Robot Wars: The First Wars/Grand Final

Robot Wars: The First Wars - Grand Final
The Robot Wars Logo from the introduction titles
Series	The First Wars
Winner(s)	Roadblock
First Broadcast	March 27th 1998
Original channel	BBC Two
Preceded by	Heat F (part of the same episode)
Succeeded by	Heat A of The Second Wars

"Now, this is it, this is what the whole series has been leading up to: an orgy, a six-way orgy, of death and destruction!"

— Jeremy Clarkson

The Grand Final of Robot Wars: The First Wars was the final six robot melee battle which decided the Grand Champion of Robot Wars: The First Wars. The Grand Final was broadcast at the end of the episode featuring Heat F of the First Wars, on March 27, 1998 on BBC Two.

Competing robots

	Bodyhammer (winner of Heat E)
	Weight	78.9kg
	Dimensions	0.80m x 0.80m x 0.60m
	Speed	9mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	15mm
	Power	4 x 18V domestic drill motors
	Weapons	Hammer
From: Gloucester
Team Members: Robin Herrick, Andrew Dayton-Lovett & Steve Jones

	Cunning Plan (winner of Heat D)
	Weight	11.5kg
	Dimensions	0.63m x 0.48m x 0.17m
	Speed	10mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	10mm
	Power	Electric drill motors
	Weapons	None
From: University of Reading
Team Members: Oliver Steeples

	Recyclopse (winner of Heat B)
	Weight	79.5kg
	Dimensions	0.90m x 0.90m x 0.45m
	Speed	4mph
	Turning Circle	1.5m
	Ground Clearance	0mm
	Power	24V industrial motor
	Weapons	Pneumatic steel tongue-flipper
From: Mickfield, near Stowmarket
Team Members: Rex Garrod & Simon West

	Roadblock (winner of Heat A)
	Weight	82.5kg
	Dimensions	1.45m x 1.10m x 0.40m
	Speed	5mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	10mm
	Power	24V electric motors
	Weapons	Circular saw
From: Bodmin Community College
Team Members: Hender Blewitt, Chris Kinsey & Peter Kinsey

	Robot The Bruce (winner of Heat C)
	Weight	84.6kg
	Dimensions	0.82m x 0.52m x 0.37m
	Speed	4mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	50mm
	Power	24V electric motor
	Weapons	Brute force
From: Ipswich
Team Members: George Francis & Mick Cutter

	T.R.A.C.I.E. (winner of Heat F)
	Weight	52.9kg
	Dimensions	1.55m x 0.85m x 0.20m
	Speed	10mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	50mm
	Power	12V motor
	Weapons	Spikes
From: King Edward VI Grammar School
Team Members: Andrew Rockliffe, Christopher Hancomb & David Hall

Grand Final

Roadblock vs Recyclopse vs Robot The Bruce vs Cunning Plan vs Bodyhammer vs T.R.A.C.I.E.

The six robots wait

"Now, this is it. This is what the whole series has been leading up to. An orgy - a six-way orgy - of death and destruction."

— Jeremy Clarkson

Roadblock rams the speared Recyclopse

All six robots leaped off the mark, entering into a swirling maelstrom of metal and engineering. Cunning Plan ricocheted and spun off of T.R.A.C.I.E., who in turn speared Recyclopse, and Roadblock joined the attack, slipping its wedge beneath Recyclopse. Meanwhile, Bodyhammer slammed into the minuscule Cunning Plan and shunted it around. T.R.A.C.I.E. and Recyclopse drove off to one side, away from Roadblock, but it was unclear who was dragging or pushing who. Recyclopse managed to pull away after using its extending tongue to slam T.R.A.C.I.E. into the arena wall. T.R.A.C.I.E. stayed aggressive by then spiking Bodyhammer and Roadblock simultaneously, along with Robot the Bruce pressing against Roadblock's left side, and Bodyhammer engaging on the right. The six robots all converged near T.R.A.C.I.E.'s starting position, but no one landed a successful attack on another, except for Cunning Plan as it bashed off Robot The Bruce and reversed into Roadblock.

T.R.A.C.I.E. comes to rest on Cunning Plan

During the fray, however, T.R.A.C.I.E. rushed at Roadblock and drove up and onto Cunning Plan. This effectively immobilised both robots, as T.R.A.C.I.E.'s wheels were suspended off the ground, and Cunning Plan was pinned in place by T.R.A.C.I.E.'s weight.

"And T.R.A.C.I.E.'s up, on Cunning Plan! And both of them are out! Immobilised!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Now, with four remaining, Recyclopse attempted to flip Bodyhammer over with the tongue but could only nudge it forward, while Roadblock turned and grazed Bodyhammer with its saw. Recyclopse then chased after Bodyhammer, but Robot the Bruce shoved it into the path of Roadblock who had now set Recyclopse as its primary target, whilst Robot the Bruce and Bodyhammer bashed into each other. The three other robots all got beneath Recyclopse's ground clearance, but it came to rest on Roadblock's wedge.

Roadblock pushes Recyclopse around

Bodyhammer and Robot the Bruce slammed together, but Roadblock was being the main offender, using its wedge to push Recyclopse around, despite its attempts to escape.

"Rex Garrod needs to get his tongue back in, in every sense of the word!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Recyclopse fires its tongue desperately

Robot the Bruce on its side

All of a sudden, it became clear that Recyclopse's drive chain had fallen off due to Roadblock's constant pressure, and it was now immobile. Roadblock scooped Bodyhammer aside, and drove under the oncoming Robot the Bruce, achieving immediately what Cruella and Wedgehog had failed to do - tipped the box on its side. This left only two robots left, and Roadblock charged at Bodyhammer, who scuttled away. Roadblock wedged beneath it and pushed it around, before cease was called.

"It's over, it goes to the judges! And the arena on its feet, a standing ovation!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Roadblock pursues Bodyhammer

Roadblock are crowned champions

Roadblock was announced as the First Wars Grand Champion, on a judges decision, the first of five Grand Finals to be settled that way.

First Wars Grand Champion: Roadblock

Trivia

• The Grand Final of Series 1 was the only one to feature a non-heavyweight robot.
• Of the six competitors, four of them would make repeat Grand Final appearances in future - Roadblock, Team Cassius, Team Chaos and Cold Fusion Team.
• The Grand Final was one of only two UK battles to whittle down from six competitors to only two - the other being the Middleweight Melee of Extreme 1.
• This battle was the only one in history not to feature any House Robots.
• Of the six competitors, only two featured a moving weapon (Recyclopse and Roadblock, with Bodyhammer still using its spike rather than the hammer). Neither used their respective weapons once during the battle.
• T.R.A.C.I.E. became the first robot to retire after a Grand Final and not return to Robot Wars.