Facet

Facet
Participation Information
UK Series	3
Team Information
Team	Team On-The-Edge
Team Members	Mike Rickard Mike Smith Charles Lavery
From	Kent
Other Entries	Scrapper (Series 1) G.B.H. (Series 2, 6)
Robot Statistics
Weight	79.6kg
Dimensions	0.46m x 1.25m x 0.80m
Clearance	5cm
Top Speed	20mph
Power	2 x 24V Motors
Weapons	Pneumatic Flipper
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"The design criteria was Speed, Power with a Fast powerful lifting ramp."

— The On The Edge Team website on Facet

Facet was a competitor in Series 3 of Robot Wars. The team had previously won a heat with G.B.H. Facet lost in the second round, to eventual Grand Finalist Fire Storm. Facet was entered by Team On-The-Edge, known as Team Joint Effort in Series 6, who also entered Series 1 with Scrapper, and Series 2 and 6 with G.B.H. and GBH 2.

Design

"That giant flipper, I think, is going to be key"

— Jonathan Pearce, as Terminal Ferocity and Facet close the gap

Facet in the arena

Facet was a basic blue wedge shape with a broad flipper capable of lifting 500 kilograms. Built with speed in mind, the robot was powered by two Bosch 750 Watt motors, run at 24 volts. It could reportedly reach a top speed of 48mph, although the team also listed a more realistic top speed of 20mph on their website. It had 1.5 Module spur gears with a chain & sprocket drive, purpose-built speed controllers, and two wheels from go-karts.

"We've not seen anything as quick as this."

— Jonathan Pearce

Facet's insides

Facet had an on-board camera - unusual among competitor robots in the original series - which was located right next to the flipper ram. The camera watched through a hole in the front, and was connected to a monitor, allowing the team to know when to fire the flipper. However, the armour was rather thin, consisting of only 2mm polycarbonate which visibly bent in battle.

The flipper was very powerful by Series 3 standards, throwing Fire Storm onto its back during the battle between the two, and also flipping Matilda earlier in the heat. According to the team's website, it had a lifting capacity of 500kg and could raise 1 metre in one second. However, this flipper did not extend to self-righting, and the robot had a high ground clearance at the back, which would prove to be Facet's demise.

The Team

The team with Facet

Main article: Team Joint Effort

Facet was built by Team On-The-Edge, later known as Team Joint Effort, consisting of Mike Rickard, Mike Smith and Charles Lavery. At the time of Series 3, the team had competed in every series of the show up to that series, entering Scrapper into Series 1 and G.B.H. into Series 2. Mike Rickard was the team captain for Facet's appearance; in all of the teams other appearances, it was Mike Smith.

Mike Rickard drove the robot, Mike Smith operated the flipper, and Charles Lavery watched the monitor connected to the robot's on-board camera, letting Mike Smith know when to fire the flipper.

Robot History

Series 3

Facet competed in Heat O, where it faced newcomer Terminal Ferocity in the first round.

Facet flips Terminal Ferocity over

KillCam witnesses Facet flip Matilda

"Facet had a flipping good time with Terminal Ferocity..."

— Jonathan Pearce during the Series 3 recap

In its first battle, Facet easily dodged Terminal Ferocity's initial attack, and one use of the flipper was all it took to defeat it. For good measure, Facet flipped Terminal Ferocity over again, into Dead Metal. As the House Robots closed in, Facet attacked Matilda and flipped it on its side. In retaliation, Shunt and Sergeant Bash assailed Facet, with Sergeant Bash crumpling the flipper, and Shunt gallantly uprighting Matilda.

"I just wonder, if it goes later on in the competition, whether or not the lifting ramp on Facet yawns too wide, and the House Robots get in - as they take on a House Robot! Matilda is turned topsy-turvy by Mike Rickard"

— Jonathan Pearce, just as Facet flips Matilda

Heading into the second round, Facet was drawn up against an eventual Grand Finalist and future success story, Fire Storm.

Facet flips Fire Storm

Facet is flipped by Fire Storm, and are unable to self-right

Facet got hit hard in the opening stages, and both robots tried pushing each other off-balance. Bumping and ramming, Facet finally succeeded in flipping Fire Storm onto its back. Fire Storm self-righted, and then lured Facet to a side wall, with it being pushed and flipped onto a sideway position. This clever move left Facet unable to self-right. With the damage done and Facet immobilised, Sir Killalot came in and impaled its lance into the huge gap underneath Facet's flipper, drilling into it in the process. Sir Killalot then lifted Facet into the air and carried it towards the pit, but failed to drop the robot in before cease was called.

"We couldn't get around quick enough, we were going to sit on top of them and stop them from self-righting"

— Mike Rickard

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 1

Series Record

Series	Facet Series Record
The First Wars	Entered with Scrapper
The Second Wars	Entered with G.B.H.
The Third Wars	Heat, Round 2
The Fourth Wars	Did not enter
The Fifth Wars	Did not enter
The Sixth Wars	Entered with GBH 2
The Seventh Wars	Did not enter
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter

Gallery

Facet's cameo in the First World Championship

Official shot of Facet

Outside Robot Wars

Before its appearance in Series 3, Facet appeared on the BBC Choice show Backstage on 18 March 1999, where it managed to impressively throw Adam Clark's featherweight Armadillo eight feet into the air.

An early version of Facet takes on Cassius at the May 1999 Bordon Charity Event

At the Bordon Charity Event, organised by the International Wreck Crew in May 1999, Facet took on Cassius and also took part in several melees . In September of that same year, Facet appeared at Sevenoaks and fought Ivanhoe 2 and at least two melees. Facet was then scrapped sometime afterwards.

Trivia

• According to an agenda distributed to The Steering Committee, Facet was going to be offered a discretionary seeding in Series 4, alongside Griffon and Sting. However, due to the team members being busy with work, Facet did not enter Series 4. Dreadnaut, Weld-Dor and Stinger were added as the 28th-30th seeds in their places.
• Facet could reportedly reach a top speed of 48mph, a remarkable figure even by the standards of robotic combat today, but was still not the fastest robot in the series, second only to Binky (which claimed to have a top speed of 50mph).
• Facet was one of a few competitor robots across the show's history to be equipped with an on-board camera system. Other competitors have included Killerhurtz, Interstellar: MML, Behemoth, and one of the minibots accompanying Nuts 2.
• Facet was partially sponsored by De Beers Diamonds.

External Links

• Facet on the archived On The Edge Team website