Eruption

Eruption is a heavyweight robot, armed with a full-pressure flipper and combined gripping weapon, which competed in Series 8-9 of Robot Wars. Eruption entered the show with much experience from live events, where it has enjoyed huge success as a double FRA UK Heavyweight champion. However, despite performing strongly throughout its battles in Series 8, it only reached the Group Battle stage of its qualifying episode, after failing to score enough points to qualify for a place in the Heat Final.

Eruption also took part in three whiteboard matches held between filming for the Grand Final, against Infernal Contraption, Shockwave, and Behemoth, where it went undefeated.

Design
Eruption is a two-wheel drive, wedge-shaped robot painted black, yellow and red, armed with a combined full-pressure flipper and gripping claw. It uses its steeply-backed wedge to enable the robot to recoil backwards when flipping, which also allows it to self-right easier. A pair of long plates, called 'flyers', line Eruption's back end for stability when flipping, and red anti-spinner plates are welded onto the sides to offer it extra protection against spinning weapons. "Fun fact: The claw actually has a whole second pneumatics system at 150psi, so it would actually be able to grab hold of another robot given the opportunity. Obviously we all know it's not the most effective weapons choice, but as long as it adds something interesting to the show then it's a success as far as we're concerned!"

- Michael Oates on the Unofficial Robot Wars Facebook Group

On top of Eruption's flipper is a small pneumatic gripping claw, which can pin opponents onto the flipper and leave them on top of the wedge as Eruption drives them towards an arena trench or the pit. The team call this weapon combination a 'flipper and gripper'. This, along with the anti-spinner plates, 'flyers' and decorative spikes, can be removed depending on the opponents Eruption faces, as demonstrated in its Head to Head battle against Apollo.

The robot's armour consists of 4mm HARDOX wear-resistant steel shell, with 10mm high-density polyethylene impact absorbers on top, and an extra layer of 3mm wear-resistant steel on its front. Eruption uses a custom built control circuit to fire the flipper, which allows the team to alter the amount of CO2 it uses for each flip, in the hope that it will never run out of CO2 mid-battle.

Eruption returned for Series 9 with various improvements, to be revealed in the near-future. Flame graphics also appear on Eruption's flipper.

Series 8
In the first round, Eruption was drawn against veterans Storm 2, Sabretooth and Terror Turtle. Eruption dominated the battle, avoiding the drum spinner of Sabretooth, before flipping it. Sabretooth landed on its wheels, but Eruption's second flip overturned the robot, which had broken its srimech. Eruption then pushed Terror Turtle into a CPZ and held it there with assistance from Storm 2, also immobilising its clusterbot The Hatchling by wedging it onto the arena wall. Off-screen, Eruption flipped Terror Turtle several times, and also flipped Storm 2. After bringing Terror Turtle towards the arena trench, Eruption launched it out of the arena, becoming the first robot to do so in the new arena. "Our aim is always to throw them out of the arena, so we're really happy that we got to do that. That's always the prized moment."

- Michael Oates

Eruption and Storm 2 had both qualified for the next round, and then fought head-to-head in the second round. Both robots met in the centre of the arena, but unfortunately for Eruption, Storm 2 had the lower ground clearance. Eruption was unable to get underneath its opponent, and was pushed around the arena, including the floor flipper which threw Eruption. When Eruption self-righted, it somersaulted into the pit release button, activating the pit. Eruption narrowly avoided the clutches of Sir Killalot, and continued to run into Storm 2, but simply rode on top of the precision-milled wedge. Eruption eventually managed to flip Storm 2, though the flip was so powerful that Storm 2 turned right-side up before landing, and pinned Eruption against the arena trench. However, in the final twenty seconds of the match, Storm 2 broke down, and Eruption flipped it twice, and celebrated in the centre of the arena, although this was condensed in the edited battle.

The battle was sent to the Judges, and although one Judge voted in favour of Eruption, the split decision was ultimately in Storm 2's favour. "If we got another flip in, I think we might've had it!"

- Adrian Oates

Eruption was then drawn against PP3D. The team planned ahead that they needed to defeat PP3D via KO, feeling confident that they could defeat Apollo in their next match. Team Eruption hoped to escape this battle with as little damage as possible in order to be capable of defeating Apollo afterwards. If Eruption lost this fight, it would be eliminated from the competition. Eruption kept close to PP3D throughout the opening stages, but could not get underneath the undercutter blade, and was sent recoiling away repeatedly. Eruption pressed the pit release, but its next contact with PP3D ripped away one of its anti-spinner plates, and immobilised Eruption's drive on one side. However, this impact had also immobilised half of PP3D's drive as well, and neither robot could make contact with the other. Eruption started to smoke, burning out a motor as it drove in circles, and fired its flipper in an attempt to display mobility, turning itself over and self-righting. However, it was in vain, and the Judges called a winner based on the first minute of the battle, which went in favour of PP3D. Eruption was eliminated from the competition at this stage, but regardless it fought Apollo. For the battle, Eruption removed its claw and decals, and entered the arena much like its live events appearance, as the team did not have time to bolt the weaponry back on after replacing its motor. Eruption fought wisely in this match, driving onto Apollo to lure it into flipping, and then attacking after Apollo missed. It did not fire its flipper until an opportunity was found, missing on its first effort, but launching the white flipper on the second and third flips. When Apollo retaliated with a flip, Eruption span on the surface of its flipper. "Oh look at the pirouette by Eruption!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Eruption threw Apollo towards the arena trench, which caused Apollo's flipper to jam open, and Apollo had also lost drive at this stage. Eruption attempted to throw Apollo out of the arena to the demands of the crowd, as the latter was counted out. Eruption was declared the winner as it threw Apollo towards Dead Metal, even though Apollo started moving again afterwards.

Because Eruption had defeated Apollo via KO, it earned three points, which put it ahead of PP3D in the league table, though it was still not enough to qualify for the Heat Final. Invited to remain on-set for the duration of filming, Eruption fought in three untelevised whiteboard matches, to entertain the crowd. The first of these battles was a victory against Infernal Contraption. Eruption got underneath the axlebot and repeatedly threw it into the plexiglass. However, Eruption's wedge consisted of the a hastily welded piece of RAEX it used against Apollo, which became stuck on the flame pit, and was dented by Infernal Contraption. Once freed, Eruption threw Infernal Contraption into the air more times, knocking out its weapon link, and eventually its drive link, immobilising it. A clip of the battle was shown in the opening sequence of the series.

The second whiteboard match saw Eruption take on Grand Finalist Shockwave, which the two teams agreed to due to their friendship. Eruption's wedge was lower than Shockwave's and it got underneath to throw Shockwave around the arena. In return, it was barged into the side wall of the arena. However, after Eruption flipped Shockwave a few more times, Shockwave lost a drive chain to a wheel, partially down to earlier damage from Carbide. Team Shock encouraged Team Eruption to keep attacking, so Eruption threw Shockwave out of the arena, the second time it had done so in this arena, winning the battle.

Eruption then fought Behemoth in its third and final whiteboard match, with the house robot being Shunt, with the arena spikes also being operated by an audience member. However, both Eruption and Behemoth kept away from the house robot and hazards, as both were due to appear in an upcoming live event. Eruption's ground clearance was superior, and it repeatedly got underneath Behemoth and threw it around the arena. It was flipped a few times in response by Behemoth. However, as the robots were mostly fighting near the flame pit, Eruption managed to flip Behemoth into the corner, and due to the fact that Behemoth had lost one of its srimechs, it could not self-right. However, Eruption kept on flipping, eventually ending the match with both robots still active. A large cheer went for up Eruption, but no winner was declared.

"Had this been a competition fight we would have left them, but this was just for fun and to put on a show, so we flipped Behemoth again and the fight continued!"

- Team Eruption

Series 9
Eruption will compete in Series 9, though it is currently unknown which episode it will compete in.

Results

 * }

Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 2
 * Losses: 2

NOTE: Whiteboard matches are not included

Robot Wars Live Events


Prior to its appearance on television, Eruption has seen much success at Robot Wars live events, and other live robotic events, winning several shows, throwing many competitors out of the arena, and twice earning the title of Fighting Robots Association UK champion.

In 2013, Eruption became a Robot Wars champion, beating out Behemoth in the final, and followed this up in 2014 by beating out Beast to become champions again. Eruption finished in second place in 2015, losing out to TR2.

In the same year, Eruption also fought at the Robot Wars World Championships, held in Colchester. Eruption performed well in the first round, where Tomahawk broke down, allowing Eruption to throw Behemoth out of the arena. Eruption qualified alongside Cherub, which Eruption also flipped out of the arena in the same battle. In the second round, Eruption faced TR2 and Thor. Eruption immobilised TR2, flipping it over while it was low on gas, so could not self-right. Despite this, Eruption lost the Judges’ decision to Thor, having sustained too many axe blows. Eruption was given a second chance to qualify, through a battle against Tiberius and Tough as Nails. Eruption immobilised Tiberius in the opening seconds, stranding it on the arena wall. Eruption then fought Tough as Nails head-to-head, with Tough as Nails gaining the upper hand, grabbing Eruption from behind while it was self-righting. Later into the battle, Eruption pitted Tough as Nails, although the Dutch robot was able to drive back out. Surprisingly, the defeated Tiberius proved to be Eruption's undoing, as once Tiberius was freed, it gained revenge by pushing Eruption into the pit, eliminating it.

Eruption had a succesful year in 2016, the final year of Robot Wars live events. It won the first event of the year in Manchester, defeating Ripper on a Judges' decision despite losing to it twice in succession in the first show. It also won the Colchester event, defeating Manta to take home an Extreme Robots trophy. In its final appearance at the events, it fought Manta and The Saint in Gloucester.

Outside Robot Wars
Prior to Roaming Robots' acquisition of the Robot Wars brand, Eruption participated in the 2012 Winter Roaming Robots tour, where it placed 2nd overall, behind Ripper. In 2013, the same year where Eruption won the Robot Wars live title, Eruption also won the FRA UK Championship, defeating Manta in the final.

Aside from Robot Wars, Eruption also makes regular appearances at Robots Live!, where it most recently defeated Manta in a battle for the Challenge Nut. Team Eruption have also competed in live events with several featherweights. They have fought with Explosion, which has enjoyed similar success to its heavyweight counterpart. It became the FRA Featherweight Champion in 2013. Explosion went on to win the 2015 Featherweight World Championship, and most recently won the 2016 Featherweight International Championship, defeating Django in the final. They have also fought with two rambots, their first one being called Invasion, which was built in 2006, and later, Annihilation. The team also have a 2-wheeled driven featherweight named Combustion, which is armed with a vertical spinning disc.

Trivia

 * Eruption was the first competitor robot in the rebooted show to flip another competitor out of the arena, doing so to Terror Turtle in its first round battle. While King B Remix had been flipped out in a previous episode, it was done so by House Robot Matilda, and was chronologically filmed afterwards.
 * Eruption is one of only two robots to throw a robot out of the arena, and not reach a Heat Final, the other being General Carnage 2.
 * As the 2013 and 2014 FRA UK Heavyweight Champion, Eruption is one of five robots to have won the UK Championship twice. The others are Chaos 2 in Series 3-4 of the original Robot Wars, and Terrorhurtz, Iron-Awe 5 and Big Nipper, also in FRA-sanctioned heavyweight competitions.
 * Only Eruption and Chaos 2 have won their titles back-to-back in their successive competitions.
 * While no robot has yet to claim 3 championship titles, Eruption and Terrorhurtz have come the closest. However, Eruption is the only one that got close to 3 consecutive titles.
 * Eruption's participation in Series 8 was first revealed through two teaser trailers released on June 25th, where Eruption can be seen flipping Sabretooth and Storm 2.