- "Thanks to Robot Wars, we've witnessed the triumph and disappointment, the composure and downright hostility of competing roboteers, putting their wits and their machines against each other. Here on Robot Wars Revealed, we take you behind the scenes to discover just why it is some mild-manner men grow beards and get aggressive! Shaving foam isn't allowed on Robot Wars, but chainsaws and pickaxes are. Let's meet the contenders..."
- — Philippa Forrester's introduction
Episode 3 of Robot Wars Revealed was originally aired on BBC Choice on 20 November 1998. It presented behind-the-scenes footage of Heat C of Robot Wars: The Second Wars, including video diaries of the Dreadnaut and Oblivion teams preparing their robots for the main competition.
Robots Featured[]
Newcomers[]
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|---|---|---|
| Challenger | ||
| Weight | 74.0kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.3 x 0.8 x 0.5m | |
| Speed | 4mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0.7m | |
| Ground Clearance | 25mm | |
| Power | 2 x 12V batteries (wheelchair) | |
| Weapons | Angle grinder and spikes | |
| Notes | Custom built gearbox | |
| From: High Wycombe | ||
| Team Members: Steve Dove, Andy Byrne & Peter Rose | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oblivion | ||
| Weight | 58.7kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.95 x 0.87 x 0.3m | |
| Speed | 12mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 50mm | |
| Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
| Weapons | Hardened steel rams | |
| Notes | Inverted operating capability | |
| From: London | ||
| Team Members: Suren Balendran, Thuvaaragan Balendran & Prasamna Ariyanadadam | ||
Veterans[]
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dreadnaut | ||
| Weight | 80.8kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.4 x 0.95 x 0.75m | |
| Speed | 10mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 75mm | |
| Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
| Weapons | 70kg front forklift | |
| Notes | Fibreglass shell and wheelchair motors | |
| From: Nuneaton | ||
| Team Members: Ken Feltwell & David Vowles | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Griffon | ||
| Weight | 79.4kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.3 x 0.7 x 0.2m | |
| Speed | 19mph | |
| Turning Circle | 1m | |
| Ground Clearance | 13mm | |
| Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
| Weapons | Lifting arm | |
| Notes | Weapon powered by linear actuators | |
| From: The University of Reading | ||
| Team Members: Oliver Steeples & Ben Steeples | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mortis (seeded 2nd) | ||
| Weight | 78.3kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.3 x 0.75 x 0.39m | |
| Speed | 9mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 50mm | |
| Power | 8 x 12V batteries (high discharge) | |
| Weapons | Tempered tanto blade | |
| Notes | Welded alloy chassis with kevlar/titanium laminated shell | |
| From: Cambridge | ||
| Team Members: Rob Knight, Arthur Chilcott & Ben Impey | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rameses II | ||
| Weight | 74.7kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.67 x 0.57 x 1.0m | |
| Speed | 3mph | |
| Turning Circle | 1m | |
| Ground Clearance | N/A | |
| Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
| Weapons | Spring loaded hammer | |
| Notes | High density polyethylene shell | |
| From: Abingdon | ||
| Team Members: Chriss Crosskey & Peter Kyberd | ||
Content[]
Video Diaries[]
Dreadnaut[]
Dreadnaut's first video diary showed various bits of damage to the Series 1 incarnation's bodyshell, the front part of which was removed to accommodate the new forks devised for Series 2. The camera then focused on Philippa Forrester's signature written on the front-left, which was removed ahead of the robot's rebuild.
Dreadnaut's bodyshell takes shape
The Dreadnaut team get to work on their robot's internals
The second showed Dreadnaut's bodyshell being moulded, painted and fitted to its rewired chassis. According to Philippa Forrester, this took professional clay modeller Ken Feltwell three weeks to complete with assistance from his daughter.
Dreadnaut's chassis is tested at night
The completed Dreadnaut undergoes further tests
Shortly after the Joust montage, a 'design meeting' three months ahead of the competition was shown, where Ken Feltwell and David Vowles discussed proposed ideas for Dreadnaut's redesigned shell. This was followed by a sequence showing both men working on the robot's revised drivetrain components, using machinery available in Vowles' school workshop. The diary concluded with a static test of Dreadnaut's updated drive system, also from the same workshop.
Six days before filming, Dreadnaut's electronics underwent further tests indoors and at night. Additional work on the microswitch and relay-based system was undertaken, the fourth diary montage concluding with the chassis of the battle-ready Dreadnaut being tested in front of family members.
Oblivion[]
Oblivion is tested during its video diary
Oblivion's video diary initially showed the largely-complete robot being test driven in the suburb, after which Suren Balendran explained its internal setup including radio control equipment, speed controllers and drive motors.
Interviews[]
- "There's a lot of luck involved in this. It's to say, "we have the best robot, therefore we're gonna win", or "we have such and such, therefore we're gonna win", you can't really do it. There's too many other things. There are other robots here which can destroy us. But at the end, give 'em a right serve of this axe, and we can destroy them."
- — One of multiple interviews with Rob Knight and his teammates
A major focus of pre-Gauntlet interviews were Random Violence Technologies, of whom Rob Knight repeatedly acknowledged that luck, reliability and driving skills were just as important as Mortis' engineering quality, technology and axe weapon. Highlights of Mortis' Series 1 victory over Leighbot were shown, as was Cunning Plan's Gauntlet run from the same series when referenced by Oliver Steeples. Championship chances were a recurring subject, with Steeples openly stating his indifference about Griffon potentially winning the series.
- "Not bothered, really. It's a competition. It's the taking part that counts."
- — Oliver Steeples, when asked about Griffon's chances of winning the competition
Gauntlet[]
Before the start of their runs, a number of teams carried out modifications to their machines in The Pits. Oliver Steeples explained that he had to swap Griffon's original micro controllers in favour of a variable system, which made the machine twitchy as a result of radio interference. The Challenger team also revealed that they had made modifications of their own.
Suren Balendran and Team Trinity seek Mat Irvine's word about House Robot strategies
James Davies repairs Matilda following Mortis' Gauntlet run
In the arena, Mat Irvine was seen advising Team Trinity on the importance of strategy against the House Robots. Highlights of Oblivion's run were then shown, which saw it get jostled by an arena spike and attacked by Matilda and Shunt on the left-hand route. Oblivion eventually got stranded on the lip of the pit before being tipped in by Matilda's tusks. Team Trinity discussed their run and showed some of the damage inflicted to their machine.
Oblivion's run was swiftly followed by that of Mortis, which comfortably reached the end zone while axing and dislodging the lens off Matilda's on-board camera. Having navigated through the centre route, it then proceeded to hook its axe behind Shunt's plough at the end of the left-hand route – as agreed upon by both Rob Knight and Derek Foxwell. This onslaught against the House Robots was cut short when both Shunt and Matilda pushed Mortis back into the pit. Further damage to Matilda's pneumatics system and bodyshell was reported by her operator James Davies, who carried out repairs in the arena in a shot also featuring Chris Reynolds.
Next to negotiate The Gauntlet was Rameses II, which also damaged Matilda's chainsaw during its run-in with her on the centre route. Chris Crosskey initially believed that the rewind mechanism for its hammer malfunctioned en-route, but this was discovered to be the result of the master cut out for the weapon motor being activated. Oliver Steeples was confident that Griffon could also turn one of the House Robots over, but ultimately it proved unsuccessful after being pinned by Matilda and Shunt. Aside from visibility issues, interference and a few dents and scars, Griffon survived relatively intact as the Steeples brothers accepted their imminent elimination from the main championship.
The Dreadnaut team acknowledged their tactical error during their run, where they discovered that their machine was not powerful enough to clear the breeze block wall. After two unsuccessful attempts, it made an attempt at the left-hand route, where Dreadnaut sped through to clear The Gauntlet despite attacks from Sergeant Bash and Matilda.
Trial (Joust)[]
The Trial segment began with the Joust ramps and platforms being assembled by the Robot Wars production crew, with Glen Collins once again briefing drivers on the event's format and requirements. Various roboteers including Rob Knight, Steve Dove and Ken Feltwell were shown discussing tactics on how to defeat Matilda, while Chris Crosskey discovered that the batteries in Rameses II were not holding their charge. Dreadnaut's forks were tested and adjusted in an effort to maximise their effect against Matilda, before Collins urged all five remaining drivers to enter the arena for a further debrief on the Joust setup.
Following a query raised by Team Trinity concerning Matilda's tusks, Oblivion was once again the first competitor to be highlighted. As forewarned by Collins, the House Robot turned Oblivion over after the initial head-to-head collision, a moment quickly followed by a montage of Mortis, Challenger, Rameses II and Dreadnaut's efforts. Mortis and Oblivion set the furthest distances at 6.1m and 5.6m respectively, with Challenger being eliminated after being lifted and pushed back beyond the starting area (-0.1m).
Back in The Pits, Suren Balendran reported issues with Oblivion's bent wheel as well as a broken solder for its left drive motor. Steve Dove was gracious in Challenger's defeat, while Ben Impey and Arthur Chilcott were seen making further adjustments to Mortis' chassis. Impey hinted to the addition of a 'turbo switch' for added power in later stages.
- "Throughout the filming of Robot Wars, every available moment was spent by the roboteers tinkering away at their machines. The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" was completely forgotten in The Pits..."
- — Philippa Forrester
Rob Knight presents the barrel pierced by Mortis' axe
Other Pit segments focused on robot weapons. The Dreadnaut team explained the improvements made to their robot's lifting forks as well as its drive electronics, while Arthur Chilcott touted the damage potential of Mortis' axe against various materials including concrete and titanium. Reinforcing Chilcott's claims, Rob Knight presented a spare Skittles barrel which Mortis had punctured and thrown around with its tantō blade during a test.
- "It's extremely violent, there's no doubt about that!"
- — Arthur Chilcott, on the damage inflicted by Mortis' axe in testing
Arena Semi Finals[]
Arthur Chilcott rests his feet on Mortis during an interview
Philippa Forrester checked in on a relaxed Random Violence Technologies and the Rameses II team, Chris Crosskey being 'quietly confident' about his machine 'going home in a bucket'. The first Semi Final between Mortis and Rameses II began as an evenly-contested duel, with both tracked machines pushing and hammering each other with their weapons. Rameses II ultimately lost after being attacked and left on its side over the Flame Pit by Sir Killalot.
Ahead of Oblivion's battle against Dreadnaut, Team Trinity expressed confidence that it would win out on ground clearance, having fixed their earlier issues with its speed controller and axle. Suren Balendran also hinted at the possibility of adding more weight to Oblivion’s front, but was not able to do so due to time constraints. Dave Vowles felt that this Semi Final would go '50-50', but Dreadnaut ultimately failed to move as its power key had become dislodged while being prepared for the fight. Oblivion pushed the immobile Dreadnaut onto an arena spike, after which Dreadnaut was attacked, severely damaged and overturned by the House Robots. Dreadnaut's loss reduced Ken Feltwell's daughter – present in the audience stands – to tears.
Mat Irvine Segments[]
- "The Pits are alive with the sound of hacksaws, because crunch time is upon us! Mortis and Oblivion are left to battle it out for a place in the Series Semi Finals. Mat Irvine, our technical consultants, explains..."
- — Philippa Forrester
Mat Irvine examines the rebuilt Mortis
Mat Irvine expressed great hopes for the returning Mortis, initially giving a brief overview of its chassis, tracks, powerful motors and electronics. His focus then turned to its powerful electric axe, to which Irvine tested a claim that the tantō blade could be used to sharpen a pencil. In his overview of Oblivion, Irvine brought up its surprise win over the seemingly better-armed Dreadnaut, as well as its significantly improved power and speed over the initial version seen at the series auditions.
Final[]
Before the Heat Final, both teams explained the materials and build process of their respective robots' chassis and weapons. Rob Knight stated that Mortis' chassis was a 'drastically modified' version of that originally built for Series 1, including reseamed front welds, a reinforced axe mount and a bracket intended for a discarded lifting arm. A similar overhaul for the axe included rebuilt internals; the former machined by Arthur Chilcott out of a mix of steel and heat-treated aircraft-grade aluminium. In stark contrast, Oblivion utilised a wooden chassis which Team Trinity were confident would stand up well to impacts.
Brief highlights of the battle itself emphasised Mortis' axe attacks and a stoic performance from Oblivion which enabled it to survive the full duration. Mortis was deemed the 'clear winner', though Rob Knight still said to Philippa Forrester that it needed 'more power', hinting towards a switch to a 5hp chainsaw motor for the Semi Finals. Forrester congratulated Team Trinity on their 'fantastic' performance against the ever-confident Random Violence Technologies.
Trivia[]
- During the behind-the-scenes segment where the roboteers are shown the arena for the Joust Trial, the on-screen text erroneously states that "Roboteers are given a pre-Trial look at King of the Castle."
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