Robot Wars: The Fourth Wars/Semi-Final 1

Semi-Final 1
The Robot Wars logo from the introduction titles
Series	The Fourth Wars
Winner(s)	Chaos 2 Pussycat
First Broadcast	February 2nd 2001
Original channel	BBC Two
TV Ratings	5.08 million
Preceded by	Heat P
Succeeded by	Semi-Final 2

"They say time goes quickly when you’re having fun, and even quicker if you’re mashing up robots, ‘cause here we are at the first of our Robot Wars semi-finals. Now, as you can imagine, our semi-finalists are an absolute bag of nerves. I’ve never seen so many robots rush off for an oil leak. I even caught one roboteer praying earlier on; either that or he’d stuck his hands together gluing his engine back in! But they’ve every right to be worried, ‘cause each of our eight qualifying robots fighting today has already kicked some serious robo-botty! Oh yes!"

— Craig Charles' introduction

Semi-Final 1 of Robot Wars: The Fourth Wars was the first of two semi-finals which determined the Grand Finalists of Robot Wars: The Fourth Wars, out of eight semi-finalists. The eight robots were paired off in Round 1, with the four victors pairing off in Round 2 to determine two Grand Finalists. The episode featuring Semi-Final 1 was originally broadcast on February 2, 2001 on BBC Two.

• All battles in this semi-final bar the two involving Chaos 2 were decided by a judges' decision - all of which were very close. There were also no pittings, making this the only episode of Series 4 not to contain at least one pitting.
• This heat contained both newcomers to the Fourth Wars UK Championship that made the semi-finals. It also contained three of the previous year's Grand Finalists, two of which lost in the first round.
• This Semi-Final marked the worst performance of Firestorm in a UK Championship.
• Chaos 2's battle with Tornado was the single time that Chaos 2 defeated Tornado in three televised appearances. This battle was the fourth occurrence of a machine being Thrown Out of the Arena, and is ranked equal 24th in the Shortest Battles in UK Robot Wars - the only battle in Series 4 to make the list.
• Pussycat's regular captain Robin Herrick, who was missing from the team during the heats, returned for the semi-finals, replacing Robert Bettington.

Competing robots

Newcomers

	Dominator 2 (winner of Heat E)
	Weight	79.9kg
	Dimensions	1.40 x 0.65 x 0.80m
	Clearance	0.01m
	Power	2 x Industrial motors
	Weapons	Pneumatic axe
	Notes	Plasma nitride coated titanium
From: Huntingdon
Team Members: Peter Halloway, Chris Hall & Paul Tolliday

	Tornado (winner of Heat F)
	Weight	78.2kg
	Dimensions	0.85 x 0.25 x 0.70m
	Clearance	0.02m
	Power	Industrial motor powered
	Weapons	Fixed spikes
	Notes	Steel and polycarbonate body
From: Huntingdon
Team Members: Andrew Marchant, David Gamble & Bryan Moss

Veterans

	Chaos 2 (seeded 1st, winner of Heat A)
	Weight	79.4kg
	Dimensions	0.38 x 0.90 x 0.71m
	Clearance	0.01m
	Power	Electric powered motors
	Weapons	High powered gas flipper
	Notes	Cost £250 to make
From: Ipswich
Team Members: George Francis, Ian Swann & Richard Swann

	Firestorm 2 (seeded 5th, winner of Heat C)
	Weight	79.9kg
	Dimensions	0.29 x 0.97 x 0.82m
	Clearance	0.06m
	Power	Electric powered motors
	Weapons	Powerful flipping arm
	Notes	Took 3 months to build
From: Durham
Team Members: Graham Bone & Alex Mordue

	Pussycat (seeded 19th, winner of Heat B)
	Weight	79.7kg
	Dimensions	0.56 x 0.76 x 0.43m
	Clearance	0.04m
	Power	Electric powered motors
	Weapons	Blade
	Notes	Hand painted by Alan
From: Gloucester
Team Members: David Gribble, Robin Herrick & Alan Gribble

	Steg 2 (seeded 7th, winner of Heat D)
	Weight	80.0kg
	Dimensions	0.33 x 0.85 x 0.66m
	Clearance	0.08m
	Power	Electric powered motors
	Weapons	Pneumatic flipper
	Notes	Aerospace aluminium body
From: Romsey
Team Members: Rob Heasman, Dan King & Peter Rowe

	Thermidor 2 (winner of Heat G)
	Weight	79.9kg
	Dimensions	0.32 x 1.30 x 0.70m
	Clearance	0.05m
	Power	Electric motor powered
	Weapons	Lobster claws and flipper
	Notes	Has two wheels from small car
From: Norwich
Team Members: David Harding & Ian Harvey

	Wheely Big Cheese (seeded 15th, winner of Heat H)
	Weight	79.4kg
	Dimensions	0.42 x 1.43 x 1.07m
	Clearance	0.02m
	Power	2 x Golf cart motors
	Weapons	Throwing device, spiky wheels
	Notes	Has tungsten golf shoe spikes
From: Langport in Somerset
Team Members: Roger Plant, Paul Otten & Jon McGuigan

Round 1

Chaos 2 (1) vs Steg 2 (7)

Chaos 2 employs tactics and Steg 2's flat sides to its advantage

Prior to this battle, Steg 2's tail and armour had needed significant repairs after taking damage from its previous battle with Mortis.

Steg 2 charged, firing its flipper and jumping slightly as usual, but Chaos 2 darted aside and flipped Steg 2 in return. Steg 2 was able to self-right, but sat still as Chaos 2 charged it broadside and flicked it over the floor flipper. Steg 2 reversed Chaos 2 into the side wall and fired its flipper, but was not underneath the clearance of the reigning champions and so missed. Chaos 2 attempted two flips, both of which were unsuccessful, but Steg 2 hurled Chaos 2 on its back, and it self-righted instantly. Once more, Chaos 2 flipped Steg 2 over and it self-righted. Chaos 2 then flipped Steg 2 against the side wall, and then Shunt, with the seventh seed taking damage from an axe blow from Shunt. Steg 2 was noticeably slower now, and Chaos 2 flipped it over, using its open flipper to slow the motion down and strand Steg 2 on its side. Steg 2 fired its flipper, but did not manage to knock itself back onto its wheels. Sergeant Bash nudged Steg 2 slightly more onto the floor flipper, which activated. Before the House Robots could attack, cease was called.

"You had him on his back...and you did do well. Lets hear it for Steg 2!"

— Craig Charles

Winner: Chaos 2

Wheely Big Cheese (15) vs Tornado

Tornado crashes to earth

Before this battle, Roger Plant made alterations to the drive in an attempt to make his machine faster.

Tornado circled Wheely Big Cheese, running into the side of its flipper and pushing it around. It drove over the wedge and pushed against the wheel, but the larger Wheely Big Cheese pivoted, sweeping Tornado around in a circle and flinging it away. Wheely Big Cheese moved ominously towards Tornado, and managed to flip it, catapulting it into the air and almost over the side wall. Wheely Big Cheese flipped Tornado again. Tornado its speed once more, darting off Wheely Big Cheese's flipper in the split second before it fired. After that, Tornado shunted Wheely Big Cheese, who was delayed in closing its flipper, into Matilda's CPZ, where the house robot hurled Wheely Big Cheese over twice, causing a weak weld on its right wheel to give way.

Wheely Big Cheese's wheels give way as time runs out

"That is a decisive moment! Wheely Big Cheese got sucked into the CPZ, and that was where the damage was sustained!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Tornado continually pushed Wheely Big Cheese around the arena in an attempt to break the wheel off. At one point it was almost flipped again, but it managed to avoid the attack, which was noticeably weaker. Meanwhile, Tornado had caught fire, and was moving very sluggishly around the arena. The two robots ended up side by side on the cease.

"The wheels have come off the cheese - they've gone for Tornado!"

— Craig Charles announces the judges' decision

Winner: Tornado

Thermidor 2 vs Pussycat (19)

Thermidor 2 flips Pussycat into the air

Pussycat cuts into Thermidor 2

Pussycat rushed forward and fell on its side, leaving Thermidor 2's flip to slash the air. It quickly recovered and hurled Pussycat through the air over the flame pit, before closing the gap and landing a second. Thermidor 2 shepherded Pussycat into the flames and flipped it into the flames once more.

"Its like a cat on a hot tin roof, Pussycat!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Aftermath of Thermidor 2

Thermidor 2 flipped Pussycat again, but finally Pussycat fought back and dug its blade into Thermidor 2's side. Thermidor escaped from Pussycat and flicked its opponent onto its side. Pussycat landed back and slashed at Thermidor 2's claws. Thermidor 2 closed its claws and Pussycat jumped at the opportunity, landing a blow to the cables behind Thermidor 2's right claw, disabling it and causing it to hang limp. Pussycat then attacked the wedge of its opponent, carving into the top plate. Thermidor 2 appeared not to be able to use either weapon, and Pussycat slashed up Thermidor 2's left wheel. Thermidor 2 was pushed aside by Pussycat, and then fled for the remainder of the battle, with Pussycat in hot pursuit. Cease was called and the judges put Pussycat through.

Winner: Pussycat

Firestorm 2 (5) vs Dominator 2

Dominator 2 axes Firestorm 2

Firestorm's first attack was more successful than Dominator 2's, flipping the biwedge onto its rear. Dominator 2 rolled onto its side, where it then used its axe to flick itself back onto its wheels. In retaliation, Dominator 2 axed the flipper of Firestorm 2, dragging it around the arena floor. Firestorm attempted to fire its flipper to shake the axe head out, but was unsuccessful and ended up lifting itself off the ground twice before Dominator 2 released it. Dominator 2 was flipped once more, but before it could right itself, Firestorm attacked it and rushed around, ending up pushing it onto its own wheels. Firestorm then drove onto Dominator 2's wedge, and the axe clamped it in place. However, Dominator 2 released Firestorm and backed away for another attack.

Firestorm 2 has Dominator 2 at the end

"The crowd make their intentions clear."

— Jonathan Pearce notes the audience chanting "pit, pit, pit"

Firestorm recovered and once more hurled Dominator 2 onto its rear. Nudging it, Firestorm pushed it over and Dominator 2 self-righted. Firestorm repeated this, but Dominator 2 was unable to right itself in time to prevent Firestorm slamming it into the side wall. Firestorm attempted to push Dominator 2 out of the arena, but was not in the right position to be successful, and time expired.

"Chaps, the decision is through. It's the closest decision ever in the war. The judges have gone - 2 to 1 - and it's only by one point - in favour...of Dominator 2!"

— Craig Charles announces the result

Winner: Dominator 2

Round 2

Chaos 2 (1) vs Tornado

Chaos 2 flips out Tornado.

Tornado went into this fight with borrowed motors from Mousetrap and Steg 2.

"Our final televised fight for Series 4 was against Chaos 2. Except that it was the fourth of the semi for us, as we had to fight Chaos 2 three times! The first fight was stopped as the arena got damaged, in the second we pushed Chaos 2 into Shunt's CPZ and Shunt axed them, they lost a chain, but so did we and the judges called a tie."

— Team Tornado

The two incredibly quick machines rushed around, both trying to attack the other's weak points. Although it missed the first attack, Chaos 2 flipped Tornado over, but it did not impede the red underdog. A second attack had just as little influence. However, Tornado ran into the side wall, allowing Chaos 2 to land two quick successive flips, meaning that Tornado was propped diagonally against the side wall, struggling immensely to free itself. Chaos 2 carefully took position and flipped Tornado out of the arena for an immediate KO and a place in the Grand Final.

Winner: Chaos 2

Pussycat (19) vs Dominator 2

Pussycat disrobes Dominator 2

Dominator 2 attempted to reverse its armoured rear into Pussycat, but the nippy seed sped around and landed an attack on Dominator 2's exposed tire. The bi-wedge of Dominator 2 pushed Pussycat onto its side, but it managed to land back on its wheels, avoiding Dominator 2's weak axe blow. The two robots collided, with Pussycat damaging the wheels again. Despite Dominator 2 managing to overpower Pussycat, its axe was not in a position to land a blow, and Pussycat was able to continue slashing its right wheel. Dominator 2 finally used its axe/wedge configuration to shove Pussycat into Matilda's CPZ, who propped the 19th seed on the side wall and very nearly out. Dominator 2 continued to ram Pussycat into the corner wall, but finally Pussycat escaped and made a long charge on Dominator 2, glancing off and bouncing away. Dominator 2 axed Pussycat and trapped it again, but Pussycat's attacks finally took their toll and Dominator 2's bodyshell came loose. Pussycat launched numerous attacks, and as time counted down, it caught a tooth in the rear armour, pulling at the loose bodyshell. The judges voted for Pussycat on damage alone.

"One of the judges commented - and this is why the judges are not comedians - that you need to get your axe together."

— Craig Charles to Dominator 2

Winner: Pussycat

"We've chosen two of my favourites, I hope they were yours, will they survive the final of Robot Wars?"

— Craig Charles' sign-off