Team Carbide

Team Carbide
Participation Information
UK Series	8-10 (Dave Moulds) 4-10, Extreme 2 (Sam Smith)
Team Information
Team Members	Dave Moulds Sam Smith Sheryl Prior (Series 8)
Home Town	Derby, Derbyshire

Team Carbide is a roboteering team, the champions of Series 9, and runners-up in Series 8 and 10. Comprising of Dave Moulds, veteran roboteer Sam Smith and, originally Sheryl Prior, the three competed together as Team Carbide for the first time in Series 8 of Robot Wars, with Moulds and Smith returning for Series 9 and Series 10.

Although Series 8 marked Team Carbide's collective debut, Sam Smith had been competing in Robot Wars since Series 4. Their most famous robot is Series 9 champion Carbide, co-designed and built by Moulds and Smith, which also finished second in Series 8 and Series 10.

The Team

Dave Moulds

Dave Moulds (left) in Team Carbide, Series 9 champions

Dave Moulds was the captain of Team Carbide in Series 8 and 9, and was also the driver of Carbide. By trade, Moulds is a robotics engineer for Cadbury, and is local to Derby. Dave Moulds entered the televised roboteering scene as a member of Team Hurtz in BattleBots, and originally built his own robot Turbulence, which became the UK champion in the 2006 live circuit. Turbulence would later win the 2016 pilot under ownership of a new team.

Dave Moulds (centre) with Arena Cleaner

Dave Moulds was specifically chosen to be a mentor in Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars. He joined BBC Radio 1 DJ's Scott Mills and Chris Stark to compete with Arena Cleaner, a robot which was similar in design to Carbide. Moulds repaired Arena Cleaner when necessary, and eventually the team won the episode.

Dave Moulds as a mentor in Battle of the Stars

"The fights that we win aren't always the best fights, are they? I think you can have an absolutely brilliant fight once you lose, and you actually learn more from it. Obviously, winning's great, but for us, we always want to keep developing the machine, making it as good as we can, and the more we learn going throughout the competition, the more fun it is!"

— Dave Moulds to Haynes Manuals on the mentality of Team Carbide

Sam Smith

Sam Smith (left) in Team Carbide, with their trophy and Carbide

In Team Carbide, Sam Smith operates Carbide's weapon, having co-built and designed the robot, and would later become team captain in Series 10. By trade, he is an aerospace engineer for Rolls Royce, and is also a featherweight roboteer in his own right. Sam Smith's position as captain in Series 10 came into effect in order to raise awareness of the equal workload that both team members contributed to Carbide, and offer equal screen-time to both team members.

Sam Smith (centre) on Tiberius' team

Sam Smith had previously competed on Robot Wars with his robot Tiberius, which debuted in Series 4, before returning to Series 5 as Tiberius 2, and Tiberius 3 competed in Series 6-7 and Extreme 2. Smith's team represented Loughborough University when they won the University Challenge in Extreme 2. Tiberius' other team members included Sam Smith's father Stuart Smith, Simon Coulthard, who Sam Smith studied at college with, Simon's father John Coulthard, Craig Lawson and Carl Lawson.

"Dave likes making things simple and easily maintained, Sam sometimes makes things complicated by optimisation, eventually we come to an agreement and meet in the middle."

— Dave Moulds on the thought processes of himself and Sam Smith

All three members of Team Carbide in Series 8

Sheryl Prior

Sheryl Prior is an accountant by trade. The television show defines Prior's role as the team's tactician, although the Robot Wars website refers to her merely as 'moral support' and 'tea making'. She did not return for Series 9 or 10.

Robots

• Carbide (Series 8)
• Carbide (Series 9)
• Carbide (Series 10)
• Tiberius (Series 4)
• Tiberius 2 (Series 5)
• Tiberius 3 (Series 6)
• Tiberius 3 (Series 7)
• Arena Cleaner (Battle of the Stars)

1/8

Name	Weight Class	Series
Carbide	Heavyweight	Series 8-10
Tiberius	Heavyweight	Series 4-7, Extreme 2

NOTE: Tiberius was entered only by Sam Smith, and has no connection to Dave Moulds or Sheryl Prior.

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 29
• Losses: 9

NOTE: This wins/losses ratio includes the performance of Carbide and Tiberius, and excludes the performances of Arena Cleaner and Turbulence

Series Record

• Team Tiberius in Series 4
• Team Tiberius in Series 5
• Team Tiberius in Series 6
• Team Tiberius in Series 7
• Team Carbide enter the arena in Series 8
• Sam Smith in the Pits during Series 8
• Team Carbide make repairs
• Team Carbide with the presenters

1/8

Main Series	Team Carbide Series Record
The First Wars	Did not enter
The Second Wars	Did not enter
The Third Wars	Did not enter
The Fourth Wars	Heat, Round 2 with Tiberius
The Fifth Wars	Heat, Round 2 with Tiberius 2
The Sixth Wars	Heat, Round 1 with Tiberius 3
The Seventh Wars	Heat Final with Tiberius 3
Series 8	Runners-up with Carbide
Series 9	Grand Champions with Carbide Battle of the Stars champion with Arena Cleaner
Series 10	Runners-up with Carbide
Robot Wars Extreme	Appearances
Series 1	Did not enter
Series 2	University Challenge Champion with Tiberius 3

Outside Robot Wars

Dave Moulds has also participated in ABC's rebooted series of BattleBots, both as part of Team Carbide and with different teams. In Season 1, he joined Team Robo Challenge when they attempted to enter with Beta, although Beta could not compete due to parts being lost in transit.

Team Carbide with Cobalt in 2016

Cobalt at BattleBots in 2016

At around the same time that Team Carbide developed Carbide for Robot Wars, they also produced a heavyweight for the 2016 season of BattleBots, Cobalt. Cobalt features an almost-identical shape and design to Carbide, but features different armour and internals, and is armed with an axe-like asymmetrical bar spinner instead of the symmetrical weapon Carbide uses. Additionally, it used a white, blue and red colour scheme, in contrast to Carbide's predominantly black and green finish. For BattleBots, Team Carbide featured Dave Moulds, Sam Smith, Sheryl Prior, and James Cooper. In its first battle, Cobalt was drawn against Season 1 quarter-finalist, Overhaul. Its spinner quickly reached top speed at the start, and a series of attacks on Overhaul's sides caused Cobalt to deflect away constantly. One hit and a loose set screw caused Overhaul to lose drive on one side, putting Cobalt through to the round of 32, further than Photon Storm, Team Storm's rebuilt version of Sam Smith's former heavyweight Tiberius. In the round of 32, Cobalt fought newcomer, wildcard recipient and eventual Season 2 runner-up, Bombshell. It tried to ram into Bombshell's overhead bar spinner rear-first to open up an opportunity to attack, but Bombshell's blade repeatedly cut through Cobalt's tyres, hampering its mobility. While Cobalt managed to tear one of Bombshell's side panels off, it was eventually immobilised and eliminated after Bombshell continued to damage its tyres.

• Front view of Tungsten
• Tungsten at This is Fighting Robots
• Tungsten launches ORBY Blade
• Tungsten in the title bout
• Team Carbide lift the trophy, having won This is Fighting Robots

1/5

Team Carbide also competed in the Chinese show This is Fighting Robots, made by the same producers behind King of Bots. The team entered with Tungsten, a heavyweight version of Sam Smith's featherweight Shard, with an additional axe weapon to accompany its powerful vertical spinner. In the first episode, Gabriel Stroud encouraged Zheng Shuang to add Tungsten to her team of robots, justifying this through Carbide's success in Robot Wars. Zheng Shuang was persuaded, and Tungsten joined the Green team. Tungsten was chosen to represent its team in a battle against Greedy Snake, Mr Hippo and Lieutenant Bam, which Dave Moulds agreed with, as Tungsten was equipped to defeat the drum spinner of Mr Hippo. Indeed, after Mr Hippo immobilised Greedy Snake, Tungsten then immobilised Mr Hippo. However, Lieutenant Bam delivered further attacks to the beaten Mr Hippo, and then pounded Tungsten, which had lost the use of its weapon. Ultimately, Tungsten lost the rumble to Lieutenant Bam, but it still progressed to the Tag Team round, where it partnered with Red River Hong. Although Tungsten was pitted upon its first contact with Model Teenager, it still managed to immobilise Model Teenager with the same blow, and Red River Hong was able to immobilise Saturn, before Tungsten was brought back into play to further damage Model Teenager. In its first head-to-head battle, Tungsten fought the South Korean entry ORBY Blade, and immobilised it by throwing ORBY Blade high into the air. In a four-way melee, Tungsten defeated Thunder and Lightning, Vulcan on a Judges' decision, allowing Tungsten to reach the Top 8. Tungsten faced Red River Hong in its quarter-final, and sustained damage, but eventually immobilised its opponent after throwing it around the arena. In the semi-final, Tungsten threw Shrederator Tiger Claw into the air with huge hits, until the American machine eventually became immobile due to its magnets overriding its ability to drive. In the Grand Final, Tungsten removed a wheel from Tánshè to disable half of its drive, and Tungsten ultimately won the Judges' decision, making Team Carbide the champions of This is Fighting Robots, the team's second televised championship victory.

• Cobalt at BattleBots in 2019
• Team Carbide at BattleBots in 2019
• Dave Moulds and Sam Smith at BattleBots in 2019
• Cobalt in the arena with its wedge

1/4

Having been absent from the 2018 season of BattleBots due to filming clashes with This is Fighting Robots, Team Carbide converted Tungsten into a new version of Cobalt for the 2019 season of BattleBots, using a new vertical spinning disc. Andrew Kenworthy of Robo Challenge also joined the team. Tungsten fought SubZero in its first televised battle, and used its vertical spinner to inflict major damage, ripping wheels away from SubZero to secure a prompt and impressive knockout. Cobalt then caused severe damage to DUCK! in its second battle, throwing it through the air repeatedly and tearing away its entire front plough, but a collision with a seam in the floor led to Cobalt being counted out, losing the battle it had dominated until that point. Although Cobalt comfortably defeated Bombshell in its third fight to avenge a loss from its previous BattleBots appearance, Cobalt was defeated by End Game to conclude its Fight Night record at two wins and two losses. This was still enough to give Cobalt a last chance at the Top 16, if it could defeat Minotaur in a play-in match, but lost a close Judges' decision, and was finally eliminated.

• 360, Dave Moulds' featherweight which resembles Hypno-Disc
• 540
• 720
• 722
• Dave Moulds as a member of the Turbulence team in 2006

1/5

On the live event circuit, Dave Moulds has also fought with various featherweight robots since 2002. He has fought with various different versions of Turbine, armed with a flipper, which has since been retired. In full-combat events, Moulds has fought with a few spinner-wielding robots. These include:

• 360, a featherweight version of Hypno-Disc, with a horizontal flywheel.
• 540, a six-wheeled box-shaped robot with an interchangeable eggbeater and rammer configuration. Featured internal magnets, allowing the robot to drive up walls. The robot was later bought and renamed Disturbance by Calum Jones, and is nowadays owned by Shane Lale as Pushabili-tilly.
• 720, an octagonal-shaped robot armed with a spinning drum, now owned and renamed Sabre20 by Team Legion.
• 722, an improved version of 720 with a similar paint scheme to Carbide, which finished runner-up at the 2017 FRA Featherweight International Championships. Now owned by Jamie McHarg and rebranded as Revolver.

Dave Moulds also won the 2006 FRA Heavyweight UK Championships with heavyweight flipper Turbulence, alongside teammate Ed Wallace. For more information, refer to the Turbulence article. Dave Moulds was also the weapons operator for Calum Jones' featherweight robot Drivetrain at the 2017 UK Featherweight Championship.

Sam Smith's featherweight NST

Shard, inspiration for Tungsten

Team Carbide member and co-builder Sam Smith also fights in live featherweight events with NST, a horizontal bar spinner, and Shard, a vertical flywheel which later inspired the design of the team's heavyweight Tungsten. Both robots have proved considerably successful; NST won the 2012 Featherweight UK Championships and the 2015 UK Featherweight Annihilator, while Shard finished tenth at the 2017 FRA Featherweight International Championships.

Trivia

• Although Dave Moulds and Sam Smith have always used the Team Carbide name at robotic combat events when partnered, it should be noted that their appearance on BattleBots predates their televised appearance on Robot Wars, where the robot Carbide debuted.
• Team Carbide's titular competitor, Carbide, was inducted into The Combat Robot Hall of Fame in 2017 following its dominant performances in Series 8 and 9.

External Links

• Team Carbide website
• Carbide Facebook page
• Cobalt on BattleBots Wiki
• Haynes Manual interview with Team Carbide