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"This big bee may look cuddly but watch out for its sting - a big spinning drill on the front - so competitors better buzz off out of the way!"
— Robot Wars Magazine[1]

Bee-Capitator was a robot that entered Series 5 of Robot Wars, and lost its only battle to Firestorm 3.

Design[]

"A big, black and orange bee on a wedge base with a rotating drill weapon, 750 watt 24V power, but at only 71 kilos, it's the lightest in the heat and could be badly stung!"
Jonathan Pearce on Bee-Capitator
Bee-Capitator

Official photo of Bee-Capitator

Bee-Capitator was a long box-wedge shaped robot and was designed to resemble a bee, armed with a drill spike on its front for 'stinging' opponents and was covered in flammable black and orange fur. It was also decorated with two wings and googly eyes. Bee-Capitator was reasonably quick and agile, but had no self-righting mechanism, and was also very light at 71kg.

Etymology[]

The name Bee-Capitator was a pun on bee and decapitator.

The Team[]

Bee-Capitator team

The Bee-Capitator team

The team captain was John Nicholson, who worked at Barnsley College in South Yorkshire. He built Bee-Capitator along with some of his students.

John Nicholson would later join the Hodaf The Bad team, helping the lead builder Tyrone Ellis to build the robot, then becoming the team captain when they appeared on the show[2].

Qualification[]

Bee-Capitator in July 2001 attended the Manchester leg of the Series 5 qualifying tour, where it fought Trouble 'n' Strife. Both robots met in the centre of the arena. However, Bee-Capitator's lack of a self-righting mechanism was exploited, and Trouble 'n' Strife easily flipped it. Although Bee-Capitator lost the match, it was given a discretionary place to compete in the Fifth Wars regardless.

Robot History[]

Series 5[]

In the first round of Heat D, newcomer Bee-Capitator were drawn against the 7th seed, and previous Grand Finalist and Semi-Finalist, Firestorm 3.

Firestorm bee capitator

Bee-Capitator fails to use its weapon

Firestorm 3 Bee-Capitator 1

Firestorm 3 starts to push Bee-Capitator onto the angle grinder

FirestormBeeCapitator

Bee-Capitator is toppled as Firestorm's flipper is wrecked by Matilda

Bee-Capitator started broadside on to Firestorm 3, and quickly darted past its opponent after activate was sounded. Now in close to Sir Killalot, Bee-Capitator continued to make evasive moves, but it was swiftly caught by Firestorm 3, which slipped under the flanks of Bee-Capitator before driving it towards the arena wall. Once there, Firestorm 3 used its flipper to attempt to leave Bee-Capitator stranded up against the angle grinder. Fortunately for Bee-Capitator, its front dropped down onto the arena floor and it was able to dart away. Suddenly, after Bee-Capitator swung too close to Matilda's flywheel, Firestorm 3 came in from behind, toppling Bee-Capitator over with its drive.

"Firestorm already in underneath though, and that would be the danger for the buzzing bee. A full one centimetre ground clearance means that any wedge shape can come in, now, like Firestorm is with another slam!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Bee-Capitator is turned over

Firestorm 3 didn't escape unscathed though, as its flipper was buckled out of place by Matilda's flywheel after Firestorm 3 attempted to use it to invert Bee-Capitator. Nevertheless, upside-down, Bee-Capitator was unable to self-right, and it was duly counted out by Refbot, before being carried around by Sir Killalot, who toasted it on the Flame Pit.

"Didn't really cause a hive of activity in there, did it, Bee-Capitator? Well, it was a worker bee - it wasn't tremendously industrious, and if it were a queen bee, it's been well and truly dethroned."
— Jonathan Pearce
Bee-Capitator Refbot

Bee-Capitator is given the red card by Refbot

Bee-Capitator Sir Killalot Pit

Bee-Capitator is dumped out of the competition

Bee-Capitator was then subjected to a slam from Matilda and her rear weapon, which turned Bee-Capitator back over in the process. However, despite now being able to move again, Bee-Capitator's chance of remaining in the competition was long gone. Soon after, it was picked up by Sir Killalot again, who then pitted the beaten machine, confirming its elimination at the first round stage.

Results[]

BEE-CAPITATOR - RESULTS
Series 5
The Fifth Wars - UK Championship
Heats, Round 1
Heat D, Eliminator vs. Firestorm 3 (7) Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 0
  • Losses: 1

Series Record[]

Series Bee-Capitator Series Record
The First Wars Did not enter
The Second Wars Did not enter
The Third Wars Did not enter
The Fourth Wars Did not enter
The Fifth Wars Heat, Round 1
The Sixth Wars Did not enter
The Seventh Wars Entered with Hodaf the Bad
Series 8 Did not enter
Series 9 Did not enter
Series 10 Did not enter

References[]

Navigation[]

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