NEAT Machine

NEAT Machine was a Dutch robot that competed in Series 1 of Dutch Robot Wars and also represented the Netherlands in The Second World Championship. It was a large silver wedge-shaped robot with a double-ended pickaxe weapon, it also had a large spike of the front, which was used to damage robots when the robot swung round. NEAT Machine cost £600 and took five months to design and build with an aluminium outer shell and iron chassis. It reached the second round of Dutch Series 1 after winning the Loser's Melee, but it was eliminated in the first round of the Second World Championship.

Team NEAT later competed in Series 2 of the Dutch Robot Wars with Neater, a bulkier, more powerful version of NEAT Machine, with a larger axe weapon, a more conventional shape and an arrow shaped scoop weapon replacing the spike. Neater was much more successful than NEAT Machine, reaching the heat final. Neater was later renamed NEATer Machine for when it was entered in Series 7 of the UK Robot Wars with the front spike upgraded to a lifter that could lift 100kg. However, it had much less success here, as it lost in Round 1.

All versions of the machine featured an airhorn that could be heard during all of its battles.

Dutch Series 1
NEAT Machine's first battle was against Sater. It held Sater in place with its spear. It tried to use its axe but wasn't in the right position to do so. After Refbot separated the two, it became clear that NEAT Machine had broken down. It was flipped by the floor flipper before being pushed into the pit. In the losers' melee,it was up against Maximill and Shapeshifter who didn't even move at all. NEAT Machine accidentally bent its spear when it got wedged in the floor flipper. It was now at a disadvantage; the tip had bent downwards and NEAT Machine could get stuck in the arena floor. Still, it battled on, managing to sink its axe into Maximill. The match ended in a judges decision, which NEAT Machine won. Reinstated in the competition, NEAT Machine faced Sniper. In the second round, NEAT Machine tried to bring its axe down on Sniper and missed. Sniper struck back with its flipper and turned NEAT Machine onto its side. NEAT Machine could not self-right, so it was counted out. Sir Killalot picked it up by the wheel and dropped it into the pit.

Extreme 1/US Season 1
NEAT Machine represented the Netherlands in the Second World Championship, which was broadcast during Robot Wars Extreme: Series 1 and Extreme Warriors: Season 1. In the first round, NEAT Machine was placed up against Whirlpool 70 representing Sweden, Drillzilla representing the USA and Firestorm 3 representing the UK. NEAT Machine's run was disappointingly brief; it stayed out of trouble to begin with as the other three fought each other around Sir Killalot's CPZ. Then, as soon as Sir Killalot pinned down Whirlpool 70, Firestorm and Drillzilla retreated and went after NEAT Machine. Drillzilla pushed NEAT Machine onto Firestorm 3's flipper, and Firestorm flipped it over, taking the Netherlands out of the World Championship.

Dutch Series 2
Team NEAT returned to Robot Wars with Neater, an upgraded version of NEAT Machine with a more powerful axe, powered by two CO2 rams. Against Hard, it had trouble positioning its axe for an attack, but eventually managed to slip under Hard, and strike it in just the right place to puncture its canister. It pulled Neater around until Growler came in and forcefully separated the two. Hard had broken down, so Neater advanced to the next round. There, it met Blackdevil Warzone. Its prongs took some hits from Blackdevil Warzone, and became slightly bent out of shape, but Neater got around the side of Blackdevil Warzone and struck it with its axe. It forced its opponent onto the flame pit before driving it into an angle grinder. It veered into a CPZ, and was hassled by Growler, but Blackdevil Warzone had lost drive to one side, and was counted out. Neater advanced to the Heat Final and met the unofficial #1 seed Lizzard. Neater found it difficult to position its axe against the rapidly spinning Lizzard. It took many hits from Lizzard's tail before it managed to strike Lizzard's top, but could not cause any damage. It continued to take hits from Lizzard, the repeated blows tearing its prongs apart. With a well-placed hit, it managed to strike Lizzard squarely in the tyre, but could not puncture it. It continued to strike Lizzard, the blows glancing off Lizzard's shell ineffectually, occasionally getting its axe hooked inside Lizzard's wheel gap. Neater stayed on the offensive until the clock ran out, and the jury were called upon to make a decision. Somewhat surprisingly, they ruled that Neater was out.

UK Series 7
"Two electric motorsh, two-cylinder she-O2 shyshtem for the axe, lift, and shrimech, but die wheelsh are exposhed guysh, huh!"

- Jonathan Pearce describing NEATer Machine with a badly exaggerated Dutch accent.

Team NEAT entered the Seventh UK wars with NEATer Machine, an upgraded version of Neater. NEATer Machine participated in Heat N of the main competition and was placed up against Revenge of Trouble & Strife, Chip and the number 6 seeds Spawn Again in its first round battle. In the battle, NEATer Machine chased down Chip at the start, drawing it towards the CPZ, before Chip then had the space to zoom away. NEATer Machine then decided to take on Revenge of Trouble & Strife, this proved to be a mistake as Revenge of Trouble & Strife's rotating drum snapped NEATer Machine's axe tip off when NEATer Machine's axe fired, just as Spawn Again flipped Chip out of the arena. For some reason, NEATer Machine did not move again after that blow from Revenge of Trouble & Strife, so it was counted out by Refbot and therefore eliminated from the competition. NEATer Machine was then collected by the house robots and flung by the arena floor flipper, and ended up getting caught inside the flipper's mouth. The Dutch robot was moved away and eventually pitted by Mr. Psycho.

Results

 * }


 * }


 * }

Wins/Losses

 * UK Wins: 0
 * UK Losses: 2
 * Dutch Wins: 3
 * Dutch Losses: 3

UK Series

 * Series 1-6: Did not enter
 * Series 7: Heat, Round 1

Dutch Series

 * Series 1: Heat, Round 2
 * Series 2: Heat Final

Trivia

 * NEAT Machine is one of only eight robots to début in Extreme 1 and to fight in one of the main competitions. The others were 3 Stegs to Heaven, Axe Awe, Comengetorix, Fighting Torque, Fluffy, Spawn Again and Sub-Version. However, it fought in the Dutch Robot Wars main competition and only entered the UK championship in Series 7.
 * Interestingly, four of its losses were due to it breaking down or being flipped. In three of those losing fights it was pitted (both Dutch Series 1 losses and it's loss in Series 7).