User blog:VulcansHowl/Series 11 Wishlist

As with many other Wiki users and robot combat fans, I was saddened when the BBC announced last year that they would not renew the Robot Wars reboot. Series 10 was a new high point for the show, and a resurgence in TV-based combat (King of Bots, the still-yet-to-be-aired-in-the-UK BattleBots 2018) should have given the Beeb enough reason for a Series 11 to be commissioned. Who knows what weird and wonderful competitors would’ve applied, and how would they have fared against the likes of Carbide, Eruption and Magnetar?

With the anniversary of Robot Wars’s second cancellation on the horizon, I have compiled a list of robots which I personally feel would make a welcome addition to a potential Series 11, should the show be revived again. These robots include those which entered Series 8-10, but did not get to show much of their potential, as well as those which withdrew, were not selected, or were under construction by the time the show got cancelled. The views in this list take into consideration each robot’s performances in live and televised competitions, my personal experiences of seeing them at live events, and how much potential they might have within the environment of the Robot Wars arena. Any unique or interesting aspects of their designs (including drive systems and/or weapons), and the entertainment factor they might offer, will also be taken into consideration.

Each of my opinions is entirely subjective, so feel free in the comments to add your own recommendations on which robots you would like to see in a future Series 11.

Alrighty… let the Wishlist begin!

Deadlock
First off is a machine which I’m lucky to have seen in combat, and one which would’ve certainly appeared in Series 10 had it been completed in time. Deadlock has a distinctive shape and lifting/clamping weapon, which after many teething issues managed to show its potential at the Robots Live! event in Stevenage last year. The lifter/clamp demonstrated that it was able to pick other heavyweights up with ease, which combined with Deadlock’s strong drive power would be ideal for taking opponents to House Robots and other arena hazards. While it remains to be seen how well Deadlock’s wheel pods would stand up to the most powerful spinners, I’m looking forward to seeing more of this interesting and effective control bot in action.

Mega Melvin
Having not been selected to compete in Series 9-10, American axebot Mega Melvin already has a solid track record in televised combat, not least due to its appearances in King of Bots and This is Fighting Robots as Blue. Featuring a unique drive system incorporating Mecanum wheels, it has the ability to move in any direction, making it more difficult for opponents to predict where it will strike with its electric-driven axe/hammer. While not entirely invulnerable against flippers and vertical spinners, Mega Melvin has proved to be a crowd-pleaser on Chinese soil, and has the capacity to be a unique, aggressive and entertaining machine by reboot standards. When your machine attracts praise from Ian Lewis of all roboteers, you know you've done something right...

Tauron Mk3/Mk4
A returning face from Series 9-10, Tauron has been progressively improved since its debut, even if its results on the show don’t necessarily reflect this. If what I’ve read and seen of the Mk3 version, better known by its BattleBots alter-ego Monsoon, is anything to go by, then it seems like Team Tauron’s debut machine keeps getting better. A more compact and robust-looking design, a swivelling weapon mount that works effectively and a set of interchangeable bar spinners would give the Bedfordshire-based team a stronger chance of achieving their first Robot Wars victory, if not more. While I am trying to avoid as many BattleBots 2018 spoilers as possible before the UK airings are confirmed, the things I have read about Monsoon give me the impression that a fully-operational Tauron Mk3/Mk4 would’ve been especially spectacular and destructive…

PacifieR
Again, while I am reluctant to watch Petunia’s appearances in BattleBots 2018 until the official UK airings come about, I have firm belief that PacifieR’s design would’ve been an ideal foil to the likes of Carbide and Apex. A solid, broad wedge, combined with a top-mounted crushing jaw and former championship-winning pedigree from the builders of PulverizeR, make this a compelling Dutch entry that never fought. It would’ve been interesting to see how PacifieR could have faired against Ironside3 in Series 9 had circuitry issues not got in the way, but that’s another story…

Immersion
A bigger brother (pun not intended) of Team Immersion’s championship-winning featherweight Amnesia, both of which I’m fortunate enough to have seen in person. While I haven't yet been able to see either in combat, Amnesia’s record in FRA and King of Bots events speaks for itself, and Immersion looked as if it is beginning to develop into a solid machine going by footage of its battles in Stevenage last year. An attractive design and an increasingly rare front-hinged flipper with a unique electric-driven mechanism, combined with superb driving skills from Adam Hamilton, should make this a promising step-up from Vulture.

Apex (Unfinished post-Series 10 version)
After the Series 10 version’s spectacular disassembly, Team Danby set to work on creating a new version for a hypothetical Series 11, with a more solid-looking chassis and double the shuffling mechanisms. Given that the robot itself hasn’t been completed yet, it is difficult for me at the moment to assess this version's capabilities in combat. However, given the improvements made to the Series 10 version’s weapon since its televised appearance, I’m sure that this version of Apex would be less liable to self-destructing. Plus, the front wedgelets suggest that its design is more suited to feeding opponents into the spinner, or - in the event the spinner malfunctions - pushing them around. Given their rarity in present-day robot combat, a shufflebot would also be a welcome addition to the UK Series should this incarnation be accepted.

Weber (Post-Series 10 version)
The version of Weber we saw in the World Series had great pedigree from domestic Russian live events, and showed flashes of potential in each of its televised battles. To say that the version later built for This is Fighting Robots was an improvement over the original is a big understatement. A more solid-looking design, an attractive two-tone colour scheme and an upgraded flipper make this one of the most capable and characterful machines of its kind fighting today. The trademark front face makes the post-Series 10 Weber look just as menacing as its predecessor, and if it could put Tánshè on edge, maybe it could end up being a worthy challenger to the top UK flippers. Whether or not Mentorn would still allow Weber to compete under its original name, however, remains to be seen…