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[[File:Concussion_10.png|thumb|Concussion, Series 9 Grand Finalist]]
 
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[[File:Crushtacean S9.jpg|thumb|Crushtacean / Krab-Bot, Dutch Series 2 Grand Finalist]]
 
[[File:Dasgepackcropped.png|thumb|Das Gepäck, UK vs Germany co-champion]]
 
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[[File:Destructive_Criticism.jpg|thumb|Destructive Criticism, US Season 2 Grand Finalist]]

Revision as of 11:36, 1 April 2019

Invertible robots are a type of robot which are designed to run in both upright and inverted positions. The first competitor of its kind to appear in Robot Wars was Series 1 Grand Finalist T.R.A.C.I.E., while the most successful include Series 6 champion Tornado, Series 7 runner-up and Third World Champion Storm 2, Series 9 champion Carbide, and Dutch series champions Slicer and PulverizeR, among countless others.

Definition

An invertible robot is one that can run both ways up without the need for a srimech. While they are usually low in order to facilitate this ability, designs are diverse, ranging from simple box or wedge-boxed shaped robots such as King Buxton, Tornado and Storm 2, to wedges such as Wheely Big Cheese and even unique designs such as those of Pussycat and Crushtacean. Most invertible robots' controllers are equipped with a special switch that would invert their controls to match forward and reverse to the robot's orientation. However a few like Aggrobot simply added a second set of wheels on top.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

Gemini vs tornado

Tornado was able to remain mobile no matter how many times it was flipped over by flipper-wielding opponents such as Gemini

St agro vs ceros

Due to its invertible design, St. Agro's flipper could operate both ways up with equal efficiency

  • As their name implies, they can run upside-down without the need for a self-righting mechanism. Not only does this decrease the effectiveness of flippers, wedges and lifters against them, they can also allow weight savings which can enable more effective weapons, more powerful motors and more durable armour to be equipped.
    • Some, including Series 4 runner-up Pussycat, were even able to run sideways due to their designs preventing them from getting side-stranded.
  • Most weapon types are generally compatible with invertible designs, and can be optimised to operate in both upright and inverted positions. Wedges, flippers, lifters, spikes and spinning weapons - such as flywheels, cutting discs, drums and bar spinners - are particularly common.
  • They are ideally suited for tracked designs. Series 3 Semi Finalist 101 and Dutch Series 1 champion Slicer were the most notable and successful examples.

Disadvantages

SMIDSY vs Dominator 2

S.M.I.D.S.Y.'s tyres were susceptible to damage from Dominator 2's axe in Series 6

RWEX1 TTT Suicidal Tendencies grips Pussycat

Suicidal Tendencies grips Pussycat with its crusher, used in Extreme 1/Series 5

Tornado bigger brother

Once inverted, Tornado's scoop struggled to work effectively against Bigger Brother

  • Because of their need to run inverted, their wheels or tracks are inherently vulnerable to being damaged by overhead weapons and vertical crushing weapons. Robots such as Tornado, S.M.I.D.S.Y. and Shockwave all lost battles to Razer, Dominator 2 and Thor respectively when their opponents used their crushers or axes to damage their tyres.
  • Some weapon types are difficult or unable to be compatible with these designs. Overhead axe/hammer weapons and vertical crushers are particular examples, with Suicidal Tendencies and Thunderpants being among the few invertible robots to be equipped with such weapons.
  • The effectiveness of an invertible robot's weapons - such as wedges, lifters or even vertical flywheels - could be reduced or nullified when the robot was inverted and the weapon was not optimised to work either way. Black Hole's discs lost their effectiveness when it was flipped by Philipper 2 and spun downwards instead of upwards, while Tornado's static scoop contributed to its defeat against Bigger Brother in the Extreme 2 All-Stars, when it was left unable to push the latter properly once inverted.
  • From a roboteer's point of view, it is often disorienting to drive a robot upside-down, especially if the robot looks identical either way up.
  • As the robots tend to be flat and low to the ground, invertible machines are relatively easy to clamp between wedges and overhead weapons. Tornado lost on several occasions to Razer, but also suffered defeats from Bigger Brother and Diotoir when its wheels were lifted off the ground.

List of Invertible Robots

101s5extremevers-removebg

101

3 stegs to heaven

3 Stegs to Heaven

Anvil Arena

Anvil, Forces Special champion

Arena cleaner

Arena Cleaner, Battle of the Stars co-champion

Big nipper 10

Big Nipper as it appeared in Series 10

BlackHole

Black Hole, German Series Champion

Botwork

Botwork, Dutch Series 1 Third Place

Carbide

Carbide, Series 9 champion

Cathadh

Cathadh

Cobra S10

Cobra

Combat ant

Combat Ant, the first antweight champion

Concussion 10

Concussion, Series 9 Grand Finalist

Crackers-and-smash 10

Crackers 'n' Smash

Crushtacean S9

Crushtacean / Krab-Bot, Dutch Series 2 Grand Finalist

Dasgepackcropped

Das Gepäck, UK vs Germany co-champion

Destructive Criticism

Destructive Criticism, US Season 2 Grand Finalist

Diotoir 10

Diotoir in Series 10

Disc-o-inferno

Disc-O-Inferno

Fluffy Series 6

Fluffy in Series 6

Gabriel 10

Gabriel 2

GenChomp

General Chompsalot, War of Independence runner-up

Hannibal US

Hannibal, Nickelodeon Annihilator champion

Hard

Hard

Heavy-metal

Heavy Metal

Invertabrates4-removebg

Inverterbrat

KadeenaMachina

Kadeena Machina, Battle of the Stars co-champion

Kanopener 2016

Kan-Opener, two-time Annihilator champion

Knightmare

Knightmare

KingBRemix

King B Remix

Lizzard

Lizzard, Dutch Series 2 Grand Finalist

Meshuggahs1

Meshuggah

Ming2

Ming 2

Mrnasty

Mr Nasty

MRSS Series 9

M.R. Speed Squared

Nuts 10

Nuts 2, Series 10 Third Place

PP3D

PP3D

Pussycat

Pussycat, Series 4 runner-up

HQRKnightmare

Raging Knightmare, Series 7 Semi-Finalist

Rick s5 mag

Rick, Nickelodeon Tag Team Terror champion

Rocky-Bot-Boa

Rocky-Bot-Boa, US Season 2 Grand Finalist

Rosie the Riveter II

Rosie the Riveter 2, US Season 2 Grand Finalist

S3 Profile

S3, Series 5-6 Semi-Finalist

Sabretooth

Sabretooth in Series 10

Shockwave

Shockwave, Series 8 Grand Finalist

Slicer

Slicer, the first Dutch Champion

S.M.I.D.S.Y

S.M.I.D.S.Y. in Series 6

Spawnofscutter

Spawn of Scutter, Series 4 Semi-Finalist

St

St. Agro, Series 7 Semi-Finalist

Storm2

Storm 2, Third World Championship winner

Supernova 2016

Supernova, Third World Championship runner-up

Tauron 10

Tauron Mk 2

Terror Turtle 2016

Terror Turtle

The Brute

The Brute, US Season 1 Third Place

Thermidor II S6

Thermidor 2, Series 4 and 7 Semi-Finalist

Tornado

Tornado, Series 6 champion

Tan10 official

Tough as Nails, Series 7 Semi-Finalist

T.R.A.C.I

T.R.A.C.I.E., Series 1 Grand Finalist

Tricerabot 30

Tricerabot 3.0, Extreme Warriors Season 2 Runner-up

Twistedmetal

Twisted Metal, Dutch Grand Finalist

TykeGRW

Tyke, German Wars Grand Finalist

Tyranabot side

Tyranabot, Nickelodeon champion

Wheely Big Cheese

Wheely Big Cheese, Series 4-5 Semi-Finalist

Wild Thing 2 S6

Wild Thing, Series 6 Semi-Finalist

Robots are listed alphabetically. Robots which are not heavyweight entries are listed with a green background.

Robot Appearances as an Invertible Robot Notes
101 Series 3-5, Extreme 1 Series 3 Semi-Finalist and Series 4 Tag Team Terror champion, paired with King B3.
3 Stegs to Heaven Series 5, Extreme 1
Abaddon Series 3
Aggrobot Series 4, 6-7, Extreme 1 Box-shaped in Series 4, wedge-shaped in Series 6-7 and Extreme 1. Not invertible in Series 3.
A-Kill (Middleweight) Series 3 Joint winner of Series 3 Middleweight Melee, along with Tentoumushi.
All Torque Series 3 Interchangeable scoop/plough.
Alpha Series 7
Angel of Death Series 2
Anvil Extreme 1 Winner of the Forces Special.
Araknia Series 7
Arena Cleaner Series 9 Battle of the Stars co-champion. Later repurposed to compete in Robot Wars: World Series as Cathadh.
Armour Geddon Series 3
Attila the Drum Series 4 Had an interchangeable mace and pickaxe.
Barber-Ous Series 5-7, Extreme 2
Basenji US Season 2, Nickelodeon
Bernard Series 7, Extreme 2 Two-time Featherweight finalist
Big Nipper Series 5, 7-8, 10 Eight-wheel drive system in Series 7-8 and 10; with four wheels on the top and four on the bottom. Original Series 5 incarnation had a four-wheel drive system.
Black and Blue Series 7 Clusterbot.
Black Hole Extreme 2, German Series German Series Champion.
Black Widow US Season 2 US Season 2 Tag Team Terror champion, paired with Rocky-Bot-Boa.
Botwork Dutch Series 1 Dutch Series 1 Grand Finalist.
Broadsword Extreme 2
Broot Series 2
Brutus Maximus Series 6-7
Buzzant Extreme 2
Carbide Series 8-10 Series 9 champion and runner-up in Series 8 and 10.
Cathadh Series 10 Represented the USA in Robot Wars: World Series under the captaincy of Team Toad. Previously competed as Arena Cleaner in Battle of the Stars.
Chimera Series 8-9 Competed in Series 9 as Chimera2.
Chip Series 7, Extreme 2
Chroma Extreme 2
Close Enough US Season 1
Cobra Series 7
Cobra Series 9-10 Could not use its weapons when inverted.
Coffin-Bot US Season 1 Loanerbot - competed in the US Championship as a reserve.
Combat Ant Extreme 1-2 Extreme 1 Antweight Champion.
Concussion Series 9-10 Series 9 Grand Finalist.
Constrictor Series 7 Featured a self-righting lifter as well.
Corkscrew Two Series 7
Coyote Series 9-10 Must lower or remove its chainsaw to be invertible.
Crackers 'n' Smash Series 9-10 The wedge shapes and weaponry of Crackers 'n' Smash are left redundant when inverted. With weapons installed, Crackers' ability to run inverted is nullified.
Crazy Coupe 88 Series 8
Crank-E Series 9
Crushtacean Series 5-7, 9, Extreme 2, Dutch Series 2 Dutch Series 2 Grand Finalist as Krab-Bot.
Cyclone Dutch Series 2
Daisy Chopper Series 3
Das Gepäck Series 2, Dutch Series 2 Joint winner of the UK vs Germany Special, along with Fluffy.
Death Trak Series 2
Dee Series 9 Stock Robot. The need to reverse the robot's controls when inverted provided a challenge for rapper Jordan Stephens.
Delldog Series 6, German Series
Destructive Criticism US Season 2 US Season 2 Grand Finalist.
Devastator Series 7
Diabolus Series 7
Diotoir Series 10 Applies only to the incarnation competing in Robot Wars: World Series, a loanerbot which previously competed as Kadeena Machina and was loaned to Team Nemesis.
Direct Action Extreme 2
Disc-O-Inferno Series 4, 6-7, Extreme 1 Extreme 1 Annihilator Champion.
DisConstructor Series 7-8
Diskotek Extreme Warriors 2, Nickelodeon
Doctor Fist Series 6, Extreme 2
Double Trouble Series 6
Eddy Evolution Extreme 2
Enderbot Dutch Series 1 Dutch Heat Finalist. Could not use weapon when inverted.
Expulsion Series 9-10 Not invertible on all sides in Series 10.
Eye of Newt Series 3 Competed exclusively in the Pinball side competition.
Flip Flop Fly Series 3
Fluffy Series 5-7, Extreme 1-2 Joint winner of the UK vs Germany special, along with Das Gepäck.
Foxic Series 8 Can self-right with its lifting arm. No longer invertible in Series 9.
Frostbite Series 9
Gabriel Series 8, 10 Largest competitor robot in Robot Wars. Competed in Series 10 as Gabriel 2.
General Chompsalot US Season 1-2
Golem Extreme 1, German Series
Groundhog Series 2
Gyrobot Series 7
Hades Extreme 2
Hammerhead 2 Dutch Series 2, Series 7
Hannibal Nickelodeon Nickelodeon Annihilator champion, undefeated robot.
Hard Series 7 Top-mounted wheels, also able to self-right.
Heavy Metal Series 9 Also able to self-right.
Hell's Teeth Extreme 2
HIGH-5 Series 9
Hobgoblin Series 10 Was not invertible in Series 9, so castors were added to the top of the robot for Series 10 to enable it to run upside-down, albeit unsuccessfully.
Humphrey Series 4
I Bot One Beta Series 7
Infernal Contraption Series 6-8, Extreme 2
Infinity (UK) Series 6, Extreme 2 Extreme 2 University Challenge runner-up.
Inshredable Series 6
Inverterbrat Series 3-4
Jabber Series 7
Jellyfish Series 9
Junkyard Queen German Series
Kadeena Machina Series 9 Undefeated Battle of the Stars Champion. Later repurposed as the newest version of Diotoir.
Kan-Opener Series 5-8, Extreme 2 Extreme 2 and Series 7 Annihilator Champion.
Katnip Extreme 2
Kill-E-Crank-E Series 8 Intentionally inverts itself to cause more damage with its disc.
Killerkat Series 7
King Buxton Series 2-8, Extreme 1 Series 2 Semi-Finalist and Series 4 Tag Team Terror champion, paired with 101.
King of Diamonds US Season 2
Kitty Series 7, Extreme 2 First featherweight based off a heavyweight.
Knightmare Series 4, Extreme 1 Appeared in Extreme 1 as Spirit of Knightmare.
Lambsy Series 5, Extreme 2
Limpet Series 2
Lizzard Dutch Series 2 Dutch Series 2 Grand Finalist.
Mad Cow Bot US Season 2
Magnetar Series 10 Also features a rear-mounted srimech.
Major Tom 3 Series 7
Malc 1.5 Extreme 2
Mayhem Series 7
Mazakari Series 4
Medusa 2000 Series 4 First invertible robot to fight Chaos 2.
Mega-Hurts Extreme 1
Merlin Series 8 (Pilot only) Also withdrew from Series 7 qualifiers.
Meshuggah Dutch Series 1-2 Series 2 Grand Finalist via wildcard.
Mesmer 2 Extreme 2
Micro-Mute Series 7, Extreme 2
Millitant Extreme 2
Ming 2 Series 4
Mini-Maul Series 7 Suffered the quickest featherweight immobilisation on the show.
Mobot Series 7
Monte Series 8 (Pilot only) Uses invertibility to flip itself over and cause extra damage.
Mr Nasty Series 6, Extreme 2
M.R. Speed Squared Series 8-9
Ninjitsu US Season 2
Niterider Extreme 2
Not Perfect German Series
Nuts Series 8-10 Both the main robot and its accompanying minibots are invertible. Competed in Series 9-10 as Nuts 2; Series 10 Grand Finalist under the latter guise.
Oblivion Series 2-4 Pinball-only competitor in Series 3.
ORAC Series 2
Panzer Series 3, Extreme 1
Phoenix Series 7 Built from parts of Malc 1.5.
PP3D Series 8-9
Pulsar Series 8 Series 8 Grand Finalist. Added a srimech in Series 9.
PulverizeR Dutch Series 1-2, Series 7, Extreme 2 Dutch Series 2 Champion.
Pussycat Series 3-5, 7, Extreme 1-2, US Season 1 Able to operate on its side, designed to always land on its wheels, hence its name. Series 4 Grand Finalist, winner of five side competitions.
Rabid M8 Series 10 A loanerbot which previously competed as Dee.
Raging Knightmare Series 7 Still used the flipper to self-right. Series 7 Semi-Finalist.
Raging Reality Series 6, Extreme 2 Disassembled to make Raging Knightmare.
Rambot Series 4
Rammstein Series 4 Batteries only lasted three minutes
Rawbot Series 7, Extreme 2
Reaper NP2 Series 7
Revenge US Season 2
Revolution Series 6-7, Extreme 2 Two very different versions across Series 6 and 7.
Rick Series 5, 7, Extreme 2, Nickelodeon Nickelodeon Tag Team Champion, paired with Ming 3.
Robo Doc Series 2
Rocky-Bot-Boa US Season 2 US Season 2 Grand Finalist and Tag Team Terror champion, paired with Black Widow.
Rosebud Series 2
Rosie the Riveter US Season 1-2 Entered alongside Tricerabot. US Season 2 Grand Finalist.
S3 Series 5-6, Extreme 2 Series 5-6 Semi-Finalist.
Sabretooth Series 9-10 Became invertible to amend a previous issue with self-righting in Series 8.
Saw Point Series 4 Used saw blades for wheels.
Sawpoint 2 Series 7
Scar Series 4
Scarab Series 3
Scorpion Series 6-7 Competed as Spirit of Scorpion in Series 6
Shockwave Series 8 Lifting weapon can rotate 360 degrees, allowing it to be used while inverted and as a srimech. Series 8 Grand Finalist.
Short Circuit Series 6
Shredder Series 5-7 Competed in Series 7 as Shredder Evolution.
Shuriken US Season 1
Silver Box US Season 1
Siren Series 2 Super heavyweight.
Sir Force A Lot US Season 2 Season 2 Tag Team Terror runner-up, paired with G-Force.
Slamtilt Dutch Series 2
Slicer Dutch Series 1 Dutch Series 1 Champion.
Small Torque Series 4 Disc acted as a third wheel when inverted.
S.M.I.D.S.Y. Series 3-7, Extreme 1-2 Three-time Heat Finalist.
Snake Bite US Season 2
Spawn of Scutter Series 4 Series 4 Semi-Finalist.
St. Agro Series 6-7 Series 7 Semi-Finalist, equipped with a 'double-sided double flipper'.
Steel Sandwich Series 7, Extreme 2 Only 12 centimetres tall
Stinger Series 3-6, Extreme 1-2, US Season 1 Finished third in Series 4.
Storm 2 Series 7-8, Extreme 2 Extreme 2 New Blood Champion, Third World Champion and Series 7 runner-up.
Suicidal Tendencies Series 3-4 Featured an axe and lifting forks in Series 4 and a crusher in Series 5.
Supernova Series 5-9 Third World Championship runner-up.
Sweeney Todd Series 8 Featured Mecnanum wheels which allowed the robot to move in any direction.
Tanto Series 8 (Pilot only) Unused reserve in Series 7
Tantrum Series 2 Not invertible in Series 3.
T-Bone Series 5
Tauron Series 9-10 Weapon system was mounted on a pivot to allow invertibility.
T-Wrecks Series 7 Qualified for Series 7 without an active weapon.
Terror Australis Series 3 Applies only to the original version of the machine, and not its Nemesis version.
Terror Turtle Series 7-8, 10, Extreme 2 Minibot 'The Hatchling' is also invertible. Robot was not invertible in Extreme 2.
Tetanus Booster Series 7
Texas Tornado US Season 2
The Brute US Season 1-2 Season 1 Semi-Finalist
The Cat Series 9 Suzi Perry still worried about The Cat's traction when inverted. Competed exclusively in Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars.
The Executioner Series 5, 7, Extreme 1
The General Series 3, 8
The Kegs Series 10 Clusterbot with different wheels on each half
The Mangulator Series 4, MTV Pilot
The Master Robot Wars 1995 Pioneer of the axlebot, and Robot Wars 1995 UK Open Competition winner.
The Piecemaker Nickelodeon
The Scrapper Series 7
The Stag Series 6-7
The Spider Extreme 1
The Swarm Series 10 Only two segments, Blenda and one version of Skye are designed to run inverted.
The Termite US Season 2
Thermidor 2 Series 3-8, Extreme 1-2 Competed in Series 3 as Thermador. Used a flipper as Thermidor 2, enabling the robot to self-right, in Series 4-8. Series 4 and 7 Semi-Finalist.
Thunderpants Series 7
Tip-Top Series 5 Used disc for locomotion.
Topbot Series 7
Tornado Series 4-7, Extreme 1-2, US Season 1-2 Interchangeable weaponry. Series 6 champion, Series 7 Grand Finalist, Series 4 Semi-Finalist, winner of three side competitions.
Tough as Nails Dutch Series 2, UK Series 7-8, 10 Employed a "grab and pit" technique. Series 7 Semi-Finalist
T.R.A.C.I.E. Series 1 First invertible robot to appear in Robot Wars. Series 1 Grand Finalist.
Track-tion Series 10 Cannot use weapon when inverted
Tricerabot US Season 1-2 US Season 2 runner-up as Tricerabot 3.0.
Twisted Metal Dutch Series 1-2 Known as Twisted Metal Evo in Series 2.
Twister (Dutch) Series 7 Featured a spinning triangle. Not invertible in Dutch Series 2.
Twister (UK) Series 5
Tyke German Series Fourth place in German Series.
U.R.O. Series 7 Name stood for "Unidentified Rotating Object".
UFO Series 6 Abandoned its invertible design for Series 7.
Unibite US Season 1-2
W.A.S.P. Series 6
Weeliwako Series 3
Wheelosaurus Series 2, 4 Used Victorian pram wheels as locomotion. First axlebot in Robot Wars.
Wheely Big Cheese Series 4-5, Extreme 1 Record-holder for the biggest flip in Robot Wars. Series 4-5 Semi-Finalist.
Wild Thing Series 6 Also known as Wild Thing 2. Series 6 Semi-Finalist.
Wyrm Series 9
Xenomorph Series 7
Xylon US Season 2