The Phoenix Cup

Yep, guess whos risen from the ashes. :wink:

First off, Id like to apologise most sincerely for my last few tournaments, which either never got finished or never got started. This was mostly due to lack of time and effort on my part to see them through. Now, however, I have around four months of summer holiday to waste and Im eager to get a lot of writing done. That is why Im taking another crack at tournament-writing with this very small contest. If it goes well, I might try a slightly larger one, Im not sure. At least this way if I never write another tourny, Ill have ended my career with a project I actually completed. :proud:

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

- The weight limits for vapourbots are:
100kg for wheeled/tracked robots (eg Tornado/Mortis)
110kg for shufflers (eg Son of Whyachi)
120kg for unclassable methods of motion (eg...I dont know...a hovercraft or something)
150kg for €˜true€™ walkers (eg Mechadon)

- No flying robots are permitted.
- Clusterbots are permitted, with no limit to the number of parts (but lets keep things realistic here). 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.
- If you have a town or country youd like to represent, please put that down too.
- Basic tech rules apply for everything else.

Id like to get this kicked off ASAP, so first come, first served. If you have stats, youre in.

2. TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
The tournament will be standard knockout elimination.

- ROUND 1 (ELIMINATORS) = 4 X head-to-head fights, 4 go through
- ROUND 2 (SEMI-FINALS) = 2 X head-to-head fights, 2 go through
- PLAY-OFF = 1 X head-to-head fight to determine 3rd place
- ROUND 3 (FINAL) = 1 X head-to-head fight with the two surviving robots, winner becomes champion

3. THE ARENA
The arena is the Team Braveheart Wrexagon, a 20m x 20m square with a slightly triangular top and bottom, making it resemble a squashed hexagon. A pair of horizontal Pussycat-style sawblades stick out of the east and west walls, while each of the six corners contain a horrible hazard. These hazards include:

- 2 x Corner Patrol Zones, each containing a House Robot (top right and bottom left)
- The arena pit, affectionately dubbed The Void (bottom right). This operates just like the RW pit, except that within the walls of the hole lie several concealed vaccuums. This means that anything trundling by the edge of the Void is getting sucked right in! Works best against bots with weak traction. Impossible, yes, but fun.
- The Void Activation Button (top left)
- A flame grill (top centre)
- A hefty psychadelic spinning drum littered with curved teeth, also known as Killeidascope Corner (bottom centre)

Flipping robots out of the arena is perfectly possible in this arena; so flippers, go nuts. Any robots propped on or trapped by the walls will be deemed immobile. The walls and floor are all conveniently constructed from Hardox, so the imaginary builders wont have to keep fixing them between fights.

Follow the link for a proper peek at the battlefield: http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4903/arena2007gr2.pnghttp://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4...ena2007gr2.png

4. JUDGING
Should both robots 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.

Of course, this is all asuming I can be bothered writing a fight which lasts that long. :lame:

5. HOUSE ROBOTS
Ever the showman, Ive decided to let Team Coldheart join in the fun. Robot roll call!

- SURLYGIG - And you all thought Whirligig was horrible enough. A full-body spinner with a domed head, six shuffing feet and a dozen odd terrible teeth.
- MICHAEL PLIERS - Everyones favourite slasher flick lunatic. A steep wedge with sloping sides and a pneumatic hatchet.
- FAWKES - A fearsome phoenix with a crushing beak and hydraulic crushing wings. The newest addition to the flock.
- THE TAXMAN - Nothing says fear incarnate like the Inland Revenue. A demonic bowler hat with front lifting forks and a vertical spinning disc.
- SCARLEK - Our representative from the Planet Skaro. A typical Dalek with a front scoop and a blowtorch concealed in its Exterminator arm.
- DULCY - Fresh from the 15th Century, Dulcy is armed with flamethrower breath, ramming spikes and a rear axe tail. The neck articulates ala Warheads tail for maximum awesomeness.
- MR HYDE - The scourge of Victorian London. A low dome with pneumatic grappling arms and a powerful axe.
- SCREAM - A sleek wedge with a powerful rear-hinged flipper and a rear vertical flywheel. A piercing scream emits from the flipper whenever it fires.
- THE GRIM BEEPER - Who could make a better referee than the keeper of the robot underworld himself? The Beeper is equiped with a front plough to help trapped souls and and a fire extinguisher in his right hand to cool the flames of damnation. Just pray he doesnt touch you with his sythe - because that means youre already dead.

You can see the whole of the rogues gallery in glorious Technicolour right here: http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9449/teamcoldheart2007py6.pnghttp://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9...art2007py6.png

----------

Um, and thats it. Good luck, yall. :)

Perfect timing, Steve. :proud:

http://strickenone.proboards99.com/i...d=15Wedginator

http://teamcode14.proboards24.com/in...=18&page=1#257

Apocalypse will represent Cardiff, Wales

http://strickenone.proboards99.com/index.cgi?board=teamww&action=display&thread=212http://strickenone.proboards99.com/i...isplay&thread= 212

Nice new forum colours Kody

(Message edited by Robot_Warrior on May 18, 2008)

oooooooh, I soooooooooo wanna enter Back to Rock III in this fancy new tournament

http://strickenone.proboards99.com/index.cgi?board=thvapours&action=display&thread=58http://strickenone.proboards99.com/i...n=display&thre ad=58

Very Tron, I thought :P

Ill put in QE2, if I may...

Stats: http://strickenone.proboards99.com/index.cgi?board=chevhw&action=display&thread=161&p age=1http://strickenone.proboards99.com/i...isplay&thread= 161&page=1 complete with Martis excellent CAD
Representing: Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, The Universe

Good to see you writing stuff again, Stevo. :)

YAY! Stevens back in action! And this time it may get started. Its a pity the last one went down the drain, but now I can test out +1>Knyfe in a proper manner:

http://strickenone.proboards99.com/index.cgi?board=tivapours&action=display&thread=18 6http://strickenone.proboards99.com/i...n=display&thre ad=186 (The set-ups chosen are literally 1-5)

Good luck everyone - this should be awesome!

Yay!!

MEGA MASHER 2

Weight: 100 kilos
Body Shape: Minion with skirts.
Speed: 12mph
TC: 0
GC; 0 at front, 1mm at sides due to skirts, 10mm underneath.
Wheels; 4 inner.
Armour: A nice 3.25mm Hardox
Power: 3x 12v batteries, plus Bosch 750s at 36v.
Colour: Red and yellow.
Weapons; The front is a wedge, and the back has a nasty vertical disc, powered by its own LEM130 motor and spinning at 2000 rpm. It can probably flip as well as damage. A side Minion style bar, pneumatic CO2 powered, comes out from the side.
Srimech: The aforementioned bar rights the robot, even though it can run inverted.
Inspiration; This is probably the only robot I have where I have had no inspiration. It just came as a good name.
Strengths: Power, weaponary
Weaknessess: A little bulky, not as heavy as the body would suggest.

Thought the last spot had gone, but seems like Im just in time to claim it :proud:

Robot Name: Drumroll SR
Shape: Box wedge shape (with the wedge pointing to the rear) with killer drum attached to the front. Small wedge-forks are fitted at the front to guide opponent robots up to the drum.
Colour: Sides and wedge are a fabby metallic blue, while the drum itself is white with the teeth painted red
Speed: 14mph
Armour:4mm hardox sides underneath an 8mm layer of HDPE, 4mm hardox rear wedge (sloped at 45*), 6mm aluminium base (with lightening holes) and 12mm HDPE top panel
Drive: A pair of PMG 080 Perm motors running at 24V through custom-made 12:1 ratio gearboxes driving 200mm wheels.
Power: 2 x 36V 4500mAh Nicad packs connected in parallel. Dual rates on the transmitter ensure that the drive motors receive a maximum of 24V
Motivation: A pair of 200mm wheels custom-made from HDPE (like Tough as Nails) with go-kart tyre tread screwed on
Ground Clearance: 0mm at the front forks rising to 8mm at the back (Sides slope from 0mm-8mm)
Turning Circle: 0
Dimensions: 90cm x 80cm x 18cm
Weaponry: A front-facing spinning drum weighing in at 14kg with Hardox 650 bar-teeth bolted/welded on. It is powered by two LEM-130 motors running at 36V on a 1.5:1 ratio belt-drive to the drum and is capable of delivering 6 kJ of energy per hit
Srimech: None - can run both ways up
Notes: A scaled up version of my featherweight robot Drumroll

EDIT: Theres a picture of the featherweight Drumroll on my profile if you need an idea of what it looks like. Just imagine the motors sticking out of the top arent there, and thats its painted as per the colours in the stats and it should give you a good idea :)

(Message edited by K_C_R on May 18, 2008)

1 8-space tournument filled in nearly 50 minutes? That must be some kind of record! Im just lucky I was able to get in before it was too late.

Wow. That was quick. :proud:

FINAL ENTRIES:
1) Wedginator Devilution (Kody Kunz)
2) S.O.R. X (Andy Jackson)
3) Apocalypse (Liam Eliot)
4) Back to Rock III (Martijn Benschop)
5) Q.E. 2 (Joey McConnell)
6) Knyfe (Paul Cuomo)
7) Mega Masher 2 (Chris Mason)
8) Drumroll S.R. (Jamie McHarg)

A very big Thank you! to everyone who managed to get in and since youre all here, I guess I might as well give you the draw while Im at it.

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
Back to Rock III VS Knyfe
Mega Masher 2 VS S.O.R. X
Apocalypse VS Drumroll S.R.
Q.E. 2 VS Wedginator Devilution

Thoughts and tactics are most welcome as per and good luck to everybody! :)

Its ALWAYS the difficult one!

MEGA MASHERS TACTICS
Just charge at it, wedge first. Most likely well deflect, but if I get under him, go for a hazard tour...in preference, the Void.

Im not scared...sure, my underpants are soggy and smell a bit, but Im not scared.:uhoh:

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
Back to Rock III VS Knyfe

Back to Rock should be able to take him down no matter what the set-up, really.

Mega Masher 2 VS Son of Ripper X

Sorry Chris, but youre not getting very far. XD

Apocalypse VS Drumroll S.R.

Drumroll for a pitting, or maybe even an OOTA if hes extremely lucky...:proud:

Q.E. 2 VS Wedginator Devilution

Great. You put me in a fight with the one of the only flipper/axe vapourbots on this forum. :lame:

Rambling aside, I have a decent power advantage (about 6HP) so I should outpush him, and also the barbs will help in getting under that front, and anywhere else. Also I have skirts compared to his skirtless sides and rear.

Main tactics are to just scoop him up, from which the barbs will keep him nice and beached on the wedge, open the hole, and dump him in with the flipper. Avoid everything else.

Looks to be quite fantastic, Steve. :)

Back To Rock III vs. Knyfe:
Could depend on Knyfes setup, but Id guess BTR.

Mega Masher 2 vs. Infusio...SOR X:
SOR X to win rather easily here.

Apocalypse vs. Drumroll SR:
Would depend who got under the other first...Drumroll possibly.

QE2 vs. Wedginator Devilution
We meet again, Mister Kody...
Avoid the front. I should be able to get around the sides; tilted wheels or not, 4WD beats 6WD. :P Once Im in around the sides, lift, clamp with the axe, and take it to whichever hazard I fancy, or possibly the Void.
Failing that, flip over and axe the underside to hell :proud: If he tries to get me on his flipper and hold me there, I shall squirm like squirming is going out of fashion, which combined with random weapon firing might jiggle me free.

Good luck Kody :proud:

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS

Back to Rock III VS Knyfe: This was the match I thought I would get. And its the one I wouldve preferred, as I reckon that I can get under his scoop: His scoop has 2 extenders on both sides of the scoop, making it low. The only issue is that his extensions are quick thick, and make it tricky to get right under an opponent. However, Ill use the classic saying of imitation is the classic form of flattery and pick the forklift truck style wedges, with are very good at getting under things to get under that scoop, as I have 32hp MORE than him, and I also have the better torque and control. My plan is to attack his sides and slide the forks under no issue, then RAM HIM INTO A HOUSE ROBOT! He has 7mm Titanium, which is quite thin in vapourboteering, and so the house robots should damage him quite well.

Given this robots reputation however, Ill leave the pit CLOSED unless things get disperate. The best thing about this set-up is becuase its the lowest set-up for this opponent. I can bust the skirts easily, and if flipped, I can use the wedges as battering spikes, becuase the reach of them is so long, and I use them as barge-poles to keep some distance between us if I get flipped. Overall, Im quite confident, but Im not risking it - get under and shove him into the house robots and let him die. Open the pit if it gets desperate.

Good luck Martijn :wink:

Mega Masher 2 VS S.O.R. X: Ill predict that SOR X will prevail in this battle.

Apocalypse VS Drumroll S.R.: OMG! Who to chose...basically, I believe Jamie is up against it - 6kj wont do too much and 1500kg of force is nothing to argue with, therefore - Apocalypse FTW!

Q.E. 2 VS Wedginator Devilution: Kody has the more experienced machine, but Q.E.2 could shock us. Ill go for Kody though to flip Q.E.2 OOTA!

This looks good. I cant wait! :proud:

Predictions from your local idiot:

Back to Rock III vs Knyfe: I think Paul can basically withstand whatever Martijn throws at it. Knyfe through.

Mega Masher 2 vs S.O.R X: AJ has more of a chance with an experianced machine, and Chris just wont get a chance to get the disc into play. AJ through.

Apocalypse vs Drumroll S.R: Liam to overall trash Jamie!!:proud:

QE2 vs Wedginator Devilution: Joeys machine was able to clamp Knyfe in my tourney, until a mechanical failure stopped it. Joey to clamp Kodys machine, but Wedginator to escape at the last moment. Kody through.

Nice to know that at least someone is supporting me to make through Round One.

Oh, and Steve, so you dont get confused about the weapon, heres what Wedginator Devilutions flipper looks like:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk11/ZlayerzInc/WedginatorDevilutionFlip.pnghttp://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...lutionFlip.png

And so I come up against my Dual Duels partner - hello Liam :)

Drumroll SR has yet to be tested in the vapourbot world - its heat in the Dual Duels has not yet taken place, therefore I have no previous battles to learn from/get an idea of how it performs.

6kJ isnt a lot of energy compared to what else is out there, but its enough to tip (and has the potential to flip) opponents up if caught correctly and certainly enough to rattle loose any poorly-mounted internal components

Being invertible takes the edge off being flipped by Apocalypse although I aim to stay away from the sidewalls to avoid being OOTAd. My drum can also be run in reverse for those inverted moments, minimising the risk of causing damage to myself by spinning the wrong way.

So really, my tactics are to test out Apocalypse and see how well it stands up to attacks, and also to judge how effective my weapon is. If after a minute Im still in the game and not causing much damage, itll be down with the pit, and aiming to push Apocalypse into The Void to be lost forever :proud:

lift and pit matey :proud:

Ah Jamie, I meet my DD partner.
Good to fight you Jamie:)

Tactics and Predictions:

Back to Rock III v Knyfe

Sorry Paul, Martijn through via OOTA or pitting.

Mega Masher 2 v SOR X

SOR X FTW

Apocalypse v Drumroll Sr

6Kj wont do anything, but it is invertible. I plan to box rush, ram it to the side and then throw it out, or get it into the void.

Q.E.2 v Wedginator Devilution

ooooooooooooooh... If Joey can clamp Kody he could win, but Ill go for Wedginator here.

Good luck all:)

I believe the appropriate phrase is Let the wars begin!

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
BATTLE 1
BACK TO ROCK III Vs KNYFE

FROM ENSCHEDE, IN THE NETHERLANDS, BACK TO ROCK III!
(Represented by Martijn Benschop)
We built this city on rock n roll...and now Martijns going to level it! A compact box with a scooped front, Back to Rock III is a tough nut to crack. The main weapon is a large electric lifting arm with an interesting pinion and rack mechanism. This runs through a gearbox which allows the arm to switch between two speeds - controlled lifting and snap self-righting. The lifter also houses a nasty 4000rpm diamond-edged sawblade, ideal for nibbling a trapped opponents underbelly. Hmm, wonder where Marti got that idea? In any case, its six wheels give it great traction and its 7mm titanium shell will take a fair bit of punishment. That said, top speeds of 18mph could make it difficult to control and although the sides are skirted, theres no protection at the rear. Will Back to Rock rock our world or be sent back to the drawing board?

FROM ORPINGTON, KNYFE!
(Represented by Paul Cuomo)
Meet the machine thats made the Swiss Army green with envy! Knyfe is very similar to Tornado in both shape and concept - an invertible skirted box with interchangeable weaponry - and Ill bet Pauls hoping his machine will be just as successful. Among its toys are a concave Hardox scoop for spinners, a pair of hinged spikes, long forklift truck-style wedges, a titanium scoop for rammers and a thick hinged wedge for blades. Not very dangerous, but not to be sniffed at either. Like Back to Rock, Knyfe is well-armoured, with a 6mm Hardox monocoque shell all over and 4mm Ti on the bottom. Like Back to Rock, it has six-wheel drive and tremendous pushing power. Like Back to Rock, however, it may face control problems with speeds of 20mph and those wheels are dangerously exposed to axes and crushers. Lets all hope that Knyfe can cut it or itll be the one getting cut!

House Robots - Scream & The Taxman

For this fight, Knyfe will be using its long forklift truck-style wedges. Good for getting under enemies, but not much use when flipped.

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

Let the race for the Phoenix Cup begin!
Both competitors seem eager to get started, meeting head-on in the middle of the ring. Back to Rock III tries to back off for another attack, but one of Knyfes wedges has managed to slip between its prongs! Using its tremendous traction, Knyfe races across the arena and smacks Back to Rock into the opposite wall! Martijn winces as his machine hits the Hardox wall and tries to drive away, but Paul isnt giving him any breathing space. Knyfe is butting the big blue box-wedge like a mountain goat! Back to Rock is standing up to the punishment, though, so Paul decides to take a different approach. Ramming hard, Knyfe charges under Back to Rocks skirts and shoves the Dutch machine down the arena - straight towards the Taxmans CPZ! Knyfe reaches the corner in the blink of an eye and feeds its prey into the House Robots flywheel! Sparks fly as Back to Rock bounces off Knyfes wedges, a nasty scar now on its right side! Martijn isnt worried, though. The damage doesnt look too bad and hes back on his wheels again. Stepping into high gear, Back to Rock shoots up the arena with Knyfe in hot pursuit. Now, its Pauls turn to wince as Martis machine slams into the Void Activation Button. The siren echoes across the warzone as it backs away, but Knyfe has caught up and it looks rather annoyed. The rammer powers into Back to Rocks rear and slams it into the Button a second time! Knyfe reverses for another charge, but not quickly enough. Back to Rock shoots out of the corner and back into the centre of the ring, Knyfe hot on its heels. The duo begin circling each other, trying to find an opening. This time, Martijn strikes lucky as Back to Rocks prongs slip under Knyfes skirts. The lifting arm begins to rise and the circular saw starts buzzing as Knyfe gets pushed down towards the Void. Paul is frantically fiddling with his controls, trying to get his machine free, but the six wheels have nothing to grip! Fortunately for him, Back to Rock pushes a little too hard and Knyfe tips over onto its back, a few feet away from the Voids corner. Knyfe darts to the safety of the arena centre, Back to Rock right behind it! Now, Pauls in trouble. Knyfe is still mobile, but the skirt has been nibbled and now that its upside-down, its wedges are useless. Well, useless at getting under things anyway. As the duo begin to dance again, Knyfe finds Back to Rocks side and starts pushing against it with those long wedges! Martijn is ready for this, however, and charges under the inverted forks! Now, its Knyfes turn to meet the House Robots as Back to Rock drives right under its opponent and pushes it into Screams CPZ! A piercing shriek fills the air as the horrifying House Bot throws Knyfe several feet into the air! To Pauls dismay, his machine lands upside-down again, just outside the Corner Patrol Zone. As Back to Rock comes in for another charge, Knyfe darts away and tries to get round to its side again! Martijn proves just that little bit too slow as Knyfe, pushing rear-first, smacks its rival into the nearest wall! Paul goes in for a second attack, but Back to Rock deftly dodges and Knyfe hits the barrier instead! For a moment, the two manouevre awkwardly at the side of the arena, each trying to get under the other. At last, Back to Rock catches one of Knyfes side-skirts and charges, the saw putting another slice in the titanium! Pauls machine tries to wiggle away, but Martijn has started the lifting arm again! Shuffing right underneath Knyfe, Back to Rock aims for the wall and slams into it as hard as it can! Still upside-down, Knyfe slides back onto the floor, Paul relieved that it didnt get stuck. The rammer tries to get away for some space, but Back to Rock is right back in there, sliding under the inverted wedges. Raising the lifting arm, Martis machine zips down the arena - and straight towards the Void! Horrified, Paul tries to get Knyfe to fight back, but the wheels have nothing to grip but air! As he fiddles furiously with his controller, Back to Rock reaches the corners edge and dumps Pauls poor rammer into the purple and yellow abyss!

CEASE!

Knyfe took a brave stab at the title, but in the end, it just wasnt cut out for it. :proud:
BACK TO ROCK III GOES THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

Later on, Mega Masher 2 VS S.O.R. X!

Wow, my first fight in I dont know how long. It feels odd doing contests again, though not entirely unpleasant.

Well...whadda we think? :wink:

Three words.

That. Was. FAN-TAS-TIC!!! :proud::proud::proud:

PTT worthy, my friend. You havent lost it at all! :)

Extremely good, looking forward to the others. :)

You havent lost it in the SLIGHTEST! I have lost it, but losing a well-written, exciting, FAST-PACED, adrenaline-rushing battle with rams and hits and plenty of cuts is a pleasure! Tell me if Ive overdone it. :mrgreen:

Welcome back to the writing desk Steven. And well done thinking of a slogan for Knyfe:
Meet the machine thats made the Swiss Army green with envy was a brilliant idea :proud:

Brilliant fight!!:)

Im looking forward to mine even more now

haha, Paul is sooo right, Steve is a profesional slogan-maker

We built this city on rock n roll...and now Martijns going to level it!

Good fight Paul, and even more so Steve!

«Mega Masher 2 vs. SOR X»

Hopefully this can be a nice debut for SOR X. That 3.25mm Hardox will be tough to crack, but Im confident a few attacks with the spinning rim will cause a bit of damage. On the other hand, Im even more confident that Mega Masher wont be able to get many successful attacks in on me with the disc. Usual tactics really, just flip, damage and push.

Great to see the master back at work! :proud:

That was quite some battle - awesomelicious :proud:

Look forward to reading this whole tourney now. And forgot to add in my stats that Ill be representing my term-time home of Glasgow, Scotland

Too kind, lads, too kind! Cheers all the same, though. :proud:

Since the first fight went down so well, hows about another?

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
BATTLE 2
MEGA MASHER 2 Vs S.O.R. X

FROM ONEHOUSE, IN SUFFOLK, MEGA MASHER 2!
(Represented by Christopher Mason)
The name may not be very subtle, but nothing about this raving rammer is! A boxy 4WD wedge modelled heavily on Minion, Mega Masher 2s main weapon is a vertical spinning disc on the back. Its powered by an LEM-130 motor and able to reach speeds of 2000rpm. Not what Id call huggable. The other key weapon its sheer brute force. Thanks to its 3 x 12v batteries and Bosch 750s running at 36v, Mega Masher can bulldoze its enemies aside with relative ease and speeds of 12mph. Along with a tough 3.25mm Hardox shell, the machine is almost entirely flipper-proof. Not only is it protected by side-skirts, but it can run upside-down and can self-right with a CO2 arm on the top! Carefulness or greediness? Either way, Im not going to ask it. That said, Mega Masher is a rather cumbersome fellow and will be forced to drive around backwards if it wants to cause any real damage. Lets hope Chris is a good pilot or Mega Masher will end up as mashed potatoes!

FROM BOURNE, IN LINCOLNSHIRE., S.O.R. X!
(Represented by Andrew Jackson)
Son of Ripper is back, and this time its taking things to the Xtreme. The latest in the Ripper dynasty, this machine appears to be heavily based on Warrior SFK and Infusion. The front end is a simple wedge, but the rear is home to a 2500rpm horizontal spinning drum. It has three nasty Hardox teeth and is powered by an S28-400 Magmotor at 24v for maximum pain. As well as being incredibly painful, the spinner also can also transfer its power into a kinetic flipper on the front and easily send other robots S.O.R.ing. This also ensures that the flipper can never run out of power. With up to 6mm Hardox protecting the 12cm-high wedge and 8mm Hardox on the spinner, S.O.R. X might as well be indestructable and, like its opponent, can also run inverted. The front wedge is useless upside-down, however, and though its two wheels have about 9hp of push, it could easily be outshoved by the many rammers around today. Will S.O.R. Xcel or will it give an Xcrutiating performance?

House Robots - Michael Pliers & Scarlek

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

Although S.O.R. X is the quicker of the two here, Mega Masher 2 is off like a rocket, no doubt thanks to its excellent acceleration from those lovely motors. As Andy gets his spinner up to speed, Mega Masher comes barging into S.O.R.s side and decides to take it on a tour of the hazards - starting with the Flame Grill! With an awful clatter, S.O.R. finds itself pinned between Mega Masher and the top wall, flames licking its Hardox underbelly! Mega Masher backs off for another attack, giving AJ just enough time to drive out of the corner and back to the centre of the ring. By now, S.O.R.s spinner is up to speed and humming unpleasantly. Noticing Mega Masher is on his tail, AJ sends S.O.R. into reverse and backs into the Minion lookalikes front! The duo are sent spinning away on impact, with Mega Mashers paintwork sporting a few nasty scratches! That isnt enough for AJ, however, as S.O.R. charges right back in for a side-assault before Chris can get away! The sparks fly as Mega Masher is knocked aside! Chris is really starting to worry now as S.O.R. comes in for a third attack. This time, however, he is just able to dodge it and guides Mega Masher away for some breathing space. S.O.R. follows in hot pursuit. Now its Chris turn to play sneaky as Mega Masher slams into reverse, its own flywheel also up to speed. The Minionesque machine tries to get a blow in round the sides, but the lower and nippier S.O.R. simply slips under the disc, Mega Masher barely chipping the paint! Chris tries to race off but too late - AJ fires his flipper and sends the rammer somersaulting several feet in the air! Landing with a clatter nearby, Mega Masher tries to get away, but its Warrior-like opponent isnt done playing yet! Quickly catching up to Chris creation, S.O.R. twirls around and smacks its spinner into Mega Mashers side again! Yet more sparks fly as the Hardox shell takes a few more scratches! Even worse, one of the skirts appears to have broken, bent outwards like a hitchhikers arm! Chris isnt going down without a fight, though. As S.O.R. strikes it a fourth time, Mega Masher suddenly powers forward and charges straight under its rivals side! Pouring on the power, Mega Masher rockets up the arena and slams S.O.R. into the Void Activation Button! The siren starts blasting across the battlefield as Chris gives his opponent a good hard shove. As he backs off for a third, however, AJ seizes his chance and sends S.O.R. zipping back to the middle of the arena! Getting rather tired of playing Follow the Leader, Chris sends Mega Masher after it again. AJ brakes hard, looking to get another blow in with the spinner, but this time, Chris is ready. Mega Masher swerves away from the drum and brings its own disc into play! The 2000rpm flywheel chips the top of S.O.R., but its still too high to do any real damage! Wary and weary, Chris tries to get under S.O.R.s sides again, when the Infusion imitation drives its front wedge back underneath the disc! AJ fires the flipper and sends Mega Masher skyward! Landing with a terrible din, Chris barely has time to catch his breath when S.O.R. zips in again, this time slipping under the broken skirt! Another flick sees Mega Masher tumbling across the arena towards the east wall! Knowing all too well what AJ is trying to do, Chris narrowly dodges another attack from S.O.R. and tries to get under its 7mm ground clearance! Unfortunately, Mega Masher ends up hitting the spinner in the confusion, knocking both robots into the wall! S.O.R. is the first to recover and charges at Mega Masher yet again! Chris valiently tries to fend his opponent off, but AJ has found the broken skirt again, now halfway torn off! The flipper is fired one last time and S.O.R. twirls with delight as Mega Masher soars over the barrier and onto the camera track below!

CEASE!

Mega Masher 2 lacks mega drive. Bangers n Masher, anyone? :proud:
S.O.R. X GOES THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

Later on: Apocalypse VS Drumroll S.R.!

Well, I wasnt expecting it to last that long. Hes a tough old cookie is Mega Masher.

What a fight! :proud: Three cheers for the return of fellow Scotsman to the writing board! :proud::proud::proud:

Honestly, that was a great fight, Stevo. :proud:

Apparantely, a clash involved feet, a ball and no killer robots has been getting a bit of attention tonight. For those back from the pub or who just dont care, heres Battle 3!

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
BATTLE 3
APOCALYPSE Vs DRUMROLL S.R.

FROM CARDIFF, IN WALES, APOCALYPSE!
(Represented by Liam Eliot)
Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine...because Im nowhere near Apocalypse! A roly-poly rounded wedge, this diabolical doomsday device is armed with a narrow rear-hinged flipping arm, similar in design to Bigger Brothers. Powered by a 3kg CO2 bottle and a 100mm ram running at 900psi, the arm generates around 1500kg of force. If you land on that flipper, it really will be the end of the world for you! Apocalypse is also about as tough as they come. Both shell and arm are made from 4mm Hardox and with its very compact frame, youll be lucky to even scratch the paintjob! The sides and rear are skirted to prevent any other flippers throwing it around and its six Vulkolan tyres give it plenty of traction on the arena floor. Despite this, however, top speeds of 20mph might make Apocalypse hard to control and the 4mm titanium armour on the underbelly might not stand up against a good spinner or axe. Ask not for whom the bell tolls. After all, thatd spoil the fight.

FROM GLASGOW, IN SCOTLAND, DRUMROLL S.R.!
(Represented by Jamie McHarg)
Drumroll, please! Introducing the most violent percussionist since Keith Moon - Drumroll S.R.! This is a boxy bot with a rear wedge and a wide 14kg spinning drum on the front, powered by two LEM-130s running at 36v. Fitted with wide Hardox teeth, its designed not just to rip, but to flip opponents and rattle electronics. The front also features a pair of static forks for ramming opponents and scooping them into the dreaded drum. Drumroll is a very low competitor at only 18cm high and like Apocalypse, it is compact and tough. A mixture of Hardox and HDPE armour makes it very well protected and can run inverted on its two customized wheels. With top speeds of 14mph, its not only manoueverable but nippy too. Unfortunately, the robots pushing power might not match up to these six-wheeled behemoths weve been seeing and with only 6kJ of energy per hit, the drum itself isnt the most powerful weve seen. Will Drumroll keep the beat or is it going to get beaten?

House Robots - Fawkes & Surlygig

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

The quicker of the two, Apocalyse makes the first move. As Drumroll heads to the side to get the drum revved up, its rival crashes into its side and scrapes under the 8mm ground clearance! Jamie tries to spin away, but Liam proves too quick and fires the flipper! Drumroll hops into the air before landing hard on its back! Now, Jamie is worried. Although invertible, Drumrolls forks and rear wedge are virtually useless upside-down. Liam, on the other hand, couldnt be happier and sends Apocalypse back in for another assault! This time, Drumroll nips away in time and begins scuttling around the middle of the ring like a beetle mowing the garden! Apocalypse stays close and attempts to attack again, but Drumrolls great manoueverability is making it very hard to catch. At last, Drumroll delivers a blow, hitting Apocalypses right side before flitting backwards to safety! Jamie is rather disappointed, as the damage appears superficial only. Then again, Hardox armour is tough stuff. Drumroll gets another quick blow on Apocalypse, this time on the back! Only scratches and scrapes again, but its damage nonetheless. Starting to get annoyed with his rivals buzzing about, Liam finally gets Apocalypse under Drumrolls front, stopping the drum dead in its tracks! Before it can trundle away, Drumroll finds itself being pushed towards the arena wall! Jamie cringes and tries to get off the flipper arm, but to no avail! The flipper fires...and Drumroll stays in the arena, right side up! Undeterred, Liam tries to get Apocalypse back underneath his opponent, but now Drumrolls fighting back! Zipping around the rounded wedge, Jamie gets another blow in on Apocalypses side, causing the bot to actually spin around! It may not be the most powerful spinner weve seen, but its still got some bite! As Apocalypse regains its senses, Drumroll manages to snag one of its skirts at the corner! Seizing the moment, Drumroll slips underneath Liams launcher and charges up the arena, ramming its opponent into the Void Activation Button! Apocalypse, of course, isnt going to take this lying down. With a burst of speed, the rounded wedge darts over to the Flame Grill, with Drumroll in hot pursuit. For a moment, the duo dance over the fire, fluttering around each other like mechanical moths. Drumroll soon breaks the stalemate, clipping Apocalypses side with its wide spinner. Still, however, no real damage has been caused. As Jamie tries to flit away for some more space to attack, Apocalypse catches its side and drives it back over the Flame Grill! Disorientated, Jamie attempts to escape, but now Liams got him pinned in! Squeaking underneath its opponent, Apocalypse fires the flipper! Drumroll is inverted again, but its still the right side of the wall! Before Jamie can so much as blink, Apocalypse charges back in, driving under the now upside-down front wedge. Liam actiavtes the arm...and Drumroll topples over the top of the wall and out of sight!

CEASE!

Drumroll S.R. faces the music and rolls out the contest! Beat it, will you, Jamie? :proud:
APOCALYPSE GOES THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

Later on: Q.E. 2 VS Wedginator Devilution!

Awesome battle as always, Mr. McGregor. :proud:

I actually like the robot intros more than the fights! :)

I might even use the Keith Moon line as my featherweight Drumrolls slogan (if Steve has no objections :proud:)

Awesome fight, even though I lost. I take Drumroll to the UK champs on Friday - heres hoping I do better then :)

Yay!

Well done to Jamie and another excellent battle from the master.:)

I await my battle with Wedginator with great interest...largely because I think itll be great, but also because I feel like beating Kody again. Or something like that.

Overconfident much :proud:

Not really, Im actually quite worried...does polycarb blunt axes that much? :proud:

Thank you, thank you! You really are too kind! :proud:

As for using my slogans and phrases, if you think others can survive the sheer punage, go right ahead. :wink:

Right now, though, its time to find the last of our Semi-Finalists!

THE PHOENIX CUP
ELIMINATORS
BATTLE 4
Q.E. 2 Vs WEDGINATOR DEVILUTION

FROM PONTEFRACT, IN YORKSHIRE, Q.E. 2!
(Represented by Joey McConnell)
Or, to give it its full name, Quaestor Evolution 2. A Quaestor is generally responsible with monitoring finances or supervising treasuries, but today, Q.E. 2 is hoping to take the money and run! This bot is a sleek 6WD box with a front plough, coloured in the white, black and red of the Queen Elizabeth II. Theres little majestic about its main weapon, though - a pneumatic steel axe with a 3kg Hardox head and tungsten carbide edge. At full pressure, it can puncture titanium and even put a dint in thin Hardox. Accompanying the axe is a large flipping blade on the front, capable of lifting up to 500kg. Oh and theres a jolly big spike at the back for good measure. With this weapons synergy, Q.E. 2 looks deadly efficient and top speeds of 15mph make it a nippy little thing. However, Joey worries whether the titanium, polycarbonate and aluminium shell will hold up against the more vicious vapourbots and the 10mm ground clearance will be irresistable for fellow flippers. Q.E.D., Q.E. 2.

FROM TORONTO, IN ONTARIO, WEDGINATOR DEVILUTION!
(Represented by Kody Kunz)
My friends, the Devil walks among us! Well, rolls among us at any rate. Now in its seventh incarnation, Wedginator Devilution is hoping to set the warzone alight with its latest tricks and powers. This time around, its a six-wheeled skirted wedge with sloped sides and a crocodilic paint job. The main weapon is a forward-hinged, three-armed flipper, powered by 2 x 2kg CO2 tanks at 900psi and an 80mm stroke ram. This not only gives Wedginator nearly 35 flips per fight, but means it can flip at least a ton with relative ease! Its three front prongs also mean it should get under even the lowest of opponents. Combine this with a 4mm Hardox shell, average speeds of 16mph and angled wheels for maximum manoueverability and Wedginator looks like the whole package. Unfortunately, a limited gas supply means that it cant flip forever and with tip-top speeds of 35mph, theres a chance those angled wheels could be a bit too manouverable. Is Devilution blessed or damned? Lets find out...

House Robots - Dulcy & Mr Hyde

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

Both robots collide in the middle of the ring and its Wedginator Devilution who proves the lower of the two! His front forks slipping under Q.E. 2s side, Kody begins shoving its opponent up the arena! Q.E. 2 tries to escape, but Wedginator powers further underneath and flips the axebot over just as they reach the Void Activation Button! Wedginator bumps the Button, sending the ever-familiar siren echoing over the audience, and turns to attack Q.E. 2 again. Unfortunately, Joey has already righted his machine with the great steel axe and now its his turn to go on the offensive. Q.E. 2 clips Wedginators side and scrapes its front spatula under a skirt corner as Kody tries to manouever out of the corner! Joey fires the flipper, causing Wedginator to jump off the floor and gives it a good whack with its hammer! Luckily for Kody, the Hardox shell has survived the impact. Wedginator flicks the axe away with its flipper and zips off Q.E. 2s spatula before it can get pinned down again! Q.E. 2 chases it to the arena centre, where the duo circle each other cautiously. Wedginators great manoueverability gives it the upper hand as it surges back under Q.E. 2s side! Kody fires the flipper and shoves its opponent over onto its back! Wasting no time, the Canadian wedge tries to push the inverted axebot down the arena towards the Void! Joey, however, spoils Kodys fun by activing his axe and rerighting Q.E. 2! Wedginator tries to get back underneath its rival, but Q.E. 2 darts away for a better run-up! Unfortunately, Wedginator is right behind and gets under the 10mm ground clearance as Q.E. 2 turns near the western wall! Forward goes the flipper - and over goes Q.E. 2! In an instant, Kody drives back underneath the axebot and shoves it down the arena to the Corner Patrol Zone! Joey quickly fires the axe and watches his machine topple upright...straight into Mr Hydes open arms! Wedginator twirls tauntingly as the House Robots massive hammer come crashing down onto Q.E. 2s lid, again and again! Through a combination of flipper firing and joystick-wiggling, Q.E. 2 escapes Mr Hydes clutches and back into the freedom of the warzone! Kody clearly isnt impressed with this incompetence - the cheeky bugger zips under Mr Hydes claws and gives him a cheeky flip before darting back after Joey! The Grim Beeper clearly is not amused and gives Wedginator a shunt as a warning. Eyeing the referees sycthe, Kody decides to take heed and turn his attention back to Joey. Once again, the two robots are engaged in a deadly dance near the bottom of the ring, during which Q.E. 2 bursts into the Mashed Potato by sticking its axe into Wedginators eye! Still only taking cosmetic damage, Kody responds in kind by breaking into the Bump! Q.E. 2 takes a wallop from the left, but spins back round with a bump of its own! To Joeys delight, his flipper has scraped underneath Wedginators skirts! Immediately, the spatula fires and this time, with a little push, Wedginator topples onto its back! Q.E. 2 rushes back underneath before it can self-right and pins it down with the steel axe! Joey grins broadly. He knows exactly where he wants to send Wedginator - Killeidascope Corner! Realising whats going on, Kody fires his flipper just as Q.E. 2 feeds his machine to the enormous technicolour drum! Wedginator self-rights...and gets a faceful of claws as Q.E. 2 rams it into the colossal spinner! Wedginator darts away as Joey backs off for a charge, the crocodilic wedge now sporting some rather nasty scars! Kody, now thoroughly peeved, decides that its no more Mr LOLZ Guy and charges head-on into Q.E. 2! The Devils forks prove lower than the spatula and Wedginator throws its opponent over once again! Hurridly positioning itself, Wedginator chooses to end the bout there and then with and pushes Q.E. 2 down towards the Void! Unfortunately for Kody, Q.E. 2s axe still has plenty of juice left and rights the robot a few feet from the corner! A horrified Kody stops himself in time, but Joey has one final trick up his sleeve! As Wedginator tries to get back on the offensive, Q.E. 2 suddenly reverses and rams into its side! The large rear spike doesnt appear to be having much effect, but the six-wheel drive certainly is! Kody tries hard to push back or manouever away, but he was already close to the corner and Joeys surprise attack has just sent him right in! The suckers do their work and with a last shove from Q.E. 2, Wedginator tumbles helplessly into the Void like a Communist into a dimensional rip! Sorry, I saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull yesterday. Couldnt resist.

CEASE!

Wedginator Devilution returns to the flames from which it was forged! Guess Mark 7 really WAS a devolution, eh, Kody? :proud:
Q.E. 2 GOES THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

Up next: the Semi-Final draw!