Episode two of the metal-mashing, chrome-clashing, steel-smashing show has just aired, so let's review it.
LET THE WARS BEGIN
Gabriel 2 (Macebot) Vs Carbide (Spinning hammer) vs Big Nipper (crusher)
You may remember Gabriel from the first series. They are what is known as a thwackabot. At the end of a long stick is a mace, which they can use to smash into other robots. They also have an entanglement weapon, consisting of nylon ropes, which are designed to mess with spinners. Hitherto, entanglement weapons have always been banned, but this series is a series of firsts.
But the most curious aspect of Gabriel 2 is its massive wheels. The entire robot is made from high-density polyethylene plastic, which is designed to absorb the kinetic energy generated from spinner bots.
And Gabriel 2 needed everything to beat Carbide who is the reigning champion of the series. Carbide is quite possibly one of the most powerful spinner bots, which the wars have ever seen. Armed with a horizontal spinning hammer, they have turned countless robots into scrap metal.
Rounding out the trio is Big Nipper who has competed before, but to no great success. They were armed with a vertical spinning disc.
3...2...1...ACTIVATE
Gabriel 2 was a ponderous machine. The massive wheels made it quite clumsy and its mace was largely ineffective, as was its entanglement weapon. Gabriel were then slammed into the Arena release button, which sent the house robots on the loose. Shunt slammed into them.
Meanwhile, Carbide shredded away into Gabriel's wheels. They buckled them and tore off the tired treads, but the damage was mainly cosmetic. The polyethylene plastic did a good a job, absorbing a lot of the damage. Considering Carbide is the current champion, you think they would have breezed through this, but they did struggle.
Although they did plenty of damage to Gabriel, they couldn't deliver the killing blow. And then Carbide lost part of their wheel. The fight went to the judges in the end who awarded it to Carbide. All credit to Gabriel here. They survived 3 minutes with one of the most powerful robots in the wars.
Oh, you're probably wondering where Big Nipper was in all this. They were nowhere. Complete non-entities. They were immobilised quickly.
Eruption Vs Aftershock Vs Crackers N Smash
Eruption were runners-up last year. They are armed with one of the most powerful flippers since Chaos 2. Their first opponent was Aftershock who were also finalists last year who were armed with a 2400rpm spinning disc. This means that this heat had 3 finalists within it, which I found a bit odd. I'd've expected them to had a finalist in every heat.
But anyway, the final competitor was Crackers N Smash, a clusterbot: with one robot being armed with a lifter and the other a spinning drum.
3...2...1...ACTIVATE
As Craig Charles used to say "controversy reigns on Robot Wars."
Aftershock quickly proved why they were finalists last year. Their vicious flywheel slammed into Crackers and buckled away their lifter, pushing them onto the floor flipper. As the flipper came back down, it hit Aftershock's flywheel, ripping away some of the metal.
Usually, when the arena is damaged like this, the battle is paused while the damage is repaired. Thinking that this was going to happen, Aftershock powered down, allowing Eruption to sneak up behind them and spectacularly flip them out of the arena. They then flipped both clusterbots out too.
Eruption were the clear winners, but the Aftershock team were a little resentful that the battle wasn't paused.
Robot Redemption 1 Gabriel 2 Vs Aftershock
Time for the first loser's melee.
To prepare for this fight, Gabriel 2 attached more nylon rope to their mace, in the hope of entangling Aftershock's flywheel.
While this was a good tactic, it didn't work. Aftershock slammed into Gabriel, sending it flying through the air. Unlike their fight against Carbide, Gabriel could only take so much damage. They were soon immobilised and then Sir Killalot chopped off their mace.
Aftershock had won the first Robot Redemption.
Robot Redemption 2: Big Nipper Vs Crackers N Smash
Time for perhaps Big Nipper's best fight.
Just like how Gabriel attached an entanglement weapon, Crackers did the same. This was about as useful as bringing a wooden robot into the arena. Big Nipper slammed into Crackers and broke off the entanglement weapons. They then drove Crackers into the CPZ and under Sir Killalot.
Sir Killalot is near enough 600kg, while Crackers is under 100kg, so as you can imagine, Crackers didn't fare too well from this.
But they fared better than their brother: Smash. Big Nipper hit Smash with their flywheel with so much force, they sent Smash flying into the arena light rigging, before crashing down outside the arena.
Big Nipper were the worthy winners.
Round 2 Carbide Vs Aftershock
This was a great fight. We've already seen the potency of both spinners. Aftershock began on top. They bashed into Carbide and the sparks flew. Sensing some kind of weakness, Aftershock carried on attacking, sending Carbide flying through their. Their vertical flywheel came into contact with Carbide's spinning hammer, which is where things went around for Aftershock.
This last attack disabled Aftershock's spinner. The tables being turned, Carbide went on the attack and quickly immobilised Aftershock.
Round 2 Eruption Vs Big Nipper
Eruption started the stronger and were generally the more impressive robot throughout. They flipped Big Nipper over who were slow to self-right. Eruption took advantage of this by continually flipping them.
This isn't to say that their control was always the best, but they were far more aggressive than Big Nipper. Eruption actually flipped Big Nipper into the tyre button releasing the thoroughly ineffective Fog of War. I still think this is a stupid modification. It is useless.
Anyway, Eruption continued flipping Big Nipper around the arena and in the dying seconds of the fight, they got the final flip in. Eruption won by a judge's decision and were through to the heat final.
Playoff: Big Nipper Vs Aftershock
In the grand final, there will be an all vs all battle between the ten 2nd and 3rd robots of the series: with the winner going through to the grand final.
Apollo and Sabretooth have already qualified, but let's see who will join them.
This was a fight between two powerful spinning vertical discs. They smashed into each other richocheting away. Big Nipper got the second attack in, slamming into Aftershock's vulnerable underbelly.
Aftershock quickly recovered, but Big Nipper got in two more controlled hits, upending Aftershock. Big Nipper were the winners.
Grand final: Eruption Vs Carbide
Time for a grudge match. Carbide beat Eruption last year to become grand champions. Can Eruption get their revenge this time?
Unfortunately not. From the start, it was obvious that Carbide were the more powerful machine. They slammed into Eruption repeatedly not allowing them to get any flips in. Eruption were sluggish without and just couldn't recover.
One powerful hit took out their wheels and another immobilised them. The grand finalists Carbide have made it through to another final. But maybe Eruption or even Big Nipper could be joining them. Who knows?
Dim the lights
Cue the applause
Carbide is our second finalist
on Robot Wars
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