- "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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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 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
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
- "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 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
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
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 6th in the Shortest Battles in UK Robot Wars.
- Heat O was the third and last of three Series 3 heats to feature more veterans than newcomers, the others being Heat I and Heat N.
- Unusually, the opening titles recap was not structured sequentially and did not feature any clips from Heats J, K, L and N.
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