Robot Wars: The Third Wars/Heat O

Heat O
The Robot Wars logo from the introduction titles
Series	The Third Wars
Winner(s)	Fire Storm
Special Event	Pinball
First Broadcast	March 24th 2000
Original channel	BBC Two
TV Ratings	4.84 million
Preceded by	Heat N
Succeeded by	Heat P

"You know, people harp on about the great outdoors, but what’s so great about it? To my mind, the only decent smell a cow makes is when it’s under the grill. And sheep dips are something you put on kebabs. The thing is: I like my house; it’s got carpets and a low pollen count. It’s also got a fridge, which is better than anything God invented. OK, so apple trees give us apples, but something that gives you beer, ice cream and pork pies, now that’s creatin’! But the best thing about the indoors is: it’s got a TV, and where better to watch another eight robots fight it out for a place in our series semi-finals. So, stay in, sit back and enjoy the carnage!"

— Craig Charles' introduction

Heat O of Robot Wars: The Third Wars was the fifteenth of sixteen heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Third Wars. The episode featuring Heat O was originally broadcast on March 24, 2000 on BBC Two. The episode managed to attract 4.84 million viewers, a decrease of 370,000 viewers when compared with the previous episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked second in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts during 20-26 March, behind only Journeys to the Bottom of the Sea.

Competing Robots

Newcomers

	Crasha Gnasha
	Weight	77.8kg
	Dimensions	0.88 x 0.94 x 1.05m
	Clearance	Variable
	Power	2 x Motors
	Weapons	Hammer & Circular Saw
	Notes	Cost £250
From: Hertford
Team Members: Jack Pickup, Mike Pickup, Tom Duggan

	Terminal Ferocity
	Weight	71.0kg
	Dimensions	0.43 x 1.08 x 0.66m
	Clearance	0.25m
	Power	2 x 240V Wheelchair Motors
	Weapons	Lifting Blade & Chainsaw
	Notes	Honey Applied for Extra Grip
From: Hampshire
Team Members: John Ryland, Fiona Ryland

	The Steel Avenger
	Weight	79.3kg
	Dimensions	0.79 x 1.26 x 0.72m
	Clearance	0.43m
	Power	2 x 750W Motors
	Weapons	Pneumatic Axe
	Notes	Interchangeable Weapons
From: Suffolk & Essex
Team Members: John Willoughby, Kevin Cockerill, Tony Bates

Veterans

	Diotoir
	Weight	79.0kg
	Dimensions	0.66 x 1.00m
	Clearance	0.02m
	Power	2 x Wheelchair Motors
	Weapons	Hydraulic Spring Lifting Arm
	Notes	Pressure 1,200PSI
From: Dublin
Team Members: Peter Redmond, Joe Gavin, Ciaron Byrne (Zulu)

	Facet
	Weight	79.6kg
	Dimensions	0.46 x 1.25 x 0.80m
	Clearance	0.05m
	Power	2 x 24V Motors
	Weapons	Pneumatic Flipper
	Notes	On Board Camera
From: Kent
Team Members: Mike Rickard, Mike Smith, Charles Lavery

	Fire Storm
	Weight	67.9kg
	Dimensions	0.29 x 0.97 x 0.82m
	Clearance	0.06m
	Power	3 x 12V 9AH Batteries
	Weapons	Flipping Arm, Rear Spike
	Notes	Main Motor from Lawnmower
From: Durham
Team Members: Graham Bone, Alex Mordue

	Schumey Too
	Weight	79.0kg
	Dimensions	0.41 x 1.12 x 0.91m
	Clearance	0.45m
	Power	2 x 24V Motors
	Weapons	Lifter, Centre Spike
	Notes	Cost £300
From: Wigan & Preston
Team Members: John Pocock, Glynn Jones, John Turnbull

	Sting 2
	Weight	79.7kg
	Dimensions	0.50 x 1.80 x 0.72m
	Clearance	0.06m
	Power	2 x Wheelchair Motors
	Weapons	Ramming Spikes, Whipping Tail
	Notes	Whip Action Tail at Back
From: Derbyshire
Team Members: Dave Barker, Pete Allsopp, Ian Pritchard

Round 1

Schumey Too vs The Steel Avenger

Schumey Too lifts The Steel Avenger close to the pit

Schumey Too gets underneath The Steel Avenger

Both robots got away quickly and rammed each other. The Steel Avenger used its axe, but missed Schumey Too, who then lifted The Steel Avenger with its lifting forks and nearly pushed The Steel Avenger in the pit, but wasn't strong enough and The Steel Avenger escaped.

"How many robots has the pit caught in this series of Robot Wars? It's big, it's open, it's black; everyone in the world can see it, apart from the Robot Wars drivers!"

— Jonathan Pearce

The Steel Avenger takes off a small panel from Schumey Too

Schumey Too teetering on the edge of the pit after a shove from The Steel Avenger

As The Steel Avenger continued to retreat, it narrowly missed an attack from Shunt, before charging towards Schumey Too and into the arena wall. The Steel Avenger then turned and got caught on the front of Schumey Too, who nearly tipped it over. The Steel Avenger retreated slightly and turned and fired its axe again, but missed once more. The Steel Avenger lined itself up for another attack and fired its weapon again, but failed to make contact with the shell of Schumey Too. After one more failed attempt with the axe, The Steel Avenger finally managed to hit Schumey Too, causing a small piece of bodywork to flick up.

"And was that a flap flying at the top of Schumey Too? No great damage sustained."

— Jonathan Pearce

The Steel Avenger then missed with three more axe blows, before Schumey Too angled itself towards an arena spike, which flicked it up twice. Schumey Too got away, but as it tried to regain some composure, The Steel Avenger intercepted its drive, axing it and forcing its back wheels over the pit before it fell in.

"It's going in! It's going in! It's gone in!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Winner: The Steel Avenger

Terminal Ferocity vs Facet

Facet engages Terminal Ferocity

Facet flips Matilda

Both robots started by driving past each other, before Facet turned quickly, slid underneath Facet and turned Terminal Ferocity on its side straight away.

"There is the flipper, straight away! And up and over, Terminal Ferocity."

— Jonathan Pearce

Dead Metal slices into the underbelly of Terminal Ferocity

Sergeant Bash crumples part of Facet

Terminal Ferocity couldn't self-right, so Dead Metal came in for the kill, slicing the bottom of Terminal Ferocity with its saw. Facet then flipped Matilda over but she was righted by Shunt. Facet also attempted to flip Sgt. Bash but was unsuccessful and the house robot clawed into Facet's body as cease was called.

Winner: Facet

Crasha Gnasha vs Fire Storm

Fire Storm crashes into and immobilises Crasha Gnasha straight away

Fire Storm immediately slammed Crasha Gnasha onto the side wall and it was turned upside-down by the impact and immobilised.

"Crasha Gnasha, gnashed up, I should think. Bashed up, certainly."

— Jonathan Pearce

Dead Metal destroys the wheel of Crasha Gnasha

The house robots came in to attack; Sgt. Bash clawed at Crasha Gnasha's head before Dead Metal sliced into one of its wheels, before the wheel completely flew off in another attack, and cease was called. This remains one of the quickest immobilisations in the history of Robot Wars.

Winner: Fire Storm

Diotoir vs Sting 2

Sting rips away Diotoir's smile

Diotoir uses its lifter to pin Sting 2 down

Both robots came together in the middle of the arena, before Diotoir angled onto the side of Sting 2 in an attempt to get its lifting arm underneath Sting 2, but it failed to make purchase on its opponent, with some fur also falling off.

"Was a little bit of fur already ripped away? It was. The smile's a bit lopsided, isn't it?"

— Jonathan Pearce as Diotoir sheds some fur

Diotoir takes the sting out of Sting 2's tail

Sting 2 flicked away with its tail, which caused little trouble for Diotoir, before the action drifted towards Sgt. Bash's CPZ. Diotoir focused its attacks on the side of Sting 2 again, and lifted it up slightly. Diotoir continued to nag Sting 2 and forced it towards the arena wall.

"There's Diotoir, just nudging, with Sting 2 trying to flick Diotoir away. It's a little bit nervy and tentative."

— Jonathan Pearce

Diotoir tried to push Sting 2 into Sgt. Bash, but Sting 2 angled away just in time. Diotoir then got in behind Sting 2 and pushed it towards the pit and in.

Winner: Diotoir

Round 2

Diotoir vs The Steel Avenger

Diotoir lifts The Steel Avenger by the wall

Diotoir flips over The Steel Avenger

The Steel Avenger started the quicker of the two, and tried to drive around the side of Diotoir as their opponent sat idle. Diotoir deflected the attack away and tried to get underneath the side of The Steel Avenger, who then drove away themselves, but went straight into the clutches of Dead Metal.

"A great roar goes up every time they do anything."

— Jonathan Pearce as the crowd cheer on Diotoir

The House Robots attack The Steel Avenger

Diotoir flips Sgt. Bash only to be lit on fire

The Steel Avenger defended itself by firing its axe and then got away from the CPZ, before slamming into the arena wall and reversing over the lip of Diotoir's lifting arm. Both robots ventured towards danger, nearly going into a CPZ each, before both turned and met against an arena wall, where The Steel Avenger used its axe to little effect. Diotoir flicked The Steel Avenger up, where it was left stranded on the arena wall for a short time, before Sgt. Bash freed it. Diotoir tried to flick The Steel Avenger again, but missed, with an eye and an eyebrow falling off Diotoir in the process as The Steel Avenger themselves were caught temporarily by Dead Metal.

"So now they just can stare blankly from the one eye. Cyclops, now, from the Republic of Ireland, in the shape of Diotoir."

— Jonathan Pearce

Diotoir burns

The Steel Avenger drove into the arena wall, and as they turned to face Diotoir again, the Irish robot slid underneath The Steel Avenger and turned it onto its side, immobilising it. As the House Robots closed in, Diotoir lingered too close, and Sgt. Bash set Diotoir's fur on fire with his flamethrower, while Shunt and Dead Metal attacked The Steel Avenger.

"They're on fire, oh, great! I'd pay my admission fee just to see this!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Sgt. Bash lights up the Irish robot

Winner: Diotoir

Facet vs Fire Storm

Facet flips Fire Storm

Firestorm skims over the wedge of Facet

Fire Storm employs tactics and immobilises it

Matilda attacks Fire Storm

Sir Killalot lifts Facet up with its lance

"Should be a flipping good match, then."

— Philippa Forrester

Both robots clashed near the centre of the arena, with the angle that Fire Storm met Facet at meaning they could only drive into the side of its opponent. Fire Storm backed away and then narrowly avoided a flip from Facet, before Fire Storm drove at Facet again, but couldn't get underneath it, clipping the front of Facet's flipper. Fire Storm drove at the back of Facet, who then flew over Fire Storm and landed on its wheels. Fire Storm manoeuvred again in an attempt to get underneath Facet, but drove onto the flipper of Facet and was flipped over. It managed to self-right, and then drove towards Facet, clipping it as it went past.

"And there the great lifting ramp, but Fire Storm has a srimech - it can self-right itself."

— Jonathan Pearce

Fire Storm knocked the front of Facet once more, before getting underneath Facet and trying to flip it, but was twice unsuccessful. Fire Storm then adjusted itself and finally got its flipping arm in the right place, and flipped Facet up against the arena wall, in a position where the flipper could not right it.

"And I think Facet have been done here, by Fire Storm."

— Jonathan Pearce

Fire Storm decided to attack Matilda, with the House Robots lifting Fire Storm up, while Sir Killalot got his lance into Facet's gaping mouth and lifted it up, before the inside of Facet caught fire after cease was called.

Winner: Fire Storm

Heat Final

Diotoir vs Fire Storm

Fire Storm flips Diotoir

Fire Storm pushes Diotoir onto the flame pit

Fire Storm started quickly and clashed with Diotoir, forcing it back towards the arena wall. Both robots jostled in an attempt to get underneath one another, with Diotoir's lifting arm firing as Fire Storm drove at them.

"Where do they get all of this polka dot fur from?!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Diotoir comes into battle with another covering of fur

Dead Metal slices into the flaming Diotoir

Diotoir is flipped by the floor flipper

Fire Storm then backed away and slid underneath the front of Diotoir and flipped it over, before pushing it onto the flame pit where it caught fire.

"Now onto the flame pit. The lick of flame, the smile obliterated."

— Jonathan Pearce

Dead Metal came into saw it, but caught fire himself in the process. Sir Killalot picked up Diotoir with the lance and placed it on the floor flipper where it was thrown across the arena. Cease was called and Fire Storm moved on to the semi-finals.

Heat Winner: Fire Storm

"It's the show that RoboCop deplores, 'cause we're going after three sequels, on Robot Wars!"

— Craig Charles signs off

Special Event

Razer attacks the car door

Between Round 1 and Round 2 of each heat, a Special Event or Trial took place. For Heat O, it was the penultimate Pinball Warrior run, featuring Razer.

Score: 210 points

Trivia

• The new machine of Team Nemesis, suffered terrible misfortune in this heat. Upon boarding the ferry from Ireland, customs demanded that Diotoir be dismantled. This left Peter Redmond, Joe Gavin and Cairon Byrne only a few hours to reassemble Diotoir in order to compete. Despite this, Diotoir managed to reach the heat final before losing.

• Fire Storm's first battle with Crasha Gnasha is ranked joint sixth in the Shortest Battles in UK Robot Wars.
• Heat O was the second and last of two Series 3 heats to feature more veterans than newcomers, the other being Heat I.
• Unusually, the opening titles recap was not structured sequentially and did not feature any clips from Heats J, K, L and N.
• Firestorm and Diotoir would both appear in Heat C of Series 4 and be seeded in that heat.