When did this all start?

[Sparkey98]

When was vapourbotering first created?

[majinb]

I think the American ARC fraction invented it indipendently to us, so I can only give you the answer from our perspective, which would be, I'd say, 2003 ish, on the then still functioning official Robot Wars forum.

[steven_mcg]

From what I remember, I first joined the RW Forum in late 2002, so it's been going on quite a while here at least. The only real major tournament back then was the Never Seen Before Fic League and I distinctly remember the fourth series either being underway or finished by the time I joined.

Dear God, I'm old.

EDIT: Ah, perhaps this might help :
Ye Olde History of Fanfic? Thread