Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

[Guest]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

And we€™re back on Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation with the second round of the 1st annihilator!
Before the break Orka RV bit the dust when it was disembowelled and pitted by a deadly team-up, and now five robots remain to battle it out for a place in the third round!

From Lincolnshire in England, representing Team ??? and currently ranked #4, Wedga Triton!

From Pontefract in West Yorkshire, representing Team Picus, Nidhogg Cubed!

From Patricia in Canada, representing Team Alt, SOTAR!

From Etobicoke in Canada, representing Team Zlayerz, Wedginator 9.0!

From Glasgow in Scotland, representing Team Braveheart, Mornington Crescent!

Roboteers, standby!

Booth Red: Team???, Team Picus, Team Braveheart
Booth Blue: Team Zlayerz, Team Alt

3...
2...
1...
ACTIVATE!

All 5 machines move off very quickly at the beginning of this bout, with the spinning weapons of Mornington Crescent and SOTAR spinning up immediately, creating a dangerous whirring sound in the arena. Wedga Triton immediately targets Mornington Crescent and makes a very good attempt to box-rush Steven€™s machine, however it is intercepted during the ram by Wedginator 9.0, who immediately uses the lifting forks to lever the 4th ranked robot in Mechanical Maelstrom up and over onto its back!

Wedga Triton self-rights, but as it lands SOTAR comes running across the arena and slams into the rear rollcage of Wedginator 9.0, putting a hefty dent in it but not going through the HDPE. This however sends Wedginator spinning into Mornington Crescent, buckling the front of one of the lifting spikes! Wedga Triton takes advantage of Mornington Crescent€™s momentary stillness and rams in underneath, pushing the cylindrical machine across the arena and into the pit release button!

Wedga has Mornington Crescent pinned against the release button and Andy fires the flipper hoping to send Mornington Crescent out of the arena, but the flipper wasn€™t far enough underneath and it slams against the rails before spinning up the rings again and ramming at Wedginator 9.0, who runs forward to meet it! The two collide and the bent lifting prong of Wedginator 9.0 takes further damage, being knocked so that the end is now completely sideways! However the spinning of Mornington Crescent has now stopped and Wedginator pushes it across the arena and onto the killsaws!

SOTAR meanwhile launches another attack on Wedga Triton, and like Wedginator did Wedga runs across the arena to meet SOTAR, the front wedge colliding with the blade of SOTAR and causing it to flip and over, allowing Wedga to carry on the ram and take SOTAR to the side wall, but now Wedga is venting gas and it would seem that hit took out Andy€™s co2 supply! Nidhogg Cubed, having stayed in the shadows for this whole match spots an opportunity and drives underneath the rear of the ranked machine and lifts it into the air with the forks, pushing forward to flip it over and immobilise it!
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

CEASE!

In a shock turn of events Wedga Triton is eliminated from the annihilator!

Battle-Board
Wedga Triton [#4] vs. Nidhogg Cubed vs. SOTAR vs. Orka RV vs. Wedginator 9.0 vs. Mornington Crescent

[kodster]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

w00t again!

Okay, I'm feeling slightly better now. I have the rear end to fend off the two spinners, but all the same I'd rather like to avoid them. Now, I will go after Nidhogg here. Get it from the sides and lift it up, and make sure its wheels, all of them, are off the ground. Only then try to shunt it into one of the two spinners, but not otherwise. Keep lifting it if it can move, and go after it the entire match (unless one of the spinners is hovering over the pit, tip that into the pit :P) Oh, and do get Nidhogg into the pit if it's nearby.

G'luck all.

[shadowflare]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Because good tactic was good, I'll wait for a good chance and strike. Everyone has a equal chance of being a target, I'm not picking any favorites.

Good luck guys.

[Guest]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Welcome back to Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation. Before the break we saw a shock turn of events as Wedga Triton, the 4th ranked machine in Mechanical Maelstrom bit the dust. Now just 4 robots remain in this first annihilator, who will go out next?

From Pontefract in West Yorkshire, representing Team Picus, Nidhogg Cubed!

From Patricia in Canada, representing Team Alt, SOTAR!

From Etobicoke in Canada, representing Team Zlayerz, Wedginator 9.0!

From Glasgow in Scotland, representing Team Braveheart, Mornington Crescent!

Roboteers, standby!

Booth Red: Team Picus, Team Braveheart
Booth Blue: Team Zlayerz, Team Alt

3...
2...
1...
ACTIVATE!

The third round begins and all four machines get moving, however some are more aggressive than others, most poignantly Wedginator 9.0 who is again the immediate aggressor, heading straight for Nidhogg Cubed who thus far has had little involvement in the annihilator despite being the robot to finish off both Orka RV and Wedga Triton in the previous rounds. Wedginator tries to dodge the front of Nidhogg to get around to the sides, but the hydrostatic drive of Nidhogg Cubed allows it to turn rapidly and face Wedginator again, forcing Kody to back away rather than risk a head-on collision.

Mornington Crescent has spun up to full speed as has SOTAR, but neither is making an aggressive manoeuvre at the moment, preferring to stay out of trouble while Wedginator and Nidhogg tussle. Both of these machines are pretty manouevrable as Wedginator favours a half omni-wheel design and Nidhogg€™s wheels are situated in the front of the machine so that the front turns rather than the rear. However, Nidhogg is perhaps the easier to control with the hydrostatic drive and Joey pushes forward now, hoping to breach the front of Wedginator 9.0, but Kody backs away and then turns quickly, pushing against the side of Nidhogg, but Joey turns again and the machines end up side to side moving around in a circle.

SOTAR sees an opportunity here and the crowd are certainly bored, so Tracy rams in at full speed with the ring going around fast and crashes into the side of Wedginator 9.0, denting the armour and spinning Wedginator away from Nidhogg Cubed. Mornington Crescent on the other hand aims for the momentarily stationary SOTAR and runs in with both rings spinning, colliding with SOTAR with a big crash and both machines are knocked away across the arena floor, but the titanium ring of SOTAR isn€™t damaged and it immediately spins up again to go back on the attack.

Meanwhile Nidhogg has been targeted by Wedginator 9.0 again, and Kody€™s machine moves in for the second time, catching Joey unawares and sliding the lifting prongs underneath the side of Nidhogg, lifting it up into the air, removing Nidhogg€™s traction! With careful driving now Kody edges Nidhogg towards the nearby Mornington Crescent while SOTAR heads across the arena and presses the pit release button. Mornington Crescent runs forward to hit Nidhogg and Wedginator lowers it down, leaving Joey€™s robot to be flung across the arena from the force of the slam with the front forks horribly buckled, but apart from this the robot appears to be OK.

And now Wedginator 9.0 spots a golden opportunity - from the force of the hit with Nidhogg Mornington Crescent was flung across the arena and now sits on the brink of the pit, unable to drive away as half of its drive hangs over the abyss! Kody drives in calmly and swings Wedginator€™s long wedged body around, deftly nudging Mornington Crescent with the side of the wedge and in doing so sending the innovative ring spinner into the pit, to disappear in a puff of smoke!

CEASE!

Another surprising elimination as despite Nidhogg Cubed getting bullied throughout the match it is Mornington Crescent that hits the bottom of the pit and is eliminated from the competition!

Battle-Board
Wedga Triton [#4] vs. Nidhogg Cubed vs. SOTAR vs. Orka RV vs. Wedginator 9.0 vs. Mornington Crescent

[joey_picus]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

...right, I somehow missed this round :P

Tactics: Go for anyone, avoid their weapons, pick them up with the forks so they have no traction, hold them with the crusher, pit.

[kodster]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

I got through again?

Same tactics as last time, please.

[Guest]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Are you ready for more metal-munching carnage here on Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation? Well get ready, as round 4 is about to get underway!

From Pontefract in West Yorkshire, representing Team Picus, Nidhogg Cubed!

From Patricia in Canada, representing Team Alt, SOTAR!

From Etobicoke in Canada, representing Team Zlayerz, Wedginator 9.0!

Roboteers, standby!

Booth Red: Team Picus
Booth Blue: Team Zlayerz, Team Alt

3...
2...
1...
ACTIVATE!

The 4th match of this annihilator gets underway and the remaining three machines are all looking pretty worn out from the previous fights, having taken heaps of damage along the way to reach this stage. However, there are 2 battles before they can happily have reached the finals and receive full repairs, so there€™s no relaxing just yet. SOTAR appears to have the most destructive weaponry again as that proven deadly spinning ring gets up to full speed while Nidhogg also has a very damaging weapon in that overhead hydraulic crusher that can work in unison with the lifting forks in a clamping weapon synergy like that of Complete Control. Wedginator 9.0 has been the aggressor in previous rounds, but we still haven€™t seen that spike in action, but Kody has told us in the pits that it is working. No need to worry though, it is doing fine on lifting arms and pushing power so far! However in this match it is Nidhogg Cubed that makes the first move, heading towards Wedginator 9.0, eager to cause damage. These two were sparring partners in the last round and Nidhogg certainly came off worse, so perhaps Joey is looking for revenge now or maybe just trying to remove the machine that poses a bigger threat against him?

Wedginator certainly does pose a threat as it runs forward to meet Nidhogg and the two collide head on, Wedginator managing to get under Nidhogg at the front and Kody uses the lifting arms to lever Nidhogg up and over onto its back! SOTAR comes in with the ring spinning trying to take advantage of this and slams into Nidhogg as it rolls over, sending Team Picus€™ machine spinning away across the arena floor with a sizeable gash in the side armour! Nidhogg however is undaunted and drives on the attack of SOTAR while the ring isn€™t spinning and lifts up the side of Tracy€™s machine with its forks, pushing the cylindrical machine against the barrier and crushing down with the beak onto the top of SOTAR, sinking the claw-like weapon through the aluminium top armour of SOTAR like a knife through hot butter and Nidhogg keeps this vice-like grip as it reverses back across the arena towards the pit release button, but the backwards movement is intercepted by Wedginator 9.0, who drives under the side of Nidhogg Cubed, who still has SOTAR in tow and rams the pair of them into the arena side wall before pushing them into the corner and onto the killsaws!

The saws rise up out of the floor and with a smattering of sparks Nidhogg Cubed is bounced up on its front corner, but the extra weight of having SOTAR on board causes it to fall back onto its wheels straight away, if only those wheels were on the ground! They are now actually on Wedginator 9.0, who drove underneath Nidhogg on its descent to the floor and now has the pair of its opponents wedged against the side wall, lifting them now and for the first time in the competition firing the pneumatic spike, penetrating the aluminium base armour of Nidhogg Cubed and digging that spike into the workings of the hydraulically driven machine! With Nidhogg impaled in this manner, still clinging tightly to SOTAR Wedginator 9.0 is the only robot in the arena free to move and with Nidhogg not going anywhere fast Kody prepares to end this match! With skilful driving ability and excellent control Wedginator 9.0 begins to manoeuvre towards the pit, but with 200kg suspended on its spike it simply can€™t handle the pressure and the three robot embrace tumbles onto its side, leaving all three machines still conjoined on the arena floor, unable to move even if SOTAR and Nidhogg Cubed are still working!

CEASE!

With all 3 robots immobilised this match must go to the judges.

Judge€™s Decision:

Damage:
Nidhogg Cubed ~ 4.7 x 1 = 4.7pts
SOTAR ~ 4.3 x 1 = 4.3pts
Wedginator 9.0 ~ 4.1 x 1 = 4.1pts

Aggression:
Nidhogg Cubed ~ 4.5 x 0.75 ~ 3.375pts
SOTAR ~ 4 x 0.75 = 3pts
Wedginator 9.0 ~ 4.6 x 0.75 = 3.45pts

Control:
Nidhogg Cubed ~ 4 x 0.5 = 2pts
SOTAR ~ 2 x 0.5 = 1pt
Wedginator 9.0 ~ 3.9 x 0.5 = 1.95pts

Dominance:
Nidhogg Cubed ~ 3 x 0.25 = 0.75pts
SOTAR ~ 2 x 0.75 = 1.5pts
Wedginator 9.0 ~ 3.5 x 0.25 = 0.875pts

Overall:
Nidhogg Cubed ~ 4.7 + 3.375 + 2 + 0.75 = 10.825pts =
SOTAR ~ 4.3 + 3 + 1 + 1.5 = 9.8pts
Wedginator 9.0 ~ 4.1 + 3.45 + 1.95 + 0.875 = 10.375pts

All three robots managed very high scores in this match, but the control and dominance shown by Nidhogg Cubed and Wedginator 9.0 is enough to see them through to the Annihilator 1 Final! We say goodbye to SOTAR at this stage, but this isn€™t the last of Team Alt, they€™ll be back with Bloody Frigid in the next annihilator!

Battle Board:
Wedga Triton [#4] vs. Nidhogg Cubed vs. SOTAR vs. Orka RV vs. Wedginator 9.0 vs. Mornington Crescent

[kodster]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

CRAP! I wanted to face SOTAR in the final!

N^3 vs. Wedginator 9.0

No games here. If I've got him, pit him immediately. If he looks like he'll get me, back away far so I can get my front end pointed at him. His forks are all right but I think my lifting spikes have more leverage to them as well as being further from the actual main body, so I should get under him all right. The hydrostatic drive seems tricky, but I'll try to keep a cool head here when he's trying to deke me out; repeat the backing away part if he does, and go at him with the front here. Be aggressive, but careful.

And that's it. G'luck Joey.

[joey_picus]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

...what on earth :P I got through again? I hadn't expected this, no tactics prepared should I get to this stage...so...uh...same tactics as I've used throughout, pick up and pit without buggering around for show or wasting any time if I can avoid it.

Good luck Kody, may the best bot win

[Guest]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Before the final of Annihilator 1 gets underway, let€™s take a quick look back at how Nidhogg Cubed and Wedginator 9.0 got this far!
In round 1 Wedginator was the aggressor against Orka RV, but it was Nidhogg that finished the job.
In round 2 Wedginator was again the aggressor, and interestingly it was again Nidhogg that disposed of Wedga Triton.
In round 3 Nidhogg and Wedginator both took spinner damage, but Mornington Crescent ended up in the pit with a good shove from Wedginator.
In round 4 SOTAR lost a close judge€™s decision after all 3 robots were immobilised.
So both machines have been very impressive so far, with Wedginator 9.0 being the main aggressor and Nidhogg Cubed being used as a finishing move a lot of the time, particularly in the early rounds. They have both done very well to survive this long, but which of them will advance to the Annihilation Finals?

From Pontefract in West Yorkshire, representing Team Picus, Nidhogg Cubed!

From Etobicoke in Canada, representing Team Zlayerz, Wedginator 9.0!

Roboteers, standby!

Booth Red: Team Picus
Booth Blue: Team Zlayerz

3...
2...
1...
ACTIVATE!

Our first annihilator final gets going quickly as both robots immediately show aggression towards one another, with Wedginator 9.0 driving in on the attack full speed ahead, while Nidhogg starts slightly more tentatively, attempting to dodge the front lifting arms of Wedginator 9.0 but in doing so exposing its side ground clearance to the opposition, which rams underneath Nidhogg and immediately lifts it into the air, with Joey€™s machine now suspended on the end of the lifting arms! Kody reverses across the arena towards the pit release button, moving slowly and carefully so as not to drop Nidhogg off the arms, however the impact with the pit release button causes Kody to lose his fragile grip on Nidhogg Cubed, who tumbles off the lifter and rolls over before driving back on the attack with its own lifting forks, getting underneath the side of Wedginator 9.0 before the lifting arms are fully down and Joey now bites down with the crusher as well! Wedginator 9.0 is between a rock and a hard place here, but the rear omni-wheels are still on the ground, will this provide any resistance to Nidhogg€™s hydrostatic power? Unfortunately for Kody, the answer is no and Nidhogg easily overpowers Wedginator 9.0 and drags it towards the pit that was ironically just opened by Wedginator 9.0, who is then dumped in the abyss as Joey swings Wedginator around, putting it into the pit in one swift, easy move for Wedginator to disappear in a puff of smoke!

CEASE!

A very quick match today, and Nidhogg Cubed is the winner of the 1st annihilator, advancing to the Finals!

Battle Board:
Wedga Triton [#4] vs. Nidhogg Cubed vs. SOTAR vs. Orka RV vs. Wedginator 9.0 vs. Mornington Crescent

Next time, on Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation...
Annihilator 2
Gabriel V [#5] vs. Liar 2 vs. Minesweep3r vs. O.I.D vs. Gehenna vs. Bloody Frigid

[shadowflare]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Congats Joey. ^^ Since I didn't off Wedginator 9.0, I'm happy it was you.
Right, tactics.
Gabriel V [#5] vs. Liar 2 vs. Minesweep3r vs. O.I.D vs. Gehenna vs. Bloody Frigid

I have nothing against Mark myself, but I recall a consensus to murderdate Minesweep3r. I'll have to go for that. Attack Minesweep3r. Just don't get myself offed in the process.

[corsair_lightning]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

Minesweep3r: Oh bollocks. Just run around the arena, press the pit release button, shove nearest opponent into pit. Gloat/Make excuses depending on outcome.

[kodster]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

*whacks Tracy across the back of the head with a rolled-up newspaper* Oh you'll get yours, I promise you that.

Other than that, no shame in losing to a bot as respectable as Nidhogg, congrats Joey and great fight Lewis.

Annihilator prediction: Gehenna FTW?

[joey_picus]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

...w00t! That worked out nicely, commiserations to Kody and well done to Lewis for a not half bad first annihilator.

Gabriel V tactics: Stay out of trouble generally, but go for Minesweeper. If any of the others that aren't Minesweeper attack me, attack them back, but focus on helping take out the dustbin :P

[andrewj]

Re: Mechanical Maelstrom: Annihilation

That was quick and well written, good job Lewis. I think my tactics are at the bottom of page 2.