Wharthog was a middleweight class robot that had a triangular wedge shape, it competed in Series 1 and Series 2 of Robot Wars. Its weapon was a pair of angle-mounted spikes designed to look like the tusks of a warthog and was driven by an electric 24W wheelchair control unit. Its only appearance in the main competition was in Series 1, but it appeared again in the middleweight championship of Series 2, where it lost in the final to Hard Cheese.
The team returned for Series 3 with Crusher, and also failed to qualify for Series 6 and Series 7 with Cruncher.
Wharthog's name was a pun on the animal warthog.
Robot History
Series 1
Wharthog's wedge buckled, pinning it against the fence
Wharthog participated in Heat E of the First Wars. In the gauntlet stage of the heat, Wharthog took the maze route, but an uncontrollable start forced the robot straight into the railing where they got caught due to one of its spikes getting impaled there, this is where it stayed for the rest of the run. Unfortunately, this meant that when cease was called Wharthog had only covered a pitiful 3.92m. As cease was called, Nick Browne stormed off into the pits to escape the post-run interview with Jeremy Clarkson, which had proven to be very tense. This distance covered by Wharthog was 1m behind the next lowest finisher in the heat, Torque of the Devil, meaning that Wharthog did not progress far enough to make it through to the trial stage of the heat.
- "...and I was wrong, the Torque of the Devil's performance IS good enough, Wharthog now worried"
- — Jonathan Pearce after Wharthog's result is confirmed
Series 2
Wharthog, unchanged from its appearance in the First Wars, later appeared in the middleweight championship of the Second Wars, being briefly aired during the grudge match special at the end of the series, this championship was a single battle where Wharthog was placed up against Hard Cheese and Doodlebug. In the battle, after Doodlebug became quickly immobile after a few knocks by Hard Cheese and Wharthog, Hard Cheese then started ramming Wharthog using its wedge shape to scoop up Wharthog and shove it away. Trying to steer away, Wharthog was facing the wrong way and was being blocked by the carcass of Doodlebug. Due to still being hacked away at by Hard Cheese, Wharthog eventually lost all power after being bashed into submission, and eventually ground to a halt, deeming it immobilised. This meant that Hard Cheese was declared the first ever Middleweight Champion.
Results
| WHARTHOG - RESULTS | ||
| Series 1 | ||
| The First Wars - UK Championship Heat, Gauntlet | ||
| Heat E, Gauntlet | 3.92m (6th) | Eliminated |
| Series 2 | ||
| Middleweight Championship Final | ||
| Middleweight Championship | vs. Hard Cheese, Doodlebug | Lost |
Wins/Losses
Wharthog enters the arena
- Wins: 0
- Losses: 2
Series Record
- Series 1: Heat, Gauntlet
- Series 2: Middleweight Championship
- Series 3: Entered with Crusher
- Series 4-5: Did not enter
- Series 6: Failed to qualify with Cruncher
- Series 7: Failed to qualify with Cruncher 2
- 2016 Series: Did not enter
Trivia
- Wharthog was the only middleweight class robot from Series 1 to compete beyond that series.
- Wharthog was the only robot in Series 1 from Bedfordshire.
- Although classed as a middleweight robot for Series 1 and 2, Wharthog would technically be a lightweight by modern weight standards.
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