Robot Wars Wiki
Register
Robot Wars Wiki
No edit summary
(Finally a clear image of Merlin at the pilot!)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Robot
 
{{Robot
 
|robot_name = Merlin
 
|robot_name = Merlin
|image = [[File:Merlin2006.jpg|200px|center]]
+
|image = [[File:Merlin Pilot.jpg|200px|center]]
|caption = Merlin in 2006
+
|caption = Merlin in the pilot episode
 
|series = 8 (Pilot only)
 
|series = 8 (Pilot only)
 
|team = [[Team MAD]]
 
|team = [[Team MAD]]
Line 43: Line 43:
   
 
==Series Record==
 
==Series Record==
  +
<gallery type="slideshow">
[[File:Merlin_old.jpg|thumb|Merlin at the time of Series 7]]
+
Merlin_old.jpg|Merlin at the time of Series 7
  +
Merlin2006.jpg|Merlin in 2006
  +
</gallery>
 
{{Series Record EX|Merlin|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Withdrew before qualifiers<br>Featherweight Championship with [[Alpha]] and [[Gladiator|G2]]|'''Pilot Round 2, Third Place'''<br>Entered with [[Apollo]]|Entered with [[Apollo]]|Entered with [[Apollo]]|Did not enter|Entered with [[Gladiator]], [[Flybot]], [[Chroma]] and [[Hades]]}}
 
{{Series Record EX|Merlin|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Did not enter|Withdrew before qualifiers<br>Featherweight Championship with [[Alpha]] and [[Gladiator|G2]]|'''Pilot Round 2, Third Place'''<br>Entered with [[Apollo]]|Entered with [[Apollo]]|Entered with [[Apollo]]|Did not enter|Entered with [[Gladiator]], [[Flybot]], [[Chroma]] and [[Hades]]}}
 
''NOTE: [[Monte]], a robot built by Team MAD, was also loaned to [[Robo Challenge|Paul Streeter]] in order to enter the 2016 pilot''
 
''NOTE: [[Monte]], a robot built by Team MAD, was also loaned to [[Robo Challenge|Paul Streeter]] in order to enter the 2016 pilot''

Revision as of 13:49, 24 March 2019

Merlin was a heavyweight built by Team MAD which competed in the pilot episode of Robot Wars: Series 8. Although the episode went unaired, Merlin made various cameo appearances throughout the main series, appearing in the pits, alongside with Turbulence and Monte. In the pilot, Merlin was driven by Alan Young, while brother Dave Young entered the main competition with Apollo.

Merlin was previously intended to compete in Series 7, but Merlin suffered from technical issues the day before the qualifiers, so had to withdraw from the qualification process.

Design

"The current Merlin chassis is now 12 years old, and is still based on the original Mk1 that was built in 2003 but with a few changes."
— Alan Young in 2018, on the differences between Merlin at the times of Series 7 and 8
Merlin pits

Merlin in the pits at the Pilot

Merlin is a box-wedge shaped robot, designed for high pushing power, although weight restrictions forced Merlin to run on a two-wheel drive. As the tyres surfaced outside of the robot's top armour, Merlin was invertible, although it could also self-right using its primary weapon, a powerful full-pressure flipper.

Robot History

Series 8

Although Merlin did not compete in the main competition of Series 8, it was regardless invited to attend filming of the pilot episode on March 1st, giving it the opportunity to compete in front of a live audience, as part of a camera test.

MerlinVSDeadmetal

Merlin takes damage from Dead Metal's blade

In its first battle, Merlin was drawn into a four-way qualifier against Reaper, Wraith and Monte. Wraith suffered from electrical problems before the start of the battle, and withdrew, turning the fight into a three-way battle. Monte quickly broke down, and was pitted, leaving Reaper and Merlin to fight alone until cease was called, with both robots qualifying.

In the first battle of the head-to-head round, Merlin defeated veterans in Team Onslaught, winning against their new robot, Ka-Pow!, when Ka-Pow! drove into the pit in the opening moments of the fight. As the battle was so short, Merlin turned its efforts to attack Dead Metal.

Angela Merlin Turbulence Monte

Merlin, Turbulence and Monte make cameo appearances in Episode 4

Merlin's final battle was a loss against fellow flipper, Turbulence. After a close fight between the two flippers, Turbulence won the Judges' decision on the basis of aggression and control. Merlin never fought a head-to-head battle against Reaper to complete the second round, and was eliminated at this stage, largely due to time constraints.

Results

MERLIN - RESULTS
Series 8
Series 8 - Pilot Episode
Round 2, Third Place
Pilot Episode, Qualifier vs. Monte, Reaper, Wraith Qualified
NOTE: Wraith withdrew prior to the battle
Pilot Episode, Head-to-Head vs. Ka-Pow! Won
Pilot Episode, Head-to-Head vs. Turbulence Lost

Series Record

Main Series Merlin 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 Withdrew before qualifiers
Featherweight Championship with Alpha and G2
Series 8 Pilot Round 2, Third Place
Entered with Apollo
Series 9 Entered with Apollo
Series 10 Entered with Apollo
Robot Wars Extreme Appearances
Series 1 Did not enter
Series 2 Entered with Gladiator, Flybot, Chroma and Hades

NOTE: Monte, a robot built by Team MAD, was also loaned to Paul Streeter in order to enter the 2016 pilot

Outside Robot Wars

Merlin

Merlin with its flipper up

Since Robot Wars, Merlin has been rebuilt several times, but has experienced success, particularly in the Roaming Robots circuit. Arguably Merlin's greatest triumph to date was when it won the Tag Team Terror Competition alongside Velocirippa in 2006.

Merlin still fights competitively today, reaching the Quarter-Finals of the 2011 UK Championships, after beating Dantomkia and Iron-Awe 6 in its heat, but then Merlin lost to Iron-Awe 5.

Trivia

Team Merlin

Merlin's cameo appearance in Series 10

  • Despite Team MAD making several robots for Robot Wars, Merlin was the only heavyweight at the time of Series 7.
  • Merlin, alongside Alpha, G3 and Blazer, made a cameo appearance in Heat 1 of Series 10, in a family photo of Dave and Alan Young.