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|broadcast= December 4th 1998
 
|broadcast= December 4th 1998
 
|trial = [[King of the Castle]]
 
|trial = [[King of the Castle]]
|channel= BBC Two
+
|channel= [[BBC|BBC Two]]
 
|preceded= [[Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat D|Heat D]]
 
|preceded= [[Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat D|Heat D]]
 
|suceeded= [[Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat F|Heat F]]
 
|suceeded= [[Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat F|Heat F]]

Revision as of 10:21, 7 February 2019

"When I was a kid in school, swapping bubblegum and boggley-noises behind the bike sheds, things were simple: we thought a Tamagotchi was a disease you caught on holiday. But times have changed, long gone are the days of pea-shooters and catapults. These days, no self-respecting school kid would leave home without a 3000rpm industrial chainsaw welded onto the back of a robot, for these are the days of Robot Wars. And to prove it, six robotic bullies are gonna fight for a place in our series semi-finals."
— Craig Charles' introduction

Heat E of Robot Wars: The Second Wars was the fifth of twelve heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Second Wars. The episode featuring Heat E was originally broadcast on December 4, 1998 on BBC Two. The broadcast managed to attract 5.47 million viewers, a decrease of four hundred and seventy thousand viewers when compared with the previous episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked third in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts during 16-22 November, behind only Have I Got News For You and The Simpsons.


Competing Robots

Newcomers

Orac
ORAC
Weight 55.3kg
Dimensions 1.65 x 0.8 x 0.6m
Speed 10mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 70mm
Power 2 x 12V batteries
Weapons 9' circular cutting disc and front chisels
Notes Took 5 months to build and cost about £400
From: Bicester in Oxfordshire
Team Members: Peter Reynolds, Barry Davis & Jason Wright
Pain
Pain
Weight 80.9kg
Dimensions 1.3 x 0.7 x 0.45m
Speed 4mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 0mm
Power 2 x 12V batteries
Weapons Kinetic stabber driven by oxygen piston
Notes Materials acquired from uncle's farm and scrapyards
From: Norwich
Team Members: Jon Witte & Pete Birch
Schumey 1
Schumey
Weight 79.3kg
Dimensions 0.95 x 0.77 x 0.3m
Speed 30mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 50mm
Power 2 x 12V batteries
Weapons Spikes
Notes Named after Michael Schumacher
From: Darwen in Lancashire
Team Members: Jon Pocock and John Turnbull
Spindoctor2
Spin Doctor
Weight 66.6kg
Dimensions 1.55 x 1.2 x 0.4m
Speed 17mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 20mm
Power 1 x 12V battery
Weapons 20' chainsaw, front snowplough, maces
Notes Polypropylene shell covered in zinc
From: Huddersfield
Team Members: Peter Duncanson, Phillip Duncanson & Martin Griffin
Technophobic
Technophobic
Weight 82.2kg
Dimensions 1.4 x 0.75 x 0.55m
Speed 10mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 6mm
Power Petrol driven lawnmower engine
Weapons 9' steel cutting disc and blades
Notes Took 20 days to build and cost £800-£1000
From: Bournemouth
Team Members: Mark Green, Mike Halon & David Hayward

Veterans

Killertron 2
Killertron (seeded 4th)
Weight 75.0kg
Dimensions 1.45 x 0.7 x 0.6m
Speed 15mph
Turning Circle 0m
Ground Clearance 100mm
Power 2 x 12V batteries
Weapons Pick axe
Notes A veteran of Robot Wars - but no longer tickled pink!
From: Bromley in Kent
Team Members: Richard Broad, Abdul Degia & Ian Degia

Gauntlet

Left route: Sir Killalot, one pit and sphere.

Centre route: Ramrig, See-saw and Shunt
Right route: Ramrig, Pendulum, flame pit and Dead Metal
Competing order: 1. Killertron 2. Schumey 3. ORAC 4. Pain 5. Technophobic 6. Spin Doctor

Ranking Competing Robot Report Distance
1
Oracgauntlet
ORAC ORAC's high ground clearance gave it an advantage in taking the central route. Despite a bit of wheel-slip on the see-saw, it made it over, before pulling off a quick turn away from Shunt, allowing it to reach the endzone. Completed
2
Technophobicgauntlet
Technophobic Technophobic headed straight for the see-saw getting caught on the spikes briefly, but escaped and continued up the ramp, straight into the claws of Dead Metal. However, the house robot's cutting disc wasn't working, so Shunt came in and began to hammer through Technophobic's armour. As the house robots backed up, Technophobic had one last run, but it was blocked by Dead Metal again. 11.3m
3
Killertron gauntlet run
Killertron Killertron made it up onto the see-saw, but halfway across, it turned and drove off the side. Although it escaped, Shunt was blocking the path, so Killertron started attacking Shunt with its axe, causing quite a bit of damage. While Shunt and Killertron were exchanging blows Dead Metal began to cut through the orange wheelie bin lid. When cease was called Killertron had moved no further. 10.3m
4
Schumey Gauntlet
Schumey Schumey's top speed of 30mph appeared to be its biggest asset, but it was also its downfall. It charged straight at the see-saw and its lack of real control meant that it fell right off. It remained stuck until Sir Killalot came in from behind, picked it up and turned it over. 7.3m
5
Spin Doctor Gauntlet
Spin Doctor Spin Doctor's biggest problem was its size (in fact, it was unable to actually fit in the starting grid and had to be placed just outside). Although it contemplated going for Sir Killalot's route, it went for the ram rig instead. Unable to fit down that route it was then wedged onto the spikes by Sir Killalot. Spin Doctor was eventually freed and made a dash for the end of the ramrig but only made a few more metres before cease was called. 3.8m
6
Paingauntlet
Pain Before the run had even started, Pain's electronics died and the team called for a restart. The team quickly fixed Pain up with some spare electronics so that it would be able to drive (thus losing the spike weapon), but on the second attempt, it became clear that the changes hadn't worked, as Pain still would not move. Despite several attempts to get it fixed, the team could not get Pain working again and had to drop out.
"We've lost all the electrics"
— The Pain team explain why they were forced to retire their robot.
Retired
Eliminated: Pain

Trial (King of the Castle)

Competing order: 1. Killertron 2. ORAC 3. Schumey 4. Spin Doctor 5. Technophobic

Ranking Competing Robot Report Result
1
Spin Doctor rips off Matilda's tusk.
Spin Doctor Spin Doctor begun spinning on the spot as Matilda and Shunt closed in. This left the house robots momentarily stumped. Shunt promptly steered itself off the ring at which point Matilda charged at Spin Doctor. This proved a mistake as Matilda's tusks came into contact with the spinning robot, one was torn off. As time ran out Matilda tried, and failed, to back into Spin Doctor and push it off. Survived
2
Killertronkotc
Killertron This was the first run and Killertron faced Shunt and Dead Metal who was substituted for Matilda after this run. Shunt had difficulty getting off its ramp but when it did finally get into the ring it began to pierce Killertron's armour. Killertron held off the house robots until in the dying seconds when it was pushed towards the edge. It looked like Killertron was going to be forced off the ring but it hooked onto one of Dead Metals spikes with its axe, preventing it from falling. Survived
3
Technophobic trial
Tecnophobic Technophobic went straight for Matilda, whilst Shunt nearly fell off again. As Technophobic was attacking Matilda Shunt came in and nearly pushed it off the ring. Matilda lifted up Technophobic, but just couldn't finish it off. The house robots then combined to shove Technophobic over the edge, but in the end dragged Matilda with it. 35.95 seconds
4
Orac trial
ORAC Shunt had difficulty in getting onto the ring again but this time it fell off the ramp, leaving ORAC with only Matilda to contest against. Matilda exploited ORAC's high ground clearance, lifting it and spinning it around, before pushing it off. 28.95 seconds
5
Schumey trial
Schumey Once again it was Schumey's speed which proved its undoing. It drove straight into Shunt, which left it very near the edge. As Matilda closed in on Schumey, it tried to escape and in doing so drove off the ring. 9.40 seconds
Eliminated: Schumey

Arena

Semi-Finals

Killertron (4) vs ORAC

Killertron Orac

ORAC's drive chain comes loose

Killertron vs Orac

Killertron holds ORAC over the flame pit

ORAC used its chisels initially to keep Killertron at a distance where it couldn't hit ORAC with its axe but ORAC drove over the spikes and its drive chain came off. Killertron launched some vicious attacks at ORAC, puncturing the body of the yellow robot. Killertron then dragged Orac over the flame pit, where it caused further damage to the now very hot armour.

"Up in smoke, the hopes and dreams!"
— Jonathan Pearce as ORAC burns on the flames.

Winner: Killertron

Spin Doctor vs Technophobic

Technophobic vs Spin Doctor

Technophobic and Spin Doctor clash

Technophobic fire

a fire begins inside Technophobic

The Spin Doctor team had added flails to the robot so that when it spun it would cause damage. It seemed to be gaining the upper hand against Technophobic which couldn't seem to find an effective form of attack on Spin Doctor. Most of the battle was Technophobic trying to find a way to damage Spin Doctor. Spin Doctor suddenly stopped moving, soon after flames appeared inside Technophobic, but cease was called before long.

Winner: Technophobic

Final

Killertron (4) vs. Technophobic

Killertron Technophobic

Technophobic narrowly escapes from Dead Metal

Killertron vs Technophobic

Killertron pushes Technophobic into the pit

Killertron had the edge on weaponry but Technophobic managed to get out of the way of each blow, almost driving straight into Dead Metals pincers. Killertron then used its pickaxe to push Technophobic back into the pit.

"I hope it's not claustrophobic, or arachnophobic, there are spiders down there! It's dark, It's gloomy, and you're going down!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Technophobic is pitted.

Heat Winner: Killertron

"We break health and safety laws, we're on fire, we're Robot Wars!"
— Craig Charles' sign-off

Trivia

  • Heat E featured the first sit-and-spin thwackbot, Spin Doctor, which demonstrated its weapon in its famous Trial run, in which it destroyed Matilda's tusk.
  • Pain became the first robot to withdraw from competition and never make it into the arena because of electronics malfunctions.
  • Heat E also featured the first time a robot was pushed into the Pit of Oblivion, with Killertron's defeat of Technophobic in the Heat Final.