Rabid M8

Rabid M8
Participation Information
UK Series	10 (World Series)
Team Information
Team	Team REC
Team Members	Guilherme Ferreira Pedro Mourao
From	Lisbon, Portugal
Associated Robots	Dee (previous identity)
Robot Statistics
Weight	99kg
Top Speed	15mph
Power	LiPo 8s battery
Drive	2x NPC Geared Motors
Weapons	Thwackbot
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"To beat the robot, you must first beat the mind behind the machine."

— Guilherme Ferreira

Rabid M8 was a robot which represented Portugal in Robot Wars: World Series. Despite being immobilised near-instantly by Sabretooth in its Tag Team battle, Rabid M8 collected a victory over the British thwackbot Gabriel 2 in its head-to-head battle. Rabid M8 was named after a featherweight machine of the same name, built by Team REC.

The robot was a loanerbot built by Robo Challenge, which had a previous identity as Dee.

Design

"An overhead thwackbot can cause a lot of damage!"

— Robot Extreme Competition Facebook page

Rabid M8 with Team REC

Rabid M8 being assembled

Rabid M8 was a thwackbot, technically lacking an active weapon, instead using a black pronged arm which the robot can use to attack by spinning the robot in place, or by overturning it for a vertical hit. Two prongs also protected the side of Rabid M8, providing further offence when spinning, while protecting the robot's two wheels at the front. These tyres were inflated, and were highly exposed at the sides and rear, although they allowed Rabid M8 to freely overturn itself and run inverted due to its design as an axlebot, and the robot boasted a high top speed. Its armour varied from 3mm steel, to a very thick 25mm HARDOX sheet, and the robot boasted a top speed of 15mph.

Rear view of Rabid M8

Rabid M8 in the process of being converted from Dee

Rabid M8 had previously competed as Dee in Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars, and thus reuses many of the stock components used by the other loanerbots built by Robo Challenge. It differs from Dee due to its new bladed arm, which bore additional chains. Rabid M8 also uses a new black colour-scheme, which also bore the Portuguese flag. The back end of Rabid M8 also featured an exclusive plate, featuring the word "RABID".

The Team

Team REC in the pits with Paul Streeter

Team REC among Team Rest of the World

Rabid M8 was entered by the Lisbon-based Team REC (Robot Extreme Competition). Team REC represented Portugal in the World Series, and were the only Portuguese team to compete on Robot Wars. Team REC was captained by Guilherme Ferreira, who was joined by his teammate Pedro Mourao, listed as the team mechanic. Guilherme Ferreira drove Rabid M8 in battle, and conducted all of the team's interviews.

Robot History

Series 10

"We've gotta make sure that we work together as a team. So we have to come in, let the other robot out as many times as we can."

— Peter Redmond to Team REC before their battle as Tag Team partners

Rabid M8 represented Portugal during the World Series, as part of the 'Rest of the World' team. In its Tag Team battle, Rabid M8 allied with the Irish captain of the team, Diotoir, to battle the British robots Sabretooth and Terrorhurtz.

The weapon of Rabid M8 is hit by Sabretooth

Rabid M8 is immobilised by Sabretooth

Team REC and Team Nemesis agreed to allow Diotoir to battle first, while Rabid M8 waited in an empty CPZ, but this proved unsuccessful when Terrorhurtz disconnected Diotoir's removable link with its first attack. Rabid M8 drove into the arena and nudged Diotoir in an effort to revive its teammate, but after proving unable to do so, Rabid M8 drove directly into Sabretooth's drum with its weapon, and was flung away, also sustaining damage to its tyre. Rabid M8 had also lost its removable link through this attack, rendering both international robots immobile very quickly. Sabretooth pushed the beaten Rabid M8 backwards until it was counted out, and 'cease' was called.

"Underwhelming from the Rest of the World team, they're going to have to do a lot better than this, otherwise it's just going to be a whitewash, because in came Rabid M8, and one hit from Sabretooth was enough to put pay to Portugal's finest."

— Jonathan Pearce

In its head-to-head battle, Rabid M8 fought a much larger thwackbot than itself, Gabriel 2 of the United Kingdom.

Rabid M8 punches the side of Gabriel 2

Rabid M8 is struck from above by Gabriel 2

Rabid M8 was immediately aggressive, driving towards Gabriel 2, but found itself spinning on top of the arena spikes, where it was slammed by the mace of Gabriel 2. Rabid M8 was able to drive under Gabriel 2, and both robots collided with an overhead swing of their arms. Spinning on the spot, Rabid M8 was able to deflect the approaching Gabriel 2, and delivered two further direct hits to the side of the HDPE wheels. Rabid M8 was briefly evasive, driving over the flame pit, but Gabriel 2 did not give chase, so Rabid M8 returned and lifted it slightly using the swinging arm. Rabid M8 then suffered from a direct blow from Gabriel 2, but was assisted by the nearby Dead Metal, which attacked Gabriel 2.

"It's a sustained attack going on by Rabid M8. First time they've had a heavyweight machine, Guilherme Ferreira and his mechanic Pedro Mourao. They've done well, and they're trying to gain some momentum by spinning, which of course gives added velocity and weight to the head of the hammer, if they can get close enough to have an attack."

— Jonathan Pearce

Rabid M8 lifts Gabriel 2 up

Rabid M8 attacks the immobile Gabriel 2

Rabid M8 spun on the spot again, knocking Gabriel 2 aside, also tricking it into driving over the floor flipper. Carefully avoiding the same hazard, Rabid M8 backed into Gabriel 2, but was struck from above afterwards, leaving both robots to swing their maces in synchronicity. Rabid M8 continued to spin in place until it pressed the Arena Tyre, activating Rogue House Robot. This worked favourably for Rabid M8, as Shunt barged Gabriel 2 into the corner of the arena, bending its wheels using force and axe blows. As Gabriel 2 now had only one working wheel, Rabid M8 was in an advantageous position, and it struck the side of Gabriel 2's wheel. In the last five seconds, Gabriel 2 became completely immobile, and Rabid M8 drove into it before 'cease' was called. As Gabriel 2 had become immobile so late into the match, the battle proceeded to a Judges' decision.

"Well I'm excited to have seen the first ever International Floor-Hitting Championships, from two teams who really dislike that floor!"

— Dara Ó Briain

The resulting Judges' decision was determined to be close, being declared a 2-1 split decision. Nevertheless, the Judges voted in favour of Rabid M8, keeping Team Rest of the World's hopes alive by earning two points ahead of the final battle. Ultimately, Team UK won the competition when Apollo defeated Diotoir.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 1

Series Record

Rabid M8 in the arena during the World Series

Series	Rabid M8 Series Record
Series 1-7	Did not enter
Series 8	Did not enter
Series 9	Did not enter
Series 10	World Series

NOTE: The previous identity of the loanerbot, Dee, competed in Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars.

Outside Robot Wars

Rabid M8, featherweight competitor

Galactus and Rabid M8 (featherweight)

The featherweight Rabid M8 in late 2017

Rabid M6 (centre) in battle

Galactus in a combat arena

The Robot Wars competitor Rabid M8 is named after the featherweight of the same name, built by the Lisbon-based team. It was a two-wheel driven wedge-shaped robot, and was armed with a small vertical crusher. The team previously built Rabid M6, a box-shaped robot with four wheels, also armed with a crusher. The team also compete with the featherweight Galactus, an invertible robot armed with a spinning drum. It competed at each UK Featherweight Championship held across 2012-15, reaching the fourth round in its peak performance in 2014, collecting wins over Conker 3 and Loki.

Zen Oh at This is Fighting Robots

Team REC competed in the Chinese TV show This is Fighting Robots with a spinner-wielding robot called Zen Oh. Zen Oh made a devastating debut in its preliminary group battle, destroying Turkish entry Mad Moustache in a single hit to secure its place on the Blue team, lead by Zhang Yishan. It was also able to immobilise Firefox in the same battle before it came under threat from Stealth. In the main competition, Zen Oh fought Firefox for the second time in the Freestyle Combat stage, alongside the British machine Vulcan. Although Yishan had initially entered a pact with Firefox's manager, Wu Chun, to jointly eliminate Team Vulcan's entry, Zen Oh shattered the Foxic-esque machine's side to instantly immobilise it. Zen Oh was in turn immobilised after sustaining repeated overhead blows from Vulcan's axe, and lost the battle via knockout. Zen Oh was subsequently eliminated in the Tag Team round, despite immobilising White Tiger Guardian on one side, as it drove into the pit in battle against Sandstorm.

In October 2023, the thwackbot representing Rabid M8 in the World Series reappeared at the Robots Live! events in Grantham and Stoke-on-Trent. Now sporting a yellow and black paint scheme, it was primarily reserved for melee battles where audience members could drive the robot as part of a free raffle. Among Rabid M8's appearances in this capacity were two melees at Stoke-on-Trent, with Behemoth being the other robot available for raffle winners. The second fight involved it winning both the audience vote and the judges' decision.

Trivia

Rabid M8 in September 2019

• Rabid M8 was the only robot to represent Portugal in Robot Wars.
• Rabid M8 was the last robot to compete on Robot Wars without an active weapon.
• Like Dee, Rabid M8 also won a battle via split decision, and was the only robot to win a split decision from the Judges in Series 10.

External Links

• Team REC website
• Robot Extreme Competition Facebook page
• Robot Extreme Twitter
• Zen Oh - This is Fighting Robots Facebook page