PTT - Regeneration

[kodster]

Great play-off Steve! Tactics later; a little busy at the mo', but I'll get to them!

[kodster]

Okay, here they are, and please forgive the length of the tactics.

PTTR GRAND FINAL
Achilles vs. Intriguous

Oh...balls.

I don't like this match-up for a couple of reasons:

1) He's the winner of PTT5, however hypo'd it was; fighting a champ is scary enough.
2) He's got Etek drive compared to my LEM130s so he's more powerful.
3) His front has more leverage than mine, so he can get under me easily with that.
4) The rubber on top's designed to stop axes from damaging it, so...eep.

However, there are a few reasons why I DO like this match-up:

1) I'm much more manoeuvrable due to my wider stance, bigger wheels, and wheel placings, so I can get to his sides easily.
2) I can self-right faster than he can, and even if I can't right myself at all, can still run inverted (the axe head fits inside the chassis) so I can ram him around.
3) I can avenge Seung Mina V.

That aside, tactics...since my axe won't be able to do much damage to him, sadly, I'll have to resort to the one tactic that I can: grapple 'n pit. It worked before, so let's try it one more time. In this, the rubber will actually help me as I'll pierce the rubber itself and that will be enough for a good grip. To do this however I'll have to wedge him from the sides, and that will prove tricky with those skirts. However I think I can get under them; those skirts have nowhere near enough leverage as his front has. Once I've wedged him, grapple, and feed him to a house robot, or chuck him into the pit if it's open. Drag him to the house robot that can do the most amount of damage to Achilles, whether internally or externally. It doesn't matter what set-up Achilles uses: they're both dangerous, so avoid, avoid, AVOOOIIID the front at all costs, except if he misfires, then get him. Go for a K.O. or pitting; his aggression will probably win him the JD so I can't let him get that far.

And thus, my completely awesome tactics. No doubt Alex has completely awesome tactics of his own but we'll see. :P Here's to a fantastic PTTR final, Steve-O!

[alex_holt]

Time for my 'completly awesome' tactics!

Which effectively involve the pnuematic setup (quicker fire) and ramming it and flipping it as much as possible to it doesnt have chance to get under controll properly.

A plan of considerable nuance I feel.

[steven_mcg]

The end of the war is finally in sight, but before our final two competitors duke it out, methinks 'tis time to name the winners of the PTTR Awards of Randomness.

THE INNOVATION AWARD
We've seen a lot of unique and interesting designs in this series, I have to give a special nod to the bizarre B.I.A.C.S-IS OF EVOLUTION by Matthew Fowler. On the outside it resembles a tall square pyramid, but those sloped sides are enormous lifting skirts designed to hide the real machine: a low cross-shaped bot with a terrifying top-mounted spinning disc! B.I.A.C.S-is didn't get very far, but it was creative as hell and a damn good laugh. Kudos, Matty!

THE BEST DESIGN AWARD
Martijn Benschop's UNDER PRESSURE could earn this award on looks alone - it's so shiny and pointy! - but gets the nod for its unique take on a popular design. It's a full-body crusher ala Tough as Nails, but rather than have just one pair of horizontal crushing arms, Under Pressure has two, one on top of the other! The bottom pair have wedged tips to scoop an opponent up into the top pair, which can generate 3.5 tonnes of force at each tip! Throw in great armour, great speed, great manoueverability and you've got one awesome package.

THE ENGINEERING AWARD
How can this award not go to Aaron Knight and INFUSION? The awesome Australian taken the design of the ferocious Warrior S.F.K. and turned it into one of vapourboteering's most formidable rammers. The horizontal spinning ring on the back is deadly enough on its own, but thanks to Aaron's technical jiggery-pokery, the kinetic energy in the spinner can be transferred to the drive train, allowing Infusion to perform its trademark 'turbo boost' attack! It says a lot when only the reigning champion can stop you.

THE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
This was ELLIOT STEVENS' first foray into the PTT and what happened? His robots fell at the first hurdles, were torn to pieces and turned into fashionable jewellry for the House Robots, that's what! Anyone who can still laugh after their entire squad's been turned into necklaces must be one helluva good sport. Here's to you, Elliot!

THE BEST NEWCOMER AWARD
This contest has seen a number of new people enter the PTT world, but none have been quite as successful as JOEY MCCONNELL. Knocking out one of the deadliest bots in the tournament and coming 4th overall on your first attempt is nothing to be sneezed at. If we ever see another PTT, I sincerely hope that Nidhogg and friends will be back to show the next generation of newbies how it's done. Hope to see you there, Joey!

THE MOST AGGRESSIVE ROBOT AWARD
Robots don't win tournaments with gift baskets and baby-kissing - you've got to get tough, and this tournament has seen some of the toughest vapourbots in the business going at each other like coked-up wildcats. In terms of sheer raw aggression, however, Kody Kunz's INTRIGUOUS may just be the tsar of tenacity. With its excellent acceleration and awful axe there's a reason this bot is still standing strong - all of its opponents have been beaten into pancakes! Enjoy your award, Kody - just don't hurt me!

THE SUAVE AWARD
Of course, brute force and ignorance aren't everything. It's entirely possible to rip a robot's still-beating batteries out and look as stylish as the coolest catwalk model. As sophisticated scrappers go it's hard to top the funky flipper of NITRO-GENE 5.0 by Paul Cuomo. This newcomer is quick, nimble and has the jumping skills of a gymnast. Even the heaviest machines have been sent barrel-rolling into oblivion courtesy of this smooth criminal. Stay cool, Paul.

THE AIR TIME AWARD
The flipper is one of the most popular weapons among British roboteers and we've seen plenty of them in PTTR, including reigning champion Achilles. Liam Elliot's APOCALYPSE, however, gets the nod for its high-flying OOTA record. All three of its three victories in this tournament ended with its opponents flying out of the arena, including the deadly Dervish and Best Design winner Under Pressure! If you ask me this PTT newbie has nowhere to go but up!

THE NIGHTMARE AWARD FOR DESTRUCTIVENESS
Named in honour of the horrifying American spinner, this award is given to only the deadliest of the deadliest, the machine that strikes true terror in the hearts of its enemies. This tournament has seen plenty of fearsome weaponry, but this award can only go to PROPANE NIGHTMARE by Daniel Stickler - quite literally a weapon on wheels! This three-wheeled triangle is a translation spinner, using three chainsaw motors to reach spinning speeds of around 2400rpm. Few could survive its brutal blades and I doubt many ever will.

THE BEST FIGHT AWARD
We've seen so many memorable clashes throughout PTTR that it was impossible to pick just one fight as the best. In the end, however, the flips, the rips and the tightest judges decision of the series have led me to give the award to GEHENNA Vs PROPANE NIGHTMARE. Andrew Jackson and Daniel Stickler each receive a mini trophy and a gift certificate for Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc.

Congratulations to all of our winners. May your imaginary awards shine brightly on your invisible mantlepieces. :wink:

-------------------------------------------------

And so it comes to this: it's taken four Heats, nine months, twenty-three fights and thirty deceased robots to get this far, but here we are at long last the PTTR Heavyweight Grand Final. Let's say we skip the merry banter and get straight down to business, shall we?

P.T.T. REGENERATION
GRAND FINAL
ACHILLES (1)

Vs

INTRIGUOUS

For tonight's Grand Final, Achilles will be using the pneumatic set-up for the flipper.

House Robots - Surligig & Michael Pliers

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

Good luck everybody! Let's crown a champion!
Both finalists are off to a quick start, Intriguous more so due to its excellent acceleration! Achilles makes to charge the newcomer, but Intriguous narrowly dodges the flipper blade, instead manouevering round to the champion's side! Achilles blocks the attack, knocking the newbie aside and charges a second time! Intriguous again dodges and, instead of going after Achilles, races up the arena towards the Void Activation Button! Achilles follows in hot pursuit, catching up to Intriguous as the familiar siren echoes o'er the battlefield! Kody is just about to reverse out of the corner when Achilles crashes into his robot's rear! Alex instantly hits the FLIP! button on his controller...
WHOOOOOSH!
The audience screams as Intriguous somersaults into the air, crashing back down on Achilles' armoured head! Alex fires the flipper again, tossing Intriguous back onto the ground, and shoves the Canadian cleaver back into the Void Button! Kody frantically waggles his control sticks, attempting to break free from the champion's grip! Achilles flips again, tossing Intriguous onto its back - and inadvertantly out of its grip! Kody puts his imaginary pedal to the metal and the invertible newcomer darts out of the corner back into the arena at large! Achilles quickly follows, but Intriguous has already righted itself with that deadly axe by the time Alex catches up and deftly dodges the champion's assault! The tension mounts as the two finalists take a moment to size each other up, both Alex and Kody considering where to go from here. In the end it's Kody who decides to break the ice, charging Achilles and crashing into its rear left corner! Kody fires the axe, gripping but not penetrating Achilles' rubber-coated head! Urgh, I feel dirty just saying that! Innuendo aside, it seems that Intriguous is now gaining the upper hand, dragging the resistant Achilles across the arena! By now both finalists are in the top half of the warzone and, as they push and pull by the light of the Flame Grill, Kody knows just what he wants to do with the champ! Worming its way under the champ's stainless steel skirting, Kody retracts the axe and pushes the reigning PTT champion into Surligig's CPZ!
CRRRASH!
Sparks rain down on the battlefield as the collision throws Achilles aside like a ragdoll! The 5mm titanium shell appears to have held up, save for a few unsavory scars! Alex has barely gotten Achilles going again when in comes Intriguous, knocking the champion aside like a cow on the line! Achilles spins to attack, taking another knock on the head from Kody's axe in the process! Intriguous digs its wheels in, attempting to push the champ in the direction of the Void, but Alex is having none of it! Achilles' Etek motors begin to work their magic, pushing back against Intriguous! Kody swiftly retracts the axe to attempt a side-attack, but Achilles plows into the newcomer, flicking it into the air! Intriguous lands right-side up, but can't avoid another flip from the reigning champion! Kody begins to worry as Achilles forces his now-inverted creation closer and closer to the western wall! Fearing he's about to take a hop over the fence, the Canadian carefully dodges another charge from Achilles and self-rights! Achilles spins round, bumping the newcomer with its front blade and attempts to plow back underneath! A close-quarters brawl ensues, with each finalist trying to get under the other! For all Intriguous' manoueverability Achilles wins this time around but, instead of the western wall, instead pushes the newbie towards Michael Pliers in the bottom CPZ!
WHOOOOSH!
Intriguous jumps into the air - and hits the House Robot square in the face! Michael, enraged, starts swinging his hatchet as Intriguous slides down his sloped front! Achilles attempts another flip on the newcomer, but only succeeds in helping Intriguous to escape! The paintjob's a little scuffed, but otherwise Kody's Hardox monocoque has come away in good shape! Even our House Robots are having a hard time inflicting damage on our two phenominal finalists, who are now circling each other at the bottom end of the ring! Achilles moves in for a flip, but Intriguous proves too nimble and lands a glancing blow with the axe! Achilles shakes off the attack and clips the newcomer with the flipper blade, firing into thin air! Intriguous swoops in with a charge, landing a quick hammer blow and drives under Achilles' regal red skirting! The psychadelic drum in Killeidascope Corner hums nearby, calling to Kody to let it take a bite out of the champ! Kody, naturally, obliges...
CRRRASH!
Achilles is once again sent spinning in a shower of sparks, Intriguous hot on its heels! The newcomer is really starting to pile on the pressure now, bashing into the champ before it can even catch its breath! The axe smacks Achilles' mighty arm, but a fire of the flipper shakes the hammer off! Intriguous immediately retracts its weapon, instead attempting to plow back under the champion with another great shove! Alex tries to nudge the newcomer away, determined to hang on for as long as he can as their fight brings them closer to the Void! For all the bumps and bruises it's sustained Achilles is still very much alive and proves it by attempting another flip! Intriguous is inverted, but immediately pays the champ out with a hard ram! The Void is now mere feet away! Achilles is on the defence, while Intriguous is attacking for all its worth, giving the champ no room to retaliate! Is Alex Holt's PTT reign about to end? Achilles fires the flipper, only clipping Intriguous as the suction of the Void tries to pull the champ bottom-first into oblivion! Kody spies his chance and, having tried to avoid it for the whole match, charges Achilles head-on...
CRRRASH!
WHOOOOSH!
Intriguous somersaults skyward - and bounces off the eastern wall, back into the arena with a hard SMACK.
Achilles flies backwards - and tumbles into the Void, flipper wide open in one last battle cry.
The audience explodes into wild applause as an inverted Intriguous rights itself. Alex places his controller down and join them, giving a knowing smile to Kody, who appears to be quite delirious. The age of Achilles is over! Long live Intriguous, the new champion of the Pussycat Tribute Tournament!

CEASE!

Achilles, heel! Bravo to Alex for keeping the crown as long as he did, but I'm afraid it's time to hand it back because...
INTRIGUOUS WINS P.T.T. REGENRATION!

THE FINAL STANDINGS:
1st = INTRIGUOUS (Kody Kunz)
2nd = ACHILLES (1) (Alex Holt)
3rd = THE CRASHING BORE 2 (Frank Goacher)

Congratulations to Mr Kody Kunz and a big fat Thank you! to everyone who read through this crazy contest or even decided to take part. After all, without you there's no mindless destruction, is there? :wink:

As to whether there'll be another PTT, never say never is my answer. I currently don't have any plans to write another, but who's to say I won't feel differently further along the line? On the plus side I do have plans for a brand new tournament which I hope to announce soon; how soon depends on how crazy I feel. :P

I think that's all for now. Thank you and goodnight.

[joey_picus]

I'd like a place in your new tourney Steve, while I'm here :P

Many congratulations to Kody for defeating a true vapourbot legend, and of course many many expressions of w00tage for Steve, who gives the PTT a brilliant sendoff...for now of course :P you can bet I'll be back for any new PTTs, I have a reputation after all *hugs imaginary award*

[kodster]

Bloody hell.

Have I just won an actual P.T.T.?

Well I guess there's no trying to pretend I didn't, so...w00t

Plus winning the Most Aggressive Robot Award? w00t again!

That was incredibly, incredibly well written, as any PTT is, but that last battle just had the makings of a final in it, even if it wasn't the Grand Final. I was seriously on tenterhooks there, and now I'm all giddy! Haha! I won, I won, I won!

Gloating aside, well done to Alex for putting up a great fight, defeating Achilles is a huge achievement in itself and feels great, though I'm sure you won't be let down by this, and will try even harder next series . And of course well done to Frank for snatching bronze, and also to the other award winners. But Steve deserves the most thanks for putting on one damned hell of a tournament and everybody enjoying it start to finish. You haven't lost any of your lustre, my friend! And it's good to know you're not out of the writing game yet! Reserve me a spot in whatever tourney you're setting up next!

Now if you'll excuse, I'll be on my forum. I have quite some updating to do... :P See you on MSN or elsewhere, folks!

*kisses trophy and Aggressive Robot award*

[andrewj]

Great! Thank you for the Best Fight Award, that was my favorite of the series as well.

Congratulations to Kody and Intriguous for the win.

But most importantly congratulations to Steve for writing this excellent tournament. Every battle has been well written and it must have been difficult choosing a winner out of so many high quality robots. So well done!

As the others have said, I'm always up for any future Steve tournaments.

[corsair_lightning]

There's one word for a tourney like this: Win. Pure, epic, win.

Congrats to Kody for winning, Alex for making it back to the grand final, and Frank for showing that an outdated machine is still a good machine.

Steve, I swear, if you make another tourney, or PTT, I will certainly be in it.

[eene]

A very, very good grand final, Steven. Thank you for my award

The Kill Point and Skullcrusher will return, but in new designs. I plan to make another robot to join them, perhaps for your next competition

[alex_holt]

Apologies for the belated reply!
Vexed! At the last hurdle too!

Congratulations Kody, great fight! (But I shall, of course, have my vengeance, or perhaps you will meet doom is more accurate?)

Great tournament and fights as always Steve, and well done to all other entrants! I look forward to next time!