Cobra (Belgian)

For the UK robot which competed in Series 7, see Cobra (UK).

Cobra
Participation Information
UK Series	9-10
Team Information
Team	Team Rubbish
Team Members	Marco van Hek Stefan Vanthoor Jeroen van der Loo (Series 9) Jeroen van Lieverloo (Series 9) Bram van Hek (Series 10)
Other Entries	Pika (Dutch Series 1-2)
Associated Robots	Arena Killer, Tough as Nails (Jeroen van der Loo) Impact, Gravity, THE BASH (Jeroen van Lieverloo)
Robot Statistics
Weight	110kg
Top Speed	20mph
Power	4x Movi-Motors
Weapons	Clamping jaw
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Cobra was a heavyweight robot from Belgium, which competed in the main competition of Series 9 of Robot Wars and then represented Belgium in Robot Wars: World Series, part of Series 10. It fell in the first round of Series 9 to a combined effort from Behemoth and Eruption, but collected a win over Sabretooth in the World Series. The robot's name and logo are based on the venomous snake.

Design

Top view of Cobra in Series 9

Like its predecessor Brutus, Cobra was an invertible box-shaped robot with four-wheel drive and a focus on pushing power. The robot's weapon was a clamping jaw described as a 'snake bite', designed to clamp robots onto its wedge for the purposes of pushing them. The jaw was modelled on the body and head of a cobra, with two red fangs located underneath the tip. The 250-bar weapon was powered by a pneumatic ram, and possessed 4 tonnes of crushing power. Cobra's powerful Movi-Motors enabled it to reach a top speed of 20mph within one second, but the robot's wheels were largely exposed, and its rear armour was thin.

In the World Series, Cobra gained a new solid wedge to remain static to the floor, although it was hinged to reach the floor when Cobra was overturned. Cobra also used an interchangeable lifting wedge, made from 8mm HARDOX 500, designed to combat spinners.

Team Rubbish

Cobra with its team in Series 9

Team Rubbish were formerly known as VHS-Robots, having competed in Dutch Robot Wars with Pika. The team attempted to enter the previous series with Brutus, which formed the design concept for Cobra. Team Rubbish is captained by the lead builder of Cobra, Marco van Hek, and long time team member Stefan Vanthoor, who drove the robot.

Team Rubbish in Series 9

As Tough as Nails was not selected to compete in Series 9, Team Rubbish invited Jeroen van Lieverloo and Jeroen van der Loo of Team KODOX to join the team in Series 9, creating a Dutch-Belgian blend of team members. Jeroen van der Loo is best known for building Tough as Nails, but his first robot was Arena Killer.

Team Rubbish in Robot Wars: World Series

Jeroen van Lieverloo first competed with Impact before joining WJ Dijkstra to enter Gravity into Series 7. The two did not compete with Cobra in Robot Wars: World Series, as they represented The Netherlands with THE BASH.

Marco van Hek's son, Bram van Hek, also joined the team during Robot Wars: World Series.

Robot History

Series 9

Cobra drives over the floor flipper

Cobra competed in Heat 2, where in its first battle, it fought powerful flipping weapons in Behemoth and Eruption, as well as the 'egg beater' spinner Hobgoblin. Cobra showed no hesitation, and punished a mistimed flip from Behemoth with repeated slams, before avoiding the action briefly while Hobgoblin was immobilised. Cobra drove onto the flipper of Eruption, and was tossed over, so Cobra willingly drove onto the floor flipper to right itself, although this led to a sequence of flips from Eruption and the floor flipper again.

"Cobra using that speed, straight onto the floor flipper, ohoho, a tumble!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Cobra is roasted by Sir Killalot

Cobra was turned over by Behemoth, so it fled the scene and pressed the Arena Tyre, lowering the pit, although here Eruption flipped Cobra towards Sir Killalot, which grabbed Cobra and held it over the flame pit.

"Cobra got themselves too tight with Killalot, and they've done so well, Cobra!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Cobra is tossed by Eruption

Cobra maintained its aggression, although this led to it being flipped by Behemoth, and was trapped over the arena spikes by Eruption. Although Cobra was inverted, rendering its weapon useless, it continued to ram into both opponents using its back end. Eruption eventually righted Cobra, but after the Belgian team slammed into Behemoth, Cobra turned itself over once again. Cobra successfully evaded Behemoth, but could not avoid a powerful throw from Eruption. In the final seconds of the match, Cobra chased Eruption across the arena, earning points but also sustaining one last flip. Cease was called at the end of the battle.

Cobra charges Behemoth and turns itself over

"Cobra took some punishment but seemed to be OK... I just wonder whether this moment will count against Cobra."

— Jonathan Pearce over a highlight of Cobra being burned by Sir Killalot

Although Cobra had survived until a Judges' decision, having fought an aggressive battle throughout the duration of the fight, the Judges ultimately ruled that Behemoth and Eruption would be the robots to progress, and Cobra was eliminated.

"That could've actually been very very tight, I mean, I know poor old Cobra bore the brunt of just about everything that could've happened!"

— Dara Ó Briain to Team Make Robotics and Team Eruption

Series 10

Despite not appearing in the main competition, Cobra represented Belgium in the first episode of Robot Wars: World Series during Series 10.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 2

Series Record

UK Series

• CAD of Cobra
• CAD of Cobra's front view
• Team Rubbish among the international representatives in World Series

1/3

Series	Cobra 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	Did not enter
The Sixth Wars	Did not enter
The Seventh Wars	Failed to qualify with Caesar
Series 8	Not selected with Brutus
Series 9	Heat, Round 1
Series 10	World Series

Dutch Series

Dutch Series	Cobra Series Record
Series 1	Entered with Pika 2
Series 2	Entered with Pika 3

NOTE: The above records represent the qualification record only of Marco van Hek

Trivia

• During the process of building Cobra, team captain Marco van Hek was set on fire.
• Cobra was the only robot in Series 9 to fall in the first round on a Judges' decision.

External Links

• Team Rubbish RobotWars Facebook page
• Cobra (Series 9) on the Robot Wars website