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ok this is a tough cookie. looks like that scoop will be difficult to get under. rippers scoop is the biggest out there so is difficult to get round. this one will be a toughie. if ripper gets under it will have to try and stay in charge and not give Baldur a chance. oh i do like the design by the way. nice vapour alex.
NEWSFLASH: This tournament, after so long of being repeatedly declared not dead, has an important announcement related to it to be made:
...its still not dead. :proud:
HEAT F FINAL
BALDUR GAMMA vs. RIPPER
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side: Alex Holt
Booth 2, right hand side: John Findlay
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So, in the almost immortal words of Jonathan Pearce, our last seat at the great table is about to be filled...and its Baldur whos the quicker out of the start, coming out towards Ripper, who turns slightly before coming to meet the advancing Baldur, and the two machines collide near the pit, scoop to scoop. Baldur seems to have the initial advantage though, raising the front slightly and lifting Rippers weapon off the ground, the four wheels giving it traction as it begins to edge Ripper back...but the flipper activates, knocking Baldur upwards slightly as it catches the top of the scoop, and allowing Ripper to get the two wheels on the floor fully and begin to push back...and as Baldur lands, it is driven up and into the gap between the raised flipper and the base of Ripper, leaving Baldur stuck underneath its opponents weapon! John tries to use this to his advantage, moving Ripper forward in an arc to get Baldur lined up for the pit, but Alex struggles and struggles with the scoop, and the rear wheels get traction on the floor, pulling his machine away from the grasp of Ripper, and Baldur powers back in as the flipper returns, getting the scoop underneath the front edge of the weapon and beginning to push Ripper towards the other side of the arena, building up ramming speed as it moves onwards...
FLIP! Suddenly, the flipper goes up, and catches the top of Baldurs scoop again, this time flipping it up in a somersault to land on its back! As the gas vents from the flipper though, Baldur turns to come back in on the attack, but Ripper is coming back in as well, and collides with Baldur side on, the corner of the scoop gouging into the Kevlar armouring of Baldur and ripping it a little. Baldur has the superior power though, reversing back towards the left hand side wall and dragging Ripper with it, and the flipper fires again, ripping the outer armour fabric a little more as it breaks free of its opponent, and Baldur is free to turn around and come back in on the attack. Ripper turns to face it, but isnt quick enough to turn, and Baldur slams into the front corner of its opponent, knocking both robots towards the southern end of the arena somewhat...but Baldurs scoop rides up onto Rippers front, and the yellow and green flipper is able to push back! Baldur gets traction on the arena floor from the back tyres, and tries to reverse off the scoop, but the rear bar catches on the wall and it can go no further...Alex is holding his controls in the air, as it would seem his earlier dominance of the match has been reversed, frantically trying to get Baldur away, but the arena wall blocks him to one side, and the smoke and tyres of the pit to the other...Ripper comes in again, getting the scoop underneath the side of Baldur, and trying to steer it towards the pit. Baldurs two left side wheels try to drag it off the scoop, keeping it backed against the wall, and Alex almost manages to drive Baldur off...
FLIP! Ripper suddenly fires the front weapon, and Baldur is thrown up into the air, hitting the top of the left hand wall as it comes down...for a moment looking as if it might fall back into the arena, but Ripper comes forwards, and John rams Baldur with his machines raised weapon, sending it tumbling down against the audience screening, which flexes somewhat as the spotlights focus on the out of arena, defeated Baldur, while Ripper backs away and spins in celebration at being the final robot in the grand finale.
CEASE
Baldur and Ripper - two good robots, but only one can win, and that is John Findlays Ripper!
And so, our six grand finalists in the first Chevron Championship are:
Darkestar
Macduff The Third
Son Of Ripper Hex
Door Stops
Exertion
Ripper
Two rammers, two flippers, a pair of wedges and a spinner. Hmm.
Draw up next post
THE GRAND FINAL:
Darkestar vs. Door Stops vs. Exertion
SoR Hex vs. Macduff The Third vs. Ripper
One goes out from each battle, then the whole thing proceeds like your standard grand final - four one-on-ones to decide the four places.
Get tacticing, predicting, commenting, and generally saying! :proud:
And as Dan has (sort of) pointed out, I havent stated what cluster rule is in effect here...so...Im going with the 50% rule, unless anyone has major issues with that.
Predictions!
Doorstops to be pitted and either Ripper or Macduff to bow out in the other one.
ripper to go all out flippin crazy and just try and get the better of the other 2.
Darkestar vs. Door Stops vs. Exertion
I can see Exertion or Door Stops going out here.
SoR Hex vs. Macduff the 3rd vs. Ripper
3rd, Joey, not Third. I prefer the number there. Im picky, you see. :P (hopes this comment doesnt affect the outcome)
Anyway...time for some good, long tactics. :proud:
I think Ill use the lifting wedge. It should stand up to SoR Hexs horizontal spinning bar quite nicely, and should have some good leverage to slide under either of them. Regardless, avoid SoR Hex if I can and focus all my attacking on Ripper. When attacking, try to lift and flip Ripper against the wall, preferably at the sides and rear, and make his rear end face the wall so he cant self-right properly. Do not go for an OOTA, as that is risky and leaves me open for an attack if performed wrongly. When not attacking, stay in the middle of the arena so Ripper or SoR cant try and flip me OOTA easily. Besides the fear of OOTAs, Im not too worried about either of the opponents flippers, and I can use the wedge to get myself unstacked off the wall.
If SoR does decide to have a go at me, keep the wedge facing him at all times, and if both Ripper and SoR are coming at me - MOVE! :proud:
You wanted tactics, yeah? :wink:
Predictions
Darkestar to get pitted.
Macduff the THIRD to be OOTAed.
*goes off to call Wheely Pure Evil, Wheely NOT Pure Evil* :P
See how it works? :wink:
Am I Bovvered, tho? :proud:
Nor am I, Im just messing with you (as no doubt you are as well, Im sure)
But whatever, Ill just have to prove you wrong in the battle. :P
I aint in the battle. :P
I know, but you predicted me to lose, so Im gonna prove you wrong.
I hope. :proud:
+2>OMG!!!
Wasted my 900th post on this!:uhoh:
Yes, shame on you. :P
Tacticsio Deux!
«Darkestar vs. Door Stops vs. Exertion»
Despite having a pretty good drive system, Door Stops still only weighs 50kgs and so I should be able to push them around at ease. Looking over the stats I don€™t think they have any method of righting themselves from their sides. Therefore I€™d like to try and use the scoop to rest them on their sides and kill them off. Shoving them around and into the hazards is also not a bad idea. Apparently Darkestar also has a Bosch drive, so I can push that around if need be. However I€™ll avoid that flywheel if possible, even though I should take the knocks from it. My main focus is to eliminate Door Stops though.
«SOR Hex vs. Macduff The Third vs. Ripper»
It has been a very long time coming, but finally Son of Ripper meets Ripper. The consequences of stealing my name won€™t be pretty! :wink: Basically, spin up the bar and cause as much damage to Ripper as possible. It€™s pretty big so there is plenty to hit. However I shall avoid going for the scoop, more on the back and sides. If Kody wants to team up that€™s sounds good as well. Finally, throw Ripper over the fence!
Meh, since AJs going for me Ill go for him. The method of self righting from its side is technically known as The other robot:proud:
Ancient tournament...by the power of all that is holy, I command you to RISE UP FROM THE DEAD!
Melee 1
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side/top of arena: Alex Holt, Frank Goacher
Booth 2, right hand side: Andrew Jackson
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2
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The Door Stops split right at the start, pulling away from each other as Exertion gets off the mark quickly, powering up towards where the clusterbots were, Andy steering his robot to come in pursuit of one of the little wedges, up towards the pit of oblivion. Darkestar, meanwhile, is slow to move, only getting off the mark now with its weapon spun up, Alex waiting for an opportunity for his machine to get involved. Exertion is trying to close down one of the Door Stop wedges, focusing on defeating one half of the clusterbot in order to technically immobilise it, following the wedge closer and closer...both machines slam against the right hand side arena wall, before the Door Stop drives along it, the front corner of the wedge scraping a line of paint away from the barriers, but allowing it to gain some distance on Exertion, which turns and comes uo behind it again, the whole affair starting to resemble a Tom and Jerry cartoon, or Thermidor vs. Mighty Mouse in heat J.
Darkestar comes in on the attack for the first time this battle, sending the other Door Stop skittering out of its way as it approaches, but the small wedge turns around and slips in underneath the tracks of Darkestar, getting well underneath and now starting to spin the wheels as it draws eighteen horsepower to push Darkestar in towards the flame pit, and in doing so the Darkestar/Door Stop express has blocked the route of Exertion to go in pursuit of the other half of the cluster, which takes the opportunity to charge back in with the wedge facing Exertion, and Frank Goacher, who many people thought would be out here, is looking like he could be about to take control here, a wry smile playing across his face...but his charge at Exertion is for naught, as the cluster just rides up the rambots front scoop, and now Exertion begins to push the Door Stop up towards the patrol zone at the top of the arena...Darkestar meanwhile is on the flames, trying to get traction on the grid to get out of peril, and does so with some assistance from the Door Stop, almost poking it with the wedge as it wheelies into Darkestars side armour, and it repay the favour by turning one track, moving the robots weapon in on the Door Stop...
CRASH! The little fifty kilogram machine is jolted up and over into the air in a shower of sparks, the titanium armour sporting a huge gouge from the triangular flywheel of Alex Holts machine, which now gets in with the front prongs and pushes the Door Stop forwards, the spikes lifting the wheels off the ground...meanwhile the clustebots twin is trying to hide in the front edge of the patrol zone, Exertion trying to pin it in against the wall, and Shunt takes an interest in the struggle, moving in on the trapped clusterbot and punching a small hole in the top armour of the Door Stop, which is spinning its wheels trying to get out of its corner.
Darkestar pins the other Door Stop in against the arena wall, but the two wheels of Frank Goachers botlet get traction on the spikes and it manages to squeeze away, and the weapon on the front of Alexs robot doesnt actually seem ot be working, maybe something went wrong in that initial hint but it isnt spinning at the moment. Shunt brings his axe down again in the other corner, perforating the top of the trapped Door Stop again, but the hit from the axe seems to have done something to Door Stops traction, and it breaks away from the wall and raising scoop of Exertion, catching the scoop as it does so and dragging Exertion off to the side,,,near the pit, and the other Door Stop is in there to poke at the rear of Exertion, which tries to reverse but isnt getting traction on the arena floor, despite chewing up paint, and the Lynch motor drive of the other Door Stop is slowly pushing it forwards...and forwards...and the tide of the battle has turned once more, as Exertions wheels on one side are over the side of the pit, and it would take little more than a nudge to send it down and out...Andy seems to realise this, muttering something to Frank in his control pod, and the other Door Stop reverses into Exertion, pushing it further onto the edge...Darkestar comes in, to see what it can do, but the belt is not attached to the weapon pulley anymore, trailing behind the robot on the arena floor, but Alex applies the throttle and gets in behind Exertion, with a small push that sends Andys first machine in these semi finals going down into the smoke and darkness, and out of the competition.
CEASE
World Breaking News: Exertion is bad for you. :P Door Stops and Darkestar go through to the next round!
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Melee 2
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1: Andy Jackson
Booth 2: Kody Kunz, John Findlay
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The long awaited match between Ripper and its son finally arrives, and the offspring is the first off the mark, the bar beginning to spin as it rotates itself towards the green and yellow peril which turns to face it, and the two machines accelerate and are split by an approaching Macduff before colliding in the tracked machines wake. The scoops clash with no apparent victor, and Ripper reverses back a few inches for another attempt, but SOR takes advantage of the opportunity to veer to the right and bring the rear weapon, spinning at full revolutions, to bear on the scoop!
CRASH! Ripper is knocked aside by the attack, spun about four hundred degrees before coming to rest, but showing little damage on the scoop or to the twin drive motors as it turns straight into Macduff, which has been lining up a charge, and coming in to meet the approaching tracked rammer...it looks like a head on collision as SOR looks on, but both robots turning at the last moment to get their front lifting devices underneath the opponent, and suddenly Macduff finds itself virtually sideways on the front scoop of the Robot Wars veteran, the angled side bar having caught on the top of the scoop and lifted the left hand track off the ground, as Kody realises up in the control booth he might be in trouble, hunching his shoulders and frantically pulling at his transmitter sticks as Ripper begins the forward push away from the approaching SOR, the efforts of Macduff to escape only serving to cause the Ripper/Macduff train to veer dangerously towards the pit, before the direction reverses as Macduff begins to drag itself further down, almost at right angles to the wall, but Ripper continues to push, Macduffs stranded track only trundling in thin air as it becomes firmly wedged against the wall, the wedge waving uselessly in the air, and after a split second of stillness as SOR and Andy in the control pod merely observe, anyone who has ever seen Chaos 2 vs. Firestorm can visualise for themselves what happens next.
CEASE
Macduff The 3rd has been dethroned by the Ripper, which takes SOR Hex through with it to the next round!
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The Chevron Championship 6th Round Draw
Ripper vs. Door Stops
Darkestar vs. SOR Hex
Tactics, predictions, comments, and fangirl letters accompanied by sexy pictures to:
Joey McConnell
c/o FRA Forums
Below this post
Cyberspace
PLZ KTHX
...I am not sending you fangirl letters with or without pictures :p
In other news:
WOOT:proud:
In other other news:
Tactics are to go for the sides of Ripper. If memory serves, hes huge and has a fairly high GC. If he catches one part with the flipper, the other can slide in and keep him occupied. Same basic tactics as ever, split, confuse, pit.
I think Ripper will flip Doorstops out of the arena to meet SOR Hex in the final :)
just watch the uk champs and the new ripper which i entered into this event. it is relentless and is on the attack all the time. its fast, agile and there is an awsome hardox flipper to contend with. it will dispose of robots faster than envy can. well nearly as fast. basically Doorstops doesnt stand a chance with the all new RIPPER.
All I can say is that if SoR doesnt avenge me I will be extremely cheesed off. :proud:
oh did i mention new ripper stats....
power bosch 750w with spur and chain gearing making it qick at 18mph. roboteq giving it agility and poise. all 3.2 hardox armour and flipper. double full pressure rams giving it masses of flip. running on nicads too.
ripper was unlucky to not win the uk champs this year. unlucky jonno :) but it was an untested robot. now fully tested and flaws ironed out s better than ever and 1 to watch for he future. apart from envy of course :)
Ive always assumed the hardox armour thing...well, maybe I havent, just nothing attacked the top yet that I recall :proud:
http://www.roamingrobots.co.uk/?pages=robot&id=1039http://www.roamingrobots.co.uk/?pages=robot&id=1039
forgot to mention the top armour is mounted on rubber bolts so hammers and axes may aswell not have a weapon cos it just bounces off. it actually does work too
The Chevron Championship
Eliminator 1
Joey: Well, Frank, to state the bleeding obvious you are potentially two fights from winning the first Chevron Championship...
Frank: Indeed...whats with the camera crew and lights?
Joey: Its the semi finals. We spent ninety per cent of our budget for this on these last four fights. You know, it makes it look better on TV...
Frank: *raising eyebrow* Is that why theres only been three week old hot dogs in the canteen for the whole of filming?
Joey: Could be, could well be. Moving on...
Frank: And why we have to vacate the building at 7pm for under sevens indoor cricket?
Joey: ...right. Tactics for this fight?
Frank: Just split up and attack from both sides, really. Try and get Ripper down the pit as soon as is practical.
Joey: Okay, sounds good. Best of luck.
Frank: Thanks.
*long and pointless camera shot of Frank wheeling the Door Stops up the ramp*
Joey: Now, it would appear you are the favourites for this fight...
Shane: Yep. Good reason too.
Joey: At the risk of sounding very stupid, why?
Jonno: Well, two clusterbots, half the weight, full pressure flipper...you can imagine the rest.
Shane: Were just gonna get the front scoop underneath and flip em straight out. No problems.
Joey: Okay then, kind of saves me having to ask about tactics there. Good luck with that.
Shane: Thanks.
*another long filler shot of Ripper being pushed into the arena*
Joey: The moment of truth is but three fights away. As a great poet once said, Well, you dont know me, but I know you. But Ive got a message, to give to you: Here come the planes. So youd better get ready, ready to go. That was Laurie Anderson, and you may be wondering what relevance that has to robots fighting. Truth be told, Im thinking the same thing, and since people have probably stopped reading by now I shall merely stand aside and announce that the first semi final of the Chevron Championship...is about to begin.
DOOR STOPS
Heat D
Frank Goacher
vs.
RIPPER
Heat F
Shane Swan, John Findlay
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side: Frank Goacher, Frank Goacher
Booth 2, right hand side: John Findlay, Shane Swan
3
2
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ACTIVATE
The first activity in the almost silent arena is from the Door Stops, which pull away from each other and wheelie off in opposing dierections as Ripper eases out of the starting square towards its opponents, banking to the left on its approach as it begins to single out a single Door Stop to pursue initially. The 50kg wedge turns quickly to move out of Rippers attack vector, appearing almost dwarfed against its opponent as it moves past the side of the yellow and green colossus, beofre turning to try and get in under the sides of Ripper, but finds itself pushed back as Ripper turns into the attack and edges its opponent away withthe side of the front flipper, catching on a bolt head in the front wedge until its grip slips, and the Doorstop shoots straight underneath the front of Ripper and out the other side, accelerating away as its twin now comes round from behind the Roaming Robots machine.
Frank mutters something to his comrade in the booth as the second Doorstop comes in and edges the front Hardox scoop in underneath the rear ground clearance of Ripper, lifting the rear wheels off the ground and forcing itself beneath the larger machine, its twin coming around to the left hand side of Ripper to assist as the clusterbots push Ripper up towards the patrol zone, applying a combined 36 horsepower to the ground as Ripper fires the full pressure flipper to try and free itself, but is pushed straight back down by the protruding wheels of the Door Stop beneath it, and finds itself forcefully shoved into the side of the patrol zone. Shunt shows an immediate interest as it comes forward and slams the axe down into one of the top panels of Ripper, not doing much more than chipping at the paintwork but immediately returning and hammering again, carving a small scar in the Hardox armour plating.
One of the Door Stops reverses away from the scene to charge back in and ram the side of the trapped Ripper, pushing it further in towards the CPZ and blocking a third shot from the house robots axe as the huge flipper fires again, in an attempt by John and Shane to dislodge Ripper from the side wall, and as the robot bounces back down onto the front wedge of the Door Stop, one of the go-kart tyres gets traction on the titanium plating and shoots Ripper back over the rear of the clusterbot, putting its wheels back down on the floor and knocking an approaching Sgt. Bash out of the way, turning to drive away from the house robots as a jet of flame licks over the top of the robot.
The Door Stops try and regroup to take on Ripper again, driving in different directions in a manner not dissimilar to the start of the battle, as just like then Ripper selects one to pursue, Jonno holding his controls up in the air as he turns Ripper to get the scoop just underneath one of the small wedges, nudging the left wheel and causing the 50kg robot to turn sideways on to the front scoop, and suddenly Ripper is in control as full forward thrust is applied!
FLIP! The Door Stop is flicked forwards, spinning side over side before hitting the floor at an angle, toppling bac down onto its wheels...or at least it would have if the arena side wall hadnt obstructed its landing, as it lies precariously against the wall with no traction on any surface. In the booth the atmosphere is slightly panicked, Frank calling out something to his teammate as he manipulates his controls, frantically spinning the wheels as he tries to get momentum to free the Doorstop, and Ripper sees the opportunity to finish the fight here and now, coming in towards the stranded clusterbot with the flipper retracting. The stricken machines brother tries to stop this, though, and weaves in with the front nose in the air to try and cut off the approach of Ripper, ramming into the side of the robot and beginning to push slowly the yellow and green machine towards the arena wall and away from the other Doorstop, but Ripper backs up and brakes on one wheel...and the other Doorstop finds itself hung up on the front scoop like its twin was!
Ripper now charges towards the wall again, Shane up in the control booth almost celebrating early as he realises the battle could soon be over, while across the podium the Frank Goacher siblings almost look resigned to their fate now, one muttering something to the other as fingers fly across transmitter joysticks, before the arena almost shakes as one hundred and fifty combined kilos of Ripper and Door Stop hit the arena wall, almost at the same time as...
FLIP! Rippers front panel raises again, lifting the Door Stop up into the air before the clusterbot slides off the front blade of the flipper and falls out of sight past the arena barrier, the visible flexing of the polycarbonate being the only sign as to its landing, and jubilations ensue in the right hand booth as Ripper fires the weapon again in victory, while across the arena Frank applauds gamely, smiling bravely before retracting the aerial on his controller.
CEASE
The Door Stops fate; one stacked, one out of the arena, now relegated to allowing free access to the community centre closet at all times of the day. :proud:
RIPPER GOES THROUGH TO THE GRAND FINAL!
*the booths raise up accompanied by ominous music*
Joey: Frank, it was going so well, then it just all went wrong...what happened?
Frank: I dunno, it just all happened so fast after they got out of the CPZ...they were underneath before I had a chance to react.
Joey: And then....
Frank: Yeah, stacked us, couldnt get down, and then we tried to drive round the other side to cut him off before the final flip - almost worked, just went pants at the last second.
Joey: Ah well, these things happen. Third place playoff to look forward to now, you guys going to get ready?
Frank: Yeah, will do, just batteries to charge I think.
Joey: Been great having you so far, lets hear it for the Door Stops!
*cheering*
Joey: Well, you guys now have precisely half a chance of winning - how does that feel?
Jonno: Relieved actually *laughs*
Shane: Yeah, they gave us a bit of a scare at the start, but it ended up just like I said - get underneath, flip em out, done. Fair play to them though, good opponents.
Joey: Yep, they were, it was a good fight...looking forward to the final?
Jonno: Definitely. Itll be tough but I think we can give whoevers there a really good fight, theyll have to work hard if they want to beat us.
Joey: Based on that performace, certainly...lets hear it, the grand finalists, Ripper!
*cheering*
...yep, I had nothing to do so I wrote a huge battle. :P Ill delay the second until I get Andys tactics or for a reasonable amount of time, since even though I dont need them it would be nice, seeing as its a grand final battle and SOR Hex has interchangable bits :proud:
unlucky frank good fight. long battle joey but well written and worth the effort.
is it just me or does anyone else scroll a few lines at a time when reading the battles in order not to glimps the results.
I went out to a great robot and can take this loss in a mature fashion.
*blows a raspberry at Shane*
I too scroll a couple of lines at a time, but unfortunately the results often get spoiled on MSN before I can read them anyway:sad:
Darkestar vs. SOR Hex
Ill stay with the horizontal bar for this match. The main priority is to go for those tracks. I should be able to break them after a few good hits. If that isnt possible then Ill try to knock as much rubber of them as I can so Darkestar losses grip. The polycarb and kevlar on the sides should be a breeze to get through. If I can cause sufficient damage to those, the inners should be exposed to slice into.
The Chevron Championship
Eliminator 2
Joey: Andy, you feeling confident for this fight:
Andy: Uh...a bit confident, but I wouldnt bet on either of us winning...Darkestars tracks are very exposed though, think I can get a few hits in with the bar on those and try and break them, or at least seriously mess up the side armour.
Joey: The weapon doesnt worry you?
Andy: Not really, think I can avoid it and mines much bigger so if it comes down to weapon to weapon...I think Ill be winning there *grins*
Joey: Good luck, hope that proves true for you.
Andy: Thanks.
*Andy pushes SOR Hexs trolley up into the arena*
Joey: You dont look nervous, Alex.
Alex: Looks are very decieving, Im trying not to go to pieces at the moment.
Joey: Any reason? Is the robot working okay?
Alex: Yeah, robots working okay, and it should stand a good chance, just its the semi finals and a lots riding on this.
Joey: Not really, just third or first/second place.
Alex: Well...yeah. I know I should be feeling confident, just last second nerves getting to me a bit. I think I should have a chance though, the tracks on this thing *taps tracks with remote* are very strong, so Ill just go in and push them in the pit or bash them out of the arena.
Joey: Well, best of luck.
Alex: Thanks.
*Alex wheels Darkestar onto the stage*
SON OF RIPPER HEX
Heat C
Andrew Jackson
vs.
DARKESTAR
Heat A
Alex Holt
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side: Andrew Jackson
Booth 2, right hand side: Alex Holt
3
2
1
ACTIVATE
Son Of Ripper immediately gets off to the quicker start, almost lifting the front wedge up off the floor of the arena as it comes straight in towards Darkestar, who turns slightly as it comes more slowly away from the arena wall, as SOR impacts it about two thirds of the way across the arena, hitting the front track guard and turning around to push against the side of Darkestar, avoiding the front weapon on Alex Holts machine as it begins to rotate towards maximum speed. Andy applies the power to the two Lynch motors and the wheels spin, slowly edging Darkestar forwards as the two robots bounce slightly, the rubber on Darkestars tracks resisting the sideways force as the tracks move themselves and cause both machines to turn slightly towards the pit, before SOR backs off slightly and comes back in, hitting the front end of the turning Darkestar but avoiding the weapon frame as the wedge goes straight in beneath the right hand track guard and...
FLIP! Darkestars front end is flicked up in the air and crashes back down behind its rear, the whole machine now facing in reverse as Alex tries to steer away, but SOR is back in already as the flipper retracts, scraping past the rear of the weapons module as the wedge gets under the tracks again and pushes Darkestar with increasing speed towards the top of the arena, Alex craning up in his booth to see where exactly his machine is going as both robots move towards the edge of the patrol zone...
FLIP! Andy activates SOR Hexs flipper again, this time throwing Darkestar entirely up in the air to crash down almost on top of Matilda, who turns almost as if to see what is going on, before the house robot raises her tusks and jolts forward, hitting Darkestar as it attempts to turn away from the patrol zone and pinning the tracked machine against the wall, the spinning blade coming to a halt against the barrier as sparks fly from the steel on steel contact. Son Of Ripper, having retreated out of the patrol zone after the flip to get its own blade spinning now comes in reverse to multiply Darkestars misery, turning its weapon into the front right corner of its opponent...
CRASH! Darkestar is knocked parallel to the arena wall, a few white spots in the side armour from where MAtildas tusks dug in, but more worryingly a large chunk has been shattered from the extension of the track guards, the two remaining horns now bent in front of the tracks and digging in to the rubber coating, visibly slowing down Darkestars attempts to escape from the patrol zone! Alex looks concerned, his machine creeping forward towards the edge as SOR turns to come in again, Andy applying power to one wheel as the bar comes in again on the side of Darkestar, the machines both jolted by the impact but barely a glancing blow dealt from the weapon due to the angle, but enough to show more visible surface damage to the side track guard, which is looking somewhat weathered now, but the impact from the weapon seems to have somehow given new life to Darkestar, as the right track begins working at full speed again and Darkestar shoots forward out of the patrol zone, turning neatly to just avoid the pit, as its opponent comes in with a run to try and knock Darkestar off course and drop one of its tracks into the pit...just missing though, the flipper firing a second too late as Darkestar neatly skirts the side of the pit and turns to move down the arena with its blade now beginning to spin back up again, altogether now looking virtually unscathed aside from the side armour.
SOR reverses briefly back into the patrol zone, just missing Dead MEtals pincers as it turns a few degrees and heads straight out again, accelerating towards the centre of the arena to meet Darkestar, which approaches its foe with the blade spinning at full speed, watching SOR turn around to show its own spinner operating at capacity as well.
The two machines pause for a moment, almost showing respect for the power of each others weapons as the drivers consider what to do next, before SOR breaks the Mexican standoff to charge in at full reverse, Darkestar responding in kind by shooting forwards, the two weapons a blur as they approach closer and closer to one another...
CRASH! The impact produces an almighty noise as sparks fly, a few white ones from the titanium skirts on SOR, and the outcome appears to be that SOR has ridden up somewhat on Darkestars front, the bar completely stopped...but look at Darkestars weapon! The mounting appears to have been twisted from the close up pictures and the belt for the weapon is hanging limply from one of the tensioning wheels...but SORs own drive wheels are no longer in contact with the ground, and Alex senses this as he applies full power on one track to ride SOR sideways up the front prongs, before moving with both to push its opponent backwards up the arena, and the battle has suddenly been turned on its head as Andy holds his transmitter in the air, the tip of the aerial waving as he shouts something incoherent, with nought but wheelspin from his robot as Darkestar turns it towards the left of the arena - and begins to push in the direction of the pit that Andy almost finished the fight with earlier!
A slightly puzzled expression on Alex Holts face rapidly turns to a wide grin as he sees what is about to happen, SOR firing the flipper but to no avail as Darkestars push continues towards the edge, braking the tracks at the edge as the front skirts of SOR lose contact with the arena floor, the machine sliding down the edge and falling rear end over front as the pyrotechnics ignite and engulf the flipped Son Of Ripper, Andy staring almost in disbelief at his beaten machine as across the podium Alex cannot contain his joy, jumping in the air with one arm raised as Darkestar stands, battered but triumphant, guarding the edge of the pit, the smoke and lighting lending it an ethereal glow against the backdrop of the arena.
CEASE
Son Of Ripper Hex wont get the climactic final encounter with its daddy. :P
DARKESTAR IS THROUGH TO MEET RIPPER IN THE GRAND FINAL!
*ominous music and booths rising, roboteers come out to talk*
Joey: Andy...you had Darkestar right up against that wall, you almost got it in the pit...then it all went wrong.
Andy: *sighs* Yeah, just had the worst luck in the world, half a second earlier and I could have got them in the pit...had trouble with the armour as well, it seems to damage easily but not make much of a difference.
Joey: I dunno, you nearly stopped the tracks at one point.
Andy: The armour bent over them, but I think the rubber just wore away and let it move freely again or something.
Joey: And then that collision...
Andy: ...yeah. In retrospect I probably shouldnt have gone in straight on with the bar, but thats how things go. twas a good fight.
Joey: It was indeed. You going to prepare for the third place playoffs?
Andy: Yeah, think Ive got a good chance in those.
Joey: Well, best of luck there. Ladies and gentlemen, Son Of Ripper!
*cheering*
Joey: ...wow.
Alex: Yeah, after the first collision I didnt think I had a chance there, but...well, you saw what happened then, just turned the fight around.
Joey: Yep, that collision...you just seemed to be in control after that, didnt let Andy get a look back in.
Alex: I was surprised actually, I didnt expect it to get hung up on the scoop, but the weapons colliding probably put a bit of extra force into things. From there I just wanted to get rid of it as quick as possible, and...well, it worked.
Joey: Youve got Ripper next though, does that worry you?
Alex: Id be lying if I said it didnt *laughs* Ive got a few repairs to do, the disc looks a bit bent from that last impact.
Joey: Do you think you can manage it though?
Alex: Ive got a spare one with me, so just need to hammer out the frame a bit.
Joey: Sounds good...lets hear it for the winners, Darkestar!
*cheering*
And so, we finally come within reach of the end of this tournament. Its been a long, hard struggle to work out what exactly to say here, but we now know who will take the first and second placings. The question is, in which order?
We shall find out soon enough...
THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF
Door Stops vs. Son Of Ripper Hex
GRAND FINAL
Ripper vs. Darkestar
For the final time in this tournament, could I have tactics, comments and predictions please?
(Message edited by joeychevron on October 24, 2008)
I think Darkestar will win :)
Oh and I think SOR will take the bronze, although Doorstops could give him a run for his money
Darkestar. Because it will. We cant have another realie win a Joey tournament now can we? :P
Door Stops vs. SOR Hex
Flipping will be my main priority in this battle. But for what its worth, Ill use the horizontal disc attatchment at the rear. At 50kgs each, the Door Stops should be easy to throw around. Hopefully Ill be able to put them out of the arena quickly. What goes up must come down... so hopefully if they fly high enough internal damage could be caused as well.
The final will be tough, but I reckon Darkestar will win.
spinners wont do a lot of damage to ripper. massive hardox scoop will be relentless and flip Darkestar until it breaks or ootas. as its the final i think a go at the house robots is in order after seeing off Darkestar. another realie to win in the fanfic you say but ripper is a very good robot and will be hard to beat :) saying all that envy beat it today :)
...yeah, there have been no posts at all in fanfic for over two days. I object to this situation, so I thought Id better...uh...rectify it? Or something? :)
The Chevron Championship
Third Place Playoff
DOOR STOPS
Heat D
Frank Goacher
vs.
SON OF RIPPER HEX
Heat C
Andrew Jackson
*cut straight to arena*
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side: Frank Goacher and his clone
Booth 2, right hand side: Andrew Jackson
3
2
1
ACTIVATE
As they has done in all their other battles so far, Franks clusterbots raise their Hardox noses in the air before the drive power allows them to break away from each other, one half heading straight across the arena floor to face its foe, SoR Hex, which after a pause drives purposefully out of its corner and powers towards the approaching Door Stop, hoping to get an early advantage in this fight for third place, and wedge blade meets wedge blade...with no immediately obvious victor, both machines pushing and the Door Stop being forced ever so slightly backwards as it begins to bounce slightly from the eighteen horsepower going down through the wheels as Frank looks slightly worried, with the pit looming behind and the gap between the rear of his machine and its cold embrace ever narrowing...but the other Door Stop chooses the right moment to come in around the back ofSoR Hex, the wedge gliding beneath the centimetre of gound clearance and lifting the left hand drive wheel off the ground in the process, while the first clusterbot backs up brieftly and then swivels away.
SoRs other wheel still has contact with the ground, and it begins to try and rotate itself and the Door Stop around and manages to get traction on the titanium and Hardox front of its opponent, jerking it forwards and up over the top of the Door Stop, landing with a slight bounce and almost immediately turning around to get another attack in, the Door Stop turning side on but to little avail as SoR gets the flipper in and underneath the side of Frank Goachers clusterbot, lifting it off the ground, and now Andy drives forward with some force towards the patrol zone at the bottom of the arena, passing its victims twin which rushes in a second too late to deflect the onslaught towards a wall or the flame pit, and...
FLIP! The Door Stop that was on the wedge of SoR Hex now...isnt, as it gets flicked up about two metres in the air and comes down just next to Dead Metal inside the edge of the patrol zone, attracting the house robots attention, and before Frank can turn to escape the danger area, the house robot comes in and has a firm grip on the titanium rear armour of the Door Stop, the sawblade flashing as the scorpion like arm of DM comes down and sends a shower of brilliant white titanium sparks forward, like a limelight illuminating the lower half of the arena as the other Door Stop and SoR Hex face up to each other on the patrol zone edge. Frank holds his controls in the air as the active half of the cluster charges towards its foe, which swivels round to meet it...there is a loud collision as wedge meets wedge, and this time it looks as if SoR Hex has gained the advantage, the 3mm ti plate on the flipper scraping beneath the Hardox wedge of the Door Stop, and pushing it back with the Lynch motor drive...
FLIP! The second half of the cluster suffers a similar fate to its sibling, flicked into the air end over end before bouncing down, thankfully on the correct side of the arena barrier...but Frank look concerned as it comes down on its side, and momentum causes it to tip slowly down, theoretically onto its wheels, but the inner fence is in the way of that, the net result of which is one half of the cluster spinning its wheels in thin air, propped against the barrier despite the best efforts of both Franks in the control booth, and Andy realises he could finish this here and now, the flipper on SoR Hex retracting as he backs his machine off slightly for a final charge and flip...but the other Door Stop, now released from the grip of Dead Metal with minimal damage aside from a small slit in the top panel, doesnt waste any time in charging in underneath the exposed rear of SoR again, avoiding the bar which it has to be said is yet to spin up once this fight, and removing SoRs traction on the arena floor...but also pushing Andys robot in towards its twin, and the flipper is still active, and fires just as the train of robots hits the barrier...
...but just catches on the edge of the clusterbots armour, and allows its left tyre to gain a grip on the steel side of the arena and lower itself down to the arena floor, crashing back down into the field of battle and immediately driving away, Frank wiping his brow with one hand as he pulls on the joystick with the other. The second Door Stop reverses from beneath SoR, the slowly beginning to spin disc clipping it slightly as it does so but creating little more than a sharp thud from the impact of steel on Hardox, as the clusterbot speeds up towards the top of the arena attracting the pursuit of Son Of Ripper Hex once more. The previous deadlock now broken, Andy breaks off his pursuit of one Door Stop in order to face the other as it sees the chance to come in, turning into the invertible wedge as it collides...and rides up on the skirts, rising over the wheels of SoR Hex as it raises its flipper just a fraction too early to get any purchase on the clusterbot, merely blocking its momentum and forcing it back down the skirted sides and away...and the countdown has begun now to the end of the fight it would seem, all three machines in the arena starting to get a little sluggish and unresponsive in their movements, as the second Door Stop drives forwards to the broadside on SoR, the ground scraping wedge meeting the ground scraping skirts as the two machines push against each other, only a slight hint of wheelspin coming from the drained Door Stop as it tries for one last push...and just as its twin comes in from the side, some force of friction gives and the corner of the front wedge of Franks machine just jams beneath the titanium flap, allowing the Door Stop to get underneath SoR Hex once more as time ticks down to the end!
CEASE
Frank exhales sharply up in the control booth as he releases his controls, allowing them to hang limply around his neck while in the other Lexan booth across the arena, Andy looks almost exhausted as he retracts his transmitter aerial. We go to the judges for their verdict...
*roboteers rise up in their cherry pickers to talk to Joey*
Joey: Well, Franks...what do you think of that?
Frank: It was hard. I knew there was the risk of being stacked there so I was worried when that happened, but I also think we got some good attacks in there, we came on strong at the end and were pushing him around a bit...
Joey: ...but the decision?
Frank: I wouldnt like to be in their shoes. Admittedly, theyre probably not my size so itd be uncomfortable, but...yeah, its a tough decision to make. Id like to think we just edged it though.
Joey: Well wait and see about that...dramatic effects for the win. Andy, your opinion?
Andy: I think having the flipper probably helped, was able to flick them about a few times but missed a couple of opportunities as well, so...like Frank says, it was close.
Joey: Yep, there was a lot of wedging and tactical driving going on it seemed.
Andy: They spent an inordinate amount of time underneath me, but I got a few good wedges in there as well. *laughs* I think the decision will be close, but my gut feeling says we might have won. Could go either way though.
Joey: Well...I can tell you...
...I now have the decision, and based on style, control, aggression and damage, the bronze medallist in the Chevron Championship, and therefore next years third seed, is...by a margin of two points...
...SON OF RIPPER HEX!
(JUDGES DECISION:
DAMAGE: Neither robot was really able to actually inflict much damage on the other, although one of the Door Stops did take some damage from the house robots: Door Stops 2 (x4 = 8), SoR Hex 3 (x4 = 12)
AGGRESSION: The Door Stops probably got in more attacks and certainly seemed to be more aggressive at times, and were also frequently unafraid to go in and defuse SoRs attacks: Door Stops 3 (x3 = 9), SoR Hex 2 (x3 = 6)
CONTROL: SoR Hex was probably in control for more of the fight, both robots had their periods with effective attacks and pushing but SoR was able to stack one and have the other trapped in the CPZ at the same time: Door Stops 2 (x2 = 4), SoR Hex 3 (x2 = 6)
STYLE: The Door Stops had their wheelies and their pincer attacks against SoRs...flips? Quite close, but Door Stops take it: Door Stops 3, SoR Hex 2
Door Stops: 24
Son of Ripper Hex: 26)
*Frank drops his shoulders in disappointment but gamely applauds Andy, smiling all the same as Andy raises his transmitter in the air in victory. The crowd cheers*
Joey: Ive got to talk to you briefly...Frank, what a shame, it was so close...
Frank: ...yeah, it was very close, and like I said it was hard, but...fair play to Andy, if the judges say he deserved it then I should think he did deserve it.
Joey: Have you enjoyed competing in this tourney then?
Frank: Definitely. I mean, Ive come here with a robot that a few people wrote off, and I came fourth, I got to the grand final, and its been great fun being here, so...yeah, Ill probably be back next time. Might even try and go one or three better *laughs*
Joey: Ill look forward to seeing you here again. Ladies, gents, give it up for Frank Goacher, fourth place with the Door Stops!
*cheering as Frank smiles and raises hand*
Joey: Well, well, well...congrats, its a podium finish at least isnt it, better than a kick in the teeth?
Andy: Yup, its been a long journey and Im not going home empty handed, so Im very pleased with that. Great battle from Frank and great result in my opinion.
Joey: It went your way in the end, yeah. You going to be back next year?
Andy: Of course - I mean, I know its probably all downhill from here *laughs* but Ive enjoyed myself thoroughly taking part in this, and its been very good.
Joey: Thats great news to hear...Third place winner ladies and gentlemen, lets hear it for Andy Jackson and Son of Ripper Hex!
Andy: Come on!
*crowd cheering*
-------------------
Well, we know the third place winner...and I have the tactics for the final, I think...so yeah, saying anything here is sort of superfluous really. :proud: I have enjoyed writing this very much and am looking forward to doing the final in an odd way :P and as you may have guessed there will be a CC2 sometime next year.
COMING UP, ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2008
THE GRAND FINAL
RIPPER vs. DARKESTAR
And you wonder why I voted you for best new writer. :proud: w00ty battle Joey!
...although I dont think we can wait that long for the next battle. :proud:
I think you can...just have some patience, it takes a long time for the best battles to mature. Like in that Grolsch ad. :proud:
the ripper final is on the roaming robots website so you will see how ripper absorbes punishment. good robot come a long way and am confident of a ripper win. its on a roll:)
Friends...Romans...Countrymen...Yes, the time has finally come. Although I wont be online much tomorrow due to Christmas celebrations, I have written this wooty final some time in advance and present it here, in all its glory, as my Christmas present to all on the FRA. Enjoy. :)
THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP, FINAL BATTLE
RIPPER vs. DARKESTAR
*The scene: backstage with the roboteers about to go on. The time: Now*
Joey: Well, its just before the final, and to state what would be extremely obvious if you were actually watching this on TV but isnt for those reading this text based post, Im here with both machines and the teams, just before they enter the arena and retire to the cherry pickers for the grand final.
Shane, Jonno, how do you feel about the battle?
Shane: Its gonna be tough, but we should do quite well, should get Darkestar out of the arena quickly.
Joey: Really, youre that confident?
Shane: Of course!
Jonno: Yeah! In theory at least. *laughs* Its...tensions always high before a final, need to hope my nerves hold out, Darkestars a good machine but we should be alright if we flip it enough.
Shane: Yeah, try and break something or if the opportunity arises, flip em out of the ring.
Joey: That sounds like as good a plan as any to me...best of luck guys, hope its a good fight.
Jonno: Thanks very much.
Joey: Team Doomfo-well, Alex...have you been able to repair Darkestar from the semi final?
Alex: Yeah...the blade itself was actually okay, the pulley was a bit mangled though, but new pulley, new belt, bash the supports back into shape, almost good as new.
Joey: Thats good...so, Ripper. Any tactics?
Alex: Uh...just hit it really. Hit it with the blade, push it around, see what happens.
Joey: Nothing too detailed then?
Alex: There might be, there might be....Im not saying it in front of the opposition though *laughs* but in all seriousness, it should be a good fight, two great robots and itll be good to watch.
Joey: Good to watch...how about to drive in?
Alex: Ah...absolutely terrifying to be honest, heh. Ill try my best though.
Joey: Hope those nerves hold out then, good luck to you Alex.
Alex: Thanks.
*both teams shake hands before John and Shane lead the way into the arena, pushing the robots on trolleys*
FROM NOTTINGHAM, RIPPER!
The first machine into the arena, as the team wave to the assembled crowd, they coasted through the Gauntlet and Snooker before Tempest, Baldur Gamma, and earlier in the grand final Macduff The Fourth and the Door Stops tasted the camera tracks after flying from the edge of their front scoop, the full pressure flipping Ripper proving too much for all its opponents so far.
FROM GEDDINGTON, DARKESTAR!
And its opponent, Darkestar, Alex nodding in acknowledgement and raising a hand to the crowd, his machine ended the Gauntlet in the pit but won the Sumo against Shunt easily, before vanquishing Nitro-Gene in a judges decision despite being on fire...pitting Envy, assisting the Door Stops in pitting Exertion and after a long fight, sending SoR Hex the same way from its front spiked scoop and flywheel.
The roboteers leave the arena and climb into the cherry pickers, which rise up ominously before they and the music stop, and the aura in the arena doms to leave the two finalists, silhouetted against the bright spotlights skining down on them, almost alone in the deathly silent arena, waiting, tension high, for the announcement...
ROBOTEERS, STAND BY
Booth 1, left hand side: Shane Swan, John Findlay
Booth 2, right hand side: Alex Holt
3
2
1
ACTIVATE
The lighting abruptly changes in the arena as the spotlights leave the two finalists to herald a curtain of blue light bathing the arena, robots and hazards in its glow. It would be almost ethereal if you didnt know the true purpose of this occasion was to unleash what remains of the fury inside these two machines, to determine one winner after nine months and thirty six machines have been reduced to just two.
And its Ripper with the impetus to move first, the right wheel first and then both as it accelerates up past the pit, while across the warzone its foe, Darkestar, moves slightly slower out of the starting square, still relatively fast though, with the triangular blade on the front beginning to rotate as the belt drive takes it up to top speed. Darkestar reaches the centre of the arena and skids around, the front weapon a blur as it almost warns Ripper away with the disc, but Ripper keeps on going, moving in an arc across and around the side of Darkestar, which turns, Alex trying to keep the weapon facing his opponent, as the two machines continue in their paths with Ripper circling Darkestar turning...this is all very nice for robot ballet, but its time for them to kill each other, and its Ripper who finally breaks the deadlock and makes a sharp turn to home in with the scoop on the corner of Darkestar! Alexs reaction isnt quick enough, as the left track rides up on the scoop and Ripper applies the throttle, pushing Darkestar in towards the flame pit...
FLIP! Darkestar is flung across and into the arena side barrier, crashing down almost on the flame pit as the pyrotechnics flare up, as Alex drives across the burning grid with Ripper following, the flipper coming down to sit in its normal position. Darkestar turns around to face Ripper, the blade getting up to speed again after slowing down during its airtime, and comes in on the approaching opponent, aiming to clatter Ripper with the weapon and try to do damage...up in the control box, Shane says something to Jonno, and Ripper pauses before powering on one side to get corner on to Darkestar, the scoop not getting underneath the main weapons module of Darkestar but managing to turn the approach away slightly and avoid being hit, but Darkestar is now on the drive, pushing Ripper acorss the arena. Ripper breaks Darkestars hold on it and wrenches its front scoop out of the gap between Darkestars weapon frame and track, and comes back in on Darkestars broadside, not getting in underneath, but the button is pressed by Shane nonetheless!
FLIP! The flipper catches on the side bars and flicks Darkestar up in the air, tumbling over onto its back with the weapon module bouncing slightly as it hits the floor again, as Alex slams down on the sticks to reverse Darkestar out of trouble...almost into the patrol zone, but as MAtilda charges with tusks lowered Darkestar comes out of the edge, driving up towards a flipper lowering Ripper, which backs off slightly before coming in again, hoping for a third flip. Now more confident, the two machines charge headlong at each other, not having yet found out whether the prongs on Darkestar or the scoop of Ripper is the lower, and the two machines meet...and its the former, Rippers scoop riding up on the prongs and into the path of the triangular flywheel!
CRASH! The flywheel catches on the scoop and sends the flipper flying up without the aid of the ram, knocking Ripper backwards as it does so, sparks from steel on steel littering the arena floor as Ripper turns to get away for another offensive...the faster accelerating Darkestar gets in again though, the flywheel still rotating as it catches on the side!
CRASH! Fewer sparks are raised than before, but the kinetic energy is still there as the top armour is caught by the weapon point and bent upwards slightly fron the force, the paint on the side badly scratched as Ripper is flicked into the air, teetering for a moment before slowly crashing down onto its back. Shane looks unconcerned up in the drivers box though, pressing the button and Ripper jumps up in the air as the flipper extends, landing it back on its wheels as Jonno controls his machine away amidst a trail of expelled CO2, driving down towards the flame pit to avoid the charge of Darkestar, which turns, the blade beginning to spin up once more. Alex applies the throttle once more, driving his machine up towards Ripper, which shifts forwards a bit before coming out to do likewise, and the two machines accelerate towards each other...a crash would be imminent but Ripper suddenly brakes and turns, getting the scoop in at the side of Darkestars front prongs again and piling on the amps, Darkestar powering back, as the two machines push with the balde of Darkestar mere inches from the Hardox body of Ripper, but no contact between them, as its 36v Bosch to 36v Bosch, tracks to go kart wheels, pushing and pushing...and the tracks are winning, scraping the paint from the arena floor as the side tracks edge Ripper backwards, up towards the top of the arena...slowly at first, but then faster, almost as if Ripper had stopped resisting the onslaught of its opponent...
FLIP! And thats why! The Hardox flipper yawns open again as it flicks Darkestar over again, catching on the tracks and sending Alexs machine back into its correct orientation, as Ripper comes back in on the broadside on Darkestar, the flipper lowering and jamming on the polycarbonate side armour of its opponent, and attempts a push once more...the tracked machine turns though, the whirring disc coming ever closer to Rippers armour, and Ripper backs away, before Jonno goes in again, aiming for the tracks to toss Darkestar up and over again...Darkestar seems to have anticipated this though, turning just before impact, and the two machines meet diagonally...
CRASH! The flipper of Ripper shoots up again as the button is pressed, but a second too early and the exposed front of the machine is caught by the flywheel of Darkestar, at full speed flicking Ripper, in something of a role reversal, up and over onto its back! Darkestar comes in to further its dominance here, driving into the back of the inverted Ripper and beginning the push, as the two machines move across to the left hand side of the arena. Rippers flipper fires just as it gets wedged in against the arena wall, popping the yellow and green machine to rise in the air, nose up, like some sort of mechanical dolphin as Darkestars spikes and the inactive weapon reverse away from the scene, and Ripper teeters in its vertical pose for a second before the flipper begins to retract and Ripper bounces down...on its back again...
Shane leans up, looking a bit worried, as Jonno whispers something to him and Rippers flipper fires again...the robot rises off the arena floor as before, but bouncing back down, the vast front weapon seems to lack the pressure to self right Ripper, Darkestar and Alex waiting with baited breath as Ripper attempts again to self right, but the powers not there, combined with the orientation of the robot the bungees are pulling the robot back down as opposed to pulling the flipper up. Alex almost hesitantly spins the weapon up once more, rotating his machine as he wonders if he should allow himself a victory dance, but the spin of Darkestar quickens as the arena lights flash, a potlight flickering on Ripper as the house robots attention is drawn by the stricken Ripper, still flicking itself up in the air but with decreasing power each time, as Dead Metal is first on the scene, Jonno shaking his head up in the control booth as the pincers close around the side of his machine, the saw coming down and creating a stream of sparks from the Hardox armour, until the ram fires once again to jolt the house robot away, but Sir Killalot looms above the beached machine now...towering over Ripper as it brings the right arm down.
Killalot shifts a bit, bringing the claw in on the flipper arm, and closes...slicing with little effort into through the three and a quarter millimetre wearplate steel on the arm, before hoisting 100kgs of Ripper into the air by the arm, turning with his trophy towards the pit, Ripper dangling from the end of the house robots mighty claw for all to see...but the flipper ram fires again, not connecting with the arm but giving the robot enough of a shock to cause it to fall off the arm, bouncing down to the ground on its wheels! And it may be beaten, but Ripper seems to have some unfinished business left...Jonno immediately turns towards Shunt, which comes in to try and regain control of the situation, and jams the scoop in underneath the approaching house robot, which rides up on the front slope of Ripper, the axe jabbing at thin air...Shane shouts something across the platform to Alex, who seems to get it, turning and driving Darkestar, somewhat tired, up towards the scene, beating Matilda to it, getting the front prongs in on the beached Shunt, and pushing, with Ripper straining in the other direction...the flipper fires, jolting the house robot, and it tumbles off the wedge and onto its side, rolling over onto its top as the fibreglass armour begins to detach from the body! Killalot seems irritated by all of this, driving in on the scene and scratching the top armour of Ripper with the lance, but Ripper backs up, and Darkestar is at hand to jam the front spikes in underneath the tracks of the house robot, hindering its mobility, and Ripper dodges Matilda to come in with the scoop...Killalot tries to push back against the two machines, but although its invincible to one...it seems that two, working together, might just be too much for the house robot, and the tracks slip and slide on the arena floor as Killalot is edged backwards, backwards, slowly, surely...the pit is looming, and one track of the house machine drops in, as a burst of flame illuminates the arena from the Sargeant behind Ripper, before the final push sends the 300 kilo house machine toppling over the edge, hitting the tyres as a great cheer emerges from both roboteers and crowd!
Jonno raises an arm in the air in triumph over the house robot, Alex holding his transmitter up across the wall as a broad grin forms on his face, but Dead Metal is in position behind Ripper, clamping onto the rear of the machine once more, and Shane wipes his brow as the real roboteers realise their fun may be over. The flipper of Ripper lifts up in the air once more, but the tired batteries cannot provide enough power to hold off the thrust of the house robot, as Ripper is gently forced over the edge, fitting almost perfectly in the gap created between Killalots exposed base and the edge of the arena, and the grip is finally released to leave Ripper enveloped by the smokescreen that billows from the pit, defeated, battered, and yet up in the control pod the team are smiling, Shane clapping his opponent as Jonno sets his controls down, Alex meanwhile leaning back and taking a moment to absorb some of what has happened...his machine, Darkestar, standing next to the flipped Shunt battered, tired and the weapon barely spinning, but victorious nonetheless - the first winner of the Chevron Championship!
CEASE
Joey: What a battle that was - bashing and flipping from both robots, but Ripper was stuck and couldnt self right, ended up in the pit but that didnt stop them both attacking the house robots once the main result was decided! *gesturing* Come up for a few words guys.
*both cherry pickers rise to the top, and the roboteers join Joey on the platform via some stairs. Much handshaking occurs between everyone*
Joey: Well...Shane, Jonno...it was going to be easy, you were going to flip them until they broke...
Jonno: Yeah, that was the plan, just...it even worked the first few minutes of the fight!
Joey: It did, but then, over there, something went wrong?
Shane: It did...the first time we tried to self right, the wall was jamming the flipper, so most of the power went on breaking it free, and then I just dont think we had the pressure left to properly get back over.
Joey: Shame really, was even until then.
Jonno: Yep. Ah well.
Joey: After you were immobilised though, and the house robots came in, you had a little bit of a go at them, it seems...
Shane: Just a bit, yep *laughs*
Jonno: Indeed, we got picked up in the air, and I thought we were going to go on the flame pit, so I said that to Shane, operated the flipper and we came down, and I couldnt really ignore the house robots...could I?
Shane: Got Alex in on the act as well, they were coming for us so we followed suit, and we made a complete mess of your house robots, flipped all over the place!
Joey: It doesnt matter, theyre not my house robots! *laughs* Will you be back next time to defend second place?
Jonno: Oh yeah, well be back and were gonna win!
Joey: Thanks, Ill look forward to it, youve been great competitors...give it up guys, runners up, RIPPER!
Shane: Thank you very much.
*much cheering from the crowd*
Joey: Well, well, well...
Alex: Three holes in the ground.
Joey: Oi you! *laughs* Youve won the Chevron Championship, well done!
*cheering*
Alex: Indeed I have, it was tough but I came through.
Joey: Yeah, it looked it, Ripper seemed on top at the start but you managed to overcome it eventually...some good driving there.
Alex: Bit of good driving, bit more of luck really...I was hoping I could get them to self right onto the barrier, but that didnt work, turned out not to be necessary. Was a good fight though, bit tiring but I enjoyed it.
Joey: It was...and you joined in the war on the house robots later on as well, bit of belligerance there?
Alex: Belligerant? Moi? *laughs* No, I thought Ripper might get seriously battered if they attacked too much, and Shane shouted across for some help so it was the least I could do, got to take the big bad out as well.
Joey: That was actually really satisfying to watch. Its been brilliant having you here, youre a worthy winner...have you enjoyed your time here with Darkestar and the other machines?
Alex: Definitely. You can bet Ill be defending the title next year.
Joey: Thats good to hear...please ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for Alex Holt and DARKESTAR!
*more cheering; a trophy is brought out and Alex raises his arms in the air, transmitter in one hand and the trophy in the other, as everyone else applauds*
Joey: Well, its been a long journey, often high, often low, and most often extremely delayed :proud:, but ultimately enjoyable. I hope youve all enjoyed reading it, and it shall return in the next few weeks for another series. More robots, more teams, more heats, more delays, should be fun.
Id like to thank everyone whos read, entered, commented and particularly voted for it in this years awards, it means a lot to me and Im glad its brought some pleasure to you all. So until next year, congrats to Alex, congratulations and commiserations to Shane and Jonno and well done to everyone else, and remember the obligatory:
We dont like losing
We dont like draws
Weve found a winner, on Robot Wars!
Goodnight, and Merry Christmas one and all. Thankyou. :)