Blade

"This is a very interesting robot - was made on kebabs, coffee, lawnmowers and windscreen wipers."

Blade was a Y-shaped robot that exclusively participated in Series 3 of Robot Wars. While the weapon did not cause much damage outside its first battle, Blade's decent pushing power and speed saw it through to the Semi-Finals, where it lost to Beast of Bodmin.

Blade's successor robot, Blade's Big Bruva, was intended to compete in the Fourth Wars and was seeded. However, it dropped out along with fellow Series 3 Semi-Finalists Trident at the last minute, and both Centurion and Suicidal Tendencies were given the final seeds instead.

Design

"A rotary blade gives this fearsome machine its name, with added "slashers". It also contains shatterproof material, can get up to 10mph, car parts used in the building -it's a grizzly lawnmower!"

— Jonathan Pearce introduces Blade in Heat C of Series 3

Blade was equipped with a rotating 42cm lawnmower blade at the front. The lawnmower blade was allegedly 'borrowed' from team member Josh Anslie's mother's lawnmower whilst she was on holiday, and without her knowledge.

Blade cost precisely £146.52 to build. Constructed mostly from car parts, the machine was also reinforced with thick steel and shatterproof polycarbonate and could reach 10mph. Rare for a Series 3 competitor, Blade withstood an axe blow from Shunt when it was attacked during its heat final fight with Aggrobot.

Robot History

Series 3

"I'm Josh, captain of Team Blade. On my left, we have Geoff and on the right, I have Ben. Erm this is Blade. All we intend to do is mash our opponents, slash and grind, with these lovely cutters. Weighs about 12 and a half stone, so beware!"

— Josh Ainslie in the team's introduction

Blade Spike — Blade rips away a decorative arm from Spike

Blade Spike 1 — Blade is locked tight with Spike

In the first round, Blade faced fellow newcomers Spike. Blade was the faster of the two, immediately ripping part of Spike's decoration from the front. Blade continued to ram Spike, although eventually Spike started pushing back, until Sergeant Bash broke them up. Blade then pushed Spike into Bash, who attacked the underside of Spike with its pincers, dislodging another piece of bodywork. Blade and Spike then spun around each other, then again colliding at stalemate with a push. Eventually, Matilda came in to break them up, but the deadlock was only broken a few seconds from the end. However, Blade pitted Spike after cease was called. This was not counted on the judges' decision, which Blade nevertheless won unanimously.

"They've decided that even though there was some skulduggery from Blade after time elapsed, they are the unanimous winners!"

— Craig Charles announcing the winner

Blade Agent Orange — Blade ends up on its side due to the Arena Spike

Blade fought Agent Orange in the second round.

"Straight in, bit of slashing and ripping, that's it really. We feel pretty confident ... ish!"

— Josh Ainslie on his tactics and confidence

Blade attacks agent orange — Matilda lifts and nearly turns over Agent Orange

Blade Agent Orange 1 — Blade celebrates as Agent Orange shows little life in the remaining seconds

The two started the battle by dodging each other, then pushing against one another, Agent Orange doing the early pushing. Blade was then flipped by the arena spike and Agent Orange pushed it into Matilda's CPZ, who rushed out to attack Blade and inadvertently righted it. Blade then pushed Agent Orange back into Matilda, who failed to overturn the robot. Blade once again pushed back, as Agent Orange ground to a halt, then moving very slowly. Cease was called, and the battle was decided by the judges, who voted again in favour of Blade.

In the Heat Final, Blade was placed up against Aggrobot, who had defeated heat favourites Razer in the previous fight.

"We just want to get it over and done with, as the lawnmower blade on there, my mum comes back from holiday tomorrow, and she wants it back!"

— Josh Ainslie

In this battle, the two robots met in the centre of the arena, and Blade pushed Aggrobot all around the arena, even withstanding an axe blow from Shunt.

"Oh, and in comes Shunt there, with the great axe going down to create damage. Let's see if did cause any - no! That's very rare."

— Jonathan Pearce as Blade resists Shunt's attack

Aggrobot got itself wedged on the arena side wall, but was freed, and then broke down in the centre of the arena. Blade then rammed Aggrobot onto the flame pit, and left the immobile machine to the House Robots.

"And Blade here, is the surprise of this heat, and turning up the heat now on Aggrobot!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Kilallot lifted Aggrobot up, and Dead Metal attacked its tongue. Sir Killalot then put Aggrobot onto the arena flipper and it was thrown over. With this victory, Blade had qualified for the series semi-finals.

"...Blade cut a dash, sliced and slashed Spike, porked Agent Orange, booted Aggrobot and went through."

— Jonathan Pearce in the opening titles recap of Heat D of Series 3

Blade and Beast of Bodmin — Beast of Bodmin flips over Blade

In the semi-finals, Blade was faced with previous champions, Beast of Bodmin. From the start, Beast of Bodmin was the stronger robot, getting underneath Blade multiple times, but failing to flip it, until finally it succeeded in turning Blade onto its side, and then reversing into it to put it onto its back. Blade was then attacked by the House Robots, Dead Metal in particular throwing up a lot of sparks with its circular saw. Damage was caused especially to the lawnmower blade, leaving Josh Anslie unable to return it to the lawnmower that he 'borrowed' it from.

Results

BLADE - RESULTS
Series 3
The Third Wars - UK Championship Semi-Finals, Round 1
Heat C, Round 1	vs. Spike	Won
Heat C, Round 2	vs. Agent Orange	Won
Heat C, Final	vs. Aggrobot	Won
Semi-Final 2, Round 1	vs. Beast of Bodmin	Lost

Wins/Losses

Wins: 3
Losses: 1

Series Record

Series	Blade Series Record
The First Wars	Did not enter
The Second Wars	Did not enter
The Third Wars	Semi-Finals, Round 1
The Fourth Wars	Withdrew with Blade's Big Bruva
The Fifth Wars	Did not enter
The Sixth Wars	Did not enter
The Seventh Wars	Did not enter
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	Did not enter

Outside Robot Wars

Blade was originally painted red and before entering Robot Wars it competed in some local live events.

Blade

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