Argh!

Argh!
Participation Information
UK Series	Extreme 2
Team Information
Team	Team Reptirron
Team Members	Gordon Townley Peter Seabourne
From	Drybrook, Gloucestershire
Other Entries	Reptirron (Series 4, 6-7)
Robot Statistics
Weight	11.5kg
Weapons	Vertical spinning disc
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Argh!, good name for a robot!"

— Craig Charles after the Extreme 2 Featherweight Final

Argh! was a featherweight robot that won the Featherweight Championship in the second series of Robot Wars Extreme.

It was entered by Team Reptirron, who also competed in Series 4, 6 and 7 of Robot Wars with the Reptirron series of heavyweight robots, although with considerably less success.

Design

Rear view of Argh!

Argh! was a red wedge-shaped robot with two exposed wheels at either side. It was armed with a large spinning disc, mounted vertically to hit robots from below. The disc proved to be very destructive, capable of cutting through other robots' armour and dislodging one of Gladiator's wheels in its Final. The robot had no self-righting mechanism, although this did not prove to be an issue in battle.

Robot History

Extreme 2

Argh! attacks Eddy Evolution

In the heats, Argh! fought AM CVn, Bernard, Eddy Evolution, Gi-Ant-O, Katnip and Neoteric.

Argh! began by attacking Eddy Evolution, tearing pieces off of the front armour. As Eddy Evolution attempted to back away, Argh! attacked it again, ripping more pieces off Eddy Evolution's side.

Argh! is almost pitted by Neoteric

Argh! was very nearly pushed into the descending pit by Neoteric, but it survived and fought back against Neoteric, slicing through its side armour easily and dislodging a panel. It then flipped an immobile AM CVn over with its disc, before being rammed by Bernard.

Argh! attacks Neoteric

"Argh! and Katnip pressurised Neoteric, causing damage. It was to be essential."

— Jonathan Pearce

Argh! then returned to its assault on Neoteric, this time cutting into the rear armour of the walker. Neoteric was eventually eliminated, as had Eddy Evolution, AM CVn and Gi-Ant-O. Argh! continued to fight on against Katnip, with Katnip getting its pincer behind Argh!'s wheel before cease was called. As a result, Argh! went through to the final, alongside Bernard and Katnip.

In the Final, Argh! faced Bernard and Katnip again, alongside Cutlet, Gladiator and Micro Mute.

Argh! flips Gladiator up with its spinner

Argh! was initially shoved into the path of Micro Mute by Katnip, who itself was being shoved into Argh! by Gladiator. Argh! was deflected away by the spinning Micro Mute, but took no damage, then it went after Gladiator, cutting into the side armour and sending small pieces of armour flying. Gladiator was then shoved away from Argh! by Micro Mute, so Argh! turned to attack Bernard, who was spinning wildly on the spot and deflected Argh! away. After charging into Bernard again - and receiving another hit in the process - Argh! darted near the Pit, before turning back to face Bernard and driving up its wedge, causing minimal damage with the disc. Argh! then turned to attack Cutlet from the side, connecting its spinner with Cutlet's front wedge.

"Very even so far; that's Argh! onto Cutlet, Cutlet with the vertical spinning disc, Argh! with the heavier spinning blade, I would say. Armed and dangerous, these teams."

— Jonathan Pearce

Argh! pushes Katnip into the Pit

Argh! then rammed into Cutlet head-on and drove up its wedge, leaving it with one wheel on the arena floor and the other on Cutlet's body. As Cutlet spun round in a circle, Argh! landed back on the floor, before attacking Cutlet again, this time tearing into the armour at its opponent's rear. Meanwhile, Katnip was down to one wheel after a hit from Micro Mute, and after deflecting Gladiator up onto its rear with its vertical spinner, Argh! targeted the vulnerable Katnip, using its rear wedge to shove it briefly near the Floor Spinner, and also hitting its opponent's pincers with the back of its vertical spinner as it did so. Argh! then darted round behind Katnip and pushed Katnip into the Pit after a few shoves.

Argh! is attacked by Micro Mute

After this, Argh! threw itself back into the action, just missing a hit on Cutlet, who spun past it on the Floor Spinner. Argh! caught up to it quickly though, and used its rear wedge to slide under Cutlet and shove it across the arena floor. However, Micro Mute quickly separated the two machines by driving underneath Argh!, pushing it away from Cutlet.

"Cutlet under pressure from Argh!, in comes Micro Mute again, and flung away!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Argh! attacks the immobile Cutlet

Argh! then slid beneath Bernard and left it beached on the edge of the Pit. It then attacked Gladiator, before immobilising Cutlet by shoving it into the arena wall with its rear wedge again. The beaten Cutlet took more damage to its side from Argh!, who then reversed underneath Gladiator, the impact of the shove appearing to immobilise it. Charging into Gladiator several times in succession, Argh! sliced through the front armour bit by bit, before finishing Gladiator off by ripping its left wheel off.

Argh! rips a wheel off Gladiator

"It looks as if it's gonna be Argh!, pressurising Gladiator, are these the only two machines left standing, and left fighting? And a wheel comes off Gladiator!"

— Jonathan Pearce

As the only machine left showing clear mobility, Argh! drove back towards Cutlet, slipping underneath and ripping more pieces off of Cutlet with the back of its spinner. It attempted to Pit Cutlet, but was unable to slide its opponent off its wedge, so Argh! carried Cutlet around for a few seconds before cease was called.

Argh! attempts to pit Cutlet

"It's Argh! for me, still pushing at the end. I think Cutlet have been immobilised, I think Gladiator has as well and Argh!, surely, the only featherweight still standing at the end of that almighty clash!"

— Jonathan Pearce as time runs out

Since Gladiator, Micro Mute and Cutlet were not counted out, the fight went to a Judges' decision, and, unsurprisingly, Argh! unanimously won the Judges' decision.

Craig Charles: "How heavy was Argh!?"

Gordon Townley: "12 kilos. Well, it's actually 11 and a half, we weren't quite up to the maximum weight."

Craig Charles: "11 and a half, but some of them were even lighter than you."

Gordon Townley: "They are now!"

Craig Charles: "You've had a lot more success with the featherweights than you've had with the heavyweights. You've got Reptirron, isn't it, in the heavyweight category? You've been out in round one twice, but you've found your niche, your corner of the market, the featherweights man!"

Gordon Townley: "I'm hoping it rubs off!"

— Post-match interview

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 0

Series Record

Team Reptirron with their trophy

Main Series	Argh! Series Record
The First Wars	Did not enter
The Second Wars	Did not enter
The Third Wars	Failed to qualify with Reptirron
The Fourth Wars	Entered with Reptirron
The Fifth Wars	Did not enter
The Sixth Wars	Entered with Reptirron the Second
The Seventh Wars	Entered with Reptirron the Second
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter
Robot Wars Extreme	Appearances
Series 1	Did not enter
Series 2	Featherweight Champion

Outside Robot Wars

Argh! fighting Rampage in one of its rumbles at War In The Wolds

Argh! had a limited career outside of Robot Wars, with Team Reptirron later prioritising their next featherweight, Stiff Breeze. It did, however, compete at War In The Wolds in November 2002, where a featherweight competition ran alongside the heavyweights.

In its first fight, Argh! faced Rampage, Katnip and two robots which never competed in Robot Wars: Mephisto and Black 'n' Blue (unrelated to the Series 7 clusterbot entry from Team Mousetrap). Argh! was functional throughout the fight, but eventually lost out to Katnip.

Argh! then competed in a nine-robot rumble, consisting again of Rampage and Black 'n' Blue, but also including Gladiator, Micro Mute, Katnip, Cutlet, Flybot and Kitty. Argh! would fair no better in this battle, again losing to a Cold Fusion Team entry in Kitty this time.

Argh! at Featherweight Smash in 2003

Winless in its first two fights, Argh! competed in a final five-way battle against Kitty, Flybot, Micro Mute and Rampage, however Kitty took a second win on the day.

Team Reptirron also brought Argh! to Featherweight Smash the following year, but it is unknown how well it performed.

Trivia

• Like all the other featherweight champions, Argh! did not return to Robot Wars to defend its title.