- "Now, I don’t live in a neighbourhood watch area. In fact, I’ve got the neighbours from hell. The only people invited to their barbecues are the fire brigade. And their garden pond has cut us off from the Mainland. But quiet neighbours can be equally as dangerous. I mean, they might keep themselves to themselves, locked away in their garages. But the chances are, they’re not brewing elderberry wine, they're building robots! And tonight, six seemingly friendly mechanics are going to show us their true selves, as they fight like psychopaths for a place in our Robot Wars series semi-finals."
- — Craig Charles' introduction
Heat H of Robot Wars: The Second Wars was the eighth of twelve heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Second Wars. The episode featuring Heat H was originally broadcast on 8 January 1999 on BBC Two. The broadcast managed to attract 5.94 million viewers, an increase of 350,000 viewers when compared with the previous episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked second in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts for the first time, during 4-10 January. It also became the first episode to beat The Simpsons in the ratings, finishing only behind Gimme Gimme Gimme.
Competing Robots[]
Newcomers[]
GroundHog | ||
Weight | 79.3kg | |
Dimensions | 1.15 x 0.86 x 0.4m | |
Speed | 8mph | |
Turning Circle | 0m | |
Ground Clearance | 350mm | |
Power | 3 x 12V batteries | |
Weapons | Horizontal 12' cutting disc | |
Notes | GroundHog took 6 weeks to build at a cost of £450 | |
From: Durham | ||
Team Members: Graham Bone & Alex Mordue |
Loco | ||
Weight | 73.0kg | |
Dimensions | 1.0 x 0.7 x 0.7m | |
Speed | 10mph | |
Turning Circle | 1.5m | |
Ground Clearance | 40mm | |
Power | 4 x 12V, 2 x 6V batteries | |
Weapons | Spring powered ram | |
Notes | Wheelchair motors and stainless steel shell | |
From: Bristol | ||
Team Members: Richard Memion, David Iles & Eric Manion |
Rampage | ||
Weight | 82.7kg | |
Dimensions | 0.8 x 1.2 x 0.63m | |
Speed | 8mph | |
Turning Circle | 0m | |
Ground Clearance | 20mm | |
Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
Weapons | Scoop and rear 7' cutting disc | |
Notes | Took 3 months to build and cost over £300 | |
From: Derby | ||
Team Members: Robert Whittle & Peter Wearing |
Sting | ||
Weight | 79.3kg | |
Dimensions | 1.6 x 0.7 x 0.4m | |
Speed | 12mph | |
Turning Circle | 0m | |
Ground Clearance | 100mm (max) | |
Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
Weapons | Spikes and scorpion tail | |
Notes | Go-kart wheels, 2 wheel drive and 0.7mm steel shell | |
From: Swadlincote in Derbyshire | ||
Team Members: David Barker, Matthew Barker & Ian Pritchard |
Wizard | ||
Weight | 79.4kg | |
Dimensions | 0.75 x 0.75 x 1.1m | |
Speed | 15mph | |
Turning Circle | 0m | |
Ground Clearance | 4mm | |
Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
Weapons | Chain whips and 10mm drill bit | |
Notes | Composite wood, metal and plastic chassis | |
From: Kettering | ||
Team Members: Ozzie Boulter, Richard Johnson & Susan Darby |
Veterans[]
Cassius (seeded 5th) | ||
Weight | 79.3kg | |
Dimensions | 1.45 x 0.84 x 0.35m | |
Speed | 25mph | |
Turning Circle | 0m | |
Ground Clearance | 0-110mm (Variable) | |
Power | 2 x 12V batteries | |
Weapons | 1.5 tonne gas powered ram | |
Notes | Controlled with 2 microprocessors, weapon powered with CO2 | |
From: Stowmarket | ||
Team Members: Rex Garrod, Simon West & Edward Bull |
Gauntlet[]
Left Route | Centre Route | Right Route |
---|---|---|
The Sentinel, two pits and Dead Metal. | Spikes, static ramp, barrels, Sphere and Sir Killalot | Ramrig, flame pit, pendulum and Sergeant Bash. |
Cassius (5)[]
Cassius moved out of the start and aimed to the left route. Cassius turned into the path, driving slowly, but suddenly accelerated underneath the arm of The Sentinel, angling to the right to get around Dead Metal and squeezed past while scraping the side wall. Dead Metal held Cassius in its pincers in the end zone and tried to cut with the saw, but Cease was called as Cassius had completed the course.
Loco[]
Loco drove to the left route and waited at the start for The Sentinel to move out of its way. Loco drove forwards past the arm, but ended up straight in Dead Metal's grasp. Dead Metal pushed Loco into The Sentinel's base and scratched it with his saw. Dead Metal kept up the pressure nd pushed as Loco tried to drive forwards, forcing it towards and into the pit.
GroundHog[]
GroundHog struggled to move in a straight line initially, gettign slightly buffeted as it went over the spikes down the middle route. Only one wheel managed to get on the ramp, meaning it was spun around at the side when it fell off. Stuck sideways, GroundHog was helpless as Sir Killalot drove over the ramp to meet the stricken robot. After pushing down with his lance, Sir Killalot decided to grab GroundHog and lift it up. Sir Killalot lifted GroundHog high into the air while on the down ramp, and as Sir Killalot tried reversing, it overbalanced and landed face-first on the floor.
- Craig Charles: "That was pretty stunning wasn't it!"
- Graham Bone: "It wasn't too bad"
- Craig Charles: "He picked you up and started posing..."
- Graham Bone: "And then he fell over!"
- — GroundHog's post run interview after Sir Killalot fell over
Sting[]
Sting headed into the left route, but turned too sharply into the run and had to bck up after meeting a block. Sting wiggled past and waited for a gap past The Sentinel, finding space under the arm and heading through. Sting turned sideways to protect from Dead Metal, but was gripped instead and pushed back, with the House Robot cutting into the top of Sting. Dead metal moved Sting into a zone the Sentinel could reach, and with help from the arm, pushed Sting forwards and into the second pit.
Rampage[]
Rampage drove into the left route slowly, and was spun around as a floor spike was thrown up underneath it. Rampage stayed spinning on the spike as it kept firing, and was set upon by both Sir Killalot and Dead Metal, the latter of which dented the side of mpage with a slam of a pincer. Dead Metal kept hold of Rampage as Sir Killalot tried to damage with with his lance, and Dead Metal began cutting a corner of Rampage off. A small billow of smoke erupted out of the back at the end.
- "We went over the spike in the arena and it just did this wheel in, it wasn't moving so i was just going in circles"
- — The Rampage team assess their run after taking damage on a wheel.
Wizard[]
Wizard was quite nippy as it headed out of the blocks and into the left route. It turned well into the route, but went too far and accidentally drove over the first pit, getting a wheel caught. Dead Metal moved in and pushed Wizard finally into the pit, before performing a coup d'egrace and cutting into the point of the Wizard's hat.
- "Dodgy Driving on my part"
- — Wizard's driver owns up to his mistake after the run.
Results[]
Rank | Robot | Distance |
---|---|---|
Cassius | Completed | |
Sting | 10.5m | |
Loco | 10.4m | |
Wizard | 5.4m | |
GroundHog | 4.4m | |
Rampage | 3.0m |
Trial (Football)[]
Round 1[]
Cassius was the fastest out of the blocks and hit the ball first, rolling it away, but was blocked by Matilda. Matilda moved in front of the ball and stayed, preventing Cassius from reaching it and started to lift Cassius with her tusks. Loco loitered around the edge of Cassius and squeezed past, grabbing the ball and driving past both House Robots and scoring the first goal.
Round 2[]
Wizard and Cassius both hit the ball first, and it pinged back, allowing Cassius to push it as Matilda lifted Wizard up. Cassius reversed into Sting, which wasn't really moving, and tried to get the ball moving, but it was stuck in the rear corner by a wall. Matilda helped Cassius free itself and the ball after Cassius got pinned on top of it, but stopped being helpful and lifted Cassius up as the ball rolled past. Cassius slammed the ball past Matilda, reversed away and knocked the ball goalwards again. It glanced off Sergeant Bash, which was tilted up by Cassius and rolled into the goal.
Round 3[]
GroundHog spun on the spot as Wizard tried to push the ball, but was flipped up by Matilda, where the hat pinged off upon landing. GroundHog clipped the ball and sent it rolling away. Matilda pushed the seemingly immobile Sting back and started lifting it. Sergeant Bash used his flamethrower to set fire to the ball and GroundHog gave it another push. Matilda flipped Wizard up again and turned to attack with her chainsaw. GroundHog vainly tried to push the ball, but was just set upon by Matilda again and was pushed away and flipped.
With none of the three competitors actually scoring a goal, the Judges were called upon, choosing to eliminate Sting based on its immobility.
Results[]
Rank | Robot | Distance |
---|---|---|
Loco | 1st Goal | |
Cassius | 2nd Goal | |
GroundHog | Active | |
Wizard | Active | |
Sting | Immobilised |
Arena[]
Semi-Finals[]
Loco vs GroundHog[]
Loco accelerated across the arena first, driving into the side of GroundHog, which had turned. Loco reversed and turned around, pushing back on GroundHog, edging it across the arena and into the PPZ where Shunt hit with his axe. Loco held GroundHog there as Shunt once again hit with his axe. GroundHog drove away, but stayed in the PPZ and was corralled between Shunt and Sir Killalot. Dead Metal grabbed GroundHog and dragged it back before Matilda dropped them in the pit.
Winner: Loco
Wizard vs Cassius (5)[]
Cassius and Wizard both drove at each other, but both missed and sailed past each other. Cassius turned to have another go, but Wizard dodged its attack, leaving Cassius to drive under Dead Metal in the PPZ. Cassius escaped and started pushing Wizard into the PPZ, feeding it to Dead Metal and Sergeant Bash. Sir Killalot, meanwhile, decided to clamber on top of Cassius' flipper, but the competitor was unable to flip the large House Robot. Wizard was stuck in the PPZ and despite Cassius trying to get Sergeant Bash away, was set upon by them all as Wizard had stopped moving. Cassius tried to flip Sergeant Bash over but missed and drove away as Cease was called.
Winner: Cassius
Final[]
Loco vs Cassius (5)[]
Cassius and Loco squared up with each other in the centre of the arena, with loco managing to hold Cassius at bay with its front spikes. Cassius drove away and turned around, driving underneath Loco and turning it around as it bumped down off the wedge. Cassius reverse slammed into Loco which chased Cassius towards a PPZ. Cassius forced Loco across the arena and backed off, allowing Loco to drive at Cassius. it mistimed the run, rode up Cassius's wedge and tipped over onto its side, rolling over unable to right itself. Dead Metal slammed Loco into a PPZ, but Cassius came to their opponent's defense, lifting Dead Metal up and drawing it and Shunt after Cassius instead. Matilda came in and lifted Cassius, which had another go at flipping Dead Metal. Matilda ended by using her spark cannon over Cassius which managed to escape the grasp of three House Robots, before running in underneath Dead Metal again and flipping Matilda over before being forced into the pit.
Heat Winner: Cassius
- "Godzilla devoured 40 floors, but we cut him down to size, on Robot Wars!"
- — Craig Charles' sign-off
Trivia[]
- This heat marked the debut of the front-hinged flipping arm, wielded by Cassius.
- Three robots in this heat were exactly the same weight. GroundHog, Sting and Cassius all weighed in at 79.3kg. In addition, Wizard weighed 79.4kg.
- This is the first episode to demonstrate Matilda's spark shooter.
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