The Vapourbot Grand Prix 2010

[andrewj]

Yay! Another great battle, nicely written.

Tactics:

I plan to stay in my starting section for as long as possible, as I do not really want to risk falling through the trap door. If I do end up in the valley, I will try to drive back up into either of the raised sections, if possible. The usual tactics apply - just try to keep busy and get involved in the action. Again, my wedge shape and clamp & push ability will be useful to drive my opponents into the hazards. I will try to push the others into one of the pits or into the spinning drums. I think Delirium Tremors could potentially find it difficult to climb back up from the valley, so at some point I could try to push it down there and let the house robots take care of it. Other than that, I don€™t really have any particular targets, just make sure I€™m the last one standing again!

[majinb]

An important factor will be the ramps and especially the trap door between them, some robots just take a ramp better than others. On my half, Flick should do fairly fine, given the 6WD and the Tornadoesque rear that gives the rear wheels more freedom. Due to its design Slammer should do PARTICULARY fine, but OID and Axeon have no real way of tackling them well... I think I will concentrate on pushing OID and Axeon around, get under, lift, and get them into the valley, or on the spring, or near the drum, or in the pit. My prefered hazards will be the pit and the valley though. Both seem to have their weapon on their front, so both should be vulnerable if I attack their rear or side. Likewise I wouldnt avoid pushing Slammer if given a good oppurtunity.

When at any point I'm done at my own half or for whatever other reason Im forced to cross the valley, do so with my rear-wheels first, aka in reverse, to make use of Flick's well designed rear. Cross the trap door ASAP and when I arrive at the other end, apply the same tactics really, avoid weapons, and lift and push robots.

NOW, what Im also seeing, is how robots driving up the ramp are weak to robots already on the highlands. If ANY opponent from the other side of the arena wishes to ride up the ramp towards me, wait for them on the top of the hill. This I would also advice to my fellow robots Axeon, OID and Slammer... if anyone wishes to mess with OUR half of the arena, send them back, asap

AND, per Steven's request, here is another picture of what the arena actually looks like:

[steven_mcg]

Huh, the arena layout magically reappeared again. Thanks for posting it again anyways, Marti, but you'd better hurry off. We've another round to get through!

THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 4/10: THE SWISS GRAND PRIX
ARENA - Clockwork Valley
HOUSE ROBOTS- Clock King and the Swiss Army Knight

For this fight, Slammer VI will be using the claw.

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

This round is quite literally a game of two halves, with our competitors separated by the arena's titular Valley. We turn our attention to the left platform, where Flick of the Wrist has already pinned O.I.D. against the arena wall! Jack attempts an escape, but Martijn is pounding the spinner into the barrier! Axeon joins in the fun, managing to land a blow on O.I.D, while Slammer nuzzles Flick, trying to grab hold of the angled rear. Flick simply reverses, pushing Slammer down into the Valley, but Alex bounces back onto the platform with a lovely flip! I can tell Mr Holt is going to have a lot of fun this round.
CRRRASH!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Delirium Tremors and Eye of Ran have come head-to-head! Joey's low, low machine escapes any real damage, while Matt's wheels have taken only a slight chewing. Killobite and Richter, meanwhile, have been playing a rousing game of Tag. Kody is intent on feeding Richter to the spinners, but Dan doesn't seem keen on the idea. In fact, he's running rings around the crusher just to get away...
BOING!
Whoops! Mind the Silly Spring, Danny Boy! Richter tumbles to earth a few feet away, unscathed but dazed. This gives Killobite ample time to catch up and drive underneath. The claw has barely begun lowering, however, when Richter wriggles free and darts away to rejoin Joey and Matt's scuffle. Keen to draw first blood, Dan aims for Delirium Tremors's side and charges!
CRRRASH!
The great drum-on-wheels is sent tumbling towards the ramp! Wasting no time, Richter shoots forwards again and pushes Delirium Tremors down into the Valley! Matt tries desperately to climb back up, but Tremors' unusual shape and low traction are making it very difficult...
CRRRASH!
Ooh, meanwhile, O.I.D. has wriggled free of its earlier onslaught and managed to land a glancing blow on Flick of the Wrist! Flick turns to retaliate, but is distracted as Slammer bounces by! This gives Axeon time to barge into the Dutch machine and attempt a pitting! Flick reverses and shoves Axeon back, sending it straight into the wall! O.I.D. swoops back over, landing another quick blow on Flick! Slammer tumbles in to try and grab Flick again, but Marti simply pushes it aside and shunts Axeon once more! Andy fires the axe, but doesn't to much to damage the Dutch rammer's shell.
CRRRASH!
Oooh, that's a nasty blow from Eye of Ran on Killobite on the other platform! The spinning blade has hit Killobite's side and left an unpleasant scar. Even worse, here comes Richter to add some scars of its own! Kody narrowly avoids the charge, however, and instead goes after Eye of Ran for a little payback!
Sandwiched between the chaos, of course, is Delirium Tremors, who's still struggling to escape the Valley. Can Matt do it?
DOOONG!
No, he can't! There goes the bell and there goes the trap door! Auf Wiedersehen, Delirium Tremors!
BOING!
Uh-oh, seems Flick of the Wrist has stumbled onto the Silly Spring as the trap doors close themselves again! The Dutch entry lands just shy of the spinning drum and is promptly assaulted by Axeon, who in turn gets a quick slash from O.I.D! Andy fires his axe and gets a hold of Flick, drawing the duo into a tug-of-war. Back and forth, they pull and push, while O.I.D. tries to gets its teeth into the bouncing, bounding Slammer.
CRRRASH!
Ooh, and there he goes! A well-timed blow from Jack there, as O.I.D's disc makes contact and sends Slammer flying into the Valley! No problem to Alex, though, as his interchangeable marvel easily drives across to the other side of the arena. This couldn't have come soon enough for Eye of Ran, who's been pinched by Killobite and is violently resisting the crusher's jerks and tugs. Too bad Richter got to Slammer first.
CRRRASH!
Slammer goes flying back into the valley, and retreats to its starting point!
CRRRASH!
O.I.D. has welcomed Slammer back with another violent blow, almost sending it back into the valley again! This grand prix is turning into a game of Robot Tennis, and Slammer is the ball! Well, what did you expect, really? This is Roger Federer's homeland after all.
No time for tennis metaphors, however, as Axeon and Flick are finally breaking up and first on Flick's hit-list seems to be O.I.D! The Dutch machine ploughs into O.I.D's side and smacks it into the wall! Jack tries to bring the disc into play, but Martijn has other plans. With one great shove, Flick pushes O.I.D. across the arena and down into the nearby pit! Two down, six remain!
CRRRASH!
Or do they? Richter has left some very bad marks on Killobite's rear and now the Canadian crusher is starting to look a little worn. Kody doesn't seem to feel it, however, as he easily drags Eye of Ran over to the spinning drum.
CRRRASH!
The sparks fly as Joey's low-slung spinner gets scuffed up a treat!
CRRRASH!
And now Killobite's gone in courtesy of a blow from Richter! Growing tired of Dan's antics, Kody regains control of Killobite and promptly dumps Eye of Ran into the Valley - specifically, into the Clock King's domain! Joey attempts an escape, but the King's claws have already grappled the T-shaped machine and down comes His Highness' axe onto Eye of Ran's bonce! Off with his head, indeed!
Killobite still has unfinished business, however. Quickly dodging an onslaught from Richter, Kody briefly dances with the Welsh wonder until a little skillful driving gives Killobite the chance of a broadside attack! Kody takes the gambit and winds up shoving Richter into the wall! Dan tries to wriggle free, but the claw is already clamping down tightly on Richter's lid!
Meanwhile, Flick, Axeon and Slammer are locked in what can only be described as a playground wrestling match. Flick and Axeon are pushing each other all over the shop, with Slammer almost literally bouncing off the wall! Alex regains control just long enough, however, to take a charge at Flick! The rammer is currently beating Axeon against the wall and has its back end exposed. Alex seizes the opportunity and successfully grabs hold of Flick's angled rear! Slammer fires its flippers and virtually body-slams Flick of the Wrist down into the Valley! Martijn seems too unconcerned however - he simply throws his machine into reverse and climbs back onto the platform with ease! Shame the same can't be said for Eye of Ran, whose eyes are still being gouged by the Clock King's axe!
DOOONG!
Oops, there go the trap doors! The Clock King thanks you for your visit, Joey, but His Majesty will show Eye of Ran the way out!
Three are down and it looks like it's about to be four! Richter is well and truly pinned down by Killobite and Kody is taking full advantage! Keeping a firm grip on the spinner, Killobite makes its way carefully over towards the pit. Dan is doing everything with his controls to try and escape, but it's no use - Kody raises the claw and sends Richter tumbling out of the fight with one good nudge.
Now Killobite is all alone on its side of the field, but not for long. A hop and a bounce and here comes Slammer again, flying across the arena to have some fun with Kody! As Killobite tries to pin down the mechanical jumping bean, Flick seems to finally have the upper hand on Axeon! Managing another broadside attack, Flick scrapes its forks underneath the axebot and pushes it down the ramp and onto its back - right into the Swiss Army Knight's territory! Andy has barely self-righted when the Clock King's protector sets to work!
BANG!
Down comes the hammer!
BANG!
There goes the pick-axe!
BANG!
That's the mace at work!
BANG!
And that's the battleaxe blade! How do you feel about your own hammer now, eh, Andy?
With no-one left on his side, Marti reverses Flick across the valley and up the ramp to join Killobite and Slammer. Slammer is starting to feel tired, it seems, as the veteran isn't as bouncy as it was before. Kody is quick to act on this and has been trying to get a hold of Alex's unusual entry for a while now. Good thing for Kody that Flick's here to pile on the pressure! The Dutch Grand Prix champion lands a glancing blow on Slammer as it flees Killobite, knocking it into the wall. Killobite pounces, pinning Slammer again the barrier and bringing down the claw! Alex attempts to jump away, but the claw has done its magic!
DOOONG!
And so too, now, will the trap doors! One sweep from the Swiss Army Knight and Axeon plummets out of the contest!
Three robots remain with time running out, but it'll soon be two if Kody has anything to say about it. Killobite now has complete control of Slammer and quickly aims for the pit. The Canadian entry retracts its claw, dumps Slammer into the darkness - and falls down immediately after it! A well-timed - and very cheeky - final attack from Flick there, if I may say so!

CEASE!

FLICK OF THE WRIST WINS THE SWISS GRAND PRIX 2010!

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SWISS GRAND PRIX 2010 RESULTS:
1. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 10 points
2. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 8 points
3. SLAMMER VI = 6 points
4. AXEON 4.0 = 4 points
5. 9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 3 points
6. EYE OF RAN II = 2 points
7. O.I.D. = 1 point
8. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 0 points

Congratulations to Martijn Benschop, Kody Kunz and Alex Holt!

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Four grand prixs down and here's the points:

TOTAL RESULTS (4/10):
1. FLICK OF THE WRIST = 30 points
2. KILLOBITE SIGMA = 27 points
3. AXEON 4.0 = 22 points
4. 9.9 ON THE RICHTER SCALE = 21 points
5. O.I.D. = 12 points
6. SLAMMER VI = 11 points
7. DELIRIUM TREMORS = 8 points
8. EYE OF RAN II = 5 points

The gaps have begun to widen slightly, but there's still everything to play for as we enter Round 5!

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THE VAPOURBOT GRAND PRIX 2010
ROUND 5/10: THE MONACO GRAND PRIX
ARENA: Monty Carlo's Fighting Casino

IT'S...Monty Carlo's Fighting Casino, the most expensive (and most gaudy) robot fighting arena in the world! Mr Carlo has spared no cost in making this billionnaires battlefield the most entertaining arena money can buy! The floor is a giant roulette wheel, surrounded by neon lights and baying crowds. In the centre is a spinning totem with four long blades. Best avoid them if you don't want your assets cut.
At the north and south of the arena are a pair of giant Slot Machines. Best avoid these too, as their handles are actually hefty pneumatic maces. They won't give you money, but they will give you a headache! The golden buttons on the green squares are also worth avoiding, unless you're up for a spin. Depending which one you press, the entire arena floor will begin spinning either clockwise or anticlockwise for a few seconds. Wheee!
If that wasn't bad enough, Mr Carlo has spent so much money on the aforementioned hazards and decor that there wasn't enough left over to build any walls or barriers. The sides are completely unprotected, so do try and keep your balance - or you'll end up plunging into points bankrupcy!

Your Paint pic, monsiours:


That's all for now. See you next time and stay lucky.

[joey_picus]

Tactics:

erm...how on earth do I fight in an arena like this? :P My tactics will consist of the same as usual, use the corners to protect the weapon until I can spin up and then go after people, but I will try and stay on the side of the slot machines that don't have the handles on, away from the edge and the hazards, and really just desperately try to stay on the arena and avoid any three or more bot melees - unless it's a rammer or crusher I shall limit myself solely to robots that are away from the pack and not doing much, and make sure my own reaction force from the blade hit doesn't throw me over the edge or into the blades. Move around if necessary to avoid that happening.

Best of luck people...and somebody please lose badly so I don't get the wooden spoon? pretty please?

[kodster]

Curse that Dutch rammer in that battle format I love so much! Hmm...tactics...

As much as I want my revenge on Flick of the Wrist, this arena is tricky. I'd be a fool to not stay in the middle between the edges and the totem. Let's see...hit a spinny button, stay near the button so I can't exactly be pushed off the edge (easily, anyway), and watch for any incoming robots. Lift-and-clamp the fool that dare comes near and dump him out, rinse/repeat. Try to turn immediately after dumping a robot out so I'm aware of any threats; admiring my handiwork is a bad idea here.

Fantastical tournament thus far!

[team_britespark]

Let's write some tictacs then...

YES I AM POSTING MY TACTICS, SHUSH!

OK this arena is horrific, but hopefully it will be even moree horrific for my opponents. The amazing thing about an eggbeater weapon is its ability to not only cause damage on impact, but to send opponents skywards. I plan to use this to my advantage during this fight.

I will stay near the centre of the arena, keeping the back of the machine facing those spinning blades at all time. If a machine decides to attack mee for some stupid reason, they have a choice. They can either miss me and go face first into the spinning blades, or they can try and hit me but risk getting whacked by the eggbeater. Allow the other machines to stupidly go for the buttons, and hope the spinning forces send their machines out of the arena.

Amazing tournament so far, Steve-o, but I do not like being in 4th place.

[majinb]

I dont think my tactics can be too specific in an arena THIS random, lol. Spinning around every so often, being on 1 end of the arena 1 moment, and another end of the arena the next moment, I will take what I can get my hands on. I will look for good shots to get at robots while avoiding their weapons, which will mostly mean getting my forks underneath either their sides or their rear. Mostly, go for whatever opponent is nearest, but if my nearest opponent is on the non-spinning part of the arena while I am spinning, OR the other way around, I will not push my luck and instead go for someone who is on the same area as I am (so while spinning around, go for someone who is spinning with me, when Im on the stationary part of the arena, dont try to attack opponents that are spun around on the roulette wheel). Alright, I get under, then what, Martijn M Benschop? I shall take my opponent to the spinning pole in the middle, if I am on the roulette well, and if I am not, I will take my opponent to the slot machines, or push them OOTA! Obviously, after lifting them first.

Yes sir!

DISCLAIMER: Steve rightfully pointed out to me that the WHOLE arena will be spinning when it is spinning! My bad! How does this affect my tactics? I will still state that with a moving arena I wont be too specific, and I will still push and lift the opponent that rather simply gives me the best oppurtunity to, and I will still push them in the hazard (or OOTA) most convenient at that moment, lol.

[andrewj]

Right, this arena is far too unpredictable to have any sort of detailed plan. So I am going to gamble! Stay out of trouble and just keep hitting the targets every so often and see if I can catch anyone out with the spinning motion. If anyone is close to the edge and distracted, I will try to push them out. Just try and survive for as long as possible.

[team_orr]

i think im going to go with the crowd on this one, try and stay out of trouble and survive for as long as possible! push targets when possible and if theres a opportunity to eliminate anybody, take it :-) also try and stay away from the edge...

on a different note, anybody for a team up? :P

[kodster]

Actually, Jack, I'd like that.