Spike the Impaler was a competitor robot which attempted to enter Series 4 of Robot Wars, but failed to qualify.
Design[]
Not much is known about Spike the Impaler's design other than that it was armed with an axe and a mechanical claw for its weapons, though it is unknown how both of these weapons functioned together. It also ran on wheelchair motors.
Etymology[]
Spike the Impaler's name is a pun on Vlad the Impaler, the nickname of Vlad III; a 15th century Voivode of Wallachia and national hero of Romania, who was known for inspiring the story of Bram Stoker's Dracula through his brutality and horrific methods of torture and execution.
Qualification[]
At the 2000 Robot Mayhem event - serving as the official Fourth Wars qualifiers - Spike the Impaler fought against Hard Cheese. Spike the Impaler was able to cause damage to Hard Cheese using its claw weapon, but was soon overpowered and pushed into the arena wall against the flame jets. Spike the Impaler suffered damage from the flames and was soon tipped over by the wedge of Hard Cheese. Hard Cheese then sealed its victory by pushing Spike the Impaler into the pit. As a result of the loss, Spike the Impaler failed to qualify for Series 4 and was not awarded a discretionary place either. Its opponent would also fail to qualify despite the victory.[1]
- "I just don't know what happened. With our mechanical claw, wheelchair motors and axe, we thought we had made an invincible fighting machine. But we'll be back next year."
- — The owner of Spike the Impaler after the battle
Series Record[]
| Series | Spike the Impaler Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Did not enter |
| The Third Wars | Did not enter |
| The Fourth Wars | Failed to qualify |
| The Fifth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Sixth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Seventh Wars | Did not enter |
| Series 8 | Did not enter |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |