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This article is about the US robot from the 1996-1997 US competitions and the American Robot Wars 2000 pilot. For other uses, see Spike (disambiguation).

Spike was an American competitor robot designed by Andrew Lindsey, which competed as a featherweight in the 1996 and 1997 US Robot Wars competitions. In the 1996 iteration, it reached the Semi-Finals of the Featherweight Face-Off competition, but was eliminated by Wedge of Doom at that stage. Spike would also compete in a 'team' battle alongside Spiny Norman, Melvin and future UK Series 1 stock robot WYSIWYG; and the Featherweight Melee tournament, where it finished third in its preliminary round to Wedge of Doom and The X-2.[1]

For the 1997 competition, a second incarnation, Spike II, again fought in the Featherweight Face-Off and Melee events. As with the original version, it reached the Semi-Finals of the former, before being defeated by Jim Sellers' entry Red-Green on a close Judges' decision. Spike II would enjoy improved form in the Melee, reaching the final round and being considered for overall championship honors. However, it would lose the latter outright to Wedge of Doom on the resulting audience vote.[3]

A heavyweight incarnation later took part in the unaired MTV pilot American Robot Wars 2000, losing its only battle of the event to Mauler.

Andrew Lindsey was also part of Team Delta, who also entered American Robot Wars 2000 and the Series 4 War of Independence with The Mangulator.

Versions of Spike[]

"I first heard about Robot Wars via the Discovery Channel, who had a special shortly after the second Robot Wars in August of 95. I'd always been interested in engineering comeptitions, [sic] and this one in particular fascinated me. Immediately [sic] I began working on design ideas, although at the time I had neither access to a machine shop or the means to get to the California-based competition."
— Andrew Lindsey on Spike’s genesis[1]

Spike (1996)[]

In its original incarnation, Spike was a two-wheel drive robot with a welded steel plate chassis and a wedge-shaped shell made from Lexan panels. Its compact size and featherweight designation were intended to allow the robot to be carried in a suitcase without assistance, an important factor as Andrew Lindsey intended to fly to the 1996 competition. Inspired by a beetle fight from a nature documentary, Lindsey incorporated a lifting arm as Spike's main weapon. Mounted at the rear behind the wedge shape, the twin-forked arm proved highly effective in combat.[1]

Spike's internals were packed inside a steel box within the robot's center. These included power window motors for drive and two high-capacity 12V gel-cell batteries - enabling it to run for approximately an hour between charges. On top of the box were three speed controllers and an aircraft radio system, though in practice this contributed to reliability issues as the wires would flex whenever Spike was disassembled. Additionally, Spike lacked a fuse, and its connectors were both 'unpolarized and unlabled', both also causing reliability issues. Though the power window motors themselves were highly reliable, they provided Spike with one of the lowest top speeds in the 1996 featherweight category.[1]

Spike II (1997)[]

"I started working on design ideas for Spike II right after my humiliating defeat by the Wedge of Doom at RW '96. First priority was more powerful drive motors. The power window motors used in Spike I were cheap and easy to work with, but simply too slow. Second priority was a design which would be nearly impossible to pin. Spike I's large overhanging shell made it essentially immune to cutting or spearing weapons, but was very vulnerable to lifting attacks. Spike II would have large exposed wheels which would let it still have traction even if lifted or flipped, and a smooth shell offering no easy purchase for lifting weapons."
— Andrew Lindsey[6]

While also featuring two-wheel drive and an electric lifter, Spike II adopted a radically different design compared to its predecessor. The front-mounted arm, marked in black and yellow hazard stripes, adopted a custom linear actuator supplied by Motion Systems Corp, which had provided similar parts for 1995 Heavyweight Face-Off champion The Master. At the tip, a set of three spikes was attached, with two 1/4 inch variants facing both sides and the third facing the front. The actuator was positioned in such a way that it would be level with the arena floor once the whole lifter was fully lowered. In turn, this improved Spike II's ability to get underneath opponents, as well as giving the arm the ability to lift upwards into a vertical position. The latter capability took just five seconds to achieve, and at a claimed 'stall lifting force' of 50lbs.[5][6]

Alongside the spiked arm, Andrew Lindsey created a second interchangeable arm fitted with a 'flat metal scoop'. Introduced as a counter against Wedge of Doom, it was designed for breaching ground clearances, but ultimately went unused due to time constraints.[3]

Structurally, a brand-new welded mild steel chassis (16 gauge sheet) was created by Lindsey himself, with riveted aluminum angle stock being used to hold the main frame and drive assemblies together. Armor consisted of 16 gauge aluminum and 1/8-inch Lexan panelling, with the completed robot featuring a red and black paint scheme. The compact chassis shape, along with outer 6-inch Colson wheels (the same type used in 1996), allowed Spike II to be invertible, eliminating one of the potential weaknesses of the 1996 design against other lifting weapons.[5][6]

Spike II's internals were completely overhauled as part of the redesign, addressing the lack of torque hampering the 1996 incarnation. A Vantec RDFR22 speed controller was paired with more powerful Clifton Precision servo motors, which provided the basis for the robot's main drive modules. Two 20-cell NiCad battery packs were utilized, each of the 'sub-C' type, to obtain the maximum discharge rate needed for the servo motors. Astroflight wiring and connectors were also used throughout at the recommendation of Dan Danknick, to maximize reliability. The drive assemblies, weighing 5.5lbs each, provided Spike II with a top speed of 14 feet per second (approximately 9.5mph). Early control and interference issues were rectified by swapping the originally-installed digital lifter controller for a 'homebrew mechanical' type. The alternative speed controller setup incorporated a pair of roller microswitches, a pair of 'automotive relays', and a cam converted from a store-bought hobby servo.[5][6]

As an accidental benefit of its high-torque motors, Spike II was capable of self-righting from the inverted position with its drivetrain alone. This was made possible by driving the robot in reverse, then abruptly switching to forward drive once it reached full speed. As Spike II was 'unbalanced and topheavy' while inverted, the resulting weight distribution would throw the whole robot back over in a forward arch, similarly to a rear-hinged lifter or flipper.[3]

While drafting design concepts for Spike II, Andrew Lindsey originally intended for it to feature a 'pitchfork'-type lifter, along with two 'carbide cutting saws' as secondary weapons. Time constraints resulted in the saws not being implemented, while the 'pitchfork' was swapped in favor of the 1/4-inch spikes as Lindsey felt it was 'far too fragile' for competition use. Ironically, the spikes would also prove fragile in testing and combat scenarios. Lindsey would end up substituting the front spike for a chiselled piece of steel bar stock prior to entry, and removing the side spikes entirely during its Face-Off run.[3][6]

Spike (American Robot Wars 2000)[]

For the American Robot Wars 2000 pilot, Spike was armored in 3/4-inch steel plating, bringing its weight up to approximately 190lbs. A head and limbs from a toy baby doll were attached on the top and sides as extra decoration, which proved crucial to it being selected for the finalized competition line-up.[7]

Robot History[]

1996 US Championship[]

In the opening match of the 1996 US competition - taking place on 17 August[1] - Spike fought Edgar the Hate Bug in the first round of the Featherweight Face-Off tournament.

Taking advantage of its opponent's drive and maneuverability issues, it rammed Edgar the Hate Bug straight away, but could not push it back. In doing so, it took superficial damage from Edgar the Hate Bug's chainsaw, which scuffed the sponsorship logos placed on its shell. A pushing match followed between the two competitors, with Spike trying to pin Edgar the Hate Bug down with its lifting arm.[1]

Moments later, Spike drove behind and lifted Edgar the Hate Bug upwards, before pushing it into the plywood wall. A 'cloud of sawdust' kicked up as Edgar the Hate Bug's weapon cut through the wall, in turn allowing Spike to push it across the arena perimeter, towards one of the arena flippers. The flipper paddle whacked both robots multiple times, separating them, with Spike resuming its pursuit of the now-damaged Edgar the Hate Bug. The full five minutes expired before Spike could attack again, and the match initially entered a Judges' decision. During their deliberation, Spike caught up with and pinned Edgar the Hate Bug with its lifter, though no further action is known to have been taken on this late attack. The Judges called for an audience vote, which unanimously supported Spike and cemented its place in the second round.[1]

Next, Spike faced another wedged pusher in Yo Mama!. Electrical issues affecting both robots nearly caused the battle to be delayed. For Spike, this was a temporary loss of function for the lifter, which began operating as Andrew Lindsey was in the process of diagnosing the issue.[1]

During the match itself, Spike's lifter again malfunctioned, forcing it to rely on its wedge shape to ram and push Yo Mama! into the wall, a mousetrap hazard and an arena corner. Spike eventually emerged as the winner, though Andrew Lindsey continued to encounter problems with its weapon system.[1][8]

"I won the that battle, but without the arm I was in trouble. Despite considerable coaxing, the arm speed controller just wouldn't work. I couldn't find anything wrong with it, and no reason why it should have died, but it just wouldn't function no matter what."
— Andrew Lindsey[1]

Fortunately, a spare Tekin Titan speed controller was loaned by Dan Danknick, allowing Lindsey to repair the weapon fully in time for Spike's next battle.[1]

In the Quarter-Final stage, Spike faced Bite Me, whose horizontal grabbing jaws had been exchanged for a scoop due to irreparable damage. Both robots spent the majority of the fight trying to use their weapons against each other, with Spike again getting lifts with its arm. Bite Me's larger wheels and higher ground clearance initially proved a hindrance, until Spike impaled one of the wheel spokes, preventing it from driving away. Spike again emerged as the winner, having caused Bite Me to strip one of its own gearboxes as a result of this crucial attack.[1]

Through to the Semi-Finals as a result, Spike faced Tony Buchignani and Wedge of Doom.

Instantly, it was put at a disadvantage, as Wedge of Doom's ground clearance was too low for the lifting arm to be effective. Spike was pushed under one of the mousetrap nets by its faster and more maneuverable opponent, though it used its lifter to break free. Shortly after this, Wedge of Doom pinned Spike against an arena wall, where it was held and declared to have lost. Spike was eliminated from the Featherweight Face-Off tournament as a result.[1]

During preparations for the 1996 finals, a featherweight 'team battle' took place as one of the unofficial Grudge Matches set up by event organizers. Spike was paired up with Spiny Norman, Melvin and UK competitor WYSIWYG to form "Team X". The quartet would face KMM, Arsenic, The X-2 and My Little Pony, all forming "Team W".[1][9]

KMM Spike Arsenic

Spike (center-left) is ganged up on by KMM and Arsenic

Immediately, Spike was attacked by KMM, the very robot it was designed to eliminate. It responded by charging back at KMM, getting underneath and setting itself up for a lift. As this happened, Arsenic attacked and began lifting Spike upwards with its own scoop, pinning Spike in place as it tried to shake itself free. KMM also began denting the top of Spike's Lexan shell with its pickaxe, a moment which was briefly highlighted in the intro montage for American Robot Wars 1996. These attacks from KMM ended up contributing to Team X's loss overall. Later on, KMM's Rik Winter admitted that Spike was his team's strongest threat, and that Team W's strategy was based on eliminating it first.[1]

"Sunday night was the featherweight melee. Robots still functional were placed in the arena five or six at a time, to battle in a series of rounds until only one winner was left. I was expecting to do well here, as winning the melee is more a matter of sheer ruggedness than fancy weaponry."
— Andrew Lindsey[1]

Spike also competed in a Featherweight Melee, fighting against Black Sheep 2, My Little Pony, Wedge of Doom, WYSIWYG and The X-2. [1]

Initially, it came under pressure from WYSIWYG, though Eric Dickinson's machine was quickly turned over by The X-2's lifting arm. Spike next turned its attention to Black Sheep 2, picking it up and dropping it onto a stuffed animal toy left behind by My Little Pony. With My Little Pony also becoming immobilized, Spike was among the last three robots remaining, pursuing Wedge of Doom and The X-2 as they engaged in their own separate duel. Intermittent speed controller issues hampered its forward movements as the Melee went on. Spike persevered, cornering The X-2 while surviving an attempted flip from Mike Winter's entry. While trying to pin The X-2, however, it was rammed and pinned against the wall by Wedge of Doom, the attack incapacitating Spike at once. Spike finished the Melee third, but was not chosen to progress to the final alongside Wedge of Doom and The X-2.[1]

1997 US Championship[]

The completely redesigned Spike II began its 1997 campaign in the Featherweight Face-Off. In the opening round, it was drawn against Klaas Langhout and Slomo IV, as part of a 'Dual Match' alongside Dough Boy vs The Grinch.

"Saturday we showed up early again, and set Spike down on the table to charge for its first match. Checking the scheduel [sic] I saw to my that Spike's first match was against Slomo IV - a robot which was slower and less manuverable than Spike, and which was essentially unarmed and harmless. I wasn't worried about my opponent, but I was concerned about how well Spike would hold up. I had a lot of system failures and last-minute problems with the robot, and hadn't tested it nearly as much as I'd have liked to."
— Andrew Lindsey on Spike II's first-round draw[3]
Spikevsslomo4

Spike II flips Slomo IV over

Starting as the faster machine of the pair, Spike II rammed Slomo IV as the latter struggled to avoid the upper-right flipper. It proceeded to push its opponent against the flipper, while also using the same hazard to turn Slomo IV over. While the latter attack immobilized Slomo IV - which was unable to self-right - Spike II also encountered issues of its own. A strike from the flipper dislodged a group of set screws inside, immobilizing Andrew Lindsey's machine on one side. After Michael Meehan prompted it to move, Spike II still managed to reposition itself in front of the arena doors. This, along with its 'decisive' performance against Slomo IV, was enough for it to win on a Judges' decision.[3][10][11]

"After the match I immediatly [sic] took Spike back to the pits and tore apart the drivetrain to find what had gone wrong. Quick testing showed that the motor and electronics were fine, but the power wasn't getting through the geartrain. The set screws holding the pinion onto the motor shaft had come loose, and the shaft was spinning freely in the gear.

Early during testing of the drivetrain I realized that the set screws were failure points. The shaft coming out of the motor was round and smooth, with no key or notch for the set screw to grab. Originally I had ground one side of the shaft flat, and used locktite [sic] on the screw to keep it from coming loose. This worked fine, but a week before the event I had done an emergency replacement of one of the drive motors (metal grit had gotten into the bearings and messed them up) and in my haste had forgotten about the set screws. During testing the robot had run fine, but the impact against the wall jarred the screw enough to lot the shaft spin freely. Since I had a while till my next battle I was able to fix the problem, using my trusty dremel tool and a tube of locktite [sic] to fix the gear in place. I had no more trouble from it the rest of the competition.
"
— Andrew Lindsey, on the issues faced with Spike II's set screws[3]

Following the necessary repairs, Spike II fought KMM in the second round. This would indirectly serve as a rematch of their encounter in the 1996 'team battle', where KMM's weaponry had contributed to the original version's elimination.

Immediately, both robots collided in the center of the arena. The force of Spike II's ram was enough to momentarily pop KMM into the air, allowing it to push and lift the latter sideways. KMM slipped off its opponent's lifter as the pair momentarily found themselves in the lower-right corner. Spike II reversed, then controlled KMM into the flipper. KMM escaped; Spike II darted into its opponent's pincers, exposing itself to a few hammer attacks.[12][13]

While its Lexan plating became dented as a result, Spike II again got underneath and lifted KMM. This time, it turned Rik Winter's machine over, after which the latter struggled to self-right. Spike II performed a victory spin and paraded across the arena until KMM's elimination was confirmed. However, this was not without losing one of the lifter's side spikes, both of which would be removed ahead of later battles.[3][12][13]

Through to the Quarter-Finals, Spike II was provisionally intended to fight Dough Boy, an overhead spinner entered by Lisa Winter. In preparation for this, Andrew Lindsey taped its antenna against its top armor, in a bid to prevent it from being cut off by its opponent's weapon. Following the conclusion of the Loser's Bracket, the match orders were changed, resulting in Spike II being drawn against another overhead spinner - The Fishstick from Guam.[3]

"Fishstick's weapons were a pair of heavy metal weights on a long (at least 4 feet) spinning beam. Fishstick could get the beam spinning very fact [sic], and the metal hammers on the ends hit really hard. Its drivetrain was weak, a pair of windshield wiper motors, and it had no armor to speak of, so I though my chances of beating it were good."
— Andrew Lindsey on The Fishstick from Guam's design and weaknesses[3]

Early on, it became stranded on debris left behind from a previous battle and needed unsticking. At Andrew Lindsey's request, a temporary pause was carried out to free Spike II, after which it began an aggressive driving strategy to try and turn The Fishstick from Guam over. As a consequence, Spike II took multiple blows from The Fishstick from Guam's flails, which frequently dented it and disrupted its movements across the arena. The taped-down antenna also caused major radio reception issues, often causing Spike II to lose responsiveness and make 'all kind of random twitches and spins.'[3][14][15]

Spike II persevered; the sustained collisions wore down the mechanism for The Fishstick from Guam's flails as the match went on. With less than a minute remaining, it finally drove underneath, lifted and pushed The Fishstick from Guam into the wall. Contact from a nearby arena flipper jolted Keith Gould's machine onto its back, where it was unable to self-right. Both robots took a battering from the flipper paddle. Spike II - arm raised - pushed the inverted Fishstick from Guam out of the hazard's reach before the latter suffered an internal malfunction. After taking another swipe from the flipper, it spun around and whacked its defeated opponent in victory.[14][15]

Spike II progressed to the Semi-Finals, where it faced Red-Green - a fellow invertible lifter built by Jim Sellers. This followed directly after the Semi-Finals of the Heavyweight Face-Off, in which patches of hydraulic fluid and engine oil were spilt by competitors Z and The Scorpion. Traction issues would affect the two competitors as a direct result, with Andrew Lindsey feeling that Spike II handled worse on its treadless rubber tires.[3]

Both robots spent the opening moments driving into and around each other. Starting in reverse, Spike II rammed Red-Green near the center of the arena, only to get collected at high speed by the latter a few seconds later. While trying to escape, it accidentally drove forwards into Red-Green's opened weapon mechanism, getting its left tire clamped as a consequence. Spike II began pushing Red-Green around in circles in response, before the two competitors separated, after which it kept ramming and driving up its opponent's top jaw. Red-Green briefly pushed Spike II back across the upper-right perimeter in response.[16][17]

Spike II avoided another attempt by Red-Green to use its jaws again, as it briefly tried to lift Jim Sellers' machine from behind. It followed Red-Green towards the surrounding wall, then lifted it at the end of another tentative exchange. In response, Red-Green popped Spike II into the air with a side-on push. Spike II began swinging its arm, only for the arm to be caught and bitten down on by Red-Green's opened jaws. It proceeded to lift Red-Green up onto its left wheel, only to be pulled over onto its back as the two featherweights spun around in circles. The inverted Spike II sped away and turned around. To the surprise of Andrew Lindsey, a reverse drive allowed it to self-right by performing a quick 'wheelie', with around a minute remaining.[3][16][17]

Spike II quickly spun as Red-Green gave chase once again. However, the match would ultimately be paused when Red-Green drove into and got itself wedged under the lower wall, upon encountering patches of hydraulic fluid and engine oil on the arena floor.[3] Once Red-Green was unstuck, the two competitors resumed their duel. Spike II dodged an attempted ram by Red-Green, causing the latter to catch the right side wall. Spike II pinned Red-Green in place, starting a brief pushing match across the upper-right perimeter. Moments later, it lifted a reversing Red-Green onto its right-wheel, then collided with Cambot. The two competitors kept dodging and nudging each other up until the final ten seconds. Spike II avoided Red-Green's jaws one last time before the end bell rang.[16][17]

Both robots lasted to a Judges' decision, which ruled in favor of Red-Green after a fast-paced and closely-fought fight. Spike II was eliminated from the Featherweight Face-Off as a result.[16][17]

As in the previous year, Spike II returned for the Featherweight Melee tournament. In its preliminary round, it faced Bob Smith, Destructomatic, No Love, The Grinch and The Rat.

Spike II immediately plowed into and nudged The Grinch around, while coming under early attacks from Bob Smith and its swinging hammer tail. It was then pushed towards the nearby spike trap by The Rat, dodged the descending hazard while spinning uncontrollably into the wall. Spike II rammed The Grinch twice more, only for The Rat to ram it and Destructomatic simultaneously. Taking this opportunity to pressure Destructomatic towards the upper spike, it clipped the back of The Rat, which was also pushing Bob Smith towards the same hazard. Spike II next reversed across the arena, meeting, pushing and lifting The Rat simultaneously.[18][19]

These attacks allowed Spike II to hook under The Rat's shell, locking both competitors together opposite the lower-right flipper. Spike II took advantage by carrying and ramming The Rat into Bob Smith, with Destructomatic also driving into Robert Orr's helpless machine. It pushed The Rat into the wall, before spinning around and holding it in place in the inner-right corner. Spike II unsuccessfully tried to turn The Rat over, then controlled it back and forth across the arena while taking a swipe from Bob Smith's tail. The match was paused to allow Spike II and The Rat to become separated.[18][19]

Once Spike II was prised from its opponent, it immediately drove into and removed one of the chains from Destructomatic. The Rat, meanwhile, was left with mobility issues as a result of the chassis damage sustained during the 'deadly embrace'. Spike II kept pressuring Destructomatic, attempting to control it into the lower spike trap, but without success. Instead, it pushed Destructomatic towards the lower-right flipper, which swatted the dome-shaped machine into the wall. Spike II proceeded to pin, then turn Destructomatic over to eliminate it from the Melee. However, as Andrew Lindsey's machine retreated, it was 'flipped end over end' through a collision with the approaching No Love.[18][19]

Spike II's chassis took damage during the collision, though it sped backwards across the arena to ram Bob Smith, which continued to attack The Rat. A swipe from Bob Smith's tail appeared to stop it moving. Regardless, Spike II spun around and pushed No Love - also demonstrating mobility issues - with its lifting arm. Spike II and No Love came to rest alongside The Grinch, which could only turn around slowly on one side as its batteries became severely depleted. During the final minute, a hit from Bob Smith's tail brought Spike II back to life, the red and black machine darting under the tail of Will Wright's entry and into No Love.[18][19]

Spike II and No Love again stopped moving, this time parked next to The Rat, then took turns at weathering more tail blows from Bob Smith. Bob Smith's tail folded down as its spikes caught the lifting arm of Spike II, though both robots quickly separated. Spike II lifted No Love and The Grinch, darting across the arena before taking more direct attacks from Bob Smith. The Melee finished with Spike II ramming, then lifting The Rat for one final time. Spike II, Bob Smith and No Love were announced as the last remaining machines still mobile, with all progressing to the second rounds.[18][19]

A host of 'emergency repairs' was carried out by Andrew Lindsey ahead of Spike II's next match. The extent of the damage included a loosened drivetrain module, broken rivets (caused by one of its collisions with No Love) and a warped chassis, most of which was rectified in an attempt to make it 'driveable' again.[3]

In its Semi-Final Melee, Spike II was due to face Red-Green for the second time, alongside Sabotage, Spiny Norman, Thwonkis Mobilis and TKO. Due to technical issues, TKO and Sabotage both withdrew from this battle, leaving the four remaining machines to fight on without them.[20]

Spike vs twonkismobilis

Spike II rams Thwonkis Mobilis

Spike II's involvement was limited at first, until it converged with its opponents in the center. It then pushed Red-Green and Spiny Norman together at high speed by Spike II, before all robots found themselves near the lower-left corner. A three-way tussle between Spike II, Red-Green and Spin Norman continued for some time, resulting in the two Face-Off rivals resuming their own duel. On this occasion, Spike II attempted to lift Red-Green, before the latter battled with Spiny Norman. It proceeded to follow and ram Thwonkis Mobilis twice, then scooped under and pinned the approaching Spiny Norman under the lower spike.[20][21]

During the latter exchange, Spike II rammed and lifted Thwonkis Mobilis, managing to flip it completely over in the process. After crashing into the lower wall twice, it took turns with Spiny Norman and Red-Green to attack - and ultimately re-right - Chris Ervine's entry. This lead to Spike II chasing Thwonkis Mobilis into the upper-left corner, then collecting and ramming it into an also-pursuing Red-Green. Spike II and Spiny Norman next pushed Red-Green in unison, before colliding with each other head-on. This resulted in Spike II pushing Will Wright's machine into the upper-left corner, then hooking and lifting it with its arm. Spike II rammed and flipped Spiny Norman over against the wall, eliminating it in an instant.[20][21]

As both of its remaining opponents drew closer to the wall, Spike II rammed them simultaneously at high speed. Further rams were enough to split Thownkis Mobilis' chassis in two, with Red-Green's jaws still holding a firm grip on it. Spike II distanced itself from its opponents, demonstrating its lifter, but in doing so became stranded after driving over 'an uneven spot' in the arena floor. The match was paused to allow all three robots to become unstuck. On the restart, Spike II shot backwards across the arena. It then pushed and rammed Red-Green multiple times, while the latter was affected by mobility issues.[20][21]

During the tentative final minute, Spike II briefly hooked its arm under Red-Green's jaws, lifting it up for a moment. More rams followed, until Andrew Lindsey's machine performed a final lift, this time while spearing through the gap between Red-Green's right wheel and jaws. Spike II paraded the helpless Red-Green around in a circle until the end bell rang. As the last two robots standing, both would automatically qualify for the Featherweight Melee Final.[20][21]

Alongside Red-Green, Spike II would face Bob Smith, No Love and Wedge of Doom - all opponents which it had already faced earlier in the 1997 tournaments. As part of his plan to counter Wedge of Doom, Andrew Lindsey had originally intended to swap its regular arm for the scoop-wielding equivalent. However, Spike II was called into the arena before the changes could be carried out. Attempted to reattach one of its Lexan plates - which completely detached during its Semi-Final - were also abandoned as the screws holding the plate had 'stripped out' completely.[3]

"This round was sheer madness. The robots in this match were the best of the featherweight class, all fast, sturdy, and hard to kill."
— Andrew Lindsey on the 1997 Featherweight Melee Final[3]

As soon as the Final began, it collided with Red-Green near the center. After Red-Green became subjected to Wedge of Doom's pushing attacks, Spike II found itself being whacked by Bob Smith's tail, prompting it to push back momentarily. With No Love and Red-Green being dispatched by Wedge of Doom early on, Spike II was among the remaining machines to be buffeted by Tony Buchignani's machine. It chased and duelled with Wedge of Doom for some time, only to be flipped over once again in the process. Spike II self-righted using its 'wheelie' technique, and congregated with the 1996 Face-Off champion and Bob Smith near the center. Another drive up Wedge of Doom's scoop flipped Spike II over as Bob Smith whacked both machines simultaneously.[22][23][24]

The three competitors continued their scraps past the two-minute mark, until the match was paused to allow Red-Green, now jammed jaw-first under the wall, to be freed. On the restart, Spike II teamed up with Red-Green to ram Wedge of Doom, which responded by shoving Red-Green back into the lower-right corner. Spike II was then flipped over for the third time, but again self-righted as it barged into its remaining opponents. As Red-Green proceeded to lift and grapple with No Love, Spike II began lifting it before again being pushed by Wedge of Doom. Another drive up Wedge of Doom's scoop almost turned Spike II over, as it proceeded to engage in another duel with Bob Smith.[22][23][24]

During this time, Spike II found itself being pushed and left stranded against the wall by Wedge of Doom. However, it was able to escape using its lifting arm, albeit while being left in an inverted position. Another ram from Wedge of Doom flipped Spike II back upright, before Spike II was driven underneath by Red-Green. Though it avoided being flipped or grappled by Jim Sellers' machine, it continued to take blows from Bob Smith's tail until time ran out. During these moments, Spike II's antenna was forced down between its wheel and shell, ultimately getting caught and ripped out by its own drive system.[3][22][23][24]

In the end, all robots except No Love were deemed to have survived the full duration. Though still mobile, Spike II was no longer receptive to transmitter inputs as a result of its antenna mishap. Following the initial Judges' decision, an audience vote was cast. Spike II ultimately lost the vote - and the 1997 Featherweight Melee championship - to Wedge of Doom.[3][22][23][24]

American Robot Wars 2000[]

The heavyweight Spike competed exclusively in the American Robot Wars 2000 pilot as one of the eight robots selected to compete. When the number of competing teams was reduced to four due to one team withdrawing, Spike passed its audition to retain its place in the final selection.

In its first-round battle, Spike fought the spinner of Mauler. At some point during the battle, Mauler got up to speed and collided with Spike, causing sparks to fly. It managed to rip off the doll head attached to Spike, causing it to fly across the arena.[25] It was unknown whether the battle ended in a knockout or Judges' decision, but Mauler was declared the winner, and Spike was eliminated from the competition.

Results[]

SPIKE (1996) - RESULTS
1996 US Championship
Featherweight Face-Off
Semi-Finals
Round 1 vs. Edgar the Hate Bug Won
Round 2 vs. Yo Mama! Won
Quarter-Final vs. Bite Me Won
Semi-Final vs. Wedge of Doom Lost
Featherweight Melee
Round 1
Melee vs. Black Sheep 2, My Little Pony,
Wedge of Doom, WYSIWYG, The X-2
Lost
Other Battles
Featherweight Team Battle
(Team X, paired with Melvin, Spiny Norman and WYSIWYG)
Team Battle vs. Arsenic, KMM, My Little Pony and The X-2 (Team W) Lost
SPIKE II - RESULTS
1997 US Championship
Featherweight Face-Off
Semi-Finals
Round 1 vs. Slomo IV Won
Round 2 vs. KMM Won
Quarter-Final vs. The Fishstick from Guam Won
Semi-Final vs. Red-Green Lost
Featherweight Melee
Final
Melee, Round 1 vs. Bob Smith, Destructomatic, No Love, The Grinch, The Rat Qualified
Melee, Semi-Final vs. Red-Green, Spiny Norman, Thwonkis Mobilis Qualified
Melee Final vs. Bob Smith, No Love, Red-Green, Wedge of Doom Lost
SPIKE (MTV) - RESULTS
American Robot Wars 2000
(Unaired MTV pilot)

Round 1
Round 1 vs. Mauler Lost

Wins/Losses[]

Dominator 2 s4 qualifiers

Spike (background) at the Fourth Wars rehearsals

  • 1996-1997 Wins: 8
  • 1996-1997 Losses: 5
  • MTV Wins: 0
  • MTV Losses: 1
  • Total Wins: 8
  • Total Losses: 6

Outside Robot Wars[]

Spike3

Spike III (1998)

Following its 1997 Robot Wars run, the design of Spike II was refined further to become Spike III. Changes included an all-steel construction - incorporating a welded stainless steel body - a twin-forked lifting arm and a pair of static fork-like 'struts' at the front. The 'struts' were added to provide support for the actuator-driven arm, allowing the weapon to lift opponents upwards at its maximum leverage. Spike III was entered into the Lightweight Class at Bot Bash '98, held during the 1998 CopperCon convention, finishing first overall.[26][27]

For 1999, an 'improved' version of Spike III was prepared for the Long Reach Robotic Challenge, and announced by Andrew Lindsey to compete in the inaugural BattleBots Long Beach event. The lifter was updated to include an overhead grabbing arm to counter invertible opponents, though the Long Beach event would not run its own featherweight category.[28]

"Now, I was all excited when Battlebots announced their first compatition. I had a proven, capable, design waiting for a real competition - Bot Bash '98 was fun but not much competition. I has added a grabbing mechanism to Spike's arm to handle the new generation of run-upside-down robots that I wanted to try out. But then Battlebots announced that the smallest weight class at Battlebots would be 55lbs, twice Spike's weight. Bummer, especially since my unfinished 55lb robot Chew Toy was looking very suboptimal and unlikely to survive a single round in combat.

Almost immediatly, [sic] Tony B. (builder of my famed arch-nemesis The Wedge of Doom) emailed me and suggested we compete as a multibot. Cool, I thought. After all, Spike was designed to fight robots twice its size anyway.
"
— Andrew Lindsey on the idea behind Spike of Doom[29]

Instead, Spike was paired with Wedge of Doom to form a two-part multibot - Spike of Doom - for lightweight competitions. Entering the Kilobot division, Spike of Doom won two battles over RACC and Rasta in the main double-elimination tournament, but was eliminated following losses against The Missing Link and Endotherm. It would also participate in the Kilobot Rumble, but lost to HammerHead on a crowd vote.[29][30] After this, the 1999 incarnation of Spike was redesigned and rebuilt into the heavyweight version appearing in American Robot Wars 2000.

Other robots built by Andrew Lindsey included Chew Toy, an unfinished 'experimental' lightweight made from 'surplus' and scrap parts,[26][29] and Mantis, a lightweight variation of Spike with a set of crushing jaws. Mantis would compete in the third season of Comedy Central's BattleBots series, winning two battles against Speed Bump and Froghemoth before being eliminated by Manic Aggressive.

See Also[]

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 'The Story Of Spike', Team Spike website (archived)
  2. 2.0 2.1 'TEAM SPIKE', Team Spike website (archived January 26 1998)
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 'The Event', Team Spike website (archived)
  4. 'SITE CREDITS', Team Spike website (archived November 3 1999)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 'Spike II - RW 1997', Team Spike website (archived)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 'Spike II - Design & Construction', Team Spike website (archived)
  7. 'News 2000' Killerhurtz website
  8. 'Robot Wars 1996: Spike versus Yo Mama! (Featherweight)', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded December 28 2018
  9. 'Robot Wars 1996 - Featherweight Melee 1', diabolicalmachine (YouTube), uploaded 20 July 2008
  10. 'Robot Wars 1997: Featherweight Dual Match 4', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded April 14 2021
  11. 'MATCH: SPIKE II VS SLOMO IV', Team Spike website (archived)
  12. 12.0 12.1 'Robot Wars 1997 Featherweight match: Spike 2 versus KMM', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded April 19 2021
  13. 13.0 13.1 'MATCH: SPIKE II VS KMM', Team Spike website (archived)
  14. 14.0 14.1 'MATCH: SPIKE II VS THE FISHSTICK FROM GUAM', Team Spike website (archived)
  15. 15.0 15.1 'Robot Wars 1997 Featherweight match: Spike 2 versus The Fishstick from Guam', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 6 2021
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 'Robot Wars 1997 Featherweight match: Spike 2 versus Red-Green', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 8 2021
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 'MATCH: RED-GREEN VS SPIKE II', Team Spike website (archived)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 'Robot Wars 1997 Featherweight Melee 2', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 11 2021
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 'FEATHERWEIGHT MELEE ROUND 2', Team Spike website (archived)
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 'FEATHERWEIGHT MELEE ROUND 4', Team Spike website (archived)
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 'Robot Wars 1997 Featherweight Melee 4', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 11 2021
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 'The 1997 Featherweight Melee', Wedge of Doom/Nolex website (archived)
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 'Robot Wars 1997 Final Featherweight Melee', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded 11 May 2021
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 'FEATHERWEIGHT MELEE ROUND 6', Team Spike website (archived)
  25. Brad Stone (2003), Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.177
  26. 26.0 26.1 'Team Spike's Robots', Team Spike website (archived)
  27. 'SPIKE III', Team Spike website (archived)
  28. 'NEWS', Team Spike website (archived October 4 1999)
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 'TEAM SPIKE GOES TO BATTLEBOTS', Team Spike (fiberia.com) (archived)
  30. '1999 BattleBots Long Beach-Kilobots', Robotcombat.com

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