- "Their robot Mastiff is the first fighting robot ever to have been built in Italy"
- — Julia Reed introduces the Mastiff team and their robot
Mastiff was a robot from Italy which exclusively entered the Second World Championship, broadcast as part of the first series of Robot Wars Extreme and Season 1 of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors. It lost in the first round after being flipped by Chaos 2 and pushed into the pit by Manta.
Design[]
Mastiff without its spikes
Mastiff was a steep grey basic wedge shaped robot armed with a flipping arm and two side spikes to prevent it from being stranded on its side when flipped. On its wedge, it featured the image of an angry dog's face, like that of Bulldog Breed, while the robot also had the capability of running on its back if it was flipped in that position. Despite being listed as having no self-righting mechanism, the flipping arm was capable of successfully self-righting Mastiff at least once, although Mastiff had a high ground clearance that was easily exploitable.
Etymology[]
The name Mastiff is derived from the mastiff breed of dog.
Robot History[]
Extreme 1/US Season 1[]
- "A ground clearance of a centimetre, may not sound much but Chaos and Manta will exploit it. The bull Mastiff may turn into a whimpering puppy."
- — Jonathan Pearce, doubting Mastiff
Mastiff faced UK Champion Chaos 2, US robot Manta and German representative Ansgar in the first round of the Second World Championship, broadcast during Series 1 of Robot Wars Extreme, and Season 1 of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors, with this individual battle also airing during Heat A of German Robot Wars.
Mastiff is flipped by Chaos 2
It was immediately targeted by Chaos 2, which charged across the arena at it, whilst Manta charged at Ansgar. Mastiff drove forwards as Chaos 2 got close, but Chaos 2 got at the side. Mastiff turned and tried to get away, but Chaos 2 got behind it, getting underneath and flipped it over. Mastiff fell onto its front, and Chaos 2 reversed for another charge. Chaos 2 rushed at Mastiff, but as it got underneath, Mastiff fired the flipper, turning itself over. Mastiff turned around, and Chaos 2 got at Mastiff's side and flipped it again. Mastiff summersaulted over, landing back on its wheels. Mastiff turned around, dodging a charge from Chaos 2, and hitting the pit release button. Mastiff turned around, but turned into the arena wall. Chaos 2 turned around and charged at Mastiff as it turned away from the wall. Chaos 2 rammed into the back of Mastiff, and Mastiff suddenly broke down. Chaos 2 got behind one of Mastiff's wheels and nudged it towards the pit, but as it was pushing one of the wheels, it was not pushing Mastiff in a straight line, so it reversed to line up another attack.
- "...once again, Chaos 2 tries to flip Mastiff, the first fighting machine ever to come out of Italy, and well designed! But it's hit the pit release button there, top of your picture, you heard the siren, the pit is descending. One of these robots could go into it now!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Chaos 2 flips Mastiff over, then Mastiff opens the pit
In a part of the battle not included in the UK version of the episode, but shown as part of the Extreme Warriors dub, Mastiff fired its flipper at thin air as Chaos 2 pushed it. Chaos 2 then drove around to Mastiff's side, getting the corner of its flipper under Mastiff's side, and tried to flip it into the pit, but because only the corner was under Mastiff, it was not thrown forwards, but sideways, falling onto its front. Chaos 2 reversed for anther charge, and Mastiff used its flipper to turn itself onto its back, though it was still immobile.
- "And Chaos 2 knows it's time for a bit of "flipagio" - that's Italian for flipping, I think"
- — Stefan Frank as Chaos 2 tries to flip Mastiff into the pit, in a part of the battle only shown in the US version
Mastiff is pitted by Manta
The UK version of the battle resumed as Chaos 2 was driving at Mastiff's exposed base, and reversed for a charge. Chaos 2 charged at Mastiff, intending to flip it into the pit, but when Chaos 2 sped into Mastiff, it pushed past Mastiff, and fired the flipper as it drove into the pit. Shortly afterwards, Manta, which had been ramming Ansgar into submission at the top of the arena, drove down the arena at Mastiff, which was still lying immobile by the pit, and pushed it into the pit with Chaos 2, confirming its elimination.
Results[]
| MASTIFF - RESULTS | ||
| Extreme Series 1/US Season 1 | ||
| The Second World Championship Representing Italy, Eliminated in Heats | ||
| NOTE: Mastiff's opening battle was also broadcast during German Robot Wars | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Ansgar (GER), Chaos 2 (UK), Manta (USA) | Eliminated |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 0
- Losses: 1
Series Record[]
| Main Series | Mastiff 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 | Did not enter |
| Series 8 | Did not enter |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
| Robot Wars Extreme | Appearances |
| Series 1 | The Second World Championship, Round 1 |
| Series 2 | Did not enter |
Gallery[]
Outside Robot Wars[]
Alongside fellow Italian competitor Zeus and robots named Frollino and Mazzate, Mastiff was present as a display piece at a convention, known specifically as Mastiff 2.[1] It also performed demonstrations with Zeus and Mazzate, knocking down stacks of cones and spools in front of an audience.[2]
Trivia[]
- Despite weighing a relatively light 85kg, Mastiff was still the heaviest robot in its only battle, being 1kg heavier than Manta, 2kg heavier than Chaos 2 and 11kg heavier than Ansgar.
- The team could not speak English, thus pre- and post-battle interviews were nigh on impossible for Craig Charles and Julia Reed, or Mick Foley and Rebecca Grant.
- Mastiff is one of only two robots to come from Italy, the other being Zeus.
- Both robots lost their only battles.
- Both robots fought a German representative in their only battles.
References[]
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