Robot Wars: The Second Wars

Robot Wars: The Second Wars was the second series of the British television game show Robot Wars. It was originally broadcast from 1998 to 1999 on BBC2. The series was hosted by Craig Charles and Philippa Forrester with commentary provided by Jonathan Pearce.

Format
The series consisted of twelve heats, with six robots competing in each heat. The twelve winners from the heats moved onto the semi-finals. In each heat, the six robots would compete through a series of three challenges - the Gauntlet, the Trial and the Arena.
 * The Gauntlet was an obstacle filled maze defended by house robots. Competitor robots had to make their way as far down the course as possible in the time allowed. The robot covering the least ground was eliminated, leaving five robots to continue.
 * The Trial varied from heat to heat with games like, 'Sumo', 'Football', 'Skittles', 'Tug of War', 'King of the Castle', 'Joust', and 'Pinball'. Each trial had a specific goal and the worst performing robot was eliminated, leaving four robots to continue.
 * The Arena was the point at which the robots finally entered the arena to do combat. The four remaining robots paired off and fought head-to head in the enclosed arena patrolled by the house robots. The two victorious robots then fought for the heat championship. The winner of each heat then went through to the semi-finals.

The series had two semi-final shows, each with six heat finalists reprising the Gauntlet and the Trial, followed by arena combat. The two winners from each semi-final went through to the Grand Final, where the four remaining robots paired off in two eliminator rounds and the two winners met for a final battle to determine the series champion.

Seeded robots
The Second Wars featured seeded robots based on performance in the previous series. It was intended that the six grand finalists from the first series would be seeded but as Cunning Plan and T.R.A.C.I.E. did not return for the second series, seedings were given to Mortis and Killertron instead. It should be noted, however, that the competitor Griffon was built by the same team as Cunning Plan.

1. Roadblock 2. Mortis 3. Bodyhammer 4. Killertron 5. Cassius 6. Chaos

Heat A
Robots competing in Heat A: Victor, Napalm, Panda Monium, Piece de Resistance, Demolition Demon, Caliban

Gauntlet: Caliban eliminated

Trial (Skittles): Piece de Resistance eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Napalm vs Panda Monium: Napalm won
 * Victor vs Demolition Demon: Demolition Demon won

Arena Final
 * Napalm vs Demolition Demon: Napalm won

Heat B
Robots competing in Heat B: Mace, Leighviathan, Wheelosaurus, Death Trak, Tantrum, Chaos

Gauntlet: Death Trak eliminated

Trial (Tug of War): Tantrum eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Mace vs Leighviathan: Mace won
 * Chaos vs Wheelosaurus: Chaos won

Arena Final
 * Mace vs Chaos: Mace won

Heat C
Robots competing in Heat C: Challenger, Dreadnaut, Mortis, Oblivion, Rameses The Second, Griffon

Gauntlet: Griffon eliminated

Trial (Joust): Challenger eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Dreadnaut vs Oblivion: Oblivion won
 * Rameses The Second vs Mortis: Mortis won

Arena Final
 * Mortis vs Oblivion: Mortis won

Heat D
Robots competing in Heat D: Razer, Inquisitor, Milly-Ann Bug, Bodyhammer, Behemoth, Elvis

Gauntlet: Bodyhammer eliminated

Trial (Football): Milly-Ann Bug eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Razer vs Inquisitor: Inquisitor won
 * Elvis vs Behemoth: Behemoth won

Arena Final
 * Inquisitor vs Behemoth: Behemoth won

Heat E
Robots competing in Heat E: Spin Doctor, Killertron, Pain, ORAC, Technophobic, Schumey

Gauntlet: Pain eliminated

Trial (King of the Castle): Schumey eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Killertron vs ORAC: Killertron won
 * Technophobic vs Spin Doctor: Technophobic won

Arena Final
 * Killertron vs Technophobic: Killertron won

Heat F
Robots competing in Heat F: Disruptor, Panic Attack, Corporal Punishment, Whirling Dervish, Ron, The Parthian Shot

Gauntlet: The Parthian Shot eliminated

Trial (Sumo): Ron eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Panic Attack vs Whirling Dervish: Panic Attack won
 * Corporal Punishment vs Disruptor: Disruptor won

Arena Final
 * Panic Attack vs Disruptor: Panic Attack won

Heat G
Robots competing in Heat G: Roadblock, Killerhurtz, Onslaught, Nemesis, R.O.C.S., Limpet

Gauntlet: R.O.C.S. eliminated

Trial (Skittles): Limpet eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Killerhurtz vs Roadblock: Roadblock won
 * Nemesis vs Onslaught: Onslaught won

Arena Final
 * Roadblock vs Onslaught: Roadblock won

Heat H
Robots competing in Heat H: Sting, Loco, Cassius, Groundhog, Rampage, Wizard

Gauntlet: Rampage eliminated

Trial (Football): Sting eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Loco vs Groundhog: Loco won
 * Cassius vs Wizard: Cassius won

Arena Final
 * Loco vs Cassius: Cassius won

Heat I
Robots competing in Heat I: King Buxton, Robo Doc, Prometheus, Rottweiler, All Torque, Cruella

Gauntlet: Cruella eliminated

Trial (Joust): Rottweiler eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Robo Doc vs King Buxton: King Buxton won
 * All Torque vs Prometheus: All Torque won

Arena Final
 * All Torque vs King Buxton: King Buxton won

Heat J
Robots competing in Heat J: Talos, Ivanhoe, Kill Dozer, Broot, Penetrator, G.B.H.

Gauntlet: Broot eliminated

Trial (Tug of War): Penetrator eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Ivanhoe vs KillDozer: Ivanhoe won
 * G.B.H. vs Talos: G.B.H. won

Arena Final
 * Ivanhoe vs G.B.H.: G.B.H. won

Heat K
Robots competing in Heat K: Enzyme, The Mule, Phoenix, Plunderbird 2, Mega Hurts, Demon

Gauntlet: Phoenix eliminated

Trial (King of the Castle): Mega Hurts eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * The Mule vs Demon: The Mule won
 * Enzyme vs Plunderbird 2: Plunderbird 2 won

Arena Final
 * Plunderbird 2 vs The Mule: Plunderbird 2 won

Heat L
Robots competing in Heat L: Tender Caress, Haardvark, Vercingetorix, Havoc, Angel of Death, Flirty Skirty

Gauntlet: Angel of Death eliminated

Trial (Sumo): Tender Caress eliminated

Arena Semi-Finals
 * Haardvark vs Vercingetorix: Haardvark won
 * Havoc vs Flirty Skirty: Havoc won

Arena Final
 * Haardvark vs Havoc: Haardvark won

Semi-Final 1
Robots competing in Semi-Final 1: Napalm, Behemoth, Panic Attack, Mortis, Mace, Killertron.

Gauntlet
Eliminated: Mace

Trial (Pinball)
Eliminated: Napalm

Arena

 * Mortis vs Panic Attack

Winner: Panic Attack


 * Killerton vs Behemoth

Winner: Killertron

Semi-Final 2
Robots competing in Semi-Final 2: Roadblock, Cassius, Haardvark, King Buxton, G.B.H., Plunderbird 2.

Gauntlet
Eliminated: Plunderbird 2

Trial (Pinball)
Eliminated: G.B.H.

Arena

 * Cassius vs Haardvark

Winner: Cassius


 * Roadblock vs King Buxton

Winner: Roadblock

Battle 1
Cassius vs Roadblock

Winner: Cassius

Battle 2
Killertron vs Panic Attack

Winner: Panic Attack

Playoff
Killertron vs Roadblock

Third Place: Roadblock

Final
Cassius vs Panic Attack

Second Wars Grand Champion: Panic Attack

Awards
These are the winners of the various awards given out at the end of the series:


 * Best Design: Razer
 * Best Engineered: The Mule
 * Most Original Entry: Milly-Ann Bug
 * Sportsmanship Award: Plunderbird 2

Other Weight Classes
In addition to the main heavyweight championship, the Second Wars also included several tournaments for robots from other weight classes. These are the final results from those weight classes:


 * Super-Heavyweight Championship: Berserk vs Demon Duck vs Kick Robut vs Siren: Kick Robut Won
 * Middleweight Championship: Hard Cheese vs Warthog vs ???: Hard Cheese won
 * Lightweight Championship: Damacles vs Rosebud vs Shadow Fiend vs Slippery Strana vs Spartacus: Slippery Strana won
 * Featherweight Championship: Anarchy vs Armadillo vs Demolisher vs Ripper: Demolisher won

Judgement Day

 * Cassius vs Mortis.

Winner: Mortis

Reserve Rumble

 * Lateral Thought vs Malice vs Bumblebot vs Forklift vs Jim Struts

Winner: Jim Struts

Inferno Insurrection

 * Sergeant Bash vs Nemesis & Ramrombit

Super Showdown

 * Siren vs Kick Robut vs Berserk vs Demon Duck

Winner: Kick Robut

Internet Insurrection

 * Griffon vs Killerhurtz vs Bodyhammer vs Corporal Punishment

Winner: Griffon

Judgement Day 2

 * Mortis vs Napalm

Winner: Mortis