Steve Merrill leads the entertainment before Sir Chromalot's battle
- "Now don't tell anyone I told you this, but a few years ago, where a nuclear power station near here; a broken down old microwave and toaster were thrown out to rust. Now no one thought anything about them, until they were exposed to some radioactive waste and mutated into the most hideous appliances ever. Now, together they lived happily and made some beautiful toast, but then the toaster fell in love with a teasmade called Delilah, and then the fighting started. That's how Robot Wars was born. Three years later, and the descendants are about to go to battle again, but this time it's not over a teasmade, it's over a place in our series semi-finals."
- — Craig Charles' introduction
Heat D of Robot Wars: The Third Wars was the fourth of sixteen heats which determined the Semi-Finalists of Robot Wars: The Third Wars. The episode featuring Heat D was originally broadcast on December 31, 1999 on BBC Two. The broadcast managed to attract 2.72 million viewers, a decrease of 1.14 million viewers when compared with the previous episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked fourteenth in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts during 27 December-2 January.
Competing Robots
Newcomers
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|---|---|---|
| Big Brother | ||
| Weight | 78.0kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.42 x 1.0 x 0.82m | |
| Clearance | Variable | |
| Power | 2 x Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Steel Whip & Wrecking Ball | |
| Notes | Cost £400 | |
| From: Brighton | ||
| Team Members: Ian Watts, Joe Watts, Waylon Twiston-Davies | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bumblebot | ||
| Weight | 79.6kg | |
| Dimensions | 1.27 x 1.0 x 1.27m | |
| Clearance | 0.04m | |
| Power | 2 x Drive Motors | |
| Weapons | Pneumatic Ram | |
| Notes | Can Run Upside-Down | |
| From: Reading | ||
| Team Members: Andy Noyes, Mat Jarvis, Sarah Corps | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flipper | ||
| Weight | 80.2kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.50 x 1.0 x 0.51m | |
| Clearance | 0.03m | |
| Power | 2 x Starter Motors | |
| Weapons | Compressed Air Axe & Spikes | |
| Notes | Can Right Itself By Flipping | |
| From: Essex | ||
| Team Members: Kelvin Duhy, Josephine Duhy, Richard Duhy | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grim Reaper | ||
| Weight | 80.6kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.45 x 1.54 x 0.68m | |
| Clearance | 0.06m | |
| Power | 2 x Car Motors | |
| Weapons | Air Ram & Spike | |
| Notes | Cost £400 | |
| From: Bognor Regis | ||
| Team Members: Simon Smith, Luke Smith, Gary Smith | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shell Shock | ||
| Weight | 56.0kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.44 x 0.82 x 0.80m | |
| Clearance | 0.05m | |
| Power | 2 x Golf Cart Motors | |
| Weapons | Powered Axe | |
| Notes | Sheet Steel Shell | |
| From: Colchester | ||
| Team Members: Oliver Young, Paul Logan, Richard Wilson | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sir Chromalot | ||
| Weight | 78.7kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.66 x 0.68m | |
| Clearance | 0.0 - 0.01m | |
| Power | 6 x Cordless Drill Motors | |
| Weapons | Cobalt Cutter | |
| Notes | Cost £3,000 | |
| From: Essex | ||
| Team Members: Steve Merrill, Steve Smith, Dave Whitehead | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ultor | ||
| Weight | 79.4kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.65 x 1.04 x 0.75m | |
| Clearance | 0.01-0.03m | |
| Power | 2 x Lawnmower Motors | |
| Weapons | Powered Axe Attack | |
| Notes | Cost £1,000 | |
| From: Cambridgeshire | ||
| Team Members: Roger Golder, Barnaby Golder | ||
Veterans
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Milly-Ann Bug | ||
| Weight | 75.7kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.68 x 1.39 x 0.64m | |
| Clearance | 0.01m | |
| Power | 4 x Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Steel Spikes | |
| Notes | Cost £1,000 | |
| From: Leeds | ||
| Team Members: Geoff Warren, Martin John Dawson, Mark Whitworth | ||
Round 1
Sir Chromalot vs Shell Shock
Sir Chromalot rams Shell Shock
Sir Chromalot immediately forced Shell Shock onto the spikes, then into Matilda. Matilda pushed Shell Shock away. Sir Chromalot then forced it into Sir Killalot, who threw Shell Shock through the air, breaking the axe.
- "The knights combine together. Oh lovely, how posh."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Shell Shock is attacked by both Sir Chromalot and Sir Killalot
Sir Chromalot tried to push Shell Shock into the pit, but then stopped moving. It started up again, but the House Robots closed in and shoved it down the pit.
Sir Chromalot is nudged into the Pit
- "The House Robots; goodness me, the high rollers are rolled out, but should the House Robots have got involved there?"
- — Jonathan Pearce
However, the judges ruled that this was unfair interference, and controversially voted that Sir Chromalot should go through.
Winner: Sir Chromalot
Big Brother vs Grim Reaper
Big Brother and Grim Reaper both immobilised
Grim Reaper had the faster start, but Big Brother pushed it into Sergeant Bash and then towards the pit. It then escaped and drove up Big Brother's wedge, leaping into the air. Grim Reaper then charged at Big Brother, slamming it against the arena wall, but one of its wheels fell off in the process.
Grim Reaper loses a tyre
- "No time for a pit change here. That's wheely stupid driving."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Grim Reaper's wheel comes off
Big Brother then stopped working and Sir Killalot came in and flipped Grim Reaper over. The judges decided that Big Brother had won.
- Winner: Big Brother
Bumblebot vs Milly-Ann Bug
Bumblebot misses with an early attack of its axe
Both robots started by tentatively circling each other side on. Bumblebot fired its axe once, but missed, before chasing the retreating Milly-Ann Bug. Milly-Ann Bug went in front of Bumblebot twice, but Bumblebot failed to fire the axe, which had seemingly stopped working. Milly-Ann Bug then pushed Bumblebot around the arena in a very fast and slippery style.
Milly-Ann Bug drives into the pit by accident
- "And at the moment, I'd say, on aggression, and style, and control, Milly-Ann Bug would go through if this goes to a judges."
- — Jonathan Pearce
After multiple slams, Milly-Ann Bug finally caught Bumblebot broad side on and frantically shoved it towards the pit, but overstepped the mark and fell in itself.
Winner: Bumblebot
Flipper vs Ultor
Flipper and Ultor
Both robots had a gentle start. Ultor hit Flipper with the axe once and then Flipper came to a stop shortly after. Ultor was then bounced by an arena spike, but didn't flip over.
- "Was Flipper immobilised? If it is, then the House Robots can come in here."
- — Jonathan Pearce
A victorious Ultor is thrown over by the Arena Spike
The House Robots closed in and Shunt dug it's axe into Flipper several times, then flipped it. Ultor axed Matilda a few times. Dead Metal sliced into Flipper's side, nearly ripping off a chunk of armour. Ultor got flipped by the arena spike, but had already won.
Winner: Ultor
Round 2
Sir Chromalot vs Big Brother
Big Brother overturns SIr Chromalot
Before the battle, the Sir Chromalot boys performed a little dance on the arena floor, to the amusement of Jonathan Pearce. Big Brother tried to make use of its mace early on, but caused minimal damage to Sir Chromalot.
- "The morning star, flailing away there."
- — Jonathan Pearce on Big Brother's weapon
Sir Chromalot shoved Big Brother into Shunt's CPZ, who escaped, but not before suffering an axe blow from Shunt. After a brief period of circling each other, Big Brother slid underneath Sir Chromalot and flipped it over with the wedge.
Sir Chromalot is pitted by Dead Metal
- "And Sir Chromalot's up, and rolled over!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
The House Robots came in: Shunt and Dead Metal both caused damage to Sir Chromalot. Dead Metal finally dropped Sir Chromalot in the pit.
Winner: Big Brother
Bumblebot vs Ultor
Ultor rams Bumblebot
Ultor drove underneath Bumblebot, whose axe seemed to be immobile. Ultor pushed it a bit towards Sergeant Bash. Bumblebot got away, but then its axe tumbled lifelessly to the ground.
- "Very cagey, early on."
- — Jonathan Pearce as both robots get off to a slow start
Dead Metal cuts off the axe head of Bumblebot
Ultor shoved it into Dead Metal, who sliced off the axe head. Bumblebot was left with a long, useless pole sticking out the front. Ultor pushed it towards the pit, but the pole prevented it from fully going in. Sir Killalot lifted it out of the pit, before Shunt came in and shoved it back down.
Bumblebot leans into the Pit
- "Is there a little bit of buzz about the Bumblebot yet? Fly away, fly away, live to fight another day - I doubt it."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Killalot lifted it out again and dragged it over to the flame pit, ripping off one of its front casters in the process.
Winner: Ultor
Heat Final
Big Brother vs Ultor
Big Brother gets underneath Ultor
Big Brother started by charging towards Ultor, who initially struggled to move away from the arena wall. Big Brother then rode up on Ultor, before slipping back off and moving away, missing an attempted axe attack by Ultor. Big Brother hit Ultor with the mace twice until the weapon got caught on Ultor's axe, who was then able to drag Big Brother around, nearly pulling it over on to its back.
Big Brother is dragged around by Ultor
- "Caught though, on the spike of Ultor, who could drag here, Big Brother, towards oblivion, if they play it right, no, they let Big Brother get away."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Ultor pulls Big Brother
Big Brother escaped and pushed Ultor around, until, suddenly, the mace fell off.
Big Brother's 'morning star' falls off
- "Oh, and it's gone! The whip's come off!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Now Big Brother only had the wedge on the front as a weapon. It shoved Ultor onto the floor flipper, causing it to bump into the air and escape. Ultor axed Big Brother a few times, before getting flicked up multiple times by an arena spike. The battle went to the judges, who awarded the battle to Ultor.
Winner: Ultor
However, later on, in the pits, the Ultor team told the Big Brother team they felt the judges were wrong, so they let Big Brother go through to the Semi-finals.
Heat Winner: Big Brother
- "Forget about bull-fighting, and those brave matadors, cos we always see red, on Robot Wars!"
- — Craig Charles signs off
Special Event
Crusader hits the 50 point target
Between Round 1 and Round 2 of each Heat, a Special Event or Trial took place. For Heat D, it was the second Pinball Warrior run, featuring Crusader.
Score: 90 points
Trivia
- Heat D became the first instance of a robot team overturning a judges decision, with Ultor doing so in the heat final.
- Interestingly, Heat D was comprised entirely of robots new to fighting in the main competition - Bumblebot had not fought in the main competition, and Milly-Ann Bug had been eliminated before the Arena stage in Series 2.
- The "Sir Chromalot tradition" was established in this heat, with the defeat of Sir Chromalot by Big Brother in Round 2.
- Sir Killalot nearly achieved the first Out of the Arena when he spun Shell Shock on his lance.
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