- "KatNip was the push that brought me into the roboteering community thanks to Alan and other great roboteers which changed my life..."
- — Stuart Barnwell
Katnip (sometimes spelled KatNip) was the first featherweight of Cold Fusion Team, although created by Team Kat at the time. It fought and lost in the featherweight competition of Extreme 2 of Robot Wars.
Katnip had been created long before its driver, Stuart Barnwell, had had anything to do with Cold Fusion Team, following a competition by Rex Garrod called Rex's Robot Challenge in the magazine Real Robots.
Design[]
Rear view of Katnip
Katnip was a small two-wheeled robot with hardened steel pincers. The original version was made from wood with plastic pincers. When Stuart Barnwell met Alan Gribble, Gribble constructed metal pincers instead, as the plastic pincers were not strong enough. Gribble also helped Barnwell convert his machine into metal, in order to bring it up to fighting form. Katnip was the first featherweight to use titanium, and was often used in live shows for children to play and practise with.
Robot History[]
Extreme 2[]
Katnip tries to pit Eddy Evolution
In the heats, which were not shown in full, Katnip fought AM CVn, Argh!, Bernard, Gi-Ant-O, Eddy Evolution and Neoteric. Katnip drove at the side of Bernard in the opening stages and managed to lift its pincers onto its opponent's wedge, but Bernard pushed past and Katnip slid over. As Eddy Evolution lurked near the opened Pit, Katnip got behind it and tried to push it down the Pit. Eddy Evolution pushed back and Katnip reversed away, but Eddy Evolution then lost control and spun into the Pit.
Katnip clashes with the immobile AM CVn as Neoteric takes damage from Argh!
Katnip then took on AM CVn, which had stopped moving, but Katnip struggled to get hold of it. It then briefly attacked Gi-Ant-O, who by this point had broken down and was later dropped out of the arena by Sir Killalot. Neoteric also broke down after pressure from Katnip, Argh! and Bernard, with Katnip ramming head-on into the struggling walker before Sgt. Bash separated them.
Katnip gets its claws in Argh!'s wheel in the last few seconds
- "Argh! and Katnip pressurised Neoteric, causing damage. It was to be essential."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Katnip later attacked Argh! from behind near the centre of the arena, slipping its pincer behind the wheel, before bumping into Bernard just as cease was called, and Katnip went through to the final with Argh! and Bernard.
Katnip is shoved into Argh! by Gladiator
In the final, Katnip fought Cutlet, Gladiator, Micro Mute as well as Argh! and Bernard. Katnip chased after Gladiator immediately, but turned away as Gladiator opened the Pit. Gladiator then pushed Katnip into Argh!, but Argh! drove away, allowing Katnip to escape. As Argh! used its disc on Gladiator, Katnip tried to get at the side of Gladiator to attack, only for Micro Mute to charge in, getting under Katnip and Gladiator and pushing them up the arena together. Both robots slipped off Micro Mute, and Katnip went after Gladiator again, grabbing the front lifter. Katnip let it go, turned around for another attack, and drove at Gladiator's side.
Katnip, having lost a wheel
After Gladiator reversed away, Katnip changed targets, aiming for Micro Mute, which was spinning on the spot. However, this proved to be a fatal mistake, as the spinning front of Micro Mute ripped off one of Katnip's wheels, leaving it spinning in circles.
- "Oh, Katnip's down to one wheel! One wheel has come off Katnip, and look at the great power of Micro Mute! Katnip now in real trouble on the one wheel."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Katnip is pitted by Argh!
Argh! then got under Katnip using its wedge, bashing its pincers slightly with its vertical spinner. Katnip earned a brief respite as Argh! missed its next shove, but it was soon shoved again, this time towards the Pit. Argh!'s initial push forced Katnip's wheel over the Pit, leaving it stranded, and the next nudge tipped Katnip into the Pit at last.
- "That's cat litter, really, isn't it now, down there?"
- — Jonathan Pearce
This made it the first to fall in the Featherweight Final.
Results[]
| KATNIP - RESULTS | ||
| Extreme 2 | ||
| Robot Rampage Featherweight Championship, Final | ||
| Round 1 | vs. AM CVn, Argh!, Bernard, Eddy Evolution, Gi-Ant-O, Neoteric | Qualified |
| Final | vs. Argh!, Bernard, Cutlet, Gladiator, Micro Mute | Lost |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 1
- Losses: 1
Series Record[]
| Main Series | Katnip Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Did not enter |
| The Third Wars | Did not enter |
| The Fourth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Fifth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Sixth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Seventh Wars | Featherweight Championship with Kitty Entered with Pussycat |
| Series 8 | Entered with Dantomkia |
| Series 9 | Entered with Push to Exit |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
| Robot Wars Extreme | Appearances |
| Series 1 | Did not enter |
| Series 2 | Featherweight Championship, Round 1 Entered with Pussycat |
NOTE: This record only reflects the attendance of the Barnwell family, and does not include the performance of Cold Fusion Team
Outside Robot Wars[]
Stuart Barnwell with Katnip and its trophy for the event
Katnip next to its War In The Wolds trophy
Katnip continued to take part in featherweight battles on the live circuit between its creation in 2002, and its retirement in 2007. One of which was War In The Wolds in November 2002, where Katnip had relative success compared to its time on Robot Wars. Katnip won its first a six-robot rumble, before winning a five-bot rumble including Extreme 2 champion Argh!.
Katnip would lose two fights in the event, though both were won by the team's other featherweight entry Kitty, and driver Stuart Barnwell was awarded a merit trophy for the day's fights.
After retiring from competitive battles, Katnip was scrapped by the team. Pussycat and Kitty (the team's other two entrants to Robot Wars) are also retired, but have since moved on to new teams.
External Links[]
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