Welcome back to FVAL! This time, it€™s the second round, but who will forge onward to the Heat Final of A in this first battle? The C&BT1 champ, or the VFT6 champ?

Round 2 Battle 1
Salamander III vs. Wedge Devolution

Roboteers, stand by€¦

Booth #1: Alex Holt
Booth #2: Steven McGregor

The first house robot to enter the arena is Exa-Gore-Ic Evo. This invertible house robot is 400kg in weight and has the pushing power to match it. It has front horizontal claws that close in with quite a bit of force and a spike in the middle which €˜pokes€™ robots. The other house robot for this match is Mr. Psycho, and y€™all know him. 750kg, tracks, huge claw, huge hammer, huge in general.

3€¦
2€¦
1€¦
Activate!!

It€™s the acceleration of Wedge Devo that propels it across the arena faster than its foe, and before Alex can even think of what to do first, the wedge has already slid under him and carried him to the wall! Could this be the quickest match so far? Apparently not, as Salamander is flipped, tossed, but pounded against the wall and falls back onto the arena floor. Wedge Devo fiercely persists with its attack, ramming into Salamander while the disc is still dormant to keep up the pressure and push it across the arena. Again, he€™s going for the wall€¦no. Salamander wasn€™t properly on the wedge, and thus simply is tossed only several inches into the air, spinning as it does so, before bouncing off the wall and back onto its wheels, Alex in a panicked state to get the weapon going at least.

Steve keeps pouring on the pressure, as the €˜Devo rams into the right wheel from the side, and although not wedging it still manages to push it across the arena. But Steve is eyeing that disc with some trepidation, and as it gets to full speed, he halts his shoving frenzy and backs away as Salamander turns to face Wedge Devo at last, confidently counting on his trusty 22kg flywheel. We are now treated to a display of Wedge Devo running around, trying to turn past the wheel of Salamander and get at the rear, as were Steve€™s tactics, but Salamander is able to keep the disc pointed at Wedge Devo without much problem, thanks to his 2WD. Eventually Wedge Devo blasts all the way Salamander and rams straight into the pit release button. Salamander immediately gives chase and reaches the area as Wedge Devo can€™t seem to turn away from the button fast enough!

CRASH!!!

The mighty disc proves its worth, as the rear 4mm Hardox panel of Wedge Devo is been loosened on the right side corner, and the place where Salamander hit has been dented quite severely. Salamander backs away to marvel at his infliction, when Wedge Devo finally, and quite suddenly, turns around and buries the wedge in before the disc gets up to its deadly speed. Salamander can€™t seem to find a way out and is tossed over, before Wedge Devo gets at the rear, and carries it to the wall€¦OOF! Wedge Devo crashes against it with the wedged Salamander also€¦unfortunately, due to that crash, Salamander has been shunted to the right side of Wedge Devo, and Steve knows it. Wedge Devo tries to reposition itself, but in doing so, Salamander is completely freed and makes away like a herded goat!

Steve is after it, with no intention of letting that fearsome flywheel reach its potency anytime soon, but the intention becomes void as Salamander turns away from another Wedge Devo ramming fest, and Alex smiles as he sees his precious weaponry at a speed Steve clearly doesn€™t want. Salamander makes a 180 double-quick, as Wedge Devo moves in€¦and stops. Evidently, he has no wish to let the 22kg disc bite into him again, and so again tries the tactic of moving around the disc. Suffice to say it isn€™t working, as Salamander keeps him in check. The concentration on both roboteers€™ faces is surprising to say the least. Salamander moves backwards, possibly a feint, but Wedge Devo cuts a wide arc around him, and as Salamander turns towards Steve€™s machine, it arcs towards Salamander€™s right side and smacks into the wheel. It€™s unfortunate, however, as Salamander is able to turn before Wedge Devo can get around him!

CRASH!!!

Eurgh€¦what damage that is! The earlier hit had loosened Wedge Devo€™s right-side panel, and now this equally if not more devastating hit has sent the whole panel, skirt and all, free from the body of Wedge Devo and bound for an empty CPZ, which it clatters into! Wedge Devo is looking rather sluggish at this stage, but nonetheless it shoves into Salamander once again, right into the still disc, and starts pushing it towards Mr. Psycho€™s CPZ. Alex isn€™t too fond of having a terminal case of squashed wheel like in the did in the C&B1 grand final, but that€™s too bad, because Wedge Devo is already at the CPZ, and casually flicks Salamander into the house robot! Mr. Psycho brings down the hammer€¦hitting the bodywork and doing diddly to it. Instead, it rams Salamander along the wall. The Disc of Death is too high off the ground and Salamander is ducked under it, and Mr. Psycho backs off€¦but Wedge Devo moves in!

CRASH!!!

Wedge Devo rams Salamander, and tilts it under the disc, resulting in both discs meeting, but the stationary one seemed to survive the hit quite well, and now the hazard is stopped. Wedge Devo activates the flipper, sending Salamander over and onto the disc. An unwise decision as Wedge Devo€™s flipper is stuck open, trapped on Salamander€™s axle. Wedge Devo backs away, as he really can€™t get any purchase without a weapon, but it seems Salamander is pegged in there. Wedge Devo moves in for the kill€¦come on! FLIP! €¦it€™s good! Salamander is vaulted over the wall, and out of the running!

CEASE!

Salamander III€™s blood turns cold as the touch of death falls over him!
Wedge Devolution advances to the Heat A Final!!