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The Drop Zone was an arena hazard introduced in the UK and international series of Robot Wars filmed between 2002 and 2003. Immobilised robots would be placed on a black square with a yellow cross and red border placed roughly in the centre of the arena, close to the Pit, where heavy objects including ovens, washing machines, ocean buoys and assortments of balls would be dropped on them.

For assortments of smaller items including balls and scrap metal, a chequerplated container (occasionally referred to as the drop box) would be suspended from the ceiling along with larger single items. Items stored in the container would be dropped through a pair of large swinging doors hinged lengthways from the bottom.

History[]

The Drop Zone was first used in the second season of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors, with the first robot to have an object dropped onto it being Unibite 2.0 in the Heat C Final. It was used in all UK and international series filmed thereafter; the first usage of the Drop Zone in the UK Series came in Series 6, where it dropped a washing machine on Robochicken in the first round of Heat B. A thunderclap sound effect was used in the Drop Zone's appearances in US Season 2, Nickelodeon Robot Wars and UK Series 7, which played whenever an object was dropped.

The last competitor to have an object dropped onto it was Hard in the first round of the Third World Championship, filmed and broadcast at the very end of Series 7. When Robot Wars returned in 2016, the Drop Zone did not feature as part of the new arena, and has effectively been retired as an arena hazard.

The objects used for the Drop Zone varied in between series; for Nickelodeon Robot Wars, less serious objects such as scrap metal and sports equipment were used in an effort to maintain the series' appeal to younger audiences. Meanwhile, at one point during the Grand Final of German Robot Wars, previously-defeated competitor Golem was used as an item after it withdrew prior to the Losers Melee for fifth place.

"The newest hazard, keep a close watch on this area - anything might happen."
Robot Wars: The Fifth Wars Official Souvenir Programme, mentioning the Drop Zone as a proposed hazard for the series[1]

Prior to its official introduction, the Drop Zone square was featured on the arena floor during Robot Wars Extreme Series 1, Extreme Warriors Season 1, UK Series 5 and Dutch Robot Wars Series 1. Floor plans dated from June 2001 suggest that the hazard was originally planned to be introduced for those series, with souvenir programmes for Series 5 billing the Drop Zone as the 'newest hazard' for this incarnation of the arena.[2][1] However, the square would not serve any specific purpose during this period.

Another proposal for the Drop Zone was for it to be activated by a button similar to the Pit and Disc of Doom/Floor Spinner bumpers. This could be pressed by competitors and House Robots in order to trigger it.Citation? Though this idea was not implemented in televised series, a behind-the-scenes photo from Series 6 confirms that a third bumper button - painted dark grey - was briefly installed on the right-most side wall prior to filming.[3] During Philippa Forrester's post-battle interview with the losing teams, the button itself can be seen in the background with weight symbols and the word 'DROP' on the top rim, likely suggesting that it was originally intended for use with the Drop Zone.

Instances[]

Robochicken drop zone

Robochicken hit with a washing machine

Series 6[]

Demolition Man Dropzone

Demolition Man gets a rubbish bin dropped on it

Panic Attack Washing Machine

Panic Attack is hit with a washing machine, the only former UK champion ever to be put on the Drop Zone

Dropzonecooker

Granny's Revenge 2 is flattened by an oven

Major Tom drop zone balls

A shower of balls lands on Major Tom

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Heat B, Round 1 Robochicken Washing machine First instance of the hazard being used in the UK Series.
Heat F, Round 1 Demolition Man Rubbish bin
Heat I, Heat Final Panic Attack Washing machine The only former UK Champion to have an item dropped on it.
Heat K, Round 1 Granny's Revenge 2 Oven
Heat L, Round 1 Major Tom Assortment of balls

Extreme 2[]

Niterider TV

Niterider spikes the television sent by the Drop Zone

NewBloodCRound1.1

Mad Dog, after having balls dropped on it

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Annihilator Round 4 Major Tom Oven
Minor Meltdown, Round 1 Saw Point Assortment of car parts
New Blood Heat A, Round 1 Niterider White Television set (circa 1970s and 1980s) Niterider's spike speared the white television set as it landed, which was eventually destroyed by Matilda.
New Blood Heat A, Round 2 Maximus Oven
New Blood Heat B, Round 1 RT81
New Blood Heat B, Round 2 Hell's Teeth Assortment of bowling balls
New Blood Heat C, Round 1 Mad Dog The balls missed their target.
New Blood Heat C, Final ICU
New Blood Heat D, Semi-Final Fatal Traction & Cedric Slammer Assortment of car parts Cedric Slammer continued to attack Fatal Traction and got hit by the car parts as well.

Series 7[]

Tomohawkdropzone

Tomahawk, badly damaged by the ocean buoy

Hard Drop Zone

Hard after having an oven smashed onto it

Hammerhead 2 Drop Zone

Hammerhead 2 is pounded by railway track

Thermidor dropzone

A washing machine lands on Thermidor 2

Drop Zone fail

The Drop Zone misses its targets in the All-Stars

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Heat C, Round 1 Tomahawk Ocean buoy
Heat D, Round 1 The Alien
Heat G, Round 1 Cygnus X-1 Black Television set (circa 1980s-1990s)
Heat H, Round 2 Scraptosaur Ocean buoy
Heat H, Round 2 Revolution 3 Black Television set
Heat J, Round 1 Cobra & Pinser
Heat K, Round 2 Hard Oven
Heat M, Round 1 B.O.D. Assortment of bowling balls
Heat M, Round 2 Mega Morg Washing machine
Heat N, Round 2 R.O.C.S.
Heat O, Round 2 Hammerhead 2 Assortment of railway track pieces
Heat O, Heat Final Iron-Awe 2.1 Oven
Semi-Final 2, Round 1 Thermidor 2 Washing machine Only instance of the Drop Zone being used in a Semi-Final.
Featherweight Championship, Round 1 Mammoth Oven Only non-heavyweight competitor to have an item dropped on it.
All-Stars, Round 1 None Washing machine The washing machine was dropped in an attempt to stop the competitors' attacks on the House Robots. However, it did not hit any of the competitors.
Third World Championship, Battle 1 Hard Assortment of Computer parts Final time the Drop Zone was used.

Dutch Robot Wars: Series 2[]

TAN Drop Zone

Two barrels fall onto Tough as Nails

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Heat A, Round 1 Project Two: Hex'em Oven
Heat B, Round 1 The Black Beast
Heat C Round 1 Slamtilt Bowling balls
Heat C, Round 2 Flepser Assortment of wheels
Heat D, Round 1 Tough as Nails Two Barrels Tough as Nails regained mobility, and pushed one of the barrels around the arena, eventually being pitted alongside it.
Heat E, Round 1 Vortex Inducer Oven
Grand Final, Round 1 Lizzard Two Barrels

Extreme Warriors: Series 2[]

Unibitedrop

Unibite 2.0 becomes the Drop Zone's first ever victim

Nightstalkerdrop rwews2

A washing machine falls on a beaten Night Stalker

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Heat C, Heat Final Unibite 2.0 Washing machine First-ever use of the Drop Zone in any series.
Robot Rebellion, Round 1 Night Stalker
Robot Rebellion, Final Snookums Electronic Organ

Nickelodeon Robot Wars[]

Jokerdropzone

Joker has scrap metal dropped on it

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
US Championship Bonus Battle Phantasm Sports equipment
Mayhem Diskotek & Rigby Assortment of balls
Vengeance Joker Scrap metal
House Robot Rebellion Humdrum

German Robot Wars[]

GolemDropzone

Golem as a Drop Zone item

Battle Immobilised Robot Object Dropped Notes
Heat A, Heat Final Junkyard Queen Spare parts
Heat A, Heat Final Golem Assortment of balls
Grand Final, Losers Melee Junkyard Queen Golem Golem withdrew from the Losers Melee as it could not be repaired in time to fight; the Golem Crew allowed it to be used as an item. Golem largely missed its target.

Appearances in Merchandise[]

Throughout its appearances in the show's original run, the Drop Zone was immortalised in various pieces of Robot Wars merchandise. An accessory for the Minibots Arena playset based on the hazard was released, consisting of a frustrum-shaped assembly and an assortment of miniature items - including cones, tyres, balls and a washing machine. The Drop Zone assembly could be clipped onto the outer edges of the Arena playset, and the available items attached to the top, allowing the items to be 'dropped' in a similar manner to the real-life hazard (though it dropped in the middle of the arena, rather than over the "X" as in the show). The Drop Zone accessory was available as a stand-alone set (complete with all of the aforementioned items) and as a bundle with the Arena playset (with the balls only).

The Drop Zone is also seen in all versions of Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction, primarily as an active hazard in arenas based on the real-life Series 5-7 Arena:

In the Game Boy Advance version, it operates exclusively in 'Tournament' mode, and as in real life drops objects onto defeated robots once they have been placed onto the square by a House Robot. Items dropped in the Game Boy Advance version include a microwave, a toaster, a PC computer tower, a washing machine, a silver TV set, an electronic organ, a grand piano and a grandfather clock. The Drop Zone square also appears in the other fictional arenas available in the game, and as one of the selectable hazards in the Arena Editor, although the hazard itself remains inactive in the former.[4]

In the PC and Xbox versions, items are dropped on mobile robots if they drive over and stay on the cross for a certain length of time. Additionally, multiple items can be dropped in one fight, including a washing machine, a safe, an anvil, a barrel which can explode if attacked, and a grand piano.

Trivia[]

Steel Avenger vs Cerberus

The Drop Zone square during a battle in Extreme 1

  • Major Tom, Hard and Junkyard Queen were the only robots to be hit twice with a Drop Zone item.
  • In Series 7, Zorro managed to escape the Drop Zone by driving away, having been dropped on the cross after being counted out.
  • The Drop Zone was used in every episode of the Extreme 2 New Blood Championship except the Grand Final.
  • The Drop Zone was used in every episode of Dutch Series 2.
  • The barrels dropped in Dutch Series 2 were the same used in the Pinball Trial of Series 2.
  • During Extreme 1 and Extreme Warriors Season 1, the Drop Zone square was next to the Pit, and closer to the Pit release button. Also in Series 5, the square was applied in a vertical orientation in some battles.
  • In the Robot Wars: The Sixth Wars Official Souvenir Programme, eggs are listed as a Drop Zone item. Whether or not this was an idea that was later abandoned or was included for humour is unknown.[5]
    • While it's unknown what the correct statement is, eggs would've caused more severe damage to robots as opposed to the heavy items. Due to the fragility and consistency of said item, reminents of it would likely have seeped through gaps in robot bodyworks and got onto electronics, which would've led to more expensive repairs.

References[]

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