The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

A new tournament? Madness, surely? You have no idea. :crazy:

1. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- I am looking for 8 people to enter 1 Heavyweight vapourbot each.

- The weight limits for vapourbots are:
100kg for wheeled/tracked robots (eg Tornado/Mortis)
120kg for unclassable methods of motion (eg...I don't know...a hovercraft or something)
120kg for shufflers (eg Son of Whyachi)
150kg for €˜true€™ walkers (eg Mechadon)

- Clusterbots are permitted. When half or more of the parts have been eliminated, the whole clusterbot will be eliminated.
- Robots with interchangeable weapons are limited to five set-ups. All must be stated in your initial stats.
- Basic tech' rules apply for everything else.
- CHOOSE YOUR ROBOT CAREFULLY. You will be competing in large-scale melees in a variety of different arenas and terrains, so pick your entry (and any additional extras for them) wisely. Skirted boxes and FBSs for instance may do well in some battles, but not in others.

2. TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
- The tournament will consist of ten 8-way melees. All eight robots will fight together until only one remains or time runs out.
- The robots will be awarded points based on what position they finish in, similar to the Formula One Grand Prix:
1ST PLACE = 10 points
2ND PLACE = 8 points
3RD PLACE = 6 points
4TH PLACE = 4 points
5TH PLACE = 3 points
6TH PLACE = 2 points
7TH PLACE = 1 point
8TH PLACE = 0 points
- The robot with the most points at the end of the contest will be crowned the Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010 champion.

3. ARENAS
- Each of the ten melees will take place in their own specific arena with their own hazards and traps.
- Full arena layouts will be provided before each Grand Prix, but to give you an idea of what's in store, here's a few quick hints:

THE ROBOT WARS U.K. ARENA
Home of the British Grand Prix. The classic arena we all know and love - House Robots, Flame Grill, Pit of Oblivion, Drop Zone, you name it.

THE BATTLEBOTS BATTLEBOX
Home of the American Grand Prix. The other classic arena we all know and love, complete with screws, pulverizers and the infamous Kill Saws.

THE SUMO BASHO ARENA
Home of the Japanese Grand Prix. One big platform. No hazards. No walls. No rules.

THE C&B TOWER
Home of the Canadian Grand Prix. An enclosed ring with House Robots, lifts and one big pit. Try not to lose your footing.

PORT PULVERIZOR
Home of the Dutch Grand Prix. An enclosed arena with its own little diesel shunter and crates scattered everywhere. Warning: you may get wet.

AYRES RING
Home of the Australian Grand Prix. An oval-shaped battlefield featuing spinning discs and blades. Beware of earthquakes.

BLACK HOLE LABS
Home of the German Grand Prix. An enclosed pentagon with saw blades and flywheels of all shapes and sizes, and one big surprise in the middle of it all.

AZTECH ARENA
Home of the Mexican Grand Prix, brought to us by the good people of AzTech Industries. A two-floored cube with trap doors, spikes and flame grills. Reach the upper floor to get the upper hand.

MONTY CARLO'S FIGHTING CASINO
Home of the Monoco Grand Prix. A circular arena with hammers and spinning blades. Try not to fall off, or get too dizzy.

CLOCKWORK VALLEY
Home of the Swiss Grand Prix. A two-floored arena with pits, drums and springs. Don't dwell too long in the titular valley...

4. JUDGING
Should more than one robot still be mobile at the end of a clash, a winner will be declared using the following system:

DAMAGE = mark out of 5, multiplied by 3
AGGRESSION = mark out of 5, multiplied by 2.5
STRATEGY = mark out of 5, multiplied by 2
CONTROL = mark out of 5, multiplied by 1.5
STYLE = mark out of 5, multiplied by 1
TOTAL ( / 50) = Damage + Aggression + Strategy + Control + Style

In the unlikely event of a draw, I will ask an Outside Judge to make his or her own decision on the fight. Both results will then be averaged to give a final mark.

Assuming everyone hasn't already been torn to bits, that is. :lame:

----------

Um, and that's it. AJ and Joey have requested spots, so get thinking about those entries. Good luck, y'all. :)

Ooh the Grand Prix reborn eh?

I'm going to enter Slammer, just because it's barely had any action since it's been redone.

The current site is - http://alexjholt.com/vapours.html

Save me a spot please. 8)

What? I'm not dead!

ooh :)

il enter o.i.d svp, stats are on zed

I'll enter Flick of the Wrist, stats on ZED

I'll enter Eye Of Ran II :) this should be good.

Robot Name: 9.9 On The Richter Scale (Richter Scale, if you wanna be lazy and not type the whole name out :lame: )
Body Shape: Invertible box with tapered sides and rear. (Think Tornado S5).
Colour: Whole body is navy blue with the edges being a darker navy colour. Robot name and Richter Scale graphics are in a garish green colour emblazened on the top and bottom of the machine.
Length/Width/Height (cm): 85 x 40 x 35
Weight: 100KG
Motivation: 4 x 5cm wide aluminium hubs with a thick coating of Vulcalon, driven on a heavy-duty belt drive. Unlike most machines, the front wheels are powered whilst the rear wheels are not.
Speed: ~ 15mph
Weapon: The main weapon is a 10kg spinning eggbeater mounted on the front of the machine, powered by 2 x Huqsvarna 3120XP chainsaw motors. The weapon is capable of changing gears during a match. Originally, the eggbeater spins at 2400RPM when geared down 10:1, but this can be increased to 2:1 at systematic intervals of 2 gearings (10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1 2:1), and have a whopping top speed of 12000RPM. Due to the shape of the eggbeater, it can hold a lot of power whilst not necessarily being that heavy.
Drive: 2 x LEM130s running at 36v.
Power: 4 x 36v NiCad batteries.
Armour: 5mm Titanium and Vanadium alloy with a 4mm polycarbonate laminate over the whole machine for extra protection and added shininess.
Ground Clearance: 4mm all around.
Turning Circle: 0M

Don't moan if there are things wrong with this one - been almost a whole year since I last designed a machine. Besides, Joey proof-read this so any problems you need to bombard him with them! :proud:

RESERVE! Need to think of what to enter...

reserve

Hooray! That's everybody! :D

ENTRIES THUS FAR:
1. <reserved> (Andy Jackson)
2. Eye of Ran II (Joey McConnell)
3. Slammer VI (Alex Holt)
4. 9.9 on the Richter Scale (Daniel Stickler)
5. O.I.D. (Jack Orr)
6. Flick of the Wrist (Martijn Benschop)
7. <reserved> (Kody Kunz)
8. <reserved> (Matt Fowler)

Try not to take too long with your entries, Andy, Kody and Matt. I'm keen to get started on this thingy before I come back to my senses. :wink:

Also, Jack, are these the stats you're referring to? They were the only ones I could find on ZED:

http://strickenone.proboards.com/ind...lay&thread=714

Stick my name down

The Servant's Assistant
Weight: 100kg
Shape: Box with a wedge on the front ala Mortis
Colour: Behemoth style yellow and black stripes
Dimensions: 0.36m x 0.76m x 0.91m
Drive: 4x 24v S28-400 Magmotors, powered by 5x 3000mAh NiCad Battlepacks
Locomotion: 6 internally mounted solid rubber wheels.
Armour: 6mm thick Titanium all over. 3mm Polycarbonate baseplate
Speed: Limited to 18 mph. Can reach 40mph.
Turning Circle: Zilch
Ground Clearance: 0mm at the front. 8mm elsewhere
Weapons: A full-pressure rear-hinged Co2 flipper which starts off from the back of the robot and finishes at the bottom of the front wedge powered by a fire extinguisher using a 70mm bore 100mm stroke ram. It can flip 500kg.
Srimech: The flipper of course. Hubs on the sides to stop it being stranded
Strenghs: Fast despite speed cap. Good flipper
Weakness: Not sure
Bio: The Servant takes on a new shape and armour. Will do proud. Or will it flop. Only time will tell
Win/Loss Ratio: N/A

Claiming my reserved spot!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...obiteSigma.png

Killobite Sigma

Shape: Please look at the render, lol. It's a pentagon wedge of sorts, with the rear panels angled ever so slightly with the front sloping down about 27°.

Colour: Pic is self-explanatory, lol

Weight: 100kg

Drive: 2 S28-400s, run at 24v, and geared 4.5:1.

Power: 4 NiCad Battlepacks

Motivation: 4WD, similar to Razer. Urethane rubber for tires, CNC hubs for wheels.

Speed: 12mph; 18mph max.

Armour: 6mm Ti/V monocoque, with 3.2mm Hardox bars surrounding it.

Chassis: 5mm steel

Ground Clearance: The forks run along the ground, and can press into the ground via the lifter powering it, so absolute zero at the front, probably less than that. 20mm at the sides and rear, so it can try to drive away if wedged slightly. Skirts are overrated. :P

Turning Circle: 0

Dimensions in CM (LxWxH): 110 x 75 x 50 (with claw; 20cm height without the claw)

Weaponry: The hardened steel crushing arm from Killobites 5.0 and Hex returns, and it is much much larger than either of those two incarnations. It's powered by a Vivoil pump, a LEM130 run on 48v, and appropriate NiCad batteries. It should put out approximately 25 tonnes at the ram, and 15 at the tip, making it very dangerous weapon to get caught by. It should at the very least dent moderate Hardox armour, and absolutely decimate any less armour it comes into contact with. The second weapons are the lifting forks at the front. They're powered by a lightweight linear actuating system and can lift about 250kg. They run flush with the ground and can lift 90 degrees in both directions, meaning they can press into the ground and negate any hinged/sprung/solid wedge attempts and get under them instantly, while the crusher comes into play. A deadly weapons synergy to fight.

Srimech: A S28-150 activates a bungee-cord mechanism, which in turn activates the two 'wings' on the sides of the claw. It may be Razer-esque, but it's proven to work. :P Plus the angle of Killobite Sigma at the rear is such that it can't fall onto those sides and remain there; it'll get forced into a position where it can self-right.

----

Hope all is well with that, Stevey-boy! :D

I'll go for Axeon 4.0, please. :)

Sorry, Lian, but I'm afraid you're a bit too late. All eight spots had been filled shortly before you posted. Don't be too disappointed. I'm sure we can come to some arrangement... :wink:

Also, Matt's confirmed over MSN that he'll be entering Delirium Tremors. Full stats can be found here: http://strickenone.proboards.com/index. ... thread=641

Matt'd also like to mention that two of the rows of teeth are removable, and that the bot comes complete with narrow hinged skirting attached just above each wheel. Should be fun to watch, that.

Aaaaand that's everybody! :mrgreen:

FINAL ENTRIES:
1. Axeon 4.0 (Andy Jackson)
2. Eye of Ran II (Joey McConnell)
3. Slammer VI (Alex Holt)
4. 9.9 on the Richter Scale (Daniel Stickler)
5. O.I.D. (Jack Orr)
6. Flick of the Wrist (Martijn Benschop)
7. Killobite Sigma (Kody Kunz)
8. Delirium Tremors (Matt Fowler)

Thanks to everyone who's entered. The official intro and first arena will hopefully be posted up sometime tomorrow. :D

Thats ok mate :)

Ladies, gentlemen and imaginary remote-controlled death machines, I bid you welcome to the VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010! 8)

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! :mrgreen:

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

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:

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4900/bgpa.png

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. :D

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 :)

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!

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!

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.

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

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.

That's all great, guys. :D

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! :)

heeey :D

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

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! :proud:

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

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! :D

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

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!

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

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:
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6498/dgpa.png

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

Hooway! :proud:

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! :proud:

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 :)

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 :talker: (though virtualy :P)

anyway, o.i.d (after a rather terrible first round) is rather wound up and wants revenge :angry: 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 :roll: )

jack

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 ;)

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.

ZOMG update! :shock:

Well, Formula One's on back again and my writing is no longer blocked. Let's get going!

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 2/10: THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX
ARENA - Port PulverizeR
HOUSE ROBOTS- N/A

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

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

The second Grand Prix is underway and, once more, everyone's off to a tentative start.
CLAAANG!
Ooh, everyone except for Killobite, who's just gone and dropped the Crane of Pain! Nobody was on the cross at the time, although the patch of arena floor it's drawn on looks a little more cracked than usual. Trust me, guys, you don't want that thing coming down on your noggin.
Killobite hovers near the right-hand Crane button, biding its time. Indeed, only Dan and Alex seem to be the only drivers with specific robots in mind to torment right now. Richter charges at Flick of the Wrist, while Slammer heads for Delirium Tremors. Alex halts Matt's revving drum and attempts to grab hold with its deadly snippers. The drum appears to be just a tad too big for Slammer to swallow, though, so Alex fires the flippers. This is no problem for Delirium Tremors, however, as it rolls out the way and trundles behind a crate to rev up.
CRRRASH!
Ooh, watch out, Matt! O.I.D. has gotten into the spirit of things and begun trashing the place! Woodchips and sawdust scatters across the warzone as Jack begins slicing the crates around him to ribbons! Delirium Tremors emerges from behind its crate, just before O.I.D. carves it into a coffee table! The two spinners come together...
CRRRASH!
Oh dear! O.I.D. goes flying, taking a few nasty scars from the collision! I'd say they're a small price to pay, given how close Matt came to hitting the disc there! Injured and annoyed, O.I.D. spies Axeon and Eye of Ran engaged in a scuffle nearby, with Killobite tempted to join in the fun. Jack feels like doing Joey a good turn following their early exits last time and dives into the fray!
CRRRASH!
Killobite takes the blow this time, being spun aside as Eye of Ran tries to fend off Axeon. Joey's blade hasn't had much chance to reach full speed thus far, but now it's humming like a dream. Axeon decides not to risk losing its hammer and goes passive, but Eye of Ran dodges like an expert bull-fighter, clipping the side of Andy's machine for good measure! Joey runs off for some space...
CLAAANG!
Ooh, and very nearly gets squashed by the Crane of Pain! That crafty Killobite! Watch your step next time, Joe!
Eye of Ran trundles to the top end of the warzone, where Martijn and Dan have been at each other's throats since the beginning. Flick of the Wrist and Richter seem fairly evenly matched at the moment. Every time Flick tries to skewer Richter, Dan dodges. Every time Richter tries to batter Flick, Martijn dodges. Now here comes Joey to try and break the stalemate! Eye of Ran swoops between the two, blade whirring wildly, and comes into contact with them!
CRRRASH!
The low-slung T-bot knocks Richter aside, but not without taking a blow from the 'eggbeater'! Flick's taken a clipping too and exacts revenge by trying to slam Eye of Ran into the nearest wall! Richter, meanwhile, spies Killobite still floating near the Crane button with O.I.D. and attacks! Kody turns in time for the Welsh entry to hit the wedge with an almighty clatter! Killobite tries to get hold of Richter, but Dan's doing his best to avoid the claw, as well as a rather peeved O.I.D. The Canadian crusher spins and...
CLAAANG!
Another miss! Careful with that thing, Kody!
As Killobite fends off the two spinners, Delirium Tremors is engaged in an unusual shoving match with Slammer. Neither robot was built with great traction in mind and their odd designs give the appearance of octopus-wrestling. Slammer seems to be gaining the edge, however, as it pushes Delirium Tremors across the middle of the arena...
CLAAANG!
Steee-rike! Killobite's poaching pays off as the Crane of Pane comes down on Delirium Tremors! Matt's machine is left dazed and confused, allowing Slammer to push it over to Eye of Ran and Flick of the Wrist! Delirium Tremors tries to escape, but Flick switches target and effortlessly shoves the drum-weilding destroyer up the ring, onto the train tracks and into Dinsdale the Diesel Shunter! Poor Matt barely has time to wave goodbye as Delirium Tremors is shunted down the line and out of the Grand Prix!
Flick of the Wrist turns its attention back to Eye of Ran and Slammer, who are dancing near the left-hand Crane button.
CLAAANG!
Come on, Joey, be careful with that thing!
Eye of Ran has the blade up to speed, but Slammer is proving elusive, easily outmanouevering its wider adversary and avoiding the spinner. Flick of the Wrist takes a more direct approach, i.e. tackling Eye of Ran side-on with tremendous speed!
CRRRASH!
The blade halts in a shower of sparks, giving Flick a perfect oppertunity to scrape under the T-shaped terror and push it right the way down the arena into the harbour waters at the bottom! Joey, at this point, is near frantic - the waters may seem deep to our other competitors, but the low, low Eye of Ran is all but submerged completely! Joey desperately tries to get back to dry land, but his controls are growing more unresponsive by the second and the bay's slippery floor isn't helping matters! After a couple failed attempts to climb the ramp, Eye of Ran is barely moving at all! With great reluctance, Joey pulls down his aerial as the electronic timer counts him out...
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10!
With our second challenger out, let's check in on Axeon, who is currently engaged in a four-way free-for-all with Killobite, O.I.D. and Richter. Axeon has been fairly quiet throughout this Grand Prix so far, but seeks to correct this with a broadside attack on Richter and a hammer blow! Richter escapes, but not without some ugly scratches as souveniers. Almost immediately, Axeon swings around to tackle O.I.D. instead, currently trying to nibble away at Killobite's sides. O.I.D. has scored a few good glancing blows on the Canadian entry thus far, but is prevented from scoring another by Axeon's axe! The hammerbot begins dragging O.I.D. away from the others and down towards the harbour waters! Jack tries to resist, quickly managing to wriggle free and return to the fray!
CLAAANG!
Ooh, meanwhile, the Crane of Pain's been launched again as Richter slams Killobite into the right-hand button! Killobite's taken a lot of knocks in this match so far and it's beginning to show; the Canadian doesn't seem quite as nimble as before. Nonetheless, Kody's still determined, avoiding another ram from Richter and successfully ploughing underneath! The claw merely scrapes the Welsh entry as it wriggles and writhes on its wedge, so Kody pushes his victim into O.I.D's oncoming disc instead!
CRRRASH!
That's a nasty blow! Richter is sent spinning off Killobite's wedge, but at a cost for Jack - not only has Axeon caught up to him, but now he's on top of Killobite's wedge! O.I.D. is caught between a rock and a hard place - or, more accurately, an axe and a crusher!
Oh, and breaking news in the clash between Flick of the Wrist and Slammer! Alex has been giving the Dutch contestant the runaround for a while now, rolling and jumping out of harm's way, which has been frustrating the rammer no end! Now, as Richter speeds over to join the fun, it looks as though Flick has gotten the upper hand! As the duo dance near the train tracks in the top left-hand corner, Flick gets its prongs underneath Slammer and thrusts the long-running robot onto the rails - just in time for Dinsdale to sweep it out of the contest!
Back with O.I.D, and things are looking grim! Axeon's axe and Killobite's crusher have been going to town on the lid of Jack's machine! With its triangular shape, it's starting to resemble a slice of Swiss cheese! The most devestating blow, however, may have just been delivered, as Killobite's claw slices into O.I.D's right wheel-arch, Axeon's hammer pounding away all the while! How badly will that affect steering? We're about to find out, because here come Flick of the Wrist and Richter...
CRRRASH!
All five remaining robots come together with a hideous din! Flick rams Axeon into a nearby crate, while Richter gives Killobite a powerful blow at the rear with its 'eggbeater'! All this gives O.I.D. a chance to escape Andy and Kody's wrath and get back into the game - but it can't! The right wheel isn't turning and the spinner's going around in circles! At least Jack can be proud of something as the official timer counts him out; he's finally gotten his hands on some valuable points.
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10!
CRRRASH!
Oh my, Richter's really going all out on Killobite as we head towards the end of the fight! The Welsh robot is hounding Kody's creation, relentlessly battering the crusher's side before it can catch a break! Axeon isn't faring much better, as Flick of the Wrist continually pounds it against the eastern wall, much to Andy's concern and frustration!
10...9...8...7...
CRRRASH!
Another blow from Richter sees the sparks fly from Killobite! What on earth is powering that 'eggbeater'? Plutonium?
6...5...4...
Axeon tries to keep Flick of the Wrist at bay with the axe, but the Dutch bot just won't leave it alone. Can Axeon get away?
3...2...1...

CEASE!

No, it can't! The Dutch Grand Prix ends with one last slam by Flick of the Wrist! Four robots have survived till the end, so we'll need to ask the Judge to decide who will sail to victory.

AXEON 4.0
DAMAGE = (3/5) * 3 = 9 (Some good attacks throughout, especially the assaults on O.I.D.)
AGGRESSION = (3/5) * 2.5 = 7.5 (Slow to start, though grew more aggressive as the battle wore on.)
STRATEGY = (3/5) * 2 = 6 (Straightforward clamp-n-dump. Plenty of clamping, not much dumping.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Mostly steady and on target throughout.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (Some good twirls here and there, though it's hard to make bludgeoning look classy.)
TOTAL = 31.5 / 50

FLICK OF THE WRIST
DAMAGE = (5/5) * 3 = 15 (Three KOs? Top marks, for certain.)
AGGRESSION = (5/5) * 2.5 = 12.5 (Barely stopped to breathe throughout.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (No set targets, but used Dinsdale and harbour waters to their fullest.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Excellent driving to see off its three kills.)
STYLE = (1/5) * 1 = 1 (Again, not what you'd call a subtle performance.)
TOTAL = 42.5 / 50

KILLOBITE SIGMA
DAMAGE = (4/5) * 3 = 12 (KOed O.I.D. and put holes in a good many others.)
AGGRESSION = (3/5) * 2.5 = 7.5 (Some good attacks throughout, but slowed towards the end. Also had a tendency to poach by the buttons.)
STRATEGY = (4/5) * 2 = 8 (Said poaching did pay off, however, as did the clinical takedown of O.I.D.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Good stuff throughout, especially the attack on O.I.D's wheels.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (Solid, nice turns and claw action.)
TOTAL = 36.5 / 50

9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE
DAMAGE = (4/5) * 3 = 12 (Scratched and sliced several bots, as well as several boxes.)
AGGRESSION = (4/5) * 2.5 = 10 (Regularly on the attack till the end.)
STRATEGY = (3/5) * 2 = 6 (No KOs or crane fun, though Dan did fulfil his promise to knock Killobite around.)
CONTROL = (4/5) * 1.5 = 6 (Steady enough, with only one or two minor slips.)
STYLE = (3/5) * 1 = 3 (Some nice dodges and some nice 'eggbeater' action.)
TOTAL = 37 / 50

FLICK OF THE WRIST WINS THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2010! :proud:

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

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

Congratulations to Martijn Benschop, Daniel Stickler and Kody Kunz! :D

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

Here's how the points look after our second grand prix:

TOTAL RESULTS (2/10):
1. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 18 points
2. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 16 points
3. 9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 14 points
4. AXEON 4.0 = 8 points
5. SLAMMER VI = 5 points
6. O.I.D. = 3 points
7. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 2 points
=. EYE OF RAN II = 2 points

And since you've been waiting so long, let's get going with Round 3!

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

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 3/10: THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX
ARENA: Black Hole Labs

Welcome to Black Hole Labs, the most advanced robotic combat research institute in Europe. Weapons, traps and even robots themselves are put through their paces here, all in the name of SCIENCE! Our next Grand Prix takes place in this pentagonal arena, used for testing blade resistance. The entire combat zone is sealed off, for your protection and ours!
The primary obstacles in this arena are, naturally, cutting blades. Four of the corners host powerful horizontal spinning discs, accompanied by a trio of vertical discs on the bottom wall. To add insult to injury, the corner discs are accompanied by a pair of Kill Saws beneath them.
The biggest hazards, however, lie in the Corner Patrol Zone at the very top of the warzone. Hidden away at the back is a golden button, guarded by our special guest House Robot, Ansgar 3, a local expert on cutting things to ribbons. Expect a great reward if you can outsmart the hulking walker and hit the golden button. They don't call it Black Hole Labs for nothing...

Poor Paint plan ahoy:
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5033/ggpa.png

You guys get your tactics caps on and I'll see you next time. :D

Same general tactics as the first fight...but this time, focus most attacks on Flick of the Wrist and Richter since they beat me in the last challenge. Especially Richter because he tried to go after me. :proud:

Viva la McGregor! :proud:

yay points :proud:

im going to lay low for this one, attack when the chance appears but generaly keep out of harms way. im also going to focus my attention on the golden button of doooom :) wait until the house robot is busy and then go in a sneakily press ;)

I think it would be sensible to stay away from the middle of the arena, so my basic plan will be to stick to the sides. I can use my wedge shape and pushing ability to feed the opponents into the various saws. I can also clamp them with the axe and drag them over the killsaws. Although I€™m not going to underestimate them, the saws should also find it difficult to cut into my angled panels should I get into any difficulty. As with the previous battles, stay busy and attack when I need to.

If all else fails, chase Eye of Ran II about.

Erm...stay close to the house robot zone but far enough away from the house robot itself to avoid it, don't go on the centre bit unless it turns out to not open up and reveal a huge pit, and otherwise same general battle tactics as before please.

Good luck everyone :)

Helloo!

First of all, I'd like to apologise for the major lack of updates these past couple months. This has mostly been due to a combination of unemployment-induced apathy, a very busy household and the juggling of variour projects on my other regular forums. Fortunately I've been feeling rather more active and creative the last month or so and thanks to some great nostalgic banter and ye olde forum-trekking, I've finally gotten off my bum and written the next round.

Thanks for being so patient with me and here's hoping this was worth the wait. Here we go again! :D

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 3/10: THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX
ARENA - Black Hole Labs
HOUSE ROBOTS- Ansgar 3

For this fight, Slammer VI will be using the anti-spinner 'mask'. This is spinner country, after all.

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

Flick of the Wrist and Killobite are first off the mark, clashing head-on. As Flick begins pushing Killobite away, our four spinners are making themselves right at home by starting up their weapons. Axeon is tentative to attack, while Slammer leaps into the fray (quite literally) and charges Delirium Tremors...
CRRRASH!
Slammer flies away as Matt's giant drum is brought to a halt. He's only just started spinning it up again when O.I.D. darts forward...
CRRRASH!
Oh dear, is that a slice in Delirium Tremors' drum, I see? Matt tries not to look too concerned and deftly dodges another charge by O.I.D. to get the mighty spinner going again. A well-timed turn allows Delirium Tremors to avoid another Slammer charge, itself being pursued by Richter. Alex fires a flipper to hop away, but Richter just manages to clip his machine with that horrid 'eggbeater'!
CRRRASH!
Woo, look at that Slammer go! Alex barely has time to regain control when Richter rockets towards him again!
CRRRASH!
By an odd stroke of luck, the latest blow sends Slammer tumbling far away from Richter and towards Axeon, who is currently engaged in a battle of wits with Eye of Ran. The two robots hover near the north-east Kill Saws, unsure how to attack each other. Joey finally gets the ball rolling as he spins Eye of Ran around and manages to clip Axeon's side with his large spinning blade. Axeon in turn takes advantage of the blade's sudden slowing to try and grapple Eye of Ran. The axe misses its mark, but Andy simply ploughs into the axlebot and slams it into the nearest disc in the wall! Ooh, look at all the pretty sparks!
CRRRASH!
Oops, no time for that! Here comes Flick of the Wrist, who slams Killobite into Axeon's rear! It seems that Kody's creation has been given the runaround by Martijn since the battle began, but now he's able to escape and have a nibble on Eye of Ran! Joey sweeps the crusher aside before too much damage can be done, but the Canadian's still managed to leave a nice scar in the bodywork.
CRRRASH!
Blimey! Watch for low-flying Slammers! The oldest competitor in the VGP is being tossed like salad by Richter's 'eggbeater'! It's a credit to Alex's design that it's holding so well against this much punishment - and here comes Delirium Tremors to join in the mad cluster!
CRRRASH!
This is starting to resemble a pile-up in a demolition derby! Delirium Tremors clips Richter and Axeon, just as Killobite darts in and tries to bite a wheel off! Oh no, and here comes Flick of the Wrist for a ram-raid!
CRRRASH!
Delirium Tremors takes a terrible blow and winds up pinned against the wall, while Killobite nudges Richter onto the nearby Kill Saws! Danny drives off in a flash! Looks like the tyres held up well, then. No time to rest up, though, as here comes Slammer tumbling his way! Richter dodges and gets in a quick blow, while Axeon and Eye of Ran resume their tense tango.
Now, I know what you're thinking - where's O.I.D. in all this? Glad you asked, because if you'll look to the top-most corner of the arena, you'll see Jack's spinner tentatively attacking Ansgar 3. Jack's trying to press the golden button, but the House Robot isn't budging an inch. O.I.D's already taken a couple of nasty-looking bumps and blows from Ansgar's spinning axe, but Jack is determinated to find out what that button does!
CRRRASH!
Ooh, and this could be the chance he's looking for! A ragged-looking Slammer has just been slammed into Ansgar by Flick of the Wrist, who promptly darts off to attack someone else! The House Robot smacks the veteran with its spinner and pushes it away from the CPZ - giving O.I.D. ample time to sneak behind Ansgar and hit the button!
Meanwhile the multi-robot pile-up has started to break up - and what a time to do it! No sooner are the robots starting to spread out again than a familiar air-raid siren echoes acros the arena. The teams look in horror as the huge circular pattern in the middle of the floor begins to open. Now you know why they call it 'Black Hole Labs'...
Slammer, the closest to the hole, tries to get away, but is cut off by Delirium Tremors...
CRRRASH!
The flippers fire in frustration as our oldest competitor tumbles into the Black Hole! Matt quickly backs Delirium Tremors away, but seems to have some trouble doing so, no doubt thanks to the lab's patented suction technology used in the Hole's construction. The remaining robots have all retreated to the sides of the arena. Nobody wants to go near the Black Hole - nobody except the Dutch Grand Prix champion! Flick of the Wrist is caught with Eye of Ran and Axeon near the eastern walls, and has just managed to snag hold of Joey's axlebot! Martijn drags Eye of Ran away (taking a blow from Axeon in the process) and dumps the low, low spinner into the Black Hole! Flick backs off...
And falls into the Hole itself! Axeon's crept up on Martijn and dumped him down! What a shocker - and it doesn't look like the only one! Delirium Tremors is being ganged up on by Killobite and Richter near the western wall, when Richter gets nipped by the Kill Saws while revving for a ram. Killobite takes the oppertunity to charge underneath and have a nibble at Richter's wheels. Kody misses the tyres, but gets a tight grip on the Welsh spinner's bodywork! Killobite tries to drag Richter towards the Black Hole, but Dan is proving incredibly stubborn, resisting against Kody's hard tugs! To make matters worse, here comes Delirium Tremors, all revved up and nowhere to go...
CRRRASH!
The two robots remain locked together, though now with a few more scars and dents than before! Back at the CPZ, meanwhile, Ansgar has had enough of O.I.D's camping-out and shoves the spinner back into the arena, just as Axeon carefully makes its way over. O.I.D. clips the hammerbot, but Axeon holds up, ploughing under Jack's machine and pushing him towards the spinning disc on the eastern walls...
CRRRASH!
Ohhh, and there goes Delirium Tremors again! Killobite and Richter are still at loggerheads and seem to be paying the price for it! Kody finally relents, loosening the claw's grip to try and reposition itself. This, however, is all Dan needs. Richter bumps Killobite, followed by a smack of the not-yet-fully-revved 'eggbeater'. Killobite nudges back, allowing another attack from Delirium Tremors!
CRRRASH!
Killobite is knocked towards the Black Hole, one last charge from Richter sending it over the edge! Dan barely manages to avoid going down with it, but finds itself backing straight towards Delirium Tremors!
CRRRASH!
Now it's Richter's turn to face near-defeat!
CRRRASH!
Oh right. Better make that just defeat, then.
Delirium Tremors spins with delight as Richter plummets to its doom, but it's not out of the woods yet. O.I.D. has escaped Axeon's grasp, though not without taking a couple of slices from the arena disc, and charges straight into Delirium Tremor's side!
CRRRASH!
The drumbot goes spinning, barely having time to recover before Axeon barges it into the arena wall! Andy's having a hard time grappling it with the axe, so he decides to give Delirium Tremors some wriggle room. Matt begins to escape, but the drum has hardly started moving again when Axeon is back on its case. One little boost of speed and Delirium Tremors is on its way to meet Richter at the bottom of the Black Hole!
Two robots remain, but for how much longer? Not much more, it seems, as Axeon and O.I.D. grapple mere feet away from the Hole. Both robots are starting to seem a little bit tired. Andy isn't using the axe as often as before and O.I.D's flywheel appears a little slower. Nonetheless both are still very much active, with O.I.D. getting a couple good clips on Axeon's armour. As Jack repositions himself to rev the disc up, Andy scrapes under its side and fires Axeon's titular weapon. The hammer head seems to have a firm grip, as Andy spins Axeon around and puts on a burst of speed. O.I.D. tumbles into the abyss...
And Axeon follows right behind.

CEASE!

AXEON 4.0 WINS THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX 2010! :proud:

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

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

Congratulations to Andrew Jackson, Jack Orr and Matthew Fowler! :D

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

Three grand prixs in, here's the points table:

TOTAL RESULTS (3/10):
1. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 20 points
2. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 19 points
3. AXEON 4.0 = 18 points
=. 9/9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 18 points
5. O.I.D. = 11 points
6. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 8 points
7. SLAMMER VI = 5 points
8. EYE OF RAN II = 3 points

It's still a very close race for the top spot, so let's move on to Round 4!

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

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 4/10: THE SWISS GRAND PRIX
ARENA: Clockwork Valley

Tick-tock, tick-tock...
It's 'time' to move on again, specifically to Zurich's largest disused cuckoo clock factory. Clockwork Valley is named for the large dip in the middle of this fully-enclosed arena, creating an unusual two-storey design. The 'raised' sections on either side each contain the same hazards - a single open pit, a large spinning drum and a 'Silly Spring'. Picture the Floor Flipper in the UK arena, but firing vertically whenever something drives over it.
The titular valley is no safer, mainly because hanging around there too long will activate the trap door covering most of the floor! To make matters worse the valley is also home to Clockwork Valley's resident House Robots - the Clock King (a golden pocketwatch-on-wheels with Splinter-esque grabbing arms and axe) and his loyal bodyguard the Swiss Army Knight (a wide silver box with sloped top and four different kinds of hammer)!

The starting positions of the robots have been determined based on their current points standings:
LEFT SECTION: Flick of the Wrist, Axeon 4.0, O.I.D, Slammer VI
RIGHT SECTION: Killobite Sigma, 9.9 on the Richter Scale, Delirium Tremors, Eye of Ran II

Crap Paint image ahoy:
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9765/sgpa.png

Get thinking 'bout your tactics, thanks again for being so very patient and I'll see you next time. :D

Well done Andy, Jack and Matty, and to Steve for a w00ty fight ^^

Tac, tic, tac, tic, tac, tic, tac, tics: I fear I might be falling somewhat behind here - the robot's not really suited for this sort of combat and it has had some rotten luck, so my tactics will be a lot more proactive and consist of going after Flick Of The Wrist, 9.9 On The Richter Scale and Delirium Tremors - the boxes and vertical spinners - and trying to do as much damage to them as I can. I'll try and limit myself to the raised areas though, preferably one of them (i.e. start in it and remain in it all fight).
If that fails, I shall do exactly what Andy happens to be doing at that time. :)

Good luck everyone!

great fight, and I effing love the Swiss arena xD congrats to the winners and I will in fact inspect the swiss arena well and come up with a way to beat all of you :kiss:

w00t! update! Lovely battle as ever Steven! :D

...

Oh christ, all the bloody spinners. :P

That may not be so bad, to be honest, but I gotta be very careful here, Killobite doesn't like spinners. Going after Eye of Ran II in a melee is a bad idea, but Delirium Tremors is just as bad because of its shape. I'm going to go after 9.9 on the Richter Scale here, try and clamp it, and drive it into the other two spinners until they die. Pitting Richter sounds tempting but I'll only do that if he seems to be getting loose, then I'll go to the other side of the arena and cause some mayhem. :twisted:

If I'm being bested, try going across the arena a few times to disorient my opponents, then grapple'n'pit while they're discombumbulated. ;)

awesome stuff ^^
right, i will stick to my area and try and imobilise any dangers there, spin up and dip in occasionaly to take a couple of chunks out of the opppnents, whilst avoiding the hazards :)
in the likely circumstance that this fails, run away (very fast if going over the trap door..thing) and see if theres any easier targets/space to run around whilst avoiding hazards/robots/house bots/hobnobs
good luck guys n' gals!
Jack