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"It kills. It hurts. Get used to it."
— Slogan on the team's shirts for Series 4

Killerhurtz (written as Killer Hurtz in Series 2) was a competitor robot which competed in three series of Robot Wars. A major pioneer of the spiked axe weapon, Killerhurtz fought in the main competitions of Series 2-4, along with a number of side competitions including The First World Championship where it represented the Czech Republic (due to team member Dominic Parkinson being part-Czech).

Despite its powerful weapon, innovative design, international pedigree on US television show BattleBots, and sixteenth seeding in Series 4, Killerhurtz had a very low success rate in Robot Wars. It lost all of its one-on-one battles in the UK Championship, including a memorable self-pitting in The Third Wars which became a major point of humour for Jonathan Pearce and Julia Reed. It was far more successful in side events, coming a close third in the Pinball Warrior Tournament during Series 4 and reaching the final three of the Northern Annihilator. Team Hurtz also enjoyed far more success with the robot's successor, Terrorhurtz.

Design[]

"KillerHurtz is an unusual robot in nearly all design areas: all-plastic chassis, combined differential and pivot steering, computer controlled ESCs, and a pneumatic actuated overhead axe weapon with a chain drive."
Aaron Joerger comments on Killerhurtz's design[1]
Killerhurtz 2

Killerhurtz from Series 2, with Matilda's chainsaw chain "trophy"

Killerhurtz2

Killerhurtz without its shell

Killerhurtz featured an arrowhead-shaped body, upon which a titanium battering ram or plough could be affixed for damage output or control on a high speed charge. Both its armour and main chassis bulkheads were made from clear Lexan - a type of polycarbonate plastic used in riot shields and crash helmet visors - while the weapon in all incarnations was a powerful pneumatic axe.[2] Killerhurtz was also unusual for using car steering instead of tank steering. This setup meant that the back wheels were powered, whilst the front wheels were simply used for steering.

"...which means they've got more precise driving at their target, but once they're in them, the manoeuvrability is worse, so they can't get out of trouble so easily."
Julia Reed on Killerhurtz's car steering

The first iteration, debuting in Series 2, weighed 77kg and had 9mm Lexan armour. It was powered by eight 20 volt batteries and ran on two 900 Watt Bosch motors with 4QD speed controllers, giving a high top speed of 15mph. The axe - a bladed type with a woodsplitter-style head - weighed seven pounds and was powered two fire extinguishers via chain drive[3].

"The main features on this polycarbonate-protected speed machine; its top lick of 15mph, and its pneumatic 7 pound custom-made steel axe generating 800 kilos of force. Two 24 volt electric motors drive the rear wheels, this is highly thought of down in the Pits, Craig."
Jonathan Pearce introduces Killerhurtz in Series 2

The axe could generate 800kg of force upon impact. Killerhurtz was powerful - able to demolish the Skittles Trial and cause Dead Metal damage on impact, but had trouble with recoil and its drive, breaking down in both the Trial and in its arena Semi-Final with Roadblock.

Killerhurtz (series 3)

Killerhurtz in the arena during Series 3

Killerhurtz FWC

Killerhurtz as it appeared in the First World Championship

Killerhurtz

The team's artwork of Killerhurtz, circa-2000

For Series 3, Killerhurtz received a slight redesign, with the most notable difference being the modifications to the axe. The axe swung from a greater distance in order to help the robot self-right, while the bladed axe head was replaced with a set of interchangeable ones. Among these was a custom titanium spiked head which was used in all of Killerhurtz's appearances during this series. The gearbox was rebuilt - the original was 36+18:40, giving a ratio of 5.3, which was replaced with a simpler and stronger system, with just one pair of gears at 10:50.[4]

The axe's power was more than sufficient to pierce the armour of Cerberus and Chaos 2. It gained six kilograms in weight, which actually placed Killerhurtz around four kilograms over the original heavyweight limit. The original 10mm ground clearance was reduced to just 4mm. During the First World Championship, Killerhurtz also had the phrase "Maś Čhlupatÿ Pupîćek" written in red along the side - translating to ""you have a hairy tummy button" in Czech. The Series 3 incarnation took 5 months and £2,000 to build.[5]

"Look at this object of beauty and destruction. A bird's head, but it's evil."
Philippa Forrester on Killerhurtz's axe in Series 3
Killerhurtz s4 arena

Killerhurtz in the arena during Series 4

Killerhurtz s4 pinball

Killerhurtz in the Fourth Wars Pinball

Killerhurtz's original moped wheels were replaced with go-kart wheels for Series 4 to improve traction, while the spiked axe received more modifications including a head made out of hardened steel for improved strength. The robot's overall weight was reduced to 80kg by this time. The axe alone weighed 4kg, and was powered by a 100mm, 150psi pneumatic ram which generated over 800kg of force. The ram was fed from a CO2 fire extinguisher holding either nitrogen at 1,000psi or liquefied CO2. The robot had two 1,000-watt, 24-volt Bosch motors, each driving a rear wheel through a custom-built gearbox. The chassis and armour were both made out of polycarbonate, and the robot was powered by two Hawker Genesis 13Ah sealed lead-acid batteries, each giving 24 volts.[2]

The Team[]

Main article: Team Hurtz
Team Kilerhurtz s4 t shirts

Team Hurtz in Series 4

Killerhurtz was entered into Robot Wars by the Oxford-based Team Hurtz. Its captain John Reid designed and built Killerhurtz, also driving the robot in all of its battles. Teammate Dominic Parkinson was the weapon operator for Killerhurtz, and his family history in the Czech Republic also allowed Killerhurtz to enter the First World Championship as a Czech representative. Rebecca Reaston-Brown was also present in all of Killerhurtz's appearances.

Qualification[]

Killerhurtz series 2 pits

Killerhurtz without armour in the pits during the Series 2 auditions

Despite only being finished less than a day before its Series 2 audition on 19 July 1998, Killerhurtz performed well enough to qualify for Series 2.

"Only turned a wheel for the first time at 3am. Four hours sleep then off to the rehearsal. Hadn't really driven it until I got there. Worked perfectly out of the box. Left lots of nice black lines on the concrete from the wheelspin! And we're 4kg under-weight with everything onboard, including all armour."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[6]

Killerhurtz attended the Series 3 auditions on 31 May 1999, and again performed well enough to qualify.

"Went very well - KHz performed faultlesly [sic], which is more than can be said for my driving!"
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[7]

Having been seeded for Series 4, Killerhurtz automatically qualified and did not need to go through the qualifiers.

Robot History[]

Series 2[]

"Powerful and quick..."
— Jonathan Pearce describes Killerhurtz at the start of its Gauntlet run
Killerhurtzgauntlet

Killerhurtz in the Gauntlet

Killerhurtz made its Robot Wars début in the Second Wars. Killerhurtz used its formidable speed to its advantage, shooting past the Sentinel in the Gauntlet stage of the heat. It rammed into Dead Metal, dislodging a rear panel as Dead Metal grabbed it, and partially crossed into the end zone before being forced back.

"Did they cross the line! Come on judges, I'm sure they were through! Dead Metal pushed them back, and Dead Metal hurt - they're in the pit, look at the damage they caused! But did they do enough? This is controversial!"
— Jonathan Pearce

Caught between Dead Metal and the Sentinel, Killerhurtz was eventually forced into the Pit. Craig Charles and Jonathan Pearce thought that Killerhurtz may have reached the end zone, but ultimately the judges decided it had not sufficiently crossed the end.

Craig Charles: "It's a very fast robot, isn't it?"
John Reid: "Yeah, I was hoping to demonstrate its speed, it is quite fast."
— After the Gauntlet run

10.6 metres was enough to surpass R.O.C.S. and secure Killerhurtz's second round place.

"Got blocked by the digger on our first run. Got past the second time and hit Dead Metal head on at full speed. Almost got under it, but the axe counterweight was sticking out the front and got in the way. Nosed into the end zone, briefly, but one of our rear wheels collapsed where I had forgotton {sic} to put in a row of bolts! As a result we were pushed back into range of the digger and were swept into the second pit. Couldn't really see what was going on from the control box. Finished fourth."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[8]

This put Killerhurtz through to the Trial stage, which for this heat was Skittles.

"Killerhurtz, the Formula One of our robots, oh look at that power and pace!"
— Jonathan Pearce during Killerhurtz's Skittles run
Killerhurtz skittles

Killerhurtz during its Skittles run

There, Killerhurtz used its speed to smash into the barrels, with the House Robots barely having a chance to reach it. Killerhurtz ploughed through the Skittles, turning around the triangle and knocking over 64 barrels.

"I think they're going to get them all down!"
— Jonathan Pearce

However, the robot's speed controller suddenly malfunctioned and it became stuck in reverse. Leaving the triangle zone, Killerhurtz crashed into the side wall where the House Robots Sir Killalot, Sergeant Bash and Dead Metal closed in, pinning it against the wall. Despite the late setback, Killerhurtz had knocked down almost every barrel and progressed to the arena in first place.

"Got the axe finished and had time for one quick test before going on. Unfortunately I stupidly had the axe trigger foot switch in my pocket when I bent down to switch KHz on and it fired! Fortunately the safety pin held, but the ram pushed the lever out of its bearings, so Rebecca didn't get to play with it. Got the top score of 61 (out of 100) barrels in about 10 seconds, then got stuck in reverse and was promptly assaulted by three house robots. Fortunately KillaLot just missed our axe shaft with his pincers. No significant damage."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[9]

In the Heat Semi-Final, Killerhurtz was placed up against the reigning champion Roadblock.

Road Block pushes Killerhurtz

Roadblock gets underneath Killerhurtz

DeadMetalpitsKillerhurtz

Dead Metal pits Killerhurtz

Despite an aggressive first charge, Killerhurtz was scooped up by Roadblock and carried to the PPZ where it seemed to break down. The axe fired, but Killerhurtz could not escape. Roadblock reversed into it, cutting into Killerhurtz with the saw and pushing it to Shunt, who axed it, and Roadblock pushed Killerhurtz into the wall. With Killerhurtz immobile, the House Robots surrounded it, and Dead Metal grabbed it and pulled it to the pit before dropping it in.

Craig Charles: "What went wrong?"
John Reid: "I think I hit him too hard, I broke something."
Craig Charles: "I had you down as one of the favourites, but you got bashed!"
John Reid: "It's broken, it's my own fault - I shouldn't have taken on Roadblock!"
— After the battle

Killerhurtz was eliminated from Series 2.

"The impact, however, sheared a pin in both the gearboxes - too small (1/8"), too hard, too close to the shaft and not enough of them! We were immobilised, so Dominic vented our frustration on the barriers with the axe. Should look good on TV, as it was only about a foot from one of the cameras. RoadBlock then backed into us with their circular saw, cut through the back panel and cut a neat little slot in the casing of one of the motors. Still works fine, but a close shave!"
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[10]

Killerhurtz later fought Griffon, Corporal Punishment and Bodyhammer in the Internet Insurrection, a Grudge Match held at the end of Series 2 to determine which team had the best website.

"Should be good, looking forward to it, should be fun."
— John Reid before the battle
Killerhurtzoverturned

Killerhurtz is overturned by Shunt

In the battle, most of the aggressive actions from the competitors were being brought out on the house robots, as Griffon quickly flipped over Sergeant Bash. However, Killerhurtz had broken down at the start of the battle, so became stuck on the side wall. The axe was still working, and it managed to break Matilda's chainsaw chain, but it was still immobile, and Shunt used its scoop to pick it up and drag it back to the top of the arena, before using the scoop to push it forward and flip it over.

"...The House Robots have seen the Killerhurtz team celebrating the demise of Bash and they want revenge!"
— Jonathan Pearce

The first competitor robot to fall, Shunt pushed Killerhurtz onto the flame pit.

"Unfortunately we got stuck in reverse again before the start so weren't much use, though Dominic managed to get Matilda's chainsaw chain with the Axe. Got pushed over the flaming pit, which had me panicking a bit. Fortunately the heat melted an air hose and the blast of Nitrogen at 150psi blew the flames out, so didn't get too toasted."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[11]

Killerhurtz was also nominated for the 'Best Engineered' award in Series 2, but lost out to The Mule.

Series 3[]

In the Third Wars, Killerhurtz fought newcomer, Cerberus in its first round battle.

"Heat 14 saw the early demise of the kamikaze Killerhurtz. A veteran of Robot Wars claimed they didn't see the pit. A likely story."
— Jonathan Pearce during the Grand Final recap
Killerhurtz vs cerberus

Killerhurtz spikes Cerberus

Killerhurtz started by moving towards its opponent, before waiting and allowing Cerberus to charge at them. As it did, Killerhurtz fired the axe, but it merely glanced off the head and Cerberus continued pushing. As Cerberus pushed Killerhurtz up the arena, Killerhurtz fired the axe again, but the axe failed to puncture. Killerhurtz backed off for another charge, and Cerberus turned away. Killerhurtz charged at Cerberus and fired the axe. This time, the axe punctured the top of Cerberus.

"In the pits afterwards we saw how close we had come to defeating them. The spike had gone right into their ally radio box, and knocked it off its mountings, but in a section that was empty. They were lucky!"
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[12]
Killerhurtz suicide

Killerhurtz's fatal error

The two drove around each other, trying to get in a good position, but then Killerhurtz drove away from Cerberus, turned, and drove straight into the open pit.

John Reid: "I cannot believe I did that."
Philippa Forrester: "Well, we thought it was quite funny."
John Reid: "Yeah, I bet you did. I didn't!"
Philippa Forrester: "But the other thing that's really funny, in hindsight, is that you won Best Driver award in competition in America, didn't you?"
— The post match interview

The reason for doing this was later given as being that the plan was to turn and attack Cerberus again, the team had forgotten that the pit was there, having come back from BattleBots, which did not use a pit in the arena.

"One of our front tyres had been ripped off (I had made them too narrow) and I was having real problems steering. I went on a circuit of the arena to get back to face them head-on, and drove across what I thought was a black panel on the floor, when KHz suddenly disappeared! I immediately realised with horror that of course it wasn't a black floor panel, but the dreaded pit! So that was us knocked out of Series 3."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[13]

As well as the main tournament in Series 3, Killerhurtz also entered the Pinball side competition.

"Par for the course would be to take on the barrels. Par for the course would be ... to take on anything. To move!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Killerhurtz is slow off the mark in Pinball
KillerhurtzPinball

Killerhurtz in the Series 3 Pinball competition

Shuntalmostreversesintothepit

Shunt almost falls backwards into the pit after attacking Killerhurtz

Killerhurtz had a very slow start, only moving away from the starting area after ten seconds, when Sir Killalot was closing in. It ploughed through the barrels, then bumped into Sgt. Bash, bouncing off him and slammed into the multi-ball release. It rammed the arena wall, then backed away, nudged the bricks and jerkily moved to the car doors, opening it, but then getting briefly caught in the frame.

"Spinning away, Killerhurtz here, madly, as if control is a bit of a problem."
— Jonathan Pearce after Killerhurtz reversed away from the wall

After moving towards Shunt's target, it ran into him, and was then pushed against a side wall. Shunt whacked it with his axe twice, then let it free. Killerhurtz was almost caught by Dead Metal as it reversed, then ran into Shunt again, who pushed it away. Cease was called shortly after, Killerhurtz had only scored sixty points, and finished joint eighth with Mortis out of ten overall on the leaderboard.

"...and that's a very disappointing run, for Killerhurtz."
— Jonathan Pearce at the end of Killerhurtz's run

The First World Championship[]

Killerhurtz also entered the First World Championship, representing the Czech Republic, as team member Dominic Parkinson was half-Czech. It was drawn against recently crowned UK champion Chaos 2 in the first round.

"Killerhurtz, with Dominic Parkinson on the right and his rather tenuous links with the Czech Republic. In the interests of international relations though, he's flying that flag, with his hairy tummy button."
— Jonathan Pearce
Killerhurtz Chaos 2

Killerhurtz gets off to a slow start

Killerhurtz did not move at the start of the battle and Chaos 2 attempted to take advantage as it got its flipper under its side, but Killerhurtz suddenly sped away before Chaos 2 could flip. Killerhurtz turned back and charged at Chaos 2, but its axe blow narrowly missed.

"Ooh, that hammer looks very, very punishing."
— Jonathan Pearce
Killerhurtz Chaos 2 2

Killerhurtz misses with a swing of its axe

The two robots then reversed side by side, before Killerhurtz spun around on the spot. Killerhurtz drove at Chaos 2's side and fired its, but missed again. Chaos 2 got under Killerhurtz for a moment, but Killerhurtz reversed, before both robots spun around each other for a short time. Chaos 2 then drove into the rear of Killerhurtz, before both robots met side by side again, with Killerhurtz missing another axe blow as it reversed away. As Killerhurtz moved away from near Sgt. Bash's CPZ, Chaos 2 found itself caught on a set of arena spikes. Chaos 2 reversed away, with Killerhurtz missing another axe blow. Chaos 2 then drifted near Shunt's CPZ, before reversing again, and slamming into the arena wall.

"And now, Chaos 2 is between Shunt and Killerhurtz, and again, has to get out of the way of those two mighty axes."
— Jonathan Pearce
Killerhurtz vs Chaos 2

Killerhurtz (adorned by Czech flags) axes through the flipper of Chaos 2

Chaos 2 vs Killerhurtz

A combined attack from both Shunt and Killerhurtz results in Chaos 2's gas canister being punctured

Killerhurtz axed into Chaos 2's flipper, holding them there to allow Shunt to carry out further damage. Noticeably, one of Shunt's attacks appeared to pierce Chaos 2's gas bottle, evident from a sudden burst of gas flying from the back of the robot.

"The match was immediately halted, and we thought we might have won it, but they then realised that it had only temporarily released some gas, so we carried on."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[14]

However, this did not seem to take any power from the flipper, as demonstrated when Killerhurtz drove away and around in order to prepare another attack, Chaos 2 was finally able to escape the CPZ, get underneath the Czech representative, and throw it over against Shunt and the arena wall.

Killerhurtz Chaos 2 1

Killerhurtz flails around on its back

"Killerhurtz is flipped up on its side! This is amazing stuff! Great stuff!"
— Jonathan Pearce as the battle takes another turn

Normally Killerhurtz had self-righting capabilities, but the chain had slackened on its axe when withdrawing it from Chaos 2, causing it to be stuck in the "fired" position. As a result, Killerhurtz was left unable to self-right and cease was called, sending Chaos 2 through to Round 2.

"The spike was rather well embedded in Chaos and in the struggle to release it, the axe chain tensioner gave up and the chain slipped, rendering the axe useless. Chaos then managed to flip us and we couldn't self-right without the axe."
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[15]

Killerhurtz was also due to partake in the Tag Team Terror competition following The Third Wars, paired with Mortis according to Arthur Chilcott.[16] A lack of clarity surrounding how many robots made up a team for the event initially led Chilcott to believe Killerhurtz and Mortis would form a three-way team which also involved Razer, however he later admitted this was a misunderstanding. Nevertheless, the tournament was ultimately cancelled due to a behind-the-scenes accident in The Pits.

Series 4[]

Despite its disappointing performances in the UK series, Killerhurtz was seeded sixteenth for the Fourth Wars. In its first round battle, it faced Eric and newcomer Destruct-A-Bubble.

Eric vs killerhurtz vs destruct a bubble

Eric lifts Killerhurtz up

Eric axed by Killerhurtz

Killerhurtz gets an axe blow on Eric

Twice Eric's speed and three times Destruct-A-Bubble, Killerhurtz was able to outpace both opponents. At the start of the battle, Killerhurtz rammed into Eric's side before ramming into Destruct-A-Bubble. Dodging the spike of Destruct-A-Bubble, Killerhurtz reversed into Eric, before driving away for another charge. As Eric attempted to lift Destruct-A-Bubble, Killerhurtz charged into Eric again and after reversing for another charge, drove over its top. Killerhurtz charged into Destruct-A-Bubble, but did not use the axe, and Eric lifted Killerhurtz up but not over. Killerhurtz drove around Destruct-A-Bubble before driving down the arena for another charge. As Eric tried to get under Destruct-A-Bubble, Killerhurtz slammed into the rear of Destruct-A-Bubble, pushing the two robots towards Shunt's CPZ. Killerhurtz reversed for another charge, slamming into Destruct-A-Bubble and chasing after it as it tried to get away, pushing it into the arena wall. However, whilst Killerhurtz was pinning Destruct-A-Bubble against the arena wall, Eric took advantage and lifted the vulnerable Killerhurtz again, nearly toppling it.

"Here comes Eric with a little shunt! Ooh, Killerhurtz - well it rocked and it rolled and it came back down."
— Jonathan Pearce
Destruct a bubble axed

Killerhurtz axes the top of Destruct-A-Bubble

Killerhurtz vs destruct-a-bubble vs eric

Killerhurtz gets lifted by Eric as the battle comes to an end

Killerhurtz forced Destruct-A-Bubble against a spike on the arena wall again before piercing Eric with its axe. The axe was stuck in Eric, and Killerhurtz used this to pull and push Eric, as Destruct-A-Bubble tried using its spike on each of them in turn, doing no damage. Eventually, Shunt came out to help separate Killerhurtz and Eric, and after being pushed, Killerhurtz retracted its axe. Killerhurtz continued to cause damage with its axe, this time penetrating Destruct-A-Bubble's carbon fibre shell.

"And the bubble is punctured by Killerhurtz!"
— Jonathan Pearce

It started pushing Destruct-A-Bubble back, but Eric got under its side and lifted it, so Killerhurtz withdrew its axe. Destruct-A-Bubble forced Killerhurtz against the arena wall while Eric lifted Killerhurtz again. Killerhurtz got another axe blow in on Destruct-A-Bubble before time ran out. The judges unanimously voted Destruct-A-Bubble out, putting Eric and Killerhurtz through.

"Killerhurtz certainly was aggressive, and Eric too, and quite often they combined in a pincer attack, you could call that a double against the Bubble."
— Jonathan Pearce whilst reviewing the highlights.

This put it through to the second round of the Heat, where they went up against Team Ivanhoe's new machine Splinter.

Killerhurtz Splinter

Splinter pushes Killerhurtz around

Splinter vs killerhurtz vs shunt

Killerhurtz trapped between Splinter and Shunt

ShuntaxesKhzS4

Shunt axes Killerhurtz which results in its loss to Splinter

Splinter immediately turned away as Killerhurtz charged at it, driving up the arena and turning to face Killerhurtz as it closed in. Splinter caught Killerhurtz side and on grabbed it with the arms, moving it around the arena for a short period. Killerhurtz escaped, but Splinter was in hot pursuit and once again was able to grab hold of Killerhurtz.

"...Killerhurtz just the quicker of the two, but can't get any momentum to come in on a drive to get the axe working. And at the moment, it's Splinter doing all the work, here."
— Jonathan Pearce

Splinter drove Killerhurtz around the arena, before Killerhurtz wriggled free and then slammed into the front of Splinter, damaging the front slightly. Killerhurtz then drove straight into Shunt and was axed. It escaped, but was now stuck in forward drive, which saw it drive across the arena and into the arena wall.

"Killerhurtz slammed against the arena wall! Are they dead? Are they immobilised?"
— Jonathan Pearce
Killerhurtz seized by Killalot

Sir Killalot grabs hold of Killerhurtz

Sergeant Bash Killerhurtz

Killerhurtz attacks Sgt Bash's flamethrower

Killerhurtz began to vent smoke from its tyres wearing down, so Sir Killalot came in and picked up Killerhurtz. When Killerhurtz came loose from the grip of the House Robot, it could only drive into the arena wall inside of the CPZ. Sir Killalot picked Killerhurtz up again - this time by the axe - and spun it around in circles. After it landed, Killerhurtz drove at Sgt. Bash, and proceeded to attack its flamethrower, before charging into the bottom arena wall, bouncing away and into Refbot. However, it had technically been immobile too long, so Splinter was given the win.

Craig Charles: "Guys, what went wrong?"
John Reid: "More speed controller problems! One of these days I'll learn how to build them."
Craig Charles: "Ah, well. Elimination: It kills, it hurts. Get used to it!"
— Post-battle interview

Killerhurtz participated in the Pinball Warrior Tournament for this series as well, where it did much better than in Series 3. It was the last robot to run the course.

KillerhurtzPinballS4

Killerhurtz during its Pinball Warrior run

Killerhurtz first drove at Sgt. Bash's target, but he blocked it, so Killerhurtz quickly turned away, knocking over both sets of barrels, before driving at Matilda's target. It managed to get past Matilda and hit the target, but was caught by Sir Killalot, and became trapped between Matilda and Sir Killalot. Killerhurtz managed to escape and hit Dead Metal's target. Dead Metal grabbed it and turned it away, before letting it go, and Killerhurtz quickly hit the multiball release and drove at Sgt. Bash. He blocked it, but then reversed, however Killerhurtz seemed to stop. As Sir Killalot closed in, Killerhurtz hit the target. Sir Killalot blocked its escape at first, but Killerhurtz escaped and drove to the other side of the arena, charging at Matilda. Matilda pushed it, flipped it away, and Sir Killalot came in, holding it in the claw as time ran out.

"It's been a marvellous, brave, battling run here by Killerhurtz"
— Jonathan Pearce towards the end of Killerhurtz's run

Killerhurtz had scored an impressive two hundred and thirty-five points, which placed it third out of sixteen overall on the leaderboard.

"I think they are are going to go close, very close. ... How close? Not close enough! Twenty points off the leaders!"
— Jonathan Pearce reviewing the run, then seeing Killerhurtz's score

Killerhurtz also participated in the Northern Annihilator which took place during the Christmas season of the Fourth Wars. Killerhurtz went up against Stinger, Dominator 2, Spikasaurus, the reigning champion Chaos 2 (who beat Killerhurtz in The First World Championship) and Suicidal Tendencies.

Dominic Parkinson: "We're just about to go into a big fight with five robots, I come from a family of five, so I think I'm used to fighting for every bit of food on the table, I think we'll survive."
John Reid: "Looking forward to using our new improved axe, poke a few holes in people, should be fun!"
— Before Round 1
Dominator axes chaos2 killerhurtz axes spikasaurus

Killerhurtz axes Spikasaurus while Dominator 2 axes Chaos 2

Chaos2flipsKHZandSpikasaurus

Chaos 2 flips Killerhurtz and Spikasaurus

Chaos2flipsStinger

Chaos 2 tries to flip Stinger while Killerhurtz keeps hold of Spikasaurus

NorthernAnnihilatorRound1

Killerhurtz keeps hold of Spikasaurus

Killerhurtz started by attacking the robot closest to it, Spikasaurus, driving at it and firing the axe, but Spikasaurus dodged. Meanwhile, Chaos 2 charged at Killerhurtz, but missed and crashed into the wall. All six robots met near the top CPZ, with Spikasaurus driving out of danger. Chaos 2 reversed, intending to attack Killerhurtz, but reversed into Dominator 2, and Killerhurtz escaped. Killerhurtz caught up with Spikasaurus on the other side of the arena and axed it, then pushed it up the arena as it tried to get away. Spikasaurus turned to face Killerhurtz, Killerhurtz fired the axe, but Spikasaurus drove away so Killerhurtz missed. Dominator 2 and Chaos 2 closed in, and Killerhurtz quickly fled down the arena. It chased after Spikasaurus, catching up with it as it fought Suicidal Tendencies and axed its front again. This time, Killerhurtz held the axe in Spikasaurus, and prevented it from escaping until Chaos 2 came in and flipped the two. Killerhurtz quickly withdrew the axe and reversed away. Spikasaurus went after it, and Killerhurtz gave it another axe blow. Again, it kept the axe in Spikasaurus and pushed it. Chaos 2 flipped Spikasaurus, but this time Killerhurtz did not pull the axe back.

"Spikasaurus in major trouble. It seems to me that Killerhurtz is holding on."
— Jonathan Pearce
Killerhurtz vs spikasaurus

Killerhurtz is toppled by Spikasaurus spinning

Spikasaurus tried to get away, but Killerhurtz still kept the axe in, which meant Spikasaurus was pulling Killerhurtz around. Spikasaurus pulled Killerhurtz around in circles, but Killerhurtz would not let go, until it was pulled into Dominator 2. Killerhurtz was pulled up and over the wedge of Dominator 2, causing it to be flipped over. Dominator 2 got in position to attack, but before it could use the axe, Spikasaurus reversed into it and Killerhurtz, knocking the two back and causing Dominator 2 to miss its axe strike. Killerhurtz attempted to self-right, but Dominator 2's axe, despite missing the body, hit the axe, so Killerhurtz's attempt to right itself failed. Spikasaurus rammed into it, pushing it against Dominator 2 and Suicidal Tendencies. Dominator 2 moved away, Suicidal Tendencies briefly reversed against Killerhurtz. but drove away as Spikasaurus charged at Killerhurtz. As Spikasaurus rammed Killerhurtz, Killerhurtz finally righted itself.

"Axe to axe, metal to metal, bash and crash! Smash! What is happening out there? The hopes and dreams about to be scuppered of one in the annihilator!"
— Jonathan Pearce comments on the frantic action
Chaos 2 vs killerhurtz annihilator

Chaos 2 flips Killerhurtz

Killerhurtz was attacking Spikasaurus, and Dominator 2 went in and tried to axe Killerhurtz, but missed. Chaos 2 got under Killerhurtz and flipped it up. Killerhurtz did not go over, but landed on Chaos 2's flipper.

"Chaos 2 in underneath Killerhurtz again. They think Killerhurtz is the vulnerable machine."
— Jonathan Pearce on Chaos 2

Chaos 2 flipped it again, but Killerhurtz went over its top, landing on its wheels. Killerhurtz sped away as Dominator 2 came in. Chaos 2 drove into the wall trying to avoid Dominator 2's axe, and Dominator 2 axed it and pushed it into an empty CPZ. Chaos 2 reversed out, straight into Killerhurtz, which had driven back. Killerhurtz missed its axe blow, and Chaos 2 pushed it back in reverse. Dominator 2 axed Chaos 2, and Chaos 2 attacked Dominator 2 instead of Killerhurtz, flipping it back to the arena wall. Killerhurtz appeared to stop briefly, but soon started moving, attacking Chaos 2 as Dominator 2 moved away, pinning it against the wall. Chaos 2 avoided Killerhurtz's axe blow, and turned around, getting the flipper under Killerhurtz and flipping it over. Chaos 2 retreated as Suicidal Tendencies closed in, but Suicidal Tendencies did not attack Killerhurtz, turning away, allowing Killerhurtz to self-right. However, its first atttempt failed, leaving it on its back.

"...so far, for me, Killerhurtz has been the most punished robot. It's in the CPZ, it's stuck in there."
— Jonathan Pearce
Chaos2KhzCorner

Chaos 2 pressures Killerhurtz in the CPZ as it struggles to self-right

Chaos 2 vs killerhurtz close oota

Killerhurtz is almost thrown out of the arena

It tried to self-right again, but merely bounced off the wall, still on its back. Chaos 2 had come in, flicking it against the wall, then ramming it against the wall as it tried to right itself again. Chaos 2 cornered Killerhurtz as it tried to self-right again, getting its flipper under it, but the flipper appeared to have lost power, as it only slightly lifted. Killerhurtz righted itself, but was stuck up on the wall. Chaos 2 flipped it lightly, which freed it from the wall.

"Was it immobilised for thirty seconds or more, if it goes to the judges?"
— Jonathan Pearce
Chaos2getsaxed

Killerhurtz and Dominator 2 axe Chaos 2

Spikasaurus impales suicidal tendencies

Killerhurtz remains intact with Chaos 2 while Dominator 2 attacks Spikasaurus

Dominator 2 vs chaos2 vs killerhurtz

Dominator 2 removes the back panel of Chaos 2 as Killerhurtz punctures a hole through the flipper

However, its axe was hanging over the side, trapping it until it swung the axe. Killerhurtz stopped for a moment, but soon moved away, driving to the top of the arena, away from the others, before turning around and charging at Stinger. Stinger bounced away, and Killerhurtz drove at the front of Chaos 2, pushing it back to the arena wall, with the help of Dominator 2. Killerhurtz pinned Chaos 2 against the wall and axed it a couple of times, puncturing the flipper, but was axed by Dominator. Killerhurtz kept its axe in Chaos 2's flipper, and Dominator 2 axed Chaos 2 as well. Stinger hit Chaos 2 as all six robots came into the bottom corner. However, Killerhurtz and Chaos 2 both seemed to not be moving, and Sgt. Bash and Shunt came in, with Shunt axing Killerhurtz. Killerhurtz started moving again, pushing Chaos 2 into Dominator 2 as it axed Spikasaurus in the CPZ.

"Killerhurtz, I thought they were out, but they're back and really in the thick of it."
— Jonathan Pearce
Shunt vs killerhurtz dominator vs suicidal tendencies

Dominator 2 axes Suicidal Tendencies while Shunt attacks Killerhurtz

Dominator 2 vs stinger

Killerhurtz (right) stuck in the arena wall

Sgt. Bash tried to pinch Killerhurtz, and Dominator 2 missed an axe blow on it. Chaos 2 managed to weakly open the flipper, which loosened the axe's grip, whilst Dominator 2 axed its rear panel, ripping it off. Shunt came in behind Killerhurtz and axed it. Chaos 2 limply fired the flipper again, and Shunt and Sgt. Bash pushed Killerhurtz from behind, separating the two. Chaos 2 was on top of Killerhurtz, which drove into the wall. Shunt axed and lifted Killerhurtz, but it became clear that Chaos 2 was immobile, so Shunt began attacking it. Killerhurtz escaped up the arena, and whilst Chaos 2 was being pushed by Shunt, drove into the arena wall, with its axe hanging over the wall. Killerhurtz was not moving, but it did not matter as Chaos 2 was immobile longer, meaning Killerhurtz had avenged its loss from The First World Championship.

"...we are vulnerable to axes and we got hit by just about every axe in the house!"
— George Francis after the first round

The damage that caused Killerhurtz to become immobile in the first round was repaired, and Killerhurtz entered the second round.

Stinger vs dominator killerhurtz suicidal tendencies

Dominator 2 attacks Stinger while Killerhurtz takes on Suicidal Tendencies

SpikasaurusRamsStinger

Spikasaurus pushes Stinger into Killerhurtz

Killerhurtz immediately rammed into Stinger. It moved Stinger towards the wall, and Stinger was knocked into a CPZ as it tried to get away. Killerhurtz drove up the arena, but soon came back, ramming into Suicidal Tendencies. It pushed against Killerhurtz, before reversing away to the top of the arena. Spikasaurus charged at it, but Killerhurtz turned as it closed in, so Spikasaurus bounced off the front. Killerhurtz pushed against Stinger, before being rammed from behind by Spikasaurus.

NorthernAnnihilatorRound2

Killerhurtz gets an axe blow from Dominator 2

Suicidal tendencies vs killurtz vs dominator2

Killerhurtz almost topples Dominator 2 as Suicidal Tendencies lifts Killerhurtz

It chased after Spikasaurus, but Spikasaurus turned away, and Killerhurtz was forced to escape as Dominator 2 chased after it, trying to axe it. It soon caught up with Spikasaurus, but after knocking into it, Spikasaurus drove away, and Dominator 2 closed in on Killerhurtz, narrowly missing with its axe. Killerhurtz sped away from Dominator 2 and chased after Spikasaurus, axing it and slamming it into the arena wall. Killerhurtz dragged Spikasaurus back, and Dominator 2 came in and axed it. Suicidal Tendencies came in and tried to get its forks under Killerhurtz, but Dominator 2 pulled Killerhurtz away. Killerhurtz and Dominator 2 both withdrew their axes.

"Killerhurtz freeing itself with its own axe, not the first time we've seen that in the Annihilator. It's dogged and determined, to say the least"
— Jonathan Pearce on Killerhurtz
Sgt bash vs killerhurtz

Sgt Bash catches Killerhurtz in the CPZ before Killerhurtz impales its axe onto Sgt Bash's flamethrower

KillerhurtzBash

Killerhurtz pushes Sgt. Bash onto the flame pit

NorthernAnnihilatorRound2 2

Killerhurtz is grilled on the flame pit

Suicidal Tendencies tried to get its forks under Killerhurtz again, and Killerhurtz drove against Dominator 2, firing the axe but failing to puncture it. Killerhurtz pushed against Dominator 2's wheel, and as it tried to pull its axe back, it became caught with the axe of Dominator 2. The two robots separated, and Killerhurtz away from Suicidal Tendencies, but Spikasaurus followed it, getting the spikes in Killerhurtz's rear and pushing it into a CPZ. However, Spikasaurus drove into Sgt. Bash, so it drove away from danger, leaving Killerhurtz. Killerhurtz appeared to stop, and Sgt. Bash pushed it into the corner and fired the flamethrower. After firing its axe at the wall, Killerhurtz started moving again, pushing against the House Robot and axing its flamethrower. Killerhurtz then axed the shell of Sgt. Bash and pushed it back, whilst Dominator 2 axed it again. Killerhurtz pushed Sgt. Bash onto the flame pit, but Matilda came in, pushing against Killerhurtz. Sgt. Bash took advantage, pushing Killerhurtz onto the flame pit. Killerhurtz kept its axe in Sgt. Bash, even when Matilda lifted it with her tusks. Eventually, Matilda pushed the two off the flame pit, and Killerhurtz pulled its axe back as Matilda flipped it over. Killerhurtz managed to self-right, but drove into the wall as time ran out.

"Up, up, up and over! And that could be crucial, Killerhurtz could just have survived right at the end!"
— Jonathan Pearce in delight as Killerhurtz rights itself

Stinger was eliminated in the judges' decision, having been running only on one wheel after a spike in one of the tires took out one of the wheels by damaging the aerial inside, allowing Killerhurtz to reach Round 3.

"More room on the arena floor. Now, I wonder if the tactics will change"
— Jonathan Pearce
KillerhurtzMisses

Killerhurtz misses an axe blow, but pushes Dominator 2 onto a flame jet

Spikasaurus and dominator2 vs killerhurtz

Killerhurtz drives up Dominator 2's slope as Spikasaurus charges from behind

In the third round, Killerhurtz started by driving at Dominator 2, but neither robot used their axe, before the two parted. As Dominator 2 lined up an attack on Killerhurtz, Spikasaurus rammed into it, before driving past. Killerhurtz escaped down the arena, with Spikasaurus and Dominator 2 following it. As Dominator 2 closed in, Killerhurtz turned around and drove up the wedge, firing the axe, then fell off the side. When Killerhurtz landed, Spikasaurus pushed it into Dominator 2, and Killerhurtz rode up the side and onto the wheel. Dominator 2 turned away to allow Killerhurtz to get down. Suicidal Tendencies came in and lifted Killerhurtz up with the forks. Dominator 2 took advantage, axing Killerhurtz. Spikasaurus rammed into the side of Suicidal Tendencies, and Suicidal Tendencies reversed, which caused Killerhurtz to fall off. Killerhurtz reversed, and Dominator 2 pulled back its axe. Killerhurtz turned around and drove at Dominator 2, but Dominator 2 moved away before it could attack. Dominator 2 and Killerhurtz drove head-to-head, and Killerhurtz fired first, but the axe landed between the wedges of Dominator 2's bi-wedge design. Dominator 2 reversed, and Killerhurtz chased it around the arena. Dominator 2 drove into Spikasaurus, which was fighting Suicidal Tendencies. This allowed Killerhurtz to catch up with it, but Dominator 2 dodged the axe blow. Killerhurtz pushed Dominator 2 onto a flame jet, but Dominator 2 quickly reversed off it, and Killerhurtz drove over it as it turned to follow Dominator 2.

"...the two more dangerous, certainly higher rated machines, with the axes."
— Jonathan Pearce on Killerhurtz and Dominator 2
NorthernAnnihilatorRound3

Killerhurtz is pressured by Spikasaurus and Dominator 2

Suicidal tendencies and spikasaurus vs killerhurtz

Suicidal Tendencies lifts and pushes both Killerhurtz and Spikasaurus onto a flame jet

As Dominator 2 turned, it reversed straight into Killerhurtz, but Dominator 2 moved forward, so Killerhurtz missed again. Killerhurtz got side-on at Dominator 2, only for it to reverse. Killerhurtz charged at Dominator 2, but went up the front and Dominator 2 hit it with the axe. Spikasaurus rammed into Killerhurtz, knocking it off Dominator 2's front. As Spikasaurus reversed up the arena, Killerhurtz reversed after it. Killerhurtz missed an axe blow, and Dominator 2 closed in. Dominator 2 blocked Killerhurtz's charge, and Spikasaurus rammed into it, puncturing it and pushing it into Suicidal Tendencies, which lifted it onto a flame jet. Killerhurtz quickly got off it, causing Dominator 2 to miss an axe blow, but Spikasaurus was still caught in it. Spikasaurus pushed Killerhurtz around, but pushed it onto Dominator 2, which allowed Killerhurtz to get free. Killerhurtz drove down the arena, away from the others, but its axe was stuck in the fired position. Dominator 2 went after it, but Killerhurtz drove away from it before it could fire the axe. Killerhurtz drove up the arena, but realising Suicidal Tendencies was close, drove back down the arena. Dominator 2 was chasing it, and Killerhurtz rammed into it. Spikasaurus rammed into Killerhurtz, puncturing it again. Dominator 2 fired the axe, but the axe went between Spikasaurus and Dominator 2. Spikasaurus pushed Killerhurtz onto the front of Dominator 2, and Dominator 2 hit Killerhurtz with the axe.

"How long can Killerhurtz and John Reid survive this punishment? Throughout the three battles that we've seen, it's all about "Take on Killerhurtz"!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Killerhurtz comes under pressure again
Killerhurtz Flame Pit

Killerhurtz is held over the Flame Pit by Spikasaurus and Dominator 2

St immobile dominator 2 and spikasaurs vs killerhurtz

Killerhurtz is dragged onto the flame pit

Dominator 2 and Spikasaurus forced Killerhurtz onto the flame pit and held it there, but in the background, Suicidal Tendencies had stopped moving. Dominator 2 dragged Killerhurtz off the flames, helped by Spikasaurus' pushing. Spikasaurus reversed away, and Dominator 2 withdrew the axe, allowing Killerhurtz to reverse away, Dominator 2 missing an axe attack as it did. As Dominator 2 went after it, Killerhurtz drove at Dominator 2's side and pushed it into Matilda, who lifted it with her tusks and pinned it against the wall. Killerhurtz drove up the arena, and charged at Spikasaurus as cease was called.

Killerhurtz had survived to Round 4, where it fought Dominator 2 and Spikasaurus in a three-way battle.

"The axes, again, will be favoured...and will they try to knock each other out?"
— Jonathan Pearce in the early stages
Dominator2 axes killerhurtz vs spikasaurus

Dominator 2 axes Killerhurtz as it rams into Spikasaurus

Killerhurtz axed

Dominator 2 axes Killerhurtz, causing it to start smoking

Killerhurtz started by charging at Spikasaurus, but Dominator 2 axed it and pulled it back. Two more hits in quick succession punctured Killerhurtz's gas canister, rendering its own axe inoperable. Dominator landed a few more blows before Spikasaurus was able to separate them, but Killerhurtz looked much more sluggish than before, and Spikasaurus rammed into it from behind, impaling it.

"Poor old Killerhurtz. Throughout this great heave-ho upheaval of a contest, everyone seems to have had it in for poor old Killerhurtz!"
— A sympathetic Jonathan Pearce
Spikasaurus impales killerhurtz

Spikasaurus impales Killerhurtz

With Killerhurtz stuck on Spikasaurus' spikes, Dominator took advantage and axed it some more, breaking off a small piece of armour. Sir Killalot came in and tried to separate Killerhurtz and Spikasaurus, but Spikasaurus' weapon was too deeply embedded in Killerhurtz's armour. Sir Killalot then used his claw to try and cut the spikes off, but missed the first attempt, then crumpled Spikasaurus' front, before a third attempt buckled the spikes and finally released Killerhurtz.

Dominator2 tears off killerhurtz pannel

Dominator 2 takes off a panel from Killerhurtz

"I wonder if Spikasaurus CAN free itself from Killerhurtz, or if the spike has embedded itself so deeply into the back of Killerhurtz they can't get away. Well Killalot could have a remedy for that - I'll cut your spike off"
— Jonathan Pearce
Dominator2 punchures killerhurtz

Dominator 2 punctures through Killerhurtz's CO2 tank

Killerhurtz was free, but still only moving very slowly, and drove into Sir Killalot, but the house robot was unable to grab the stricken robot. Eventually letting it go, Killerhurtz drove over to the far end of the arena and rammed into the House Robot entry gate.

Sirkillalot vs spikasaurus and killerhurtz

Sir Killalot crumples Spikasaurus' front to try and separate it from Killerhurtz

NorthernAnnihilatorRound4

Killerhurtz smashes into the entry gate

"What a rotten way to end, really the victim of arena bullying in Robot Wars."
— More sympathy from Jonathan Pearce

Killerhurtz was immobile and cease was called before the House Robots could come in to attack it, with Killerhurtz being eliminated.

"Killerhurtz, turned into a teabag by Dominator 2, Killerhurtz annihilated!"
— Craig Charles, post-battle

This marked Killerhurtz's last appearance on Robot Wars before it was replaced by Team Hurtz far more successful robot Terrorhurtz for the other series of Robot Wars that followed.

Results[]

KILLERHURTZ - RESULTS
Series 2
The Second Wars - UK Championship
Heat Semi-Final
Heat G, Gauntlet 10.6m (4th) Qualified
Heat G, Trial (Skittles) 64 Barrels (1st) Qualified
Heat G, Semi-Final vs. Roadblock (1) Lost
The Grudge Matches
Internet Insurrection
Internet Insurrection vs. Bodyhammer, Corporal Punishment, Griffon Lost
Series 3
The Third Wars - UK Championship
Heat, Round 1
Heat N, Round 1 vs. Cerberus Lost
Pinball Competition
Equal Eighth Place (with Mortis)
Pinball Warrior 60pts 8th
The First World Championship
Representing Czech Republic, Eliminators
Eliminator vs. Chaos 2 (ENG) Lost
Series 4
The Fourth Wars - UK Championship
16th Seed, Heat Semi-Final
Heat I, Eliminator vs. Destruct-A-Bubble, Eric Qualified
Heat I, Semi-Final vs. Splinter Lost
Pinball Competition
Third
Pinball 235pts 3rd
Northern Annihilator
Third
Round 1 vs. Chaos 2, Dominator 2, Spikasaurus,
Stinger, Suicidal Tendencies 2
Qualified
Round 2 vs. Dominator 2, Spikasaurus,
Stinger, Suicidal Tendencies 2
Qualified
Round 3 vs. Dominator 2, Spikasaurus, Suicidal Tendencies 2 Qualified
Round 4 vs. Dominator 2, Spikasaurus Eliminated

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 4
  • Losses: 6

NOTE: Killerhurtz's Gauntlet and Trial runs are not included

Series Record[]

Main Series Killerhurtz Series Record
The First Wars Did not enter
The Second Wars Heat, Arena Semi-Final
The Third Wars Heat, Round 1
The Fourth Wars Heat, Round 2
The Fifth Wars Entered with Terrorhurtz
The Sixth Wars Entered with Terrorhurtz
The Seventh Wars Entered with Terrorhurtz
Series 8 Entered with Terrorhurtz
Series 9 Entered with Terrorhurtz
Series 10 Entered with Terrorhurtz
Robot Wars Extreme Appearances
Series 1 Did not enter
Series 2 Entered with Terrorhurtz

Gallery[]

Outside Robot Wars[]

Killerhurtz Long Beach

Killerhurtz as it appeared in BattleBots Long Beach 1999

Killerhurtz 99 bb arena

Killerhurtz in Las Vegas 1999

KHZ2003

Killerhurtz in 2003, on display at a live event in Chatham, Kent

Killerhurtz competed for many years in the American robot combat series BattleBots. It competed in the first six BattleBots contests (Long Beach, Las Vegas and Season 1.0 to 4.0). The robot had a lot of success on the show, finishing second to BioHazard in the first ever BattleBots tournament at Long Beach in 1999, despite having to rely solely on its front ramming spike as its weapon as the pneumatic ram for its axe had been left behind in England. Killerhurtz also picked up the Best Driver award whilst it was on BattleBots and reached the quarter finals on four separate occasions. During Season 4.0, it defeated fellow British robot Little Sister from Team Big Brother, the only time two British robots fought each other on the original BattleBots series. However, it lost its next battle to Surgeon General.

Killerhurtz Pocket Bots

The Pocket Bot Killerhurtz toy

Killerhurtz's success at BattleBots also lead to the machine appearing in multiple lines of merchandise related to the show. It was the only machine to feature in both the Grip N' Grapplers and RC Custom Series line of toys, and it also was part of the Pocketbots and Bump N' Bash ranges.

Killerhurtztoday-removebg

Killerhurtz as it appeared in Season 4.0 of BattleBots

John Reid made an axe specially for BattleBots, and buried it in the Las Vegas desert after the competition to avoid the hassle with customs. The axe was buried underneath a stone located at the side of a road. He retrieved and reburied it each subsequent appearance, but did not recover it after burying it following Season 4.0. It was, however, recovered on a later trip.

Khz2016

Killerhurtz in 2016

Killerhurtz was retired after BattleBots Season 4.0 and was to be replaced by Team Hurtz's new robot Beta for future competitions.

Killerhurtz was confirmed in a Reddit interview with John Reid and Grant Cooper to be still relatively intact as of 2016, and it currently resides in John Reid's garage. However, it is presently not in running condition due to its retirement from robot combat, and because a significant portion of its internal parts were removed for use in other projects.

Trivia[]

  • When Killerhurtz made its first appearance in Series 2 during the robot introductions of Heat G, it drove into a fence.
  • Killerhurtz was the first Robot Wars competitor to feature a Japanese anime/video game character as a mascot, with a figure of Charmander from the Pokémon franchise accompanying the robot during its First World Championship appearance and Pinball run. The other robots that followed were Pika, with Pikachu (also from Pokémon) and Destructosaur, with Greymon from the Digimon franchise.
  • Killerhurtz was also notable for being one of a few robots other than the House Robots to feature an on-board camera system, to improve the accuracy of its attacks. Other competitors with on-board cameras have included Facet, Behemoth and one of the minibots accompanying Nuts 2.
  • Killerhurtz is one of only seven robots to achieve a score higher than two hundred points in Pinball. The others are Spawn of Scutter, Panic Attack, Gemini, Roadblock, King B3 and Razer.
  • In anticipation of fighting Razer in the First World Championship, John Reid prepared a wall of polycarbonate panels to affix above Killerhurtz and prevent Razer from being able to crush it. As it did not face Razer, however, this modification was never seen.
    • Despite not being used, Killerhurtz's successor, Terrorhurtz utilised a similar modification in Series 6, as well as featuring taller armour sections from Extreme 2 onwards to prevent attacks from crushers and other overhead weapons.
  • Killerhurtz made a cameo appearance during Heat 3 of Series 10, in a photograph shown during Terrorhurtz's VT.
  • Team Hurtz are the only team to represent the Czech Republic on Robot Wars.
  • Killerhurtz in Series 4 was one of only three robots to be seeded despite having never won a main-series battle. The others were Stinger, also in Series 4, and Storm 2, who qualified for Series 7 as the sixteenth seed after winning the Extreme 2 New Blood Championship.
    • Incidentally, Killerhurtz was the only one of the three not to reach the Grand Final that same series.
  • Team Hurtz briefly experimented with using a 'sucker' on Killerhurtz, with the intention of allowing the robot to stick itself onto the arena floor. The device combined a turbocharger impeller from an MG Metro Turbo with an electric motor and a flexible seal on the robot's underside, and enabled Killerhurtz to drive on a vertical wall.[17][18] Intended to improve the robot's traction and prevent it from being flipped over easily, the 'sucker' was scrapped when Team Hurtz could not get it to work properly.
"Generates over 150kg of downforce on the right surface. Partial vacuum is created under the floor by turbo impeller being driven at around 30,000rpm by 500 Watt Astroflight Cobalt model airplane electric motor. Abandoned the project due to problems with maintaining the seal with the ground. "
— John Reid on the Killerhurtz website[19]
  • In 2003, Killerhurtz was inducted into The Combat Robot Hall of Fame as an inaugural member in recognition of its successes in BattleBots, as well as its control systems and axe weapon.[20]
    • With Killerhurtz and Terrorhurtz, Team Hurtz are one of two teams to have built two robots that feature in or have honourable mentions in the Combat Robot Hall of Fame. The other is Team Razer, with Razer and their BattleBots competitor Warhead.
  • Killerhurtz was one of four robots to have been seeded despite losing in the first round of the previous series. The others were Stinger, Plunderbird 4 and Thermidor 2.
    • Of those remaining three, Killerhurtz only ever fought Stinger, fighting it in the Series 4 Northern Annihilator.
  • Killerhurtz was one of four robots in Series 3 to compete in a trial event as well as the main competition. The others were Evil Weevil, Mortis and Razer.
  • Killerhurtz was one of only two robots in take part in the Pinball Warrior in both Series 3 and 4, the other being Razer.
    • Both teams met each other in Series 6 and 8.
  • Two of Killerhurtz's appearances in its first two series were in the same episode as Onslaught and Bodmin Community College.
    • Killerhurtz and Onslaught also appeared in Heat P of Series 4 (Onslaught was meant to fight but withdrew and Killerhurtz competed in that Heat's Pinball Warrior run).
    • Those two robots fought each other in the two episodes that Killerhurtz appeared in.
  • In the two Series 3 side events that Killerhurtz competed in, it failed to move at the start before moving a while later.
  • Killerhurtz/Terrorhurtz was one of six robots to never win a heat in any of the series in which they were seeded (not counting robots who were only seeded once). The others were 101, Behemoth, Gemini, S.M.I.D.S.Y. and Suicidal Tendencies.

Honours[]

Nominations

References[]

External Links[]

Navigation[]

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