Killbborg

Killbborg
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1996
Team Information
Team	Semborg Corp
Team Members	Ken Atkinson Vic Lang
Sponsors	Semborg Corp
From	Fort Collins, Colorado
Other Entries	Z (1997)
Robot Statistics
Weight	165lbs
Weapons	Pneumatic Spears
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"This is our robot Killbborg and the name, it stands for "Killing Behavioral Based Organisms"."

— Ken Atkinson

Killbborg was a heavyweight robot which fought in the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Captained by Ken Atkinson, it was one of the most technologically-advanced robots in its weight class, reaching the Quarter-Finals of the Heavyweight Face-Off championship before being eliminated by BioHazard. Killbborg also fought in the Heavyweight Melee tournament, successfully qualifying for the Final in the process.

A selection of Killbborg's matches was highlighted in the American Robot Wars 1996 VHS, including its Face-Off duels with Gutrip and BioHazard, and its appearance in the Heavyweight Melee Final. Its battle against BioHazard was also briefly aired in Heat D of Robot Wars: The First Wars, during a segment recapping highlights of the 1996 competition.

Design

Killbborg with its team

Described by Andrew Lindsey as a 'very well made, high budget entry', Killbborg was a large heavyweight sponsored by Semborg Corp, running on two pairs of red tracks. Each track system employed three metal chains, the arrangement allowing for 'considerable redundancy' in the event that one got damaged or incapacitated.

Killbborg's main weapons were a pair of 3ft 'telescoping' pneumatic spears at the front. While each spear possessed a long reach, in practice, they were more suitable for pushing opponents away than causing extensive damage. Internally, most of the robot's components were self-contained within its 'central body', with steel bars and Lexan panels forming its main armor.

At 165lbs, Killbborg matched the then-maximum upper heavyweight limit, and was claimed by its team to be capable of pushing up to 500lbs in weight. Even with the latter - and a demonstration in American Robot Wars 1996 where it pushed one of its team members back - Killbborg's tracks offered it limited speed and pushing power in the arena. Additionally, the robot as a whole was vulnerable to getting pushed around by other competitors, and had no form of self-righting mechanism. Killbborg had a black paint scheme with a custom-made decorative skull.

Etymology

Killbborg's name stood for Killing Behavioral Based Organisms, reinforcing its aggressive and high-tech nature.

Robot History

1996 US Championship

Killbborg's 1996 campaign began in the Heavyweight Face-Off tournament, where it faced Alex Rose's SWAK in the first round.

Both robots were slow to engage in combat at first, with Killbborg trundling across the arena as SWAK got its spinning flails up to speed. Killbborg eventually pushed its circling opponent towards a nearby flipper, then underneath a descending mousetrap, successfully causing SWAK to get pinned opposite the mousetrap mechanism. After initially missing with one of its actuating spikes, Killbborg jabbed SWAK with it a few times, before continuing to ram the latter against the wall and against the left spring for the mousetrap. On this occasion, this caused SWAK to get pinned between the wall and the mousetrap itself, securing a debut win for Killbborg.

In the second round, Killbborg faced Gutrip, the first of its battles to be highlighted in American Robot Wars 1996.

Killbborg is smashed and jostled upwards by Gutrip's twin blades

As it charged out of its starting position, it veered to the right and accidentally got tapped by anearby mousetrap. Killbborg, seemingly unfazed by this, attempted to jab Gutrip with the right spear, though this only succeeded in pushing itself back into the mousetrap. Direct attacks to Killbborg's spear caused it to be jostled up and down while being pushed sideways by Gutrip. After dodging the other mousetrap, Killbborg retracted its spear as Gutrip proceedeed to attack its front end.

Killbborg retreated to the bottom-left corner, only to be followed and violently flicked up by Bob Schneeveis's machine. It found itself trapped between the wall and the nearby flipper, its back end vulnerable to another hit from Gutrip's twin milling cutters. Damage was sustained to both Killbborg's rear bodywork and left-center track tread, which was torn and ejected from the machine. Killbborg's design enabled it to remain mobile, however. It responded by bumping and attempting to pin Gutrip, as the latter got itself stuck against the flipper paddle. While being gingerly pushed back by its opponent, Killbborg proceeded to jab the Lexan panel protecting its side.

Killbborg traps Gutrip against a mousetrap

"Although Gutrip inflicted some serious damage on Killbborg - and the arena - he got pinned by Killbborg and lost."

— Paul Vallis pre-emptively calls Killbborg's victory

Using its left spear as a battering ram, Killbborg kept pushing and pinning Gutrip into the side of the nearby mousetrap. In American Robot Wars 1996, this moment was inferred to have given it the knockout win, though the full match actually continued beyond this point.

Killbborg's spear remained lodged in Gutrip as it drove around in circles, before both robots eventually became separated. It again took damage to the front from Gutrip's blades, before countering this by spearing and pushing Gutrip back. Both competitors were then swatted by the mousetrap, before Killbborg was pushed backwards into the upper-left flipper, and appeared to be pinned together with Gutrip for a few seconds.

From that point, Killbborg's remaining tracks took further hits from Gutrip. Ken Atkinson's machine was then pushed into the mousetrap, firing its spears in an attempt to escape. Several seconds passed before Killbborg - which had been sitting on top of Gutrip during these moments - finally slipped off back onto the floor. Killbborg's respite was short-lived, however, as its track treads were damaged further by Gutrip, and the robot whacked by the arena flipper a few more times.

In a twist of fate, Gutrip drove under Killbborg once again, and proceeded to catch and get itself caught under the flipper paddle. Killbborg again slipped off its opponent, twitching on its right tracks and firing both its spears in an attempt to demonstrate further movement. For some time, neither machine moved from their positions, until Killbborg gingerly shuttled back and forth on its still-active tracks. This was enough for Michael Meehan to announce that Gutrip had been officially immobilized. While the decision proved unpopular with the audience Killbborg had survived to take its second consecutive knockout win.

In the Quarter-Finals, Killbborg faced BioHazard.

"This was a keenly anticipated battle between a couple of the best engineered robots in the competition, but BioHazard's arm again proved to be a formidable weapon."

— Paul Vallis

Killbborg is tipped over by BioHazard

The battle began tentatively as the two machines cautiously approached each other. Meeting in the center, Killbborg was threatened early on as BioHazard lifted it by the spears and controlled towards the lower mousetrap. The trap descended on and snared Killbborg for a few seconds, after which it backed away and was rammed twice by Carlo Bertocchini's machine. Killbborg retaliated by pushing BioHazard under the mousetrap using both of its spears, though BioHazard was too low to be caught by the hazard.

Killbborg avoided a second attempted lift from BioHazard, but not a third. After another series of short pushes and nudges, it was rammed and turned over from the left-hand side by BioHazard, and eliminated from the Heavyweight Face-Off championship.

Killbborg was also among the competitors to later take part in the Heavyweight Melee tournament. In its preliminary round, it faced Nemesis, Punjar and the heavyweight incarnation of South Bay Mauler.

While starting quickly, Killbborg found itself under pressure from Punjar early on as all four robots converged near the perimeter. It was then pressured by Punjar, which unsuccessfully tried to attack with its rear spinning flails, before being scooped up and driven backwards against one of the mousetraps. Killbborg responded by starting to push Punjar back, into the mousetrap mechanism and across the arena floor. The pair proceeded to avoid the flipper on their arena side, in what transpired to be an even pushing match between the two competitors.

Killbborg broke free as Punjar tried to spin its flails up again. However, it was soon scooped up and pressured across the arena, while its own spear mechanism was now threatened by the revolving weapon of Ramiro Mallari's machine. Killbborg tried to attack Punjar with its left spear, but fired it too early, preventing it from causing damage. its chance. Killbborg and Punjar reached a temporary stalemate, before the former tried to spear Punjar a second time, and was pushed back into the upper mousetrap and upper-right flipper.

Over three minutes into the Melee, Killbborg engaged in another pushing match, this time involving Nemesis and South Bay Mauler. Nemesis shoved it into the lower-left corner, later pinning Killbborg against the mousetrap until time ran out. All four competitors, including Killbborg, survived to an audience vote, and were later chosen to compete in the Heavyweight Melee Final.

Together with its Round 1 opponents, Killbborg fought for itself against La Machine, The Master, DooMore, Tazz, Red Scorpion, Merrimac, Gutrip and Marvin.

Killbborg is pushed by Merrimac

La Machine slams into Killbborg

In the opening moments, it engaged in a tussle with La Machine, and proceeded to pin Tazz directly opposite a mousetrap as the latter bumped into Trey Roski and Greg Munson's entry. Avoiding swipes from Tazz's turret-based arm, Killbborg pushed Donald Hutson's machine further across the arena center, though it became more passive after this moment. This was until it hooked an approaching Merrimac under its lifting panels; Merrimac responded by pushed Killbborg back towards the other side of the arena. When Red Scorpion and Nemesis both joined the fray, Killbborg started pushing the former back while repeatedly firing its left spear.

As the Melee passed the three-minute mark, Killbborg next approached, but declined to attack Gutrip, itself suffering from mobility issues. It then became one of a number of machines to be pressured by La Machine, which slammed Killbborg into an arena corner. Killbborg, in its recovery, turned its attention towards South Bay Mauler, while avoiding the approaching Marvin. Next, it attempted to push and spear Nemesis and La Machine from their sides. Nemesis, in response, later pushed Killbborg back after becoming involved in a separate five-robot pile-up.

Killbborg found itself pinned alongside Nemesis and DooMore, within range of a nearby flipper. After several seconds, it pushed DooMore back and forth against the furthest wall, while taking further swipes from the flipper paddle, and eventually did the same to Punjar after pushing free with the left spear. Killbborg next approached La Machine as it pushed South Bay Mauler against the wall, only to be collected by a nearby Merrimac. La Machine drove around and also scooped Killbborg up from the side, as Nemesis closed in and bumped the latter a few times. Killbborg struggled to drive off Merrimac, until it became involved in an additional six-way pile-up near the center of the arena.

In the skirmish, Killbborg attempted to attack Punjar from the front-right corner, eventually brushing the side of South Bay Mauler as the competitors began separating. It was then pushed from behind and pinned against the upper wall by La Machine, which in turn was pinned by Nemesis. Contact with the front of Marvin resulted in Killbborg being pushed back against the wall next to the entry/exit doors. Killbborg remained there for the remainder of the Heavyweight Melee Final, which was ultimately won by La Machine on an audience vote.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 3
• Losses: 2

Series Record

NOTE: This record reflects that of the Semborg Corp/Z Interactive team.

Events	Killbborg Event Record
1994	Did not enter
1995	Did not enter
1996	Heavyweight Face-Off, Quarter-Final Heavyweight Melee, Final
1997	Entered with Z (Vic Lang)

External Links

• Killbborg on the official US Robot Wars website (archived May 2 1997)