Judge Shred

Judge Shred was the name given to a series of robots that competed in Series 3, 4, 6 and 7 of Robot Wars, plus the first series of Robot Wars Extreme. The original Judge Shred was a vaguely box-shaped robot running off golf cart batteries and wheelchair speed controllers with two lifting pincers at the front with hardened edges to crush at 150PSI and a spike at the back for extra grip. This version was armoured in aluminium and tubular steel with a 2" weld mesh cover covered in fibreglass. In Series 4, the team entered Judge Shred 2, which was a low conventional box shape made from polycarbonate and alloy with a 3-bar flipper on the front and an axe on the back, both powered by CO2. However, due to the robot having come in over the weight limit, two motors had to be removed, which stripped its rear axe of the right amount of power to self-right.

In Extreme Series 1 and Series 6, the team entered Judge Shred 2½, which was a low aerodynamic dome-shaped robot with multiple body panels for damage limitation, 12mph speed and a flipper on the front and a lifting arm used as a self-righting mechanism (incorrectly stated as a 180 degree axe) on the back. However, this incarnation of Judge Shred lost all three of the battles it fought in and failed to qualify for Series 5.

The team's final robot, Judge Shred 3 (alternatively Judgeshred 3), was entered in Series 7 and was an upgraded version of its predecessor with better armour (aluminium and steel), improved motors and a more powerful flipper at 1000PSI, capable of throwing a robot out of the arena, which it managed in its first round fight against Corkscrew Two, but suffered from reliability issues. The flipper could now function as a self-righting mechanism, allowing the team to remove the rear lifting arm.

From Series 4 onwards, the team would always take part in battles wearing judges' wigs. In 2004 a new version of Judge Shred known as Judge Shred 4, briefly competed.

Its name is most likely a pun on the film and comic book character Judge Dredd.

Series 3
"Will Judge Shred condemm its opponents to execution?"

- Jonathon Pearce Judge Shred started its first Robot Wars appearance in Heat K of the Third Wars. In the first round, it was placed up against fellow newcomers to the wars Mr Punch. In the battle, Judge Shred started by slowly coming out and managed to repeatedly lift Mr Punch over the flame pit where Shunt managed to punch a few holes through the aluminium shell and a bit of pushing and shoving ensued. Soon, the battle ended in a judges' decision, as both robots were still mobile at the end of the battle. Eventually, the judges made the decision that Judge Shred had been the more aggressive, better controlled and had suffered less damage than Mr Punch. This put Judge Shred through to the second round of the heat, here, Judge Shred was placed up against another newcomer to the wars in X-Terminator. This battle didn't last as long as the previous for Judge Shred, as X-Terminator managed to use its pick axe to hold Judge Shred in place and pushed it into the pit of oblivion. Judge Shread was able to use its claws to keep it slightly above the pit but was unable to get away and Matilda finally attacked it with her chainsaw.

Series 4
Judge Shred returned for the Fourth Wars as Judge Shred 2. It participated in Heat N of the Fourth Wars. In the first round of the heat, Judge Shred 2 was placed up against Millenium Bug and had a grudge match, as its other opponent was the number 22 seeds X-Terminator 2. In the battle, Judge Shred 2 was attacked first by X-Terminator 2 and eventually both robots kept fighting each other until they decided to gang up on Millenium Bug and Judge Shred 2 managed to flip the helpless walker over and get it thrown by the arena floor flipper, sending Judge Shred 2 through to the next round of the heat, along with X-Terminator 2. In the second round of the heat, Judge Shred 2 was drawn up against the number 6 seeds Behemoth. In this battle, Judge Shred 2 tried unsuccessfully to flip Behemoth over but Behemoth caught Judge Shred 2 side on and managed to roll the machine over, and then the house robots close in on and pitted Judge Shred 2, eliminating it from the competition.

Extreme 1
Judge Shred's only appearance of the first series of Extreme was in a mayhem qualifier battle, were it was placed up against Bulldog Breed 3 and Spirit of Knightmare. In the battle, Spirit of Knightmare was the early aggressor, pushing Bulldog Breeed against an angle grinder, but it simply stopped in the middle of the arena, immobilised. Just after Spirit of Knightmare had been counted out, Judge Shred was then flipped by Bulldog Breed. Its rear self-righting flipper failed, and it was subsequently counted out by the Refbot, eliminating it. After some axe blows from Shunt, Judge Shred got back onto its wheels but was then put down the pit of oblivion. However, Bulldog Breed 3 was unable to fight in the annihilator due to the damage it took in its Series 5 Heat Final against Hypno-Disc. Unfortunately for Judge Shred, despite technically going out of the fight first, Spirit of Knightmare was chosen to replace Bulldog Breed 3.

Series 6
"If there is any justice, deserves to go far."

- Jonathan Pearce finishing Judge Shred's intro

After failing to qualify for the Fifth Wars, Judge Shred 2½ returned for the Sixth Wars. Judge Shred 2½ competed in Heat G of the main competition, and was drawn up against the walkerbot Anarchy, and two newcomers in Revolution 2 and Thor. In the battle, Judge Shred 2½ was attacked repeatedly by the other competitors, Anarchy constantly tried flipping it, with Thor and Revolution 2 trying to bash it with their weaponry. Revolution 2 caused several holes in the armour of Judge Shred. Anarchy then managed to flip it over, but Judge Shred recovered by self-righting. Thor then pinned the latter against the arena side wall, and slammed it constantly with its hammer. Eventually, Thor let Judge Shred go, and Judge Shred came back into the main action, however cease was called for a judges' decision. The decision went in favour of Anarchy and Thor, eliminating Revolution 2 and Judge Shred 2½ from the competition. "Have you seen Judge Shred?"

- Roger Webb of the Revolution 2 team, emphasising Judge Shred's damage

Judge Shred 2½ also participated in the UK vs Germany Special at the end of the Sixth Wars. This competition was also broadcast during German Robot Wars. Unfortunately, it was drawn up against the very destructive 259 machine in the first round. In the battle, Judge Shred 2½ began cautiously, keeping its distance from the 259 disc weapon. However, one blow from the weapon crumpled the flipper of Judge Shred 2½, and it was then unable to get underneath the lethal robot. Judge Shred was then spinning in circles inside the CPZ, before it suffered more blows from 259. Judge Shred was eventually counted out by the Refbot, and subsequently eliminated from the tournament.

Series 7
"A lot more armour, new motors, speed controllers, we've made the flipper so it self rights, which helps, and there's a lot more power in the flipper. But the main thing is: running it, running it all year, and getting the weak points out."

- Alan Blakeman listing the improvements to Judge Shred

A brand new Judge Shred machine, Judge Shred 3, participated in Heat L of the Seventh Wars. In Judge Shred 3’s first televised battle, it was drawn against New Blood runners-up Mute, Demolition Man and Corkscrew 2. Judge Shred 3 was the most aggressive machine of its melee, going straight after Corkscrew Two, putting pressure on it as it charged into it multiple times. After Mute and house robot Shunt had cornered Demolition Man near the CPZ, Judge Shred 3 then came in and flipped the latter onto its back, from which Demolition Man couldn't self right. Judge Shred 3 then chased down Corkscrew Two, getthing its opponent over to the arena side wall and tossing it out, just as the Refbot finished counting out Demolition Man. Judge Shred 3 then joined in, in finally getting rid of Demolition Man, before Dead Metal pitted it. This put Mute and Judge Shred 3 through to the next round of the heat. "We all get nervous, even after 4 or 5 Robot Wars, you still get nervous"

- Alan Blakeman, prior to Round 2

In the second round of the heat, Judge Shred 3 was drawn up against UFO, whose flipper was now functioning. This battle had a tentative start, both robots circling each over. Judge Shred 3 then flipped UFO over, UFO self-righted before being flipped again by Judge Shred 3 against the arena side wall. Judge Shred tried tossing it out of the arena but only succeeded in getting it back on their wheels. UFO then flipped Judge Shred against the arena sidewall, but it self-righted. Judge Shred 3 got another flip in flipping UFO onto its side, where it couldn’t right from. Because of this, UFO was subsequently counted out by the Refbot. Mr. Psycho dumped UFO down into the pit of oblivion, and so Judge Shred 3 went through to its first heat final. "You've finally done it...first time in the heat final"

- Craig Charles

In the heat final, Judge Shred 3 was drawn up against Mute again. In this battle, Judge Shred 3 once again proved to be the more aggressive, flipping Mute several times, Mute having to do several somersaults to self-right, much to the enjoyment of the audience. Mute then finally got back onto its wheels and got a flip in on Judge Shred 3, which flung it a long way across the arena. Afterwards, Judge Shred 3 appeared to have minor mobility problems, only being able to go round in circles. Cease was eventually called for the battle to go to a judges' decision. The judges very controversially went in favour of Mute, eliminating it from the competition.

Results

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Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 4
 * Losses: 6

Series Record

 * Series 1-2: Did not enter
 * Series 3: Heat, Round 2
 * Series 4: Heat, Round 2
 * Series 5: Failed to qualify
 * Series 6: Heat, Round 1
 * Series 7: Heat Final

Trivia

 * Judge Shred is the only robot to throw a robot out of the arena, and record more losses than wins.
 * Judge Shred was the only robot to use a ½ in its sequential numbering.
 * Judge Shred was the only robot who appeared in the same show as a walkerbot four times (its heats in Series 4 (Millennium Bug), 6 (Anarchy), and 7 (Ansgar 3) and the UK vs Germany special (Ansgar's Revenge)).
 * Barber-Ous 2'n a Bit, Iron-Awe 2.1, Sub-Version 1.1, Malc 1.5 and Judge Shred 2½ are the only robots to name a robot part sequentially, with Judge Shred the only one to name a subsequent robot with a new number.