Dutch Robot Wars: Series 1/Heat D

Heat D
The Robot Wars logo from the introduction titles
Series	Dutch Series 1
Winner(s)	Slicer
First Broadcast	January 21st 2002
Original channel	Nederland 2 (BNN)
Preceded by	Heat C
Succeeded by	Heat E

Heat D of Dutch Robot Wars: Series 1 was the fourth of five heats which determined the Grand Finalists of Dutch Robot Wars: Series 1. This was the fourth televised heat of the Dutch Battles, and was broadcast by BNN on Nederland 2 on January 21, 2002.

Competing Robots

	Blue
	Weight	100kg
	Dimensions	1.22 x 0.92 x 0.46m
	Power	2 x 450W electric motors
	Weapons	Rotating disc
	Strengths	Solid construction
	Weaknesses	Flammable
Team Members: Chris Coates, Martin Jackson & Karl Jones

	El-Mower
	Weight	91kg
	Dimensions	0.89 x 0.70 x 0.79m
	Power	2 x wheelchair motors
	Weapons	Rotating blade
	Strengths	Strength
	Weaknesses	No self-righting mechanism
Team Members: Jeroen Wolf & Rene Bosscher

	Enderbot
	Weight	100kg
	Dimensions	1.42 x 1.11 x 0.42m
	Power	2 x 36V electric motors
	Weapons	Pneumatic hammer
	Strengths	Speed
	Weaknesses	Vulnerable tyres
Team Members: Don Kwast, Richard Jansen & Peter Oushoorn

	Flextreme
	Weight	96kg
	Dimensions	1.20 x 0.83 x 0.35m
	Power	2 x 24V electric motors
	Weapons	Circular saw
	Strengths	Heavy weapon
	Weaknesses	Effectiveness of weapon
Team Members: Niels Schotten, Wim Schotten & Elisabeth van Son

	Project One
	Weight	99kg
	Dimensions	1.12 x 0.84 x 0.90m
	Power	Converted car starter motor
	Weapons	Pneumatic axe & flipper
	Strengths	Strong axe
	Weaknesses	Reliability of electronics
Team Members: Willem Dijkstra, Gregory Cathalina & Mario de Jongh

	Slicer
	Weight	99kg
	Dimensions	1.04 x 0.84 x 0.34m
	Power	750W industrial motor
	Weapons	Rotating drum
	Strengths	Armament
	Weaknesses	Vulnerable tracks
Team Members: Eric de Vrijer & Jos Boon

Round 1

Enderbot vs Slicer

Bridget Maasland: "Isn’t this a bit too long? Because the previous fights kind of proved that a long bar isn’t always advantageous."

Don Kwast: "In this case it is. Because we can already hit the opponent, while they’re at a distance. So we’ll already be able to hit them, and they won’t be able to get near us."

Bridget Maasland: "Is it fast?"

Don Kwast: "It is reasonably fast, yes."

Bridget Maasland: "Seen your opponent?"

Don Kwast: "Yep."

Bridget Maasland: "Whatcha reckon?"

Don Kwast: "That we don’t need to be scared of them at all."

— Strong confidence from the Enderbot team before Round 1 (translated from Dutch)

Enderbot is thrown over after charging at Slicer

Enderbot becomes stuck on top of Slicer

At the start of the battle, both robots charged at each other, with Slicer's drum flipping Enderbot up and turning it over. Enderbot turned away and turned around, whilst Slicer held back, slowly approaching Enderbot as it got its drum up to speed. After driving around, Enderbot turned and drove at Slicer, which charged at Enderbot, and on impact Enderbot was flipped up a little. Slicer turned around, and rammed into Enderbot, getting under it again and pushing it, but Enderbot rolled onto its top, and turned off. Enderbot turned around, driving straight into Slicer's drum, and although Enderbot managed to turn away, Slicer's drum ripped off part of Enderbot.

"Upside down. Boy, you turn me..."

— Eric Corton references Diana Ross when Slicer throws Enderbot over

Enderbot is counted out while being blocked by Slicer

The beaten Enderbot is held by Sir Killalot

Slicer turned and rammed into Enderbot again, getting underneath it and pushing it up the arena. Enderbot tried spinning to get off Slicer's top, but couldn't get away, and was pushed into Sir Killalot's CPZ. Slicer reversed away as Sir Killalot tried to grab Enderbot, but Enderbot turned to avoid the claw, and Sir Killalot pushed it out of the CPZ. Slicer rushed over, but drove into Sir Killalot's claw. Sir Killalot pushed Slicer towards the wall, then reversed. Slicer drove down the arena, then charged at Enderbot, but Enderbot turned as Slicer hit it. Slicer pushed Enderbot over a CO2 vent, and Sir Killalot grabbed it by the axe with his claw and lifted it up. Sir Killalot dropped Enderbot, but it could only limp at Slicer, but as it hit Slicer, both robots stopped moving. Refbot counted them out, and Sir Killalot came out of his CPZ, lifting Slicer up and spinning it around, throwing it aside. Slicer was declared the winner.

"I expected a little more from those other guys. Apparently I tossed it upside-down with that first hit, I didn’t quite see, so I was carefully driving around it to avoid that enormous hammer, but that turned out to be on the bottom side!"

— Team Slicer on Enderbot's performance (translated from Dutch)

Winner:Slicer

El-Mower vs Flextreme

"Look, I think it’s so terribly adorable, but you have to understand that you have zero chance of success with such a silly thing"

— Bridget Maasland downplays El-Mower (translated from Dutch)

El-Mower lands a blow with the blade

El-Mower approached Flextreme with its rotating blade spinning, whilst Flextreme made a slow start, only turning a little. El-Mower hit the side of Flextreme a couple of times, but then the two robots stopped side-by-side. Shunt came out of his CPZ to give Flextreme a push, and Flextreme moved away. El-Mower was still not moving, but as Flextreme turned to attack its opponent, El-Mower started moving again. Flextreme drove into El-Mower, but El-Mower turned around to Flextreme's side and pushed it to the centre of the arena. El-Mower turned around and tried attacking Flextreme with its spinning blade, but the blade merely stopped on impact. El-Mower continued pushing Flextreme, and hit it with its rotating blade, but the blade just stopped on impact with Flextreme's top.

"A bit dull, all this. Sesame Street versus a greenhouse."

— Eric Corton describes the match against Flextreme (translated from Dutch)

Shunt comes out of his CPZ and attacks Flextreme

Using the rotating blade to pin Flextreme down, El-Mower pushed Flextreme up the arena. Flextreme got away and turned around, allowing El-Mower to get its rotating blade up to speed. Flextreme drove straight at El-Mower, and El-Mower turned and drove away. As Flextreme drove after it, El-Mower turned around and drove at Flextreme's side, then drove around Flextreme. El-Mower drove at the front of Flextreme with its blade spinning, but it just stopped on impact again. Flextreme pushed El-Mower back, and El-Mower turned away. Meanwhile, Shunt opened the pit. Flextreme pushed at the side of El-Mower, but Shunt came out of his CPZ and pushed Flextreme away from El-Mower. El-Mower was not moving, and Flextreme got behind it, whilst Refbot gave Shunt a yellow card for leaving his CPZ. Flextreme pushed El-Mower across the arena, into the arena wall in the last few seconds. The fight ended with both robots technically still mobile, although El-Mower had ground to a halt. Nevertheless, the Jury voted in favour of El-Mower.

Winner: El-Mower

Project One vs Blue

"The big guy with the beard (Maddox) pointed out a pneumatic valve which if hit would disable the robot, but it was so well protected we would never be able to reach it."

— Karl Jones of Team Blue anticipates the outcome of the battle

Project One uses its lifter to clamp down on Blue

Blue's side falls off after being lifted by Project One

Both robots started slowly, with Blue moving forwards a little, whilst Project One raised its lifter. Project One turned around, driving into an angle grinder. Blue landed a glancing blow on the back of Project One as it turned, Project One reversed into Blue, and Blue turned around and hit Project One again. Blue turned around, and Project One managed to get away from the wall. Project One slowly approached Blue, and landed an axe blow on the top of Blue, but the axe did no damage. Project One also got its lifter under Blue and lifted it a little, but reversed as it did so. Blue drove away, and Project One chased after it with its lifter raised, getting at the side of Blue and using its lifter to hold Blue still. Project One tried to push Blue, but couldn't get any traction. Project One reversed and drove back at the side of Blue, trying to hit Blue with its axe, but the handle fell against Project One's lifting plate, so the axe head did not make contact. Blue tried to turn away, but Project One kept hold of it as it turned. Project One kept firing the axe, but it continued to hit the flipper plate, until a fourth hit managed to push Project One off the side of Blue, breaking off some of the side armour.

Project One is counted out by Refbot

A burning but victorious Blue

Blue turned and drove away, turned around and tried to drive at the front of Project One, but Project One fired the axe, blocking it from getting close. Project One got its lifter under Blue and lifted it, causing the side to fall off. As Blue got away and turned around, Project One accidentally steered by the flame pit. Blue used its spinning disc to grind against the side of Project One, but turned away as it started to smoke. Sgt. Bash came over and blasted Project One with his flamethrower as Refbot began to count it out. Meanwhile, Blue's decorative armour had caught fire, but this did not matter as Project One was counted out.

Winner: Blue

Losers' Melee

Enderbot vs Flextreme vs Project One

Enderbot lands a hammer blow on Project One

Project One axes Flextreme

Flextreme started by driving at Project One, which turned to face it, missing with its axe. Flextreme pushed at Project One's front, and Project One hit the top of Flextreme with its axe, but did no damage. Project One tried to lift Flextreme, but Flextreme reversed, causing Project One to miss with its lifter. Enderbot charged at the side of Project One, hitting it with its hammer. Flextreme drove at Project One as it tried to turn, allowing Project One to get under Flextreme, flicking it up. Enderbot reversed and turned away, and Project One turned back at Flextreme as it drove towards it. Project One fired its axe a couple of times, missing both times, as Flextreme reversed. Flextreme turned as Enderbot drove by, and Enderbot got at Flextreme's side. Flextreme reversed to avoid a hammer blow from Enderbot, and Enderbot drove away, driving towards Project One, and Flextreme drove after Enderbot, driving at its wheel. In doing so, it drove in front of Project One, who fired the axe, but it had no effect. Flextreme reversed, and drove at Project One's side, attacking it with its saw. Enderbot drove at Flextreme's side, and Project One turned away as Enderbot hammered Flextreme.

Enderbot strikes the flat top of Flextreme

Project One knocks Sir Killalot's breast plate loose

Flextreme got away, driving down the arena, whilst Project One span around, having lost drive on one side. Flextreme pressed the pit release, then drove to the centre of the arena, straight at Enderbot, which hit it with its hammer. Enderbot turned away and drove at Project One, which was having its axe bitten by Sgt. Bash. Enderbot hammered Project One, briefly getting its hammer stuck in the frame of Project One until Flextreme drove into the side of Enderbot. Project One lifted Sgt. Bash a little, but let go, and Sgt. Bash dragged it back to his CPZ. Enderbot and Flextreme continued to push at each other, whilst Sir Killalot dragged Project One away from Sgt. Bash. As Sir Killalot pushed Project One, Project One fired its axe at the House Robot, managing to knock the breast plate loose. In the last few seconds, Sgt. Bash and Refbot rammed the barely-moving Project One. Time ran out, and the fight was decided by the Jury, who ruled in favour of Enderbot, despite Enderbot itself also struggling for mobility.

Winner: Enderbot

Semi-Finals

Slicer vs El-Mower

An immobilised El-Mower, thrown onto its side by Slicer

Elmo is spiked by Shunt

El-Mower slowly reversed as Slicer drove towards it, but then held back to get its drum up to speed. Slicer charged at El-Mower, flipping it a little with its drum, then pushed it into an empty CPZ. Shunt came over to the CPZ, and Slicer rammed El-Mower, flipping it against Shunt's scoop. El-Mower bounced off to the arena wall, leaving it immobile. Shunt axed the Elmo toy a couple of times, then dragged El-Mower back, before pushing it onto the flame pit. El-Mower was roasted, with the toy left smoking, before Shunt pushed it off the flame pit, pushing it up the arena, by the floor flipper. Refbot counted it out, and when he was finished counting, Shunt pushed it onto the floor flipper, where it was thrown across the arena. The pit was opened, and Shunt pushed it towards the pit, where Matilda gave the final nudges to pit El-Mower.

Winner: Slicer

Blue vs Enderbot

"All matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. We are all one consciousness, experiencing itself subjectively. There's no such thing as death. Life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves."

— A letter written by the Blue team, and read by Bridget Maasland before Blue fought Enderbot

Enderbot's first attack on Blue

Enderbot peels decorative armour from Blue

Shunt axes Blue's armour, which then becomes stuck

Shunt puts Blue on the floor flipper

As Blue drove past Enderbot, Enderbot swung the hammer at its opponent, but missed. Blue turned around on the spot, then Enderbot got behind Blue and hit the top with the hammer, knocking the top panel loose. Blue turned away as Enderbot tried to hit it with its hammer again, causing Enderbot to miss. As Blue tried to stay away from Enderbot, the top panel fell off, exposing the internals. Blue turned on top of the panel, and became stuck, allowing Enderbot to hit it with the hammer. Blue tried to drive away, but the top panel stopped it, and Enderbot drove after it. Blue turned around as Enderbot hammered it, knocking off some of the decoration from the top. Blue tried to get away, but drove into Refbot, and Enderbot hit Blue with its hammer again. As Blue tried to turn away, the side was ripped loose. Enderbot hit Blue with the hammer and dragged it, and the side panel fell off. Blue lost drive on one side, and Enderbot landed another hammer blow. Meanwhile, Shunt axed the side armour, which became stuck on the axe. Enderbot continued to hammer Blue, and Refbot pushed the two apart, causing Blue's other side armour to fall off. Shunt pushed Blue to the floor flipper, where Refbot counted it out. As soon as the count finished, Blue was thrown across the arena, and it bounced into Dead Metal. Dead Metal grabbed it, before Shunt finished it off by pushing it into the pit.

Winner: Enderbot

Final

Slicer vs Enderbot

Enderbot misses its mark

Slicer targets the tyres of Enderbot

Slicer drove across the arena at Enderbot, but Enderbot drove away down the arena. As Enderbot span on the spot, Slicer drove down the arena after it. The two robots drove at each other, but Enderbot turned as Slicer got close. Slicer turned around, and after a pause, drove at Enderbot, which drove straight at Slicer. Slicer's drum failed to get under Enderbot, and it quickly turned and drove away to avoid a hammer blow. Slicer turned around and drove back at Enderbot, this time driving at one of the exposed wheels, pushing Enderbot to the edge of Dead Metal's CPZ. Dead Metal pinned Enderbot as Slicer drove away from the House Robot. Dead Metal let Enderbot free, but Slicer charged at it. Enderbot bounced off as Slicer hit it, and Slicer accidentally drove into the CPZ. Slicer quickly drove out of the CPZ, but drove into Dead Metal. Fortunately for Slicer, Dead Metal reversed into the CPZ without attacking it. Slicer drove around and pushed Enderbot into Dead Metal, but Dead Metal pushed both competitors into the arena wall.

Dead Metal pulls a tyre away from Enderbot

Enderbot is left with a tyre missing

As Slicer tried pushing back at Dead Metal, Dead Metal grabbed Enderbot's wheel and reversed, pulling the tyre away. The two competitors got away from the wall, but Enderbot could barely move after losing the tyre, so Slicer rammed it down the arena, pushing it to Dead Metal, who grabbed it and sawed into the other wheel, cutting a gash in the tyre. Slicer pressed the pit button, and Dead Metal pushed Enderbot out of the CPZ for Refbot to count out. With the count complete, Sir Killalot picked Enderbot up, but as he did so he toppled forwards. This did not stop him reversing up the arena, still holding Enderbot, and putting Enderbot on the floor flipper. Enderbot was thrown across the arena, bouncing into its dislodged tyre. Dead Metal grabbed Enderbot and gave it one last slice before cease was called.

Heat Winner: Slicer

Trivia

• This was the only heat in Dutch Series 1 from which none of the robots appeared in UK competition, although WJ Dijkstra from the Project One team did enter UK Series 7 with Gravity.
• None of the six robots featured in this heat returned for the second series, although the Blue and Project One teams did return with new robots.
• While Blue's statistics were being displayed, there was no commentary from Eric Corton.