Robot Wars: The Third Wars/Heat P

The Third Wars - Heat P was one of the heats that made up the Semi-Finals of Robot Wars: The Third Wars. The episode featuring Heat P was originally broadcast on March 31, 2000 on BBC Two.


 * This heat marked a significant difference in numerous robot's appearances.
 * S.M.I.D.S.Y. lost in Round 1 of the main competition for the only time in history.
 * Dreadnaut (spelled Dreadnaught in this heat) made it to the heat final stage for the only time.


 * This heat also contained four debuting robots who would never return to Robot Wars, including Heat Winner Trident. Another one of these robots was Scarab, the first robot to wield a horizontal crusher.

Newcomers
Psychokiller From the Wirral
 * Team Members: Stephen Burns, Martin Burns & Matthew Carroll
 * Weight: 83.3 Kg
 * Dimensions: 0.68m x 1.33m x 0.81m
 * Clearance: Variable
 * Power: 2 x Electric motors
 * Weapons: Axe
 * Notes: Build time 3 months

Rattus Rattus From Guernsey
 * Team Members: Gary Pike & Richard Ozanne
 * Weight: 78.8kg
 * Dimensions: 0.58m x 1.37m x 0.71m
 * Clearance: Variable
 * Power: 24V electric motor
 * Weapons: Grinder and forward facing spikes
 * Notes: Build time 3 months

Scarab From Potters Bar
 * Team Members: Martin Eaves & Andrew Miles
 * Weight: 80kg
 * Dimensions: 0.76m x 1.30m x 0.35m
 * Clearance: 0.60m
 * Power: 2 x Wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Hydraulic jaws
 * Notes: Build time 6 months

S.M.I.D.S.Y. From Kent
 * Team Members: Mike Reed, Andy Pugh & Robin Bennett
 * Weight: 77.3kg
 * Dimensions: 0.25m x 1.05m x 0.65m
 * Clearance: 0.20m
 * Power: 4 x Electric seat motors
 * Weapons: Crushing jaws
 * Notes: £750 building cost

Trident From Leeds
 * Team Members: Peter Benn, Peter Ward & Stephen Benn
 * Weight: 76.5kg
 * Dimensions:0.61m x 1.24m x 0.73m
 * Clearance: 0.60m
 * Power: 2 x Drive motors
 * Weapons: Axe
 * Notes: Build time 250 hours

Twn Trwn From North Wales
 * Team Members: Mark Harmsworth, Nicholas Barrowclough & Ian Wynne-Williams
 * Weight: 83.3kg
 * Dimensions: 0.95m x 1.54m x 1.00m
 * Clearance: 0.50m
 * Power: 2 x 12V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Front Ram
 * Notes: Fibre glass shell

Veterans
Dreadnaut From Nuneaton
 * Team Members: Dave Vowles & Faye Vowles
 * Weight: 78.6kg
 * Dimensions: 0.52m x 1.44m x 0.77m
 * Clearance: 0.10m
 * Power: 2 x 24V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Forklift
 * Notes: New design for body shell

Victor 2 From Surrey
 * Team Members: Gareth Goddard, Ken Goddard & Guy Pickett
 * Weight: 73.8kg
 * Dimensions: 0.86m x 1.40m x 0.43m
 * Clearance: 0.38m
 * Power: 2 x 12V wheelchair motors
 * Weapons: Flail/Lawnmower Blade
 * Notes: Rebuilt over 6 months

Rattus Rattus vs S.M.I.D.S.Y.
Rattus Rattus leaped on the attack first off, sliding beneath S.M.I.D.S.Y. and driving beneath, before reversing its grinder into the Cyberspace machine. S.M.I.D.S.Y. offered no resistance as Rattus Rattus attacked again, but Rattus Rattus' attack resulted in it driving over an arena spike and being tossed up and down. S.M.I.D.S.Y. tentatively attempted to nudge Rattus Rattus into Dead Metal, but was unsuccessful and instead allowed Rattus Rattus to drive over it. S.M.I.D.S.Y. continued to weakly drive in Dead Metal's direction, and Rattus Rattus shunted it onto an arena spike. "Really, S.M.I.D.S.Y. is doing very little attacking work, it's all Rattus Rattus..."

- Jonathan Pearce S.M.I.D.S.Y. was bounced three times by the spike, before Rattus Rattus shoved it aside and was bounced itself. Dead Metal seized S.M.I.D.S.Y., but its claws were too high to grasp it. Rattus Rattus came in to knock the escaping S.M.I.D.S.Y. into the CPZ, but its bodyshell bumped into Dead Metal's claw and was knocked askew. Rattus Rattus slammed into reverse and escaped, but ran into Shunt, who held it over the flame pit, causing it to smoke. Meanwhile, S.M.I.D.S.Y. was caught between the House Robots, and Dead Metal finally caught it and sliced into it. Charging forward, Dead Metal dropped S.M.I.D.S.Y. into the pit, beaching itself over the edge in the process. "S.M.I.D.S.Y. out, I think Rattus Rattus deserved it in the end."

- Jonathan Pearce as S.M.I.D.S.Y. is pitted

In the post-battle interview, the S.M.I.D.S.Y. team noted that they would not have been able to fight if it weren't for their opposition lending them spare parts and tools.

Winner: Rattus Rattus

Twn Trwn vs Trident
The two machines crossed the arena tentatively, and Trident slammed its axe home on the huge body of Twn Trwn. Pulling its axe free, fibreglass crumbled away, and Twn Trwn rolled to a halt. Trident nudged its foe twice, but with no resistance. "It seems to lack weaponry...and just about everything else."

- Jonathan Pearce

Trident continued to nudge Twn Trwn, but out of respect for the effort put into the machine, did not attack with the axe. Bash showed similar restraint, and Matilda and Shunt inflicted damage, but did not destroy the machine. Eventually, cease was called and Twn Trwn was eliminated.

Winner: Trident

Scarab vs Victor 2
Victor charged Scarab, but it was Scarab who attacked, clamping its sharp pincers around Victor's left wheel, although not doing damage. Scarab harassed Victor 2, whose flail tore off its own protective mesh. Scarab continued its attack, but Victor 2 pushed it onto the arena spikes, which lifted and stabbed at the undersides of Scarab. Evidently the damage was terminal, because cease was called immediately. "You know, this is the point of the spikes. You're not meant to be able to see them, but everyone really knows they're there"

- Philippa Forrester

Winner: Victor 2

Psychokiller vs Dreadnaut
Dreadnaut rammed Psychokiller with its lifting spikes, but Psychokiller shrugged off the attack. The two robots then drove around the arena, avoiding each other, with Dreadnaut almost going into the pit at one point. After both robots finished spinning in circles, Dreadnaut rammed Psychokiller over the flame pit. In a desperate move, Psychokiller fled Dreadnaut and the flames, but ran straight into Sir Killalot, who effortlessly sliced the axe of Psychokiller in half. "They've got no weapon now! Look at it - what a sorry looking thing it is, sticking out. It looks like...an earbud, to clean your ears out, let alone take Dreadnaut on!"

- Jonathan Pearce

Dreadnaut carved a welt in Psychokiller with its fork, before Psychokiller resorted to using its wedge, the only offensive move it had left, but Dreadnaut drove off the wedge before it could be flipped. Dreadnaut then shunted it into the same flame pit as earlier, allowing Shunt to slam its axe onto the bodyshell of Psychokiller. Shunt pushed Psychokiller aside, and Dreadnaut rammed it into Dead Metal. Here, it was tossed by the spike and attacked by the House Robots.

Winner: Dreadnaut

Dreadnaut vs Rattus Rattus
Dreadnaut swiftly closed the space and bumped into Rattus Rattus several times. However, it quickly became clear that Rattus Rattus was not mobile at all. "They say it came from the 14th century - well, the engines probably ground to a halt long ago since then."

- Jonathan Pearce

Dreadnaut pushed Rattus Rattus out of its starting position, before Matilda rammed it and sent it rolling across the arena. Shunt, Bash, Dead Metal and Matilda all attacked, and cease was called.

Winner: Dreadnaut

Trident vs Victor 2
"Well we're a bit worried about damaging their lovely, shiny bodywork, and we did say we'd put feather dusters on the ends, but we decided against it."

- Confidence from Victor 2

Trident was the more direct attacker, striking Victor 2's top several times, whilst Victor 2's weapon was out of range. Trident effortlessly stopped the flail of Victor 2 and attacked twice more, before pushing it into Bash. Under attack from Bash and Trident, Victor 2's flail stopped working. Victor 2 moved sluggishly out of the way of Trident's axe. Victor 2 managed to revive its flail, but Trident slammed its axe down onto it and broke it again. It was brought back to life briefly but conked out for good shortly afterwards. The weaponless Victor 2 spun around and dropped one of its wheels into the pit, teetering on the edge. Trident leaped at the advantage and pushed Victor 2 in.

Winner: Trident

Dreadnaut vs Trident
Trident swiftly positioned itself behind Dreadnaut and slammed its axe down on the domed machine twice. Dreadnaut pulled away and attempted to position its spikes to face Trident. Trident attacked the forks, which appeared to be frozen, and then the top again, causing dents. Dreadnaut then moved sluggishly into the side wall, before Trident pinned it to the side wall. Dead Metal slammed into Dreadnaut and pushed it away. Dreadnaut was announced immobile by the judges, and the House Robots came out of their CPZs. However, the House Robots all attacked Trident. Dead Metal carved welts into Trident's rear, whilst Shunt slammed its axe home and caused an immense dent in Trident's top. During Trident's plight, Dreadnaut sat completely undamaged, but it was ruled out of the competition.

Heat Winner: Trident "The neighbours are banging on the studio doors, because we don't keep the noise down on Robot Wars!"

- Craig Charles' sign off

Special Event
Between Round 1 and Round 2 of each heat, a Special Event or Trial took place. For Heat P, it was the final Pinball Warrior run, featuring Mortis.

Score: 60 points