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Sabotage (later referred to as SABotage) was a featherweight robot that competed in the US 1997 Robot Wars championship where it performed well getting to the quarter-finals after beating No Love, Gorange and Buzzcut before losing to Red-Green.

Design[]

Sabotage was a rectangular silver shaped robot built from aluminium. The robot was armed with a ramming blade and an overhead spinning bar. The drive motors were powered by Makita cordless drill drive motors and battery packs.

Robot History[]

1997 US Championship[]

In the first round, uniquely, Sabotage faced No Love and Gorange as originally it was scheduled as a 'Dual Match' with Sabotage facing Gorange alongside No Love vs The Little Green, this battle took place with three robots in the arena as The Little Green pulled out due to radio interference issues. The Little Green would later be rescheduled to fight The Fishstick from Guam instead (see below).[1] While No Love automatically progressed as a result, it was kept in the arena and allowed to fight both Sabotage and Gorange in the rearranged 'three-way' melee.[2][3]

As initially expected, No Love kept its distance in the lower-right corner, while Sabotage chased and eventually rammed Gorange within close range of a spike trap. At that moment, Kenneth C. Rose's machine drove into the side of and held Sabotage in place as it was being pushed back by Gorange. The impact was enough to dislodge a nut holding Sabotage's overhead spinner in place; after No Love released it, the blade fell off entirely while Sabotage tried to spin it up.[2][3]

Gorange and Sabotage then took turns ramming the speedy No Love, though again, No Love retaliated by trying to push the latter from the side. Gorange pressured the duo, but gradually lost power and drive on one side. These problems allowed Sabotage to control Gorange into the moving wall on the left-hand side, where the latter lay completely immobilized. In the background, No Love rammed the same wall section at high speed, also becoming immobilized as a direct consequence. Sabotage pushed No Love closer to Gorange, before moving away and briefly spinning as it emerged as the clear winner.[2][3]

In the Winner's Bracket, Second Round, Sabotage faced Buzzcut. The quicker Sabotage first met Buzzcut in the right-most perimeter, circling around the walkerbot in an attempt to line up an attack. Matt Sabatino's machine charged in, causing the closest half of Buzzcut's weaponry to stall. From that point, Sabotage began ramming and pushing Buzzcut, though not without driving into the wall on one occasion. Eventually, it pushed Christian Carlberg's entry within reach of the upper-right arena flipper; the flipper whacked Buzzcut several times before catching two of its legs with Sabotage's assistance.[4][5]

Though Sabotage found itself driving into wall again, the flipper trapped Buzzcut against the wall as it retracted. A period of inactivity prompted the crowd to start booing; Sabotage's front ramming blade had become lodged under the bumper directly beside the flipper. Neither robot was able to break free, resulting in the Judges calling for the battle to be paused. Both were separated from the flipper and wall respectively, and the match resumed.[4][5]

However, while Sabotage darted across the arena, Buzzcut was left immobilized following a suspected drive malfunction. Sabotage brushed and bumped Buzzcut a few more times, then performed a victory spin seconds before the outcome of the battle was confirmed.[4][5]

In the Quarter Finals, Sabotage faced Red-Green. Sabotage immediately sped past Red-Green as the opening bell rang, then backed up across the arena to line up another drive. This gave Red-Green the opportunity to scoop its opponent up, almost turning it over from the left-hand side. An even pushing match ensued between both competitors. However, shortly after breaching Red-Green's ground clearance, Sabotage wedged itself into the lower wall. Red-Green again got underneath, pushed and tried to turn Sabotage over, though its attack only succeeded in freeing Matt Sabatino's machine as it backed up.[6][7]

Red-Green spun and opened its dual-acting jaws, dodging attempts by Sabotage to make use of its overhead spinning blade. It could not, however, find opportunities to turn Sabotage over as the two robots continued to exchange rams. During a tactical phase, Red-Green also got itself stuck under the same wall. Sabotage rammed Red-Green as Michael Meehan asked it and captain Jim Sellers for signs of movement, taking a pre-emptive victory parade as the crowd started to boo and jeer at the resulting lack of action. Ironically, just as Sabotage drove into the wall for the second time, Red-Green finally managed to pull clear while surviving an encounter with the nearby arena flipper.[6][7]

In a bid to free its opponent, Red-Green pushed, lifted and clamped down on Sabotage, before backing away as the match entered its final minute. With its jaws still open, it initially clamped Sabotage again, but Sabotage was still wedged in place. Two more rams and a lift finally allowed Sabotage to move along the arena perimeter, where it briefly shoved Red-Green against the flipper. More light shoves were exchanged before time ran out, culminating in a head-to-head collision and a further push from Red-Green. Red-Green subsequently won the Judges' decision to progress to the Semi-Finals.[6][7]

Sabotage later returned for the Featherweight Melee tournament. In its qualifier, it faced Red-Green again as well as Fuzzy, Dough Boy, KMM and Red 2. In the opening seconds, Sabotage charged past Dough Boy from the upper-left corner, while Fuzzy collected Red 2 with its right flail as it sped into the center. Cassidy Wright's machine began employing sit-and-spin tactics, hitting an approaching KMM as it did so. Meanwhile, Sabotage barged into the side of Red 2, which in turn scooped up, then rammed Fuzzy with its rear spikes. The latter attack also saw John Knoll's machine launching Dough Boy into the air with an equally forceful ram. Five of the six robots briefly converged in the center, as Dough Boy and Sabotage attempted to attack Fuzzy, and KMM unsuccessfully tried to grab Red 2 before it retreated to the lower-left corner.[8][9]

Red-Green, having kept away from the early scramble, drove into and pushed Sabotage aside. Fuzzy again attempted to ward off KMM with its flails, as Red 2 darted back across the arena to meet Sabotage, then slam into Rik Winter's machine. Red 2 pushed Fuzzy during the same attack, after which the latter was collected by Sabotage. Fuzzy next found itself being shoved into KMM's claws by Red 2, which then scooped and forcefully rammed KMM into the left wall. Red 2 bumped into Sabotage as both robots backed away, then immobilized a flailing Fuzzy by ramming it into KMM once again. Meanwhile, Sabotage and Dough Boy began pushing and trying to use their overhead blades against each other.[8][9]

Similarly to earlier battles, Red 2's drive belts began shredding by this point, sapping the robot of its speed across the arena. As Sabotage broke free from Dough Boy, KMM grabbed hold of it near the lower-left corner. Red-Green re-entered the fray by briefly pressuring Red 2, which proceeded to ram Dough Boy. Sabotage rammed KMM in retaliation, as Red 2, screeching and shuttling across the arena, drove under Red-Green. Red-Green, opening its jaws, briefly grabbed Red 2, only to be rammed by Sabotage after the latter was in turn rammed by Dough Boy.[8][9]

While Red 2 briefly pushed Dough Boy by its blade, Red-Green reversed into the clutches of KMM, but escaped. KMM was then pitched into a spin by a ram from Sabotage, starting a back-and-forth duel which involved the pair pinning and pushing each other. Dough Boy drove in behind Red-Green, which exchanged nudges with and pressed Red 2 against KMM. Lisa Winter's machine blocked both of its wedge-shaped opponents, ultimately keeping Red 2 pinned and eventually pushing it into the wall in tandem with KMM. The three competitors separated, after which KMM lunged towards Red 2, then got rammed from the front-right corner by Sabotage.[8][9]

Red-Green survived further rams from both Sabotage and Red 2, while KMM closed in on Dough Boy. Dough Boy found itself driving into Red-Green's opened jaws, but avoided a grab as Sabotage drove away and later pushed KMM towards the left wall. The latter put Matt Sabatino's machine in jeopardy, however, as KMM grabbed, axed and dragged it into the lower-left corner. While both robots continued grappling with each other, Dough Boy pushed Red 2 into the wall, almost flipping the 1996 Featherweight Face-Off runner-up in the process. Red-Green joined the Sabotage/KMM tussle, opening its jaws, but getting pushed upwards by the recovering Red 2.[8][9]

A pincer movement by Red-Green and Sabotage caused KMM to be violently wedged on top of the former. After this, Red-Green turned into, lifted and clamped Red 2, dragging it back towards the inner-left perimeter and holding it in place for several seconds. Dough Boy and Sabotage tangled with each other again in the background, with Lisa Winter's machine pushing the former into the lower-left corner. KMM attempted to grab a retreating Sabotage once more, but without success, before briefly investigating Red-Green and Red 2. Sabotage chased KMM towards the upper perimeter, while Dough Boy tried pushing Red 2 away with less than a minute to go.[8][9]

KMM again grabbed and axed Sabotage a few more times, as Red-Green finally pulled away from John Knoll's machine. Dough Boy and Red-Green each drove into the side of KMM during this late stage, though the former's blade had stopped spinning. More rams were exchanged between Red-Green and Dough Boy; and Sabotage and KMM, until time ran out. By that point, Red 2 lay stationary on the other side of the arena, and was considered, according to the Team Spike website, to have become fully immobilized. Dough Boy, KMM, Red-Green and Sabotage would all be chosen to advance to the Semi-Finals.[8][9] Despite the victory, technical difficulties resulted in Sabotage withdrawing before its Semi-Final.

Results[]

SABOTAGE - RESULTS
1997 US Championship
Featherweight Face-Off
Quarter-Finals
Round 1 vs. No Love, Gorange Won
Winner's Bracket Round 2 vs. Buzzcut Won
Quarter-Final vs. Red-Green Lost
Featherweight Melee
Semi-Finals (Withdrew)
Melee, Round 1 vs. Fuzzy, Red-Green, Dough Boy, KMM, Red 2 Won
Melee, Semi-Final vs. Red-Green, Spike II, Spiny Norman, Thwonkis Mobilis Withdrew

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 3
  • Losses: 1

Series Record[]

Events Sabotage Event Record
1994 Did not enter
1995 Did not enter
1996 Did not enter
1997 Featherweight Face-Off, Quarter-Final
Featherweight Melee,
Withdrew before Semi-Final

Outside Robot Wars[]

Sabotage would be upgraded into a middleweight under the same name (spelt SABotage) where it would be a two wheeled lifter. SABotage fought in Season 2.0 to Season 5.0 of BattleBots, in Season 2.0 it was painted purple and got to the second round after beating Red Scorpion and then losing to Bad Attitude to a judges decision. In Season 3.0, now silver with painted on eyes, it was able to skip to the Round of 32 where it won a controversial decision against Huggy Bear, then beating Double Agent in the Round of 16 and advanced to the quarter-finals where it beat Twin Paradox only to lose its winning streak to Little Drummer Boy in the semi finals. In Season 4.0, it beat Pack Raptor in the Round of 32 before losing to Hazard in the Round of 16. Upgraded slightly in Season 5.0 with new wheels, SABotage faced Space Monkey in the Round of 32 before losing to Zion. SABotage continued competing in BattleBots after the Comedy Central series ended, in the 2004 NPC Event, SABotage beat Major Punishment then Adonai before losing to Z.I.P. where it was put in the loser's bracket and would lose to Team Whyachi's Falconizer. SABotage was popular enough to be featured in a minibot toy and would have featured as a robot in the cancelled BattleBots GameCube game.

Team captain Matt Sabatino unfortunately passed away in May 2006 following a long illness.

SABotage is still around as of 2024, being kept in the team's garage.

References[]

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