Bite Me

Bite Me
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1996
Team Information
Team Members	Brian Foote
From	Bozeman, Montana
Robot Statistics
Drive	2x cordless drill motors
Weapons	Horizontal jaws
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Bite Me was a featherweight robot which competed in the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Distinguished by its then-unusual horizontal jaw weaponry, it reached the Quarter-Finals of the Featherweight Face-Off, but was eliminated at that stage by Spike. Bite Me also performed strongly in two Featherweight Melee battles, but was not chosen to compete beyond the preliminary stage.

Design

Bite Me was an invertible, two-wheel drive robot with a circular-shaped chassis, itself converted from a pair of wheel rims from a mountain bike. Aluminum strips were used for internal bracing, along with plastic top and side armor panels. Parts of the wheel rims were also used for Bite Me's main weapon, a set of horizontal clamping jaws which were intended to grasp and control opponents across the arena. A static hammer was attached to the rear for decorative purposes, with possibilities for ramming or sit-and-spin tactics.

While the robot was maneuverable and possessed good pushing power as a result of its two cordless drill motors, the jaws on Bite Me proved highly fragile. This resulted in the weapon breaking in each of its Face-Off victories and being rendered unusable by the Quarter-Final stage. In their place, a static ramming scoop and pair of hammers were added to the front, also with the intent to push and pin rival competitors.

Robot History

1996 US Championship

Bite Me's 1996 run began in the Featherweight Face-Off championship, where it faced Arsenic in the opening round. This battle took place as a set of 'Dual Matches', the other occurring between Black Sheep 2 and Nezumi.

Bite Me started the more aggressive, ramming Steven Winter's machine into an arena corner multiple times. However, it was initially unable to make use of its front jaws, as the two robots kept ramming each other and found themselves in the center. At that point, Bite Me finally grabbed and pushed Arsenic around in its weapon, steering the latter around in circles, then into the arena flippers, side wall and mousetrap. Both machines took blows from the second flipper paddle, which were powerful enough to break one of Bite Me's jaws.

With its main weapon now incapacitated, Bite Me eventually pushed Arsenic back towards the perimeter wall section, where both competitors finally separated. It continued its aggressive approach, pinning Arsenic behind a flipper before chasing it across the arena. As the battle entered its final minute, Bite Me again pinned Arsenic behind the flipper paddle, preventing Arsenic from escaping before the 30-second count was completed. Bite Me emerged as the winner.

Bite Me progressed to the second round, facing the other victor from its 'Dual Match' pairing, Black Sheep 2.

Again, it started the faster of the two machines, darting through the arena center to ram and push along the sides of Black Sheep 2. Bite Me kept ramming and chasing its retreating opponent, before pinning Benjamin Chapman's entry under the upper mousetrap for several seconds. Bite Me did not escape unharmed, however, as its right jaw had folded inwards through this onslaught.

Eventually, Bite Me released Black Sheep 2, only to quickly pin it behind the lower-right flipper. It kept Black Sheep 2 in place as the latter was whacked and evidently immobilized by the paddle. A damaged, but dominant Bite Me backed out, moments before its knockout victory was officially confirmed. The damage to its jaws, however, proved terminal, resulting in the weapon being replaced by the scoop and twin hammers during overnight repairs.

The newly-reconfigured Bite Me was fixed in time for the Face-Off Quarter-Finals, where it fought against Spike.

According to the Team Spike website, both competitors spent 'several minutes' attacking each other with their weapons. While dodging Spike's attempts to lift it with its rear arm, Bite Me attempted to pin it with its scoop. Its high ground clearance and large wheels initially proved advantageous, as they allowed it to escape multiple pinning and lifting attempts by Spike. At some point, however, Bite Me had one of its wheel spokes impaled by Spike's lifter. Both robots were now locked together; Bite Me stripped one of its own gearboxes while trying to break free. Bite Me's efforts were to no avail, as Spike would ultimately be declared the winner. As a result, it was eliminated from the Featherweight Face-Off at this stage.

Bite Me also participated in a number of battles forming the Featherweight Melee tournament. Its first fight was a three-way Melee against Mad Dog and Yo Mama!.

On the left side of the arena, Bite Me was quickly pressured by Yo Mama!, while getting itself caught on the upper-left flipper a few times. This eventually resulted in both robots becoming pinned between the flipper paddle and the neighboring mousetrap, after which Mad Dog drove underneath Bite Me to pin it in place. Bite Me and Yo Mama! both lost the Melee as a result.

Alongside Mad Dog, Bite Me fought a second, larger preliminary Melee also involving Draggon Waggin', Edgar the Hate Bug, Gigan, Nezumi, P.A.T. and Ziggy.

In the opening seconds, it engaged in a five-way scrap, before being pursued and lifted upwards by the wedge-shaped P.A.T. Bite Me next turned its attention towards Edgar the Hate Bug, pushing and pinning it from the side between the lower-right flipper and lower mousetrap. After several seconds, it slowly pushed the Robot Snores entry across the arena into the top-left wall, where it pinned Edgar the Hate Bug in place for several seconds. Bite Me next tussled with a nearby Mad Dog, pinning it against the same wall and the nearby flipper for a few seconds. Taking swipes from the flipper in the process, it then turned around and attempted to pressure Draggon Waggin'.

When this amounted to nothing, Bite Me concentrated on pressuring and pushing Nezumi into the wall. After a few seconds, it kept shoving Robert Orr's entry around in circles, and was soon joined by P.A.T. Bite Me pushed the two featherweights back, while briefly being chased by Draggon Waggin', ultimately pinning Nezumi opposite the upper-right flipper. Both robots took hits from the flipper paddle and remained in this part of the arena for several seconds. Bite Me eventually maneuvered Nezumi back towards the center; both were swatted by the nearby mousetrap while P.A.T. scooped it up from the left-hand side, and separated the duo with a ram. With Nezumi now immobilized, Bite Me followed P.A.T. and Draggon Waggin' around, only to become trapped alongside them behind the upper-right flipper.

Bite Me and P.A.T. took the brunt of the paddle's hits, but eventually darted back into the arena center. Bite Me pursued the Team UCSB machine as it drove under and sent pieces flying from the already-eliminated Gigan, only for P.A.T. to drive it into the wall. Side-by-side, both robots drove past the lower-left corner and back into the center, where they became separated once P.A.T. drove into the immobile Nezumi. The duel between Bite Me and P.A.T. continued; Bite Me was forcibly rammed and pinned against the upper mousetrap mechanism, where it remained for the rest of the Melee. Bite Me was eliminated from the Featherweight Melee competition as a result; ironically, P.A.T. would also become immobilized seconds later, resulting in the match ending with no victor being declared.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 3

Series Record

Events	Bite Me Event Record
1994	Did not enter
1995	Entered with Sonic
1996	Featherweight Face-Off, Quarter-Final Featherweight Melee, Round 1
1997	Entered with Finagler

External Links

• Official US Robot Wars website entry on Bite Me (archived May 2 1997)