Robot Wars: The Second Wars/Heat E

Heat E
The Robot Wars Logo from the introduction titles
Series	The Second Wars
Winner(s)	Killertron
Trial	King of the Castle
First Broadcast	4 December 1998
Original channel	BBC Two
TV Ratings	5.47 million
Preceded by	Heat D
Succeeded by	Heat F

"When I was a kid at school, swapping bubblegum and bodily noises behind the bike sheds, things were simple: we thought a Tamagotchi was a disease you caught on a holiday. But times have changed, long gone are the days of pea-shooters and catapults. These days, no self-respecting school kid would leave home without a 3,000rpm industrial chainsaw welded onto the back of a robot, for these are the days of Robot Wars. And to prove it, six robotic bullies are gonna fight for a place in our series semi-finals."

— Craig Charles' introduction

Heat E of Robot Wars: The Second Wars was the fifth of twelve heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Second Wars. The episode featuring Heat E was originally broadcast on 4 December 1998 on BBC Two. The broadcast managed to attract 5.47 million viewers, a decrease of four hundred and seventy thousand viewers when compared with the previous episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked third in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts during 16-22 November, behind only Have I Got News For You and The Simpsons.

Competing Robots

Newcomers

	ORAC
	Weight	55.3kg
	Dimensions	1.65 x 0.8 x 0.6m
	Speed	10mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	70mm
	Power	2 x 12V batteries
	Weapons	9" circular cutting disc and front chisels
	Notes	Took 5 months to build and cost about £400
From: Bicester in Oxfordshire
Team Members: Peter Reynolds, Barry Davis & Jason Wright

	Pain
	Weight	80.9kg
	Dimensions	1.3 x 0.7 x 0.45m
	Speed	4mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	0mm
	Power	2 x 12V batteries
	Weapons	Kinetic stabber driven by oxygen piston
	Notes	Materials acquired from uncle's farm and scrapyards
From: Norwich
Team Members: Jon Witte & Pete Birch

	Schumey
	Weight	79.3kg
	Dimensions	0.95 x 0.77 x 0.3m
	Speed	30mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	50mm
	Power	2 x 12V batteries
	Weapons	Spikes
	Notes	Named after Michael Schumacher
From: Darwen in Lancashire
Team Members: Jon Pocock and John Turnbull

	Spin Doctor
	Weight	66.6kg
	Dimensions	1.55 x 1.2 x 0.4m
	Speed	17mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	20mm
	Power	1 x 12V battery
	Weapons	20" chainsaw, front snowplough, maces
	Notes	Polypropylene shell covered in zinc
From: Huddersfield
Team Members: Peter Duncanson, Phillip Duncanson & Martin Griffin

	Technophobic
	Weight	82.2kg
	Dimensions	1.4 x 0.75 x 0.55m
	Speed	10mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	6mm
	Power	Petrol driven lawnmower engine
	Weapons	9" steel cutting disc and blades
	Notes	Took 20 days to build and cost £800-£1000
From: Bournemouth
Team Members: Mark Green, Mike Halon & David Hayward

Veterans

	Killertron (seeded 4th)
	Weight	75.0kg
	Dimensions	1.45 x 0.7 x 0.6m
	Speed	15mph
	Turning Circle	0m
	Ground Clearance	100mm
	Power	2 x 12V batteries
	Weapons	Pick axe
	Notes	A veteran of Robot Wars - but no longer tickled pink!
From: Bromley in Kent
Team Members: Richard Broad, Abdul Degia & Ian Degia

Gauntlet

Left Route	Centre Route	Right Route
Sir Killalot and	Ramrig, see-saw and Shunt	Ramrig, medieval pendulum and Dead Metal

Killertron

Killertron's first blow onto Shunt

Killertron eased out of the start zone and headed down the middle route, straight past the ramrig and up the see-saw. Killertron got itself turned slightly sideways over the middle as the see-saw dropped and reversed off awkwardly. Using its large wheels, Killertron wiggled free as Shunt tried to hold Killertron in place.

"Pickaxe to pickaxe, and look at the damage created here by Killertron!"

— Jonathan Pearce

Killertron hit the House Robot with its axe multiple times, smashing the pickaxe into Shunt's top armour. Dead Metal came in to help its colleague and managed to get Killertron turned so Shunt could attack back. Shunt and Killertron exchanged blows while Dead Metal got its saw involved, cutting the side of Killertron. Shunt and Dead Metal kept Killertron pinned for the rest of its minute, all three hammering away with their overhead weapons.

Schumey

Schumey falls off the see-saw

Schumey started fast, whizzing past the ramrig, but just clipping the floor spikes and a spike block. This knocked Schumey slightly off course, and one wheel didn't climb the see-saw, meaning it fell off sideways and got stuck. Wedged in place, Schumey was a sitting duck as Sir Killalot came in from behind and held Schumey in place as Shunt hammered away with his axe. Sir Killalot eventually picked Schumey up with his lance and turned it over.

ORAC

ORAC slides past Shunt

ORAC eased its way through the ramrig in the middle and climbed the see-saw. Shunt and Dead Metal were lurking at the exit of the see-saw, but ORAC found a gap, slipped through and crossed into the end zone in a quick time.

Peter Reynolds: "We lost a bit of grip on the ramp, but we got past the House Robot at the end."

Craig Charles: "I thought you didn't have enough power, was it just the grip was it?"

Peter Reynolds: "It was the grip, it was spinning on the wheels."

— The ORAC team reveal some wheelspin hindered their initial climb up the see-saw.

Pain

Pain sat motionless at the start

As Pain lined up and the countdown began, the Pain team began signalling indicating that the robot wasn't working. Pain was brought back to the pits and allowed a second attempt.

Jon Witte: "We've had a complete nightmare. All our electronics died so we've bodged up something so we can at least drive around."

Pete Birch: "We've lost the kinetic stabber which was going to be our weapon and unfortunately we're without it."

Philippa Forrester: "Have you got any hope at all?"

Jon Witte: "No, not at all. We've resigned ourselves to the 'do better next year' suicide approach."

— The Pain team diagnose their issues.

Pain lined up again, and despite a chain moving underneath, the robot didn't move at all. Pain withdrew to the pits for another attempt at repairs. However, after allowing the other robots to complete their runs, Pain's problems were too much and it had to retire.

Technophobic

Shunt buries its axe into Technophobic's top armour

Technophobic entered the middle route and was stopped by the floor spikes. The spikes retracted and Technophobic flew up the see-saw, but landed straight in the pincers of Dead Metal. Dead Metal brought its saw down, but the blade wasn't spinning, so Shunt also arrived and started hitting Technophobic, causing a massive dent as it pulled a sheet of armour down. The house robots relented and reversed, allowing Technophobic to make a small movement towards the end zone, but time ran out.

Spin Doctor

Spin Doctor is pinned in the ramrig.

Spin Doctor tried to head out of the start zone it was too big for and go down the left route, but got stuck on the wall. Spin Doctor reversed and headed for the right route, but found it closed off as the ramrig contracted. While Spin Doctor waited for the ramrig to retract, Sir Killalot made his way in and pushed Spin Doctor into the side, lifting it up. Sir Killalot tried to shove Spin Doctor into the saws, but it managed to release and made a last second dash.

"It was really dodgy on the controls and we're just too wide, we just can't fit down there and we were very limited in what we could do."

— The Spin Doctor team realise the robot was too big for the Gauntlet.

Results

Rank	Robot	Distance
1	ORAC	Completed
2	Technophobic	11.3m
3	Killertron	10.3m
4	Schumey	7.3m
5	Spin Doctor	3.8m
6	Pain	Retired

Trial (King of the Castle)

Killertron

Killertron clings onto Dead Metal

Killertron stood its ground in the centre of the platform as Shunt made a janky entrance. Dead Metal slammed into Killertron, but the seeded robot held firm and hit back with its axe. Dead Metal tried to reverse push Killertron, but Killertron wiggled around to the side as they drove into Shunt. Shunt lifted Killertron and Dead Metal tried to move Killertron into an awkward spot near the edge. Shunt tried to push Killertron off, but Killertron had managed to get its axe wedge in on the top of Dead Metal, which prevented Shunt from pushing. Time ran out and Killertron had survived.

ORAC

Matilda drops ORAC off the edge.

ORAC started in the middle and began feinting its initial movements, meaning Matilda missed with its first attack. Shunt meanwhile had had issues climbing the ramp and promptly fell off on his own. Matilda finally got here tusks under ORAC and flipped, burying a tusk inside the wheel arch. ORAC's other wheel was still touching the ground, meaning it spun Matilda on the spot. ORAC was eventually shaken off its drive wheel, and Matilda wasted no time in shoving it towards the edge, where it dangled over until Matilda dragged it off in 28.95 seconds.

Schumey

Schumey is left upside-down on the floor

Shunt once again found itself struggling to climb the ramp, so Schumey only had to worry about Matilda. Schumey drove away from Matilda, but overshot and went close to Shunt. Schumey reversed into Matilda and bounced off at an awkward angle. Schumey tried to drive away, but forgot to turn and drove straight off the platform, tipping over as it bounced off the tyres in only 9.4 seconds.

Spin Doctor

Matilda's tusks are ripped off by Spin Doctor

As activate was called, Spin Doctor started spinning on the spot. The House Robots hesitated in response to the threat, so Shunt tried to clear some hazards from the platform, but just ended up falling off again. Matilda drove at Spin Doctor, but was deflected away from the spinning robot with a tusk damaged. Matilda had another attempt but broke the other tusk.

"OH, and look at Matilda... the tusks raised in anger, in frustration! In for ANOTHER BATTERING AND... MATILDA'S LOST A TUSK! SHE'S TOOTHLESS! History is made! The titanium tusk... is battered AND BROKEN AND OFF! A visit to the dentist needed!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Spin Doctor breaks one of Matilda's tusks off

After a third attempt, the tusk fell off, with Spin Doctor not having moved anywhere nearer the edge. Matilda tried to ram from behind, but Spin Doctor survived the trial.

Technophobic

Matilda and Technophobic having both fallen off the ring

Technophobic reversed at Matilda, halting the progress of the House Robot as it tried to climb the ramp. Technophobic drove forwards again, just edging around Shunt. Technophobic managed to get around to Matilda's side and tried to push it off. Shunt pushed Technophobic close to the edge, but the competitor drove off, changed direction and pushed Matilda again. However, Matilda lifted Technophobic with her repaired tusks and pushed it towards the edge, but got stuck. Shunt came in from the side and pushed Technophobic off, which also dragged the impaling Matilda off too.

Results

Rank	Robot	Distance
1	Killertron	Survived
2	Spin Doctor	Survived
3	Technophobic	35.95s
4	ORAC	28.95s
5	Schumey	9.40s

Arena

Semi-Finals

Killertron (4) vs ORAC

ORAC's drive chain comes loose

Killertron holds ORAC over the flame pit

Killertron moved forwards, bust stopped and spun on the spot. ORAC made its way towards Killertron, and held it back with the long spikes on its front. Killertron chased a reversing ORAC and missed an initial axe hit, as ORAC moved away. Killertron buffeted the side of ORAC and pressured it towards the floor spikes where ORAC stopped moving. With its drive chain having fallen off, ORAC was immobilised, allowing Sergeant Bash to flick some flame towards ORAC and letting Killertron line up with its axe. Killertron punched a deep hole in the top armour, and while it held it, Matilda shoved ORAC over the flame pit. ORAC burned until Killertron pulled it off the flame pit and started attacking with the axe again. Killertron punched two more holes in the top of ORAC before leaving it as Cease was called.

"Up in smoke, the hopes and dreams!"

— Jonathan Pearce as ORAC burns on the flames.

Winner: Killertron

Spin Doctor vs Technophobic

Technophobic and Spin Doctor clash

A fire begins inside Technophobic

The Series 2 team had added flails to the robot so that when it spun it would cause damage. Spin Doctor drove at Technophobic and turned as it got close, trying to spin up. Technophobic got its little wedge under Spin Doctor, but it had started spinning and forced Technophobic away. Spin Doctor spun up to speed, but slowed slightly as Technophobic charged in and slid under. Spin Doctor pushed Technophobic away and landed the flails on Technophobic twice as the silver robot tried to push back. Spin Doctor tried to push Technophobic again, but as it did, it ground to a halt, while at the same time Technophobic caught fire underneath the armour.

With both robots stopping at a similar time, the judges gave the victory to Technophobic on Aggression and Damage.

Winner: Technophobic

Final

Killertron (4) vs. Technophobic

Technophobic narrowly escapes from Dead Metal

Killertron pushes Technophobic into the pit

Technophobic drove at Killertron, but turned broadside as they got close. Killertron lined up the axe and fired it, but missed as Technophobic reversed away. Technophobic drove away from Killertron, but found themselves pinched near the PPZ. Killertron forced Technophobic into Dead Metal's claws, but the House Robot allowed Technophobic to escape as it hadn't fully entered the PPZ. Technophobic tried to push Killertron a couple of times, but Killertron proved to be the better pusher and edged Technophobic towards the pit. Technophobic were propped on the side, and Killertron took some time to shove Technophobic down the pit to end the battle.

"I hope it's not claustrophobic, or arachnophobic, there are spiders down there! It's dark, It's gloomy, and you're going down!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Technophobic is pitted.

Heat Winner: Killertron

"We break health and safety laws, we're on fire, we're Robot Wars!"

— Craig Charles' sign-off

Trivia

• Heat E featured the first sit-and-spin thwackbot, Spin Doctor, which demonstrated its weapon in its famous Trial run, in which it destroyed Matilda's tusk.
• Pain became the first robot to withdraw from competition because of electronics malfunctions.
• Heat E also featured the first time a robot was pushed into the Pit of Oblivion, with Killertron's defeat of Technophobic in the Heat Final.