- "Spartacus in all his glory (yes those teeth can bite) after his one and only fight / mêlée with Damacles, Rosebud, Shadow Fiend and Slippery Strana on August 20th 1998. If you missed it - don't worry - so did everyone else!"
- — From the team's website[1]
Spartacus was a lightweight robot from Team General that was entered into Series 2 of Robot Wars. It competed exclusively in the Lightweight Championship, but lost its only battle to Slippery Strana on a judges' decision.
Spartacus was succeeded by Hazzard, which the team had planned to enter the Lightweight Championship in Series 3. However, the championship was cancelled due to a behind-the-scenes accident, although Team General still competed in the Robotic Soccer side competition and later Series 8 with their heavyweight, The General.
Design[]
Spartacus from above
Spartacus was a bronze two-wheeled robot armed with a set of cutting pincers resembling those used by Sir Killalot, alongside a rear wedge. This pincer was perhaps the most dangerous weapon in the Lightweight Championship, producing visible damage to the shell of Slippery Strana. Its drive wheels were hollow, so the team filled them with cement to bring the robot up to the weight limit. Spartacus was invertible thanks to its exposed 17" wheels which were driven by windscreen wiper motors, with motor reversing made possible by 8amp servo-driven boards, also supported by a metal castor. The pincer weapon was also driven by another windscreen wiper motor.
Etymology[]
Spartacus is named after the Tracian gladiator Spartacus.
Robot History[]
Series 2[]
In the Lightweight Championship melee, Spartacus fought Slippery Strana, Damacles, Rosebud, Shadow Fiend, Armageddon and an unidentified robot.
Spartacus (far right) attacks Shadow Fiend
Very little of this battle was televised, but what is known is that the House Robots set upon the competitor robots for most of the match. Spartacus did, however, use its claw on Slippery Strana during the match, inflicting visible damage to its outer shell. The battle eventually went to a Judges' decision, with Spartacus and its opponents still mobile at the end of the battle.
While the decision was being made, the competitor robots were asked to display their mobility[2]. Although Spartacus had potentially caused the most damage during the battle, its 2mph top speed resulted in an uninspiring performance when demonstrating its mobility. Slippery Strana had displayed the most apparent mobility during this display and ultimately won the Judges' decision, costing Spartacus the lightweight title.
Results[]
| SPARTACUS - RESULTS | ||
| Series 2 | ||
| Lightweight Championship | ||
| Lightweight Championship | vs. Damacles, Rosebud, Shadow Fiend, Slippery Strana, Unidentified robot, Armageddon | Lost |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 0
- Losses: 1
Series Record[]
Spartacus with its body opened, showing its internals
| Series | Spartacus Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Lightweight Championship |
| The Third Wars | Robotic Soccer with The General Lightweight Championship with Hazzard (event cancelled) |
| The Fourth Wars | Failed to qualify with The General and Slicer |
| The Fifth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Sixth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Seventh Wars | Did not enter |
| Series 8 | Entered with The General |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
Trivia[]
Spartacus decorated with its pit table banner
- Upon arriving at the studio, Spartacus was decorated with its name tag attached to its pit table.
- Excluding its radio transmitter, Spartacus cost around £110 to build.
References[]
External Links[]
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