UFO

UFO
UFO in Series 7
Participation Information
UK Series	6-7
Team Information
Team	51
Team Members	Peter Withers (Series 6) Nic Browning (Series 6) Mark Hamilton (Series 7) Belinda Hamilton (Series 7)
Robot Statistics
Weight	98kg
Dimensions	0.45m x 1.09m x 0.86m
Power	2 x 800W electric motors
Weapons	Pneumatic flipper
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

UFO was the name of two robots that competed in Series 6 and Series 7 of Robot Wars with very different designs for each series. The Series 6 version was a compact two wheeled invertible box-shaped robot with a spike that was intended to draw other robots into its claw, very similar to the original The Executioner but the weapon was only effective when right way up. The Series 7 version was also two wheeled but was also a traditional wedge shape with a front-hinged flipper, a similar design to Cassius 2; this flipper proved to be almost useless as it didn't even work in its first round battle as the robot was largely untested. UFO was one of the only robots to have two completely different teams in its appearances.

Robot History

Series 6

"It's a big lifty-uppy spikey-thing, designed to cut into the bladey thing above it, and we also have a couple of bright lighty shiny things at the front, and some plucky spikey things at the back"

— The UFO team, describing UFO's components

Series 6 appearance

In the first round of Series 6, UFO was put up against The Stag, Vader and the 9th seeds Wild Thing. UFO found it quite difficult to get underneath the other robots with its arm, let alone flip them. It went for the pit release, but then it got wedged underneath the button, until Vader used its disc to violently free it. The Stag meanwhile, had been counted out by Refbot, so UFO finished it off by pushing it into the pit. With three robots still active, it went to a judges' decision, who did not send UFO through to the next round.

Series 7

UFO had a rocky start in Series 7 when the team couldn't get UFO's flipper to work, and ended up having to fight the first round without a weapon. In Round 1, UFO went up against Crushtacean, the 10th seeds Behemoth and Tartarus. UFO couldn't do much in this battle besides wedge under Crushtacean and pin it against the wall. However, Behemoth had flipped over Tartarus, and then decided to flip Crushtacean out of the arena, allowing UFO a free pass to the second round. Before their second round battle, the team was able to get the flipper working, which was fortunate because UFO's next opponent was Judge Shred 3. Indeed, Judge Shred flipped UFO over, but UFO easily self-righted with its flipper. UFO then flipped Judge Shred up against the wall, but couldn't get it out of the arena, or keep it upturned. UFO was flipped by Judge Shred again, and in a cruel twist of fate, landed on its side, meaning it couldn't use its flipper to self right.

Results

UFO as Taurus after Robot Wars ended

UFO today at a Robots Live event

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 2

Series Record

• Series 1-5: Did not enter
• Series 6: Heat, Round 1
• Series 7: Heat, Round 2

Outside Robot Wars

After Robot Wars, UFO was sold to friends of Team UFO: Alan Young of Team BlazerBotics, who rebuilt the robot's internals to compete in the main circuit again, under the new name of Taurus. Taurus fought in the 2005 UK Championships Winter Tour, reaching the finals before losing to Merlin, another robot from its new team. After this, UFO reverted to its old name, and was seeded 10th for the following year, but fell in the heats.

Since then, UFO has appeared at odd live events right up to 2013, but Team BlazerBotics primarily fight with Merlin and Kronic.