (Dec 30, 2017)

stavros said:


> Tomorrow night BBC2 has a Robot Wars World Series, with Eruption, Big Nipper, Concussion and Thor taking on those from America, Canada, the Netherlands and, worryingly, Russia.


Many thanks for the heads up.  There is a post-it note reminder on my computer now,


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## DotCommunist (Jan 1, 2018)

poor show. The rest of the worlds robots were B game level robots. When their heavyweight is fucking Diotor, usually the comedy robot, and ours is Apollo? goodnight sweetheart


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## stavros (Jan 1, 2018)

stavros said:


> Tomorrow night BBC2 has a Robot Wars World Series, with Eruption, Big Nipper, Concussion and Thor taking on those from America, Canada, the Netherlands and, worryingly, Russia.



Fuck knows what the Graun's TV section was on about, because none of those listed appeared, and the overseas competitors were from Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Still, I did quite like a highly flammable robot driving immediately over the flame pit.


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## Santino (Jan 1, 2018)

There's another episode on next week.


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## stavros (Jan 1, 2018)

Oh good. I thought it had just been a new year special.

More Angela Scanlon is always a good thing.


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## ska invita (Jan 4, 2018)

im curious how these are controlled...it doesnt seem to be just a left right up down controller. some robots seem to automatically turn if they reach the edge for example


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## existentialist (Jan 4, 2018)

ska invita said:


> im curious how these are controlled...it doesnt seem to be just a left right up down controller. some robots seem to automatically turn if they reach the edge for example



Yeah, I think there's definitely some edge detection going on - the behaviour of at least one of those robots seems to be very stereotypical - every time it hits the edge it "bounces off" at a similar angle the other way. And I can't believe anyone's reactions are fast enough to be doing that manually! They're quite frenetic...

ETA: Robot-sumo - Wikipedia

Yep, there's an autonomous robot class. Fun


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## DotCommunist (Jan 4, 2018)

on the (very poor) world challenge one last night they showed some minibots fighting. They've even got weight class names for the little fellas 'ant class' and so on. I like it, would be fun to play.


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## PursuedByBears (Mar 16, 2018)

Heard a rumour today that Robot Wars has been cancelled by the BBC


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## stavros (Mar 16, 2018)

Wikipedia is saying as such, citing this article in the Metro.

I'm a bit gutted, especially the reasoning of "to create room for new shows". Stick it on BBC3 then, where there isn't a space limitation.


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## KeeperofDragons (Mar 18, 2018)

Damn & blast


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## clandestino (Mar 19, 2018)

Fucking hell, I'm so pissed off about this!


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## clandestino (Mar 19, 2018)

Fewer than 500 people have signed the petition in three days. Oh well, that's that fucked then. 

Sign the Petition


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## Calamity1971 (Mar 19, 2018)

How can they take that off air and have shite new shows like that 100 bollocks on BBC1?


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## DotCommunist (Mar 19, 2018)

Looks like anton never will win that robot wars trophy then


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## kabbes (Mar 19, 2018)

It has been great fun since it came back, but there's a limit to how many times they can repeat essentially the same thing again and again.  It's definitely got a little tired -- this last series had me catching up with episodes 4 or 6 weeks later, not grabbing them ASAP.


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## stavros (Mar 19, 2018)

kabbes said:


> It has been great fun since it came back, but there's a limit to how many times they can repeat essentially the same thing again and again.



That's true although not always reason enough for producers to drop something, e.g. The Apprentice and, dare I say it, Strictly sometimes. Viewing figures may have more to do with it.


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## ska invita (Aug 31, 2021)

US version of Robot Wars called Battlebots is on Netflix


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