The Chevron Championship

[dinowarrior]

The Chevron Championship

Ill be taking Axe-O-Lotl down the right hand route.

[tacoman]

The Chevron Championship

Ill take the middle route.

[joey_picus]

The Chevron Championship

Right, thanks for the tactics...intro up now, will get the gauntlet done by the end of tonight.

FIRST, FROM SUFFOLK, AXE-O-LOTL!
A four wheel drive box wedge running from two Lynch motors giving a top speed of twenty miles an hour, Axe-O-Lotl is armed with a large diamond tipped pneumatic axe that also serves to right the robot. The weapon is powerful, and can fire forty times in a fight, with the mechanical components protected by interchangable Hardox armour plating.

FROM BEDFORD, DEATH THREAT 0.2!
Death Threat is a tracked rectangular design with a pair of horizontally mounted crushing claws at the front, actuated by hydraulics giving a tip force of over six tonnes. It runs on Bosch motors at 24 volts and NiCad battery packs, and features hinged side skirts to discourage flippers from getting in underneath, although it can run inverted as well.

FROM ENSCHEDE IN HOLLAND, FLICK OF THE WRIST!
A titanium armoured rammer with six wheel drive and 48 volt Magmotor power, Flick Of The Wrists main weapons are a pair of spikes at the front, powered by electrics that can raise and lower them to act as invertible lifters as well as being used for their traditional spiking purpose. Driving around at 22 miles an hour, Flick is invertible and very tenacious.

FROM TORONTO, IN CANADA, SHADOW ZONE RETURNS!
An unusually shaped green robot with a front scoop and rear flipper, Shadow Zone Returns is driven by S28-400 Magmotors and urethane treaded wheels for grip, giving it 18 horsepower at full throttle. Its armoured in Hardox and, while primarily a rambot, also has that rear flipping arm to self right or overturn opponents, aided by the side spikes.

FROM GAINSBOROUGH, DOOR STOPS!
And now the only clusterbot in the entire competition, each Door Stop is an invertible wedge with Lynch motor power and Hardox armour on the front, with titanium at the back to save weight. The parts are joined by a clip that can reunite the two midfight, and although neither part can damage an opponent, the machines run at 15 miles an hour and are designed for taking on spinners.

FROM ENGLAND, RUPTURE!
Finally, this compact machine has lightning acceleration and alloy skirts all around that make it extremely difficult to get under from all sides. The wide electric lifting arm is reliable, quick and can self right the robot, and its design may have been influenced by nuclear fallout shelters - its constructed from a Hardox monocoque and has compact electronics to allow for the armour to be thicker.

[joey_picus]

The Chevron Championship

HEAT D - GAUNTLET

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

First to take on tonights gauntlet is Axe-O-Lotl, driven by Chris Mason.

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Axe-O-Lotl scrapes against the side of the cage as it comes out rather quickly, turning away from the barrels ahead of it into the right hand route, and the presently open ramrig. Axe-O-Lotl turns, and comes into the rig, adjusting itself as it moves downwards, but the space for it to travel is getting smaller, and Axe-O-Lotl is forced to edge slightly towards the saws, and just before it would have escaped, the ramp comes in underneath its 6mm ground clearance, forcing the robot onto the saws! The sparks fly from the plating, scratching up the white paintwork, but thats the least of Chriss troubles right now, as Matilda comes in with the chainsaw to cause damage, reversing up and etching a deep gouge in the front wedge! The rig opens again, though, and Axe-O-Lotl comes away from the saws, but the house robot pushes back as it comes out, forcing Axe-O-Lotl in onto the fence and beaching it again.

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Axe-O-Lotl - 10.33 metres

***

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

Danny Bailey next up, with Death Threat 0.2.

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Immediately Death Threat heads for the barrels, clattering into them and sending one rolling up and off the side of the ramp. Having cleared them, it turns to face the seesaw, and drives hesitantly forward with one of the barrels caught between the front claws. Death Threat mounts the seesaw, as Danny concentrates and turns his machine before it can veer off to one side. Shunt awaits at the bottom of the ramp though, as Death Threat comes over and allows the seesaw to drop, and the house robot turns and heads towards Death Threat...but the barrel rolls free from the jaws of the contestant robot, and clatters into the charging Shunt! Danny laughs, easily maneuvering his robot to dodge the aggressor, who rams the barrel instead, and edging Dead Metal away to the side to cross the finish line!

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Death Threat 0.2 - Completed in 30.75 secs

***

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

Martijn Benschop awaits next, with Flick Of The Wrist.

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Flick Of The Wrist starts slowly, edging almost tentatively away from the start, before turning and coming in towards the barrels in reverse. Flick backs up, before putting on a burst of speed to almost surgically remove the centre two obstacles, sending them bouncing in opposite directions, before coming to take on the ramp, driving on to the incline easily. As it comes over the ramp though, it begins to steer towards one side, and Martijn corrects the robots orientation, but the ramp begins to tip, and between that and the robots steering, Flick Of The Wrist comes too close to the right hand edge of the ramp and topples off, onto the dividing fence! Martijn attempts to get his robot off the railings, but to no avail - the wheels are spinning on Flick, but theres no translational movement accompanying that, and the house robots begin to close in...Dead Metal cant get around there, the ramp is in the way, but Sgt. Bash is there on the other side, and begins to torch the left side of the beached machine.

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Flick Of The Wrist - 7.75 metres

***

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

Kody Kunz is next, with his machine Shadow Zone Returns.

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Shadow Zone is out of the starting blocks very quickly, already coming in towards the ram rig, but not entering it yet, Kody appearing to bide his time and wait for the rig to begin to open. Time passes, and the rig begins to open up...Killalot is approaching cautiously from the rear, perhaps thinking Shadow Zone might have broken down, but Kody waits his moment, lining up his machine carefully, before suddenly accelerating away down by the saws!
CRASH! Matilda was waiting at the end of the rig, but she didnt appear to have been expecting the charge, and the house robots wheels spin as she attempts to get a grip to push Shadow Zone backwards, not having much success against the scoop though, and Shadow Zones momentum carries it towards the end...Shunt is coming around though, from the middle section of the course, and rams in under the side of Shadow Zone with the scoop, bringing the axe down to scratch the paint on the top! Kody shakes his head, trying his controls frantically, but its not looking like his machine will go any further.

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Shadow Zone Returns - 13.75 metres

***

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

The next two machines on the starting platform are the Door Stops, driven by Frank Goacher and Frank Goacher.

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Straight from the start, Door Stops appear to have a coordination problem, as the two halves have to complete the course together, but Frank appears to have forgotten that hes going in reverse, and Frank has to correct him. Now, the Stops come out of the cage, and towards the left hand route with the house robots, moving rather slowly as they drive past the first of the pits. Sir Killalot is coming in though, to use his bulk to block the wedges from making further progress, but the front Stop rams in on Killalot, dragging its twin behind it, before both parts try and work together to maneuver past the house robot...Killalot is having none of it, though, and brings the lance down in front of the clusterbot, and as the front Stop tries to drive past, the rear Stop pulling on it causes it to lift up in the air, and Killalot brings the lance under and into the gap between the two, before plucking them in the air by the linking mechanism! Frank desperately pulls on his controls, but Frank just sighs and leans against the Lexan, as Killalot tuns and deposits the clusterbot in the second pit.

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Door Stops - 11 metres

***

ROBOTEERS, STAND BY

Last to run the gauntlet is Andrew Jackson, with Rupture.

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Rupture comes away from the start, nudgng the cage as it does so, and turns to come into the left hand side route, with the house robots. Pausing briefly, it drives down the passageway rather slowly, coming in towards Sir Killalot, who actually backs away from the approaching machine, almost as if to let them through, but coming in as Rupture attempts to come past, pinning the machine in and working the lance in underneath the side skirts, bending one of them rather badly. Rupture tries to drive away from the house robot, but the wheels are spinning just off the ground, and Killalot lifts up the front of Rupture into the air, and flicks it back down onto its wheels...and Rupture jolts into high gear! Andy reverses, then steers Rupture around Killalot, past the second pit, and almost over the line...Bash comes in with the blade, and a warning flicker of flame, and Ruptures wheels spin momentarily, as it rotates the front of the house robot out of the way, and Andy celebrates in his control booth as Rupture charges diagonally into the end zone!

STOP, AND DEACTIVATE ROBOTS

Rupture - Completed in 46 secs

LEADERBOARD:
1: Death Threat 0.2 - Completed
2: Rupture - Completed
3: Shadow Zone Returns - 13.75m
4: Door Stops - 11m
5: Axe-O-Lotl - 10.33m
6: Flick Of The Wrist - 7.75m (OUT)

Flick Of The Wrist is eliminated at this stage, sorry.

COMING TOMORROW:
TRIAL - JOUST against Matilda, who has LEM200 motors, Vulkalon tyres and the very deadly sparkly thing.

Comments, predictions, tactics, catfish?

[kodster]

The Chevron Championship

Sorry, Ive forgotten...whats Joust like again?

[joey_picus]

The Chevron Championship

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujGtCim41NUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujGtCim41NU

[kodster]

The Chevron Championship

Okay.

Well Matilda had problems with SZs scoop before, so keep at it, push her away down the other end, and try to pull an All Torque. Hopefully if I get past the middle, I can safely push her down and away. If not, try to keep the angle so that Im facing the other end, and dont let the angle change. Keep pushing, dont let up.

[pcbore]

The Chevron Championship

I should be fine here, Matildas tusks dont look like they shave the surface. Hopefully I can just drive right under her and render her upgrade useless.

[dinowarrior]

The Chevron Championship

I think I ought to be OK. After all, Axe-O-Lotl does have a lot of pushing power for being a lowly axe-bot.

[joey_picus]

The Chevron Championship

TRIAL - JOUST

AXE-O-LOTL

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Axe-O-Lotl immediately comes up the ramp, and with its top speed of twenty miles an hour crashes into Matilda towards the other side of the central circle. The sparks begin to fly from the house robot, and Axe-O-Lotl backs off to come in again, but Matilda advances, and jams the tusks beneath the front scoop! Chris looks worried, and almost reverses Axe-O-Lotl off the tusks, and Matilda turns, bringing the white machine side-on to her, and drives to edge Axe-O-Lotl off the side of the circle!

Axe-O-Lotl - 6.75 metres (out of 10 metres)

***

DOOR STOPS

Frank appears to be wearing a ridiculous outfit for this trial, consisting of a suit of armour, a top hat and a large rubber chicken dangling from his transmitter aerial.

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The Door Stops appear to be having coordination problems again, but they manage to sucessfully mount the ramp, and proceed towards Matilda, who comes charging over the platform, and rams into the clusterbot...and drives up the front of one Door Stop! The house robot appears to be high centred on the small machine, unable to get any traction on anything, but the Door Stop doesnt appear to be able to move either...and Matilda is blocking the entrance to the circular section, making them unable to move any further forward, despite their wiggling.

Door Stops - 4 metres

***

SHADOW ZONE RETURNS

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Matilda immediately comes in over the platform, and Shadow Zone begins its approach, but stops just on the ramp, suddenly unable to move! The house robot continues across to Shadow Zone, and immediately it seems to be in major problems - the front scoop is caught on the ramp and lifting all four wheels off the ground, preventing it from getting anywhere, and Kody looks dejected in his control booth as Matilda crashes into his machine, catching the tusks underneath the beached scoop, and showers the Hardox armour with sparks as she pushes the robot back...past the ramp...and ramming it into the door at the back of the set, shaking the backdrop slightly.

Shadow Zone Returns - MINUS 4.5 metres

***

RUPTURE

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Rupture starts up the ramp, coming in towards Matilda, and the two machines lock together at the centre of the ramp...Matilda begins to fire sparks on the top of Rupture, but Rupture is pushing back! The front of Rupture is wedged in underneath the house robot, and Matilda is forced back, wheels spinning, and off the side of the platform...but Ruptures momentum keeps it going, and Andys celebrations are muted slightly as his machine follows Matilda over the edge!

Rupture - 7.25 metres

***

DEATH THREAT 0.2

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Death Threat comes up the ramp and onto the platform, and rams into Matilda just outside the entrance to the circular zone. Matilda lets off the fireworks, raising her tusks to ram onto Death Threat again, but the contestant robot slams into her, knocking her sideways! Death Threat backs away, and Matilda turns for another attack, and they collide. Matilda gets her tusks under Death Threat, and lifts, flipping it over, but as the house robot drives in to push Death Threat back, Danny slams Death Threat into reverse, gets underneath the still-raised tusks, and powers Matilda back and off the platform! He raises a fist in the air in celebration, victorious over the house robot, and all that remains is for Death Threat to maneuver down the platform and off the ramp at the opposite end, turning and crashing into the arena railings.

Death Threat 0.2 - 17.75 metres

RESULTS:
1: Death Threat 0.2 - 17.75m
2: Rupture - 7.25m
3: Axe-O-Lotl - 6.75m
4: Door Stops - 4m
5: Shadow Zone Returns - -4.5m

Unfortunately, Shadow Zone Returns is out by a rather large margin.

COMING UP:
THE SEMI FINALS
Death Threat 0.2 vs. Axe-O-Lotl
Rupture vs. Door Stops

Tactics, comments, predictions, and someone to finally check my design in the improvement thread please

[kodster]

The Chevron Championship

I swear Im going to have to have a robot that can drive over everything it hits, lol

Oh well

[dinowarrior]

The Chevron Championship

AXE-O-LOTLS TACTICS
Tracks are tracks, no matter what theyre made of. Aim for them and pummel them, staying away from the claw.

[pcbore]

The Chevron Championship

Split up and keep nagging Rupture from different directions until I can get under. One Door Stop will stay under and just beach him while the other goes to open the pit, then Ill get him down it.

[kodster]

The Chevron Championship

Axe-O-Lotl and Door Stops to meet in the final.

[joey_picus]

The Chevron Championship

May I remind people...again...that there is no pit release button. Gonna have to write something about that when I do the next series...

Fights up when I write them, so probably tonight or roundabouts.