The Phoenix Cup

[steven_mcg]

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.
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:

[kodster]

Three words.

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

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

[joey_picus]

Extremely good, looking forward to the others.

[paulc]

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.

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

[majinb]

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!

[andrewj]

«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!

[RogueTwoRobots]

That was quite some battle - awesomelicious

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

[steven_mcg]

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

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?
S.O.R. X GOES THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

Later on: Apocalypse VS Drumroll S.R.!