Proposals from the RFL

The RFL (The US counterpart to the FRA) have made a proposal to solve the various anomalies between weight classes in different countries..
From the UK point of view the main points are middleweights going from 50Kg to 55Kg and featherweights going from 12Kg to 15Kg.
In the intrests of a free & open discussion, the text of the proposal is below...

As were seeing, there are more people coming from different countries
- Brazil and the UK espeically, but also Korea and Germany.

I dont think theres a person in robot combat who doesnt see this as
a real sport. Of course its a fun hobby, but its also a sport -
just like pick-up baseball vs. MLB, it can be both.

As such, and as commisioner of the RFL, Id like to work with the FRA
(UK, Netherlands, and Germany), Korea, and Brazil to bring all events
together in same/same weight classes.

This will be a bitter pill to swallow, but in a year, no one will
remember the shift. In most cases, its a negligable change. In
some, its... bigger. I think the biggest resistance will be CHANGE!
The UK doesnt want to consider the Euro replacing the Pound, the US
cant think of kilometers replacing miles, etc. Lets work together
to institute a MINOR change now, to save years of aggravation as the
sport moves forward. Our kids will thank us. Most robots last a 1-3
years tops anyway, so as new robots get built, theyd repalce the old
ones.

In all cases but two, the change is always within 1 pound or 1 Kg, and
its an increase.

Proposal to change weight classes to bring weights into intergers for
both Metric and US. This would mean some classes would change for
both countries, but wed all have even-numbered weights. In boxing,
the weights are often odd numbers (e.g., 121 lbs), so not ending in
zero is not such a big deal). Well leave the insects alone.

In all other cases, robots are still valid in the new weights, so
theres no need to ADD classes, were merely upping the limit. I do
NOT want to add five new classes - just slightly modify the existant
classes in all countries, so everyone is on the same scale, and there
are never arguments. As 5 of 6 classes get to add weight, I hope this
will be an easily accepted change.

Propsed classes and how theyd affect you/your country.

US/Australia/Brazil-

340 lbs becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight 341.0 lbs (155.0 Kg)
220 lbs becomes unified HeavyWeight @ 220.0 lbs (100.0 Kg)
120 lbs becomes unified MiddleWeight @ 121.0 lbs (55.0 Kg)
60 lbs becomes unified LightWeight @ 66.0 lbs (30.0 Kg)
30 lbs becomes unified FeatherWeight @ 33.0 lbs (15.0 Kg)
12 lbs becomes unified HobbyWeight @ 11.0 lbs (5.0 Kg)

UK/Germany/Netherlands -
6 Kg Raptor class becomes unified HobbyWeight 5kg class
12Kg FeatherWeight class becomes unified FeatherWeight 15Kg class
50Kg MiddleWeight class becomes unified MiddleWeight 55Kg class
100Kg Heavyweight class becomes unified HeavyWeight 100Kg class
200Kg SuperHeavyWeight class becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight 155Kg class

Korea-
30 Kg class becomes unified LightWeight 30 Kg class

I suspect that the biggest argument will be over hobbyweight losing a pound.

Id really like the RFL and FRA to work together on this. Its change
for BOTH leagues, so its not like Im trying to get the FRA to toe
the line with the RFL. In the long run, we can lead the world in
showing cooperation for a common goal.


-David E. Calkins
Commisioner, Robot Fighting League
President, Robotics Society of America / ROBOlympics

I dont really feel any need for feathers to go from 12kg to 15kg - it may be worth looking back at the possibility of 30lb though. I think this is the general consensus from what Ive read on the RFL and Aussie forums. Anyway, let the debate roll on.

Anyway I better be off, Ive got enough troubles making my bot 12kg :)

In the most cases its not a bad change. only the feathers. In 12 kg we already build monsters. With 3 kg Extra I myself am capable to put heavyweight sized FP setups in feathers.

or else, build steel armoured bricks. if you know there are already full hardox armoured feathers -BonX for example, with a 2 Kw drive.

No, 12 kg is a challenge to build a feather, 13.6 kg is already nuts, but 15 kg.... Imagine a Scorpion junior using a Perm 080 for weaponmotor. Nor fun nor cheap to compete in the 15 kg class.

Whilst I can see the point of whole numbers I think youll meet less builder resistance if you raised your U.S. hobbyweight to our Raptor weight and we simply adopted 30lbs or 13.6 kg for our European feathers.

13,6 kg for a feather i could go along with. 15 kg is way too much.

And i doubt the germans want to slim down there raptors even further down by 1 kg.

I agree with Woody and Leo 13.6kg for feathers I could go along with 15kg is too much. Kishar my nephews feather has 4.5hp powering its disk and his feather is 11.8kg but it has next to no armour going to 13.6kg would give it a little more protection but at 15kg no thanks.

Yes, a 25% weight increase for featherweights could be lethal!

I see a pattern.

By urging the 15 kg. The 13.6kg weight is more acceptable for the European builders.

I dont think I have to make drawings....

nope, but i never made 13.6kg an issue anyway.

and an even bigger case of what is starting to happen now. Bigger/thicker hardox blocks, and bigger/heavier discs-Whats the point?

If they are all united at 12kg, whats the difference?