Wharthog

For the unrelated full body spinner, see Warhog.

"Mellow yellow, driven by an electric twenty-four watt wheelchair control unit. Has a huge turning circle of two metres and a ground clearance of only 5mm, I hope that'll be enough!"

— Jonathan Pearce assesses Wharthog

Wharthog was a middleweight robot that competed in Series 1 and 2 of Robot Wars. It was eliminated in the Gauntlet stage in Series 1, and competed in the Middleweight Championship in Series 2, losing to Hard Cheese there.

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.

Design

Wharthog was a yellow, triangular wedge-shaped robot powered by an electric 24W wheelchair control unit. Its weapons were a pair of angled spikes designed to resemble the tusks of a wharthog, which in tandem with its front wedge served as the robot's primary means of attack. While the robot had reasonable speed and a low ground clearance, Wharthog suffered from a large turning circle of two metres, which contributed towards its early elimination in Series 1.

Robot History

Series 1

"...I don't think speed of Concorde's going to help you here!"

— Jonathan Pearce after Wharthog impales itself through the railings

Wharthog Gauntlet — Wharthog's wedge buckled, pinning it against the fence

Wharthog participated in Heat E of the First Wars. It hesitated at the start of its Gauntlet run, driving cautiously off the turntable and heading for the left-hand route. However, Wharthog drove straight through the railings, bending its front wedge and one of its spikes as it impaled itself there.

Jeremy Clarkson: "So how many months worth of work was that?"

Oliver Browne: "I don't want to talk to you."

Jeremy Clarkson: "I reckon about two months to go two yards."

Oliver Browne: "No comment."

Jeremy Clarkson: "You don't look desperately happy."

Oliver Browne: "It's 'cause I'm not!"

— The post-run interview

The team were noticeably unhappy following this run, with Nick Browne leaving the control booth as soon as time ran out, and Oliver refusing to speak to Jeremy Clarkson in the post-run interview. Wharthog had travelled a distance of 3.92m, exactly one metre less than Torque of the Devil, and was eliminated from the First Wars.

"...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 Series 2 Middleweight Championship. It fought Hard Cheese and Doodlebug in this battle, which was partially broadcast as part of the end-of-series Grudge Match special. After it and Hard Cheese immobilised Doodlebug after a couple of hits, Wharthog was constantly chased, pushed and scooped up by Hard Cheese, being blocked by the immobilised Doodlebug as it tried to turn away. Wharthog lost mobility after being attacked by Hard Cheese a few more times, with Hard Cheese being 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

Wins: 0
Losses: 1

NOTE: Wharthog's Gauntlet elimination is not considered a loss

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
2016-17 series: Did not enter

Trivia

Wharthog was the only middleweight robot from Series 1 to compete in any other successive series.
Wharthog was the only robot in Series 1 to come from Bedfordshire.
Although classed as a middleweight for Series 1 and 2, Wharthog would technically be classified as a lightweight under modern robot combat rules.

Wharthog

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