- "Last week a new type of war came out of nowhere, and rocked the very fabric of society. When the cruise missiles were gingerly lifted from their silos in Berkshire, we figured the world would be a safer place. But we were reckoning without Robot Wars! World Leaders are in a blind panic. Last week it was reported that Tony Blair stopped grinning for five minutes, Alexander Haig has flown to Buenos Aires, but that's probably a bit silly, because the fighting is confined to Britain."
- — Jeremy Clarkson's introduction
Heat B of Robot Wars: The First Wars (also referred to as Heat 2 or Show 2 in recaps) was the second of six heats which determined the Grand Finalists of Robot Wars: The First Wars. The episode featuring Heat B was originally broadcast on 27 February 1998 on BBC Two.
Competing robots[]
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Uglybot | ||
| Weight | 71.9kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.60m x 1.00m x 0.80m | |
| Speed | 7mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 80mm | |
| Power | 2 x Electric wheelchair motors | |
| Weapons | 7" cutting disc | |
| From: Gillingham | ||
| Team Members: Paul Shearwood & Colin Faulkner | ||
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Scrapper | ||
| Weight | 76.5kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.10m x 0.80m x 0.50m | |
| Speed | 10mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | Variable (Max 100mm) | |
| Power | Variable 12V/24V motors | |
| Weapons | 7" & 9" saw blades | |
| From: London | ||
| Team Members: Mike Smith, Mike Rickard, Ken Toogood, Alvin Orton & Charles Lavery | ||
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Recyclopse | ||
| Weight | 79.5kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.90m x 0.90m x 0.45m | |
| Speed | 4mph | |
| Turning Circle | 1.5m | |
| Ground Clearance | 0mm | |
| Power | 24V industrial motor | |
| Weapons | Pneumatic steel tongue-flipper | |
| From: Mickfield, near Stowmarket | ||
| Team Members: Rex Garrod & Simon West | ||
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Detonator | ||
| Weight | 52.5kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.25m x 0.90m x 0.45m | |
| Speed | 4mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 25mm | |
| Power | Petrol lawnmower engine | |
| Weapons | Steel spikes | |
| From: Dartford Girls Grammar School | ||
| Team Members: David Crosby, Vicky Allgood & Claire Greenaway | ||
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Mortis | ||
| Weight | 78.4kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.35m x 0.78m x 0.38m | |
| Speed | 9mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 50mm | |
| Power | 2 x 12V wheelchair motors | |
| Weapons | Japanese axe blade | |
| From: Cambridge University | ||
| Team Members: Rob Knight, Chris Sorsby & Arthur Chilcott | ||
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Leighbot | ||
| Weight | 69kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.60m x 0.35m x 0.70m | |
| Speed | 3mph | |
| Turning Circle | 0m | |
| Ground Clearance | 40mm | |
| Power | 2 x 24V wheelchair motors | |
| Weapons | Rear angle grinder & extendable lance | |
| From: Leigh City Technology College | ||
| Team Members: Robin Williams, Eileen Hobbs, Tony Schofield & Chris Maylon | ||
Gauntlet[]
Leighbot[]
Leighbot clears the smoke with the fan
Leighbot crept out of the turntable and aimed for the middle and the ramps. After coming at at a bad angle, Leighbot adjusted and started to drive up the ramp. Sergeant Bash flicked flames towards Leighbot, and drove under the ramp, holding it up. The House Robot reversed, allowing the ramp to fall, and Leighbot moved forwards, only to be held back by Sergeant Bash as it fired its flamethrower again. Leighbot turned around Sergeant Bash and up the second ramp, where the path was blocked by smoke. Leighbot pushed the fan forwards and turned it on, clearing the smoke as Leighbot drove through, taking a hit from the pendulum and barging past Matilda to complete the Gauntlet.
Scrapper[]
Scrapper is chased by the House Robots
Scrapper exited the turntable and turned on the spot trying to choose a route to go down. Scrapper tried twice to go up the ramp, but fell off both times. With Shunt blocking the left route, Scrapper reversed down the maze on the right route. After turning in too early for the first corner, Scrapper eventually bumped its way around the fences, but were cornered by Shunt and Sergeant Bash, where they finished halfway through the maze.
- "He's into the sheep's pen. This could be lambs to the slaughter, because Bash and Shunt are closing in! And it could be roast lamb at that! If the torch comes out - and it does! Lamb kebab!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Recyclopse[]
Recyclopse escapes the House Robots
Recyclopse whizzed out of the turntable, but into a block between routes. As Shunt moved in, Recyclopse dodged past the House Robot to take the left route, smashing through the skittles, where it was trapped by Shunt and Sergeant Bash. Recyclopse opened the tongue flipper and pushed past Sergeant Bash, driving away and slamming Matilda out the way to complete the course.
- Jeremy Clarkson: "Well you were confident before you started, now you must be feeling even better."
- Rex Garrod: "Not really, I wanted one of them to go over."
- Jeremy Clarkson: "You wanted one of our House Robots over?"
- Rex Garrod: "Well certainly that's the game, isn't it?"
- Jeremy Clarkson: "It's a game, but it's also impossible!"
- — The post-Gauntlet interview
Detonator[]
Detonator is trapped on the turntable
Detonator moved away from the centre of the turntable, but one of its spikes got caught on the side as it turned into the robot. The front castor wheel on Detonator was facing right, and jammed in place, stopping itself from moving away.
- "Poor old David looks about 74...75...76. He's a Star Trek fan. Beam him up, Scotty."
- — Jonathan Pearce, as David Crosby grows more agitated at Detonator's predicament
Shunt and Sergeant Bash moved in to help free Detonator. Shunt pushed Detonator back, where it was caught on the railings, but another hit freed Detonator, where the team started frantically driving it away. Detonator drove down the right course and into the wall, but were eventually credited with 7m.
Mortis[]
Mortis is pinned between the House Robots
Mortis shoved straight past Shunt into the left route, bashing down the skittles, but getting wedged in the railings. Mortis escaped and drove at Sergeant Bash, pushing it aside, but spinning Mortis around. Sergeant Bash held Mortis in place, blocking the way to the end zone as Shunt joined in the melee, axing Mortis and dragging it backwards. Matilda then moved in to pin Mortis is place, and Sergeant Bash flicked flames towards Mortis until time ended.
- "We're not going to let you go anywhere- we don't have to!"
- — Jonathan Pearce speaking on behalf of Sergeant Bash
- "With less dents in its bodywork than the Cambridge roboteers have in their confidence, Mortis makes its way back to the pits."
- — Craig Charles as Mortis re-enters the pits in The First Great War
Uglybot[]
Shunt lifts Uglybot
Uglybot drove out of the turntable, but due to its large shape, it got a corner stuck in the railings. Shunt drove in, lifting Uglybot up with its wedge and getting under it. Shunt kept shoving Uglybot into the back wall, stopping it moving away. Uglybot drove back towards the turntable, where it was pushed by Shunt as the run ended.
Results[]
| Rank | Robot | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Recyclopse | Completed | |
| Leighbot | Completed | |
| Mortis | 7.40m | |
| Scrapper | 7.40m | |
| Detonator | 7.00m | |
| Uglybot | 1.65m |
Trial (British Bulldog)[]
Prior to the Trial stage, the Detonator team discovered the steering problems they had in the Gauntlet. Unaired footage in The First Great War showed them trying to remedy this.
Detonator fails to move from the outset
Mortis makes the endzone first
Mortis moved into the middle of the arena, while Scrapper and Leighbot headed to the right. Recyclopse drove left and Detonator stayed still as the trial started. Mortis ducked between the spikes and Sergeant Bash and dashed to the end zone.
- "What a run through by Mortis!...that was stunning!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Scrapper finishes the British Bulldog backwards
Scrapper and Leighbot touched each other, but separated, as in the other corner, Recyclopse was being harassed by Matilda. Having already confirmed their place through, Mortis went back into the arena and started pushing Matilda around, as David Crosby stormed off having had enough of Detonator's immobility as Sergeant Bash came in to harrass it. Scrapper reversed its way through the spikes, around Matilda and across the arena into the end zone.
- "Now Scrapper, making its move - strangely backwards - but it's through backwards! Strange, but through nonetheless."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Leighbot is attacked by Shunt as it slowly navigates the finish line
Leighbot was being held back by Shunt and Dead Metal while Matilda kept Recyclopse back. Leighbot escaped Shunt's grasp and drove itself towards the end zone as well. Mortis then pushed Matilda back towards the non-moving Recyclopse, which had its flipper out. Recyclopse flipped Matilda over, much to the joy to all the roboteers watching in the pits.
Matilda is flipped
- "But look at Matilda there. Stopping the progress of... oh! Recyclopse, Matilda, and it's flipped! Well, you got underneath Matilda and flipped her over. She will not be pleased."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Recyclopse flips Matilda over
With Detonator not moving and Recyclopse having made it halfway across the arena, Matilda's vanquisher was allowed through as Detonator were eliminated.
- "You! You! You hurt one of my pets!"
- — Jeremy Clarkson to Rex Garrod
When interviewed by Clarkson following Cease being called, Claire confided that Detonator's batteries had failed before the round even started, which as Crosby later discovered had gone unnoticed over the loud noise from its petrol engine.
Results[]
| Rank | Robot |
|---|---|
| Mortis | |
| Scrapper | |
| Leighbot | |
| Recyclopse | |
| Detonator |
Arena[]
Semi-Finals[]
Recyclopse vs Scrapper[]
Scrapper makes a move towards Recyclopse before dodging away from it
Scrapper is flipped over
Recyclopse moved towards Scrapper as it made a wobbly move across the arena. Scrapper attempted to attack with its saws, but it turned away, missing the front of Recyclopse as Rex Garrod's machine backed into Dead Metal. Scrapper turned on the spot in front of Recyclopse, which drove forwards and flipped Scrapper over by ramming it. On its side and beached, Scrapper were eliminated.
- "You stick your tongue out at me and I'll wink at you! Very nice, indeed, as the two robots come together. Manoeuvring for position at the moment. Don't go broadside- Oh, no, no, no, you shouldn't have done that! Broadside and the tongue came out."
- — Jonathan Pearce's entire commentary in the fight.
Winner: Recyclopse
Mortis vs Leighbot[]
Leighbot rams into Mortis
Mortis bludgeons Leighbot
Leighbot evaded Mortis's original attack as the two robots turned away from each other. Leighbot managed to get the front facing Mortis and tried to fire their spike into the opponent, but the front end was lifted up and so it missed. Mortis, backed up against the wall, started firing the axe, slamming it into the top of Leighbot.
- "It's not very much of a weapon, is it, really? Oh, and that is! Look at that Japanese blade! Thrusting down! Leighbot - pepper-pot! You could pour pepper through that Leighbot machine now! Look at the holes!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Leighbot pushes Mortis into Matilda's CPZ
Mortis topples Leighbot
Mortis pushed Leighbot back, bending the armour and weapon of Leighbot. Mortis split away and drove across the arena, turning around to land more blows on Leighbot, but reversed into Matilda's CPZ. Mortis slammed into Leighbot, lifting it up with the wedge as they drove to the side-railings.
- "Could he flip it over? If he does, it's all over! And it is all over!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Mortis turns Leighbot over.
Mortis reversed having propped Leighbot behind, and tipped it over, securing their place in the Heat Final.
- Jeremy Clarkson: "You just made it all look so easy."
- Rob Knight: "Do you reckon? The axe should have gone through the armour, I'm quite surprised. It's tougher than it looks."
- — Post-battle interview
Winner: Mortis
Final[]
Mortis vs Recyclopse[]
Mortis, converted in weaponry, and speared on the spikes
" You may be thinking you already know which one's going to win. But here on Robot Wars, the lesson we've learnt is that nothing is certain." - Philippa Forrester
Before the battle, Mortis discovered damage to their mainshaft, which stopped the axe being a viable weapon. To combat this, the team adapted the axe head for use as a ramming blade.
- "We don't know how successful it's going to be. I guess it's just a case of suck it and see."
- — Arthur Chilcott
Mortis forces Recyclopse around the arena
Mortis drove forwards but turned broadside halfway across the arena. Recyclopse chased Mortis about for a bit, trying to get the flipper under Mortis. Mortis reversed across the arena, hitting Recyclopse with the rear spike.
Mortis crossed the arena towards Matilda's CPZ as Recyclopse chased. Matilda started pushing Recyclopse from the side and Mortis tried to escape through the empty CPZ, but got caught on the spike trap. Matilda used the opportunity to cut Mortis with the chainsaw and Recyclopse tried to flip Mortis as well, but the floor spikes prevented it from positioning the tongue flipper properly.
- "And that is poor driving, that is poor steering. And that will count against the boys from Cambridge."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Mortis rams Recyclopse into the side wall
Once free, Mortis drove at Recyclopse and got under the robot, lifting it up on top of Mortis, but Recyclopse's round base helped it drop back down. Recyclopse pushed back when freed, and tried another flip, but it veered off-target with its tongue, then Mortis had got under and pushed Recyclopse into the corner. Recyclopse was trapped on top of Mortis, which was beached on the rails. Shunt pushed Mortis further onto the rails, and axed it seconds before cease was called, with Recyclopse attempting to get away before that.
- "After weighing the evidence, the judges deliver their verdict."
- — Craig Charles as the judges deliberate on their first ever decision in The First Great War
After plenty of deliberation, following a battle which the judges initially wanted to declare as a draw, the judges eventually declared Recyclopse as the winner, a decision which proved popular with the roboteers in the pits.
- "We could not really see a way to decide and kept asking for it to be a draw. But, in those days draws were not allowed and so we were forced to make a decision with a very aggressive crowd screaming in our ears and pushing us into the barriers. We decided on Recyclopse but none of us felt good about it."
- — Noel Sharkey
Heat Winner: Recyclopse
- "They're not working - we're working. We pushed them out, we had all the attacks, and we think we should've won."
- — Chris Sorsby during the credits.
Trivia[]
- Recyclopse's appearance marked several firsts:
- The first use of a front-hinged flipper in the televised show.
- The first successful weapon-based attack on a House Robot, this being Recyclopse's flip on Matilda in British Bulldog.
- The Arena Semi-Final between Recyclopse and Scrapper set the original record for shortest UK Series battle at fifteen seconds. It is currently ranked equal 10th.
- The Heat Final between Mortis and Recyclopse is one of the most notable battles of Series 1, as it marked the first Judges' decision in the televised UK Series; Mortis lost the decision, to which its team strongly opposed.
- This Heat featured four teams who would reach the Semi-Finals of Series 2.
- While introducing the Judges ahead of the Arena Semi-Final stage, Jeremy Clarkson mentions Eric Dickinson's success in the 1996 US competition, namely WYSIWYG's victory over Steel At Work in the 'England vs France' Grudge Match. This preceded WYSIWYG's appearance in the very next Heat, along with the battle's official release as part of the American Robot Wars 1996 and American Robot Wars Final 1996 VHS tapes.
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