Tag Archives: Witch Doctor

Predications for Battlebots 2019 Finale

Leave a reply

 

Finally!  After many episodes we are headed to the season finale of Battlebots!  It’s been a great season with many awesome fights and exciting upsets.  The previous episode was no exception and only half of my guesses were correct!  That Minotaur vs Hydra fight was so satisfying to watch but the best battle of the episode had to be that Deathroll vs Yeti which MAN…Deathroll is such a beast!  Woo!

Overall, this is such a classic, solid eight to have here.  All of these robots I nod approvingly.  They are veterans of the field and they have gone far before in the bracket.   Except…Death Roll!  Death Roll is such the odd duck here!  If Death Roll had lost to Yeti then we would’ve seen a very familiar robot-lineup like from the ABC years.  But I’m glad they are here because otherwise it would be too boring!

Alright, let’s reevaluate this bracket and take one last stab who would win.  I’m going to stick to my guns and say Witch Doctor will win the tournament but let’s take a look!

 

Bite Force vs. Lock Jaw- Bite Force by KO in 2 minutes
Bite Force has tangled with Lock Jaw and won before so it’s easy to pick Bite Force as the winner.  It’s a boring but safe choice especially since Lock Jaw has been. Smoking. So. Much. These past few fights.  I honestly feel Lock Jaw will lose not through excessive damage by Bite Force but through just finally giving out after one too many fights.

 

Tombstone vs. Whiplash- Whiplash by KO about a minute
Another rematch and I think another battle that will go to the previous victor.  Whiplash has been really good this season and Tombstone is certainly great but I think Whiplash’s great driver that will be able to out maneuver Tombstone and defeat them.  Although at this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if Tombstone pulled a surprise victory and smash Whiplash and its exposed tires to bits.

 

Witch Doctor vs. Saw Blaze- Witch Doctor by Unanimous Decision
Saw Blaze threw me into a loop when it’s huge ram was able to absorb and reflect SOW’s devastating hammers.  I really need to stop underestimating these guys.  I still think Witch Doctor will win mainly because the Winds of Fate seem to be with them and also they’re just great!  I think they will be able to push Saw Blaze around and shrug off attacks from its hammer saw.  I don’t know if it will be able to KO Saw Blaze but I think it will do enough to get a nod from the Judges.

 

Minotaur vs. Death Roll- Death Roll by KO in 2 min and 30 sec
Look, I’m done underestimating Minotaur.  They are back!  But God damn is this such a wild card match!  I can see this fight go either way but someone is definitely getting KO’d.  After rewatching that match between Death Roll and Yeti I have to give it to Death Roll because I am very impressed how it can keep churning its blade even after going head to head against Yeti and launching them in the air.  I think the main reason why I’m giving it to Death Roll is they have stability on their side and Minotaur not as much with its gyroscopic-tilting drum spinner.  I think if Death Roll can knock into Minotaur from the side a few times it will win but we’ll see.  This will probably be the best fight of the night!!!!

 

Bite Force vs. Whiplash-Whiplash by Unanimous Decision
Whiplash was defeated by Bite Force in the 2018 Semi Finals.  Fate will bring them again together only this time it will be Whiplash who will defeat Bite Force.  I think Whiplash has gathered enough experience and built a great enough robot that they can push Bite Force around and control the match.  It will be very hard to defeat Bite Force especially since they are so powerful but I think they can do it.  Whiplash has the reach, the driver, and the power to win.  Go Whiplash!

 

Witch Doctor vs. Death Roll-Witch Doctor by KO in 2 minutes
Two undefeated robots will fight each other but only one will win.  That robot will be Witch Doctor.  Witch Doctor is stable, durable, and hits incredibly hard.  Witch Doctor is also quick and agile.  I think it can outdrive Death Roll and push it onto the screws.  If I were to guess, Witch Doctor could take out that weird hand that belongs to Death Roll and prevent it from flipping over causing WD to get the KO.

 

Witch Doctor vs. Whiplash-Witch Doctor by KO in 1 min 30 sec
The final battle will also be the final rematch of the season.  Whiplash and Witch Doctor fought each other earlier this season with WD getting a win by Judges’ Decision.  I think this battle will go quicker with WD cranking up the aggression factor by 11 and pummeling the Whiplash into submission.  I think Whiplash will sneak in a few hits but it will be Witch Doctor who will take home the giant nut.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow!

Advertisement

Witch Doctor is my pick for the 2019 Battlebots Champion (Sweet Sixteen Bracket)

Leave a reply

BattleBots-2019-Bracket.jpg

Man, this was a rough bracket to fill.

With so many good robots participating this year I struggled picking which bot would advance and which would go home.  Nonetheless, I am (mostly) confident that Witch Doctor, if not Tombstone, would be the winner of this year’s Battlebots.  Let’s take a quick look at my reasonings.

Sweet Sixteen
Biteforce vs. Uppercut- Biteforce by KO in less than 2 minutes
Biteforce has been a near unstoppable force this season while the rookie Uppercut has struggled to deliver satisfying KOs.  I think Biteforce will end Uppercut in less than two minutes and move on unscathed.

Black Dragon vs. Lockjaw- Black Dragon by UD
This was a tough call for me as these two bots have shown sturdiness and ability to deliver strong hits.  But who to choose?  Rookie team from Brazil or the veteran driver?  Based on Black Dragon’s last four matches, I’m giving it to Black Dragon for a mild upset.  I think both bots will be aggressive and have nice control but BD will win by Unanimous Decision by the Judges.

Tombstone vs. Quantum- Tombstone by KO, 1:20
Now, I can see Quantum winning like it did against Valkyrie by tanking hits and pushing its foe around the arena until the bell rings.  But Tombstone…is no Valkyrie!  That weapon is crazy dangerous and I think no amount of bite force will save Quantum.  I bet Quantum’s jaw will even go crooked like a sad croc when its done from this match.

Huge vs Whiplash- Huge by UD
Huge has improved so much since last season to the point that if you’re not a horizontal spinner than you’re in for a bad time.  If it wasn’t for the Hypershock vs Huge match I would’ve given it to Whiplash but now…I have to give it to my man, HUGE!  Whiplash will have difficultly controlling the match while Huge will just wail at it until its bruised, bruised, bruised.

Witch Doctor vs. Blacksmith- Witch Doctor by UD
Blacksmith’s luck may have turned in the nick of time by the end of the season but I’m afraid his luck will run out against the 4-0 Witch Doctor.  The hammer hasn’t been shown to be too effective and it would be hard to accurately pound the very agile Witch Doctor.  I think Witch Doctor won’t be able to KO Blacksmith but it will still win the match easily.

Son of Whyachi vs. Sawblaze- SoW by KO, less than a minute
Yes, I know, I know, SoW can be flipped and KO easily but I honestly think it can damage Sawblaze to the point of destruction before it could have a chance to flip it.  That saw is just begging to be torn and bludgeoned off.

Hydra vs. Minotaur- Hydra by SD
This will probably be the closest match for the Sweet Sixteen.  Minotaur is basically unflippable and Hydra would have to win by flipping Minotaur out of the arena, which is entirely possible, or by simply dominating the match by flips after flips.  Minotaur can easily win though by aggressive and chipping away from all sides.  However, I honestly can’t see Minotaur do too much damage due to Hydra’s low design and smooth armor.  I think Hydra will win if by Split Decision if it can’t flip Minotaur out.

Death Roll vs. Yeti- Death Roll by SD
This was also a very hard match to decide and if it was any other year and even six episodes ago I would have easily picked Yeti…but now…?  I don’t know…I feel like Death Roll has been such a chaotic force this year that I think it will be this bracket’s Dark Horse.  Yeti on the other hand has been…alright…not great but good.  I think Death Roll will do some crazy upset that will throw everyone for a loop by damaging Yeti until it starts smoking by the end of this match.  Weirder things have happened this season.

 

Elite Eight
Bite Force vs. Black Dragon- Black Dragon by KO in 2:35
That’s right!  I’m calling it here!  Bite Force will lose to Black Dragon in a surprise upset!  The desperado team will continue their wins by a long but strong match against the champion.  There will be many clashes and collisions and both bots will be heavily damaged but I think Black Dragon will throw us for a loop and flip Bite Force onto its back and win with a KO.

Huge vs. Tombstone- Tombstone by KO, less than a minute
There are two bots in this bracket that can defeat Huge, Tombstone and SoW.  If Huge doesn’t fight them he will win.  But unfortunately, Huge will have to fight Tombstone and he will lose to that ferocious horizontal spinner.  Perhaps Huge will have a different set of wheels than what we’re used to but I think it will be fruitless against the former champ.

Witch Doctor vs SoW- Witch Doctor by KO in about one minute
Witch Doctor and Death Roll are this season’s most improved bots.  I think Witch Doctor will continue her reign by defeating another improved bot, Son of Whyachi.  Witch Doctor’s record can be spotty, yes, but I think this will be one of those matches that will be done in less that five hits.  One solid hit by Witch Doctor’s vertical spinner will send SoW up…and onto its back.

Hydra vs Death Roll- Hydra by KO in 1:40
However, Death Roll’s luck will end here.  With two 4-0 bots fighting each other someone has to bow down and it will be Death Roll.  I think Hydra is just too experienced and intense for Death Roll to handle.  Death Roll will have a hard time damaging Hydra and a few good flips from Hydra I think will wreck Death Roll.

Final Four and Championship
Black Dragon vs. Tombstone- Tombstone by KO in about a minute
Black Dragon will be the talk of the town as the rookie who made it to the semi-finals.  However, it will fight Tombstone and, unfortunately, the Duck’s good luck powers will run dry.  Tombstone will wallop and destroy Black Dragon with a quick KO.

Hydra vs. Witch Doctor-Witch Doctor by JD
I think some of you might say I’m inconsistent here with Hydra beating Death Roll and Minotaur but lose to Witch Doctor.  You are…correct!  But!  Witch Doctor has been really good this season!  Reddit likes to shit on Witch Doctor (which was very much undeserved even before this season) but it’s a good bot on a good team!  I think Witch Doctor is sturdy and strong.  I think it has a good shot of taking down Hydra by chipping away, avoiding the flipper, and controlling the match.

Witch Doctor vs Tombstone- Witch Doctor by KO, in about a minute

I rest my case.

 

And as a bonus, here is Mary’s bracket!

BattleBots-2019-Bracket Mary

Battlebots 2019 should be a 24-Seeded Tournament

Leave a reply

After the Battlebots’ 2019 season Desperado Tournament, there was a constant discussion between the hosts, Kenny and Chris, about whether a 2-2 bot could make it post-season.  The problem is, there are an incredible amount of bots that have scored this 2-2 record.  These bots have seen a variety of opponents and as such, no 2-2 bot has the same path.  So when the most recent episode, episode 13, ended the Battlebots’ main season, many people are wondering…who’s in and who’s out?

Unfortunately, we are not given the whole picture as there are a lot of bots who’s battles haven’t been televised.  So we have to work with what we know.  And the crazy thing is…we already have a rather clear idea which bots would be in a 16-seeded tournament.

First, Black Dragon is the automatic in as it won the Desperado Tournament.  Also, at the time of this writing, there are four bots with a 4-0 standing (Deathroll, Hydra, Biteforce, and Witch Doctor).  There are also 11 bots that have a 3-1 standing (Lockjaw, Sawblaze, Tombstone, Huge, Uppercut, Rail Gun Max, Skorpios, Son of Whyachi, Hypershock, Whiplash, and Yeti).  Automatically, we have 16 bots that we could easily pick and add to the tournament.  There might be some backlash but it wouldn’t be very controversial.

Deathroll of Team Deathroll

This poses a problem because there are sooooooo many good robots that have a 50% win record that are majorly missing out.  I’m talking Minotaur, Duck!, Cobalt, and Copperhead.  We’re missing some interesting bots that could upset the tournament.  Without these 2-2 bots, we’re losing some potential dark horses.  Something should be done that includes these prominent robots that got unlucky breaks.

It’s not surprising that we see a deluge of 3-1 bots for this season.  This season has the largest selection of robots yet for the competition clocking in to 68 robots (2017 had 55 robots, 2016 had 44, and 2015 had 28).  The increase of just 13 robots made the field incredibly competitive to the point that if you were not 3-1, you would be hard press to make it post-season unless you had some incredible wins.  Because of which, Battlebots should expand the 16-seed bracket into a 24-seeded tournament to include those incredible 2-2 robots.

A 24-seeded bracket actually works out really well when you do the math.  The first round would have 8 battles with 16 robots fighting each other.  Due to the 2-hour long episodes, you can easily squeeze these 8 battles in.  This also gives the top eight robots a free pass so they can sit back and relax while their opponents kick the crap out of each other.  There’s also about 17 robots that have a win record near or at 50% (Desperado robots like War Hawk have extra battles under their belt).  Eliminating those robots down to eight would be fun and exciting similar to the last-chance rumbles from last season.

So the next question should be.  Who deserves the top eight seeds, who will get in automatically for the middle eight seeds, and who should fight for the last eight seeds?  This is difficult to answer because, again, we don’t have answers to all the fights that happened this season.  But given what we have seen so far, we can have a pretty good idea where everyone would fall on this hypothetical 24-seeded bracket.

Hydra of Team Whyachi

The Top Eight

Obviously, the 4-0 bots are here; Deathroll, Biteforce, Hydra, and Witch Doctor.  Some fans argue that Deathroll doesn’t deserve a top four spot which, sure, the robots it defeated weren’t top tier but three of those matches were by KO which is impressive.  Even so, Deathroll more than qualifies for a top eight spot.  Hydra and Biteforce are interesting as who deserves the number 1 spot?  If we include Biteforce’s history then it should get the #1 spot.  However, in this season, Hydra has four KOs as opposed to Biteforce’s two!  True, Hydra fought more mid-tier robots but still, I’d have to give it to Hydra for #1.

The trickier question are the 3-1s.  Who to choose? Son of Whyachi and Hypershock should be an easy pick.  All three of their wins were by KOs and their only loss was by an equally good robot.  I would also pick Whiplash as a top eight bot due to being the only bot that KO’d SoW with its one loss to Witchdoctor, a 4-0 bot. Finally, Black Dragon, the Desperado winner, should be on here as the eight seed.  It has a 4-1 record which is pretty good.  One of those wins is against Minotaur who was back in his prime!  It also has three KOs which is fantastic.

Black Dragon of Team Uai!rrior

The Middle Eight

Most of the rest of the 3-1 bots will find their spots here.  Tombstone would probably be a 9 seed.  Despite its lackluster fight with Gruff and the surprise upset by Rotator, it easily KO’d Lockjaw and Sawblaze.  Unlike Bronco and Minotaur, this veteran is still packing punches!  The rest of the 3-1 bots, Lockjaw, Sawblaze, Huge, Uppercut, Rail Gun Max, Skorpios, and Yeti should be able to squeeze in.  However, if I were to pick one bot here that doesn’t deserve the middle eight it would probably be Sawblaze as none of its wins were by KO’s.

Below is a list of my top 16 bots in a hypothetical bracket.

1. Hydra
2. Biteforce
3. Witch Doctor
4. Deathroll
5. Hypershock
6. SoW
7. Whiplash
8. Black Dragon
9. Tombstone
10. Yeti
11. Skorpios
12. Lockjaw
13. Huge
14. Uppercut
15. Railgun Max
16. Sawblaze

Railgun Max of Team Atom

The Lower Eight (and what matches could be fought to determine this)

Okay, this is where the real fun begins!  Whereas the top 16 bots are basically shoe ins.  The lower eight is debatable on bot placement.  In order to determine who would be in the 17 to 24 seeds we’ll need to have some qualifying rounds and rumbles!

However, if there’s one bot we should include in the bracket it’s Minotaur, Minotaur started off reeeeeeeally rough this season but got better and better until he was back to his old self.  I think he deserves to be in the tournament after the hell he went through.

Okay, what about the rest?  Who to choose?  Ribbot, Rotator, Duck!, War Hawk, Cobalt, End Game, and Mammoth are robots who have KOs under their belt and fought some incredible matches.  Most of them lost to the robots listed above so their certainly not pitiful losses.  You even have the likes of Rotator upsetting Tombstone which was soooooooo goooooood.  Further down the tier, I think Valkyrie, Deep Six, Copperhead, Shatter, Wan Hoo, Blood Sport, Quantum, Blacksmith, and Free Shipping, should be given chances as well.  This gives us 16 robots to narrow down to 7.  Although we can pare down our list by randomly drawing bots to fight each other, there are a few matches I would like to see happen.

Mammoth vs Deep Six: A looooot of people want these giants to fight.  Having these two tangle would be a very satisfying match to watch.  With practically 95% of the competition sharing the same box-like design with a spinning weapon, it’s nice to see some variety and these guys deliver it!  Have them fight to determine who is the king of height!

Shatter vs Quantum: What happens when we have a bot whose gimmick is biting through armor fights a robot whose gimmick is peeling armor??  This match has the potential to be entertaining although both bots have had issues this season implementing their unique weapons.  This battle could be a shot at redemption for them.

Warhawk vs End Game vs Ribbot: Similar to last season’s three-way rumble, this battle would pit three vertical-spinning robots that have done well, but not great, this season.  We already have a lot of vertical spinners on the field so this battle could eliminate two of those robots.  These three robots have proven they can deliver KOs…they just weren’t able to consistently do that.  Of the three, I would put money on the kooky Ribbot to win.  Go Ribbot!

Quantum of Team Robo Challenge

It sounds like this next episode will mix things up according to the episode synopsis.  Good!  I was hoping they would pull the rug from us.  I would be surprised if they went this 24-seeded route but these past few seasons of Battlebots have given struggling robots a second chance which is great to see.  Here’s hoping for Duck! to win the tournament!

Reaction to Battlebots Season 2 Episode 4

Leave a reply

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!).

Reaction to Battlebots Season 2 Qualifying Rounds

Leave a reply

Battlebots is back for season 2 and I’m glad it has returned!  This season has introduced new robots without sacrificing the quality (for the most part) of the fights.  Things are already better than the first season but first, let’s take a look at the bad.

-Once again, I have to question why some fights were relegated to the clip show while others we saw the whole thing.  Beta vs. Lucky for instance was by far the worst fight so far.  Even though the fight between Stinger and Nightmare was much shorter, I’d rather have seen that than see B v L.  Thankfully, some of the clips we saw were from fights that seemed lackluster so good call there.  Thankfully, an unedited version of the fight can be seen below.

-Continuing on from the previous complaint, why were many of the veteran robots, like Tombstone, Stinger, and the returning champion Biteforce, not given full coverage on their battles?  Again I would like to see their fights than Beta vs Lucky or Chomp vs Disc O’ Inferno.

-Nitpicking big time here but I’m disappointed in the lack of wedges and lifters.  Battlebots like Biohazard in the past would win by sheer simplicity and not by outlandish design (*cough* Ghost Raptor *cough*).  This is nitpicking though as I’d rather have a lot of launchers, clampers, and spinners than the other way around.

-Also, ABC, you REALLY, need to upload that Bronco fight on YouTube.  I would watch that fight again for sure.

That’s really it, I had a good time watching it and sure it’s corny and stupid but I love it.

One thing I have to compliment are the hosts who were the same as last year, their chemistry has really taken off and I really like the banter they give both during and in-between the fights.  I now look forward to their commentary although I still miss the interviewers from last year who were down in the pits.

Also, I’m glad that Battlebots has continued to dive into the builders’ lives and tell us who they are and how they got here.  People find them boring or pointless but I love it.  When I root for a robot, I not just want to cheer on it but the builder as well.  They struggled to get here and you really get sad when their robot gets destroyed.  My heartstrings were particularly pulled when Witch Doctor easily handled Rotator.  The backstory in Rotator was like that from a movie with the builder’s father helping him out even when he was sick.  ABC really pulled the rug under us when Rotator lost its first round (but seriously dude, even before the match I couldn’t help but comment how there were NO guards around your two wheels, not the best design choice…).

I think ABC has now wised up and are showing us backgrounds of builders even when they lose.  It keeps us guessing who will win and lose.  It’s almost like Game of Thrones how you become close to characters and are stricken with grief when they get the axe.  Now that I think about it Rotator was like Oberyn Martell when he fought the Mountain, he was gone too soon from this world.

The big thing though from this season is the introduction of not only projectiles but drones!  That’s awesome.  Unfortunately, the drones seem only mildly effective if not completely worthless.  I think the best example of this is the Complete Control vs. Bombshell where the drone just straight up crashed into the arena.  Luckily, Bombshell is still in it so hopefully it and Poison Dart can redeem drones.

One weapon that got redeemed was fire.  In the last season, fire was all bark and no bite.  Just a flashy distraction to win the audience and judges over.  The problem with fire was that it only grazed the robots and not damage it.  However, Complete Control (and Warhead) showed us that you can win purely by fire.  That was beautiful, absolutely beautiful, when Complete Control had Bombshell in the air and was burning him alive.  I think after this fight there will be more robots that will use a grab-and-burn technique since it seems to be a winning combination.  Also, Complete Control, we respect you again, welcome back.

Creativity is also overflowing big time from this season as these robots were just freaking crazy.  Walkers unfortunately were rare but that was made up by other weirdos like Razorback and Deathroll.  Obwalden vs. Warhead was particularly nuts as it was like a dragon fighting a knight.  Obwalden seriously reminded me of that one-and-done mascot that Battlebots had in season 2 called Y2K.  It’s too bad that Obwalden barely functioned but damnet I think it was awesome nonetheless.

Let’s talk about the battles, by far, the best battles came from the second episodes as you had such fights as Rotator vs. Witch Doctor, S.O.W. vs. Ghost Raptor, Burtus vs. Moebius, and Lockjaw vs. Yeti.  You had a great mixture of close calls and brutal knockouts.  However, Bronco’s fight from the first episode was great though as well as Complete Control vs. Bombshell; Minotaur’s fight was also amazing.

I already mentioned the sad fight between Beta vs. Lucky but Chomp vs. Disk O’ Inferno was also subpar as well.  The biggest fail though of the first couple of episodes was when Moebius just self-destructed big time against Brutus.  That was hilarious.  Moebius and Captain Shederator really highlight the risky nature of full body spinners.  On the one hand, they are powerful and robots have a hard time trying to hit you.  But on the other you can be extremely unstable if you aren’t built right.

Son of Whyachi had made his triumphant return as well.  The former heavyweight champion really stuck it to Ghost Raptor (which was amazing) and boasted its devastating power.  Unless something major happens to S.o.W. early on, I can easily imagine him going far.

Finally, the best fight of the qualifying rounds was probably the aggressive and intense battle between Lockjaw and Yeti.  Sure, it wasn’t a KO or totally one sided, but that’s what made it so much fun!  One thing you’ll notice about these two bots is how hyper, energetic, and aggressive they are on the box.  They were just zipping through the arena like racecars trading blows and trying to get the upperhand.  Lockjaw was surprisingly durable given that it had a face full of spinning drum for a good portion of the match.  I’m looking forward to what these two bots had to offer in the future matches.

That’s it for now, I’ll be publishing my predictions of the tournament soon.  Looking forward to the rest of this season!

Reaction to Battlebots Episode 6

Leave a reply

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!)

Reaction to Battlebots Episode 5

Leave a reply

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

Leave a reply

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

Leave a reply

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.

http://gfycat.com/SatisfiedLoneGhostshrimp

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.

View post on imgur.com

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!

Reaction to ABC Battlebots Episode 2

Leave a reply

Hmm.

To be frank I was disappointed in this episode but probably not the reason you think.

In my last Battlebots article I gushed how in this new series, we get to spend more time looking at the builder’s personal lives and strategy thanks to the smaller amount of contestants.  The fights were for the full time and not given brief clips.  However, this episode I was disappointed as ABC decided to show four full battles and cram four more in by showing just clips, thereby keeping the Qualifying episodes to just two and not three episodes.

First off, I thought that was disrespectful to the builders and especially to the winning teams. I want to learn about who they are, their background, and their thought process behind building their robot.  Second, I want to see the full fight!  I want to see the full battles regardless if it was exciting or not.  Third, I feel like ABC is already revealing which robots are going to lose in the next round because of their minute coverage on these bots.  Why should I care about Chomp, Overdrive, or Stinger?  You have given me no reason why I should care about them.

Sorry, this bothers me a lot.

Okay, with that said, the fights!

Lockjaw vs. Overhaul

Oh boy!  What a fight to begin this episode!  I love, love, love, love Donald Hutson.  Creative, kind, and mellow, he’s probably the most humble out of all the veteran competitors.  Yeah, that last hit by him after the buzzer raised some eyebrows but I believe he was sincere in his apology.  And Lockjaw!  He’s like the son of Dissector but more agile and colorful!  I like it!  Though I am concerned how effective Lockjaw is, it doesn’t seem strong and it doesn’t have any weapons to bash his opponents with.  Maybe it will do better in the next round.  And Overhaul is not bad either, I respect those MIT kids.  They have that dorky, awkward look about them that a lot of builders have.  They did a good job as well.

Bronco vs. Witch Doctor

If the Screws keep KOing robots they might as well be rewarded with the Giant Nut am I right folks?  Screws aside, BRONCOOOOOO.  YES, I was a fan of Toro and T-minus in the original series so seeing their prodigy just flip some shit I was happy.  If Bronco is like his ancestors then he might upset some spinners!  Witch Doctor has a neat flamethrower and I guess a cool vertical spinner but it didn’t really do much to Bronco I thought.  Still a cool fight though.

Tombstone vs. Counter Revolution

If a vertical spinner fights a horizontal spinner, the horizontal spinner wins, that’s like a fact of life in Battlebots.  But this…jesus.  That was great!  Seeing those parts go flying was amazing and made me giddy.  And man, ABC was really laying it on thick how badass Ray Billings and his robot are.  Haha, gotta love the bowling ball destruction bit, though.

Complete Control vs. Ghost Raptor

Very controversial match, I daresay.  But let me just stop there and say, wow, the builders for Complete Control look like real douchbags with their shiny jackets, beards and smirks.  Damn, not saying they are mind you but they sure do dressed the part.  Entanglements aside this was a disappointing battle for both robots.  Neither of them should have advanced. Complete Control wasn’t doing what it did best and throw a robot around the match while Ghost Raptor’s blade broke, seriously?  You main weapon snapped off?  That’s sad.  I would have rather seen Overdrive and Chomp’s battle than this one.

Summarized battles.

Didn’t get a good look at all the battles or the robots but I like the looks of Stinger and Overdrive, I hope they do well in their next battle.  Radioactive was a joke though.  Seriously, its hammer looked like it was doing no damage and the only reason why it won was that the other robot was facing technical errors!  Unless, I’m missing something big, Radioactive is going to lose next round.

Wildcards

Overhaul made sense as it did a good job against Lockjaw.  Chomp I can’t honestly judge since we just got a clip of it but Warhead…really?  He barely did anything to Biteforce!  Same goes for Witch Doctor!  Granted, they weren’t bad or anything but they certainly didn’t deserve a wildcard.  I would have given it to either Nightmare or Wrecks.  Confused why Warhead got the wildcard, I did a little digging though and found a Reddit AMA for a builder on Team Mohawk who says “It’s a mix of whether a losing team is able to get their robot fixed in time, whether they want to be considered as a wild card, and what would make for the best match ups later on.”  Hm, seems a bit odd to me but I can totally understand the part about a robot functioning properly.  If an important part were to be severely damaged during the fight, you would probably throw in the towel because you couldn’t replace it.  You can read the original interview on reddit here.  http://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/3bgqcd/mohawk_robot_team_member_here_ama/

Who would win?

Everyone on reddit and elsewhere is crying Tombstone and I agree that he has a good chance.  I would actually love to see Icewave fight Tombstone, that would be awesome!  Icewave and Tombstone horizontal spinners would destroy the other before the match is over and I seriously think Icewave has the chance in beating him.

Who else could be Tombstone’s foil though?  If we look at the history of Battlebots we come across the many-time Middleweight champion Hazard, a horizontal spinning robot.  The amount of robots Hazard has KO’d is staggering but it finally fell in Season 5 against T-minus, a flipping robot.  Check it out below.

Spinners have that problem of stability.  If they’re flipped over even once, they’re done.  So if Tombstone faces a flipping robot that can get a quick flip in, it’s a KO.  Bronco is the first that comes to mind and in all honesty, if they put in a flipper extension, they can beat Tombstone (plus, the builders were the same guys that built T-Minus).  Warrior Clan is also a good candidate, perhaps the multibot can use its minibots as a distraction before coming in and flipping Tombstone.

Tombstone also doesn’t look like a very fast robot and when you factor in its one-sided spinning blade, you got a robot with some big weak spots.  A durable and agile robot would be able to bring Tombstone down.  In this case, I’m looking at Stinger and Overdrive who both have shown to be durable and surprisingly quick.  I honestly think they have a shot in beating Tombstone.

The other two potential winners I would bet on would be Icewave and Bronco.  Icewave’s blade doesn’t do a lot of damage but it can spin up fast and keep spinning despite delivering heavy blow after blow (something that a lot of robots have trouble with *coughGhostRaptorcough*).  Bronco’s crazy flipping arm could also incapacitate robots, especially if he flips them onto those crazy screws.

That’s all for now, looking forward to, hopefully, full battles in the next episode!