The Norman Sheppard Tribute Tournament

[mrdaves]

Only 2 places remain in the semi finals, those 2 places are being attacked by 12 robots who want to smell the blood and guts of the competitors by ripping out their souls, 10 robots must die, no-body wants to be one of the 10 robots, everybody wants to rule the world, one stage at a time, destroying all competition with excessive drive power, kinetic energy based weapons to rip out the hopes and dreams, flippers to send many of a roboteers€™ dream into the air with all the hot gas and smoke belong. 1 robot will come out on top in this heat of 6 robots.

quote:

Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. (Oscar Wilde)

The Norman Sheppard Tribute Tournament,
Fight against Robots Season 9,
Heat O
Round 1

Firstly, I must say sorry for any feelings I will break in this fight, my life is falling apart at the sides, the years of lies have come back to haunt me, and so I€™m feeling emotionally drained and physically tired.

Melee 1
Achilles (23) vs. Rogue vs. Starstorm 2

From Northampton, England, and the 23rd seed, Achilles. Entered by Alex, who let€™s be honest has had a crap season so far with all his robots crashing out before the heat final returns with his last machine. Season 6 champion of NSBFL, still unchanged, with it€™s hydraulic/pneumatic lifter and grabber to crash and grab to control it€™s fights. I€™m thinking Alex is using the co2 in this fight because when in melees it can€™t control the fight as well. Good acceleration from the 4 wheel drive to a top speed of 18 mph. It has a low ground clearance all over the robot to stop robots flipping it sky high. However if the fight goes to a judge€™s decision, it has no damaging weapons.
In Far 8: Reached heat final by seeing off Walzer 4 & Ankle Biter before being flipped against the wall and positioned so that it can€™t self-right by Die Ceratops Invertus.

From Somewhere in Australia, Rogue. Entered by Team Aussie, as their first robot in this heat. Aaron has sent a lot of time on designing his front flywheel to be as evil as possible, and gone into so much detail that it is scarring any newcomers away, why can€™t people keep things as simple as possible? Front spinner, 4WD, simple theory, complex stats. However the speed is good, but if flipped it takes some time getting back to it€™s feet, and in a heat of mainly flippers, this could be the weak link in Rogue€™s quest for glory.
In far 8: Didn€™t enter

From Gainsborough, Home of Coffee, England. Starstorm 2. Entered by Frank, you know him, everybody knows Frank, because he is a legend. Raise your glasses to the legend, with his full bodied flipper. Watch out for that dome, because all of it fires upwards. Moving skirts help Starstorm stay rooted, as Frank has created one of the hardest robots to get underneath. However OOTA€™s may be unlikely with it€™s flipping upwards movement, but what comes up, comes down at the same speed, so I€™m opening up a €œRepair the arena floor€ fund when lots of dents appear.
In Far 8: Franky didn€™t enter with this robot.

All 3 robots are in the arena, the starting squares have been re-gripped with new sand based paint for that added traction off the line. The door is closed, as the countdown starts:

3
2
1
Active

And there is a million years between my fantasies and fears, I feel love. All 3 robots are clean away out of the starting square, as Rogue has it€™s spinning weapon up to speed, as Aaron is aiming for some robotic skins to rip off, as Achilles comes storming into Rogue, and Starstorm is behind Achilles to box-rush Rogue, as Achilles fires it€™s flipper in the nick of time, deflecting the blow from the disc, as Starstorm, lowering the front skirt rams straight into Rogue.

Frank wastes no time and fires Rogue up to into the sky, as it does a roll, crashing into the arena wall, and coming down to earth. Alex and Frank has moved their two robots, right to the other end of the arena, as Rogue crashes down, and rolls back onto it€™s wheels. Aaron presses the restart button, as Rogue moves forward with it€™s spinner going strong again, undamaged from the launch. Achilles and Starstorm are off after Rogue once more, as Alex is trying to get around the rear end.

Aaron tries to dodge the attacks, but even the best driver in the world can€™t survive a 2 on 1 team-up dual attack, as he turns, hitting into the lower skirt of Starstorm, spinning it around, but Achilles is under the rear and has clamped down. Achilles fires the flipper, sending Rogue into a forward roll, as it comes to a rest on it€™s top, as it self-rights.

Starstorm storms into play and Achilles runs away to open the pit release button, as Frank is lining up for the pitting. The flipper fires, taking everybody by surprised, as Rogue goes up into the sky. Where will it land? No-body knows, as it€™s coming down to earth, and straight down the pit. The impact sends some of the tyres up. The smoke is rising.

Cease

Starstorm and Achilles (23), wins via TKO over Rogue in 1.02

Melee 2
Flipping Hell (10) vs. GeForce vs. Ze Newie

From Oxford, England, and 10th seed. Flipping Hell. Entered by Dave Weston, this very underrated robot comes to the war with a very powerful flipper, powered by co2 at high pressure with 2 high pressure rams. 4 wheel drive comes as standard, with a razor style drive system. The armour is decent for a flipper, however if it tries to self-right it has a habit of knocking itself out with the power. How will the LOTR runner up deal with the increased competition?
In Far 8: Beat King Cholera 2 with ease, then Tornado, then Blink and Die. However in round 4, it met Tempest Eviloution€¦ enough said.

From Somewhere in England, GeForce. Entered by that very nice Andrew Jackson, this ultra-flipper is powered by nitrogen at 1000 psi. However if it mis-fires, then it will roll itself over, where the power of the flipper plays against it, as it does a 540 degree flip to self-right. However it is the best turning in this melee with 2WD, and has the most powerful weapon. GeForce uses the most common motor available for vapourbots, the Lem 130.
In far 8: didn€™t enter

From Australia, Ze Newie. Entered by Team Aussie, as Tom Roper€™s robot. This heavy handed pusher has the best torque of the competition, and high traction from the wheels. However the ground clearance is high around the sides, so it could be goodbye major tom. The biohazard style co2 lifter at the front is the self-righter, as Ze Newie€™s armour can take hit after hit after hit, with a mixture of titanium, Hardox and Vanadium.
In far 8; didn€™t enter.

All 3 robots are in the arena, for the 2nd melee of the evening. Heavyweights in flight, an afternoon€™s delight.

3
2
1
COMMENCE

Ze Newie is the first out of the square, as GeForce is 2nd out. Flipping Hell is the last out, as all 3 robots meet in the centre of the arena for some fun and dancing. Ze Newie rams into the side of Flipping Hell, as it flips GeForce over. Andy self-rights to see Flipping Hell being slammed into the arena wall by Ze Newie.

GeForce comes up behind Ze Newie, and wedging both Flipping hell and Ze Newie up on it€™s wedge, flips both of them over the wall.

Cease

Okay, both Ze Newie and Flipping Hell were out at the same time, so it€™s a knockout between these two robots to determine who joins GeForce in round 2.

Flipping Hell (10) vs. Ze Newie

Activate

Ze Newie once more is away before Flipping Hell, as Tom using his extra control, manages to dance around Flipping Hell€™s initial attack. Dave Weston is trying to out-drive Tom Roper, but Tom is simply out-driving Dave€™s machine, as it slams into the side and pushes it sideways into the pit release, lifting it up onto the wall. Flipping Hell can€™t get away from the side wall.

Ref is called into play, as he comes rolling over the arena, to remove Flipping Hell from the wall, as the 10 second waiting period begins for Ze Newie. 10 seconds is over, as Ze Newie dashes around Ref, as he returns to the Ref zone to rest his eyes. Ze Newie slams into Flipping Hell, and wastes no time in taking the 10th seed over towards the pit, and flipping it down.

Cease

Ze Newie wins over Flipping Hell via TKO in 1:03

Round 2 Draw
Achilles (23) vs. GeForce
Ze Newie vs. Starstorm 2.

quote:

The best of all things that come our way. And all the things that came have past. The answer€™s in the looking glass. There€™s four and twenty million doors down life€™s endless corridor. Say it loud and sing it proud and they€¦ (Noel G)

Tactics, predictions, thoughts?

[pcbore]

Maybe Im tired, but Im really puzzled by the Geforce flipping two robots OOTA at once bit. Even assuming it can flip 200 KGs that high, its not got a wide enough flipper to get both machines on the tip fully enough to flip them properly, and if one robot is further back on the flipper while one is in front of it, the front one would be OOTAs, while the rear one would be bounced upwards a bit due to not having as much leverage put into the throw.

Anyway, against Ze Nwie Ill try to get around to the sides. If I can it right near to the arena wall I think I can OOTA it, so Ill aim for that. If hes coming to get me, Ill put the plate/skirt/thing on whatever side hes on down to the maximum, so hopefully hell just ride right up it.

[alex_holt]

Pneumatics, and slamming the machine into the sides and try flip it out. Keep slamming it though as that way I keep in controll.

[steven_mcg]

HEAT O
ROUND 2
1) Achilles (23) VS GeForce
A pitting courtesy of Mr Holt is in order, I reckon

2) Starstorm 2 VS Ze Newie
Push comes to shove and Starstorm sinks into the arenas black hole.

[mrdaves]

quote:

A thinker sees his own actions as experiments and questions--as attempts to find out something. Success and failure are for him answers above all. (Friedrich Nietzsche)

Time for round 2 I think it is.

Heat O, Round 2

Fight 1

Ze Newie vs. Starstorm 2

In the red square, from the lands of Australia, comes in the torque munching beast with the biohazard style lifter, will Tom€™s machine reach the heat final?

In the blue square, it is aiming for the stars and if you get on it€™s front it will shoot you up into the stars. Dr Frank€™s dome is ready for some flipping action; all the skirts are primed and ready for battle.

3
2
1
Activate

The two robots are off from the starting squares, as Frank is cruising with the skirts all up, all ready for Tom€™s attack. Tom puts on the power and tries to ram into Starstorm, but Frank dodges the attack with some excellent driving skill, and avoids having to put the skirts down. Ze Newie turns around to aim for another ram, as Starstorm 2 manages to dodge the attack once more, as Frank turns on the aggression and spins the wheels to get the front end around to face Ze Newie€™s side.

Tom using his driving skills manages to avoid an attack from Starstorm, but for the first time, the skirts have been lowered as Ze Newie tries to attack to get underneath Starstorm 2. Instead at the last moment, Tom brakes, and drives away to avoid getting into a position where he could be flipped. Starstorm 2 raises it€™s skirts enough so that Frank can drive it without being harmed by the increased friction. Ze Newie spins on the spot and drives straight towards Starstorm.

Frank drops the front skirt, as the first contact is made between these two robots. Ze Newie has gone up onto the skirt of Starstorm, but not enough to loosen it€™s grip, as Frank fires the full bodied flipper, sending Ze Newie into a 360 degree head-over-tails spin. Starstorm is on the attack once more, but narrowly misses getting a classic side-shot on Ze Newie, which dodges the front skirt of Starstorm and drives away from Starstorm to open the pit, by depressing the pit release. Will this be a sign of things to come, as Starstorm, (which is just 0.5 mph faster than Ze Newie) catches up to Tom€™s machine and tries to attack.

Mr Roper is ready and manages to dodge the attack, and puts on an anti-attack, and manages to temporary breach the skirts of Starstorm 2, but Frank locks up the left hand side and darts away from Ze Newie before the full power can be unleashed from the 4 grippy wheels. A quick flip from Starstorm 2 lifts Ze Newie up, but not enough to raise the wheels, as Tom drives quickly, as the right hand side drops, with the wheels at full revs to drive away. Starstorm 2 gives chase.

Ze Newie spins on the spot to get it€™s front wedge into play, as Starstorm looks like to be ploughing straight into Ze Newie, as Tom dodges the attack. Frank has seen this, and in response drops his skirts and does an anti-dodge to the dodge to cancel it out. Both robots meet head on, as Starstorm gets underneath the front end of Ze Newie, and finally gets it€™s wheels off the ground. Starstorm is wasting no time in getting Ze Newie towards the arena wall, as it keeps at full speed to prevent Ze Newie reversing off the wedge. Starstorm 2 brakes, as Ze Newie darts backwards, as the flipper fires at full power.

Ze Newie is tossed straight into the arena wall, upside-down, as Starstorm gets underneath Ze Newie and flips. Tom€™s heart beats another beat, as Ze Newie lands on the right side of the wall, and starts to self-right. Starstorm rams straight into Ze Newie once more, and Frank has had enough of trying to get the OOTA and drives straight towards the pit.

Another fatal twist in the tale, as Ze Newie manages to get off the wedge before Starstorm can get it in the pit. Ze Newie turns and runs to get a good line-up against Starstorm, Frank is not happy, that is the 3rd time he has failed to finish off the fight, maybe he needs more coffee, as Ze Newie comes at full power, driving straight towards Starstorm 2. Frank dodges, but Tom rams straight into the front corner of Starstorm and gets underneath Frank€™s machine for once and lifts it up.

Starstorm 2 flips it€™s flipper rocking the entire robot away from a perfect pitting from Ze Newie, but still Tom is on the case of Starstorm but fails to get underneath the skirts, as Frank has lowered them fully to prevent another attack. Starstorm is driving Ze Newie sideways, as it has driven itself onto the side, and the skirt has risen a tad. Frank drives parallel to the pit, as Ze Newie is hanging on for dear life, the pit yawning for food. Suddenly it drops, sliding down the pit and into clouds of smoke.

Cease

Starstorm wins via TKO over Ze Newie in 4:51, as it moves onto the heat final.

Fight 2

Achilles (23) vs. GeForce

In the red square, champion of NSBFL 6, Achilles. Lifter and clamper comes as standard on this little wedge machine. Designed to get under, clamp, lift, and pit, something like looks like Andy€™s tactics of €œflip it.€ Will the 23rd seed win the right to party in the heat final?

In the blue square, GeForce. Driven today in Andy€™s unexplained absence by someone else from team code 14, wearing dark glasses, and wearing an orange tie. Will the flipper robot flip to victory here with it€™s simple strategy of flipping it???

Achilles has removed the hydraulics in flavour for the co2, will this be a wise move?

3
2
1
Activate

At once the battle has started, and both robots have left the starting squares, leaving a lovely set of tyre marks, as the party of the heat semi-final has started, as GeForce and Achilles dives around each other, as Alex goes straight into attacking mode and slams straight into the front corner of GeForce, and before you can say Bob€™s your uncle, Achilles is pushing GeForce at full power towards the low wall.

Andy€™s driver is trying to get away, but the wheels are spinning trying to get traction, but the ultimate power from Achilles is too much as the flipper fires, sending GeForce straight over the arena fence, and crashing down onto the camera track. The flipper on GeForce fires, but it can€™t get back into the arena.

Cease

Achilles (23) wins over GeForce via TKO in 0:39

Heat Final Draw
Achilles (23) vs. Starstorm 2

Tactics, predictions, did you like round 2?

[pcbore]

Same tactics as for last fight.

[mrdaves]

quote:

And all those who got a tired face
Don€™t wanna fight no more
And all those who lost without a trace
Don€™t wanna fight no more
But there is profit in the love of hate
So we must fight some more, Ocean Colour Scene

Ladies and Gentlemen please, raise your glasses; it is time to find out who wins the heat final to claim the 2nd to last place in the final 16.

Heat O Final
Starstorm 2 vs. Achilles (23)

In round 1, these two robots met for the first time, in a melee which saw Rogue end up down in the pit.
In round 2, Starstorm 2 fought hard against Ze Newie but Tom€™s machine ended down in the pit as well. Achilles flipped GeForce out of the arena within a minute to claim it€™s spot here today.

Both robots are in the arena for yet another Frank vs. Alex fight, these two meet each other more times than any other match up.

Achilles is still using the co2 (at time of writing ~ 10:00 am, I know I should check, but that mends signing into the interweb)

3
2
1
Activate

The acceleration from these two robots here today is almost identical, but Achilles has that extra 3 mph, which doesn€™t sound like much, but when it€™s low speeds it means everything. Starstorm 2 is waiting for the first attack, Frank using the same tactics he used against Ze Newie by going on the defensive, and lowering the skirts when being attacked. Achilles have turned around and both robots are facing each other in a classic battle scene.

The fingers and thumbs are hovering over the buttons on the remote controls, as there is an unseen battle of strength between the two robots, as Frank lowers the front skirt of Starstorm 2 a bit, but not too much. Achilles breaks free of the mental battle and comes storming across the arena. Starstorm 2 is ready for the attack and lowers all skirts as quick as possible. Achilles is also ready to attack, with the co2 flipper primed and ready to go.

The first blood is drawn, as there is a deadlock between skirt and wedge, neither can get underneath, as Achilles is pushing forward, using the power from the twin Etec drive against the MagMotors from Starstorm 2. Starstorm 2 is pushed back into the arena wall, Frank hasn€™t got the power to push back, nor the speed to simply drive away, and with the wheels finding life hard to grip when pushing backwards, Frank can€™t use his driving skills to simply drive away.

Achilles is finally underneath Starstorm 2, as it hit the back wall, the front lifted up enough to allow a wedge to slip underneath. Alex is using his drive to hold Starstorm 2, as the T-shaped bar at the stop is preventing Starstorm from driving up and over the top. What a genius idea, something to stop robots driving up and over your wedge, if only Wedge Devolution had one, it would be still in the contest. Meanwhile, Achilles is lining up with an attack, to get Starstorm out of the arena; no co2 from either robot has been used up, as Achilles opens the pit release.

Alex has worked out the risks of trying to flip such a large robot out of the arena, and has decided to dump it down the pit, in a safe manner. Starstorm meanwhile, looks like he is enjoying the piggy-back ride, even though the pit is coming closer and closer, the timer is running out for Achilles€™ pinning, as Achilles simply flips Starstorm down the pit with a few seconds left of the 30 second pin time. The smoky pit starts to smoke, as Starstorm implodes and the star goes supersonic.

Cease

Achilles (23) wins over Starstorm 2 via TKO in 3:47.

Next time on NSTT:
The return of Steven with Tails, the return of the super rammers, we go clusterbot crazy and there is another storm in the mists.

Heat P (LAST HEAT )Lineup
ForcePower Turbo (21) vs. Tails vs. El Persistance
Firestorm 5 (12) vs. Going Crunch vs. Hell€™s Teeth

Tactics, Predictions, did you like heat O?

[steven_mcg]

HEAT P
ROUND 1
1) El Persistance VS ForcePower Turbo (21) VS TAILS
Concentrate on El Persistances sides and hopefully getting a flip in. With the wedge inverted, I can either drive under that and head for the Pit or just batter it with the blade. Fancy a gang-up, Mr J? :wink:

2) Firestorm 5 (12) VS Going Crunch VS Hells Teeth
Dave W to get his teeth chipped via a pitting

Also, Achilles was my bet for that last Heat Final. I owe me a cookie.

[darkguru]

Dave, want to team on Firestorm? Three on one? Why? Cos its flipper is too much like Love Bites