The Kraken

The Kraken
Side view of The Kraken, with upper claw closed
Participation Information
UK Series	7
Team Information
Team	Team Victor
Team Members	Guy Pickett Lloyd Davis
From	Pinner, Middlesex
Other Entries	Victor (Series 2-3)
Robot Statistics
Weight	100kg
Dimensions	0.50m x 1.20m x 0.80m
Power	1 HP electric motor
Weapons	2 x crushing jaws
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"This is one of the most scary robots I've seen today"

— Jayne Middlemiss

The Kraken was the second robot constructed by Team Victor, and completely different from its predecessor, Victor. The Kraken fared no better than either version of Victor, losing in Round 2 of Series 7 to Thermidor 2.

The robot's name came from the legendary sea monster, believed to live off the coast of Norway.

Design

The Kraken's twin-jaw setup

Rear view of The Kraken

The Kraken was a very long box wedge shaped robot that was driven by a single drive motor which steers through a differential and brake system. In terms of armament, The Kraken was equipped with two vertical crushing arms. The first of these arms was pneumatic, which could be snapped down quickly to hold its opponent in place, before the second, hydraulic arm came down in an attempt to pierce into the armour of the other robots. Despite this set-up allowing the robot to self-right, this could also only be achieved with the robot flush on its back. Because of the robot's long shape, it was easy for The Kraken to be left suspended on its side - something which happened multiple times in Round 2. Also, despite its destructive weaponry, the pneumatic beak could easily buckle and the robot itself was lightly armoured - factors which ultimately affected it during its battle with Thermidor 2.

The building process proved to be time-consuming, with the team claiming that The Kraken had been built over two years. It was intended to enter The Sixth Wars, but it wasn't completed in time for the qualifiers.

Robot History

Series 7

The Kraken scratches down on Cobra

The Kraken spent most of its first battle against Cobra, Pinser and Kronic the Wedgehog chasing the other robots, but it eventually got to grips with Cobra and crushed its armour, failing to puncture the tough outer shell. However, Cobra had seemed to be immobile before The Kraken's attack. Pinser then gripped Cobra and pulled it away, but in doing so drove over the flame pit, which set fire to the internals of Pinser, immobilising it. The two eliminated robots, Pinser and Cobra, who were still locked together, were thrown by the arena flipper before being placed under the Drop Zone, where a TV was dropped on the two, putting The Kraken through with Kronic the Wedgehog.

Thermidor 2 and The Kraken. Note that The Kraken's beak is buckled sideways

The Kraken forces Thermidor 2 backwards

Thermidor 2 flips The Kraken

The Kraken is finally pitted

In the next round it faced 14th seeds Thermidor 2. Thermidor 2 immediately turned The Kraken over and then flipped it against the arena side wall, bending The Kraken's pneumatic pincer. The Kraken was able to self-right, but Thermidor 2 tossed it over many more times, coming very close to flipping it out of the arena on a couple of occasions. Thermidor 2 then activated the pit and pushed The Kraken towards it. Thermidor 2 then tried to flip The Kraken in, but The Kraken flew the wrong way and escaped. However, The Kraken couldn't do anything to fight back and Thermidor 2 continued to throw it around the arena, eventually succeeding in pushing it down the pit.

"Kraken takes a right good smacken'!"

— Craig Charles on the battle

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 1

Series Record

The team with Kraken

Series	The Kraken Series Record
The First Wars	Did not enter
The Second Wars	Entered with Victor
The Third Wars	Entered with Victor 2
The Fourth Wars	Did not enter
The Fifth Wars	Did not enter
The Sixth Wars	Did not enter
The Seventh Wars	Heat, Round 2
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter

Outside Robot Wars

The Kraken after Robot Wars. This version was last seen fighting in 2004

Following the end of Robot Wars, The Kraken was rebuilt and renamed as The Kraken 2. This new version had titanium armour and a pneumatic flipper in place of the pneumatic jaw which the team used previously. It was signed up to enter the Fighting Robots World Championships 2004 which were going to take place at RAF Newton but this event was cancelled. The Kraken 2 was last seen fighting at the Roaming Robots event held at Northampton in 2004 where it lost a 3-way melee against Bulldog Breed & PulverizeR.