Mad Dog (US)

For the UK robot of the same name, see Mad Dog.

Mad Dog
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1996
Team Information
Team Members	Bradley Wong
From	College of San Mateo, California
Robot Statistics
Drive	2x car power window motors
Weapons	Wedge and Spikes
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Mad Dog was a featherweight robot which competed exclusively in the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Constructed by two students from the College of San Mateo, California, it was quickly eliminated from the Featherweight Face-Off by Melvin, upon getting pushed into and thrown over the moving wall bumper in their first-round 'Dual Match'. Mad Dog also fought in the Featherweight Melee event, winning an initial three-way fight also involving Bite Me and Yo Mama! However, it was again unable to progress beyond the first round, after becoming pinned in a second Melee where all robots were deemed immobile by the end. A 'Grudge Match' against lightweight competitor Cyclo-Kluge ended in both robots becoming stuck together, and Mad Dog earning its second win on the resulting audience vote.

Design

An invertible two-wheel drive robot with a 'symmetrical' wedge shape, Mad Dog's primary form of defense was a front scoop blade integrated into the wedge surface. Side-facing spikes also featured near the tips of the wedge shape, preventing the robot from getting stranded on its left or right-hand sides.

Each of Mad Dog's wheels was made out of rubber, driven by a power window motor from a car, and protected by 'hemispherical metal endcaps'. The layout of said wheels was observed by Andrew Lindsey to have hampered the robot's 'maneuverability and traction' in the arena, a weakness shared by the similarly-designed P.A.T. The robot was otherwise largely undecorated except for a small warning label on the upper wedge plate, reading "DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE".

Robot History

1996 US Championship

Mad Dog's first battle in the 1996 competition took place in the Featherweight Face-Off. In the opening round, it would face Melvin, in a 'Dual Match' occurring at the same time as Draggon Waggin' vs P.A.T.

Mad Dog, in the process of being pushed by Melvin (American Robot Wars 1996)

Mad Dog is thrown over the wall bumper (Amazing America)

Both competitors initially sized each other up in their half of the arena. In what would turn out to be a very short battle, Mad Dog was collected from the side, pushed across the arena (as briefly highlighted in American Robot Wars 1996) and rammed into the right-hand side wall bumper by Melvin. The force of the ram threw it over and behind the bumper. Mad Dog, trapped within the bumper mechanism and effectively outside the arena boundaries, was eliminated from the Featherweight Face-Off.

Returning for the Featherweight Melee tournament, Mad Dog initially fought a three-way battle against Bite Me and Yo Mama!

On its way from the right-most perimeter, it dodged a swing from the Ball of Doom. Mad Dog largely kept away from the action, as both of its opponents duelled and became trapped between the upper-left arena hazards. Capitalizing on their misfortune, it drove underneath and pinned Bite Me in place, with Yo Mama! also being deemed immobile. Mad Dog would secure its first victory of the 1996 event as a result.

Mad Dog's second Melee was an eight-way bout, also featuring Bite Me, Draggon Waggin', Edgar the Hate Bug, Gigan, Nezumi, P.A.T. and Ziggy in its first-round bout.

In the opening seconds, it would engage in an early tussle with Bite Me, Nezumi, Draggon Waggin' and Gigan. Mad Dog took a slam from Bite Me, prompting it to wedge underneath the circular-shaped machine. It would next team up with P.A.T. to battle the snapping Draggon Waggin', then each other. After Draggon Waggin' was flicked upwards by Ziggy, Mad Dog pinned it against an arena flipper. Moments later, it would get itself caught under the top-left flipper, struggling to escape from it even as it tried to fight Bite Me again.

Mad Dog finally broke free from the hazard at a later stage of the fight, giving an immobilized Gigan a cursory nudge. After briefly joining a scrap between Bite Me and P.A.T., it would scoop up and push Peter Abrahamson's machine across the arena, then in between the lower mousetrap mechanism. However, it would end up getting pinned by P.A.T., which in turn lost full mobility due to a drained battery. With all robots having become immobilized or pinned at some point, none were declared as winners or chosen to progress to the Featherweight Melee Final.

Alongside the main tournaments, Mad Dog also fought a 'Grudge Match' against the lightweight Cyclo-Kluge.

At some point during the battle, both robots drove into and became pinned on each other. Neither was able to separate within the allotted time, resulting in the match going to an audience vote. The 'close' vote resulted in Mad Dog getting the majority of the crowd's support, and thus being declared the winner of this 'Grudge Match'.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 2

Series Record

Events	Mad Dog (US) Event Record
1994	Did not enter
1995	Did not enter
1996	Featherweight Face-Off, Round 1 Featherweight Melee, Round 1
1997	Did not enter

External Links

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