Recyclopse

Recyclopse
Recyclopse with its tongue extended
Participation Information
UK Series	1
Team Information
Team	Team Cassius
Team Members	Rex Garrod Simon West
Associated Robots	Robot the Bruce (Built by both teams)
Robot Statistics
Weight	79.5kg
Dimensions	0.90m x 0.90m x 0.45m
Clearance	Zero
Top Speed	4mph
Power	24V industrial motor
Weapons	Pneumatic steel tongue with built in front-hinged flipper
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Recyclopse was named after the fact that it was manufactured from recycled material."

— Rex Garrod on the origins of the name Recyclopse

Recyclopse was the first robot from Team Cassius, which was entered in Series 1. It was notable as the first competitor to use a flipping weapon of any kind, as well as to flip another robot over with an active weapon, doing so to House Robot Matilda.

In its only series, Recyclopse reached the Grand Final after winning its Heat Final through a controversial judges' decision against Mortis. However, it became immobilised there after one of its drive chains broke following an attack by Roadblock, and lost the First Wars to the latter.

Design

Official image of Recyclopse

Recyclopse was a black dome-shaped machine with a pneumatic steel wedge "tongue" that would shoot out of the front of the robot, with a reach of over 90cm, and flip its opponents over. Recyclopse was made almost entirely of recycled materials, with the only thing purchased being the wheels. As a result, Recyclopse was the first robot to cost less than one hundred pounds. The domed shape defended Recyclopse well against pointed attacks, but the robot was quite unreliable as its drive chain kept slipping. Due to this, Recyclopse broke down in three of its five appearances.

At 79.5kg, Recyclopse was just 0.1kg over the original Heavyweight weight limit.

Robot History

Series 1

Recyclopse took on the House Robot route in the Gauntlet and shot past the defending House Robots to complete the course in the fastest time.

Recyclopse's most famous moment.

In the Trial, the five remaining robots played the robot version of British Bulldog. Again Recyclopse started quickly but was impeded by Matilda. This made Recyclopse drive into a pyramid and lose one of its chains, immobilising it. However, Recyclopse got its revenge by becoming the first competitor robot to flip over a House Robot by flipping Matilda over, and the first robot to flip another over using an active weapon. Despite being immobile, Recyclopse's progress was still enough to go through to the Arena stage, as Detonator had barely moved from its starting position due to battery failure.

Recyclopse topples Scrapper

In the Arena stage, Recyclopse was drawn against Scrapper. Recyclopse started poorly, driving towards a CPZ and being attacked by Dead Metal. Fortunately, Recyclopse ran away from danger quickly. Scrapper came in but missed with its charge, and Recyclopse rammed straight into sluggish Scrapper before flipping it onto its side.

The controversial Heat Final

In the Heat Final, Mortis drove into a CPZ and got impaled on a spike leaving it open to attack by Matilda. However, Mortis escaped and launched some aggressive attacks on Recyclopse and came close to tipping it over. The battle ended with Recyclopse stranded on top of Mortis, who was stuck on the sidebars, in a CPZ with Mortis being attacked by the axe of Shunt. The decision went to the judges who gave it to Recyclopse, much to the dismay of the Mortis team.

"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

Roadblock pushes Recyclopse around

In the Grand Final, Recyclopse appeared to be the main target for the other competitors, as it was spiked by T.R.A.C.I.E. before being pushed around by Roadblock, Bodyhammer and Robot The Bruce, nearly toppling over at one point. Roadblock then shoved Recyclopse across the Arena, causing the drive-chain to break off, just as it had in the trial of its heat. Recyclopse was deemed immobile and was not considered as a potential winner by the judges.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 1

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

Series Record

• Recyclopse with Mortis in the pits
• Recyclopse's insides
• Recyclopse's shell after being retired
• Rex Garrod shows the pump Recyclopse's shell covers

1/4

Series	Recyclopse Series Record
The First Wars	Grand Final
The Second Wars	Entered with Cassius
The Third Wars	Entered with Cassius 2
The Fourth Wars	Did not enter
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

Recyclopse was retired after The First Wars, with a good deal of its electronics being recycled into the similarly successful Cassius, and the shell being used to cover the water pump at the bottom of Rex Garrod's garden for a while, before being moved to Garrod's workshop, where it sits alongside all three versions of Cassius.

Trivia

• Recyclopse was the first of nine robots to have flipped Matilda. The others were Chaos 2, Cassius, Panic Attack, Inquisitor Mk 2, Facet, Steg 2, Tricerabot and Apollo.
• Recyclopse is one of 23 robots to have completed The Gauntlet.
• Recyclopse's battle against Mortis was the first to have gone to a judges' decision.
• Recyclopse was the only robot to lose in a Grand Final due to breaking down. Robot the Bruce and Hypno-Disc were overturned, T.R.A.C.I.E. and Cunning Plan got stuck, Cassius was pitted, and all others lost on judges' decisions.