I'd just like to say thanks to everyone involved for making it such a terrific event, and especially to the Robochallenge team for a brilliantly organised event - will see you all next year!
So, onto the match reports.
Fight One: HardWired II vs Ironside vs Binky
(Knockout - 4 points)
Two vicious spinners, one horizontal and another vertical. This was the fight I was dreading, but what a result! HardWired's 6mm Hardox scoop took the hit from Ironside very nicely, though it did leave a nice battle scar. As it happened, the impact also caused Ironside's gearbox to break, and it knocked its own weapon link out.
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| Scarred. |
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| Ouch... |
HardWired was still completely functional after the impact though, I'd assumed Ironside was but just dazed from the impact. So, I was gaining my confidence and thought 'Binky, come at me bro' - I decided to charge the disc, but actually skidded off course slightly and wedged myself on Binky's chassis. Alex (from Team Eventorizon, the team that built Binky) then tapped the machine out, said it was on fire - I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I'm led to believe some bolts in the motor had come loose, which was causing a short. Sure enough, Binky was removed and it was at that point Shane (Ironside) realised that one of his wheels had gone, and tapped Ironside out. I'd won my very first combat robot fight and now held 4 points in the league system!
Wait a minute, HardWired won a fight? It was a complete and utter fluke, it'd be HardWired Pâté if both machines hadn't had slight issues, but a win's a win! Very relieved, as these were too very good machines.
So, luck was on my side, there's no way possible I could lose my next fight!
Fight Two: HardWired II vs NST vs Carcinus
(3rd - 1 point)
NST? Hah, I laugh in the face of your spinner! You can't do anything to m-oh. Maybe I should have put the link in properly.
Perhaps my nerves got the better of me, but I completely forgot to set my link in properly, if you look carefully you can see it poking out the right side of the machine. Normally, I push it right into the bowels of the robot to prevent damage but I completely forgot this time. NST dished out the hits, and HardWired took it even deflecting NST onto the pit and nearly out of the arena a few times. In fact, my plan was to pull a Ricochet and knock NST into the open pit, you can actually see that I panic and open the pit as NST lands near it. A few more hits later, no actual damage is being taken (other than a slightly dented top plate) but NST manages to get the bar to hit right on my link. Dead.
Carcinus ended up being battered by NST enough to disable it, and NST came out the victor. With 5 points total, I'd need a win and a 2nd place finish to qualify.
Fight Three - HardWired II vs GiAnto vs KillerJoule
(2nd - 2 points)
KillerJoule? That's the Robochallenge Hammer isn't it, the one that's got a scary amount of force behind the hammer? Well, better take precautions.
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| Much engineering. So precision. Amaze. |
Overhead weapons scared me this championships, A LOT. 2.5mm Stainless is not much at all, and given the fact that my battery and motors were touching the top plate, I did not want to risk it. Enter the Precision Engineering Top Plate, my master plan. It's really just a sheet of HDPE from Hatchet, but needs must. Worst thing was that RoboChallenge had reliably informed me that KillerJoule was indeed working, and the hammer was 'fully operational'. Did my nerves wonders!
I charged GiAnto to get some points in, since I knew KillerJoule would make mincemeat of me before long. What I didn't expect, however, was it sending itself out with a swift 180 flip when it got the hammer caught in the railings. What are the chances?! After that it was a pushing match, as the inevitable slowly happened - I got pushed closer and closer to the pit, and the lack of traction meant I overcompensated and went straight in. Bother. Still, two points ain't bad. Now I need a win by knockout to ensure that I qualify for the next round.
Fight Four: HardWired II vs Beauty 8 vs GiAnto
(3rd - 1 point)
Well, HardWired had a good run, but now it's embarked on a new career as a satellite.
I really don't think there's even any merit in describing this one, I was out of the arena in 10 seconds, GiAnto out in a further 5. At least I can say I went out to the eventual runner up, and generally brilliant machine. I think I could have put up a much tougher fight against Beauty had I had grip on my wheels, more torque and a little better driving, assuming I could have kept the front end facing it, but Will (Beauty's driver) just wouldn't let that happen. I emphasise the 'better driving' part of that too, if you look closely I actually drive partly onto Beauty's flipper. After that, the writing's on the wall...
Still, it was a great outing and I had such a good time, even better I've learned more about the sport and I can safely say that I know what I need to do to get HardWired II a more competitive machine. Already counting down the days until my next event!
I'll be updating within the next week or so with details on the Whiteboard fights I entered, and the Gladiator fight, how I got on with that (I was the first one out).
Stay tuned!
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