Dizzy Tilly

Dizzy Tilly was a heavyweight design concept which applied to compete in Series 10 of Robot Wars. The machine would have been built by Team Tilly, who competed in the previous series with Meggamouse.

Design
Dizzy Tilly was to be a circular, two-wheel driven robot armed with a thick spinning shell. This shell provided 360 degrees of attack range, and thick defensive armour, while also being sloped for use as a wedge in the event that the robot could no longer spin. Four teeth would surround the outer shell for multiple points of attack.

The robot's base and electronics was to be converted from a heavyweight robot already owned by Team Tilly, which itself started life as a full-body spinner, Corkscrew Two. Although the basis of Corkscrew Two had been modified significantly over the years, much of the same chassis and components survive from its TV appearance.

Etymology
The 'Tilly' section of the name is an homage to Matilda, after team captain Shane Lale first competed in robotics competitions using a remote controlled Matilda toy. The team's first featherweight was a full-body spinner named Dizzy Tilly, which the heavyweight machine referenced.

The Team
Dizzy Tilly was to be entered by Team Tilly, who had competed in the previous series under the name of Team Mouse. Captained by Shane Lale and his family, the team had over a decade of experience on the live circuit, starting with a featherweight named Dizzy Tilly.

Qualification
Team Tilly applied for Dizzy Tilly to compete in Series 10, following on from their participation in the previous series with Meggamouse. However, Dizzy Tilly was not selected to compete, and the robot's build was not completed until a later date.

The team had previously intended to apply for the Featherweight Championship of Series 7 with a lighter version of Dizzy Tilly, but could not apply for the series due to timing clashes with a family holiday.

Series Record
NOTE: The basis for Dizzy Tilly's build, Corkscrew Two, had previously competed in Series 7

Outside Robot Wars
The first version of Dizzy Tilly to be built was a featherweight robot, first completed in 2004. It was relatively successful in its early competitions, reaching podium finishes in its opening events, including a surprise win over Little Spinner. The featherweight Dizzy Tilly was rebuilt in 2009, and competed in the UK championships until 2013, but without major success.

After Series 10 was filmed, the heavyweight Dizzy Tilly was completed, weighing 104kg and using a different 6mm HARDOX 450 shell with flat sides, and was now simply named Tilly. This robot competed in the Chinese TV show Clash Bots, where it fought Catfish, a Chinese vertical spinner. Tilly opened the battle with a devastating hit which appeared to immobilise Catfish, but the Chinese robot regained mobility, and delivered several blows of its own, throwing Tilly through the air. Both robots remained mobile for over ninety seconds, with Catfish starting to release smoke, but Tilly eventually became immobile near the arena wall and was eliminated from the competition. Like all international Clash Bots competitors, Tilly did not return from China after its appearance on the show.

For more information on Team Tilly's excursions outside of Robot Wars, see here.

Trivia

 * Had Dizzy Tilly competed in Series 10, it would have been among several competitors who were in some way an homage to a House Robot, with Dizzy Tilly referencing Matilda, Coyote referencing Dead Metal, and THE BASH referencing Sgt. Bash.