Tag Archives: Bronco

Battlebots Season 2 Finale Prediction

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Despite the long break between the two Sweet Sixteen episodes, I heartily enjoyed many of the battles that we saw although there were a few unfortunate duds. Amazingly, we get a season finale this week!!!  We don’t have to wait another week!  This is a nice surprise from ABC given we had to wait quite awhile sometimes between episodes.  Hopefully, this upcoming episode will give us many fantastic battles that we can scream and whoop at!

Battlebots Season 2 Elite Eight

 

Let’s take a look at the Elite Eight before I dive into my predictions. First off, my guesses in the last round were surprisingly not too bad as five out of the eight matches I envisioned correctly (Biteforce, Nightmare, and Hypershock betray me…). Biteforce’s loss eliminates another high seed from the tournament as only three of the top eight seeds remain while two remain of the top four. Poison Arrow stands out big time from the Elite Eight with its whoppingly low 27 seed. To be fair though, unlike some other bots, Poison Arrow deserves his Elite Eight spot thanks to taking down Whyachi and upsetting the drone-killing bot, Hypershock. The commentators noted how Yeti was the dark horse of this tournament but I honestly lean towards Poison Arrow as the “bot that could.”

Of the eight remaining, three are drum spinners, one is a horizontal spinner, one is a launcher, two are hammerbots, and one is multi-functional. This is definitely the year of the drum spinners as all three drum spinners (Poison Arrow, Minotaur, and Yeti) have survived the Sweet Sixteen with great wins from each of these robots. There’s also a decent chance that all three of these will again progress to the Final Four given their opponent matchup. Notably absent are the vertical spinners which we had six in the Sweet Sixteen and all of them lost. These robots lost due to weapon loss, dismantling, or inability to fight and it’s pretty unlucky that none of them survived.

Before we go to the predictions, I decided to approach things differently and instead did a simple table to see who would win if every robot fought another robot. After going over the scenarios in my head, I then made a list of robots going from most likely to win to least likely to win. Here’s the results.

  1. Bronco 7-0

image from battlebots.com

My confidence in Bronco has only increased as this season progresses. Out of all the veteran teams, Team Bronco has played it the most safe by modifying (and not outright revamping like Biteforce) their robot to cover their weaknesses without sacrificing their robot’s identity. Bronco’s behind can take hits like a champ and if any robot tries to ride Bronco he just bucks them off! Bronco’s durability will come into play big time against his match against Minotaur. I predict that Bronco’s ass will get a face full of steel but he can withstand it and toss him around the Battlebox. In all honesty, if Bronco wins against Minotaur then he wins the tournament. He will face down his rival Tombstone again in the championship but this time, he will win.

  1. Minotaur 6-1

I wasn’t kidding when I said Minotaur v Bronco is the match to watch out for in the Elite Eight. This match will decide who will be victorious in Battlebots. If Minotaur beats Bronco then any other robot doesn’t stand a chance, including Tombstone. If Minotaur were to face down Tombstone, he can out maneuver this deadly robot and chew up his vulnerable spots. Minotaur’s spinning drum is also likely the strongest drum in the tournament so if he were to collide with Yeti or Poison Arrow, both could explode due to the immense force behind that weapon.

  1. Tombstone 5-2

Tombstone will very likely go to the final round as so many of his strong competitors, mainly Stinger and Biteforce, have been knocked out. I honestly feel that some of his supposed opponents, like Chomp, got to the Elite Eight more out of luck than fighting skill but I could be severely underestimating them again. Regardless, he will chew through whoever he faces, including Yeti and face either Minotaur or Bronco in the championship; either of which he will lose to.

  1. BETA 4-3

Truth be told, I worry about BETA’s chances as his fight against Nightmare looked to do some serious damage to his hammering mechanism. He might be limping into his next fight, Tombstone, and that’s not good. Unlike Chomp (sorry) my respect for this newcomer with a seemingly faulty weapon has gone up. Can BETA deliver another upset against one of the most deadly robots of all time? It’s doubtful but I will say that if he can pull off an upset, he would likely win against either Chomp or Yeti. Rewatching some of BETA’s bouts has brightened my outlook on this robot and his gigantic hammer. I’m pretty sure this hammer’s so powerful that he can smash Chomp and Yeti (and Poison Arrow and Bombshell if he somehow faces them in the final round). Good luck, once again, BETA!

  1. Yeti 3-4

Now, just because I have Yeti so low on the list does not mean I don’t like him, far from it! I love this spunky, dexterous robot! And I’m also willing to bet Yeti’s sponsors (if that’s a thing in Battlebots, I’m not sure) will go up and make sure this battlebot will get the necessary spare parts needed for another run next season. But we have to focus on the here and now and so, Yeti is in a tough situation. How far can Yeti’s luck last? Well, it’s a good thing he’s fighting Chomp as that is a robot Yeti definitely can take on. If Yeti wins, Yeti might then out maneuver Tombstone and deliver some good hits. Unfortunately, I don’t see a rosy future for Yeti after that as I’m sure Bronco or Minotaur will knock him out. We’ll see. Good luck, dark horse!

  1. Poison Arrow 2-5

Poison Arrow is another robot I now respect but had to put him low on the rankings. Poison Arrow will more than likely defeat Bombshell thanks to their crazy spinning drum but after that they’ll have to fight Bronco or Minotaur and that’s reaaaaalllly bad.   I think Bronco could tank PA’s hits while Minotaur will just laugh at this spunky robot and tear him asunder. Sorry.

  1. Chomp 1-6

I’m sorry, Chomp’s win against Biteforce did not gain my appreciation. True, true, true, Chomp hit some good, well-aimed hits but besides that, Chomp’s worse enemy seems to be herself because of her instability. Though in all honesty, what do I know!?! I keep predicting Chomp to lose and she keeps winning! If she wins the tournament I’ll be flabbergasted. The only opponent I think Chomp has a chance against would be Bombshell who has so many open parts that I think Chomp could deliver a winning pierce against it. Besides that, Chomp is fighting Yeti and then, very likely, Tombstone, both of which have a history of dismantling their opponents. If Chomp wins (and an honest-to-good win mind you) perhaps my opinions on her will change.

  1. Bombshell 0-7

Bombshell is perhaps the only robot in the tournament that has lost my respect. His abysmal win against Red Devil was sad, I mean, what was that?? If Bombshell has any hopes to win they should switch to either their axe (against Poison Arrow/Minotaur) or their horizontal spinner. The horizontal spinner seems the most effective weapon they have but I’m not sure if it would be good against Poison Arrow. Bombshell could be this year’s Ghost Raptor so they may reach the Final Four yet, just don’t expect them to go much further than that…

 

That’s it for now!  IT’S ROBOT FIGHTING TIME!  SEASON 2 FINALE!!!

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Reaction to Battlebots S2 E7

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The first episode of the Sweet Sixteen Season 2 Battlebots is an unfortunate mixture of thrilling and boring fights. You could easily rank each battle in terms of how stellar they are going from Warhead vs. Minotaur to Bombshell vs Red Devil. But, nonetheless, the fights we enjoyed, we enjoyed A LOT so let’s take a look!

Warhead vs. Minotaur

By far the best match of the night as this fight was filled with thrilling hits and a strong, lovable sense of sportsmanship. My level of respect for these guys and their bots has increased majorly as team Warhead loved their loss while team Minotaur was grateful to fight such an iconic legend. Although it was over quick, I’m glad Warhead was able to score a good hit before losing his head. This match has certainly shown that Warhead is a worthy battlebot and that there are big things in store for Minotaur.

Hypershock vs. Poison Arrow

This episode was not a good one for vertical spinners as Hypershock’s primary weapon became quickly useless after one use. However, I still thought Hypershock would win despite his handicap as he was doing a good job controlling the battle. Poison Arrow’s drone still remains useless but the drum spinner was highly efficient. It’s safe to say that Poison Arrow has gained my respect as he could pass out the hits while still going strong. It’s amazing that such a small robot can pack a huge punch. Poison Arrow, unlike Red Devil, has shown he’s not just a one-and-done deal. He can dish it out with anyone.

Bronco vs Razorback

Bronco, to the disappointment of many fans, has been playing it smart these past two battles. Unlike other bots with their makeshift wedges, Bronco’s back wedge has been very effective at stalling and even debilitating his opponent’s weapons. I also love that Bronco’s flipper can still launch opponents even if they are on his back. Now that I think about it, Bronco has earned his namesake! Nobody can ride him without being bucked off! I love that. Also, poor Razorback, it just wasn’t his fight as he unfortunately landed on his side which incapacitated him. Add some spikes to the axles and better luck next year guys.

Bombshell vs Red Devil

By far, the worst battle for this episode. I’m sad they ended the episode on this fight as it was pretty anticlimactic. Bombshell’s weapon became useless after one hit and Red Devil just couldn’t use his saw correctly, like, what happened out there guys? The only time you managed to hit Bombshell was in the last 10 seconds of the fight. Too little, too late. I hope Bombshell can step up his A-game cause I would be disappointed if he made it to the Final Four (and at this point, I’m cheering for the current underdog, Poison Arrow, to beat him).

Predictions for Battlebots S2 Sweet Sixteen

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Despite my sorrow and despite my wrong predictions, this has been a great season so far! Upsets galore, vengeful veterans, and wild moments crowd the Round of 32 and it’s so wonderful. Let’s take a look at some general things before we dive into my (very likely wrong) predictions.

BattleBots-Season2-Sweet-Sixteen

First off, only 10 out of the top 16 seeds and 4 out of the top 8 seeds made it to the Sweet Sixteen. I’d figured there’d be upsets but certainly not on this level. Most notable of these upsets were fan favorites, and proven veterans, Witch Doctor, Stinger, Icewave, and Son of Whyachi. The latter three certainly hurt me as I like these robots and their team. Better luck next year guys!

Of the sixteen robots left, two are a horizontal spinner, six are a vertical spinner, two are hammerbots, three are drummers, one is a launcher, one is a clampbot, and one is Warhead. Mind you, some of these robots, like Bombshell, can be different classes so these numbers are based on the preceding fights. Notably absent from this lineup are full-body spinners, lifters, and rambots which got knocked out in the previous rounds like Captain Shrederator, The Ringmaster, Lucky, and Stinger. Also, only Poison Arrow remains with a drone (which have yet to prove their effectiveness). We’ll have to pay attention to this line up and see what remains near the end of the tournament.

Now, one last thing. I honestly think that from here on out, the robots that win will win the hearts of us fans. This is the make or break point for these guys. Some of them, like Red Devil, have to prove that they are not here because of some fluke. They’re here because they deserve it. And if they fail, they’ll sadly be forgotten.

Predictions

Quadrant 1

Image from battlebots.com

Tombstone will beat Brutus by KO, blah blah blah, the real match is the Nightmare vs BETA battle! Okay, on the one side you got Nightmare who cleanly fits the definition of an awesome but impractical robot. Then on the other side you got the Battlebots-fan-gone-pro BETA. BETA is also an awesome but impractical robot as his hammer is so strong it can destabilize him. So, who to choose??

In all honesty, I would have to give it to Nightmare. Nightmare may be a glass cannon but this is a fight I honestly think he could win at. Nightmare’s thin design is possibly one of the best counters to BETA’s inaccurate swing. Also, I think Nightmare will just rip chunks out of him similar to his glorious victory over Slamjob many years ago. And then Nightmare will probably lose to Tombstone in the following round as Tombstone could topple Nightmare with a good hit to the wheels.

Quadrant 2

Image from battlebots.com

Bronco faces a challenging opponent that can easily right himself and is as nimble as a crazed wrestler. Bronco will have to be aggressive and hope that one of his launches will incapacitate Razorback through fall damage or by knocking him out of the ring. Razorback has it worse probably as I honestly think Bronco’s too big for Razorback. Perhaps Razorback can get underneath Bronco and try to drive him to the screws but it would be hard. I’m giving it to Bronco.

Even more fascinating is the Warhead v Minotaur fight. After Warhead’s stellar performance against Complete Control, this battle is looking a little tough to decide! I really, really, want Warhead to win but I think Minotaur’s spinning drum is just too strong. I think Minotaur will toss him this way and that until Warhead just can’t move anymore. Which means that Minotaur will face Bronco. I’m still confident in Bronco so I think he can deliver a launching knockout though I wouldn’t be surprised if Minotaur pulled an upset here.

Quadrant 3

Image from battlebots.com

This quadrant got hit haaaaaard. Witch Doctor’s gone. Cobalt’s gone. Son of Whyachi’s gone. The only high seed left is Hypershock! This is the quadrant we should all look at as it will really bring in some new stars that will take the mantle of fame. These robots are still fresh or untested so I’m super giddy about it! Red Devil v Bombshell is super tricky as we still know little about them. But, I’m giving it to Bombshell as they have the versatility to win and they won’t be underestimating RD. It’s tough to choose the horizontal blade or axe but I lean towards the blade as it seems effective. Meanwhile, Hypershock and Poison Arrow will be fuuuuun. Will Hypershock bat another drone from the sky? Will Poison Arrow’s furious spinning drum incapacitate Hypershock? For this match, I’m giving it to Hypershock as they seem to have the durability and the strength to take down Poison Arrow.

Hypershock or Bombshell? Again, Hypershock seems reliable so I’m giving it to them on that basis alone. They seem strong, they seem dependable, and I think they can out maneuver Bombshell and win it.

Quadrant 4

Image from battlebots.com

Bite Force has fought, and won, against all manner of opponents and thus I find it unlikely that their first loss would be to a battlebot that has horrible aim and is highly unstable. Bite Force is dependable but the only thing it has going against it is its vertical spinner which has so far proven to be not very effective. By far, the more interesting match is between Yeti and Mega Tento. Who to choose?? Mega Tento seems big enough to engulf Yeti but Yeti is as agile and aggressive as a monkey so Tento could have a hard time trying to pin Yeti down. On the flip side, Yeti’s spinning drum doesn’t seem as powerful as Minotaur’s so he might have a hard time trying to damage Tento’s awkward frame.

Before the Mega Tento v Stinger fight I would’ve given it to Yeti easily but now I have a hard time deciding. After some consideration, I’m giving it to Yeti who I believe can wedge himself under Tento and do some serious underbelly damage. As for Yeti v Bite Force…Bite Force is strong and reliable but I’m throwing in an upset and giving it to Yeti. I believe Yeti has what it takes to finally defeat Bite Force. I like Bite Force but he’s no Biohazard or Hazard, Bite Force will fall this tournament, mark my words.

If not Yeti then to someone else.

Reaction to Battlebots Season 2 Episode 4

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In all fairness, things could be worse for my bracket.

So begins the first elimination round of Battlebots Season 2. Four battles were shown and not one of them was disappointing; even the more one-sided bouts began with uncertainty for the victor.   Perhaps the biggest disappointment for tonight was that ABC failed to squeeze just one more fight into this episode. There was a lot of backstory given during this episode and honestly I don’t think it was needed. Now, I’m all for the background of builders and what’s going down in the workshop but at this point of the game we are still in the first round. How much of this is really necessary? Save it for the later episodes when the victors deserve some praise.

With that off my chest let’s look at the battles!

Yeti vs Lucky

Arguably the best fight for Episode Four, this battle was flavorful and fun despite the ineffectiveness of Lucky’s weapon. What made the battle really interesting though was Yeti’s wheel loss. With Yeti handicapped, the odds swung towards Lucky who was now more maneuverable than his opponent. Despite such amazing, if you will, luck, Lucky failed to clinch the win. I have to applaud Yeti’s driver and his mechanic for not only designing a robot that can drive with three wheels but can drive effectively as well.

Minotaur vs Blacksmith

Ah, now this fight I could watch again and again. At first I was worried that Minotaur would not be able to hit Blacksmith but thankfully, I was proven wrong. So many things to comment about this fight like the fact that Blacksmith just kept going and going to the bitter end. Then there’s the fact that Minotaur seemed impervious to Blacksmith’s onslaught even when he gave several good blows. But the best part was the end when Minotaur stripped off Blacksmith, layer by layer, until it could chew away at the juicy insides. And I have to say, I don’t think I had ever seen a Battlebot explode so chalk this fight up as one for the record books. Also, I couldn’t help but laugh my butt off when I saw Minotaur’s driver whose eyeballs looked like they were trying to pop out of his skull. Good fight, good fight.

Bronco vs Chrome Fly

ABC played me like a fiddle because I was nervous before this fight began (Bronco is my pick for Champion). Chrome Fly’s deadly horizontal blades looked like they could chew through Bronco and leave him badly disabled. Needless to say, that did not happen and Bronco came out of that fight virtually unscathed. I have to say, super props to Bronco who did not underestimate his opponent unlike a certain high-seed robot…

Witch Doctor vs Red Devil

It was clear early on that the builders for Witch Doctor underestimated Red Devil and truth be told I don’t blame them. Red Devil looks fragile and the only reason why he won his last fight was because Wrex was a complete joke. But I got to hand it to RD, a saw is not the most useful weapon but in this case everything came out perfectly. If it was any other battlebot, RD would have lost. But Witch Doctor was built to such a degree that RD could grab-and-saw to his heart’s content. Now, RD is the underdog in the tournament. If he can win his next fight then he won’t be a fluke in the system. I guarantee that the next robot he fights, whether it’s Cobalt or Bombshell, will go all out on him. Good luck RD (but not really, I have Cobalt winning that on, fingers crossed!).

Battlebots Season 2 Bracket Prediction

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The third episode of season 2 of Battlebots premieres tomorrow which kicks off the single elimination tournament. Luckily, ABC bestowed to us a bracket that we can fill out and post online. My bracket is below along with my reasoning why I picked Bronco to be the overall winner.

Battlebots Season 2 Bracket Prediction

So I had to deal with two big problems while filling out this bracket. The first of which was that a lot of the battles were relegated to just clips. Its thanks to the Battlebots Youtube channel that we even get to see a few of these in the first place. As such, a lot of the robots are basically unknowns. What’s their driver like? How powerful is the robot? Does the robot have any outstanding faults? Did the robot sustain serious damage during its last bout? These are questions that I had to deal with and it was quite frustrating.

This ties into my second problem, since Battlebots is a reality show, and not an actual sports program, what does ABC know that we don’t? Are the Battlebots that are relegated to the clips portion ones that won’t go far in the tournament? Normally I would say yes but last year, Stinger was only given a clip for its first battle yet it went far last year. So this makes choosing a winning robot frustrating.

As such, I couldn’t help but predict veteran robots as the Final Four. I know what these robots are capable of and I have seen them in action. It’s hard to pick upsets when you don’t know the competition very well. Even the people who seeded the robots favored veteran robots in the top seeds. Six out of the top eight seeds are returning robots; Son of Whyachi (6) and Minotaur (7) are the only new robots that break the top eight. This is incredibly bias as 16 out of the 32 robots this year are veterans from Season 1.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/bronco-2/

It was very easy determining who would win in the first round but after that it got much tougher. Battlebots has so many upsets that I couldn’t help but throw a few of these in. The biggest upset I have planned is Lockjaw beating Tombstone in the second round. I honestly think, after that battle with Yeti, that Lockjaw is a strong and capable Battlebot, Lockjaw has incredibly agility and traction so I think it could easily swing around Tombstone and push him up to the deadly screws. Lockjaw would then get a face full of steel by Icewave in the following round and lose. I also had Overhaul beating Beta as Overhaul has won its fair share of battles and Beta looked pathetic in its qualifying round.

Biteforce and Stinger I feel will face each other and defeat their respective opponents. Both look so strong and durable that I honestly think they can bear the brute force that their opponents can dish out. Stinger will then upset Biteforce and go to the Final Four.

Bronco will win his division candidly even going up the likes of Minotaur. As such, the best battles to watch here will be the Minotaur ones has he is essentially an unknown. I also think Warhead is simply too big for Complete Control and will burn his opponent right up.

Son of Whyachi will also make his triumphant return here and drive forward to the final four. By far the trickiest spot in my bracket to fill in was if Witch Doctor or Cobalt would win. In the end, I gave it to Cobalt, more on guts than on anything else really, but on the manner that Cobalt seems strong and Witch Doctor has lost before. Cobalt may even be the dark horse in this race. That would be sweet.

I think Bronco will redeem himself last year and win the Giant Nut as such. With a simple extension to his flipper he will get underneath both SoW and Icewave and flip them onto their backs. All he needs to deliver is one blow. Icewave will also defeat Stinger I think because Icewave has a very strong horizontal spinner and I think that will be enough to defeat Stinger.

Alright, there’s my predictions, looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing how wrong I was!

Reaction to Battlebots Episode 6

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ABC has delivered a satisfying conclusion to this season of Battlebots.  An awesome semi-final match, a close final match, and a surprise rumble match ended the season on a high note.  Let’s dig in and talk about these matches!

Bronco vs. Tombstone

Kenny Florian was right, if you want to beat Tombstone you have to be aggressive and Bronco was not aggressive.  True, lining up your shot at the corner made Tombstone come to Bronco but Tombstone was still spinning that ferocious blade of his at full speed.  Even if Bronco landed a good shot, he would have gotten hurt badly.  Still though, this fight was pretty good and seeing Tombstone get flipped around out there along with Bronco was great.  Even though I predicted Bronco winning the match, I find it funny how I still predicted that Bronco could lose by Tombstone peeling away his wheel armor and then disabling one of his wheels and that’s exactly what happened.  Tough luck for Bronco but hopefully he’ll be back for the next season!

Biteforce vs. Ghost Raptor

Ghost Raptor’s ingenuity finally couldn’t save him and I’m not surprise that he lost here.  GR was made to be a horizontal spinner, not a lift bot.  He did not have the traction needed to push Biteforce around like he could with Icewave.  I admire GR’s builders though in coming up with strategies in fighting off Biteforce but they were ultimately futile.  Biteforce got an easy win that gave him a moment of relaxation before going on to the final match.

Robot Rumble

I’m sad that there weren’t more robots involved in the match like Stinger, Plan X, or Icewave but I still appreciate this nice tussle between three formidable opponents.  I also like how none of them have fought each other yet in the ring so it gave us a fresh match with fighters we thought were long gone.  I have to say though, I found it both hilarious and sad how WD just ended up being pounded by the Pulverizer while her minibot was doing its damnest to flip her over, better luck next time there….But I’m happy that Nightmare got a good win and gave Overhaul a nice uppercut to his jaw, that was satisfying.

Tombstone vs. Biteforce

Be aggressive, be aggressive, be aggressive.  Sure, Biteforce may no longer be the clamp bot that it once was but you can’t argue with that strategy.  Charge, charge, charge.  You have to admit at first, I thought Biteforce got it but then it became a little close near the end when Biteforce struggled to move and Tombstone was pushing him around.  Regardless, Biteforce eked out a win against the most formidable bot in the entire competition and take home the giant nut.  Biteforce will go down in Battlebots history as the winner of Season 6, sharing the mantle with other Battlebot legends like Hazard, Biohazard, Ziggo, and Dissector.

 

Sorry for the short article but I’ll be back next week when I look back at this season of Battlebots, how was it, what could be improved upon, and more! (Spoiler alert, this season was awesome!)

Predictions for Battlebots Episode 6

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Tonight’s final Battlebots episode will have a hard time surpassing last week’s episode in terms of grandeur and setting. What’s more, with only three battles instead of the usual four, tonight’s episode will be unfortunately not-up-to-par unless ABC has a special trick up its sleeve that we do not know of yet. Nevertheless, we are guaranteed at least one good battle that will decide who will take home the giant nut. Of course, I’m talking about…

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/bronco/

Bronco vs. Tombstone-Bronco wins by KO in two minutes

This semifinal match is going to be amazing considering both bots are now the highest seeds left in the tournament, have delivered some awesome KOs, and have both shown to be not fully invincible. A flipper vs. a spinner is a classic match up in Battlebots history as both kinds of bots are effective in delivering the KOs and bringing home the nut. They seem like archenemies in a way, like Montagues and Capulets, and Germany and France.

For this match, I give it to Bronco who has armor covering his vulnerable wheels from Tombstone and a simple extension on the flipping arm will allow Bronco to get under Tombstone and deliver a mighty flip. A few flips into the hazards, and maybe outside of the arena, will bring home the win needed for Bronco.

For Tombstone to win, he needs to be cautious, go around Bronco and not from the front. The wheels are where its at as one good hit can take care of the armor, which looks fragile to me, and another can incapacitate the wheels. However, I believe Bronco will be too quick for Tombstone and be able to toss him around like a ragdoll. Either way, this is the match to watch because not matter who wins here, I’m willing to bet they will win the nut.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/bite-force/

Biteforce vs. Ghost Raptor-Biteforce Wins by Judges Decision

Biteforce and Ghost Raptor’s road to the Final Four has been tough on the both of them but they have shown they are able to win their battles no matter what. Ghost Raptor has shown that ingenuity can save the day while Biteforce has shown that control will rake in the victories. Two different strategies will now come to this interesting battle. Biteforce, I think, has the better chance of winning because of his magnetic treads, his nice clamping arm, and great driving skills. It might be difficult to get under Ghost Raptor or control him but I think Ghost Raptor won’t be able to push back Biteforce and his strong traction. Ghost Raptor’s original forte of a horizontal spinner is gone leaving GR a mere figment of what he once was. He can’t push Biteforce around, he can try, but I doubt he will succeed. Biteforce will control the match and go on to the final four to meet Bronco.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/bronco/

Bronco vs. Biteforce-Bronco wins by KO in two minutes

As said before, no matter who wins the Tombstone/Bronco match, they will win the final round and bring home the nut. Tombstone can destroy Biteforce easily and, unless GR has another trick up its sleeve, will also finish off GR. But Bronco has that amazing flipping arm and he is also a big bot. I can’t really imagine Biteforce lifting up and taking Bronco for a ride because of how awkwardly big he is. Bronco will put in a few good flips, leave Biteforce incapacitated and take home the nut.

 

Now, as much as I would like to say that tonight’s matches will be predictable. I have been wrong many times before, so it’s safe to say that at least one of the three battles will not go as expected tonight and if that’s the case, I won’t be disappointed because it wouldn’t be Battlebots without a little excitement, can’t wait for tonight!

Reaction to Battlebots Episode 5

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Episode 5 was by far, the best episode of this ongoing season and is the very model of a great Battlebot episode. All the battles were brutal, vicious, and evenly matched. There were upsets, there was fire, and there was carnage. I was wrong that there was going to be one thrilling bout in my last article, there were four. Let’s take a look at this episode and understand why it’s the probably the best Battlebots episode ever.

Episode 5 wouldn’t be the stellar episode that it was if it wasn’t for the superb buildup to this point. By now, all these robots have won at least one battle and are qualified veterans in the Battlebox. The fact that favorites were fighting favorites had me on edge for the entire episode, something that Episodes 1 through 4 haven’t fully achieved. But four bots had to win and four bots had to lose, let’s check out these glorious, and at the same time bittersweet, fights.

Stinger the Killer Bee vs. Bronco

Ah! My heart! It weeps for Stinger. The builders were great people (you can’t help but love this couple) and their robot was spunky and fierce. Nonetheless! This battle was fantastic!

First off, I love that bit before the battle began where Stinger blew fire and Bronco flipped his massive arm. That was definitely like something from a wrestlers’ match where the fighters intimidated the opponents and please the crowd. Love it.

Then these rectangular bots inched their way around each other trying to find a good spot in. But once Bronco came in, the hits started flying and the robots were just going at each other. I thought Bronco was done for when it got on the screws but man, that was funny seeing him just ride those rails! Anyway, a nice strong and showy appearance by Stinger should be worth noted but it didn’t stop Bronco who flipped him out of the area. GOD! THAT WAS NUTS! Flames were everywhere! It looked like Stinger just exploded with fire! You couldn’t even see him when he got knocked out! It looked like Hell just opened up and swallowed Stinger whole!

Both of these bots came out relatively unscathed though by the looks of it which is great for Bronco cause he’s going to need that to fight Tombstone in the next round.

Also, huge shout out to Stinger, I love you guys, you’re the best and I hope to see you again next year!

Tombstone vs. Witch Doctor

Speaking of which, let’s talk about one of the most surprisingly matches in the evening. I got to say, I did not expect that from Witch Doctor even with her minibot out of commission. True, Witch Doctor took down Overdrive handily and that should be mentioned but damn that was something else! Witch Doctor has certainly proven one thing and that’s Tombstone is only a robot and not a god.

But I LOVE THIS BATTLE. Their first contact was a direct hit between their respective spinners and they just go flying and we just keep it up with that crazy energy for the rest of the battle even when Witch Doctor’s weapon went out of commission. Rewatching it again, I notice how Witch Doctor was being the more aggressive bot throughout most of that battle. What’s more, she didn’t get flung as far compared to Tombstone who got flipped upside down even. I don’t know how Witch Doctor, which to me did not look very sturdy or strong, was able to keep it up but she did thanks to that awesome weapon and her strong battery ram. God, seeing Tombstone get flung around like that was beautiful.

Unfortunately, that was it, Tombstone could afford to get flung around, but not Witch Doctor. One bad hit and whoops! Flipped onto her back and as helpless as a turtle. But god damn that one minute and forty seconds went by quick.

Also, it’s interesting to see Tombstone’s builder finally breaking his cold, confident exterior and have that nervous, ecstatic joy that he was clearly displaying in the post-match interview. Really goes to show how intense this match was for him.

Biteforce vs. Overhaul

But that intensity just didn’t hold a candle to the Biteforce/Overhaul match. You wouldn’t think that two clamp bots could make a thrilling match but god damn you can be wrong! Several times, I kept thinking how this match was like a battle between two ferocious kaiju with their jaws wide open and their unstoppable tenacity. God, I love those head-on collusions as it was like two monsters trying their damndest to kill the other.

And that match! Jesus, I first thought Biteforce got it but then Overhaul just made that amazing comeback that had even the judges scratching their heads. So why did Biteforce win it in the end despite the strong finish by Overhaul? Well, I think it comes down to one of the four categories; damage, control, strategy, and aggression. I think three of the four categories were fairly even but it was control that probably did it. Biteforce was deciding where Overhaul was going for the majority of the match thanks to those awesome magnetic treads of his. Biteforce was pushing Overhaul everywhere and even getting a few semilifts as well. Overhaul only took control less than a minute left in the match. Even though Overhaul lifted Biteforce entirely off of the ground, something that Biteforce couldn’t achieve, Biteforce still had some great control earlier in the match.  And it’s that control that gave Biteforce the ability to win.

Icewave vs. Ghost Raptor

The upset match for Episode 5 broke my heart but in return, Ghost Raptor finally earned my respect.  Ghost Raptor’s previous two matches were a bit wonky but he finally earned his credentials against the favored number 2 seed Icewave.  Ghost Raptor’s ingenuity and willingness to evolve out did Icewave’s standard, tried-and-true-method.  I had no idea that Ghost Raptor would win this battle, especially the way ABC was setting up this match.  That part where Ghost Raptor’s builders realized that their Deicer was making their bot a bit uncontrollable made me more confident that Ghost Raptor was going to lose.

 

So in the end, all these four battles were great and definitely made this episode fantastic.  It will be very challenging for episode 6 to live up to those kind of standards, especially with the match up between Bronco vs. Tombstone and Biteforce vs. Ghost Raptor.  But who knows!  Maybe we’ll have a Battlebot Rumble like during the CC days.  Now wouldn’t that be a surprise twist?

Predictions to Battlebots Episode 5

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With the quarterfinals underway, we are left with only robots that have won at least one battle.  All of the 8 robots left have proven themselves (well…with the exception of Ghost Raptor) in one form or another.  These four battles left should be wonderful and I’m looking forward to them.  We still have a variety of robots left so the rock-paper-scissors format is still going strong.  Without further ado, here’s who I think will win.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/tombstone/

Tombstone vs. Witch Doctor-Tombstone wins by KO in about two minutes

In what may be Tombstone’s first actual fight, we see him go up against the wildcard, multibot Witch Doctor. Witch Doctor proved herself to be a strong competitor in the last round where she dent, chip, and toss around Overdrive in a surprisingly one-sided match. I don’t think Tombstone will mess around anymore and will go out swinging against Witch Doctor. Small that Witch Doctor’s chances of winning are, she still has a greater probability of winning than either Radioactive or Counter Revolution. If Witch Doctor can get behind Tombstone quickly and chip away at its backside, the battle may swing in her favor.   However, all it takes for Tombstone to win is to swing around and whack Witch Doctor with one hit. Witch Doctor could easily go down in one hit and definitely after several. For Witch Doctor to win, she will need her flame bot to distract. Teamwork is essential here.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/icewave/

Icewave vs. Ghost Raptor-Icewave Wins by KO in less than a minute

Ghost Raptor limped through his victories by being slightly better than his struggling opponents. With a barely functioning lifting arm, Ghostraptor will be hard press to stop Icewave’s rotating blade without being heavily damaged in the process. Icewave won its last two rounds by KOs so we can expect a similar result here. Ghostraptor’s lucky streak ends now.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/bite-force/

Biteforce vs. Overhaul-Biteforce wins by Judges’ Decision

We have yet to see Overhaul fight another bot so this fight is harder to predict. However, I think Biteforce has the best chance of winning thanks to those awesome magnetic treads and fantastic clamping arm. Biteforce tossed Warhead around in its first bout and had a great battle in its second round against Hypershock that really cements how good its driver is. I even wrote in my previous article how Hypershock would win that battle but nope! Not a chance. Overhaul, although a respectable robot, I do not think has the dexterity needed to grab Biteforce but he does have a strong drive. Whether or not that drive is strong enough against Biteforce’s magnetic treads we’ll just have to wait and see…

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/stinger/

Bronco vs. Stinger-Stinger wins by Judges’ Decision in a thrilling bout

Of all the battles for tonight’s episode to watch out for, this is the one. Whoever wins this battle will likely fight Tombstone in the next round and can deliver the upset needed against that monster. Both drivers have proven without a doubt that they have the strength, the drive, the tactics, and the balls to win their battles. Stinger the Killer Bee has really shown itself to be the rising star of Season 6 thanks to its fantastic driving ability, great design, and its resolve to win. Bronco, however, has upheld itself worthy of being Toro’s son thanks to that beautiful flip delivered against Plan X. The question to ask though is; What happens when a Flipping Robot fights an Unflippable Robot?

Stringer is by far the worse robot out of the eight competitors left for Bronco to fight. Some of them, like Biteforce or Overhaul, can flip themselves after a few tries but others, like Icewave and Tombstone, have no ability whatsoever to right themselves. But Stinger! Oh, Stinger! He can drive easily upside down and that great shovel arm can right himself like that! He’s so energetic like a bouncing prize fighter! I can easily imagine Stinger just pushing Bronco all over the place and maybe lift him up a few times as well.

It’s not all bad news for Bronco though. I call upon the middleweight fight between T-minus vs. T-wrecks as my example of how a flipping robot can defeat an unflippable robot. T-minus (who was also built by Bronco’s builders) just kept flipping T-wrecks around and kept showing him who was boss. He was aggressive, he was accurate, and he never let up even though there was no point in it. The crowds loved it and the judges gave it to the strong T-minus for its aggressive nature. If Bronco can call upon his uncle’s spirit and fight Stinger like that then he can win.

I give it to Stinger in the end though but either way, this battle is going to be awesome.

Prediction to Battlebots Episode 4

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Episode 3 of Battlebots was a return to form and more as we enter into Part 1 of the Sixteen Round. Most of everything that episode 2 did wrong or was lacking in was improved on drastically for this episode and will, hopefully, continue to achieve this level of quality from here on out. I dare even say that this episode was almost the quintessential episode of Battlebots.

First off, the filler in this episode was better managed as not only are we treated to a basic recap of the robot’s battles but we get a look into the builders’ strategies for their upcoming battles. Plus, a special bonus is given by the amount of time spent on the builders repairing their robots, something that the Comedy Central-era Battlebots often neglected. Although their repairs are briefly summarized, there is a sense of urgency, especially for Icewave and its overheated battery, for the builders to make sure their robot is properly working by their next round. I like it.

But of course, the battles are a great part of what makes this episode great so let’s talk about them.

Icewave vs. Chomp

Fire is not melting Icewave any time soon! But seriously, even when taking a face full of flame, Icewave came out of that battle relatively unscathed. That was another fun Icewave demolition and kudos for Chomp for hanging in there despite its losing battle.

Stinger vs. Warhead

I speak from the heart when I say this battle is what Battlebots is all about. No deceit or treachery like Complete Control vs. Ghost Raptor, no hard feelings or complaining like Lock Jaw vs. Overhaul, and it lasted the full three minutes unlike Bronco vs. Plan X. Even though Stinger had the battle right from the start, the fact that Stinger willingly flipped Warhead right side up just so they could fight some more is something very special. Warhead could have easily chipped or damaged Stinger some more but the builders didn’t care, they just wanted a fight! And the builders were so happy at the end and they shook hands and everything! Gosh, this battle was great!

Ghost Raptor vs. Warrior Clan

Sometimes, the worst enemy in the battlebox is yourself.

What a sad, sad, battle. Warrior Clan not being able to flip and Ghost Raptor rigged into a lifting bot. Once again, Ghost Raptor limps through another victory. I’m not going to lie, I’m looking forward to Icewave demolishing Ghost Raptor in the next round.

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Bronco vs. Plan X

Wow, my prediction of two minutes was way too high, it took ten seconds. My search terms for my last article were mainly about “Bronco” or “Bronco Flip.” God, that was probably the most beautiful flip in Battlebots history. So graceful, so elegant, so perfect. One Flip.

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EPISODE 4 PREDICTIONS

Episode 4 has some interesting battles coming out; we have a rematch, we’ll probably have a one-sided battle, and we have some battles that could really determine who gets the nut. Let’s check them out.

  Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/tombstone/

Tombstone vs. Radioactive-Tombstone wins by KO in less than a minute

Radioactive won because the other robot wasn’t working. Tombstone won because it utterly dismantled its opponent. Unless Tombstone faces some unforeseen mechanical error, it will win against Radioactive and its pitiful hammer, sorry Radioactive, at least you seem like a bot that will be fun to watch getting destroyed.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/22898/

Overhaul vs. Lockjaw-Overhaul wins by split judges’ decision

As unfortunate as it is to see these two robots battle each other again, at least Overhaul will have a chance at some clamping revenge. I think Overhaul is the stronger robot and will be able to fix its strategy from last time to take control of the fight. Still, it will be difficult for it considering how agile and durable Lockjaw is. Lockjaw will win if its aggressive, Overhaul will win if it can throw Lockjaw a bit. Either way, it should be a close battle.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/hypershock/

Hypershock vs. Biteforce-Hypershock wins by judges’ decision

We only saw a glimpse of Hypershock and its rotating drum. I feel like it will have a leg up over Biteforce and be able to really give it some damage unlike Warhead which seemed to have only nicked it. Still though, Biteforce looks like a competent robot so I wouldn’t be surprised if it won. In all honesty, since we have seen very little of Biteforce it’s hard to predict this battle so we’ll just have to wait and see what he brings to the battlebox.

Image from http://battlebots.com/robot/overdrive/

Overdrive vs. Witch Doctor-Overdrive wins by judges’ decision

My friends! THIS is the battle to watch! I guarantee it! Why?? Because whoever wins this battle will (very likely) face Tombstone in the next round. Now, in my heart, I think Witch Doctor can actually win against Overdrive but I really, really, want Overdrive to win simply because he is probably the most agile and speedy robot in the competition. If Overdrive can just keep out-maneuvering Witch Doctor and her minibot, and keep shoving them against the screws, he’ll win. However, Witch Doctor has that spinning drum that looks like it can do some serious damage.

HERE’S THE THING. If Witch Doctor wins, she will lose the next round against Tombstone. BUT, if Overdrive wins, then we can have an interesting battle. Overdrive would be the first, serious, contender against Tombstone. Overdrive has the agility and the capability to take him down. I seriously hope he faces Tombstone because that will be awesome. This will be a good battle either way even not factoring in Tombstone.

 

Can’t wait for tonight!