- "He's a fighter, and I'm sure that we're gonna win our class, no problem at all."
- — Gary Cline, American Robot Wars 1996
Spunkey Munkey was a featherweight robot which competed exclusively in the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Captained by Gary Cline, it was eliminated in the first round of the Featherweight Face-Off by The X-2.[2] Spunkey Munkey also fought and lost a 'Grudge Match' against Arsenic, as highlighted in the American Robot Wars 1996 VHS, and would collect the 'Strangest' award for that year.[1]
Design[]
Spunkey Munkey with its team
Spunkey Munkey was an orange-red box-wedge shaped robot with a 'carlike drivetrain' and a 6-volt battery as its power source. Both of the robot's motorized back wheels were placed externally, with the front wheels using their own steering mechanism and being concealed directly within its sheet metal shell. Mounted at the front within the wedge was an electric 'lifting paddle', which was to serve as the main weapon.[2]
In addition to the lifter, Spunkey Munkey was also fitted with a motorized monkey figure on top. The figure, wearing a red hat plus a red and white 'sweatshirt', would fire its arms forwards in a series of 'punching motions', akin to a human boxer. To match, its team members wore striped red and white shirts throughout its 1996 run.[2]
Robot History[]
1996 US Championship[]
Spunkey Munkey's 1996 run began in the Featherweight Face-Off, where it would battle The X-2 in the first round. This was one of a set of 'Dual Matches' to take place in this category, occurring at the same time as My Little Pony vs Spiny Norman.
Immediately, both robots rammed each other head-on. Spunkey Munkey survived The X-2's initial attempt to left it, driving into the far corner. There, the problems with its car-like internals became apparent, as it appeared unable to reverse out of this position. Spunkey Munkey was duly flicked onto its side by The X-2, eliminating it from the Featherweight Face-Off by knockout.[2][3]
Spunkey Munkey later returned for a 'Grudge Match', against Steven J. Winter and Arsenic.
Spunky Munkey is lifted by Arsenic
The battle started slowly, with Spunky Munkey tentatively clipping Arsenic during the first head-to-head joust. Spunkey Munkey headed towards and stopped beside the right-hand side wall bumper. Similarly to its Face-Off match, it struggled to back away from the bumper, allowing Arsenic to ram and slowly lift it from the right-rear corner. Spunky Munkey slipped off the end of Arsenic's scoop, only to drive further into the retracted bumper.
There, it was lifted a second time by Arsenic, whose scoop hooked Spunkey Munkey by the front-right corner. A shove from the wall bumper caused the latter's left-most fork to go through the space where Spunky Munkey's lifter was housed. Spunky Munkey's wheels spun helplessly, and the arms on the motorized monkey figure continuously punched in thin air, as Arsenic pinned it in place. Needless to say, the Cline machine was deemed to have lost this 'Grudge Match'.
- "Spunky Munkey went on to win the Best Art-Directed Robot Award, but he wasn't quite the fighter his owners had hoped. Still, there's always next year."
- — Paul Vallis
In recognition of its bold and unusual design, Spunkey Munkey would receive the 'Strangest' award for the 1996 competition, referred to in American Robot Wars 1996 as the 'Best Art-Directed Robot Award'.[1]
Results[]
| SPUNKEY MUNKEY - RESULTS | ||
| 1996 US Championship | ||
| Featherweight Face-Off Round 1 | ||
| Round 1 | vs. The X-2 | Lost |
| Other Battles Grudge Match | ||
| Grudge Match | vs. Arsenic | Lost |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 0
- Losses: 2
Series Record[]
| Events | Spunkey Munkey Event Record |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Did not enter |
| 1995 | Did not enter |
| 1996 | Featherweight Face-Off, Round 1 |
| 1997 | Entered with Bad Monkey |
Outside Robot Wars[]
Crock at Long Beach 1999
Gary Cline would later build another animal based robot, the heavyweight Crock, which fought at the 1999 Long Beach BattleBots event. It did not fare well, losing both its fights to Monster and Kill-O-Amp. Later in 1999, Cline would be a judge for the BattleBots World Championship in Las Vegas.
After his involvement with BattleBots ended, Cline would go on to create his own robot combat TV show, Robotica, in 2001; several teams who entered this series would also compete in Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors.
Honours[]
References[]
External Links[]
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