Tetanus

"I wouldn't touch it, you might catch something."

- A warning from captain Paul Snook

Tetanus was a series of three robots from Shropshire that competed from Series 5 through 7 of Robot Wars. Although they shared the same name, the three robots were very different from one another. The team also entered Series 3 with the axlebot Flip Flop Fly. Strangely, every time either Flip Flop Fly or one of the Tetanus machines lost a battle in the main competition, the robot who beat it would eventually lose to that series' runner-up.

The robot's name came from the disease of the same name. This name was chosen because Tetanus is often caught by handling scrap metal, and Tetanus was made from scrap metal.

Tetanus
The original Tetanus competed in Series 5 and was built from scrap metal. It was a reverse wedge-shape with a unique clamping weapon on the front. This clamping weapon consisted of a series of fixed claws, two on top and two underneath acting as wedges, and an additional lifting spike, powered by a 1 ton ram and capable of hoisting a camper-van, which operated to lift and crush its opponents at once, as well as self-righting the machine.

Tetanus II
The second incarnation, Tetanus 2 (styled as Tetanus II), was a completely different body-shape, as well as being two-wheel driven, considerably larger and upgraded with steel armour. Tetanus 2 now featured only a single top-mounted claw and unlike Tetanus, it was this that was powered as opposed to the bottom clamp, which was switched from claws to forklift-style wedges. Tetanus 2's wheels were now fully protected.

In Extreme 2, the weaponry was changed to three lifting forks, with a large rollcage behind the robot to improve its self-righting. However, the weapon operated very slowly, and the robot did not perform as well as it did with the claw weaponry.

Tetanus Booster
The final robot in the series was Tetanus Booster, a completely new design which competed in Series 7. It was an invertible four-wheel driven, box-shaped robot with a small spinning drum on the front. This version was the strongest, simplest, least expensive and most successful of the Tetanus robots, reaching the Heat Final, whereas the other versions lost in Round 2. Whilst appearing unreliable because of large outbursts of smoke, in reality, Tetanus Booster had small rubber wheels to power the larger rubber wheels. As a result, every time it changed direction, or started to move, the friction between both rubber 'rollers' caused the smoke, which had nothing to do with engines burning out.

Series 5
"Tetanus just the heavier, Onslaught very quick"

- Jonathan Pearce weighs up the competition

Tetanus was placed against opponent Onslaught in Round 1 of the Fifth Wars. Tetanus was on top throughout- despite initially being unable to catch and being lifted by its opponent, Tetanus, after pushing Onslaught around, managed to turn Onslaught onto its side against the arena wall, then over. Then, in a very crafty move, it pinned it down to stop it self-righting. Onslaught was immobilised as a result, and Tetanus proceeded to shove it around the arena, attempting to push it onto the flame pit but Tetanus was also immobilised after driving over a steam vent, which allowed Co2 to seep through a gap in Tetanus' baseplate. With both robots immobile, the battle went to a Judges' decision, which Tetanus won.

"We hope we're going to meet loads of people, and kill them!"

- Paul Snook's pre-fight banter, which according to Jonathan Pearce earned him a 'talking-to from Refbot'.

Tetanus was drawn against the 8th seed 3 Stegs To Heaven in Round 2. 3 Stegs to Heaven appeared to be mobile on one wheel only, allowing Tetanus start strongly once again, lifting up and pinning 3 Stegs down, pushing it into the wall. However, 3 Stegs To Heaven still managed to slice off one of Tetanus's forks with its cutter. As a result of Tetanus' pinning attack earlier in the battle, its chassis had bent, giving Tetanus no traction on the arena floor. 3 Stegs To Heaven then managed to wriggle free, and cause more damage. Despite 3 Stegs to Heaven still only being mobile on one side, Refbot counted out Tetanus, and after a blow from Matilda, the fellow House Robot Sgt. Bash pushed it into the pit.

Series 6
"Now this is a mean-looking machine"

- Jonathan Pearce introducing Tetanus 2

In Round 1 of the Sixth Wars, Tetanus 2 fought Cyrax, Weld-Dor 3 and Ruf Ruf Dougal. The Tetanus team had fought the Cyrax team's previous entry Wild Willy in Series 3. Tetanus 2 immediately clamped onto the most experienced of its three opponents Weld-Dor 3, seizing it from the rear. It pushed it into side walls and House Robots relentlessly, preventing the spinning blade from spinning and also avoiding its flipper. Weld-Dor 3 briefly escaped, but was unable to push itself back into the battle, and was ultimately pitted by Tetanus 2. Tetanus then joined Cyrax in defeating the smoldering Ruf Ruf Dougal, who burnt over the flame pit in the closing seconds. The judges unsurprisingly put Tetanus 2 through with Cyrax.

Tetanus 2 was drawn against Raging Reality in Round 2. It started strongly by pinning Raging Reality and pushing it into Growler's CPZ. Refbot attempted to intervene but reversed into the pit. Raging Reality had escaped but Tetanus was having a problem moving away from the side wall when its opponent came in and Tetanus 2's defeat was ensured when it was thrown out of the arena by Raging Reality. "...and Raging Reality, from looking on the brink of oblivion, the brink of defeat - HAS TOPPLED TETANUS OUT OF THE ARENA!"

- Jonathan Pearce, as Tetanus 2 is flipped out of the arena

Extreme 2
Tetanus 2 competed in the Minor Meltdown in Extreme Series 2, where it fought Rick and Killer Carrot 2 in Round 1. Its claw weapon was removed and replaced with a mesh net, this was used for self-righting. In the battle, it had to self-right on only one occasion, even there it was very slow. Tetanus 2 then hunted down Killer Carrot 2 and pinned it up against the arena wall, but was lifted up by Killer Carrot 2 and couldn't self-right in time before Rick pressed the pit release, and Killer Carrot 2 pushed the upended machine into the pit. Cease was called and Rick and Killer Carrot 2 went through.

Series 7
"Given the needle in past wars, could give the championship a real shot in the arm though"

- Jonathan Pearce

In Round one of Series 7, Tetanus Booster came up against Leveller 2, Barber-Ous 2'n a Bit and Thunderpants. However, Thunderpants withdrew before the battle, and almost immediately after the start of the battle, Barber-Ous 2'n a Bit immobilised itself whilst attacking a heavily battered Leveller 2. This meant Tetanus Booster was already through to the second round, but it still managed to break off the rear panel of Leveller 2 whilst Barber-Ous was being counted out, and flipped Leveller 2 over.

In Round 2, Tetanus Booster met Ewe 2. Both robots started slowly, but eventually Tetanus Booster attacked Ewe 2 with its spinning drum, inflicting minor damage. Ewe 2 kept getting in position to use its flipping weapon, but the attack never came, and it continued to take damage from Tetanus Booster. Eventually, Ewe 2 activated the pit release button and tried to push Tetanus Booster, but Tetanus caused decisive damage to Ewe 2, as a piece of bodywork flew across the arena. Ewe 2 continued to get underneath Tetanus Booster but seemed unable to use its flipper and simply tried to push it around the arena, but the two were evenly matched. Eventually, Tetanus Booster slowed down considerably and its spinning weapon stopped moving, so Ewe 2 was able to push into the arena walls and one of the angle grinders before pushing into into the CPZ. Ceased was called and the judges controversially gave the win to Tetanus Booster.

This put Tetanus Booster through to the Heat Final against reigning champions Tornado. Tornado very quicky got underneath Tetanus Booster and pushed it around the arena, slamming it into the arena walls several times. Tetanus Booster tried to escape, but Tornado caught up with it and rammed it into Cassius Chrome, then an angle grinder, then the other CPZ, where Shunt attacked it. The pit was opened and Tetanus Booster tried to run away, but Tornado caught up with it and slammed it into the arena wall again and then into the CPZ. Tetanus Booster kept trying to escape but Tornado continued to attack and pushed it around the arena, eventually pushing it right onto the edge of the pit and finally nudged it down into the pit of oblivion, eliminating Tetanus Booster from the competition.

Results

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Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 4
 * Losses: 4

Trivia

 * Tetanus was also the team name used by the Sumpthing team.
 * Tetanus 2 is the only crusher-wielding robot to be Thrown Out of the Arena by another competitor.