UK Kilobots - 1.362kg (3 lbs) Combat Robots

Agree with Geoff on the standardised weight.. But the best defence is a good offence.. If you carnt beat a spinner build one thats better :)

Tom- its your arena.. you have the say. I think i know what your opinion will be.

...Mmm brushless.

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How many of you want to build a new machine for each event!!

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Lol nothing new for me there Geoff! Can't think of an event that hasn't required a rebuild of a machine or construction of a new one :P

The major problem I have with people building oober bricks is that it takes far less time and cash to build an oober brick than it does an oober spinner. Nothing quick as frustrating as having to rebuild a spinner after it came up against a box that I could have built in a weekend with spare parts kicking around.

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How many of you want to build a new machine for each event!!

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I would also say, at this level of competition, I'd quite happily build a new robot per event, as I was well known for doing with antweights. In fact, I'd build 4 new ones for each event (at least!). Only ever had 1 ant that lasted for more than one event.

Yes, I agree that a spinner vs uber-brick fight can be exciting to watch. Some of my favorite robots in other weight catagories have lacked weapons and I'll be one of the first to stick up for a robot that doesn't have one, which I know some people don't like. But I do think enforcing an active weapon rule would allow this class to go in a different direction from the bigger ones, which I think could be it's main attraction. Also, its so much simpler to engineer one at this size of robot; a standard servo can act as a lifting or clamping arm with barely any modification.

Plus it would be good to see how people combat the spinners on the offensive instead of opting for the easier defensive route.

However, I think final say is with Tom and Kenny, as the instigators of this new class.

There's an arguement for moving the 1kg weight limit to be more in line with Beetleweights, but the American's have a 1kg class as well don't they? Plenty on the builders database.

http://www.buildersdb.com/search_robots ... e=&Weapon=

Those kilobots are mainly from Canada, as I discovered last night when I saw a link to this:

http://www.kilobots.com/

I've not gone through every picture in your link Dave but for the majority of which I have, they all seem to state Canada as their location. So that means if any of us want to go across the pond, aim a bit further north and head to Canada instead :lol:
And there's alwasy the chance of coming up against some familiar opposition *cough* build a kilobot Kody *cough*

So, all in favour of bringing this weight limit in line with the Canadians.....oh, wait :P

I think there Canadian.
Me and Kenny have been talking about it, We have decided increasing the weight could be a good idea, If it will get more people interested in building them its worth the change. Im pretty sure it wont put anyone off building one by increasing the weight, So if we gain a few people interested in building them its a good change right?
What are all your opinions? Will anyone not build one if the weights brought inline with the US? and will anyone else build one because of the change that wouldnt have built one before?

Being honest, 1kg is a nice number. Obviously it's purely due to metric/imperial differences that we get things like 1.362kg when converting from US weights. But I will build one regardless of whether it's 1kg or 1.362kg.

The draw of building one for me isn't the weight limit, it's more to do with the (hopefully) active weapon requirement and the varied terrain. I'm putting my 6WD with lifter idea on the backburner for now though, just going to try a basic one using surplus servos for a first attempt, maybe with a grab/lift arm on it.

I'd be happy to build one either way with regards to the weight limit question. Mine will probs end up grossly underweight anyway, as seems to be my tradition :-P

in terms of weight, 1kg does seem like a nice weight to build to

but for the sake of building to 1.36kg so we can match up with the other weight class- doesnt really seem much of a problem, might aswell go with it

Well I'm gonna be the git amongst the pigeons, I want 1kg! :)