Derek

Derek
Derek 2
Participation Information
UK Series	5-6
Other Names	Derek! (Series 5) Derek 2 (Series 6)
Team Information
Team Members	Ian Rotheram Frank Rotheram Andrew Groves (Series 5) Carl Morris (Series 6)
Robot Statistics
Weight	98kg
Dimensions	0.82m x 1.13m x 0.82m
Top Speed	13mph
Power	3 x 750W electric motors
Weapons	Flipping arm & spinning disc
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Derek didn't fare well in competition, but the judges said it was beautifully constructed...the winner is Derek! A surprise for many perhaps..."

— Jonathan Pearce announcing the Series 5 Best Engineered Award

Derek (also known as Derek!) was a competitor in Series 5 and 6 of Robot Wars. Its chassis was made of aluminum billet, and each piece was professionally milled using a CNC lathe. Its weapons were a pneumatic forklift-style flipper, and a very small spinning disc at the rear. It originally used a chain drive, but the team switched this out for a more reliable geared transmission. They also intended to use argon gas to power the flipper, but had to switch to conventional CO₂ to comply with the Robot Wars rules.

Derek lost its Series 5 qualifier against Bulldog Breed when its battery connector came loose and it lost all power, but was given a discretionary place because the judges felt it looked good and functioned well. Derek also took part in a qualifier battle against Black Knight and S.M.I.D.S.Y.

It lost in the first round of Series 5 to Dominator 2, but surprised many by winning the award for the Best Engineered robot that year, beating out better-performing robots including the robot that defeated it in the competition.

For Series 6, the team decided to build a vertical spinner as their new weapon after seeing 259's incredible performance at the qualifiers. Apart from the weapon change, the robot was virtually the same. Derek 2 performed no better than its predecessor and lost in the first round again.

Robot History

Series 5

Derek

In the first round of the Fifth Wars, Derek was unlucky to be drawn against 11th seeds Dominator 2. Derek was immediately rammed by the much quicker Dominator 2, who swung the axe, but missed by centimetres. After the initial pushing and shoving from both robots, Dominator 2 slid beneath Derek and drove around, meaning that Derek's forklift gouged the wooden floor. Dominator 2 then axed the internals of Derek and pushed it into an arena side-wall, and reversed it into the wall where Derek broke down completely. It was hammered once again by Dominator 2 and once by nearby house robot Shunt. The Refbot closed in and counted out the immobilised Derek, eliminating it from the competition.

After the battle, the team discovered that Derek's battery connectors had overheated when the spinning disc hit the floor (when Derek drove up Dominator's wedge, which was cut from the televised version) and caused a surge of current; this ultimately led to its immobilisation.

Despite it's early exit from the competition, Derek was, surprisingly, awarded the Best Engineered Robot Award.

Series 6

Derek 2 fought in the final heat of the Sixth Wars. In the first round, Derek 2 went up against Behemoth, Disc-O-Inferno and newcomers Tridentate. Derek 2 spun on the attack, but was flipped up and over by Behemoth. After it self-righted and landed back on its wheels, Derek 2 slammed into Behemoth's side, not doing any damage, before being hit side-on by Disc-O-Inferno, hitting the arena side wall and breaking down once again. Derek 2 was later counted out by Refbot and eliminated from the competition. Later on, it was placed on the arena floor flipper, along with the similarly immobile Tridentate and thrown with it. Derek 2 then followed Behemoth and Tridentate into the pit of oblivion after being pushed in by the house robots.

Results

The Derek team with Craig Charles during the Sixth Wars

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 0
• Losses: 2

Series Record

• Series 1-4: Did not enter
• Series 5: Heat, Round 1
• Series 6: Heat, Round 1
• Series 7: Did not enter

References

[1]