- "You know, one of the great things about Robot Wars is that, every year, a new robot comes along and sets a whole new standard of carnage. Like, who remembers Cassius, the first robot to self-right itself? Or Chaos 2? Or Hypno-Disc? Or Razer? Well, who knows? We may see the next breed of robot here today!"
- — Craig Charles' introduction.
Heat D of Robot Wars: The Fifth Wars (also referred to in recaps as Heat 4 or Show 4) was the fourth of twelve heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Fifth Wars. The episode was originally broadcast on 9 May 2002 on BBC Choice and repeated on 14 June 2002 on BBC Two.
Competing Robots[]
Newcomers[]
Bee-Capitator | ||
Weight | 71kg | |
Dimensions | 1.40 x 0.74 x 0.45m | |
Power | 24V electric motors | |
Weapons | Rotating drill | |
Strengths | Fast & agile | |
Weaknesses | Poor weaponry | |
From: Barnsley, Yorkshire | ||
Team Members: John Nicholson, Martin Courtley & Gavin Barker |
Rohog | ||
Weight | 92kg | |
Dimensions | 1.45 x 0.90 x 0.35m | |
Power | 24V electric motor | |
Weapons | Lifting fork | |
Strengths | Sleek & quick | |
Weaknesses | First time competitors | |
From: Didcot, Oxfordshire | ||
Team Members: David Smith, Andy Burgess & Adam Burgess |
Ruf Ruf Dougal | ||
Weight | 93kg | |
Dimensions | 1.3 x 0.90 x 0.65m | |
Power | 24V electric motor | |
Weapons | Steel spike | |
Strengths | High speed weaponry | |
Weaknesses | Vulnerable outer casing | |
From: Shrivenham, Oxfordshire | ||
Team Members: Peter Sturgess & Martin Sturgess |
Veterans[]
Firestorm 3 (seeded 7th) | ||
Weight | 100kg | |
Dimensions | 1.05 x 0.90 x 0.31m | |
Power | 2 Electric motors | |
Weapons | Pneumatic flipping arm | |
Strengths | Powerful flipper | |
Weaknesses | Poor transmitter reliability | |
From: Durham | ||
Team Members: Graham Bone, Alex Mordue & Hazel Heslop |
Gemini (seeded 18th) | ||
Weight | 100kg | |
Dimensions | 1.6 x 0.7 x 0.47m | |
Power | 4 Electric motors | |
Weapons | High powered flippers | |
Strengths | Clusterbot | |
Weaknesses | Hard to control | |
From: St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex | ||
Team Members: Shane Howard, Brian Fountain & Daryl Howard |
Sir Chromalot | ||
Weight | 96kg | |
Dimensions | 1.05 x 0.64 x 1.12m | |
Power | 24V electric motor | |
Weapons | Gas powered flipper | |
Strengths | In a class of its own | |
Weaknesses | No self-righting mechanism | |
From: South Ockendon, Essex | ||
Team Members: Steve Merrill & Ray Tait |
Reactor 2 | ||
Weight | 99kg | |
Dimensions | 1.42 x 0.80 x 0.65m | |
Power | 36V electric motor | |
Weapons | Flipper, rear axe | |
Strengths | Fast & agile | |
Weaknesses | Limited CO2 supply | |
From: Birstall, Leicestershire | ||
Team Members: Russell Orton, Daniel Orton & Martin Crouch |
Bot Out Of Hell | ||
Weight | 99kg | |
Dimensions | 1.2 x 0.90 x 0.87m | |
Power | 20HP electric motor | |
Weapons | Spinning disc | |
Strengths | Destructive weaponry | |
Weaknesses | No srimech | |
From: East Wemyss, Fife | ||
Team Members: Martyn Sloss, Lesley Sloss & Daniel Sloss |
Eliminators[]
Firestorm 3 (7) vs Bee-Capitator[]
Firestorm 3 chased Bee-Capitator across the arena floor, before sliding underneath it and driving it against the arena wall.
- "Firestorm already in underneath though, and that would be the danger for the buzzing bee."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Firestorm 3 attempted to lift its opponent over, but Bee-Capitator landed back on its wheels and got away. Bee-Capitator darted across the arena and drove near Matilda's CPZ, with Firestorm 3 slipping in behind Bee-Capitator as it attempted to reverse away. Firestorm 3 tried to flip Bee-Capitator into Matilda's flywheel but Bee-Capitator slipped off and the follow through from Firestorm 3's flipper saw it buckled by the House Robot's weaponry.
- "I know the bee flew, but then the flywheel caught Firestorm!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Firestorm 3's flipper is buckled
Fortunately for Firestorm 3, Bee-Capitator had landed on its back, and with it unable to self-right, Refbot came in to count it out, and its elimination was confirmed. Sir Killalot came in for further punishment, and roasted Bee-Capitator on the flame pit, where it caught fire.
- "Bee-utiful. We love to see damage like that."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Bee-Capitator is disfigured by the House Robots
The House Robot then spun Bee-Capitator around and threw it aside, before Matilda came in and hit Bee-Capitator with her flywheel. Sir Killalot finally finished the bee off by disposing of it down the pit.
Winner: Firestorm 3
Sir Chromalot vs Rohog[]
Both robots evaded each other initially, but that didn't stop a small piece of Sir Chromalot falling off as it turned. Rohog then came in with a solid slam, before pushing Sir Chromalot with a reverse drive.
- "What have they used here? Sticky back plastic to put their machine together?"
- — Jonathan Pearce as a piece falls off of Sir Chromalot
However, Rohog then drove forwards and slammed into the arena wall; it managed to pin itself over the flame pit in the process, where it started to gush smoke. Refbot counted Rohog out and Matilda came in with its flywheel and caused heavy damage to Rohog's rear armour. Sir Chromalot then came in and lifted Rohog up, before dropping it and moving away. The House Robots came in again and Rohog was damaged even more by Matilda.
- "Well they say don't crush a beetle - if you crush a beetle, it'll rain and rain and rain. In Robot Wars, we're gonna have a downpour for centuries then."
- — Jonathan Pearce as the beetle like Rohog takes more damage
Sir Killalot then crumpled Rohog, picked it up and placed it on the arena floor flipper. Rohog flew through the air and landed on its wheels. However Matilda then came in again and tore Rohog's shell almost completely off. Sir Killalot dumped Rohog on the floor flipper again and Rohog was sent flying once more before cease was called. Sir Chromalot had qualified.
Winner: Sir Chromalot
Reactor 2 vs Bot Out Of Hell[]
Bot Out Of Hell came out of the blocks quickly and tried to attack the rear of Reactor 2 but couldn't as its opponent evaded trouble. Reactor 2 narrowly missed with two flips, before Bot Out Of Hell rammed into Reactor 2. However, it wasn't able to cause any problems for its opponent since its vertical spinning disc had stopped working before the battle.
- "Bashes and bumps... and hurdles."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Bot Out Of Hell carries out its battle plan
Both robots traded blows, as Reactor 2 nearly flipped Bot Out Of Hell again, while the Scottish robot connected with a couple of rams itself. Finally, one of Reactor 2's flips got enough purchase on Bot Out Of Hell's wheel as it drove past and it was toppled over.
- "Bot, back to hell, from whence you came."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Bot Out Of Hell had no srimech, so it was counted out by Refbot.
Winner: Reactor 2
Gemini (18) vs Ruf Ruf Dougal[]
Gemini made the first move in the opening stages, as Ruf Ruf Dougal was almost flipped on two occasions. Ruf Ruf Dougal responded by pushing back on one of the Gemini twins and slamming it into the arena side wall, before temporarily finding itself pressured by Sir Killalot. Ruf Ruf Dougal then drove over a steam vent, which blew one of its ears off.
- "Ear, ear, what happened then?"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Dougal's ear is blown off
Ruf Ruf Dougal pressed the pit release button, but a flip from Gemini caused its removable link to fall away, immobilising it. Gemini then troubled Ruf Ruf Dougal near the arena wall and flipped it up, but it landed on top of the other twin. Part of Dougal's side was ripped away by a flip from Gemini, before Ruf Ruf Dougal and the impaled Gemini twin were separated.
- "The tail's still in there, just about waggling."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Ruf Ruf Dougal sustains more damage
Ruf Ruf Dougal darted off towards the pit, but Gemini caught up with it and flipped it into the pit release button, where Ruf Ruf Dougal's link fell out. Unable to move, Ruf Ruf Dougal had more of its fur ripped off, before finally being flipped over by Gemini.
- "The fur is flying. It's a dogs life, isn't it Dougal?"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Sir Killalot came in, picked it up and dumped it out of the arena.
- "I think it just wants someone in there to save it and take it to a nice, warm home and basket, by the fire, somewhere. Well, Sir Killalot will oblige. Out you go."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Killalot dumps Ruf Ruf Dougal out of the arena.
Winner: Gemini
Semi-Finals[]
Firestorm 3 (7) vs Sir Chromalot[]
In one of the quickest immobilisations in Robot Wars history, Firestorm 3 simply slipped underneath Sir Chromalot and flipped it over, before pushing it into the arena wall.
- "They are worthy competitors because they're great fun, but they've been well beaten here by Firestorm."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Sgt. Bash then grabbed Sir Chromalot and dragged it towards the floor flipper, where it was sent flying.
- "There it flew - our knight of the round table. Would need more than Merlin to help it out there..."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Sir Chromalot is thrown by the floor flipper
Dead Metal then clutched onto the beaten machine but nearly pitted itself as it tried to dispose of Sir Chromalot. Sergeant Bash helped free the other House Robot, and Sir Chromalot was finally pitted.
Winner: Firestorm 3
Gemini (18) vs Reactor 2[]
Reactor 2 managed to hold off Gemini in the opening stages of the battle, but struggled to effectively bring its own weaponry into play. Reactor 2 finally managed to connect with attacks from both of its weapons, but Gemini responded by flipping Reactor 2 over, which self-righted after initially flailing around on its side. The Gemini cluster teamed up to push Reactor 2 onto the flame pit, but this caused Reactor 2 little harm.
- "Been a good battle this. Intriguing clash of designs, temperament, driving styles..."
- — Jonathan Pearce
After some jostling, Gemini flipped Reactor 2 over again, but it safely rolled back onto its wheels. Then, suddenly, one Gemini cluster flipped itself over onto its wheelie-bar in an attempt to attack Reactor 2. Meanwhile, its partner was flipped by Reactor 2's flipper. This half of Gemini self-righted successfully and then managed to knock the other half down into a position where it could right itself as well.
- "Superb control - and Gemini, the twins of terror, back on the attack once again."
- — Jonathan Pearce as the upended twin manages to self-right
Reactor 2 continued to attack though, and toppled one of the Gemini robots over again. The other half of Gemini tried to flick its twin back onto its wheels, but failed, and was also thrown over by Reactor 2. It tried to self-right, but could only park itself on its wheelie-bar like its twin, which left both parts of Gemini suspended and immobile.
- "Well, Reactor 2, that was very disciplined, very controlled, very effective, and very well done."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Refbot counted them out and Dead Metal pitted one of the twins before driving in itself.
Winner: Reactor 2
Final[]
Firestorm 3 (7) vs Reactor 2[]
Firestorm 3 immediately drove up onto Reactor 2's flipper, but it was unable to flip the seventh seeded robot. Firestorm 3 was then able to get underneath Reactor 2 and flipped it against Refbot, but Reactor 2 rolled back onto its wheels. Firestorm 3 flipped Reactor 2 again in the middle of the arena and bundled it around the arena to stop it self-righting.
- "And pursuing, pressurising, pushing."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Firestorm 3 bundles Reactor 2 around the arena
Firestorm 3 eventually nudged Reactor 2 back onto its wheels, but continued its drive and threw Reactor 2 over and into the arena wall. Reactor 2 managed to self-right, but Firestorm 3 was hot on its tail and rolled it over once more. Firestorm 3 then lifted Reactor 2 up onto the side wall where it dangled for a few moments before finally falling out into the House Robot entrance, giving Firestorm its third consecutive semi-finals place.
- "Reactor 2 balanced and toppled, and crashed out of competition."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Heat Winner: Firestorm 3
- "Forget your Waterloo's and Agincourt's, there's only one battle, on Robot Wars!"
- — Craig Charles' sign-off
Trivia[]
- Like Heat J, there were no judges decisions in the seven battles that the episode featured.
- In fact, six of the seven battles were completely one-sided and over very quickly. The only exception was the second round battle between Gemini and Reactor 2.
- This heat also:
- Famously housed the first of Firestorm's seven Out of the Arena flips.
- Marked the final appearance of Gemini and Team Mace.
- Kept to the Sir Chromalot tradition (Heat D, out in Round 2, lost to the heat winner).
- Heat D was the fourth consecutive heat in Series 5 to feature a robot from the Scottish council area of Fife.
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