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"The makers claim it has "the most weaponry of any robot" and that its nasty jaw can happily nibble through 25mm of aluminium, Not only that, it's got an axe powered by a bike starter motor. If you come up against it, you'll know you've been Tangoed!"
Robot Wars Magazine on Agent Orange[1]

Agent Orange was a competitor robot which fought in Series 3 of Robot Wars. In its only televised appearance, it reached the second round of its heat before losing to Blade. The team who built Agent Orange had previously competed in Series 2 with Spin Doctor.

Design[]

"We built it out of polypropylene, which is an industrial-grade plastic; basically so that it's really light, which means we can get lots of big nasty weapons in."
— Phil Duncanson explains Agent Orange's use of plastic armour
Agent orange arena

Agent Orange in the arena

As its name suggested, Agent Orange was an orange box-shaped robot armoured in polypropylene plastic and equipped with two potent weapons - a front set of hydraulic pincers (which closely resembled those used by Sergeant Bash and Sir Killalot in Series 3) and a rear-facing pickaxe made out of a garden fork. The robot cost £800 to build.

"...seeing the carnage that Sir K was doing I thought to myself "I want to get me one of those cutters"."
— Peter Duncanson on choosing to arm Agent Orange with a pincer[2]

The pincers were capable of cutting through scaffolding pipes and metal box sections. The team tested it on up to 25mm of Alloy. The bottom half of the pincer was extended to make it longer than the top half, so that it could act as a lifter as well. The cutter was controlled by a Strimmer engine which powered a pump for the cutter via a 4:1 chain drive, but it failed to work in the arena.

"We found out that the coupling that I'd made 18 months ago, to fit on to the square notch of the cutter valve to the servo, had given way and was hardly touching the valve at all leading to poor cutter response"
— Agent Orange website, after Series 3, explaining the failure of the cutter[3]
Agentorangeinsides

The insides of Agent Orange

The pickaxe could swing 180 degrees, and was powered by a motorbike starter motor and a starter ring from a Cavalier. The robot had micros on the axe shaft, allowing the axe to be powered through a full swing, yet switch off the power at the end of its throw, helping to control the axe.

"It moves so fast, its a shame we did not have enough spare weight to make it hit with more of a punch by increasing the weight of the haed {sic} and couter {sic} balance."
— The Agent Orange website on the axe[4]

The armour was made from polypropylene in order to save weight, apart from the baseplate, which was made from stainless steel. The robot was powered by two starter motors, which made it fast and manoeuvrable, but had fragile armour and no self-righting mechanism at the time of its televised appearance. It also had a 5cm ground clearance, which Matilda easily got underneath.

Etymology[]

Agent Orange's name and colour scheme were both inspired by the toxic herbicide used in chemical warfare, most notably by the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War. In keeping with this name, Agent Orange had various toxic hazard warning stickers decorating it.

The Team[]

"The Duncanson cousins were the brains behind Spin Doctor... now though they're the Mandarins, who rule Agent Orange..."
Jonathan Pearce introduces Agent Orange
Team spin doctor

The Duncanson cousins in the pits with Agent Orange

Agent Orange entered Series 3 under a duo of cousins from Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, captain Peter Duncanson, and Phil Duncanson. Peter Duncanson was the team captain, who drove the robot and was responsible for getting the parts for Agent Orange, whilst Phil Duncanson operated the weapons. Although Peter was the team captain, Phil did most of the speaking in the team's introductions and interviews[5]. Martin Griffin, who had been part of the team when they entered in Series 2 with Spin Doctor, decided to leave after Series 2.

When building their robot, the Agent Orange team were also assisted by the Milly-Ann Bug team in refining their electronics.

Qualification[]

Agent Orange qualified for Series 3 by attending the auditions, and running the obstacle course.

Agentorangeseris4

Agent Orange as it failed to qualify for Series 4

Following its Series 3 performance, Agent Orange was upgraded for Series 4. A self-righting mechanism was added, which was a long metal bar that went along the top of the robot, connected to the jaw, so when the jaw closed, the bar raised. The petrol engine that powered the cutter was removed, having failed to work during Series 3, and replaced with a servo and an electric pump motor. The stainless steel baseplate was changed to a polypropylene one[6].

At the Robot Mayhem qualifiers, it fought an unknown robot, covered in fur. It won the battle, immobilising its opponent and narrowly missing its CO2 tank when it cut into it with the pincer, but when it tried to push its opponent onto the flame pit, it burnt out its speed controllers. Despite winning the battle, Agent Orange did not qualify for Series 4.

"We had a great fight, many of the crew came up afterwards and said it was a real good one (one even said it was the best so far). We did fry our speed controller though which in turn took all our wiring with it sending huge clouds of white smoke out the top. Looked great. And all because the producers asked us to get our fur covered opponent on to the flame pit. We tried pushing them (some thing the Agent is not really designed for) and bang! I assume that although it was a great fight (our best yet) we showed a weakness and that was all the excuse they needed to strike us off the list. Worst bit was we got her home, changed 2 wires and she ran straight away."
— Peter Duncanson on failing to qualify for Series 4[7]

The team also attempted to enter Series 5[8], attending the Sheffield leg of the Live Event tour on 29 July 2001. However, for unknown reasons, it failed to qualify again, before retiring from Robot Wars altogether.

"The robots are very quickly becoming very well built and very expensive (some thing I've always been against). Its getting to the point where I will no longer be able to keep up with my rivals. I don't have a CNC machine, workshop, bottomless pockets nor work for a company that will donate lots of expensive parts. As a result many of us bodgers and blaggers are being push out as our machines are simply not as good or as flashy as some of the others. ... it's getting harder and harder to stay competitive. Plus, I have other things in my life now. A new wife, new house, new job all of which takes up more and more of my time and money. I'd also lost some of that zest after the shambles that was Series 3. I was just not enjoying the tv part of it anymore. ... I was going to back down after Series 4, hopefully having gone out with a bang, but we did not make it on. Then Dave (my team mate) said he really wanted to give it another go but would not unless I went with him."
— Pete Duncanson on retiring from Robot Wars, interviewed in 2001, before Series 5[9]

Robot History[]

Series 3[]

Agent Orange competed in Heat C, where it faced series newcomer Max Damage in the first round.

Phil Duncanson: "...at the front, is a hydraulic cutter, which we've used to cut scaffolding pipe and metal box section, and we're hoping to have a go at Sir Killalot with it later on!"
Peter Duncanson: "At the back, we've got a pick axe, which goes front and back, and we're hoping to put a few holes in someone."
— The Duncanson cousins describe the weapons of Agent Orange
Agent Orange Max Damage 1

Agent Orange makes its way across the arena floor as Max Damage sits motionless

Agent orange vs max damage

Agent Orange attacks the immobile Max Damage

In the opening seconds, it sped across the arena towards Max Damage, which failed to move at all as a result of its team forgetting to insert its killswitch before the battle. Agent Orange proceeded to slam into Max Damage's side, and axed the top.

"Have you ever seen a garden fork like that? In your worst nightmare! And it's a nightmare at the moment for Max Damage!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Agent Orange axes Max Damage
Agent Orange Max Damage 2

Agent Orange pits Max Damage

The axe pierced the fibreglass armour, but became stuck in the top and Agent Orange pulled Max Damage back as it reversed. Agent Orange pushed and pulled Max Damage, before managing to pull the axe free. It turned around for another attack, before driving behind Max Damage and pushing it towards the pit. After having to stop, reverse and line itself up a couple of times to get in the right position, Agent Orange pushed Max Damage into the Pit.

"It's Agent Orange doing all the pushing and shunting. You're going towards the Pit, Max Damage. Max Damage?! Are you sure, a name like that?"
— Jonathan Pearce as Agent Orange pushes Max Damage into the Pit

Whilst Agent Orange spun around in celebration, Dead Metal and Matilda attacked Max Damage in the pit with their saw and chainsaw respectively.

"I've {sic} have sorted out the petrol engine that runs our cutter system so we could have cut their chainsaw up, not have got our axe stuck in him and played with him a bit more before putting him in the pit."
— Pete Duncanson reflects on what he would have done differently in the battle with Max Damage, interviewed in 2001[10]

Agent Orange was declared the winner.

Phil Duncanson: "It was good, we enjoyed all the build up, but we didn't want to knock 'em out really, 'cause we've had a good time, weren't we?"
Peter Duncanson: "Nice to get it out of the way though, as it settles your nerves down a bit."
Philippa Forrester: "Yeah, you feel like you're on the road now. How far along the road do you think you're going to get?"
Phil Duncanson: "We've just stepped out the door!"
— Post-battle interview

In the second round, Agent Orange fought Blade.

Blade Agent Orange 2

Agent Orange swings down on Blade's top armour

As before, it immediately drove out into the centre of the arena, but turned at the wrong moment, and had to correct itself. Blade cautiously drove towards its opponent, but turned away. Agent Orange drove after Blade, but stopped as Blade spun around on the spot. During this time, it hesitated while trying to line up an attack, charging into Blade's side as soon as it stopped spinning. Agent Orange attempted to use its pincers on Blade, though they proved too small to properly grasp it.

"There the great cutting claw, now, at the front - wide open, like some great insect mandibles jaws, ready to clamp on Blade!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Agent Orange tries to grab Blade

Blade turned, and Agent Orange drove around to the front of Blade, trying to grab the side, but bumped into Blade side-on, but it couldn't get the claw around Blade and Blade drove past, before spinning around and reversing into Agent Orange. Agent Orange retaliated by pushing Blade up the arena, towards Shunt's CPZ. Agent Orange fired the pickaxe, hitting the top of Blade, but failed to damage it and Blade drove away.

"Coming back in on the attack of Agent Orange, but Agent Orange seems to have Blade clamped there - ooh! And in comes the pickaxe... like some... mental woodpecker, gone astray, gone mad!"
— Jonathan Pearce after Agent Orange axes Blade
Blade Agent Orange

Agent Orange approaches the overturned Blade

Blade turned and spun, and Agent Orange tried to attack the side of Blade with the claw, but Blade drove past. Agent Orange drove after it, but Blade was faster, and drove up to the top of the arena, close to Matilda's CPZ. Blade spun on the spot as Agent Orange closed in on it, and Agent Orange got at the front of Blade and got its claw at the lawnmower blade, but Blade pushed against Agent Orange, then reversed. Agent Orange pinned Blade against Matilda, but Blade squeezed between them. It tried to drive away from the CPZ, but in its haste it drove onto an arena spike, which flipped it up on its side.

"Oh! And up goes Blade, flipped by the arena spikes coming jumping out of the arena floor, and Agent Orange here, can cause damage not only to the blade but to the underside of its opponent!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Blade is flipped onto its side
Blade attacks agent orange

Matilda lifts and nearly overturns Agent Orange

Agent Orange quickly took advantage, nudging Blade into Matilda's CPZ, but as Matilda came over to attack Blade, Agent Orange reversed, and Matilda knocked Blade back onto its wheels. Matilda lifted Blade up with her tusks, and Agent Orange rushed in underneath, but Blade used its lawnmower blade to get off Agent Orange and reversed. Agent Orange tried to drive after Blade, but drove into an arena spike as it raised and lowered, first blocking Agent Orange, then flicking it up a little. Agent Orange drove off the spike, but then appeared to have control problems, turning back and forth on one wheel. It kept firing its axe, but Blade was not close enough for it to hit.

"Agent Orange, flipping that big pickaxe backwards, forwards, like some metronome, trying to create a beat on the arena floor!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Agent Orange fires its axe

Blade turned around, then reversed into Agent Orange, pushing it into Matilda's CPZ. Matilda lifted Agent Orange up with her tusks, then dropped it, only to lift it up again and push it against the arena wall. Matilda dropped Agent Orange again, and Agent Orange tried to drive out of the CPZ, but Blade was blocking its escape, and Matilda got under Agent Orange's side again and lifted it up with her tusks, before dropping it back to the floor. Agent Orange tried to drive away, but accidentally turned back into the CPZ, and Matilda attacked. Agent Orange tried to reverse, but Matilda flicked it with her tusks, then pushed it out of the CPZ, straight onto an arena spike, which flicked Agent Orange up. Agent Orange reversed off the spike, straight into the side of Blade.

"Matilda's tusks underneath Agent Orange. Ooh, tusk tusk Matilda - you should've finished it off! Agent Orange bashes back, good stuff! Real rumble going on out there now. Rumbustious stuff!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Agent Orange wrestles with Matilda
Blade Agent Orange 1

Agent Orange (background) struggles for mobility as Blade spins round in victory

Blade drove around Agent Orange, but Agent Orange reversed away before it could attack, past the CPZ, but as it stopped, it began moving back and forth jerkily, turning one way, then turning back, then turning the other way, only to turn the other way. Blade drove past, then reversed into Agent Orange, pushing against the side of the claw. Blade turned around and started spinning. Agent Orange couldn't move properly to attack, as its baseplate had been buckled by Matilda when she lifted it with her tusks.

"had we had poly in Series 3 we would have still been moving as it has some give, where as the stainless steel we had got all buckled up by Matilda. The buckled metal meant it lifting our wheels off the floor!"
— The Agent Orange website on the baseplate - for Series 4, it was changed to Polypropylene[11]

Blade drove away, briefly driving into Shunt, but quickly getting away, whilst Agent Orange had stopped moving, making a weak turn around on the spot. Blade drove past Agent Orange and began spinning on the spot as time ran out, and cease was called. As Agent Orange wasn't officially declared immobile, the battle went to a Judges decision.

"But Agent Orange hasn't moved for a while, just turning very, very slowly! The Duncanson boys, I think have problems, there could be a major problem! Certainly, paint and tape ripped from the side. Blade spinning a jig of delight, they think they've won it!"
— Jonathan Pearce in the last few minutes

The Judges ruled, in a split decision, that the winner was Blade, eliminating Agent Orange.

Philippa Forrester: "Danced a kind of semi-dangerous tango for most of it, didn't you?"
Peter Duncanson: "Yeah, did all right at the start. When it first moved, it was alright. Looked promising, anyway!"
Philippa Forrester: "Wasn't the most exciting battle we've seen on Robot Wars now, I'm sorry to say it!"
— Post-battle interview

This was Agent Orange's, and the team's last appearance.

"Again had the cutter working (we've since switched to electric for the cutter, much better) not pushed then towards Matilda when they where on their side and then I'd hopefully still be running at the end and have won (lousy judges)."
— Pete Duncanson reflects on what he would have done differently in the battle with Blade[12]

Results[]

AGENT ORANGE - RESULTS
Series 3
The Third Wars - UK Championship
Heat, Round 2
Heat C, Round 1 vs. Max Damage Won
Heat C, Round 2 vs. Blade Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 1
  • Losses: 1

Series Record[]

Series Agent Orange Series Record
The First Wars Did not enter
The Second Wars Entered with Spin Doctor
The Third Wars Heat, Round 2
The Fourth Wars Failed to qualify
The Fifth Wars Failed to qualify
The Sixth Wars Did not enter
The Seventh Wars Did not enter
Series 8 Did not enter
Series 9 Did not enter
Series 10 Did not enter

Gallery[]

Outside Robot Wars[]

Agent Orange was disassembled after Robot Wars. Peter Duncanson still owns the frame and hydraulic claw of the robot in his workshop.[13]

Trivia[]

"A robot that was welded in the oven, and these guys want to thank their girlfriends for their consideration and co-operation!"
— Philippa Forrester whilst introducing Agent Orange
  • Agent Orange's armour was welded in the oven, and the team gave instructions for how to weld polypropylene in the oven on their website[14].
  • Agent Orange was originally going to be paired up with Milly-Ann Bug for the Tag Team Terror competition in Series 3, before the event was cancelled[15]. This partnership was formed as the Milly-Ann Bug team had helped the Agent Orange team build their robot.
  • According to Peter Duncanson, Agent Orange is female.
  • Of the four battle winners in Heat C of Series 3, Agent Orange was the only one not to fight in a battle where the pit was closed.
  • Agent Orange's gearboxes were donated by David Brown Gearboxes, the team used the workshops of Hickson & Welch to build the robot, and Andel Flood Detection systems gave support during the robots construction[16].
    • Dave Lily of Hickson & Welch was listed as an honorary team member of the team on the team's website, as he gave the team a lot of help whilst using the workshops, on tasks were not insured to do or did not know how to do.
  • When it appeared in Heat C of Series 3, Agent Orange had a message thanking people who had helped the team on its front panel.

References[]

External Links[]

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