Robot Wars: The First Wars/Heat E

Heat E of Robot Wars: The First Wars was the fifth of six heats which determined the Grand Finalists of Robot Wars: The First Wars. The episode featuring Heat E was originally broadcast on March 20, 1998 on BBC Two.


 * Heat E featured the first appearance of Team Cold Fusion. However, none of the other five robots returned to the main competition.
 * Bodyhammer making the Grand Final made it the first of three robots with an overhead weapon to make it into a Grand Final.
 * Psychosprout, the Winner of the Series' Most Original Entry award, was in this heat.
 * This heat was the first time that Jeremy Clarkson's comments started being offensive to competitors.

Errors
There were a series of Errors in the Labyrinth Trial of this heat.
 * Psychosprout was misspelled as Pyschosprout
 * Despite being the furthest away from the end, Bodyhammer was listed as 2nd place, ahead of both Torque of the Devil and REALI-T.
 * Even more obvious was that REALI-T was closer to the end than Torque of the Devil, yet REALI-T was listed as fourth.

Intriguingly, Heat E was the only heat not to follow the regular UK Championship format of the placings in the Trials. If the results had been listed correctly, Bodyhammer would have fought REALI-T, and Full Metal Anorak would have fought Torque of the Devil. Even with the incorrect listings, the format should have been the same, but it was ignored, for reasons unknown.

Competing robots
Bodyhammer From Gloucester
 * Team Members: Robin Herrick, Andrew Dayton-Lovett, Steve Jones
 * Weight: 78.9kg
 * Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 60 cm
 * Speed: 9mph
 * Turning circle: Zero
 * Ground clearance: 1.5cm
 * Power: 4 x 18V domestic drill motors
 * Weapons: Hammer

Full Metal Anorak From Maldon
 * Team Members: Paul Baxter
 * Weight: 28.5kg
 * Dimensions: 80 x 67 x 25 cm
 * Speed: 12mph
 * Turning circle: Zero
 * Ground clearance: 1cm
 * Power: 12V motor
 * Weapons: Blade & tusks

Psychosprout From Ludlow
 * Team Members: Toby Marsden, Chris Marsden
 * Weight: 24.3kg
 * Dimensions: 100 x 100 x 100 cm
 * Speed: 5mph
 * Turning circle: Zero
 * Ground clearance: Zero
 * Power: Electric motor
 * Weapons: None

REALI-T (Reverse Engineered Alien Technology) From Worcester
 * Team Members: Richard Finch, Craig Williams, Tim Calladene
 * Weight: 40.8kg
 * Dimensions: 95 x 80 x 30 cm
 * Speed: 9mph
 * Turning circle: Zero
 * Ground clearance: 2.5cm
 * Power: 6 x 90W motors
 * Weapons: Steel spikes

Torque of the Devil From Haverfordwest
 * Team Members: Adam Pengilly, Lee Chenery
 * Weight: 57.9kg
 * Dimensions: 104 x 65 x 65 cm
 * Speed: 4mph
 * Turning circle: Zero
 * Ground clearance: 1cm
 * Power: 12V motor
 * Weapons: Blade & drill

Wharthog From Biggleswade
 * Team Members: Oliver Brown, Nick Brown, Tom Anthony
 * Weight: 24.4kg
 * Dimensions: 110 x 70 x 35 cm
 * Speed: 8mph
 * Turning circle: 2m
 * Ground clearance: 5mm
 * Power: 24W wheelchair control unit
 * Weapons: 2 Large spikes

Gauntlet
1. REALI-T - Completed - REALI-T took the centre ramp route, taking a little while to get onto the ramp, but successfully crossing it in the end. It then took the second ramp, dodging the drills, and slowly covered the ramp, paused to let the pendulum pass, and darted into the end zone.

2. Full Metal Anorak - Completed - Full Metal Anorak went for the maze route - managing to traversed the maze but catching slightly on the last part. It bumped into the landmines, then made a quick burst of speed that carried it across the spikes and into the end zone.

3. Bodyhammer - Completed - Bodyhammer began by taking on the maze, taking the first turns well, but struggling through the next few. It finished the maze and passed the land mines, putting on a burst of speed to pass the grilles and spikes. It swerved to avoid the spikes, but caught itself briefly on the grille. However, it was able to escape and speed into the end zone.

4. Psychosprout - 9.00m - Psychosprout ponderously rolled out of the turntable, and chose to take the left route. Sergeant Bash rammed it, bathing it in fire, and pushing it up against some pyramids. "A rolling stone gathers no moss, a rolling sprout gathers a Sergeant Bash!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Bash freed Psychosprout from the pyramids, and battered it, causing it to roll up the course further. Psychosprout rolled to a stop when Bash retreated, but it had travelled far enough to qualify.

5. Torque of the Devil - 4.92m - Like Wharthog, Torque of the Devil was unfortunate, as the turntable was pointing to the side when activate was called. Unlike Wharthog, however, it saved some of the delay by reversing out, but it was unable to turn and drive quick enough to avoid Sergeant Bash closing in. The two large robots battered each other, but Bash ultimately won by driving both of them onto a grille. Bash was able to escape, but Torque of the Devil was not.

"I don't think they're going to get out of there! To err is human, to grr is Robot!"

- Jonathan Pearce

6. Wharthog - 3.92m - Wharthog was unfortunate, as the turntable was pointing on an obscure angle when activate was called, and had to wait until an exit was available. Wharthog ran into the maze walls, and part of its wedge dented, jamming Wharthog in place. The team was miserable after their performance, with one brother walking away from Jeremy Clarkson, and the other refusing to speak to him.

Eliminated: Wharthog

Beginning
Full Metal Anorak and Torque of the Devil converged on one entrance, whilst REALI-T and Psychosprout went for another. Full Metal Anorak and REALI-T got in first, and Psychosprout rolled backwards from REALI-T's push through. Bodyhammer followed REALI-T through, and Torque of the Devil also entered.

Individual performances
1. Full Metal Anorak - Full Metal Anorak led Torque of the Devil through, and both machines were blocked by Sergeant Bash. Full Metal Anorak pushed at it, and when Sergeant Bash pulled back, Full Metal Anorak shot through and caught up with Bodyhammer. Full Metal Anorak went left and navigated the last few sections, making the endzone. "But look at this - he's fed up with waiting - I think he's trying to help out the others now!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Full Metal Anorak went to the aid of REALI-T, who was being blocked by Matilda. Full Metal Anorak rammed Matilda, drawing the House Robot's attention away from REALI-T, as the House Robot pursued Full Metal Anorak into the endzone as time ran out.

2. REALI-T - Once in the maze, REALI-T charged forward, but slammed into reverse to dodge a blast of fire from the nearby Bash. The dodge allowed it to escape, but Bodyhammer charged in and pressed it against a side wall. REALI-T followed Bodyhammer through, but went right when Bodyhammer went left. It ran into Matilda, and spent much of the remaining time trying to push past the house robot. Full Metal Anorak came out and helped it, allowing REALI-T to gain some ground once Matilda moved off. However, it just missed the end zone as cease was called.

3. Torque of the Devil - Torque of the Devil had a very ponderous progression through the labyrinth. It was blocked by Sergeant Bash, and was unable to follow Full Metal Anorak through its brief opening. Eventually, it passed Bash and managed to avoid the action, ending the Trial several metres behind REALI-T.

4. Bodyhammer - Bodyhammer gained the most ground, bulldozing REALI-T into the side and promptly ramming itself into the walls. It recovered and shot into the end sections, where it had a choice of left or right. It chose left, and was promptly caught by Shunt and Bash, negating any chances it had of making the end zone. In the final moments, Bash shoved Bodyhammer back the crucial metres needed to keep its placing, and blasted it with fire. Bodyhammer was the furthest from the end when cease was called.

5. Psychosprout - After being pushed back by REALI-T, Psychosprout did not move. The progress of all four other robots was irrelevant, as Psychosprout put up no challenge and was eliminated.

Eliminated: Psychosprout

Bodyhammer vs Torque of the Devil


Bodyhammer was still the quicker, zooming around and ramming Torque of the Devil in its blind spot. It pushed it around, freed itself and rammed again, stopping Torque of the Devil's spinning disc. It then pushed it into the side wall and onto the side bars which meant that Torque of the Devil could not drive free. Dead Metal came in and rammed with its pincers, cutting through the plaster on Torque of the Devil's head. Shunt axed it and pulled it free, but Bodyhammer wasted no time in rushing up for another attack. It rammed Torque of the Devil back onto the sides, and cease was called.

Winner: Bodyhammer

Full Metal Anorak vs REALI-T
The two robots rammed into each other twice in quick succession, before running away from each other. Neither robot made an offensive move towards the other, but Sergeant Bash came charging out, disc first, and charged both machines. REALI-T managed to survive the attack from the disc, and charged into Full Metal Anorak. The two continued to batter at each other. "They say, at this time, REALI-T just pleasing the judges more than Full Metal Anorak. Their decision is final, not mine"

- Jonathan Pearce during the battle

REALI-T remained on the offensive, and Full Metal Anorak was unable to prepare a charge. It made one attack, but was unsuccessful in doing damage. REALI-T then shoved Full Metal Anorak - nearly onto a grille - into the side wall. Full Metal Anorak was demonstrating excessive evasion, which was counting against it. The robots collided, and Full Metal Anorak ricocheted off and onto a grille, rendering it immobile, and as a result cease was called.

Winner: REALI-T

Bodyhammer vs REALI-T
Both robots circled each other repeatedly, and Bodyhammer ran into Dead Metal. Pulling back, the robots collided, but Matilda was interfering with the battle, as it was pinned to REALI-T's spike. Both robots entered Matilda's CPZ, and Matilda thrust REALI-T against the side walls. "And she looks grumpy! I think she's suffering from PMT! Pre-mechanical tension!"

- Jonathan Pearce

REALI-T managed to escape, but meanwhile, Bodyhammer had driven onto a grille partially. REALI-T rammed it on completely. However, as REALI-T drove around the arena, Shunt came down and freed Bodyhammer from the grilles in an act of controversy, as it was the norm for cease to be called immediately if a robot was on the grille. Shunt was now stuck on the grille, but Bodyhammer was freed. Meanwhile, REALI-T was sitting beside the immobile Shunt, and Sergeant Bash rammed it onto the side bars, where Bodyhammer finished it off.

It turns out that REALI-T had lost a wheel when pushing Bodyhammer onto the grille.

Heat Winner: Bodyhammer