Robot Wars Grand Final Recap

Episode 5

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1

Welcome to the Robot Wars grand final.  The past five weeks have been building up to the crowning of the second Robot Wars champion.  Our finalists are:

Aftershock: the reincarnation of last year's finalists Shockwave.  They are armed with a vicious 3,500 RPM. 23 kg vertical flywheel

Eruption: a flipper robot that has sent all of its opponents flying from the arena.  It can flip with over a tonne of force.

Concussion: complete newbies to the Robot Wars arena.  They are armed with a drum spinner and took out last year's finalist Thor on their way to the final.

Ironside 3: yet another spinner with an 18kg spinning bar mounted on the top of their robot.

Carbide: King of the Spinners.  Carbide were last year's runners-up and were armed with a destructive 23kg horizontal spinner bar that span at 2,300 RPM.  That's about 250mph.

The sixth place in the final was given to a wildcard robot chosen by the judges out of the runners-up of this series.  This means that they were picking from Thor, Pulsar, Cherub, Sabretooth and, last year's champions, Apollo.  Firstly, I don't like how it was up to the judges over who went through.  I think all five robots should have had one massive melee and the last man standing would go through to the final.

But alas, things did not happen like this.  The judges picked a runner-up and unsurprisingly that runner-up was Apollo.  I think Apollo was picked just for sheer entertainment factor.  They had a powerful flipper and I think the judges were hoping for another rematch between them and Carbide.  I'm not sure Apollo was the right choice, but that's just me.  Do you agree with the judge's decision? I think it would have been interesting to see Pulsar again and see Eruption go up against five very different spinners, instead of four.

But that's enough talking...

LET THE WARS BEGIN

The structure of the final remained the same.  Firstly, there were two group battles with three robots each.  The first robot to be immobilised were out and the winners would go through to the mini league, with the top two robots fighting one last chance to decide the winner.

Apollo Vs Eruption vs Aftershock

The first group battle saw champions Apollo seeking to defend their crown.  The battle began quietly with all three robots sizing each other up.  Aftershock went in for a tentative attack on Apollo, but Apollo managed to flip them up and over.  Aftershock went skittering across the arena, with their spinning disc damaging the arena floor.  They managed to self-right and slammed into Apollo, leaving them with a massive scar down their back.  However, as the arena floor was damaged, it had to be fixed before the fight could continue.

The fight resumed and all three robots were very timid.  That was until Aftershock and Apollo slammed together.  Apollo were sent flying away and were rendered immobile.  They were champions no more.  Aftershock and Eruption were through with Eruption having done nothing.  But in the post-match interview, they explained that this was tactical.  They didn't want to risk their machine becoming damaged.  I think they were just scared.

Concussion Vs Carbide vs Ironside 3

Time for three very different spinners to face off.  Concussion had a spinning drum.  Carbide had a horizontal spinning bar that was mounted inside the machine, while Ironside's spinning bar was mounted on top of the machine.

Concussion, perhaps sensing they were the weakest robot, went straight for the pit release.  Unfortunately, Carbide went straight for them.  With one blow, Concussion were looking worse for wear.  Carbide then targeted Ironside 3 knocking out their self-righting mechanism.  However, Ironside 3 still had enough life in them to hit Concussion one more time.  Poor little Concussion could not stand up to this onslaught and one final almighty blow from Carbide were enough to immobilise them.  Concussion were out.

A lot of emphasis has been placed on how well Concussion have done despite being complete newbies.  And they have done well and more, they're good sports too.  I hope to see them again next series.  But for now, Carbide and Ironside 3 are through to the head to heads.

Eruption Vs Ironside 3

Time for only non-spinner to fight the first of the powerful spinners.  Ironside 3 began this fight by tactically running away, which I've noticed is their main tactic.  However, Eruption didn't allow them a chance to escape.  They flipped Ironside halfway across the arena.  Ironside managed to get a few blows in before they started running away again.  Eruption pursued them towards the arena wall, where one more flip inverted Ironside.  With their self-righting mechanism out of action, Ironside couldn't self-right and they had lost.  Impressive display by Eruption.

Aftershock Vs Carbide

This battle saw the two most powerful spinners come together in one epic tousle.  Aftershock had the faster spinner, but Carbide's was heavier.  The two of them went straight for it, charging towards each other.  But only Carbide left unscathed.  Aftershock had a severe case of Aftershock, as they bounced away.  Their armour pannelling had been sheared off and their electronics were hanging out.  Carbide slammed into Aftershock again.  This attack sent Aftershock's side armour pannelling flying into the arena side wall, where it became embedded.  The arena wall is polycarbonate, bulletproof glass, which is there to protect the live studio audience.  However, there is a second arena wall, meaning that nobody was actually hurt.

Carbide Vs Eruption

Even though Eruption won their last fight, they still received some damage to their flipper.  However, they were able to repair this damage.

Carbide had one tactic in this fight.  Go for Eruption's sides, where their armour was the weakest.  And this is exactly what Carbide did.  They slammed into Eruption and were sent flying away.  They slammed into them and were sent rocking away.  Eruption managed to withstand both of these blows.  But then Carbide hit them again and then hit them on their flipper.  Eruption's CO2 was venting and their armour was buckelling.  They were out.

Aftershock Vs Ironside 3

Aftershock were so badly damaged after their fight with Carbide that they didn't have enough time to weld their armour back on.  Instead, they taped it on with duct tape.  You heard me right.  Duct tape.

Despite this, they began the battle very strongly.  They crashed into Ironside sending it flying through the air and bouncing down.  However, the force of Aftershock's weapon ripped away the duct tape, exposing their insides.  Bad driving then sent them crashing into the arena wall, where their weapon short-circuited.  Ironside 3 took full advantage of this weakness and pushed them onto the arena spikes, which toppled Aftershock.  Unable to self-right, they had lost.

Carbide Vs Ironside 3

Carbide were through to the final at this point and were keen to take as little damage as possible.  Carbide absolutely dominated this battle.  They got the first blow in on Ironside and the sparks flew.  It was like being at a fireworks display.  It was awesome.  Carbide then hit Ironside again, prompting Ironside to employ their usual tactic of running away.  But Carbide slammed into them again.  And again.  And again.  The sparks continued flying and Ironside's weapon was stopped.  They were almost caught by the house robots, but managed to escape.  However, they escaped only to be bashed once more by Carbide.  Ironside 3 were immobilised and out.


Aftershock Vs Eruption

With Carbide already through to the final, Aftershock needed to beat Eruption to have any chance of going through to the final.  If Aftershock won, then there would be a 3 way tie between them, Eruption and Ironside 3, and the judges would then pick a winner to go through.  I again don't like the judges interfering like this.  In the event of a tie, I think there should be a 3 way melee, and the winner would go through to the final.  It's Robot WARS, after all.  Not Robot "oh let the judges pick a suitable robot to go through."

Onto the actual fight.  Eruption started on top.  They flipped Aftershock into the pit release button, inverting them in the process.  As Aftershock bounced down, their mighty spinning disc damaged the arena floor yet again.  However, quite weirdly, they were allowed to continue fighting, even though the arena hadn't been repaired.

The second half of the fight was far more even.  Aftershock got a blow in on Eruption, pushing them onto the arena spikes.  Eruption were toppled, but quickly managed to self-right.  Both robots then drove into the CPZ, where they did this bizarre dance of death with Dead Metal.  I'm not sure why Eruption and Aftershock did this, probably inexperienced driving.

 Once they had escaped, Aftershock hit Eruption, but Eruption then flipped Aftershock across the arena.  Aftershock recovered with great style.  Aftershock managed to get another blow in before being flipped over again.  For a minute, it looked like they were down and out, but they recovered.  Aftershock then put more pressure on Eruption, scaring them enough to activate the pit release.  But then, Aftershock then disappointingly conked out.  I think Aftershock were on top for most of the battle.  They rained blow after blow onto Eruption's flipper and armour.  It's just a shame that Aftershock broke down.

Eruption vs Carbide

And we have arrived at the grand final of the second season of Robot Wars.  The most powerful spinner of this new Robot Wars - Carbide and the most powerful flipper - Eruption.

3...2...1 ACTIVATE

Carbide began this fight the stronger.  Slamming into Eruption's flipper and making the sparks fly.  Both robots ricocheted away, before Carbide came onto the attack again.  They crashed into Eruption, shredding their armour.  Carbide's spinning bar continued to tear into Eruption's armour an there was little the flipperbot could do.  They tried getting a few flips in but missed.  All this allowed for was for Carbide to get more hits in.  However, Carbide then started getting a little complacent, as Eruption were able to flip them.

But Carbide quickly learnt from this and continued battering Eruption.  CO2 began venting and deep gashes were appearing in Eruption's bodywork.  Electronics were hanging out.  Wires were trailing.  Metal was buckling.  Eruption was a beaten machine.  And Carbide was a very worthy winner.  Runners-up last year, winners, this year.  Well done to the Carbide team and also to runners-up Eruption.

Compared to the original Robot Wars, the robots here are so much more powerful.  Spinners, even the legendary Hypno-Disc or S7 X-Terminator, were never this powerful.  Carbide is a ferocious machine and brilliant winners.

Dim the lights,

scream your applause,

Carbide are your new champions

on Robot Wars.