Raging Reality

Raging Reality
Participation Information
UK Series	6, Extreme 2
Team Information
Team	Team Knightmare
Team Members	Nigel Paget Malcolm Summers Lee Summers
From	Hugglescote, Leicester (Series 6) Coalville, Leicestershire (Extreme 2)
Robot Statistics
Weight	100kg
Dimensions	0.45m x 1.30m x 0.90m
Top Speed	12.5mph
Power	2 x 750W electric motors
Weapons	Flipper & 4 ramming spikes
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Well, a full-pressure flipper and 4 ramming spikes mean high-powered weaponry, built for aggression, highly tested and reliable, they tell me..."

— Jonathan Pearce describes Raging Reality in Extreme 2

Raging Reality was Team Knightmare's entry for Series 6 of Robot Wars, also entering the second series of Extreme. It reached the Heat Final of Series 6, losing only to Razer after throwing two robots out of the arena. Raging Reality, true to the custom of Team Knightmare, fought in an Annihilator, placing fifth, the poorest of the Knightmare team's Annihilator results.

Design

Raging Reality in the arena

It had a slight wedge shape, a triangular full-pressure flipper and four ramming spikes on the front of the machine. It was highly tested, reliable and "built for aggression" according to the team but the armour was lightweight and the flipper was limited to only twenty launches. The flipper opened only a short distance, with the apex of Raging Reality's flips barely passing the arena wall, but this weapon proved powerful enough to flip robots out of the arena. Just like its predecessors, Raging Reality was fully invertible, although it could also use its flipper to self-right. The back end of the robot also featured triangular ridges to prevent the robot from becoming stuck on its back, although its armour was fairly thin. In Series 6, Raging Reality had small metal poles on each side to prevent the robot becoming stuck on its side, which were replaced by larger, triangular frames in Extreme. The robot was driven by 750W electric motors, giving a high top speed of 12.5mph. Many of the internals were taken from the robot's predecessor, Knightmare, but the shell was new.

Raging Reality from the front during Extreme 2

Raging Reality also had a model of the team's knight mascot, Little Norman, positioned next to the flipper. If the battle became too dangerous for Norman, it could retreat inside Raging Reality as its seat was placed on a turning door. This was only seen in Series 6.

Etymology

Raging Reality can be seen as a parallel to Team Knightmare's previous machines. While the two Knightmare robots played on 'nightmare', the word 'reality' being used in Raging Reality's name can refer to it being an opposite, as nightmare (another name for a dream) and reality are two different entities, and Raging Reality plays off this. The robot still used the knight drawing however, which was now the team's mascot

The Team

Main article: Team Knightmare

The team in Series 6

Raging Reality was entered into Robot Wars by Team Knightmare, veterans of the wars who had previously entered Series 4 with Knightmare, and the first series of Extreme with Spirit of Knightmare. Team Knightmare would also later enter the Seventh Wars with Raging Knightmare. The team were based in Coalville, Leicestershire, although they were billed as coming from Hugglescote in Series 6. The roster of teammates consisted of Nigel Paget, Malcolm Summers and Lee Summers. As with Knightmare, Lee Summers drove the robot while Nigel Paget operated the weapons.

Qualification

Raging Reality fought Lambsy, Reactor 3 and an unknown third opponent at the Series 6 qualifiers. It won on a Judges' decision, which guaranteed them a place in the series.

"Raging Reality immobilised one bot, we immobilised Reactor 3, and the last three minutes was spent slugging it out with Raging Reality. We lost on a judges decision even though we were the only robot out of the four who could drive out of the arena. No hard feelings though, they flipped us a bit more than we did to them."

— Ian Lockhart on the Series 6 qualifier battle

Robot History

Series 6

Raging Reality made its televised debut in the first heat of the Sixth Wars. In its first battle, Raging Reality took on the reigning champion Razer, and two newcomers in W.A.S.P. and Brutus Maximus.

"Experience, they'll need it!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Raging Reality enters the arena

Raging Reality is warned by Razer

Raging Reality flips Brutus Maximus out of the arena

At the start of the battle, Raging Reality and Razer lured the other two competitors towards Sir Killalot's CPZ, here, W.A.S.P. got caught by Sir Killalot and had its side churned away by the house robot. Razer and Raging Reality then teamed up on the newcomers Brutus Maximus, with Razer doing most of the damage, notably making a wheel of the wooden machine come right away and roll into the open Pit. However, Razer did turn on Raging Reality occasionally, causing only minor damage to the front end. After both W.A.S.P. and Brutus Maximus were both counted out, Raging Reality flipped Brutus Maximus out of the arena, as Razer gave it the space to do so. Cease was called after W.A.S.P. was counted out and Raging Reality went through to the next round of the heat along with Razer.

"I like Raging Reality's flipper you know."

— Jonathan Pearce after Raging Reality gets rid of Brutus Maximus

In the second round, Raging Reality was drawn up against Tetanus 2, a robot that proved very impressive in its first round melee, getting past Ruf Ruf Dougal and Weld-Dor 3 along with Cyrax who had then lost to Razer, the robot either Raging Reality or Tetanus 2 would meet next.

Raging Reality is gripped by Tetanus 2

Raging Reality throws Tetanus 2 out as well

The battle started nervy, as Tetanus 2 was able to grapple and drag Raging Reality around the arena and hold it in the CPZ. Fortunately, Tetanus 2 dug into the arena floor and became stuck in place, allowing Raging Reality to flip it onto its back. Raging Reality was initially unable to dispose of Tetanus 2, as this battle saw Refbot fall into the Pit of his own accord. Unable to pit its inverted opponent, Raging Reality then decided to toss Tetanus 2 out of the arena in a similar manner to its first round opponent Brutus Maximus, putting Raging Reality through to the next round.

"And Raging Reality, from looking on the brink of oblivion, the brink of defeat - HAS TOPPLED TETANUS OUT OF THE ARENA!"

— Jonathan Pearce, as Raging Reality flips Tetanus 2 out of the arena

Raging Reality is gripped by Razer

Matilda shreds Raging Reality's armour

Raging Reality goes down the Pit

However, the great run for Raging Reality ended in the Heat Final, when it was put up against the reigning champion Razer once again. In this battle, Razer was constantly on the attack, and caused severe damage to Raging Reality, the claw of the reigning champion was able to jam the wheels against the chassis and immobilise Team Knightmare's machine. Razer then dragged Raging Reality to Matilda's CPZ, who severely damaged Raging Reality's side armour by ripping it off. Despite being immobilised, Raging Reality wasn't counted out, so Razer placed it on the currently closed Pit, and then pressed the pit release button. Raging Reality descended into the pit with its flipper still firing at thin air, this signified the elimination of Raging Reality from the competition.

"Raging Reality gets a reality check!"

— Craig Charles confirms Raging Reality's elimination from Series 6

Extreme 2

Philippa Forrester: "Who's going out first?"

Nigel Paget: "Not us!"

— Pre-first round interview

Raging Reality overturns Thermidor 2

Raging Reality flips Kan-Opener

Raging Reality flips over Typhoon 2 in the Annihilator

Raging Reality also competed in the second series of Extreme, exclusively participating in the Annihilator competition. It was up against Major Tom, Kan-Opener, Thermidor 2, Typhoon 2 and Revenge of Trouble & Strife at the beginning. In the first round, Raging Reality immediately flipped over Thermidor 2, who eventually self-righted. After this it held back, slowly sneaking up on Typhoon 2, before eventually flipping over the future UK champions after they were free from the clutches of Kan-Opener. Typhoon 2 was not as lucky as the lobster, and was unable to right itself, resulting in it being counted out by the Refbot. This meant that the rest progressed to the next round of the Annihilator.

Raging Reality is attacked by Kan-Opener which results in its elimination

Refbot counts out Raging Reality

In the second round however, Raging Reality was less fortunate. The previous Heat Finalist was immediately grabbed by Kan-Opener, and shunted by Major Tom. It then moved towards the unoccupied CPZ, where it was then overturned by Thermidor 2. Raging Reality quickly self-righted however, before retreating to the centre of the arena. It then took on underdogs Kan-Opener in a private duel, but it was surprisingly immobilised due to some crucial blows from Kan-Opener's pincers. After a long period of time, Raging Reality was finally recognised as being immobilised, so was subsequently counted out by the Refbot, this just seconds before Revenge of Trouble & Strife was pitted by Kan-Opener. Raging Reality was placed on the Floor Flipper, flipped, and eliminated from the competition as cease was then called.

"Raging Reality are raging, 'cause the reality is, they're out of the competition!"

— Craig Charles after the fight

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 3
• Losses: 2

Series Record

Raging Reality in the pits during Extreme 2

Main Series	Raging Reality Series Record
The First Wars	Did not enter
The Second Wars	Did not enter
The Third Wars	Did not enter
The Fourth Wars	Entered with Knightmare
The Fifth Wars	Failed to qualify with Spirit of Knightmare
The Sixth Wars	Heat Final
The Seventh Wars	Entered with Raging Knightmare
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter
Robot Wars Extreme	Appearances
Series 1	Entered with Spirit of Knightmare
Series 2	Annihilator, Round 2

Outside Robot Wars

After Extreme 2, many of Raging Reality's parts were salvaged by the team to build its successor Raging Knightmare. The shell of the robot itself was repurposed and remodeled into Raging Knightmare.

Trivia

• Raging Reality was the only robot from Team Knightmare not to feature Knightmare in its name.
• Raging Reality was the only robot in the Extreme 2 Annihilator that passed the first round of the previous main competition.
• Raging Reality was the second robot from Team Knightmare to fall at the Heat Final stage of the main competition.
• Raging Reality performed the first out of the arena flip in Series 6, and a third of the total flips out of the arena achieved in the latter series, performing two. Raging Reality shares this trait with Dantomkia.
• Raging Reality also has the second-largest proportion of out of the arena flips to how many battles it fought (40%, or 2 out of 5), behind only General Carnage 2.
• Raging Reality was one of four Robot Wars competitors to throw an opponent out of the arena during its first televised battle. The others were Combatant, M2 and Eruption.
• Raging Reality is the only UK competitor to throw multiple opponents out of the arena but never win a heat (although Tsunami failed to win its heat in UK Series 7, it did win its heat in the German Series).
• Raging Reality/Raging Knightmare is one of three robots to lose to the reigning champion in the heat final of one series and then make it to the semi-finals in a subsequent series.
• All of Raging Reality's battles featured a robot with a crushing weapon; in Series 6 it faced only vertical crushers, and in Extreme 2 only horizontal ones.
• Raging Reality's successor Raging Knightmare would meet Revenge of Trouble & Strife and Kan-Opener again in Series 7.