User blog:SpaceManiac888/Unpopular opinion: Steg 2's low seed placement was a blessing-in-disguise

It is probably common knowledge on this wiki that I am one of Steg 2's biggest critics. Yes, I find the sequel to Steg-O-Saw-Us to be one of the most overrated robots of all-time. Especially when considering its poor control, its lack of pushing power and its tendency for its flipper to cause the robot to jump and leave it exposed to further attacks. I also consider its win of Heat D to be exceptionally lucky too, seeing as it avoided Crusader 2 (who regardless of whether you find it underrated, overrated or just rated, easily dominated Steg 2 in the melee), and got to face and flip a poorly Mortis in the Heat Final (which it was LOSING to before the flip of doom). Had it faced Crusader 2 or a one hundred percent Mortis, I am certain it would have lost that Heat Final.

Nonetheless, even I agree that Steg 2 being only the seventh seed was quite unfair. I mean, it was the sequel to a Grand Finalist, yet it was outranked by even Behemoth, who failed to make the Semi-Finals nor win the World Championship. To make matters worse for Team Jurassic Park, this meant that it would have to face Chaos 2 in the first round of the Semi-Finals, essentially ensuring at least one new Grand Finalist would be found in Series 4. So yeah, its seed placement prevented it from progressing further into the tournament.

Or did it?

You see, I am actually struggling to see how Steg 2 would have done better if it was seeded higher than seventh. In fact, I think it would have done WORSE in some of those heats too. To find out, I decided to place Steg 2 in every heat apart from D, to see how well it would have done.

Results

 * Heat A: The two robots that I am certain would have beaten Steg 2 in this heat, Attila the Drum and King B3, are unlikely to face it. This is because I can see Steg 2 eliminating Indefatigable first, before beating Medusa 2000. This will leave Atomic to once again defeat King B3. In the Heat Final, I am not actually sure. On the one hand, somebody (I think it was CrashBash), mentioned that Atomic's main weakness is that if flipped, the internals are likely to suffer terminal damage. On the other hand, Atomic was actually decently controlled, and I feel that if it flipped Steg 2 on the side, it will likely side-strand its opponent instead of completely turning it over. The outcome for now is open.


 * Heat B: Steg 2 would take out Robochicken more easily than Velocirippa in my opinion, before eventually defeating Milly-Ann Bug. However, if Chaos 2 could barely beat Pussycat, Steg 2 stands no chance, especially with those slightly exposed wheels. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat C: I am still going with the belief that Scar will be eliminated after the melee. Anyhow, Steg 2 versus Bolt from the Blue should not really be close, should it? But the problem I have was that Firestorm 2 struggled to beat the black and silver machine, only barely winning on a judges' decision through pushing power. Steg 2 does not have pushing power as such, but it might have a lower ground clearance. If it can get underneath, it will win with a flip of doom. If it cannot, I might actually be tempted to suggest Bolt from the Blue could win here. Should Steg 2 progress, it will eventually defeat The Morgue, before suffering extensive damage against the impressive Dominator 2. It depends greatly on whether it could actually beat Bolt from the Blue here, so the outcome is open.


 * Heat E: With Henry 2 being taken out by Dominator 2, Steg 2 should have no trouble defeating Major Tom before once against losing to the impressive thug robot with a big axe. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat F: Regardless of whether it or Tornado will beat Kater Killer, Steg 2 should progress beyond the melee. After a flip of doom on The Creature, Steg 2 will be encountering the impressive rookie, ultimately being outclassed by it. I mean, if Chaos 2 struggled to beat this Tornado, Steg 2 will easily be taken out. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat G: I actually think Steg 2 will fall in the melee! Indeed, Thermidor 2 was very impressive, while I actually consider Kronic the Wedgehog to be slightly underrated. I can see the duo eventually side-stranding the seed or simply causing it to run out of gas. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat H: After having little-to-no competition against Prizephita Mk 2, Wheelosaurus and Killertron, Steg 2 in my opinion will be dominated by the other seed, Suicidal Tendences 2. Sure, Suicidal Tendences 2 did struggle against Wheely Big Cheese (a robot that shares similar issues to Steg 2), I feel Steg 2 will be easier to side-strand. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat I: I think Steg 2 will be able to take out Destruct-A-Bubble before a judges' decision is needed, but then it will need to face Splinter. This Splinter appeared to be very difficult to flip, and was fairly well controlled. I feel if Steg 2 fails to achieve a flip of doom, Splinter will capitalise, easily defeating the seed on aggression and control. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat J: Not sure if Steg 2 would find flipping Clawed Hopper or Hammer & Tong to be easier, it should progress beyond the melee. It will face Bulldog Breed 2, of which I am not sure who would actually win. Sure, Bulldog Breed 2 could side-strand the seed, but Steg 2 should be able to flip its opponent who I do not think could self-right. Regardless, seeing as Stinger came within one point of beating Chaos 2, Steg 2 stands no chance against it. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat K: Yeah, to be honest, apart from maybe Tiberius, Steg 2 should easily win this heat. Even I cannot deny that. However, it would have faced (and lost to), Stinger in the Semi-Final. Henceforth, the outcome would be that it would not have achieved more success.


 * Heat L: After toppling Banshee, I am not actually sure how far Steg 2 would have gotten in this heat. It will face Vercingetorix, where I am kind of stuck on deciding who will win. While Vercingetorix I think has a lower ground clearance and a lifter than might side-strand its opponent, a couple of flips from Steg 2 could damage its internals. However, I am not sure if Steg 2 can pile on as much pressure as Spawn of Scutter did. If it does beat Vercingetorix, it will take on Knightmare, where once again I am unsure. Knightmare's flipper was very weak, but it still managed to topple Plunderbird 4. It also had decent pushing power, holding its own against Spawn of Scutter. But, some good flips from Steg 2 will easily enable the seed to outscore, IF it can achieve those flips. For now, the outcome is open.


 * Heat M: Only Reactor really stands a chance of beating Steg 2 in this heat. However, Reactor was geared down in its heat-semi battle with Wild Thing, meaning I feel it would lack the power needed to trouble the seed. With Steg 2 flipping over The Steel Avenger, it will take on X-Terminator 2, whose pushing power and lifter capable of side-stranding opponents will be too much for it. Therefore, the outcome is that it would not have achieved more success.


 * Heat N: Steg 2 may drop out in the melee here, since I am not sure how well it could cope against either Arnold, Arnold Terminegger or Rambot. Even if it does, although it will probably defeat Judge Shred 2, X-Terminator 2 will prove too much for it. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat O: This may trigger some, but I feel that Steg 2 woul easily be taken out in the melee. S.M.I.D.S.Y.'s great pushing power will prove very troublesome for the seed. And although Overkill GTI may have a high ground clearance at the sides, its twin flippers might get underneath the ground clearance of Steg 2, doing so with better control. Overkill GTI's flippers, capable of tossing S.M.I.D.S.Y. around, should side-strand the seed. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.


 * Heat P: I doubt Raizer Blade will side-strand the seed, so Steg 2 will quickly flip The Predator over. There, it faces V-Max. V-Max may be overrated by some, seeing as its control was a little off at times, as well as actually lacking a reliable srimech (as proven in the Qualifiers), but as we saw in its battles, the moment it gets underneath, its opponent is in trouble. Steg 2 may very well be side-stranded or run out of gas if it is not careful. The outcome is that it would have been less successful.

Conclusion
Of the sixteen heats Steg 2 could have participated in, I feel confident it would have won... three of them. I feel it would have failed to escape ten of the heats, while it may struggle in another three.

Of the important heats (The ones where seeds 1 to 6 would have competed in), I am not one hundred percent confident Steg 2 would have won ANY of them. It certainly would lose in Heat B, N, O and P in my opinion, and could have struggled in heats A and C if it was not careful. Therefore, I feel it being seeded seventh would have actually been a blessing in disguise for the sequel to a Grand Finalist, and so it turned out to be.