Evil Robotics

Midwestern United States Robot Combat (MURC) held the Rocky Mountain Robot Showdown (RMRS) in the Sheraton Denver West on January 18th 2003.  There was 48+ robots entered.  All brackets were full but a few 12 pound robots were not completed in time. 

Click on any picture to enlarge the image.

The arena was an 8 x 8 foot plywood base with 1/2 inch thick Polycarbonate walls and ceiling.  As robots were checked in, they were inspected, weighted, and photographed.  Later the pictures were projected  on a huge wall screen to help the crowd identify the robots.  

It was a double elimination format with a three judge panel.  Each judge voted only one point to the winning robot.  Robots were judged using the criteria of strategy, aggression and damage.  If a robot was disabled, or thrown out of the arena (1 lb only) then it was considered knocked out.  

The ant weight (1 lb) class fought in a smaller arena insert.  That 4 x 4 foot arena contained a four inch diameter saw blade, and a push out wall opening.  

Our team, Evil Robotics, robots did not win a single match.  But we had fun and we sustained no damage.  It seems .050 Titanium was probably too thick for a one or three pound robot.  Next time we might try more drive power and less armor.

We entered one three pound multibot called "Tortoise and the Hare" and one 16 oz robot (SOZ),  called "Ice Scraper".  Tortoise and the Hare was a combination of Little Bunny FuFu and Tortoise.  To see these robots switch to the small robots page.  

Just before the tournament started we were told there was an additional opening for a three pound robot, so I frantically completed my next entry "Rectifier" and got it thru safety inspection.  Upon checking the bracket roster line up.  I noticed that there was no extra spot, so my second alternate was not able to compete.

To make a long story short, we got beat by the Robotdojo team in the first round and then proceeded to loose both matches in next round the losers' bracket.  It was not a total loss.  Cole (5 years old) got some driving experience, we picked up a few valuable building tips, and met some very friendly fellow robot builders.

We had a lot of fun viewing the rest of the tournament and the rumbles at the end were especially exciting.  I highly recommend this one day event to any spectators that are interested, and of course it's great fun to battle also.

The high light of the show had to be the final matches between "IO" and "Solaris".  Solaris had an incredible spinning drum.  Solaris won the 12 lb class.  At the end, any body who had a robot still functioning was allowed to fight in the rumbles.  That was really fun.