Piranha

Piranha
Piranha
Participation Information
UK Series	Extreme 2
Team Information
Team Members	Rhys Bennett Melanie Bennett
Robot Statistics
Weight	95kg
Dimensions	0.85m x 1.10m x 0.67m
Top Speed	25mph
Power	750W Electric Motors
Weapons	Spiked Titanium Blade
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Small fish, big bite."

— Jonathan Pearce

Piranha was a competitor robot that appeared in the second series of Robot Wars Extreme. It fought exclusively in the New Blood Championship, reaching the second round where it lost to Pressure on a judges' decision.

Piranha later attempted to qualify for Series 7 of Robot Wars, but lost to Team Terrafonics' Tanto in its qualifier, with neither robot qualifying for that series.

Design

Piranha was a silver, rounded box-shaped robot armoured in aluminium with four plated spikes along its top panel, and featuring a 1 metre swinging arm as its weapon. The arm featured 1-inch serrated blades along its bottom and functioned in a similar way to an axe/hammer, with the team referring to this weapon as a 'saw-hammer'. The robot also featured solid rubber wheels for optimised traction and had a high top speed of 25mph, although its 'saw-hammer' was unproven as a self-righting mechanism and did not prove effective during either of its battles.

Relationship with Team Razer

Team members Rhys and Melanie Bennett, who called themselves 'Professor Piranha' and 'Miss Ile' onscreen respectively, received advice from Team Razer while building the robot as well as the use of their workshop to cut the metal for the robot's unique weapon. This connection was heavily emphasised during the team's interviews with Philippa Forrester, with Simon Scott and Ian Lewis even being present with the team before their battle with Pressure.

Philippa Forrester: "Is this [Rhys Bennett] the roboteer of the future?"

Simon Scott: "It is. This lad is a potential trophy winner. Maybe not now, this maybe his big learning curve, with all that's all about. But if he keeps it up, then, um, he could supersede us."

— Optimism from Team Razer about Rhys Bennett's potential success as a roboteer

Robot History

Extreme 2

Piranha attacks Fatal Traction

Piranha fought in Heat D of the New Blood Championship, and faced Fatal Traction and Doctor Fist in its first round battle. It immediately turned towards and hit Fatal Traction with its blade, before pushing it around the arena and stopping its flywheels in the process. Piranha continued to swing its blade aimlessly at Fatal Traction as Refbot pushed Doctor Fist closer to the pair, the latter appearing to have steering problems and failing to get engaged into the battle even after a shove from Piranha. Piranha began attacking Fatal Traction again, aiming to hit it a few more times with the blade, but missing.

"That's a waggle, of the Piranha blade. I'm sorry, it wasn't cutting or slicing, or swishing, it was, er, a waggle."

— Jonathan Pearce comments on Piranha's weapon

Fatal Traction pushed Piranha into Matilda, with both robots narrowly avoiding being hit by her flywheel. They continued to push each other around the arena and exchange blows with their weapons as Doctor Fist was pushed onto the Flame Pit by Refbot and attacked by Mr. Psycho and Matilda, eventually being counted out by Refbot and carried to the Flame Pit again by Mr. Psycho. This allowed Piranha through to the second round along with Fatal Traction.

Pressure lifts Piranha against the wall

Piranha and Shunt attack Pressure

Pressure lifts Piranha up

Piranha is hoisted again

There, Piranha was drawn against Pressure. Both robots started tentatively, before Pressure pushed Piranha side-on and lifted it against the wall, leaving Piranha vulnerable to an attack from Matilda as her flywheel tore part of its front armour apart. Piranha swung its blade aimlessly as it escaped, before bumping into Pressure and being lifted once again. It retaliated by swinging its blade a few more times onto Pressure's top armour and self-righting mechanisms, all the while pushing it towards Shunt and pinning it against his scoop. After simultaneously taking damage from Piranha's blade and Shunt's axe, Pressure eventually escaped and lifted Piranha once again, with Piranha again charging head-on into its lifting scoop in an attempt to strike its top a few more times. Piranha was pushed around in circles before driving away for another head-on charge at Pressure, which saw Pressure lifting it again near the Flame Pit as Piranha tried to strike it with its blade. The two robots separated, and continued to nudge, push and drive round each other until 'cease' was called, with the battle going to a judges' decision. Despite the multitude of blows it delivered to Pressure, the decision went against Piranha due to the damage it sustained from Matilda, which both teams and Craig Charles immediately disagreed with.

Craig Charles: "I, to be honest, thought... you'd got it!"

Rhys Bennett: "Yeah, we seemed to get quite a few hits in, so we kinda, thought that way."

Craig Charles: "You were battering them! I mean, you had a slow start, it was almost over, before it began, really, they came right at you, but after that you regained your composure and... you came at them, you were more aggressive, you were getting more hits in... he's only got a bucket!"

— Craig Charles and Rhys Bennett discuss the decision

Needless to say, this decision eliminated Piranha from the New Blood Championship.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 1

Series Record

Main Series	Piranha 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	Failed to qualify
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter
Robot Wars Extreme	Appearances
Series 1	Entered
Series 2	Did not enter