Memoirs of a veteran roboteer

[team death]

Everyone seems to have an opinion on how to build a winning robot for Robot Wars I found,

most turned out to be dreamers with concepts built around a radio controlled car and numerous ideas

for weapons- most of which would be illegal even under the oldest rules like machine guns and

electrical dissruption ect.

I recall on one visit to a large salvage yard to purchase some second hand low pressure pneumatic

rams for immortalis(C2001) with my then teamate, we got chatting to the main man of the salvage

yard and after telling him what we wanted the parts for he voiced his opinion.

He explained how he would build his out of hydraulic motors going on to say how quote: they go like

bloody hell and they are strong as......

This intrigued me, I dont think I have ever seen a competitor robot than runs on hydraulic motors

I guess there wouldent be much room for a weapon once the pump and fluid tank was fitted.

I know there are some modern magnetic mounted hyraulic drills that do spin very fast and are

powerfull-perhaps a 4 wheel drive version or is it EEC says no

[maddox10]

There is at least one machine that tried an hydraulic drive motor.
Seen that at the Newark Kit Car show in 2004. Used a single back wheel like Project One and armor like Mayor damage ,sawblades as a kind of Roman armor. I did believe it was a successor to Sumpthing. But I don't know for sure.

The original plans for Tough As Nails were based around hydraulic drives and weaponpower.

And of course, the chassis of Flextreme 2 has 2 hydraulic motors to power a set of tracks.

[typhoon_driver]

By all means give it a go. I imagine the system will be heavier than a conventional drive system but at the same time I imagine the torque would be far greater.

My pedestrian flail mower has a hydraulic self drive function and it will shift the 300kg with me behind without trouble up any incline.

[Eventorizon]

Technophobic ran Hydraulic drive with a small 2 stroke petrol engine I believe, this was back in series 2 and 3.

Might be stating the obvious but you can only put down so much power when your robot is limited to 110kg. You would have to look at magnets or maybe EDF's to pull it to the floor to make use of all the torque and power.

But it would be great though to see an all hydraulic machine again!

[team death]

It's interesting that hydraulic drive motors have been tried -but I'm probably with Alex on this-unless the
robot is virtually glued to the floor all that torque and speed could be wasted-though high torque and speed with electric motors works well for storm.
I probably wont build one myself as it would involve a complicated build and deep pockets.

So slightly deviating from the subject but not the main title subject, I recall my first encounter with Smidsy.

After taking part in series two and three of Robot Wars I took a back seat and didn't enter series four -I returned for series five with what my team and I thought was a robot with half a chance-Immortalis.
Auditions were now via live events and we were asked to appear at Sheffield Arena.
I wasn't the first to appear and Smidsy was filling in for a long list of robots that had broken down or not made the grade.
So a brief discription of my robot....a single front wheel drive and steering system which is concealed so you
can't see which direction the wheel is aiming .
A 3 sided blade lifter running off 2 low pressure pnuematics and 2 hedge trimmer saws at rear and a light up garden
planter at the back.
Now its my turn to enter the arena-well that concealled wheel steering is fine in large car parks or the large arenas
but small bull pens -its a no no and I managed to smash its light up planter into the side wall before it got into the arena and it dissintergrated.
As in most battles it seemed to be over in minutes-we attacked the smallest robot in the arena and lifted it then put it down again I believe Smidsy atacked the third robot and quickly dispatched it.
So Smidsy and Immortalis eye each other up the full lenghth of the arena ....then full pelt the hurtle toward the
middle and clash and with a scene reminicent of a cat chasing a mouse in circles Immortalis took fright and was
chased onto an engine block finally dispatched by shunt-anyroad at least we got on show 5

[RogueTwoRobots]

Along similar lines as the hydraulic drive motors; the number of people that say 'you should put an EMP on it' or 'you should fire acid at the other robot'.

How about a) you go and read the rules and b) rather than telling me I should fit a banned weapon on my robot, how about you go and build your own robot and stick whatever stupid stuff you want on it then watch as you're not allowed to compete with it.

And pneumatic spikes, they're another "brilliant" weapon that would do a lot of damage

[limpet]

I'm pretty sure there was a hydraulic motored robot in either series 6 or 7, I can remember there being big problems with it and the bench (and team) being covered in hydraulic fluid. It was a yellow robot, probably shaped like a computer but I can`t remember the name, Megahurtz?

[Gabe01]

Ahhh the Pneumatic spike is always cropping up! They don't work!

[R9000]

Nonono, you guys are doing it allll wrong. Just equip it with a nondescript 'death laser', like that BBC Radio 3 Counties guy said in an interview with Anthony Pritchard of the Behemoth team.

https://youtu.be/OPWGaszIHZA

[leorcc]

[team death]

In the summer of 2001 we arrive at the venue in nottingham for Robot Wars series 5.
We were due to meet Exterminator in round one and really had no fear.

Having learnt my lesson at the auditions in Sheffield I carefully drove Immortalis into the main arena....then a member of the crew whispered in my ear-can you place it in under the spotlight....after much shunting and twisting and turning
I managed to break the one wheel steering mechanism drat.
So smooth as silk Exterinator drove in and I was a sitting duck
Initially I was making throat cutting gestures to cancel the bout but within seconds I thought I wont get a second
so gave it a thumbs up to start.
Exterminator struck a nasty blow thru the roof of Immortalis which took out my bots right eye-my teamate let rip with the lifter and combined with thier spiked axe getting stuck -they were up ended.
Refbot seperated us but by this point immortalis could only drive forwards or backwards or in the direction the wheel was turned and exterinator-due to a bent front scoop could only go backwards-yes It was a non fight and shunt managed to obliterate the light up planter again-still good fun
Immortalis went on to play in the football in techno games under the name celestial terror.

[MrPK]

Dig never made another machine after sumpthing which he donated to the Ingenuity museum in Ironbridge back in about 2001 or 2002. They had it on display with a short write up explaining exactly what it was.
It sure was a fine looking piece of steam punk design. Still possibly my favorite design of all fighting machines - ahhh happy memories.

There is at least one machine that tried an hydraulic drive motor.
Seen that at the Newark Kit Car show in 2004. Used a single back wheel like Project One and armor like Mayor damage ,sawblades as a kind of Roman armor. I did believe it was a successor to Sumpthing. But I don't know for sure.

The original plans for Tough As Nails were based around hydraulic drives and weaponpower.

And of course, the chassis of Flextreme 2 has 2 hydraulic motors to power a set of tracks.

[team death]

Going back further in my Robotic history to 1998,a time when Road block was uk reigning Robot Wars champ
and I was attending my first robot audition with Piece de resistance.
We arrived at the warehouse somewhere in London and carried our robot inside, I recall around 20 tables set
out occupied by a dozen robots,in a adjoining room some robots were been put through thier paces on
a makeshift obsticle course.
Back in the first room the competitors were checking out the competition and my teamate told me
they refered to my bot as Outside Toilet Technology,which at the time annoyed me.. but then again
Outside Toilet Technology is reliable and a doddle to fix if it goes wrong.

Ok its my turn for the safety check and a go on the obsticle course,I recall pandomonium
was enjoying the obsticle course...mainly crashing into the walls and not showing great control while mine was examined by derek foxwell,I was advised to fit failsafes otherwise ok and good to go.
So althought it was sluggish 4mph it knocked down some barrels did a 180 turn and drove up and over a tipping bridge.
I remember road block soon followed my go and they looked far superior so I wasnt confident of getting
my call up papers but was delighted to be chosen.
I like to think that Piece de resistance influenced other roboteere in some way -even if it was
promote the idea-I can do better than that !

[joey_picus]

I enjoyed Piece de Resistance, partially for the reason you suggested but also because it's nice to see robots with some personality and thought put into decorating them - also it was the closest to my neck of the woods (at the time, Pontefract) so I was almost obligated to root for it!

I'm almost certain they made the barrels for the skittles lighter for the second time they did it...

[team death]

Thank's Joey
All the other competitors had an advantage of been able to free wheel and thus pick up speed,piece de resistance
had wheels fixed to wiper motors and had a constant slow speed,though if you see the crease my bot put in the barrel
I'm tempted to agree that the goal posts could have been changed.