The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

[steven_mcg]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Ladies, gentlemen and imaginary remote-controlled death machines, I bid you welcome to the VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010!

Over the next few weeks, eight vapourbots from as far apart as Britain, Holland and Canada will be duking it out to win our coveted invisible trophy. This will be a contest not just of strength, but of strategy and endurance. Our eight competitors will duel each other simultaneously in ten different arenas all over the world. At the end of each fight, points will be awarded based on the position each robot finishes in. The robot with the most points by the end of the contest will be the crowned the Vapourbot Grand Prix champion of 2010.

The first battle venue will be announced momentarily, but before we do let's take a closer look at this year's competitors:

AXEON 4.0
OWNER: Andrew Jackson
HOME: Bourne, Lincolnshire
With previous versions of Axeon proving very successful in other tournaments, Andy will be hoping that Version 4.0 makes a big impact on the VGP in more ways than one. This latest incarnation is an angular box shape with a pair of front wedges and a powerful axe designed to bludgeon rather than puncture. The axe is made entirely of Hardox and runs on liquid carbon dioxide, allowing for plenty of powerful strikes per match. Axeon ranks high on defense with its wedged body and 8mm titanium/vanadium alloy monocoque shell (now there's a mouthful). Its pushing power is decent, but the front-mounted wheels could affect control and with so many bots running around at once, Axeon may risk spending its CO2 too rashly.

DELIRIUM TREMORS
OWNER: Matthew Fowler
HOME: Dadford
The best way I feel I can describe this entry is 'The Disc on steroids'. Delirium Tremors is essentially an enormous spinning drum with three wheels on each side mounted in a Y-shaped housing. Said wheels are each protected by narrow hinged skirting hanging down over the top of them. It might look a bit silly, but it could prove very effective. The 29kg drum is made of 10mm thick aluminium and spins at over 3000rpm. Touch those four rows of teeth at your peril. It's destructive, it's invertible, but its pushing power is weak and its wheels could well be in danger from another robot's blades.

EYE OF RAN II
OWNER: Joey McConnell
HOME: Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Here's an entry with its eye firmly on the prize. This unsual T-shaped machine has as its weapon of choice a frightening meter-long Hardox spinning blade with hooked claws. Mounted on the underbelly of its flat front, it weighs 30kg, spins at 2500rpm and can produce over 90kj of energy at its full speed. I hope everyone's brought extra tyres with them. Eye of Ran can run upside-down and is well protected with a mixture of polycarbonate and Hardox armouring and a titanium/vanadium chassis. It's a decent pusher too, but its unusual shape could hinder its control and its invertible frame leaves it wide open to a bird's eye attack.

FLICK OF THE WRIST
OWNER: Martijn Benschop
HOME: Enschede, The Netherlands
This is one of the toughest bots in vaporboteering today and it's easy to see why. Flick of the Wrist's design is simplistic in appearance, a basic invertible box with an angled rear and a pair of lifting spikes on the front, but what's important is the execution. The spikes are made of Hardox with diamond tips and the box itself runs on a grand total of six wheels at speeds of up to 22mph. Hardox + Diamond + (6 X 22) = OUCH. Flick of the Wrist makes for a great rammer with its top-notch traction and 7mm titanium shell, but the powerful wheels are vulnerable to axes and crushers, and its defensive weaponry may not be as effective in our more airtight arenas.

KILLOBITE SIGMA
OWNER: Kody Kunz
HOME: Toronto, Canada
This is the seventh member in the Killobite family, and clearly Kody's hoping it'll be the luckiest one. Like its last two incarnations, this high pentagonal wedge is armed with a horrible hardened steel crushing claw, but now it's even bigger and more powerful than ever. How powerful? How does 15 tonnes of pressure at the tip and 25 at the ram sound? In addition to the claw, Killobite has a pair of lifting forks powered by a lightweight linear actuators making for a very efficient weapons combo. Four wheel drive and speeds of 12mph make it strong and nimble, but that weapons combo is pretty slow and the 20mm ground clearance could be exploited by the others.

OOH! I'M DIZZY...
OWNER: Jack Orr
HOME: Richmond-Upon-Thames
Better known on the fighting circuit as O.I.D., 'dizzy' won't begin to describe how you'll feel after clashing with Jack's entry. This equilateral triangle's primary weapon is a vicious horizontal spinning disc mounted on the front. Weighing in at 20kg and constructed from 8mm Hardox, it can reach speeds of 2000rpm and tear a hole in most anything. O.I.D's shell is also made of Hardox, offering plenty of protection from its fellow spinners, and has a hinged wedge on the back for extra defense. It's invertible and highly manoueverable, though it's possible this might sacrifice its controlability and pushing power.

SLAMMER VI
OWNER: Alex Holt
HOME: Northants
Certainly the oldest robot here in terms of its heritage. This sixth incarnation of the Slammer dynasty remains much the same as its predecesors in its basic design - a squat axlebot with a front scoop, flipping arms on top and bottom, and a variety of interchangeable add-ons. Slammer VI features three such devices - a pair of crushing pincers, a vertical flywheel or a protective 'mask' to defend itself from powerful spinners. Such interchangability will prove very useful in a contest like this and its unique ability to self-flip makes it highly manoeverable. Its pushing power is comparatively weak however and those big wheels are a bit too exposed for my liking...

9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE
OWNER: Daniel Stickler
HOME: Merthyr Tydfil
Last, and by no means least, we have the most recently-built robot in the contest, having been constructed specially for this contest. Reminiscent of Tornado, 'Richter' is an invertable box with tapered sides and a 10kg rectanglar spinning bar (the eggbeater) mounted on the front. The blade runs at 2400rpm, but can be geared up to as high as 12,000rpm if need be! Pity the poor egg that gets beaten by this beast. It's a solidly-built bot with titanium/vanadium and polycarbonate armour and 15mph makes Richter a nimble machine. Its four wheels are exposed to aerial attacks, though, and its low 4mm ground clearance could prove troublesome later on.

Best get used to those bots, folks, because we'll be watching them beating the snot out of each other for a good long while. But now that we've met the bots, let's say hello to our first arena. The Vapourbot Grand Prix hath begun!

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THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 1/10: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
ARENA: The Robot Wars UK Arena

We're going to kick things off with something nice and familiar to get our competitors settled down. The Robot Wars UK Arena has been the homeground of British robotic combat since 1998 and seen many alterations over the years. Our eight entries will be playing in the most recent incarnation of the warzone, the home of cutting discs, Flame Grills, the Drop Zone and of course the Pit of Oblivion. Our special thanks to the International Imaginary Planning Committee for expanding the arena to comfortably fit in all of our competitors.
The UK Arena is, of course, home to the House Robots, the superheavyweight monsters specifically created to make the life of any robot foolish enough to stray into their Corner Patrol Zones a living hell. Typically only two House Robots are allowed in the arena at one time these days, but today we're going to be doing something a little different. We're going to be throwing four House Robots into the ring to play with our competitors, and not just any four - the original four. Welcome back Shunt, Matilda, Dead Metal and Sergeant Bash!

Your arena plan badly drawn in Paint may be found below:



Everyone have a good hard think about your tactics and post them in ASAP. The sooner you all get something in, the sooner we can get started. Don't forget you'll all be fighting at once till only one remains, so you'll have to take all of your rivals into consideration, not just one or two.

Aaaand that's it. Good luck, all.

[joey_picus]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Tactics: *produced after no thinking whatsoever*

Start in reverse, use the back end of the T and its skirt to keep opponents at bay while I get the bar spinning...then, hit people a lot while generally staying away from the pit and the house robots, and the arena walls. Try and avoid any large pileups of robots and strike machines on their own, or on the outer edge of a pile if nobody's behind me, and if there are robots close by keep myself parallel to the wall if I'm close to it, as I attack.

Good luck everyone

[team_britespark]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Tactics, sponsored by L'Oreal, because you're worth it:

OK I have a strong feeling most of these matches are gonna go down to the Judges so I need to be aggressive from the word go. First thing I would do is to make sure my weapon is spinning as fast as it can go - a lot of these machines have strong armour and if I am going to score highly with the Judges I need to get some sparks flying or at least do SOME damage to them!

Once the eggbeater is spinning, I am going to whisk it *groan* and attack Delirium Tremors. The shape of the machine and the gyroscopic effects of that drum must cause it to have some issues in turning, so I plan to exploit this and slam the eggbeater straight into the sides of it - preferably as close to the wheels as I can without risking a strike from that drum.

I will also attack Killobite during this match and aim to immobolise it using a two-step attack. First, attack Killobite from the sides, using the eggbeater weaponry to flip it over onto its sides. Secondly, attack the Razer-esque srimech wings as it self rights. Hopefully this damage should score muchos pointos in the eyes of the Judges. I could also drive straight up onto Killobite's wedge and slam into the hydraulic pump which powers the crusher with my eggbeater. Hydraulic fluid + broken weaponry = POINTS!

I will attack Slammer by bringing my eggbeater into play on the sides (near the wheels) and on its front. Should I drive up its front wedge shape, my eggbeater should cause a lot of damage to the main body of it, as well as any weaponry equipment it might have, depending on its setup. Also, the wheel guards on the side of Slammer look as if they have lots of 'sticky-out bits' so a swift hit with my eggbeater on one of those should cause Slammer to soar upwards.

In conclusion, focus my attacks on these three machines and try to get some points on the board in case it does go to the Judges decision. Avoid the horizontal spinny weapons of Eye of Ran and O.I.D. If possible, use the power in the LEM motors to push an opponent into the CPZs and exploit the low walls of the arena by using the eggbeater to send opponents up and over the edge. DO NOT COME LAST! I WANT TO BE ON THE SCOREBOARD!

[kodster]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

General tactics - wait for something to come to me, then kill it. Avoid or sneak-around-and-attack any potential spinny threats, and be aggressive only when there's need to be. Patience is key here, and provided I survive I shouldn't be last on the scorecard. :P

Preferred targets - most of them, really. :P Their shapes are quite easy to latch onto, and if I can't pin them by clamping, I'll beach them by lifting.

g'luck mateys!

[alex_holt]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Lets go for the claw here. Go for whoever looks most grabable, grab on and slam. I'm not actually too concerned about being rammed on the basis that to be ramming me, firing my underside flipper will mean they go with me. If I can get a decent grip on anything, trash it back and forth with my slamming as much as I can.

[majinb]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

what Im looking for is to ram robots I can easilly control, aka no axlebots and the like, Axeon and Killobite seem tasty for this purpose, Ran and OID to a lesser extent, go for one, get under, lift, and ram! dont take too much time though, thats dangerous with so many opponents, so after a succesful ram, hopefull into a hazard, imediately get moving again, get ready for the next ram

[andrewj]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

I think it would be wise to make good use of the arena hazards, especially the house robots. Using simple clamp and push tactics, I can grab someone with the axe and feed them to the house robots, the flame grill or the pit. My main aim is to just stay busy and have a go at everyone. I have a feeling the spinners will find it difficult in an enclosed space with so many competitors and the house robots. Be persistent and make sure none of them have a chance to spin up and cause any damage. Use the axe to cause damage if necessary, but I think clamping would be more effective here.

[steven_mcg]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

That's all great, guys.

JACK & MATT: If you guys are going to provide tactics, I'll need them posted here ASAP. I understand Matt's been having some computer woes recently and I'd ideally like everyone to post game strategies for each match to make it all as fair as possible. That said, I really want to get this tournament up and running sharpish before I start losing interest. I'll give you two a few more days, but if I get no word of tactics, I'm afraid I'll have to start without them.

Good luck all, again!

[team_orr]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

heeey

hmm, wait for somthing to come my way, then smash it (kinda like fishing really)

[steven_mcg]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

OK guys, I've waited long enough and so have you. The Formula One British Grand Prix has already been and gone today, so what's say we get our own party started? :wink:

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 1/10: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
ARENA - The Robot Wars UK Arena
HOUSE ROBOTS- Dead Metal, Matilda, Sgt Bash & Shunt

For this fight, Slammer VI will be using the grabbing pincers.

Roboteers, stand by...
3...2...1...
ACTIVATE!

The Vapourbot Grand Prix has begun, and it's a bit of a slow start here in London. As it's the first fight of the tournament, everybody seems a little tentative, unsure where to begin. Everyone, that is, except for Flick of the Wrist and 9.9 on the Richter Scale. Martijn has charged straight at Axeon while Dan is heading straight for Delirium Tremors. Flick of the Wrist strikes first, crashing into Axeon's side and trying to push it into the nearest wall. Axeon spins around and fires the axe, just clipping the Dutch entry's top. As the two lock horns, Delirium Tremors and Richter collide...
CRRRASH!
Oooh, deary! The two spinners set off a shower of sparks as their blades come together! Richter takes the harder knock, but also recovers the quickest, bumping Delirium Tremors as Matt gets the giant drum rolling again. Is that a couple of nibble-marks I see on its side?
CRRRASH!
Ouch! I see them now! Richter bites into Delirium Tremors' left housing, but now the drum is back up and running!
CRRRASH!
Richter takes a nasty knock and tumbles into the path of Axeon and Flick of the Wrist! The hammerbot has just been slammed into the wall by Flick and Andy is looking to take it out on someone - namely Richter! Axeon scrapes under the Welsh bot's sides and clamps it with the titular axe! Dan tries to get away but Axeon appears to be in control, allowing Flick of the Wrist to have a pop at Delirium Tremors.
CRRRASH!
Another shower of sparks, but not enough to stop Flick! Martijn powers under Delirium Tremors and shoves it effortlessly into the southwest CPZ, straight into the corner and the scoop of Shunt!
Flick of the Wrist backs off and goes to join the other four robots in action. Not too much has happened thus far for them. Eye of Ran and O.I.D. have both spun up, but neither of their weapons have found a target yet. Killobite, meanwhile, has been playing an energetic game of 'Tag' with Alex, who seems to be having a whale of a time if Slammer VI's jumping is anything to go by! Flick of the Wrist smacks into O.I.D., prompting Jack to spin his bot around violenty...
CRRRASH!
Flick receives a nasty scar, but is still going strong and has managed to stop the disc completely. The Dutch entry pushes O.I.D. aside and slams into the Pit Release, just as Jack starts the flywheel up again. He's about to strike a second time when Slammer hurtles into the fray, closely followed by Killobite. Slammer aims for Eye of Ran, clearly hoping to grab those exposed frames at the sides, but the T-shaped terror whirls blade-first into the experienced bot's pincers!
CRRRASH!
Pow! Right in the kisser! Slammer's jaw takes a beating as Killobite finally catches up to it. Kody tries to get underneath, but a delightful bunny hop sees Slammer jump away...and back into Eye of Ran! Joey wants some space to spin his blade up, but Killobite's having none of it! Kody scrapes its forks under Eye of Ran and brings down the terrible crushing claw! Clearly the Canadian's eyes are on the Pit, but someone may beat him to it. Flick of the Wrist and O.I.D. are dancing close by and Delirium Tremors is coming over to join them, with a couple more dents and bruises than before! Mind those spinners!
CRRRASH!
CRRRACK!
Delirium Tremors gets the first blow, smacking into O.I.D's side, but O.I.D. proves the nimbler of the two and hits its unusual opponent in the right housing! Sounds like one of the skirts may be damaged there, but Matt has bigger problems! Killobite has trundled over with Eye of Ran and looking to dump it down the Pit! Delirium Tremors attempts to get away, but the other robots are closing in! O.I.D. swoops around for another attack, only to be bumped away by Flick of the Wrist! Jack notices he's dangerously close to the Pit and tries to escape...
Just as Killobite barges in with Eye of Ran and pushes them both down into the void! Jack is out, and so to is Joey, his bot dumped on top of O.I.D! Killobite releases its grip on Eye of Ran, just in time to avoid Flick of the Wrist...but not Delirium Tremors!
CRRRASH!
Killobite's pretty paintwork takes a lashing, and, unlucky for Kody, Matt's enormous drum still has some life left in it. Delirium Tremors sweves back into Killobite's side!
CRRRASH!
Kody looks a little worried about that, but never fear, the Dutch are here! Flick of the Wrist slams into Delirium Tremors and sweeps the giant drum machine over to the Pit! Matt barely has time to blink before finding himself on top of O.I.D. and Eye of Ran! Three down, five to go!
At the other end of the arena, Richter is in trouble. Axeon has managed to keep its grip for the most part and has shoved the Welsh bot into the northwest CPZ. That's Dead Metal's domain and the House Robot welcomes Richter with open arms - and a buzzing saw blade! As the living scrapheap nibbles at Richter's shell, Slammer bounces up the arena to join the fun and have a pop at Axeon. Andy attempts to grab hold of it, but Slammer remains a very slippery customer. The long-time veteran simply jumps out of Axeon's way and does well to avoid it as Flick of the Wrist and Killobite begin to head their way towards them. Slammer dodges Axeon with another well-timed, but not so well-aimed jump. The interchangable wonder leaps away from Axeon - and right onto Dead Metal! The stunned House Robot allows Richter to wriggle free and rev up, while Alex quickly hops out of the House Robot's way.
Our five survivors have reconvened in the top half of the warzone and the chaos continues! Axeon and Flick of the Wrist resume their scuffle, while Killobite sets its eyes on Slammer again. Richter gets there first, however, bumping the metal flea just as it hops away! Little damage done, but it has thrown Alex's landing off a bit. Dan speeds forwards before it can recover...
CRRRASH!
Now that's what I call a jump! The force of Richter's charge and its terrible weaponry throw Slammer almost as high as its own flippers! Alex tries to hop away, but here comes Killobite to take advantage! Kody begins lowering the claw before they even touch and scrapes the compact bot's shell as it wriggles away! Not quickly enough to avoid Richter, though...
CRRRASH!
Slammer goes flying again, just as Flick of the Wrist slams Axeon into the cluster of robots! Axeon ploughs through and joins Killobite in the hunt for Slammer, who seems a little woozier now, while Flick and Richter size each other up. Slammer attempts another daring escape, but finds itself caught between the two robots. Killobite strikes first, narrowly missing the mechanical jumping bean with a full-on charge. Axeon, however, doesn't miss and quickly clamps Slammer with its axe. Before Alex can bound away, Andy pushes his experienced entry into Dead Metal's claws! The House Robot takes hold and pins Slammer into the corner, chewing away at the compact machine with that vicious saw. Killobite gets in on the fun too, trying to dig into Slammer's large, exposed wheels. Alex desperately tries to leap to freedom, but almost seems afraid of jumping right out of the arena!
CRRRASH!
Ooh, meanwhile, Richter has landed a blow on Flick of the Wrist's front! The forks look OK, if a little scuffed and Martijn is not happy. Flick charges head-on into Richter and pushes it all the way across the arena and into the nearest wall with a deafening clatter! Dan wants to get the 'egg-beater' whirling again, but Martijn just won't give him the chance, bashing the Welsh entry over and over again. Only a well-timed burst of speed between rams allows Richter to escape and rejoin the other robots.
Things are not going well for Slammer. The veteran remains pinned in the corner and now Axeon has joined the fun, landing a couple of extra hammer blows for good measure. Only when Richter and Flick arrive does the crowd begin to disperse and Dead Metal show some mercy. Slammer is released and leaves the CPZ with a jump, though I don't think it's looking quite right anymore. Killobite must have managed to do something to one of the wheels, maybe Axeon too, because Alex's driving seems a little wonky. It certainly doesn't seem as active anymore, anyway, and not active enough to avoid another Richter attack!
CRRRASH!
Slammer is sent tumbling away, just as Killobite takes a stab at Richter. Kody scrapes his forks underneath the Welsh bot and almost gets a grip, but Flick steals his prize as we enter the last few seconds of the match.
10...9...8...7...
Flick and Richter dance around each other, stopped only when Killobite ploughs through them both. Kody fails to grab either of them, but does manage to briefly snag Flick of the Wrist with its forks!
6...5...4...
Axeon continues piling pressure on Slammer, landing a couple of solid axe blows to the injured veteran. Slammer attempts to hop away, but still looks very tired. On the plus side, it looks as though it'll last till the final whistle.
3...2...1...

CEASE!

And it has! As Axeon lands one final blow, the UK Vapourbot Grand Prix comes to a close. An astonishing five robots are still mobile, so we'll have to ask the Judge to pick a winner for us. This is going to be a close one, I just know it.

AXEON 4.0
DAMAGE = (3/5) * 3 = 9 (Several good blows throughout, especially on Slammer near the end.)
AGGRESSION = (3/5) * 2.5 = 7.5 (Kept offensive for the most part, though often bullied by Flick of the Wrist in particular.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (Excellent use of the House Robots with its clamp attacks.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Again, great use of the axe to both damage and ensnare others. Good marksmanship to boot.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (Some nice twirls and grapples. Nothing special, but nothing bad either.)
TOTAL = 33.5 / 50

FLICK OF THE WRIST
DAMAGE = (4/5) * 3 = 12 (Scuffed up the others plenty with its rams, but scores high for KOing Delirium Tremors.)
AGGRESSION = (5/5) * 2.5 = 12.5 (Relentless.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (Not much of it, but very effective. Scores points for KOing one of its intended targets.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Rarely dominated or off-target.)
STYLE = (1/5) * 1 = 1 (Curb-stomping rarely equals stylish, sadly.)
TOTAL = 39.5 / 50

KILLOBITE SIGMA
DAMAGE = (5/5) * 3 = 15 (Two KOs and the damage to Slammer? Top marks!)
AGGRESSION = (4/5) * 2.5 = 10 (Consistently on the offensive throughout.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (Successful attacks on Eye of Ran and Slammer, plus its KOs, mean big points here.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Despite missing its target a few times, solid stuff across the board.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (Some nice turns and claw work in this battle.)
TOTAL = 42 / 50

SLAMMER VI
DAMAGE = (1/5) * 3 = 3 (Very little, in all honesty.)
AGGRESSION = (2/5) * 2.5 = 5 (Tried to attack at the start, but wound up doing more running-away.)
STRATEGY = (3/5) * 2 = 6 (No real slamming achieved, but pulled off some excellent evasive manouveres.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (See above. Very nice flipper work throughout.)
STYLE = (4/5) * 1 = 4 (All those flips and tumbles looked great, until it started to peter out.)
TOTAL = 24 / 50

9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE
DAMAGE = (4/5) * 3 = 12 (High marks here for its attacks on Delirium Tremors and Slammer in particular.)
AGGRESSION = (4/5) * 2.5 = 10 (Tenacious from start to finish, though did get ganged up on a little near the end.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (Dealt notable damage to all its intended targets, even if it couldn't quite finish any off.)
CONTROL = (3/5) * 1.5 = 4.5 (Steady throughout, though loses points for its scuffle with Dead Metal.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (A few good turns, but mainly earns points for its attacks on Slammer.)
TOTAL = 37.5 / 50

KILLOBITE SIGMA WINS THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2010!

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BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2010 RESULTS:
1. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 10 points
2. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 8 points
3. 9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 6 points
4. AXEON 4.0 = 4 points
5. SLAMMER VI = 3 points
6. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 2 points
7. EYE OF RAN II = 1 point
8. O.I.D. = 0 points

Congratulations to Kody Kunz, Martijn Benschop and Daniel Stickler!

-------------------------------------------------

Here, then, is the points table for the overall tournament.

TOTAL RESULTS (1/10):
1. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 10 points
2. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 8 points
3. 9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 6 points
4. AXEON 4.0 = 4 points
5. SLAMMER VI = 3 points
6. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 2 points
7. EYE OF RAN II = 1 point
8. O.I.D. = 0 points

No time to rest up, however, as we move on to Round 2!

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THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 2/10: THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX
ARENA: Port PulverizeR

Our next battle takes our competitors to a quaint harbour yard by the Dutch coast. This arena is (mostly) sealed off and is a very busy place, if all the crates lying around are anything to go by. These crates are scaled down to the robots' size and can be used as cover, debris or even projectiles with the right approach. Watch out too for a couple of large puddles hidden among the boxes. The water will wetten your wheels and loosen your grip, so tread carefully.
You may notice a large black cross in the arena centre. You may also notice a large yellow button at either side of the yard. Pressing either button will activate the Crane of Pain and send a heavy weight clattering down onto the cross. Mind your head!
The arena's greatest dangers, however, are at the top and the bottom, each separated by a small ramp. At the top is a railway track where Dinsdale the Dockyard Diesel Shunter trundles back and forth all day long. Dinsdale is also scaled-down and fixed with cowcatchers, so our competitors don't have to worry about being run over - only about being shunted along the line and out of the arena!
At the bottom are the harbour waters themselves. The bay is not deep enough to drown anyone but the absolutely lowest robots. It is, however, deep enough to fully soak a robot's wheels and potentially damage electronics. The harbour bed is also fairly slippery, making that bit harder to climb back out. I wouldn't recommend swimming for too long, or you might end up a dead duck.

Here's your poor Paint arena plan:


Have a good hard think about your tactics and I'll see you next time.

[kodster]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Hooway!

Hmm...quite a problematic arena, thanks to the crane, but I think I can swing it.

Menial but detailed tactics:

- use crates to my advantage; if an opponent comes in with a crate, spin and knock it aside, then attack
- activate the crane at the start of the match, or wait if somebody has the same tactic
- once crane is activated, stay near the button and wait for something to come near, then chomp into it and don't let go
- if the crane is coming for me, then, depending how high it is, drive back and forth in the middle of the arena so as to avoid it AND the danger of the train tracks and harbour waters, or just avoid it if it's too low.

Or in general, use the tactics from last time. :P

Forge onward for more great battles, Steven!

[joey_picus]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Tactics for EoR II:

Spin up from the start, using mainly the same tactics as for the UK. This time, though, try and stay within the top right corner of the arena (away from the puddles, railway line, cross, and sea) and in the only other change from the UK tactics, hit a few crates in the general direction of other robots/melees if I can, at the speed the blade goes I should get some momentum on them and hopefully knock a few people into the water.

Best of luck everyone, here's to a w00ty battle

[team_orr]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

o.i.d's tactics

hmm, right this looks like quite a problematic arena, but i recon i can handle it, it looks quite reminiscent of a certain robot wars arena's of destruction arena...which i have been in many times (though virtualy :P)

anyway, o.i.d (after a rather terrible first round) is rather wound up and wants revenge so it's gonna be an all out slog for us, spin up from the start, get up to speed and start smashing things, id like to offer a team up with joey (seeing as we were both shoved down that bloody pit :P) until the others are destroyed/immobile/drowned? :P stake out the top corner of the arena but if that begins to look hostile and a: i cant fight my way out if i wait or b: somthing big is happening elsewhere that catches my eye/i could take advantage of then leg it :P

this is looking good so far mate, here's to another one (tho mabey a slightly better result )

jack

[majinb]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

right...

its a home match but that does by no means secure victory... what I see is that this is an annihilator, which ensures chaos and a busy arena, which means the yellow buttons and the weapon thing that lands on the black cross have more use than in a normal 1 one 1 situation... keep a close eye on the arena, and, if I have no opponent directly on my hands at any point, and when I see robots on the black cross... BANG, hit that button

Right, but the above does not mean that I'll be passive, not at all... I'll be looking to push robots in the water, down the ramp. Make sure that my direct opponent is always between me and that water, and use my 6 wheels to push for all Im worth. I actually quite fancy the ramp, since me, having 6WD and therefor good traction, will have less troubles controlling myself while on a ramp than others, so there. Knock crates out of the way. I dont really see them have much advantage for me but I can easilly get rid of them when they are in my way.

O, and dont end up on the black cross

[andrewj]

Re: The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

Great stuff, Mr. McG!

Again, I don't have any specific targets and I plan to make good use of the hazards - in particular the railway line and harbour waters, as I think I can use the wedge shape and clamping technique to scoop the others up and push them into trouble. Follow the same sort of plan I used in the last battle, as it seemed to work okay. Stay busy, but keep out of trouble.