Robot Wars Returns!
From a Decade in Storage
to the Modern Arena ● by James Baker
2016rocks! I can go to the movies to watch a
brand new Star Wars episode with my
replica R2-D2 and BB- 8 robots. I can
apply to be on the new season of
BattleBots™ while re-watching the
insane new series from a few months
ago, and I can apply to be on the new
BBC filming of Robot Wars! For a
science lover like me (and I'm guessing
from your inspired choice of magazine,
Once the euphoria of the greatest
influences in my younger life returning
to screen wears off, however, I am
slapped with the reality of my
situation. I do not have a working
robot to enter into competition, and
have been away from the sport raising
children for almost a decade.
I have only a few weeks to get my
application in, and it slowly but
painfully awakens within me the fear. I
have felt this fear before. I remember
it clearly. The fear of missing the
deadline. The fear of promising to
arrive with a machine and showing up
with nothing, or an incomplete
machine. The fear of other
commitments stopping you from
going. The fear of running out of
robot building money before the
competition. The fear of losing. The
fear of having your robot fail. The fear
26 SERVO 03.2016
venue right in the middle of Sydney
Harbour. One side had views of the
Opera house and the other the
Harbour Bridge — both lit up in
dazzling lights. Robo Wars was
definitely back.
To top off the year, Nationals
grew to the most Featherweight
robots Australia had ever seen at a
single competition. With 28 robots,
over 50 fights, and competitors from
every state in the country, it even
brought competitors and robots from
2010 out of retirement.
One of these robots (Badger) was
unfortunate enough to meet one of
the newer generation horizontal
spinners (Decimator) in the first
round. Decimator dealt out a quick
lesson in progress; a physical example
of just how far we have come in the
last five years.
The event tested the reliability
and resilience of all the robots. The
fights were harder and longer with an
unprecedented number going to
judge’s decisions. This was
appreciated by the crowd, and only
the strongest robots made it to the
finals. Congratulations go to Nick
Martin and Mr. Mangle who took
home the title after going undefeated
in six rounds.
2015 was one of the best years
for robot combat in Australia.
Robo Wars reached new people all
across Australia and revitalized
builders young and old. For those who
stuck out the dark years, Robo Wars is
definitely here to stay. Who knows
what 2016 will bring. SV
Nick Martin and
Mr. Mangle, the
2015 Australian
RoboWars
Champions.
Robo Wars Nationals.
