Episode 2 Robot Wars


Episode 2

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Transcript


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The level of challenge involved with building a fighting robot means that

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there is no perfect design.

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40 robot-fighting teams...

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..competing for the ultimate prize.

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This year, there'll be a lot of things

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that people won't have expected.

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Battling in the biggest...

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..toughest robot-fighting arena in the world.

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Each week, only the strongest will survive.

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Last week brought together the weird...

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THEY CHEER

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..and the wonderful.

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Team Nuts surprised everyone before their ultimate destruction.

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But it was all about the huge, devastating power

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of week-one winner Carbide.

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Who will join them this week,

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fighting to become the Robot Wars Champion?

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CHEERING

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This is Robot Wars,

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and this is the battlefield where the robots will come to fight.

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Due to the sheer power of the robots involved in the show,

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there are two layers of bulletproof protection around the outside,

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with a moat between them that's designed to stop anything

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that gets flipped out of the arena.

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The teams must guide their creations from up there -

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those are the control rooms, which is also where they must try

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to ensure that they avoid the arena hazards.

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The spikes.

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The flipper. The pit.

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And fire.

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But, before the teams enter the arena, the real graft

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happens down here, in the pits,

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which is effectively a giant mechanics' workshop.

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We're going to talk, obviously, to some of tonight's teams,

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but first, here's a quick reminder of how the show works.

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We start with two huge group battles,

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each featuring four robots.

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The two winning robots from each group stage

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progress to the head-to-head,

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a mini league made up of four teams.

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The top two at the end of this

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are our worthy finalists in today's show.

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First into the arena for Group Battle 1 will be...

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Jason, you are flying solo with this little beaut.

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-Yes, one-man army.

-One-man army.

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So, have you built everything?

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Yes, everything on here is with my own fair hands.

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Take your hands off the controls, you're making me nervous.

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Does it go already? The axe looks mammoth.

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What kind of power are we talking, what damage will it do?

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You got one and a quarter tonnes pushing it over,

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in less than half a second. So it's pretty fast.

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-How confident are you feeling?

-I'm all right, actually, I feel good.

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-I feel good about it.

-Cool as a breeze.

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Listen, best of luck, get back to it. Thanks a mill, Jason.

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Now, next one we have here is Shockwave. Hello, Shockwave,

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how are you? Good to see you. Are you looking forward to this?

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Yes, it's going to be fantastic. We've sharpened up and ready to go.

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-What's your big weapon?

-We've got this great big scoop on the front,

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goes all the way over the robot. But it's made from armour-plating

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material so it's really tough. So we're going to hit everything

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-head-on and try and shock them.

-Are you going to flip them,

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-are you going to throw them...?

-It's a lifter, so we're going to

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pick them up, then use the huge amount of drive power to push them

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into the pit or into the House Robots.

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-You guys have come all the way from Holland?

-That's true, yes.

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Right. It looks giant.

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Well, we need it for our tactics, we want to crush all robots,

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so we need a big robot just to be able to grab them.

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-What kind of power is it?

-It can crush 1,200 kilos.

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-Are you feeling confident?

-Yeah.

-Have you sized up the competition?

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Yeah, we've seen it, and, yeah, we're ready for it.

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Ready to represent Holland?

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-Yeah.

-Best of luck.

-Show them who's the boss.

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Show them who's boss, I like that, fighting talk!

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-What's the weapon you've got here?

-We have a 20-kilo stainless steel

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-spinning disc that travels at about 2,500 rpm.

-That's pretty powerful.

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That's one of the most powerful discs I think we've had

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in this competition. Does that leave you open in any other direction?

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-If somebody comes behind you or to your side?

-We should be all right,

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cos we've got a pretty good titanium shell on the back.

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OK, so you've got a titanium shield and a giant spinning disc.

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-The best of luck.

-Thank you.

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It's time for the first group battle, an unforgiving

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and merciless way to find out if all that hard work will pay off.

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Time for me to hand over to the master of ceremonies,

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Jonathan Pearce.

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Thanks very much, Dara and Angela.

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Tonight, each match is three minutes and competitors are looking to

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immobilise the competition by any means necessary.

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If robots are immobile for ten seconds, they're out.

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The same rule applies if robots find themselves in the pit,

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are flipped or hit out of the arena. It's then game over.

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If at the end of the three-minute battle

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the robots are still functioning,

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it's up to our expert judges, Professor Sethu Vijayakumar,

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Professor Noel Sharkey, and Dr Lucy Rogers, to crown a victor.

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Now, it looks as if the teams are entering the arena,

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so let's meet tonight's first competitor.

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From Helvoirt, Netherlands,

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Tough As Nails.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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One of the largest robots in the competition,

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it has a top speed of 13mph.

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Their giant clamping arms have a crushing force of 1.2 metric tonnes.

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Their favourite tactic - grab an opponent and dump him in the pit.

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From Reading, Shockwave.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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Father and son Ian and Will Thomas from Reading have ten years

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of robot-fighting experience. During testing Shockwave,

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they apparently drove it through a neighbour's fence!

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This team claim their scoop arm will allow them to climb out of the pit.

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We'll have to see about that.

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From Northampton, Thor.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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One-man team Jason Marston is a builder by trade.

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He designed, built and drives Thor with its CO2 powered axe.

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Thor has a gyroscopic stabiliser which allows Jason to position it

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precisely before unleashing his one-tonne axe.

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From Redhill, Surrey, Disconstructor.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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Built by the Phillipson family, Disconstructor has a titanium shell

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and a 20-kilo stainless steel spinning disc.

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If they have time to spin that disc up in the arena,

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this could be very destructive robot indeed. That's the four teams.

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The House Robot on patrol for this battle is Shunt,

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with a pneumatic axe and flipper.

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House Robots limited to the corner patrol zones, don't forget.

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If competitors find themselves in there,

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they'll be victim to the immense power of the House Robots.

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Roboteers, stand by.

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Teams are in position and ready for battle.

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Four fearsome competitors.

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Two will go home after this fight.

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Who will survive the chaos of the group battles?

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Three, two,

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one. Activate.

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Who will have the power? Who will have the staying power?

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Tough As Nails

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riding into the arena sidewall, taking on Thor.

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Down goes the pit release.

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Thor flying through the air. Its axe, so powerful.

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At the moment they're just testing.

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Oh, look at the power of the flipper!

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Lifting 103 kilos of Disconstructor as if it was a feather.

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And they must have been affected cos they're gone, they're out.

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Almost straightaway.

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The team from Redhill in Surrey gone,

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and Thor in trouble because it's in the grip of Tough As Nails.

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In the pincers.

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Can they hold him in there?

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I don't think the axe is having any great effect there.

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A couple of blows have gone in.

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Down comes the axe.

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Landing blow short.

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Push him in.

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They want to try and push him in, they say,

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the team from the Netherlands.

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Underneath goes the bucket,

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the armour-plated bucket of Shockwave.

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Into the corner it drives Tough As Nails

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and now can get the axe blow in.

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Push him into the corner, and now

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damage being sustained by Tough As Nails.

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And real damage, and Shockwave teaming up here with Thor.

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-It's not working.

-It's not Dutch delight,

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that's for sure. It's not working.

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They are in major trouble.

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Jeroen van der Loo, the captain, knows it's not working.

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Are they immobilised?

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They have ten seconds to get going.

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Jason has been a star in this.

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And comes in now, I think, Tough As Nails...

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are teetering.

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Is this the end for the team that has come a long way to be here

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from the Netherlands? They look forlorn.

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They've competed all over Europe

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in amateur robot competitions.

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There are about to go double Dutch.

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Yes, the second team in the pit,

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over and out for them.

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Oh, look at the despair!

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Look at the pirouette.

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Look at the showboating.

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-KLAXON BLARES

-Cease!

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Sorry, guys.

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Good start by Tough As Nails.

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And he flew through the air with the greatest of ease,

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the first flying robot of Robot Wars this time round.

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Disconstructor didn't survive the blow, went into the pit.

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Really good driving here,

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Thor caused the mechanical damage and into the pit they went.

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As group battles go, it doesn't get much better than that.

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Jason, Thor.

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If we're judging on aggression alone, there was no shortage of it.

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-Excellent. That's what I went for.

-The good news is, you're through

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-to the head-to-head. Well done.

-Thank you.

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Shockwave.

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Can I applaud you on the aggressiveness?

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You could have stepped away from a few of those battles.

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We wanted to get in the mix, get them down the pit, and we knew these

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guys were going to be the toughest, most damaging robot out there.

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-So we had to hit them first.

-It was the disc we were worried about,

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because we were so exposed with our four-wheel drive. We just said,

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-"We've got to go for the disc."

-You were looking very good out there.

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-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Very good.

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CHEERING

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After the first group battle,

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Shockwave and a very happy Thor are through to the head-to-heads.

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That was good, intense. Intense, sums it up. Yeah, awesome.

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It wasn't until I rammed him into the sidewall and he went up,

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at 45 degrees, then the hammer could reach him.

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Before that, it was just missing him, going between the claws.

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I think right there is the battery box and his link,

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a removable link that turns the machine off. It was like

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a roundhouse punch just knocked him out. Beautiful.

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It's time for the second group battle. The winner of this battle

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will join Thor and Shockwave in the head-to-head.

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Currently enjoying the sheer attritional nature

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of these group battles. 50% of the robots gone at the very, very start.

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I'm here with Draven who would expect...

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presumably you expect to get through this part.

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We're certainly hoping to get through this part,

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although our big Achilles heel is probably spinning robots

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and we're up against at least one.

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And our shell, although it should be very strong,

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is also quite thin and lightweight.

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Mr Speed Squared, still a bit of finishing to be done.

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Yes, it is our baby, of course. It's only five weeks old.

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-What, it's brand-new?!

-Yeah, absolutely.

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That is cruel, unleashing it.

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It is a bit, especially with no armour on it. Because we had to take

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-the bottom off it, it's too heavy.

-So this is the weapon?

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-This bit spins, yeah.

-How fast does it spin?

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-Well, the tip's doing about 120.

-What's the ideal opponent for you?

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Something made of a composite material like Kevlar,

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something like that machine over there in our heat, actually.

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-Go on, name and shame.

-I don't think I can say Draven, can I?

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Good luck, guys.

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You can obviously make too much of anthropomorphising these robots -

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for example, you could turn them into a fox.

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Who we kidding with this, lads?

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You are a flipper, which is historically, has been a very,

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very successful form of robot.

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Yes, but we can also...

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This whole arm will go all the way over the top,

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so we can use it as a big hammer as well.

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-How much power is in that?

-It should lift about two and a half tonnes.

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-Good luck, Foxic.

-Thank you very much.

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Chimera, how are you?

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-Very good, thank you.

-Good, are you all set?

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-Yeah, ready to go.

-These are quite, like, sturdy-looking tyres.

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-They're actually off a road car.

-Tyres are vulnerable in the arena -

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is this going be your weak spot?

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We're worried against the spinner that we're up against,

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we think they might take it out but we have tested it and they can still

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-run even if they get destroyed. We can roll on the rims.

-Who's driving?

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-You, OK. You feeling the pressure?

-Kind of.

-Yeah, little bit.

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-How are you going to handle that?

-Probably not well.

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THEY LAUGH

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OK! Listen, best of luck, guys,

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-I'm really looking forward to seeing you in there.

-Thank you. Cheers.

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It's time for the teams to make their way to the arena

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for the second group battle.

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Only two places up for grabs in the head-to-heads,

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and nobody wants to go home at this stage of the competition.

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But only two can progress.

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From Melksham in Wiltshire, Draven.

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The Draven team all work together at a famous vacuum cleaner

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and hand-dryer manufacturer.

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Draven with a hydraulic crusher and lifter.

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Four tonnes of crushing power at the tip.

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From Bristol, Foxic.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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Foxic is a pusher-lifter bot

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with two inches of hardened steel armour on all sides.

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Designed and maintained by Craig Danby.

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He says they have no weaknesses.

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That's a dangerous boast from the second lightest machine in the heat.

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From Belbroughton, Worcestershire, Mr Speed Squared.

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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The Forsey family are responsible for Mr Speed Squared.

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It has a 360-degree spinner,

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but it's unarmoured on one side,

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that could leave them vulnerable.

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Dad Peter Forsey is a heart surgeon by trade.

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From Bolton, Chimera.

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Chimera's weapon is three sharpened steel spikes.

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Robot Wars is a passion of team captain Jordan. He can name

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every robot that's ever competed, including the team members.

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He even has a picture of Matilda on his wall.

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Don't we all? The four teams are joined by Dead Metal.

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He'll be in the corner patrol zone armed with that pneumatic pincer

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and circular saw weaponry.

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Roboteers, stand by.

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Two places left in the head-to-heads,

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two robots will have their dreams cut short.

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This is a battle of survival.

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Three, two, one. Activate!

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Big question here, who will Mr Speed Squared attack first -

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Draven or the wheels of Chimera?

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They get the spinning blade up to full pace.

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-Stay away from that one.

-Chimera, watch out, watch out, watch out!

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-Stay away from that one.

-You didn't stay away from that one.

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And that's cost you, the wheels are wonky.

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Don't bring tyres into the arena.

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Stay away from it, stay away from it.

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Mr Speed Squared chasing Chimera.

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They can't get away.

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In comes Draven.

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Dark, mysterious, very violent, they say, Draven.

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Chimera can't get far.

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Off goes the wheel completely.

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And now who will remain?

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Foxic out of trouble, Mr Speed Squared now takes on Draven,

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and I think part of Draven went flying there.

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Let's see.

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Yes, off went part of the carbon fibre and Kevlar composite shell.

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Just cut through it like paper.

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Mr Speed Squared simply sliced through the lot.

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Draven is immobilised, I think.

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I can't move.

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And it's a question now, is Mr Speed Squared active?

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And little Foxic staying out of trouble so far.

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Mr Speed Squared's OK, and I would imagine would go through with Foxic,

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who's just stayed out of trouble all the way. Cease is called.

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Look at this, straightaway went for the tyres of Chimera.

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Always vulnerable to come into this arena with tyres.

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They never learn!

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That's the end of Chimera.

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Brutal, wasn't it? Yeah, great, loved it.

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And then the damage to Draven.

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Foxic, look - hiding!

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Mr Speed Squared!

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-THEY LAUGH

-Look at that!

0:17:370:17:40

That's a cheeky laugh, isn't it?

0:17:400:17:42

I mean, what a rampage.

0:17:420:17:44

They loved it.

0:17:440:17:46

They want you to go in hard that's exactly what you did.

0:17:460:17:49

Somebody who were at the wrong end of your rampage, well done.

0:17:490:17:52

-Sorry, guys.

-I mean, Chimera,

0:17:520:17:54

you said earlier on that if one of the wheels went....

0:17:540:17:57

We said the spinner was our weakness, and it's proved to be.

0:17:570:18:00

The bad news, Chimera, is that you guys are going home.

0:18:000:18:02

Hard luck. But you guys are into the head-to-heads.

0:18:020:18:05

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:18:050:18:06

I was expecting so much.

0:18:060:18:08

-What happened?

-We had terrible control problems, I'm not sure why,

0:18:080:18:11

it was glitching backwards and forwards.

0:18:110:18:13

Mr Speed Squared just cut, sliced you through the middle?

0:18:130:18:16

-No, I don't think so.

-Really?

-From the sparks, he found the titanium

0:18:160:18:19

-that lived underneath the outside shell.

-So why did you stop?

0:18:190:18:22

It hit really hard!

0:18:220:18:24

LAUGHTER

0:18:240:18:25

Anyway, so you're going home.

0:18:250:18:27

You, possibly the least impressive robot that has ever qualified

0:18:270:18:31

-from a big battle.

-LAUGHTER

0:18:310:18:33

You were hiding in the corner for large chunks of it,

0:18:330:18:36

-just flapping your hat around. Were you happy with your performance?

-No.

0:18:360:18:39

So what was going wrong for you?

0:18:390:18:41

We were slipping really badly. Every time I pressed forward,

0:18:410:18:44

it would go fine cos four wheels are going.

0:18:440:18:45

But then, because it's so slippy for us, it just, trying to turn,

0:18:450:18:48

it's going, "Urrrgh!"

0:18:480:18:50

Well, congratulations, you're through, well done Foxic. Very good.

0:18:500:18:53

The group stages are now over, but the victorious Mr Speed Squared

0:18:560:19:00

have discovered some serious damage to their robot.

0:19:000:19:03

It runs on bearings.

0:19:030:19:05

And maybe four or five of them have just blown up.

0:19:050:19:09

INDISTINCT CHATTER

0:19:090:19:13

Foxic also have some technical issues to deal with.

0:19:150:19:18

We've got to take the side off and find out why it's loose,

0:19:200:19:24

and maybe get a touch of welding done.

0:19:240:19:27

But that should be fixable, should be able to do that.

0:19:270:19:29

We now have our four victorious robots:

0:19:320:19:35

They all progress to the head-to-heads,

0:19:390:19:41

a series of one-on-one battles, scoring three points for a win,

0:19:410:19:45

and two for a judges' decision.

0:19:450:19:49

The two robots with the most points at the end of this stage

0:19:490:19:51

will be tonight's finalists.

0:19:510:19:53

No repairs that I can see of, yet.

0:19:550:19:58

I'll have a detailed look and go from there,

0:19:580:20:00

but I wouldn't have thought there would be much, fingers crossed.

0:20:000:20:03

This wheel, we just can't get quite right.

0:20:090:20:11

So we were only on three wheels at the end of the day.

0:20:110:20:14

So a little work to do on that,

0:20:140:20:15

get some power in the batteries, and we will be good to fight next.

0:20:150:20:19

Approaching the end of the allotted repair time,

0:20:190:20:21

Mr Speed Squared have managed to resolve their bearings issues.

0:20:210:20:24

We had to modify some other bearings to fit.

0:20:240:20:27

And use some extra sort of rubber cushioning in between

0:20:280:20:31

to try and stop it happening again. It's just taking a little bit longer

0:20:310:20:34

than we thought.

0:20:340:20:35

The two hours of repair time are up. Ready or not,

0:20:350:20:38

Thor and Mr Speed Squared must down tools and make their way

0:20:380:20:42

to the arena for the first head-to-head.

0:20:420:20:45

Having avoided a spinner in the first round,

0:20:450:20:47

can Thor's axe stand up as well against Mr Speed Squared?

0:20:470:20:52

My name is Jason Marston.

0:20:520:20:54

My day job, I'm a builder.

0:20:540:20:55

The things that I've brought from the trade into building a robot

0:20:550:20:58

is a big 'ammer.

0:20:580:21:00

Watching Robot Wars on the telly,

0:21:040:21:06

I thought, "I can do better than that." And I couldn't.

0:21:060:21:09

Not for a few years, anyway.

0:21:090:21:11

My main concern about Thor is it's not battle-tested.

0:21:140:21:18

And I am pushing the envelope on some of the designs in that.

0:21:180:21:22

If Thor gets totally destroyed, I will be heartbroken.

0:21:220:21:26

300 hours of work, and a lot of money smashed to pieces.

0:21:260:21:31

Upsetting!

0:21:310:21:32

To win Robot Wars, it would be a bit of a dream come true.

0:21:320:21:35

After all these years of building, that would be, yeah...

0:21:350:21:39

That would be special, actually, yeah.

0:21:390:21:41

Mr Speed Squared are a family team who have surprised all

0:21:460:21:49

with their new robot. But do they have the killer instinct to win?

0:21:490:21:53

The doctor will see you now.

0:21:530:21:54

A family team. Jake, data analyst.

0:21:580:22:01

Sam, motorsport engineering.

0:22:010:22:03

Myself, consultant cardiologist.

0:22:030:22:05

Well, my job, which involves surgery at work, obviously,

0:22:050:22:08

is precise and controlled. So robots allow a different kind of surgery

0:22:080:22:12

to take place which is a lot less precise and much less controlled

0:22:120:22:17

and perhaps a bit more fun.

0:22:170:22:18

It's OK, you won't feel a thing.

0:22:180:22:20

As a family, we've always been tinkering, building go-karts,

0:22:240:22:27

and racing cars, and mucking around, doing stuff together.

0:22:270:22:31

So it seemed a good idea to do the Robot Wars thing.

0:22:310:22:33

We have good team dynamics, we get on well.

0:22:360:22:39

There's always robust discussion on how it's going to be, but I guess,

0:22:390:22:42

because I pay for it, often it goes my way.

0:22:420:22:45

Building the robot, the hardest thing that we've come across

0:22:450:22:48

is getting strong enough mountings for the disc.

0:22:480:22:51

We're just a little family group in the shed building this thing.

0:22:510:22:54

Some of the bots have loads of money spent on them, professionally built.

0:22:540:22:58

We'd like to upset some people there.

0:22:580:23:00

At work, we try and avoid fatalities.

0:23:020:23:05

But at Robot Wars, that's the mission.

0:23:050:23:07

Three, two, one. Activate!

0:23:110:23:15

Have they managed to repair the damage in the pits?

0:23:150:23:20

Driven ball-bearing-barmy,

0:23:200:23:22

the Mr Speed Squared boys.

0:23:220:23:25

And the pit release already activated.

0:23:250:23:28

The two most impressive robots so far.

0:23:280:23:31

Oh, what came off there?

0:23:310:23:33

Something flew away, across the arena floor.

0:23:330:23:36

And Mr Speed Squared are running away,

0:23:370:23:42

and not getting the circular blade

0:23:420:23:46

up to running speed at all.

0:23:460:23:48

It is totally ineffective.

0:23:480:23:51

It's the baby of Robot Wars,

0:23:510:23:54

five weeks old.

0:23:540:23:56

Bye-bye, baby. Baby, bye-bye.

0:23:560:24:00

Mr Speed Squared

0:24:010:24:04

so brilliant in the first battle

0:24:040:24:07

of this heat.

0:24:070:24:10

Thor, one of the most experienced robots in this competition,

0:24:100:24:13

been battling for 15 years.

0:24:130:24:15

-CROWD CHANT:

-In the pit! In the pit!

0:24:150:24:19

And look at the power of the drive.

0:24:190:24:21

-CROWD CHANT:

-In the pit! In the pit! In the pit! In the pit!

0:24:210:24:25

Thor has destroyed washing machines, microwaves,

0:24:250:24:29

loads of household appliances.

0:24:290:24:31

Now destroying Mr Speed Squared.

0:24:310:24:34

Dead Metal playing a role.

0:24:340:24:35

Oh, now can they get that circular saw up to speed?

0:24:350:24:39

Look at the damage caused by the axe.

0:24:390:24:42

Absolutely smashing down through the armament.

0:24:430:24:47

And comes in now, surely, for the kill.

0:24:470:24:50

The only thing that can beat Thor now is...

0:24:500:24:52

Oh, and the floor flipper!

0:24:520:24:54

How about that?

0:24:540:24:56

Can self-right.

0:24:560:24:58

Were they getting too cocky

0:24:590:25:01

and arrogant

0:25:010:25:03

heading for victory,

0:25:030:25:05

and lost sight of the floor-flipper?

0:25:050:25:07

Back on top now, but Mr Speed Squared

0:25:090:25:13

has a new sense of survival.

0:25:130:25:15

This might go to the judges yet, you know.

0:25:150:25:18

And in comes Shunt.

0:25:200:25:22

And Thor can't rain any more blows down, it would seem.

0:25:230:25:28

But the unarmoured section of Mr Speed Squared now on top,

0:25:280:25:33

hugely vulnerable.

0:25:330:25:35

Can they get to the motors, can they destroy?

0:25:350:25:38

Onto the tyres, now vulnerable.

0:25:380:25:41

Oh, I think this is it.

0:25:410:25:42

Oh, goodness me, nearly was for Thor.

0:25:420:25:45

It is for Mr Speed Squared, into the pit of oblivion.

0:25:450:25:50

-KLAXON BLARES

-Cease!

0:25:500:25:52

It went quite well.

0:25:540:25:56

The start was not as I planned.

0:25:560:25:59

Missed him on the initial charge, so I had to do a quick U-turn

0:25:590:26:02

and come back after him. But luckily enough, he hadn't managed to get

0:26:020:26:05

the disc up to speed,

0:26:050:26:07

so no harm done.

0:26:070:26:09

A comfortable victory for Thor,

0:26:100:26:12

but the early optimism from Mr Speed Squared has now soured.

0:26:120:26:17

-We've had a beating.

-Look at this as well, what is going on?

0:26:170:26:20

In that match, we took on a very experienced, powerful,

0:26:200:26:25

well-driven robot

0:26:250:26:27

who did exactly the right thing, got on us like a rash,

0:26:270:26:31

didn't give us any chance to get the disc up to speed,

0:26:310:26:34

and he pushed us all over the shop, then managed to get us flipped over

0:26:340:26:38

and then pummelled us on our soft underbelly,

0:26:380:26:40

getting into a lot of our vital organs.

0:26:400:26:43

-We underestimated how much these bearings can take.

-Yeah.

0:26:430:26:47

So every fight, we're going to have to replace them.

0:26:470:26:50

After our first head-to-head,

0:26:500:26:53

Thor scores three points

0:26:530:26:54

and takes the top spot.

0:26:540:26:56

Mr Speed Squared falls

0:26:560:26:57

to last place,

0:26:570:26:58

with Foxic versus Shockwave

0:26:580:27:00

next to fight.

0:27:000:27:02

-Foxic, you're up against Shockwave.

-Yes.

-Are you all set?

0:27:020:27:05

-Yeah, we're good.

-You're good?

0:27:050:27:07

You see, this is the thing, I find your confidence borderline arrogant,

0:27:070:27:11

considering you just ran around the ring.

0:27:110:27:13

-MOCKING:

-Oh, we just ran around, we just ran around.

0:27:130:27:16

-Is that your imitation of me?

-Yes, it is, I'm afraid.

0:27:160:27:19

-Crucially, is the drive back?

-Yes, it's all fixed.

-Really?

0:27:190:27:21

-Yeah, we're all fixed.

-And what about the weapon?

0:27:210:27:24

The weapon works now. We've gone for the smaller lift.

0:27:240:27:26

-Right, why is that?

-A tactical reason.

0:27:260:27:29

Go on, hit me with it. No-one can hear.

0:27:290:27:33

(I can't fit the other one back on.)

0:27:330:27:35

Beautiful tactics! I love this, as you can tell.

0:27:350:27:39

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

0:27:390:27:40

The power in Shockwave's motor had snapped the drive chain.

0:27:400:27:45

Now repaired, the team plan for Opposition Foxic.

0:27:450:27:48

This sharp edge here was incredibly effective. We've just got to get

0:27:500:27:53

under them and then displace them, and lift them up, that's the secret.

0:27:530:27:57

After a lacklustre first performance,

0:27:570:27:59

Foxic have something to prove.

0:27:590:28:00

But apparently they're going to storm the head-to-heads.

0:28:000:28:03

I'm Craig Danby, I'm from Bristol, and my robot is Foxic.

0:28:090:28:12

The good thing about building a robot by myself

0:28:120:28:15

was that I didn't have to compromise with anyone else's ideas.

0:28:150:28:18

It was all my train of thought, my build, I did everything my own way.

0:28:180:28:22

Everyone else is just along for the ride.

0:28:220:28:24

The robot is modular, it was designed so it can come apart

0:28:260:28:29

and go back together as quickly as possible.

0:28:290:28:31

I'm here to bring a lot of pain, a lot of damage, a lot of aggression,

0:28:330:28:37

a lot of speed, a lot of robustness. I'm here to kill.

0:28:370:28:40

Shockwave are pushing their new machine to its limits

0:28:460:28:49

with their no-holds-barred combat style.

0:28:490:28:52

But can their untested machine take the punishment?

0:28:520:28:55

My name is Will Thomas. I'm a PhD student, studying Cybernetics

0:28:580:29:01

at the University of Reading.

0:29:010:29:03

My main responsibilities are the concept and the CAD design

0:29:030:29:06

and the driving of the robot. My dad Ian is responsible for

0:29:060:29:09

the mechanical building and the electronics.

0:29:090:29:12

Building robots and taking part in competitions has really taken over

0:29:140:29:17

the entire family. My mum gets involved, she is making

0:29:170:29:20

all the shirts to make us look presentable at the competitions.

0:29:200:29:24

Dad's always been good at DIY, but over the last few years,

0:29:240:29:27

he's learned a lot about welding and milling and drilling to help us

0:29:270:29:30

build a winning robot.

0:29:300:29:32

The House Robots overseeing this head-to-head, Dead Metal,

0:29:370:29:40

and for the first time today, Matilda.

0:29:400:29:43

Sporting her pneumatic flipping tusks

0:29:460:29:48

and destructive tail flywheel, absolutely beautiful.

0:29:480:29:51

Three, two, one.

0:29:510:29:55

Activate!

0:29:550:29:57

Ah, so they want to be the villains of the piece, Foxic.

0:29:570:30:00

But will they have repaired that drive system damage?

0:30:000:30:03

They were slipping in the earlier fight.

0:30:030:30:06

Shockwave want to get in underneath with the bucket and flip Foxic.

0:30:060:30:10

Down goes the pit release.

0:30:100:30:12

So they need driving skills to stay away.

0:30:120:30:16

Run, Foxic, run, Foxic, run, run, run!

0:30:160:30:19

But they look more competitive than they were before.

0:30:190:30:23

If they can stay out of trouble, that is.

0:30:230:30:25

Oh, they're in the CPZ.

0:30:250:30:26

Ill-advised. Dead Metal is in there, can catch them in the pincers.

0:30:260:30:31

Shockwave trying to edge them onto Dead Metal.

0:30:310:30:33

And Foxic caught in the claws, but look at this power.

0:30:340:30:38

That is not Dead Metal dragging Foxic,

0:30:380:30:41

that is Foxic pushing Dead Metal.

0:30:410:30:43

So it looks to me as if they have corrected the drive system.

0:30:430:30:48

And they love it.

0:30:480:30:49

That's a huge House Robot they're pushing, but Matilda,

0:30:500:30:53

it's not your turn, get back.

0:30:530:30:55

And now, having pushed into Dead Metal, they couldn't get away.

0:30:580:31:02

They will sustain damage from the Dead Metal blade.

0:31:020:31:06

And it's time for Shockwave to get a push in.

0:31:060:31:09

Steering away from the House Robot and now perhaps they can flip Foxic

0:31:090:31:13

against the side wall.

0:31:130:31:15

-He's there, he's stuck.

-It's been a brave battle so far from Foxic,

0:31:150:31:19

much, much improved.

0:31:190:31:21

But how much damage was sustained there, I wonder?

0:31:220:31:25

Can they self-right? Yes, they can, well done.

0:31:260:31:30

And steering away, initially, from Shockwave, but no more.

0:31:300:31:35

Down go Foxic.

0:31:350:31:36

Into the fox's lair that is the pit, and out.

0:31:370:31:40

Cease!

0:31:400:31:42

Well done. Unlucky, chaps.

0:31:430:31:44

Well, they wanted to get in underneath Foxic,

0:31:500:31:52

but it was the other way round, initially.

0:31:520:31:55

Then they used the brute pushing power force,

0:31:550:31:58

and I think that was where major damage was caused to Foxic,

0:31:580:32:02

from Dead Metal.

0:32:020:32:04

But in the end, I feel that was inevitable.

0:32:040:32:08

All four teams have now had their first head-to-head.

0:32:110:32:14

They must still take on each of the other robots,

0:32:140:32:16

scoring as many points as possible.

0:32:160:32:19

Someone yet to get off the mark is Foxic, and no surprises,

0:32:190:32:23

he's not happy about it.

0:32:230:32:25

We lost. As far as I'm concerned, that's it for me.

0:32:250:32:28

So I'm going to go after the House Robots.

0:32:280:32:31

Look at these pansy saws. Look at them.

0:32:310:32:34

He better hope the House Robots don't hear him talking like that.

0:32:340:32:37

Meanwhile, the undamaged Team Shockwave

0:32:370:32:39

prepare for the next fight.

0:32:390:32:41

After the first two head-to-heads,

0:32:410:32:44

Thor and Shockwave are at the top of

0:32:440:32:45

the table with three points apiece.

0:32:450:32:47

Foxic and Mr Speed Squared are yet

0:32:470:32:49

to get off the mark.

0:32:490:32:50

Next up, and it's a big one,

0:32:500:32:52

it's Thor versus Shockwave.

0:32:520:32:54

While the teams prepare for the next battle,

0:32:560:32:58

I'm here with one of our three judges, Sethu Vijayakumar,

0:32:580:33:00

who is a professor of robotics at the University of Edinburgh.

0:33:000:33:03

Sethu, it's an interesting challenge, robotics, but robotics is

0:33:030:33:06

a field that has evolved enormously over the last recent while.

0:33:060:33:10

One of the things we're going to do with robots is we're going to place

0:33:100:33:13

them into environments that we just can't put human beings.

0:33:130:33:15

That's probably one of the great frontiers for robotics.

0:33:150:33:18

That's correct.

0:33:180:33:19

One of the programmes that I've been associated with is an exciting

0:33:190:33:23

collaboration with Nasa.

0:33:230:33:25

I was at the Johnson Space Centre,

0:33:250:33:27

working on one of their state-of-the-art robots

0:33:270:33:30

called the Valkyrie.

0:33:300:33:32

-Where was this robot going to go?

-Nasa has a 15-year vision

0:33:320:33:36

about creating an unmanned programme to Mars. There are two reasons

0:33:360:33:40

to it. It cuts down the price of space travel significantly.

0:33:400:33:44

It's almost one-seventh or one-eighth the price

0:33:440:33:47

-of a manned mission.

-Really? Just because you're limiting oxygen,

0:33:470:33:50

the need for water in the same way, you're limiting the need for food?

0:33:500:33:53

And the safety constraints are much less stringent, obviously.

0:33:530:33:57

because you could afford to lose a piece of equipment,

0:33:570:34:00

-you couldn't afford somebody's life.

-So where we're going to find

0:34:000:34:03

our robots isn't even going to be here, necessarily, our robots

0:34:030:34:06

are going to be the ones being the intergalactic explorers?

0:34:060:34:09

Hopefully, hopefully. And we will follow them, after making sure

0:34:090:34:12

-everything else is safe.

-OK, cool.

0:34:120:34:14

Thank you very much again to the robots.

0:34:140:34:16

With no damage sustained in his last head-to-head,

0:34:180:34:20

Jason has had time to tailor Thor for his next fight.

0:34:200:34:24

For the Shockwave fight coming up,

0:34:250:34:28

I did have, previous to that, this plate across the front,

0:34:280:34:31

to stop the spinners. So, I took that off and we've now got these on,

0:34:310:34:36

which will hug the floor,

0:34:360:34:38

and effectively render his front scoop useless, so he won't be able

0:34:380:34:43

to get under me and lift me over. That's the plan, anyway.

0:34:430:34:46

Fresh off their initial victory, Shockwave has had a makeover.

0:34:460:34:49

This looks like a very different Shockwave.

0:34:490:34:51

It's had a complete overhaul since the last fight.

0:34:510:34:53

We've got a brand-new front end, so it's sort of a high-impact one,

0:34:530:34:56

-we can deflect the axe of Thor.

-You're not expect to do damage yourself with this?

0:34:560:35:00

That's it, we're going to do the same thing we always do,

0:35:000:35:02

push him around the arena and try and get him in the pit.

0:35:020:35:05

And where did this come from?

0:35:050:35:07

This is actually a gas-main pipe, we got this outside of our house,

0:35:070:35:09

cut it up and it's really, really tough stuff.

0:35:090:35:12

So we're going to raise it up like that.

0:35:120:35:14

-Fantastic.

-And Thor can smack this all day long.

-It wasn't in use,

0:35:140:35:17

-outside your house?

-No.

-Good luck,

-Shockwave. Thank you very much.

0:35:170:35:20

Thor and Shockwave go head-to-head now,

0:35:200:35:24

each robot adapted to try and gain some kind of advantage.

0:35:240:35:27

They're at the top of the league and powerful robots.

0:35:270:35:30

Will Shockwave's changes do anything to protect them

0:35:300:35:33

against Thor's merciless axe?

0:35:330:35:35

The teams are ready. It's battle time.

0:35:350:35:37

-Three, two...

-Shockwave and Thor,

0:35:370:35:39

two of the most experienced teams in the competition.

0:35:390:35:42

This promises to be a barnstormer.

0:35:420:35:45

The new scoop of Shockwave,

0:35:450:35:47

the new front feet buffers of Thor.

0:35:470:35:49

Don't forget, Shockwave lost a chain for one wheel earlier this evening.

0:35:490:35:54

But that's good power and push.

0:35:560:35:58

And immediately, Shockwave backing onto the House Robot.

0:36:000:36:04

That's where they could be vulnerable, also at the sides.

0:36:040:36:07

And they're taking punishment at the sides,

0:36:070:36:09

trying to self-right with that bucket.

0:36:090:36:12

On the top, 15 millimetres of high-density polyethylene plastic

0:36:140:36:18

is protecting... Oh, the bucket's come off!

0:36:180:36:20

Look at that, part of the bucket...

0:36:230:36:25

..literally flew away.

0:36:260:36:30

Now they're suspect on the front left wheel, too.

0:36:300:36:35

If Thor can manoeuvre with the gyroscopic stabiliser

0:36:350:36:40

and that magnificent turn of speed,

0:36:400:36:45

the greater manoeuvrability to get in on the side wheels...

0:36:450:36:48

We are seeing a very capable robot in Thor.

0:36:480:36:51

Huge power, one and a half tonnes of axe power down there.

0:36:510:36:55

Jason, one of the most experienced drivers,

0:36:550:36:58

builders in Robot Wars history.

0:36:580:37:00

The bucket scoop fragmented.

0:37:010:37:04

There's the carnage.

0:37:050:37:07

There's the wreckage.

0:37:070:37:09

And, boy, we love it.

0:37:090:37:11

And off comes another piece.

0:37:110:37:14

Whatever they put it on with -

0:37:140:37:16

sticky-backed plastic, it looks like to me - it wasn't good enough.

0:37:160:37:21

And Thor here, well on top.

0:37:210:37:23

Can Shockwave just stay out of trouble, though?

0:37:230:37:26

That's what it needs to do now.

0:37:260:37:27

Maybe take it to the judges.

0:37:270:37:29

Maybe last the whole bout.

0:37:290:37:32

Can Thor deal a death blow?

0:37:320:37:36

That's the big question.

0:37:360:37:38

Good control there

0:37:380:37:40

by Will Thomas and Ian Thomas, the father-and-son team,

0:37:400:37:45

to stay away from Thor's axe.

0:37:450:37:49

The floor spikes, the House Robot,

0:37:490:37:51

damage there caused on the weaponry mechanism.

0:37:510:37:56

It's buckled.

0:37:560:37:58

Out of control into the corner,

0:38:000:38:01

or are they simply just turning away from trouble?

0:38:010:38:04

Look at the axe there, right into the wheel.

0:38:040:38:08

They need to get out of that corner, and they do so.

0:38:100:38:14

Discretion the better part of valour.

0:38:140:38:17

Live to fight another day, but without the bucket,

0:38:170:38:19

it's completely gone now.

0:38:190:38:21

For me, Thor the most impressive robot so far.

0:38:230:38:26

But pushed on there, to Matilda.

0:38:260:38:29

All these points will be tallied up by the judges should they survive.

0:38:290:38:34

And they've got ten seconds to survive.

0:38:340:38:37

The crowd are counting down.

0:38:370:38:39

Oh, great valour and courage from Shockwave.

0:38:390:38:44

Thor dominating,

0:38:440:38:46

but Shockwave still in there, and it goes to the judges.

0:38:460:38:49

INDISTINCT CHATTER

0:38:500:38:54

And they know the judges will be marking on control,

0:38:540:38:57

damage and aggression right now.

0:38:570:38:59

Thor the most aggressive robot right from the start.

0:39:010:39:04

Pushing Shockwave onto the House Robot, causing damage with the axe.

0:39:040:39:10

Shockwave lost its scoop in various stages,

0:39:100:39:14

it has to be said.

0:39:140:39:16

But what a competitive spirit, in the end,

0:39:160:39:19

to stay clear of Thor just enough and push Thor onto Matilda.

0:39:190:39:24

Wow, this could be tight.

0:39:240:39:26

I am breathless, Dara, what a fight.

0:39:260:39:29

I think that was a fantastic fight. I think it was great cos I'm

0:39:290:39:31

actually looking at shards of both robots spread over the arena there.

0:39:310:39:34

But it has been a unanimous decision.

0:39:340:39:37

And the winner of this bout, under the judges' ruling,

0:39:370:39:41

is Thor.

0:39:410:39:43

Well done, congratulations, Thor.

0:39:430:39:45

Nice one.

0:39:450:39:47

There we go with Thor's thing!

0:39:470:39:49

Do the Thor thing! Very good.

0:39:490:39:52

OK. So, no points for Shockwave there, but two points,

0:39:520:39:56

because it was a judges' decision, go to Thor.

0:39:560:39:59

As the judges, we're looking at aggression, damage and control.

0:40:030:40:06

And Thor's hammer coming down, hammering it all the time,

0:40:060:40:09

the aggression, using those

0:40:090:40:10

criteria, we said Thor would win.

0:40:100:40:12

Mighty Thor powers through but Team Shockwave are heavily damaged

0:40:140:40:18

and have suffered both robot and human casualties.

0:40:180:40:21

Just getting it out of the arena,

0:40:220:40:25

we lifted it out and a really sharp bit has caught William's fingers

0:40:250:40:28

so he's in first aid now. So, we've got a puncture.

0:40:280:40:31

Scoop's gone.

0:40:310:40:33

The hub has been completely smashed to smithereens.

0:40:330:40:36

Thor was just so strong.

0:40:360:40:38

So, yeah, I've got to plough on now, repair our plough,

0:40:380:40:41

and get ready for the next fight.

0:40:410:40:44

Thor are now at the top

0:40:440:40:46

of the table with five points,

0:40:460:40:47

whilst Shockwave stay on three.

0:40:470:40:49

So a win for either Mr Speed Squared

0:40:490:40:51

or Foxic would get them

0:40:510:40:53

back in the game. It all comes down

0:40:530:40:55

to this next battle.

0:40:550:40:57

Having worked solidly since their last battle,

0:40:570:40:59

Mr Speed Squared are putting on a brave face.

0:40:590:41:02

But have they done enough to prepare for this all-important fight?

0:41:020:41:06

The disc is bent. So it's just jamming on all the bearings.

0:41:060:41:10

It's fine,

0:41:100:41:11

we are going to go into the next battle and do some serious damage.

0:41:110:41:15

-We are.

-Whether it will be mainly to ourselves or to the opponent,

0:41:150:41:19

we don't know. We hope the opponent, obviously.

0:41:190:41:22

Plagued by drive problems so far in this proposition, Team Foxic seem

0:41:220:41:26

confident we'll finally get to see them at their true potential.

0:41:260:41:28

-So, it will drive now?

-No, it's driving, it's fine.

0:41:280:41:31

-We'll just make sure it's doing what it's supposed to be doing.

-It is.

0:41:310:41:35

The House Robots, the deadly Dead Metal,

0:41:390:41:41

and for the very first time today, Sir Killalot, thank you very much.

0:41:410:41:45

Three, two...

0:41:540:41:56

Will Foxic have repaired their drive problems?

0:41:560:41:59

Has Mr Speed Squared survived that dreadful damage by Thor?

0:41:590:42:04

Tentative at the moment.

0:42:050:42:07

Mr Speed Squared backing away.

0:42:070:42:10

We've seen the weapon spin a little, but you can see there, it's buckled

0:42:100:42:15

and bent out of shape, as they were saying.

0:42:150:42:17

Can't spin. They need to attack here.

0:42:170:42:20

Attack, attack, attack, that's what the crowd want, that's what we want.

0:42:200:42:23

We want a bit of a rumble in the arena jungle.

0:42:250:42:28

They're in on the House Robot now.

0:42:280:42:30

Well, you remember they wanted to push the House Robots.

0:42:300:42:35

You need to get out of there cos both of them are combining now.

0:42:350:42:39

Meanwhile, Mr Speed Squared is doing absolutely nothing.

0:42:400:42:43

Well, I think it's going to go to the judges. I pity them.

0:42:460:42:49

In all my years,

0:42:510:42:54

this has been one of the dullest Robot Wars contest I've ever seen.

0:42:540:42:57

Come on! Let's see something, go on, drive into the pit!

0:42:580:43:03

I think it's going to go to the judges, isn't it?

0:43:030:43:05

Can either of these robots deal a death blow?

0:43:050:43:08

They are together there. It's just a question of avoiding the pit.

0:43:080:43:11

Can Mr Speed Squared shove Foxic in?

0:43:110:43:13

No. Good control by Foxic, getting in underneath.

0:43:130:43:16

Dear, oh, dear.

0:43:160:43:19

This has been so dreary, I feel weary!

0:43:190:43:21

Six seconds, thank goodness.

0:43:210:43:24

Three, two, one.

0:43:240:43:27

Klaxon goes, judges take over.

0:43:270:43:31

-That was terrible.

-That was awful!

0:43:310:43:33

Pardon me, everyone, I've got to go out and make a cup of tea.

0:43:330:43:36

I'll be back sometime soon.

0:43:360:43:39

Mr Speed Squared and Foxic, I can't even look at you.

0:43:390:43:42

You know this is called Robot Wars, not Robot Wimps!

0:43:420:43:45

What were you doing?

0:43:450:43:46

-Just didn't work.

-Your spinner didn't work, what was your excuse?

0:43:480:43:52

We've got no drive on one side so we can only go backwards and forwards.

0:43:520:43:55

No game plan, more like. So, it was a split decision.

0:43:550:43:59

But the judges decided, two to one,

0:43:590:44:02

that it was...

0:44:020:44:05

-Mr Speed Squared.

-Yes!

-Two points to you guys.

0:44:050:44:09

I mean, a very limp clap.

0:44:090:44:11

You need to up your game for the next round.

0:44:110:44:14

That is one of the worst fights, it might even be the worst fight

0:44:140:44:18

I've seen in the whole of Robot Wars. Just complete rubbish.

0:44:180:44:22

Bit of an anti-climax, really. We spent a lot of time fixing up

0:44:240:44:28

the disc, hoping to get a good bang on Foxic.

0:44:280:44:30

Unfortunately, in the arena, it didn't spin up. We don't know why,

0:44:300:44:33

everything else was all right. We got the judges' decision, but...

0:44:330:44:36

didn't feel very glorious, really.

0:44:360:44:38

With just one more round

0:44:380:44:40

of head-to-heads to go,

0:44:400:44:41

Thor is hammering ahead

0:44:410:44:43

on five points.

0:44:430:44:44

Shockwave is second on three points.

0:44:440:44:46

Mr Speed Squared is on two,

0:44:460:44:49

and lying at the very bottom,

0:44:490:44:51

with zero points, Foxic.

0:44:510:44:54

Next up in the head-to-heads, it's Foxic versus Thor.

0:44:540:44:58

I'm more than happy to fight Thor.

0:44:580:45:01

I came here for Thor.

0:45:010:45:02

I'm going to drive in with this upright,

0:45:020:45:05

and I'm going to cut his bloody axe off.

0:45:050:45:07

But having won both of his head-to-heads,

0:45:070:45:09

Jason doesn't appear too concerned.

0:45:090:45:12

He hasn't won anything since he's been here yet,

0:45:120:45:14

so I don't think he's going to start now.

0:45:140:45:16

Foxic claim to have finally fixed their drive problem and can operate

0:45:160:45:20

at full power. As rivals Thor have not yet guaranteed their place

0:45:200:45:23

in the final, could this be a dangerous case of complacency?

0:45:230:45:27

If Foxic can deliver on the promises,

0:45:270:45:30

a major upset could be on the cards.

0:45:300:45:33

I make a habit of beating up the boss.

0:45:330:45:35

I've killed them all, and he's the last one to kill.

0:45:350:45:38

So, yeah, he's next.

0:45:380:45:42

I've actually got the front end designed especially for him.

0:45:420:45:46

So the Foxic team think they can take any axe.

0:45:470:45:50

They won't take this one.

0:45:500:45:52

Three, two, one.

0:45:520:45:55

Activate!

0:45:550:45:57

Bit of a grudge match, this, then.

0:45:570:45:59

Foxic say they're operating at full power -

0:45:590:46:02

full hype, that's for sure.

0:46:020:46:04

-Hit me!

-They say they want the axe.

0:46:040:46:07

At the moment, though,

0:46:070:46:09

Thor, the pit release is activated.

0:46:090:46:13

And they have, with the full power,

0:46:130:46:15

driven Thor onto that release

0:46:150:46:18

and onto the arena sidewall.

0:46:180:46:21

And out comes Dead Metal.

0:46:210:46:23

And this is the best display we've seen from Foxic so far.

0:46:230:46:27

But Thor now getting on top.

0:46:270:46:28

Oh, little turn of speed there by Foxic.

0:46:280:46:31

They can get up to 17mph.

0:46:310:46:33

And the two 15 horsepower servomotors

0:46:330:46:36

do seem to be operating at full power. Smiles all round.

0:46:360:46:39

We know that Thor has the weaponry,

0:46:390:46:41

we know that Foxic has that lithium polymer armament.

0:46:410:46:45

The Danby boys of Foxic have made 132 robots so far.

0:46:460:46:52

I have to say, this one possibly isn't the best.

0:46:520:46:55

Have to be cruel to be kind.

0:46:550:46:57

You might have to go back to the drawing board.

0:46:570:46:59

But who knows what will happen here,

0:46:590:47:01

because Thor finding things difficult.

0:47:010:47:03

There goes the axe!

0:47:040:47:06

They finally they have manoeuvred themselves into position

0:47:060:47:08

to have a crack with the axe.

0:47:080:47:10

Down it came. And Jason is a superb driver.

0:47:100:47:15

He got you, you're stuck. You're stuck.

0:47:150:47:17

And Foxic are on the flame.

0:47:170:47:20

I wonder if that axe blow was a killer blow?

0:47:200:47:23

Because Foxic's drive seems to have gone again.

0:47:230:47:26

Out comes Dead Metal.

0:47:260:47:28

It's in Dead Metal's pincers.

0:47:280:47:30

And now the axe can come raining in.

0:47:300:47:32

They're trying to manoeuvre themselves for a run at another hit.

0:47:320:47:35

All the while, damage being caused to the wheels.

0:47:350:47:39

Oh, no, get it off the fire!

0:47:410:47:43

You need to, because you're burning at the moment.

0:47:430:47:47

I think they've been immobilised.

0:47:470:47:50

Dead Metal is lining up the pincers to grab you again

0:47:500:47:53

and hold you there.

0:47:530:47:55

The drive motors must have -

0:47:550:47:57

oh, down comes that terrible circular saw!

0:47:570:47:59

Look at the damage there.

0:47:590:48:01

That is 15mm of wear- and abrasion-resistant steel

0:48:010:48:06

on that front wedge. And they are staggered

0:48:060:48:09

that it's causing that much damage.

0:48:090:48:11

Knife through butter.

0:48:130:48:14

-KLAXON BLARES

-Cease!

0:48:140:48:17

The klaxon sounds.

0:48:170:48:19

Thor manoeuvres away to safety.

0:48:190:48:21

-Coward.

-Damn straight.

-You coward!

0:48:210:48:24

THEY LAUGH

0:48:240:48:26

Maybe, but he's smiling.

0:48:260:48:28

And now... Oh, no, no, no.

0:48:280:48:30

We don't need this, Matilda.

0:48:300:48:32

Oh, Matilda, that's... Matilda, you're a bully.

0:48:320:48:34

You're just a bully.

0:48:340:48:36

Beautiful, but a bully.

0:48:360:48:38

So, Thor on the offensive.

0:48:420:48:44

Down came the axe.

0:48:440:48:46

And again, when they got themselves into position for a side-on attack,

0:48:460:48:50

they were merciless. Onto the flame pit. Dead Metal held them there.

0:48:500:48:54

That was the end of Foxic, couldn't get away.

0:48:540:48:57

Burn, baby, burn.

0:48:570:48:59

And this, oh, was unnecessary.

0:49:000:49:03

Jason!

0:49:080:49:10

-You coward!

-Craig was giving it large, trash-talking,

0:49:100:49:14

trying to psych me out, saying he's going to chop the axe off.

0:49:140:49:17

Hasn't got the ability to chop the axe off,

0:49:170:49:19

I'm the only one with the ability to chop the axe off. So, yeah,

0:49:190:49:23

it meant nothing. Straight over the top of my head.

0:49:230:49:26

So, the maximum three points

0:49:320:49:33

and Thor rightfully takes his place

0:49:330:49:35

in the final. But his adversary

0:49:350:49:37

is yet to be decided.

0:49:370:49:39

It all comes down to

0:49:390:49:41

this final head-to-head.

0:49:410:49:42

A victory for either

0:49:420:49:43

Mr Speed Squared or Shockwave will

0:49:430:49:45

secure their place to fight Thor.

0:49:450:49:47

All right, here we go with the final head-to-head of the night,

0:49:500:49:52

Mr Speed Squared versus Shockwave.

0:49:520:49:56

CHEERING

0:49:560:49:58

The maths are very simple here, lads. It's a win or nothing.

0:49:580:50:00

Yeah, we can do it. We've got the anti-spinner scoop on,

0:50:000:50:03

we're going to hit him hard, and straight down the pit, we hope.

0:50:030:50:07

Fantastic. And also, can we see the human cost of Robot Wars?

0:50:070:50:10

AUDIENCE: Oh!

0:50:100:50:12

-How did this happen?

-Loading it out of the arena after the last fight.

0:50:120:50:14

-Dropped the robot on my hand.

-You dropped the robot on your hand.

-Yep.

0:50:140:50:18

Can you drive with two fingers immobilised?

0:50:180:50:20

-Luckily, the thumbs are OK, that's the main bit.

-Fantastic.

0:50:200:50:23

The thumbs are OK, that's the main bit!

0:50:230:50:25

CHEERING

0:50:250:50:27

You heard what Dara said. It's pretty simple, but you need a win

0:50:270:50:30

-to get through to that final and take on Thor.

-We do.

0:50:300:50:33

-We're going for the win, though.

-Yeah.

-We're going all-out,

0:50:330:50:36

everything we can do to make the disc go as fast as possible.

0:50:360:50:39

-OK.

-No holds barred.

-No holds barred. Good luck.

0:50:390:50:42

CHEERING

0:50:420:50:44

Mr Speed Squared!

0:50:440:50:47

Crucial for both.

0:50:470:50:49

They need to steal a win to stay in the competition.

0:50:490:50:52

Activate!

0:50:520:50:54

Mr Speed Squared shoved backwards.

0:50:550:50:58

The plough, scoop, bucket, call it what you will, on Shockwave,

0:50:580:51:02

destroyed previously by Thor,

0:51:020:51:06

is at the moment being used to great effect.

0:51:060:51:09

In goes Shockwave again, with a push and shove onto Dead Metal.

0:51:150:51:21

New robot, Shockwave, to its team,

0:51:210:51:24

taking damage there from the circular saw of Dead Metal.

0:51:240:51:28

Really venomous House Robot throughout this heat of Robot Wars,

0:51:280:51:33

which has been sensational so far.

0:51:330:51:36

And Shockwave, ooh! Off comes the chain again!

0:51:360:51:40

They lost the chain on one wheel early on,

0:51:400:51:42

that will decrease the manoeuvrability of Shockwave.

0:51:420:51:45

Now largely just being nudged.

0:51:480:51:51

The blade cannot cause any damage, it would seem,

0:51:510:51:54

to the Shockwave front bucket...

0:51:540:51:57

..which can lift up to 200 kilos in weight...

0:51:580:52:01

And slammed it in a body press against the arena side gate there.

0:52:010:52:07

I see smoke! And that could be the end,

0:52:090:52:11

that could be the drive motor gone.

0:52:110:52:13

And that could be the end of Mr Speed Squared.

0:52:130:52:17

-Get out of there.

-Can they survive now the last few moments?

0:52:170:52:21

Is there anything left in Mr Speed Squared?

0:52:210:52:24

Team captain Peter works in a hospital theatre as a cardiologist.

0:52:240:52:29

Plenty of heart in Mr Speed Squared.

0:52:290:52:31

But it's about to be arrested, it would seem, by Shockwave.

0:52:330:52:37

Not hugely brutal and powerful, this contest,

0:52:390:52:42

but good control by Shockwave.

0:52:420:52:45

Mr Speed Squared now vulnerable.

0:52:450:52:48

Turned up.

0:52:480:52:49

Motors uppermost, tyres uppermost.

0:52:490:52:52

House Robots waiting for the kill.

0:52:520:52:54

Oh, well done. Got out of trouble there.

0:52:540:52:57

Peter and sons Jake and Sam, good competitors.

0:52:570:53:02

Good fun.

0:53:020:53:04

They won't think so at the moment, being lifted up, look at that,

0:53:040:53:07

like a toy. A little bit of buckling to the bucket on Shockwave,

0:53:070:53:12

but they're on top.

0:53:120:53:13

-Get away!

-They need to get away from the bucket, that's for sure.

0:53:170:53:21

Took a big blow there, shards coming off Mr Speed Squared,

0:53:210:53:25

they've had trouble with bearings throughout the night.

0:53:250:53:27

It's an innovative design.

0:53:270:53:29

Power in the first round.

0:53:290:53:31

They caused damage, but in doing so, dealt damage to themselves.

0:53:310:53:36

They couldn't repair it -

0:53:360:53:38

and Shockwave nearly drove themselves into the pit

0:53:380:53:42

before finally finishing off Mr Speed Squared

0:53:420:53:45

into the square-shaped trap. Victory for Shockwave.

0:53:450:53:50

Into the final.

0:53:500:53:52

-KLAXON BLARES

-Cease!

0:53:520:53:55

And what a final it will be. Shockwave against Thor.

0:53:590:54:02

Shockwave with the pushing power.

0:54:020:54:05

Nudging Mr Speed Squared onto the House Robots.

0:54:050:54:09

Good control,

0:54:100:54:12

good technique.

0:54:120:54:14

Power behind the lift, and the final shove, of course,

0:54:140:54:17

nearly a driving mistake.

0:54:170:54:19

They'll have to watch that in the final against the mighty Thor.

0:54:190:54:22

After six gruelling battles,

0:54:240:54:25

the head-to-heads are over.

0:54:250:54:27

Time now for tonight's final

0:54:280:54:30

between Shockwave and Thor.

0:54:300:54:34

With a brand-new robot,

0:54:340:54:36

Shockwave were surprised to survive the group stage.

0:54:360:54:38

We've done way better than we thought we were ever going to.

0:54:380:54:41

We thought if we go through round one, we've done brilliantly,

0:54:410:54:44

and now we've got this far,

0:54:440:54:45

we realised our robot's way more competitive than we ever thought.

0:54:450:54:48

Against Foxic, Shockwave showed it had the pushing power required,

0:54:480:54:52

but against Thor, Shockwave took a beating,

0:54:520:54:55

falling victim to Thor's experience and deadly axe.

0:54:550:54:59

In the final, they must face them again.

0:54:590:55:02

This is it for us. Potentially our last fight so we're going to go out

0:55:020:55:05

in a blaze of glory.

0:55:050:55:07

Unbeaten, Thor has dominated in the arena in every match.

0:55:070:55:11

A perfect mixture of style, control and power.

0:55:110:55:15

Thor has consistently caused unprecedented damage,

0:55:160:55:20

relentlessly dominating the competition.

0:55:200:55:24

At this stage of the competition, of course, I want to get to the end

0:55:240:55:27

and I want it. Do I think I can do it? Oh, yeah, we can do it.

0:55:270:55:31

It's Thor versus Shockwave.

0:55:330:55:35

At stake is a place in the grand final.

0:55:350:55:37

But will the hammer beat the scoop?

0:55:370:55:39

For the last time tonight, it's over to Jonathan.

0:55:390:55:42

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:55:420:55:45

Thanks, Dara. Our finalists, Shockwave and Thor.

0:55:450:55:48

The winner here will go through to the Grand Final.

0:55:480:55:50

One of these robots will be going home.

0:55:500:55:52

Three, two, one.

0:55:520:55:56

-Activate.

-Shockwave's aim -

0:55:560:55:59

to pitch Thor using that front bucket or wedge scoop.

0:55:590:56:04

Immediately, it's a good start by Shockwave.

0:56:040:56:07

110 kilos of weight.

0:56:070:56:11

Can get up to 20mph, second quickest in this heat.

0:56:110:56:15

The only quicker robot is Thor,

0:56:150:56:17

very manoeuvrable, but under pressure here.

0:56:170:56:19

Surprising, they nearly got him into the pit!

0:56:190:56:22

He's in the pit, surely! Oh, what an upset! What an upset!

0:56:220:56:26

Shockwave have won! I cannot believe it!

0:56:260:56:29

INDISTINCT CHATTER

0:56:290:56:32

-I don't know what the hell happened there.

-What a turn-up!

0:56:320:56:35

What a shocker.

0:56:350:56:37

-KLAXON BLARES

-Cease!

0:56:370:56:39

On the front foot straightaway, they used the front feet there,

0:56:400:56:43

Thor, to try and negate the lift of Shockwave's front wedge,

0:56:430:56:48

but they got them side-on.

0:56:480:56:49

That was the crucial thing, and Thor tried to right itself,

0:56:490:56:53

started to wobble and went in.

0:56:530:56:56

CHEERING

0:56:560:57:01

By Odin's Raven, Thor,

0:57:010:57:03

what happened to you out here?

0:57:030:57:04

First impact into the wall.

0:57:040:57:07

-Gone.

-Gone.

-And then you're in the pit within a minute.

0:57:070:57:10

-Add insult to injury.

-Humiliating for a god of your stature

0:57:100:57:13

to be dumped into a pit by that.

0:57:130:57:15

-Thank you(!)

-Thor, ladies and gentlemen, a fine, fine competitor.

0:57:150:57:19

CHEERING

0:57:190:57:24

Give it up for our grand finalists, Shockwave!

0:57:240:57:28

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:57:280:57:30

Well done, guys.

0:57:300:57:32

Last time you went up against Thor in the head-to-heads,

0:57:320:57:34

it went to a judges' decision. It didn't go your way.

0:57:340:57:38

You've clearly changed tactics.

0:57:380:57:39

Yeah, last time, he completely battered us, really.

0:57:390:57:42

We lost the entire front end of the robot. So we changed tactic,

0:57:420:57:44

we wanted to go all-out on the offensive and, somehow, it worked.

0:57:440:57:48

Well done, guys.

0:57:480:57:49

CHEERING

0:57:490:57:52

From all of us at Robot Wars, goodnight.

0:57:520:57:54

CHEERING

0:57:540:57:56

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