Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat C

The Second Wars - Heat C was one of twelve heats which determined the Semi Finalists of Robot Wars: The Second Wars.


 * Heat C was the return of Mortis, who was the second seed of Series 2. Heat C was the only occasion that Mortis made a semi-final, and moments from its heat final against Oblivion have been replayed numerous times as Mortis' best moment. It was also the first time in Robot Wars history that the seeded robot won the heat.
 * Heat C contained only two newcomers to the Second Wars, although Challenger's driver Steve Dove had been the driver of stock robot Eubank the Mouse from Series 1.
 * Heat C featured the fourth time in two wars that Dreadnaut broke down.
 * Griffon, from the University of Reading, was the successor of previous Grand Finalist Cunning Plan. Because it lost in the Gauntlet, Griffon became the first case of a grand-finalist from the previous wars being eliminated in the first round.

Newcomers
Challenger From High Wycombe
 * Team Members: Steve Dove, Andy Byrne and Peter Rose
 * Weight: 74.0kg
 * Dimensions: 130 x 80 x 50cm
 * Ground Clearance: 25mm
 * Power: 2 x 12V batteries (wheelchair)
 * Weapons: Angle grinder and spikes

Oblivion From London
 * Team Members: Suren Balendran, Thuvaaragan Balendran and Prabamna Ariyanadadam
 * Weight: 58.7kg
 * Dimensions: 95 x 87 x 30cm
 * Ground Clearance: 50mm
 * Power: 2 x 12V batteries
 * Weapons: Hardened steel rams

Veterans
Dreadnaut From Nuneaton
 * Team Members: Ken Feltwell, David Vowles
 * Weight: 80.8kg
 * Dimensions: 140 x 95 x 75cm
 * Ground Clearance: 75mm
 * Power: 2 x 12v batteries
 * Weapons: Front forklift

Griffon From the University of Reading
 * Team Members: Oliver Steeples, Ben Steeples
 * Weight: 79.4kg
 * Dimensions: 130 x 70 x 20cm
 * Ground Clearance: 13mm
 * Power: 2 x 12V batteries
 * Weapons: Lifting arm

Mortis From Cambridge
 * Team Members: Rob Knight, Arthur Chilcott and Ben Impey
 * Weight: 78.3kg
 * Dimensions: 130 x 75 x 39cm
 * Ground Clearance: 50mm
 * Power: 8 x 12V batteries (high discharge)
 * Weapons: Tempered tanto blade

Rameses II From Abingdon
 * Team Members: Chris Crosskey, Peter Kyberd
 * Weight: 74.7kg
 * Dimensions: 67 x 57 x 100cm
 * Ground Clearance: N/A
 * Power: 2 x 12v batteries
 * Weapons: Spring loaded Hammer

Configuration

 * Left route: Ramrig, flame pit, saws.
 * Centre route: Breezeblocks, ramp and Sergeant Bash.
 * Right route: Shunt, Matilda and two pits

Competitor runs
1. Dreadnaut - Completed - Taking the ramp route, Dreadnaut sped out and battered into the breezeblocks, but only knocked down one near the bottom. Another charge caused a larger amount of the wall to fall down, then it reversed away and darted from left to right at the starting zone. Dreadnaut was buffeted by Shunt, but it darted past Shunt and took on the House Robot route. it became momentarily stuck on a spike, but was freed. Bash torched it, but Dreadnaut pushed straight past. Then it ran into Matilda who lifted it with her tusks. Dreadnaut backed away, then charged beyond Matilda and got to the finishing area. "It seemed like too much hard work to get through the brick wall, so we decided to try to just go through the gap."

- Ken Feltwell on Dreadnaut's indecision

2. Mortis - Completed - Choosing the ramp route, Mortis powered through the breezeblocks, then tried to get up the ramp. It failed at first, as three breezeblocks were still at the front of the robot. Reversing, it made a powerful charge, pushing some breezeblocks along the ramp as it got over it. "Use that blade on Arthur Chilcott's beard! Get a shave."

- Jonathan Pearce

Mortis pushed Sgt Bash aside, but was halted by Matilda. Mortis got underneath Matilda, therefore the axe wasn't able to hit her yet, despite repeatedly firing it. Matilda backed away and turned around to use her chainsaw, but Mortis fired its axe again and again, each blow hammering into Matilda's shell. Mortis was even able to break the camera aboard her, so she turned to her front again for protection. Even then, Mortis delivered a few blows to her tusks. Mortis got to the side of Matilda and hit her again, she then reversed away leaving Mortis with a gap to cross the finishing line, but Mortis pursued Matilda afterwards and battered into her. "He's over the finishing line. Now this is an arrogance of power, taking on the House Robots!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Shunt came in to help, as the two house robots had Mortis pinned next to the pit. Mortis's tanto blade got caught on Shunt's bulldozer blade, saving Mortis for a few moments but was eventually edged in.

3. Rameses II - 10.9m - Rameses II trundled forward down the centre route. Its hammer blow landed on the ground, but Rameses II drove forward and punched a hole in the wall. However, its hammer was not strong enough to pull breezeblocks away from the bottom up, so Rameses II's body instead flipped forward and knocked the bricks loose, allowing the hammer to retract. After another bump, Rameses II had cleared enough wall to push over the ramp. It cleared the ramp, but ran into Matilda who nearly tipped Rameses II over. Rameses II did some damage to Matilda's Chainsaw but did not advance any further.

4. Oblivion - 5.8m - Oblivion took on the house robot route, but was bounced up and down by a spike at the start. After escaping that obstacle, Shunt battered into it, and the two robots appeared to have a pushing match for a short while. Oblivion was lifted up by Shunt, then Shunt pinned it down. Oblivion slipped out from underneath Shunt, but was sliced by Matilda's chainsaw. Shunt also pounded the top armour, but Oblivion finally escaped from the house robots. Oblivion was buffeted by Shunt, but went on to drive right onto the edge of the pit. Matilda used her tusks to topple Obilvion into the gaping mouth of it, putting Oblivion fourth on the leaderboard. "Reverse, backwards, sideways, forwards... it doesn't matter when you're taking on Shunt and Matilda!"

- Jonathon Pearce as Oblivion is battered by Shunt and Matilda.

5. Challenger - 5.3m - Challenger chose the ramp route, as it battered into the breezeblock wall. The first attempt caused a half of the wall to collapse, then it reversed to ram the other half. Challenger burst through the breezeblocks that were now scattered on the floor, but couldn't get up the ramp on the first attempt. It came close to getting up on the second try, but the wheels weren't able to gain enough purchase. "Now the driver, Steve Dove, wants to drive to The North Cape on a motorcycle. Let's be honest, Steve, you wouldn't get beyond Hadrian's Wall. Look, you can't get beyond this one!"

- Jonathan Pearce

On a third attempt, Shunt began to draw close behind it. Shunt missed with his axe, but still could lift Challenger up. It was dropped at an angle where the wheels couldn't reach the ground, so Matilda reversed into it. Challenger was freed from the ramp but not from Matilda as she dug into its armour with her chainsaw tail. As time ran out, Challenger still made a last, futile attempt to get up the ramp, while Matilda continued to slice into it. 6. Griffon - 3.4m - Griffon appeared to choose the ramp route, turning to the left as it moved. Griffon paused, then reversed and turned to the house robot route. Griffon paused again before turning straight into the side wall, then was pinned underneath Shunt. It escaped, but Matilda rammed it and lifted it, Shunt buffeting it from behind. Matilda let go, so Shunt pinned it against the side wall and Matilda sliced into the lifting arm with her chainsaw as cease was called. "For Oliver, who loves 3D cartoons, this is a little bit Mickey Mouse, and you could be on your way to Pluto!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Eliminated: Griffon

Trial (Joust)
1. Mortis - 6.1m - Mortis met Matilda head on in the centre and was lifted up by Matilda's tusks. Mortis tried to free itself by firing the axe, but to no avail. Despite this, it still managed to push back against the House Robot and stay on the plinth. "This is good work by Mortis, dancing and waltzing with Matilda...who'd want to dance with Matilda? With her petro-breath."

- Jonathan Pearce

2. Oblivion - 5.6m - Oblivion charged at Matilda, but went straight onto her tusks and was turned over. After a while, Matilda shoved it off the plinth.

3. Dreadnaut - 5.4m - Dreadnaut's speed and power caused it to easily slam Matilda back, wedging beneath the House Robot. However, Matilda reversed off the forks and lined up Dreadnaut, whose charge had speared it onto the ramp. It was little trouble for Matilda to flick Dreadnaut off the jousting platform.

4. Rameses II - 5.0m - Rameses II moved forward sluggishly, and Matilda crossed the distance to block its path. Rameses struck with its mace, but Matilda's forks were able to get beneath and push Rameses II back. Rameses II was turned on its side, but it managed to extend its hammer to fully block Matilda from pushing it back to the endzone.

5. Challenger - -0.1m - Challenger veered from side to side at first, eventually becoming beached. Challenger freed itself and made a charge at Matilda, but Matilda had much more pushing power, lifting up Challenger and shoving it all the way back into minus figures.

Dreadnaut vs. Oblivion
Dreadnaut's removable link had been knocked loose when the team had put the lid on the robot and consequently it went nowhere. "Dreadnaut... deadnaut!"

- Jonathan Pearce after Dreadnaut is deemed immobilized.

Dreadnaut was bounced up and down by an arena spike as it was rammed by Oblivion. Dead Metal grasped Dreadnaut as the rest of the House Robots closed in. Shunt pushed Dreadnaut onto the flame pit, before Matilda dragged it off. Killalot attempted to pick Dreadnaut up, whilst Shunt attacked it with its axe. Killalot ripped free a chunk of armour, and Dreadnaut fell back to the ground. It then closed in and sliced through an axle, before finally overturning it.

Winner: Oblivion

Mortis (2) vs Rameses II
Mortis was much quicker, and attacked, but its tanto blade went over the short body of Rameses II, leaving only the axe shaft to strike its opponent. Rameses II pushed Mortis back into a PPZ, where Shunt attacked. However, Rameses II's advantage was lost when an arena floor spike pushed it up and its grip on the arena floor was lost. Mortis pushed itself free, escaping Sir Killalot and Shunt. Meanwhile, Matilda had cornered Rameses II in the PPZ and it was unable to escape, allowing Sir Killalot to come in and raise it from the ground. Rameses II was placed sideways on the flame pit, and cease was called, as it had no way of recovering.

Winner: Mortis

Oblivion vs. Mortis (2)


Mortis was on top from the start, with its axe pummeling the top armour of Oblivion without trouble. Oblivion could not attack Mortis broadside, and it took another battering from Mortis' tanto blade. "Look at that! It's like a sieve!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Mortis then dug in and pushed Oblivion towards the pit, but it could not position itself well, and the battered Oblivion moved away. Mortis attacked Oblivion front-on, but Oblivion fought back, pushing Mortis towards the PPZ and almost into the grasps of Dead Metal. Although Mortis escaped and Oblivion kept fighting, the match went to the judges. Mortis was unanimously voted the winner.

Winner: Mortis

"Well from the show that's scarier than Jaws, you've been bitten by Robot Wars!"

- Craig Charles' sign-off