Robot Wars: The First Wars/Heat A

The First Wars - Heat A was one of six heats which determined the Grand Finalists of Robot Wars: The First Wars. The episode featuring Heat A was originally broadcast on February 20, 1998 on BBC2.

Competing robots
Roadblock
 * Weight: 82.5kg
 * Dimensions: 145 v 110 x 40 cm
 * Ground clearance: 10mm
 * Power: 24V electric motors
 * Weapons: Circular saw
 * Team members: Hender Blewitt, Chris Kinsey, Peter Kinsey

Killertron
 * Weight: 72.2kg
 * Dimensions: 140 x 70 x 60 cm
 * Ground clearance: 10mm
 * Power: 2 x 24V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Pickaxe & mace (Mace was never used and was later given to Scarab)
 * Team members: Richard Broad, Abdul Degia, Ian Degia

Barry
 * Weight: 116.9kg
 * Dimensions: 120 x 76 x 55 cm
 * Ground clearance: 6cm
 * Power: 24V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Pneumatic scoop
 * Team members: Amy Sproat, Chris Sherwood, Daniel Parry

Shogun
 * Weight: 82.7kg
 * Dimensions: 92 x 60 x 33 cm
 * Ground clearance: 10mm
 * Power: 2 x 12V Sinclair C5 motors
 * Weapons: Cutting blade & forklifts
 * Team members: Robin Woodhead, Brian Carrington, Peter Fairbrother

Nemesis
 * Weight: 76.8kg
 * Dimensions: 130 x 125 x 55 cm
 * Ground clearance: 5cm
 * Power: 24V batteries
 * Weapons: Pneumatic spike
 * Team members: Peter Redmond, William Murphy, Joe Gavin

Grunt
 * Weight: 45kg
 * Dimensions: 140 x 46 x 25 cm
 * Ground clearance: 3mm
 * Power: 2 x 12V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: None
 * Team members: Matthew Dickinson

Gauntlet
1. Nemesis - Completed - Nemesis took the middle route over the ramps with no house robots in sight and made it to the end zone.

2. Grunt - Completed - Grunt shot straight into the route guarded by house robots and past Sgt. Bash. Dead Metal halted it briefly but then it escaped and darted right around Matilda to the end.

3. Roadblock - Completed - Roadblock missed the ramp so went for the House robot route instead. The team had clearly practised driving more than the house roboteers and outsteered all of them and got to the end.

4. Killertron - 11.02m - Killertron got over the first ramp with ease but Dead Metal shoved it onto the corkscrew lances and it struggled to get over the second ramp.

5. Shogun - 10.71m - Shogun went for the central route and started well but fell off the second ramp.

6. Barry - 2.93m - Barry drove straight onto a grill and was blocked by a pyramid.

Eliminated: Barry

Trial (Sumo)
1. Nemesis - Survived - Nemesis stuck its rear spike into Shunt's wheel and pushed it out of the sumo ring.

2. Killertron - Survived - Killertron kept to the middle of the ring and pushed back against Shunt until time expired.

3. Roadblock - Survived - Roadblock used the scoop to shove Shunt out of the ring but because it fell off afterwards it came third.

4. Shogun - 21.51 sec - Shogun was eventually shoved off by the house robot.

5. Grunt - 4.15 sec - Grunt darted around Shunt and drove straight off the edge.

Eliminated: Grunt

Semi-Finals

 * Nemesis vs Roadblock

Both robots started slowly but Roadblock was able to use its circular saw to slice through the polka dot fur of Nemesis. Roadblock then inexplicably drove into the PPZ and got impaled on the spikes while Matilda attacked with the chainsaw. Roadblock escaped and wedged underneath Nemesis, who was then attacked by Sgt. Bash and set alight. The battle ended and Roadblock was announced as the winner.

Winner: Roadblock


 * Killertron vs Shogun

Shogun had problems with its speed controllers and as a result never really got going. Killertron attacked it a few times with the axe before Shogun reversed onto a grill which allowed Killertron to smash through its armour with the axe attack. Sgt. Bash came in to attack Killertron but the saw blade shattered on Killertron's armour.

Winner: Killertron

Final
Killertron vs Roadblock

Killertron attacked Roadblock with the axe but it wasn't as effective against Roadblock's armour as it was in the previous round. Roadblock used its scoop to push Killertron into the PPZ, but it escaped before it sustained any damage. Killertron then drove up onto the wedge of Roadblock and was eventually turned over, making Roadblock the winner.

Winner: Roadblock

 