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Spiked Master was a robot entered by Larry and Taylor Tan into the 1995 and 1996 US Robot Wars competitions.

Built with an emphasis on durability, the original 1995 incarnation reached the Semi-Finals of the Super Lightweight Face-Off, before being eliminated by eventual champion KMM.[3] Spiked Master would also be eliminated in the first round of the Super Lightweight Melee, once it was rammed into and left stranded against a side wall by Holobot.[4]

In 1996, an updated incarnation of Spiked Master (also referred to as The Spiked Master[1] or Spiked Master II[2]) competed solely in the Featherweight Face-Off championship. After ending its first-round battle in a draw against Triple Redundancy,[5][6] it would be eliminated in the second round by Red 2.[7]

Design[]

Weighing at the minimum featherweight/super lightweight limit of 5lbs, Spiked Master is generally considered one of the lightest robots to ever compete in any Robot Wars event. An invertible, four-wheel drive machine with 'large pneumatic tires', it utilized a steel chassis, along with rectangular top and base plates made from black rubber sheets. Long metal spikes were attached to the front, back and both sides, with which Spiked Master would aim to spear through opponents as it rammed them, or otherwise defend itself from side-on attacks.[1]

A set of gearmotors enabled Spiked Master to be agile and have a high top speed. However, its compact size and resultingly low mass meant that the damage potential of its rams was minimal. For 1996, a spatula-like scoop blade was added beneath the front spike, with the aim of breaching opponents' ground clearances.[1]

Robot History[]

1995 US Championship[]

Debuting at the 1995 US competition, Spiked Master fought in both the Face-Off and Melee tournaments of that year's Super Lightweight class. Its Face-Off run began with a head-to-head clash against a fellow newcomer - Piranhabot, built by Camp Peavy.

Immediately, both competitors rammed each other near one of the mousetraps. Spiked Master, the smaller of the two, drove underneath Piranahbot as it zipped into the other mousetrap, then lured and chased its opponent across the center of the arena. Another ram was exchanged, though Spiked Master did not deal any damage and ultimately drove behind one of the arena flippers. Trapped between the flipper paddle and the wall, it was left vulnerable to a ram from Piranhabot, whose arm-mounted rear saw also grazed Spiked Master as it struggled to escape.[8][9]

Spikedmaster vs piranhabot

Spiked Master flips over after ramming Piranhabot's saws

Having also taken the brunt of the arena flipper's swipes, Spiked Master eventually broke free and rammed Piranhabot a few more times. During one of these rams, it drove into and was lifted upwards by Piranhabot's front saws; both robots kept driving forwards, causing Spiked Master to drive over the saws and be launched onto its back. Still able to drive inverted, Spiked Master shot forwards, then caught itself on the upper-left flipper while trying to lure Piranhabot again. Both robots rammed each other again immediately after. A few seconds later, Spiked Master turned its side into Piranhabot, and was forced backwards into the wall next to the arena doors.[8][9]

Spikedmaster vs piranhabot stuck

Spiked Master and Piranhabot lock together

Spiked Master tumbled, becoming lodged on its side between both of Piranhabot's left wheels. A 30-second countdown clock was initiated, as an arena flipper whacked the back of Piranhabot. These whacks, combined with a few twitches from both robots, allowed Spiked Master to free itself and land back onto the floor, halting the clock. No sooner had it darted across the arena, however, Spiked Master drove into and was catapulted into the wall by the same flipper paddle. Meanwhile, Piranhabot's mobility had been greatly reduced, allowing Spiked Master another chance to ram it at high speed. Spearing Piranhabot's front-right tire, Spiked Master tried to pull free, but could only pull itself alongside Piranhabot as it began reversing. The two competitors twitched, but were counted out simultaneously; nevertheless, Spiked Master was immediately announced as the winner.[8][9]

In the second round, Spiked Master fought Fuzzy Yum Yum.

Darting across the arena in the opening seconds, it immediately confronted and exchanged rams with Cassidy Wright's machine. It continued circling around and ramming Fuzzy Yum Yum as the latter deployed its tape, while occasionally veering into the arena flippers. At one point, these attacks left Fuzzy Yum Yum precariously close to the swinging Ball of Doom, though both competitors avoided getting smashed by the hazard. Spiked Master kept up its initial assault, eventually getting its spike under the front of Fuzzy Yum Yum and pushing it around in circles.[10]

At that moment, Spiked Master caught and dragged Fuzzy Yum Yum's tape, while careering into the wall and a mousetrap. Having left the tape strewn across the arena center, it spiked one of the arena flippers, before heading backwards to ram Fuzzy Yum Yum twice more. The second ram brought Spiked Master into difficulty, however, as it ended up driving over and getting three of its tires snagged by the tape. Spiked Master shuffled back and forth to break the tape, while Fuzzy Yum Yum appeared to crawl sluggishly beside it. With Fuzzy Yum Yum seemingly immobile, it proceeded to circle around its opponent and bump into the upper mousetrap.[10]

Spiked Master's speed was greatly reduced as it continued to struggle with the tape wrapping around its wheels. Another excursion into a flipper resulted in it being swatted into the upper-right wall. While the mobility of both robots was being evaluated, Spiked Master rammed Fuzzy Yum Yum once more from the right-hand side, seconds before the latter was fully counted out.[10]

Through to the Face-Off Semi-Finals, Spiked Master fought KMM for a chance to qualify for the overall Final.

Starting from the right-hand side, it approached, but was quickly seized by the grabbing arms of its larger opponent. Now hooked onto KMM itself, Spiked Master surged, placing Rik Winter's machine under the lower mousetrap. KMM escaped before the hazard's net could catch it; Spiked Master gave the hazard mechanism a shove before chasing KMM towards the right-most wall. In turn, KMM chased Spiked Master across the lower perimeter. Undaunted, Spiked Master slammed into the front of KMM, but almost rolled sideways on contact. In attempting to escape, it reversed into KMM's right claw, and was quickly seized again. This time, KMM sustained its hold, while simultaneously holding Spiked Master's wheels off the floor.[3]

Spiked Master remained helpless as it was dragged and pushed across the arena, then delivered into the swinging Ball of Doom. After being clobbered by the hazard, it was paraded across the arena a second time. As KMM's grappling attack constituted a pin, Spiked Master was fully counted out soon after, eliminating it from the Super Lightweight Face-Off.[3]

Spiked Master faced KMM again in the Super Lightweight Melee tournament, not long after the latter was crowned Face-Off champion. Both were drawn together in a first-round clash also involving Holobot, Snickers and Spiny Norman.

In the opening seconds, Spiked Master briefly passed Spiny Norman at high speed across the center of the arena. Upon encountering KMM, it speared and rammed the green machine's side, while careering into the flipper and mousetrap hazards. Spiked Master avoided KMM's claws throughout these interactions; it proceeded to dart across to the other side of the arena to challenge Holobot and a spinning Snickers. After being trapped near the lower-right flippers - with further hindrance from KMM - it darted back towards the center to line up a ram on Holobot. Holobot flicked Spiked Master upwards upon slamming into its exposed tire; Spiked Master began bouncing as it retreated and careered to and from the flippers.[4]

The duel with Holobot continued, resulting in Spiked Master again launching itself into the air through subsequent rams. Eventually, Spiked Master was steered and pinned against the right side wall by Holobot; a further shove from Mike Winter's machine propped it upwards between the sponsor banners. Resting vertically, to amusement and applause from audience members, Spiked Master played no further part and was eliminated from the Super Lightweight Melee tournament.[4]

1996 US Championship[]

Spiked Master II returned for the 1996 competition, competing in the newly-renamed Featherweight Face-Off tournament. In the first round, it fought the clusterbot Triple Redundancy, forming a set of 'Dual Matches' alongside Red 2 vs Roach.

Neither robot progressed far from their starting positions in the first attempt, which was aborted owing to Roach's struggle for mobility. In the second attempt, Spiked Master II rammed Triple Redundancy at high speed, separating one of its tape-wielding segments from the others. It next rammed and briefly got underneath the largest segment - an updated Fuzzy Yum Yum - but came to grief as it rode up the moving bumper panel nearby. More rams followed, before Spiked Master II darted to the center of the arena, just as the two largest Triple Redundancy segments began unwinding their tape reels.[5][6]

The trails were eventually enough to snag and capture Spiked Master II, though one segment from Triple Redundancy was momentarily unable to separate. According to the Team Spike website, Spiked Master II later 'snared' one part of Triple Redundancy using the tape, only to get pinned by another segment from the latter. In an extraordinary outcome, the Judges declared the match to be a tie, enabling both robots to progress to the second round.[1][5][6]

There, Spiked Master II faced another new machine in the shape of Red 2, entered by John Knoll.

Initially, it made a fast drive across the center of the arena, before ramming Red 2 at high speed. However, this would allow Red 2 to push Spiked Master II back using its own rear spikes. Following a quick separation, Spiked Master II made another fast lunge. In doing so, however, it darted between Red 2 and the upper mousetrap, striking the hazard itself. This proved costly for Spiked Master II, which was promptly cornered, pinned and pushed against the mousetrap by Red 2. The same attack resulted in Spiked Master II being trapped against the nearby wall for a 30-second pin, eliminating it from the Featherweight Face-Off.[7][11]

Results[]

SPIKED MASTER - RESULTS
1995 US Championship
Super Lightweight Face-Off
Semi-Finals
Round 1 vs. Piranhabot Won
Round 2 vs. Fuzzy Yum Yum Won
Semi-Final vs. KMM Lost
Super Lightweight Melee
Round 1
Melee vs. Holobot, KMM, Snickers, Spiny Norman Lost
SPIKED MASTER II - RESULTS
1996 US Championship
Featherweight Face-Off
Round 2
Round 1 vs. Triple Redundancy Draw
NOTE: Both robots progressed to the second round as the Judges called a tie.
Round 2 vs. Red 2 Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 2
  • Losses: 3
  • Draws: 1

Series Record[]

Events Spiked Master Event Record
1994 Did not enter
1995 Super Lightweight Face-Off, Semi-Final
Super Lightweight Melee, Round 1
1996 Featherweight Face-Off, Round 2 as Spiked Master II
1997 Did not enter

References[]

External Links[]

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