Entry into competition/live events?

[Flag Captured]

I know I've probably got this horribly wrong, and published this in the wrong section, but I really haven't a clue what I'm doing here (never a good thing to hear from a roboteer!)

So, I've finally built my first featherweight bot (calling it HardWired for now, need to check if that's taken) complete with failsafes and power links so it's all up to safety specs and I'm just wondering about how I'd go about entering it into live events? I've seen the sign up sheets for such as RoboChallenge for the upcoming Gadget Show Live championship, but I didn't know if there's any sort of requirements for entering, such as actually having entered in other non-competition fights, having won X amount of battles and so on, or if it's just first come first serve for places in these tournaments?

I'm sure there's probably a nice big webpage with it all on somewhere, but I may have missed it somewhere, in my infinite wisdom and general inability to spot the obvious... I am aware that I need to sign up to the FRA itself (actual membership and all that) which I still need to do, but I didn't know if there was anything beyond that and of course the sign up itself!

I'd love to actually get in the arena and fight something properly for the first time, even if it will result in me being left with a pile of dust and shreds of aluminium that used to be a robot...

Thanks in advance, and I apologise if this is the complete wrong section to be asking this in!

[Ellis]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Hey mate, congrats on completing your first build (any pics/videos? Would love to see!).

You can head over to the Live Events section and see if there is an event that suits you date-wise. If it isn't long until whatever event you look at, somewhere in the thread there'll be a link to a signup page, where you can enter your robot into a featherweight rumble, at one of the many heavyweight events held by Robot Wars (previously Roaming Robots) and Robots Live. If the event is still some time away then a signup link will be posted closer to the date.

The other type of UK featherweight accepting events in that section are those by RoboChallenge, which in fact are solely FW. The FW championships unfortunately have a sign up number limit, which has been met for this year, but you can still go to their event on the 10th-12th of next month which is held in Yeovil.

The RoboChallenge events allow spinner robots, whereas the heavyweight shows that have featherweight rumbles do not, so you're less likely to get badly damaged at the latter. However Yeovil is a very relaxed event and if you don't want to fight a spinner you don't have to.

Sometimes an event organiser may make specific requests, but there are no requirements other than meeting the FRA rules. There is no necessary number of wins or anything, this hobby/community isn't like that.

Good luck, and yeah, show us your robot!

[Eventorizon]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Beat me to it Ellis...

Would be great to see your machine? Is it a pushbot, flipper?

As a team with 2 spinners, we know that quite a few people won't want to fight us in non competition events. At the Yoville event you will be able to pick and choose who you fight, so that you can limit your damage and more importantly... Have Fun!

[typhoon_driver]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Pretty sure there is still a space at the champs as you pulled out a machine ellis. The champs are gonna be the best place to go learn but you may not come back with a machine in one piece. I'd seriously recommend it!!!

Drop james or grant cooper a pm to find out details

[grant_ploughbot]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Welcome, and great to hear you have your first robot built!

As Gary said, we do have a space or two spare at Gadget Show Live for the UK Championships - so if you do want to enter just get intouch Via e-mail or PM on here (or even just post on here and we will get intouch).

The UK championships would certainly be the best for putting your robot to the test and learning how other's do things and getting the most from your robot. However, as said above there's a good chance of receiving some damage.
We do have spaces available for Fleet Air Arms museum event, which is a great relaxed event but has the full combat arena for spinners. You don't need to fight any if you don't want but its a good time for testing and making mods in a non stressfull event!

Good luck

[PJ-27]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Our first ever event was the UK champs, the bot took a beating but the amount we learnt and the sheer amount of fun we had made it more than worth while.

[Ellis]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

I had forgotten there was a spot available, if you can take it, I always would recommend going to the champs.

Or first ever event was the UK champs, the bot took a beating but the amount we learnt and the sheer amount of fun we had made it more than worth while.

Our second event ever was the 2012 champs, our first ever last year's event in Yeovil, both damaging events. There is no doubt in my mind that we learned 5 times more as a result than if we had gone to the FW rumbles at HW events. Our first robot did get mullered by the later crowned '12 champ, but that's part of the fun. If your robot does get badly damaged then it shows you a clear cut direction to take your second machine, and the leap in effectiveness between mk1 and mk2 will be huge!

The feeling after your treasure gets mashed isn't at all one of despair, it's weirdly enjoyable.

[Flag Captured]

Re: Entry into competition/live events?

Ah, thanks very much for the responses!

Here's the robot, it's only a rambot at the minute - I was building a lifter for the front scoop but that was a bit of a mess in the end, so I'm taking it back to the drawing board! It was supposed to have wheels big enough to make it invertible too, but I didn't because of the lifter and... yeah. Forethought is something I really struggle with!



Click for bigger picture

Nice to hear there's no other rules to be met (other than the FRA ones) so I shall definitely put my name down for that! I may have to miss the Yeovil one however, that's smack bang in the middle of my final exam season so I'll struggle to make it down in time, but any time after June is fair game - thanks for the tip though, I'll definitely be on the lookout for anything past then!
And normally I should be worried about spinners and the like, but strangely I'd love to have a fight with one of them, see how badly old Hardwired gets wrecked... is that a bit weird?

Ah, that's a shame about the championships as well! I would have entered, but it's a bit of a busy time at the minute still... Definitely will be signing up for next year's championships though! Albeit with Hardwired II, which I'm already starting to design now - it might just be at the ideas stage, but I'm thinking of making it an invertible vertical spinner type, really want to use tracks but I know they're not the most reliable things in the world!

I'll definitely get signed up for a spinner-friendly tournament though, always best to jump straight in with the heavy hitters like that - and besides, I'm trying my hand at all this Youtube video editing stuff as well, so it'll look great for the cameras, having shards of what used to be Hardwired I flying all over the place

Thanks very much for the help!
Sorry about the late response here too, not had a minute to sit down this last week haha!

I look forward to meeting you all in the arena